Hi all
Over this winter I have watched a robin learn to land and hang on to our feeding station, it can now hang on and feed for quite a time, although it is not a very polished performance, It particularly likes the suet feeder. The feeders are the long tubular type and not a table.
I have never seen this before nor has anyone I have asked locally - is it becoming common in other places, is it like blue tits pecking bottle tops for the cream ?
I am trying to take a photo
The frog spawn in our little wildlife pond is visibly changing as the tapoles develop, roll on the warmer weather.
Theresa
My robin cheats!!!!! it lands on the tray that I've got screwed into the bottom of the feeder!!!
Lyndsey
I didn't get to be stupid by being blonde, I was stupid enough to pay to be blonde!!!
Earlier in the year we had 2 Robins that came into our garden, one was content to scrabble amonst the seeds on the table, the other was interested in the sunflower seeds that were inbedded in the fat balls. He got quite adept at fluttering whilst getting the seeds from the fat ball, almost without landing, just kind of touching down!....then fluttering again. The fat balls were in a wire holder which held 3, it never ate anything else, when he got the sunflower seed out off he'd fly to gobble his prize. Sadly, i have not seen either Robin for a few weeks and have missed them, and their antics very much, i still keep a look out in case they return.
Hi, We have a pair of Robbins who have taken a liking to fatballs on our Oak Tree. I was surprised how quickly they mastered landing and hanging on, sometimes for four or five minutes. I have to say though, that they are far more capable when the fatball is newer and filling more of the netting, than from the half way point downward.
I have also noted that there seems to be an order of arrival, Great Tits, Bluetits, Longtail Tits, Coal Tit, Spotted Woodpecker, and Robin seems to be the last in order to arrive. This happens mornings, lunchtime and evenings, and we can time our meals to be able to watch the sequence of visitors.
Hi Fezziefeeder and welcome to the forum. That's a great story about your robins but I hope you don't mind my mentioning that fat balls (and/or peanuts, come to that) should never be put out in those plastic net bags as they can, and do, seriously injure the birds.
The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.
The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!
Hi Squirrel
A very good point - "my" birds in fact do not like fat balls at all and completely ignore them and it is only the pied woodpecker that eats the peanuts (they are in a tubular feeder). I feed suet that I melt at home and put into tubular feeder.
My lot are quite spoilt they have mixed garden bird seed, whole peanuts in feeder, sunflower hearts and suet, after watching my feeders for a few minutes, someone said to me "what lovely FREE entertainment", I don't begrudge a penny of what it all costs but free it is not!!!