Garden visitors.

FLYING BANANA · 14th September 2018, 12:35

Now that I have the bird feeders up I'm starting to get a steady stream of visitors, especially the Robin's.

stevestrat · 14th September 2018, 13:18

We had our feeders on an old apple tree. It was at the point of falling down, rotten, so replaced it with a stand. Recently added a seed feeder with sunflower hearts in it, birds are going mental over it. Removing the old apple tree was straightforward, just shoved it over!

FLYING BANANA · 14th September 2018, 13:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevestrat

We had our feeders on an old apple tree. It was at the point of falling down, rotten, so replaced it with a stand. Recently added a seed feeder with sunflower hears in it, birds are going mental over it. Removing the old apple tree was straightforward, just shoved it over!

I have used the Black Sun Flower seeds and as you say, they go absolutely mental.
I have the suet bars in the feeders but other than the Robins the other birds ignore them.

willshot · 14th September 2018, 14:32

We had this fine bird on Tuesday morning.

stevestrat · 14th September 2018, 15:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by FLYING BANANA

I have used the Black Sun Flower seeds and as you say, they go absolutely mental.
I have the suet bars in the feeders but other than the Robins the other birds ignore them.

Got two feeders with suet balls which were popular before I put the sunflower hearts out. All the feeder have to be squirrel proof here!

Quote:

Originally Posted by willshot

We had this fine bird on Tuesday morning.

At our old house I went to the kitchen window one day, huge bird of prey standing in the middle of the grass. Quick visit online revealed it to be a Peregrine Falcon.

AndyN01 · 15th September 2018, 07:29

Fabulous photos

.

I use a slightly modified RSPB mix for the birds:

250g Lard (can also be used for other things - like cooking eggs

)

300g Peanuts

150g Mixed fruit (the cheapest you can find)

150g Oats (the cheapest you can find)

100g Black sunflower seeds

100g Sunflower hearts

Melt the lard.

While it's melting whizz up the peanuts, mixed fruit & oats in a food processor.

Add the mix and the sunflower hearts/seeds to the lard and give it a good stir around.

Wait for it to cool a little and put it out in whatever you like. We use small logs (2-3" diameter and 12" long) with holes bored into them hung up on a feeder pole..

Attracts all sorts including woodpeckers, nuthatches, all sorts of the family containing blue, great, coal, long tail etc., starlings, blackbirds, thrushes.......

Andy.

stevestrat · 15th September 2018, 07:47

They are emptying the sunflower hearts in a day, suet balls aren't being touched. So popular the pigeons and doves are trying to get at them as well!

Revise that, just had to refill the feeder! Getting a great variety of birds that obviously weren't interested in the suet balls. Had been buying 1 kilo bags of sunflower hearts in the local Tesco but just order a 20 kilo bag online, works out at almost half the price. Need to try to get some pics, various t1ts, goldfinches, chaffies, siskins not to mention optimistic doves and pigeons. The dogs don't like the pigeons and doves, if they hear the wings flapping they're out to investigate.

Mentioning woodpeckers, next door has a feeder with suet balls which a woodpecker frequently visits. Why get a headache banging your head off a tree when there's easier food around.

Gate Keeper · 10th November 2018, 07:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by FLYING BANANA

I have used the Black Sun Flower seeds and as you say, they go absolutely mental.
I have the suet bars in the feeders but other than the Robins the other birds ignore them.

Good morning Bob, have a fantastic time at the NEC. It is disappointing I was not able to join you and take up the offer of showing off my old V6 along with the others on the stand. Here is a tip about displaying bird photos. One of the things the birders like to see in the photos is feather detail and the light reflections in the bird eye. I realise it is not always possible to achieve this, but when it is, the photo has greater impact. For something different but related to birds, I have always found “Birds in Flight” challenging and it’s something I am still to master.

Have a great weekend

FLYING BANANA · 21st November 2018, 13:06

A few visitors this morning.

v-man · 7th December 2018, 11:37

A quick snap from me taken a couple of weeks ago from kitchen window.

14th September 2018, 13:18	#2
stevestrat This is my second home ZT260 #243 (resting) Join Date: May 2010 Location: Prestonpans Posts: 22,484 Thanks: 650 Thanked 4,624 Times in 3,358 Posts	We had our feeders on an old apple tree. It was at the point of falling down, rotten, so replaced it with a stand. Recently added a seed feeder with sunflower hearts in it, birds are going mental over it. Removing the old apple tree was straightforward, just shoved it over! __________________ Steve T4 Location Map Last edited by stevestrat; 14th September 2018 at 14:45..

15th September 2018, 07:29	#6
AndyN01 This is my second home Toyota RAV4 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Tamworth Posts: 3,076 Thanks: 2,478 Thanked 1,579 Times in 968 Posts	Fabulous photos . I use a slightly modified RSPB mix for the birds: 250g Lard (can also be used for other things - like cooking eggs ) 300g Peanuts 150g Mixed fruit (the cheapest you can find) 150g Oats (the cheapest you can find) 100g Black sunflower seeds 100g Sunflower hearts Melt the lard. While it's melting whizz up the peanuts, mixed fruit & oats in a food processor. Add the mix and the sunflower hearts/seeds to the lard and give it a good stir around. Wait for it to cool a little and put it out in whatever you like. We use small logs (2-3" diameter and 12" long) with holes bored into them hung up on a feeder pole.. Attracts all sorts including woodpeckers, nuthatches, all sorts of the family containing blue, great, coal, long tail etc., starlings, blackbirds, thrushes....... Andy. Last edited by AndyN01; 15th September 2018 at 07:49..

15th September 2018, 07:47	#7
stevestrat This is my second home ZT260 #243 (resting) Join Date: May 2010 Location: Prestonpans Posts: 22,484 Thanks: 650 Thanked 4,624 Times in 3,358 Posts	They are emptying the sunflower hearts in a day, suet balls aren't being touched. So popular the pigeons and doves are trying to get at them as well! Revise that, just had to refill the feeder! Getting a great variety of birds that obviously weren't interested in the suet balls. Had been buying 1 kilo bags of sunflower hearts in the local Tesco but just order a 20 kilo bag online, works out at almost half the price. Need to try to get some pics, various t1ts, goldfinches, chaffies, siskins not to mention optimistic doves and pigeons. The dogs don't like the pigeons and doves, if they hear the wings flapping they're out to investigate. Mentioning woodpeckers, next door has a feeder with suet balls which a woodpecker frequently visits. Why get a headache banging your head off a tree when there's easier food around. __________________ Steve T4 Location Map Last edited by stevestrat; 15th September 2018 at 13:35..

7th December 2018, 11:37	#10
v-man I really should get out more....... Ford Fezza Poverty Spec & ? Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Lincolnshire Posts: 2,892 Thanks: 526 Thanked 349 Times in 275 Posts	A quick snap from me taken a couple of weeks ago from kitchen window. __________________ Report potholes, flytipping, broken streetlights - www.fixmystreet.com Find cheaper diesel/petrol - www.petrolprices.com 2001 Rover 45 1.8 Impression S owned for 15 years, now scrapped.

14th September 2018, 14:32	#4
willshot Posted a thing or two Ex-ZI190 owner. ,Ford Focus RS Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Malton Posts: 1,573 Thanks: 1,123 Thanked 301 Times in 198 Posts	We had this fine bird on Tuesday morning.