Ok it had to happend. I have been feeding the birds for about 5 years now and last week the cat brought a rat in the house - thankfully dead. We have many mice (goes without saying when you feed the birds). The cat brings these in too (alive) but we are adept at catching them and have a special container that we use to catch and release them again. I'm not squeamish but even I had to take a step back when dealing with the size of the rat.
Can I just digress at this point and say the rat was actually caught by the cat when trying to eat the hedgehog food. I have since stopped feeding Mr Hedgehog (which is a shame as I often start feeding them around this time so they have a chance through winter). I have also fitted trays under the bird feeders but this has now opened up another issue.
Before, the hanging feeders were left for the smaller birds and the ground feeders for the larger but since I have fitted the trays the larger birds now have a platford on which to get to the hanging feeders. Hence my bird food is going twice as quickly, sometimes within an hour or so after I have put it out. Obviously the good thing is that any more rats don't stand a chance but my pocket is going to suffer!
If anyone has any ideas on how to restrict the hungry hoard from my hanging feeders I would be most grateful.
Regards
Kerry
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kezmo6310/
I'm laughing here because its so familiar, We also addied trays to the feeders and instead of tidying up the fallen seed which I loved them for, the pigeons used the trays to feed fromthe feeders and just didn't stop, couldn't believe for a few days when coming home from work why there had been so much activity at the feeders until that is the weekend when we were at home a saw why. We soon got rid of the trays and the pigoeons are again welcome to tidy up around the bottom of the feeder stand.
All I ask is the chance to prove that money can't make me happy. Spike Milligan
Hi Soosin,
This one was caught in the act!!
Regards, Kezmo
Hi Kezmo
Nice picture by the way.
I have not had anything like your have had with Cats and Rats, but I have had the over enthuastic larger birds eating from the bird feeders. Had brown Rats feeding from my feeders at one of my properties within a used farm. That was to be expected at a farm, but not in a urban house though - I pray to goodness anyway, Mice are one thing Rats are a bigger problem.
My OH had an idea how to resolve the matter of the larger birds on the bird feeders, and that was to remove the perches. It stops bigger birds from hogging the feeders, and frightenring the little birds away.
I have also heard of Collared Doves trying to fit themselves into window feeders, and they look out of place (they are far too big) as the window feeders are designed for smaller birds..
The thing to do is try to find a feeder that had adaptable perches for birds to sit on, and the perches be removed if need be, You could opt for the port holes instead with the tiny plastic perch which are ideal for smallers birds but no use for bigger ones.
Like 'Soosin' has commented upon, I see that you have a tray for catching seed but there again it is catching eagle eyed Collared Doves too. Maybe not the best set up at all.
None of my feeders have seed trays as the birds like the Blackies, Collared Doves and the Dunnocks will clean up what is dropped on the floor anyway.
Kathy and Dave
Great photo, Kezmo, the collared doves are so endearing that you could almost forgive them.
Hi there,
Thanks for the advice, I will remove the trays and leave the rats to the cat! As Soosin says the collard doves are so lovely you can almost forgive them for being so greedy!
The one in the photo is a new addition, I think maybe one of this year's youngsters - she must be female as she is so pretty.
Kezmo
Hi Kezmo... just an idea for an adaptation. If you got a large size plant pot saucer (the plastic, normally orange [pretend terracotta] ones), cut a hole in the middle and slid that onto the pole much lower down that would catch most of the spilled food and allow the pigeons and doves to eat from there rather than relying on them to collect it all from the ground. You would need something underneath the saucer to stop it sliding to the ground but either a rubber washer, elastic band or (preferably) small hose clip should suffice.
Squirrel
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
That's a fantastic idea! I will certainly try that but unfortunately my other feeders are the ones that just hang from a hook. Admittedly most of my bird food is hoovered up by the end of the day so not much lying around. I only started putting the trays on when the rat appeared. So really I could use your advice for the one on the pole (as this is nearer to the house; the feed that spills on the ground doesn't get eaten as quickly as the others which are away from the house) and let the other hang without trays.
Great advice thanks very much!
Hi Squirrel
Good one. I think I will ask OH to use your idea, Squirrel - {thumbs up}
Good that you have found an alternative idea for your seed wastage Kezmo.
Hi Kezmo and Kathy
Glad to have, possibly, been of help. It would be good to know how you get on as if it doesn't work I will put my thinking cap back on.
I would say its probably best to restrict the amount of food being left out or divide the current amount you leave and put say half out in the morning and half later so stagger the food into different feeding times? it can be difficult and although this may not stop the problem of birds visiting empty feeders at some stages of the day at least you won't be busting the bank and keep the birds in your area.
You could also consider using caged feeders to stop some of the larger birds getting access and this can help perhaps limit the amount of birds at the feeders at any one time: http://shopping.rspb.org.uk/p/BirdFeeders/Bird_feeder_guardians.htm
If you do go with this option also place a large tray below the feeder to collect any fallen seed which can offer food for ground feeders and can then easily be cleared of an evening.