Hi everyone I'm so excited, just had to tell everyone, I've been feeling so sorry for the Song Thrush I've had visiting, he/she has been getting mobbed and chased away by the Blakbirds whenever he comes to my garden for a feed, and he's been getting so nervous of late with the Blackbirds now in pairs attacking him, and all on his own while I have noticed lot's of my birds pairing up, I had wondered if he would find a mate with them being so scarce now, AND HE HAS, he turned up today with his own mate, with a mate for support now I hope the Blackbirds might leave him alone. I don't suppose they will though with all the fighting for there patch of land now spring is on it's way.
Being new to this, I don't know but does it ever happen that some birds won't find a mate and miss a breeding season.
There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed.
That's brilliant Squirrel, it's sad to see them on there own when all around the other birds are pairing up.
I wonder if your newbies have alot of catching up to do now they have found a good food source with you.
Hi BBB, I am not quite sure yet which food they are coming for as they do come onto the table but so far haven't stayed there to eat - more grab and go! It might be the raisins and/or the mealworms though as this is the first year I have put those out on a regular basis. That is certainly what the Blackcaps go for and they are new this year as well.
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 Squirell, do you feed dry mealworms, I got a tub of those and they sat there untouched for ages had to clear them up and throw them away in the end, then I tried soaking them and still no joy. How long should they be soaked for as the shells on them still seemed quite tough, is thet normal. I did wonder about keeping them for when the parents are busy feeding the young and put them out soaked then, thought they might go then, but will they keep o.k until then.
Hi BBB, mine are dried and I have tried them dry and soaked. The birds don't seem to bother about whether they are soaked or not (they guzzle them up, regardless) so at the moment I put them out dry as with the amount of wet stuff falling from above they quickly get soaked anyway (LOL) but I will start soaking them once the breeding season starts as I believe they shouldn't be fed dry to chicks.
As long as you don't soak them they should be fine if you decide to keep them until the parents are feeding their young as, depending on the quantity you bought, they will most likely have come in an airtight container.
Thanks for that Squirrel, they are in an airtight container, so I shall hold onto them for the breeding season, most of the birds visiting me at the moment are favouring the suet pellets, the Blue tits have a bit of a feast on the peanuts then fly away with a suet pellet, I have aquired more Dunnocks too their eating the golden chorus spread on the ground, the Blackbirds, Robins, thrushes and now I have two magpies as well are eating nothing but suet pellets, they are getting through a bag in two day's and they cost £2.99 a bag its getting expensive, I'm going to have to order a tub online it works out cheaper to get them in bulk.
Have a look at :-
http://www.streetendfeeds.co.uk/product.asp?catid=3&catname=Suet+and+Fatballs
I buy the 10kg bags (they are actually in 2 x 5kg vacuum-sealed bags) as it works out a lot cheaper. I also get other foods which the birds don't eat quite so much of from their pick and mix range whereby you get two smaller bags of whatever you choose for a reasonable price. (Last time I bought 1 x raisins and 1 x peanut granules that way).
Thanks ever so much for that Squirrel, that is a good price, unfortunately I've just placed an order elsewere, alot cheaper than I have been getting them, but not as cheap as your link, I will certainly be ordering from them next time. I have saved there site as a favorite.
Hi Squirrel and BBB,
Congratulations on your Mrs Thrush Squirrel. Mine is still on his own, as is my pied wagtail. He is always one of the first to arrive.
I also use Street End Feeds for suet pellets, mealworms and pick and mix. Like Squirrel, I get raisins and peanut granules. I also bought their sunflower heart chips, which are completely huskless, and they are very popular. Their mealworms in the 1k bags are the cheapest I have found anywhere and everything is well packed and delivered the next day.
BBB - you are the first person I have met whose birds don't eat mealworms! How strange. Apart from the goldfinches, I think all my birds eat them. I mix them up with suet pellets and raisins for the table, under hedges, and flat trays. They are gone in no time and I have to ration them as they are so expensive. I'm not soaking mine at the moment, but will start when the breeding season gets under way.
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
Susan H said: Hi Squirrel and BBB, Congratulations on your Mrs Thrush Squirrel. Mine is still on his own, as is my pied wagtail. He is always one of the first to arrive. I also use Street End Feeds for suet pellets, mealworms and pick and mix. Like Squirrel, I get raisins and peanut granules. I also bought their sunflower heart chips, which are completely huskless, and they are very popular. Their mealworms in the 1k bags are the cheapest I have found anywhere and everything is well packed and delivered the next day. BBB - you are the first person I have met whose birds don't eat mealworms! How strange. Apart from the goldfinches, I think all my birds eat them. I mix them up with suet pellets and raisins for the table, under hedges, and flat trays. They are gone in no time and I have to ration them as they are so expensive. I'm not soaking mine at the moment, but will start when the breeding season gets under way.
HiSparrow, I know I had heard the birds love them, that is why II got some, couldn't believe it when they wouldn't eat them, do you think it's because I keep topping up the pellets all day, if I didn't do that maybe the worms woul go as well.
Hi BBB,
I can only speak about what happens in my garden, but the suet pellets are the absolute favourites and go first. I buy the berry flavoured ones, which are bright pink, and I wondered if it was the colour. Birds can see them from miles away, and suddenly pounce on them from all corners of my town! I top my mix up until about 3 in the afternoon or thereabouts, then I withdraw it and make them eat the seeds! I normally mix 2 cups of raisins, 2 cups of pellets and 1 cup of worms together. I then scatter some mealworms under the hedges, in the flower tubs and on the patio area. I also mix 2 cups of sunflower heart chips, 2 cups of premium seed mix and less than a cup of peanut granules together. In addition, there are the tube feeders with sunflower heart chips and nyjer, and of course other things with suet in. I find this is working best in my garden, but it is all trial and error. Mostly error in my case!