Some things for the birds.....

wow loads of feeders Scottish :-)

I've seen feeders like that in catalogues - is it called a Droll Yankee? Looks very useful, and I bet squirrels can't climb it!

Enjoy your feathered visitors. We have four different feeders & just one tree to hang them all. I am always amazed at how quickly the birds go through the seed. We made the mistake of placing a birdhouse feeder on a branch overhanging a newly- planted garden bed, & before too long there were weeds popping up all over the place, so it quickly got moved to another branch. Now we are tending to use large solid- seed cones, as it takes much longer for the sparrows to eat there way through it, & far more challenging for them. Great blog!

When the birds have found the new position of the feeders you should be inundated with visitors.
It will be lovely to see some pics of them - garden birds are my favourites.

I am lucky as I do have trees to use but I also use my archway as well as the feeding stations that were bought for me as gifts, the one nearest the patio is exactly the same as yours, its very popular with the doves, I`ve had mine a few years now Scottish and very pleased with it, my latest bird pics have all been taken from the comfort of my sofa, lol....

It's nice to see people taking trouble to feed the birds. I don't do it because I have a phobia of them :o(
Fancy selling that thing's base separately ... it's like selling a table with no legs lol ... but I think you did have a bargain.

I used to have bird feeders when I lived in Essex and hoped to do the same here, but 'our' birds are adept at showing US how to feed from the land - they don't need us at all! After a day in the garden digging around and pruning we have several small 'hunters' - Great Tits, Black Redstarts, Wagtails etc. taking the opportunity to scoop up anything we've disturbed, but most small birds move very quickly and don't hang around for long - they don't want to end up as lunch for the many Buzzards, Eagles, Kestrels, Sparrowhawks, Merlins and Kites we have here! Enjoy your birds and I look forward to pics of them on your swanky new feeder. :o)

A good idea hanging them in the tree,Scottish..I have the same problem with feeders..not a lot of suitable places to hang them..The new one you have pushed into the ground,is like mine..but we had to turn it round ,so all the seed fell on to a path..a nightmare over the soil,for sprouting seeds..and I can't have a ground feeder on my gravel either,for the same reason..but I do have a low wall,I put food on..seems to work ok...this may be useful to you..OH put some heavy stones at the bottom,to stop the pole rocking in the wind,and adds a bit of weight and stability..sometimes it loosen's the soil after a while,especially in winter..

That idea putting them in the tree is brilliant, the little ones love the security, its natural for them isn't it

I've one on the post like yours and it works very well, we found the bluetits especially pick and choose the seed they like and drop the bits they don't, so oh fitted a plant saucer under the seed feeder so the corn falls in there, then the collared doves come and eat it......no mess

Wow, Angie ... what a lot of bird feeders ...
five star bird restaurant in your garden !

Brilliant Angie, lucky birdies and a good idea there to hang in the trees, will copy that idea down here! I have trouble with a pesky squirrel though who gets in first and nicks everything, I thought they hibernated, some hope :)

Thanks all for your lovely comments!
Surreylad - too many sometimes - when it comes to do the rounds of filling them up.
Steragram - Googled Droll Yankee - a brand name but very similar. Never seen a squirrel in the garden but the wee guy in the shop did say it was squirrel proof.
Dwyllis - Thanks for the tip re the cones - a couple of my feeders take the 'blocks' - I just haven't got round to buying them yet. I agree, they do last longer.
Chris - it didn't take them long to find them!! I look forward to 'trying' to get some pics. I really do enjoy watching them.
Lincslass - it was your pics that put the idea in my head about having them closer to the house - so thank you :)
Hywel - it's a shame you have a bird phobia Did something happen to you to cause this? - I'm sure there are plenty round about you who do feed the birds.
The fact that the base was separate it just another ploy to get money me thinks!! Thanks for liking my bargain :)
Nariz - Don't the birds just love rooting around the disturbed earth. I'm sure I saw what I thought was some kind of hawk sitting on my fence the other day - it was gone in seconds. I'll be keeping an eye open for it - unless it's like the woodpecker and only visited the once (that I know of). I look forward to sharing my pics.
Bloomer - the sprouting seeds can be a right pain, can't they. Thanks for the tip re the stones - I was thinking of ways to remedy this - I've a couple of large stones lying around which should do the job!!
Pamg - we occasionally have collared doves visit - but they tend to just 'observe' maybe they feed when I'm not looking!!
TT - you are right 5* restaurant - it's amazing how much the blighters eat!! I do try a variety - I like to keep them all happy :)
Grandmage - pleased to like my idea - hope it works for your birds. As you can see above - I'm not bothered with squirrels - it would be nice to see one visit though :)
Thanks again everyone :))

Trouble is Anjie the little 'b's' pinch whole fat balls and knock the seed flying............grrrrrrrrrr. I'm in and out like a yo-yo flling up all the time!!

