Encouraging birds into my back yard...

Hi Emma,

 And a warm welcome to the forums, I hope you enjoy it.

I would suggest the basics first.

• Apply some hanging bird feeders: Mixed seed, suet, peanut, black sunflower ect....
• Next a bird bath. Preferably large-ish for birds to bathe in.
• Next a bird house stuck on 1 of the walls, this will attract blue tits, great tits, house sparrows and even coal tits!
• Lastly if you can add some flowering and bushes in a Place with no concrete, A this will help you hang bird feeders and )( B the birds will take shelter and maybe nest in here.

Then.... Youre all set!

     Coal               (p.s: I should know, I've lived in a flat with a yard before for 5 years!)

Hi Emma and welcome to the RSPB Forum.

Quite a difference is you life style going on there.  I can guess you are downsizing from what you have said on the Forum

First of all if you have not moved yet, I would try to wean your birds from the feeders in your present garden.  Drop the amount off food each day until you move

Once you have moved if you feel you have a space issue I would buy something that is compact, and you can hang of a few feeders at one time.  A multi purpose metal feeder with hooks that you can hang many feeders at one time.  There are a few different types on the market.

I also have a Feeder hook that you can screw into wood or any surface - like a plant hook.  Still to use it though.

You can use Window Feeders too if you do not have them already.  Great for a small garden space.

Buy a bird Bath as they are not bad for using up space, or use the one you have if it is suitable.  Of course you have the RSPB Feeder site on the website to browse through too for ideas.

I move quite a bit myself and I find that bird feeders that suit one garden, do not always suit another garden.  You just have to compromise in some way or another.  I still keep all my old feeders in-case I need them again.  I have squirrel proof feeders aand do not have squirrels so that is good for me personally - so they remain in a box at the present time.

Anyway there will be other ideas on her and I am sure we will all get you back on the bird feeder front once more.  I would be excited to know what birds you get as each garden have their own special species.

Best of luck to you

Regards

Kathy and Dave

Unknown said:

Hi all

I am moving from a house with a 70ft garden in a rural area with loads of birds and other wildlife to a flat with a 10ft concrete, walled yard in a small town! Eek! How can I encourage birds to come to my yard? I will be quite near the sea and don't want lots of greedy seagulls invading my yard!

Thanks in advance.

Emma

Hi Emma,

I agree with Duckwoman, you can grow shrubs in tubs very easily - I do, and they look lovely grouped together. The birds will use the shrubs as cover and you can put a pole feeding station in the middle of them. You can also buy those wall baskets that look like wrought-iron, attach them to your walls at different heights, and grow bird friendly plants and colourful annuals. They are also useful for hanging feeders from and putting mealworms and suet pellets in.

Oh ... and welcome to the forum!