Hi to everyone - this is my first post . I have been feeding a wide range of garden birds sucessfully for about 18 months. I have not had many starlings in the garden - until now !! I put suet pellets/ blocks out and soaked mealworms scattered on the ground and on feeder trays and they have an area in the garden almost exclusively for them. A robin visits the garden throughout the day and I am chuffed that I have almost got him to feed from the hand .As I wanted to keep on providing separate mealworms for the robin to ensure he keeps visiting and hopefully will have the trust to come fully to hand, I also put mealworms in a gaurdian feeder. However, unbelievably , the starlings can squeeze through the holes ( they are about one and half inches by 2" ) - I couldn't believe my eyes!! I have had a look for another gaurdian with smaller holes but I think they would still be able to stick their necks in. Has anyone got any advice on a gaurdian they can,t get into before I buy up the whole of the garden centre? The poor robin looks so dejected when his previously exclusive supply of mealworms are disappearing!
Many thanks
See my Flickr photos here.
Hi Welsh Lass,
Had exactly the same problem. I tried the guardian feedrs- be careful, they over-balance small ones and eat the food! Also, agree with others who have said they didn't get other birds either. Suppose just have to persist. Starlings need food too though, so I put a bit out for them. In winter robins, blackbirds, dunnocks and sparrows all ate quite happily from the mess the starlings left!
Good luck!
Is it a bird...? Let's hope so!
Hi,
Thanks for that point - it doesn't surprise me that they learn to over balance feeders. I've watched how clever they are !! Like you I make sure there's lots of food for them and I've grown quite fond of their antics ! I will be happy if I find just one feeder that foils them !!
Jayne
Hi welsh lass
Well as I said I would report back, my cage feeder came yesterday, I couldn't wait to try it out this morning. Took the Starlings ooooh let me see now how long......mmmmm about 5 seconds, in fact I hadn't even made it through the back door when they were in there!!
I was to say the least nonplussed, they didn't even attempt to make it look really difficult!
Should I give up I ask myself or should I let my obession go into overdrive, there must be something out there that is totally Starling proof! Not sure whether to consign this one with the other two that have failed and make them into hanging baskets or not, I think they would look quite fetching with some trailing lobelia or such like, it seems a shame not to use them at all. LOL!
Kerry
Regards
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kezmo6310/
Well I bought one of the expensive ones and it does keep the starlings out. Here's a couple of pics to show the frustrated starling.
I was a bit worried that the small birds wouldn't go in but I've seen blue tits and at least one robin go in for the meal worms. I'll try and get some pics to prove it.
TJ
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Tony
My Flickr Photostream
Well thank you my fellow community members, I will have a think. Unfortunately I have to try things out for myself and as it was quite cheap it's true what they say, you get what you pay although the reviews were pretty good I have to say. I know the reviews on here are good about your particular feeders so I may well give it a bash.
As for my other redundant feeders, there's always the car boot sale!
Dear Kezmo,
Ohh dear ! I feel for you - they could have given you at least 5 minutes to bask in victory !! I think I need to go for the gaurdian that Woodpecker and Doggie suggested. Don't give up hope- maybe your obsession could be the start of a lucrative career in designing and manufacturing the perfect starling proof gaurdian ! If the hanging basket idea fails - use it as a lobster pot maybe? On a serious note - thanks for sharing your experiment - it was really helpful.
Regards Jayne
Unknown said: Hi welsh lass Well as I said I would report back, my cage feeder came yesterday, I couldn't wait to try it out this morning. Took the Starlings ooooh let me see now how long......mmmmm about 5 seconds, in fact I hadn't even made it through the back door when they were in there!! I was to say the least nonplussed, they didn't even attempt to make it look really difficult! Should I give up I ask myself or should I let my obession go into overdrive, there must be something out there that is totally Starling proof! Not sure whether to consign this one with the other two that have failed and make them into hanging baskets or not, I think they would look quite fetching with some trailing lobelia or such like, it seems a shame not to use them at all. LOL! Kerry
Hi Jayne
No worries at all glad to have been of help!
If Tern reads this, I use Haiths at times and have an account with them so it was only a matter of time before I found the feeder and would have done exactly as I have now.
Hi Welsh lass
I feel your pain. We didnt have any starlings up until month ago. We had 4 black birds and 3-4 mistle thrushes visiting numerous times everyday but now the invaision of starlings has arrived thery are visiting far less. I would love to find a way to stop them form visiting but i dont think there is one. I have also magpies as well which attack everything. They attacked one of the mistle thrushes and pulled out a tail feather which i was very upset with :-(
Cheers and good luck
Rik
I see now why the starlings have been so busy - 3 fledglings started to come into the garden with its parents- they look so big compared to their parents - you can see the one squawking for food. Sorry if the quality of these pics are not good - I only have a little Kodak share camera so can't get the amazing pics that I see from others on here. Anyway I'll give it a go !!