I can imagine how much of a pain in the butt that is!! Maybe I don't want one to visit now :))
Let me know if you try this and if it works - maybe others might like to know!

I think a squirrels place is in the woods Lol.....and yes I will let you know how it goes, need to stock up on food first lol

I don't think anything happened. I just don't like beaks and feathers :o( lol ... just one of those things.
I'm glad other people feed the birds. It isn't their fault that I have this phobia.
I hope you'll get lots of birds on your new feeder :o)

We have a sparrowhawk who thankfully stays well away from the house but hopefully does his bit with the smalll rodent population in the fields..........

Snoop - thanks for the tip about the RSPB - I've sent away for some of their free literature :)
Pamg - plenty fields here for their dinner - possibly why they tend not to visit the gardens very often!

Lovely blog, Scottish. Like you, I have recently taken stock of all the bird-feeders scattered around my garden, given them a good clean, refilled them (partially ... read a tip somewhere that advised partially filling for less wastage, fewer spills and less rotting) and positioned them within easy view of my lounge window. Within minutes the word had spread and the garden was full of little birds. I had added niger seed to the menu and was pleased to see these going down well too ... had to buy a new feeder (from B&Q) to contain the tiny seeds, well worth the effort. I hope both we and our new visitors enjoy the fruits of our efforts during the months ahead.

Seems that great minds think a a like Xela :)
I tried that Niger seed last year - but it was always 'left' - didn't realise until the other day you need a special feeder for it. Another for the shopping list.
You tip re partial filing seems good - of course I've filled everything right up - and have decided to not fill again until everything is 'done'.
I'm sure we will both enjoy the benefits :)

Great bargain Scottish, and it's quite like my new one but yours has more 'hooks' than mine and you paid less too! I'm sure it will soon be the best bird restaurant in the locality and you'll be twittered out of your mind! My garden has already gone from being a virtually bird-free zone to being picadilly bird-circus, especially with blackbirds. I've had wren, great tit, blue tit, greenfinches, chaffinch, coal tit and of course the wonderful robin and the collared doves.....I love it! Trouble is, I spend too much time watching them! lol :) Ah well, you know that old saying about pausing to smell the roses....same applies with watching the garden birds I think! :)

Thanks Karen - Picadilly bird circus is exactly the right description!!
It's finally brought the wee tubby robin nearer to the house

I stand at the back door and watch them for ages - I love it too!!

:))

i love to feed the wildlife that comes into my garden, i could stand at the window and watch them for hours, when i was a wee girl i could tell u the name of every wild bird in britian and i hate it that i cant remember any of them,and im not even that old, the diffrent varieties of each bird etc, ill need to jog my memory and get a book me thinks.
i only have 2 feeders and have noticed how particular the wee blighters are, they prefer one to the other, preferance being the more expensive one might i add and they like the expensive seed, the birds in johnstone dont like pound shop seed ha ha, iv got a wee bird bath for them too but i think its too close to the ground for them to feel safe, i bet ur garden is glorious with bird song, the sound of them singing away and carrying on with each other must be fantastic, it must cost u a pretty penny to keep them going though x

Scottish, we discovered some blocks today, at a GC we had lunch at. Not seed ..... Resembled slabs of delicious fudge! We had to purchase two wire cages to put each slab in & my OH has hung them close to the big seed cone. One was Wild Berry & the other was a Peanut Butter one. It will be interesting to see what the birds think, when they have finally plucked up the courage to go near them. It took three days before they discovered that the big cone was yummy. We enjoy sitting in our sun porch for our first coffee of the day, with our golden retriever puppy & our papillon in & out .... The birds don't seem to mind them at all. It's very windy here today, so no birds around at all, but the bird feeders are all swinging like crazy.

I use the fat blocks too Dwyllis, they are softer than the fatballs and I found they they broke up too easily if the bigger birds went for them, I get the ones here that are a mixture of fruit and seed which seems to suit the tits and finches ond of couurse the sparrows who have learnt to cling on......

I haven't spotted the blocks with fruit & seeds yet, Pam. Will certainly grab one if I do find them. Unfortunately, the sparrows chase the smaller finches & wax eyes away, if they get too close to the tree. The finches eat the daisies & the dandelions on the lawn & the little wax eye feeds on the red hot pokers just outside our dining room window.

Andrea - thank you - the birds through here are fussy too!!
FYI - if you go to the RSPB website - there are a couple of free pamphlets on offer - I sent away for them the other day and they arrived today - has some basic information and advice with pictures of some birds/animals etc.
Dwyllis - I have discovered those seed blocks too - I have a feeder which takes those - I do like to buy them something a bit different occassionally - they love the berry flavoured suet pellets - although they don't last long!!
Pam - the sparrows are getting better at clinging onto things aren't they!