Hi
Because I have 2 cats I’ve not really fed the birds much over the years as they didn’t tend to come to the food because of the cats. However I’ve just bought this metal pole feeder and put it out yesterday in the middle of the garden so cats are not able to get at it. I only saw a pigeon and magpie try to use it yesterday and a robin get on for the bacon fat in the mesh bowl and a drink.
Came home at 2pm today to find mealworms from the left dispenser empty (was full). Bird mess all over bay window and big piles of what surely cannot be bird droppings under the stand (looks more like car, dog or Fox it’s that big lol). I obviously don’t want all the food to be taken by 1 or 2 large birds and would like the smaller birds to share. Does the pole look ok ? Did I put the mesh bowl too close to the mealworms so that a bird has just bashed them out as I cannot see how they could of all gone in half a day. Any advise appreciated. Thankyou
Hello Cjj, welcome from up into very far north of Scotland, in Caithness. That looks like the feeding station I have. I also have taken away the little water dish and mesh feeding tray as I found the birds were pooing in them when at the feeders. I feed nuts, bird seed, sunflower hearts, Niger seed (many do not as their birds never take them) and fat balls. We have all the usual garden birds, they all have their favourite feeder. Sparrow, starling, Robin, blackbird, all the finches, blue and great tit, collard doves and at present a pheasant family (we are in the country) mum, dad a three babies who are gobbling the food. I feed them simple mixed grain, it is very cheap, so I don't mind. Your feeder looks in the right place and I can see that the birds have the foilage to fly back and forth to, to hide and take their food, to eat. The starlings (if you have them) will almost certainly empty everything, I call them the school bullies!! We have a wee tabby cat, have always had cats and to be honest they would watch in interest, as is their natural instinct, but have very rarely taken any birds. They were great mousers and rabbit catchers! Something that we on here feed the birds, is home made pastry. Mix shops own brand flour and half the quantity of fat/lard, add seed, grated cheese and or suet, pieces of dried fruit, chopped nuts and a small amount of water to mix to a pastry. Keep in the fridge for a few hours and you can either shape to fit the feeders or pull of pieces and squeeze around the tree or shrub branches, or your feeding frame. Be warned they love it so you will have to keep making it!! Good luck. Looks like you need to get the mop and bucket out for the Windows! Some big poo marks there, it is amazing what a mess they can make!
PS Regards the feeders you could try hanging some on hook in amongst the trees and bushes at the back of the feeder, that way they will be spread out and maybe the wee ones will have a chance of feeding.
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