Hi there
I have my two ground feeders place in our back garden area at the moment.
We have our small ceramic dishes of bird food placed within a circular wire holders (really fence material)
There are plant pot bases to make a roof to keep the food dry {it works a treat}
There are two holes each side of each wire holder which allow birds to Blackbird/Starling size in the wire holder. They can feed in comfort away without feeling imposed upon by the larger birds
Recently I noticed that something has managed to get into the wire holders and pull out out one of the small dishes out of the wire holder and all the food go very fast.
This morning I got up to find that each small dish where out in the open away from the wire holders and where sitting in the open - emptied out. They are heavy duty ceramic dishes too!
So now I am wondering what is doing this to our bird food dishes.
Fox has come to mind at the moment but surely foxes would not eat bird food - or do they {the cold weather bringing this new interest for the Fox}
Any it is now 'Who has been eating my food' at the moment
What do you think everyone? What is clever enough to take dishes out of an enclosed feeders
This is one of the feeders with the dish on the ground with Starlings eating from the dish.
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Hi Blackbird,
I dont want to be an alarmist but could it be a rat, they are clever and could do this?
john
Do you get jackdaws or magpies? They are clever birds and it wouldn't surprise me to learn it was one of them. Yesterday a jackdaw was trying to eat fat from a coconut that was hanging from a feeding station hook. He was perched on the hook above the coconut but couldn't reach the fat, no matter how he tried. Eventually he got hold of the string the coconut was hanging from in his beak, pulled it up and the coconut followed. He held the string with his claw and hey presto - he got the fat.
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
Hi Sparrow,
I do agree, the magpies are doing the same in my garden.
john.
Hi Sparrow
Yes, we have Magpies (x2) and a pair of Crows (x2) - no Jackdaws as such.
Waxwing: The only time I have ever seen Rats near the feeders is when Dave and I lived at farms (2 times) and we got used to seeing Rats. Both times the Rats would feed openly in the daytime at the Bird Table. Shy they are not!
Never seen any Rats in a built up area of town yet. Though I do know they are around.
I have taken two close ups to see the sizes of the dishes in relation to the size of the hole. I am amazed as the dishes are wider than the hole and something is clever to pull them out at an angle.
Kathy, foxes love birdseed. I have watched a fox at my brother's house on many occasions, who cleans up their patio every evening of sunflower hearts and raisins. They now make sure they deliberately leave some for him.
On this new evidence, I would go with your first idea! Fox and yes they will like us in hard times eat whatever is available. All the other suspects, unless human!! Ooo, would not need to take the dish out to eat. Did they leave a tip?
John :-)
For viewing or photography right place right time is everything. I'd rather be in the right place with poor kit than have the best kit and be in the wrong place.
Unknown said:Kathy, foxes love birdseed
and jackdaws love whole peanuts!!! Guess you will have to stay up all night and catch the culprit. LOL
I'm going to go with fox as well, they will happily eat seeds and fruits as they are far from being strict carnivores. You'll have to sit up and watch for the culprit lol
Millie & Fly the Border Collies
Hello Blackbird,
A mystery indeed... As the crime appears to be committed overnite, then both a fox (when extremely hungry, there is no limits to their cunning) or a rat could be likely candidates. When it comes to accessing food, I have also seen Grey squirrels being extremely crafty during the day as well.
If you still have snow around, has there been any signs of any tell-tale tracks?