The Garden Community for Garden Lovers

Helping our feathered friends.

43 comments


If your garden looks like this then obviously not much in the way of gardening can be undertaken.Fortunately the snow covers up a lot of areas I ve been neglecting – so theres always a silver lining !


The Goldfinches arrive whatever the weather in fact seem to prefer it rough as this keeps others at home , hard to imagine where they could find this amount of seed during this sort of weather.


On the bird table is a Brambling and Chaffinch – Bramblings are winter visitors trying to get some relief from Scandinavian winters and return in early Spring .Whose idea was it to come over this year ?
Winter migrants vary in their numbers and type from one year to the next. Last year our garden covered in little Siskins ( similar to Greenfinch but smaller ) this year none .Waxwings have been spotted around the country – for the first time in many years – esp in Municipal carparks where Ash trees , pyracantha bushes etc are often planted.
They strip the berries of these within minutes !


This little fella – a Pied Wagtail – loves his mealworms but those greedy Starlings will hoover the lot up , so as often he and Robin are the last daytime visitors we only put them out late in the day after Starlings gone off to roost.


Yes of course Ivy can be invasive but if you can live with some of it – it provides so much shelter , many birds love the seed heads once ripened and the bees and butterflies love the emerging flowering stems.


Sparrow numbers have plummeted primarily due to new building developments which are not at all bird friendly with their open plan garden designs , lack of hedging etc – this coupled with cold winters for birds that prefer to feed off the ground makes it tough for them.


This feeder enables them to sit and wait and they wont use any other peanut feeder in our garden as they swing – the only thing that moves them is …


Yes you guessed !


Its advisable to have a roof on a bird table not only does it offer some protection when feeding but it keeps food dry.You can see on this fellas leg the development of a Trichomonas infection caused by standing in damp stale food.Not a problem here I hasten to add !
Its a bit like foot rot and you can see his leg begin to redden.Sadly he will lose this leg – you may have noticed other one – legged birds in your garden.

Net feeders for peanuts and single fat balls should be avoided as often become entangled in them especially when squabbling over food.Those fat ball towers that take several and wire peanut feeders prevent this .


Poor old Honey the bunny is nearly 12 years old – so few teeth left have to grate her carrot to mix with rabbit food.This blackbird has become rather partial to it and sits and waits for me to drop some feed …


Oh well everyone fed quick stroll around the village ..


Err sorry chaps think someone else will be along soon to see to you ..raining now so guess this be gone by morning Bye.

More blog posts by bonkersbon

Previous post: Snow fun being a bird.

Next post: Snowblog.In search of buried treasure ..



Comments

 

lovely blog BB
wish I had as much room!

11 Feb, 2009

 

What a Lovely Blog Jane/Ray iv enjoyed reading & looking @ your Wonderful Pics :) I wash my bird Tables Regualary as i see when it gets that Horrid Food Build Up :/ Shame not every1 knows the Problems it can cause 2 Birds feet/legs . Iv just started to use a Fat Ball Feeder & done away with the nets they come in :)

11 Feb, 2009

 

Oh dont worry Arlene didnt you say you had 2 robins visit ? Thats a good sign and in this sort of weather birds will forego their shyness to get a good meal ..

Thanks Jacque saw that feeder of yours and reminded me about the nets .The advantage of taking photos is helps to remember to keep things clean ..if only it could make me more tidy lol

11 Feb, 2009

 

Enjoyed this blog,you have a fantastic range of wildlife in your garden it makes me green with envy,I have 2 very large Hawthorns at bottom of my garden covered in ivy and do get a lot of little birds in there unfortunately I,m not very good at recognizing them,even with my book in my hand,lol.......

11 Feb, 2009

 

They will appreciate the berries and cover Lincslass,and if you feed them,they wont worry about you identifying them ! lol

11 Feb, 2009

amy
Amy
 

A lovely blog BB . and such nice clear photos it,s nice to see so many different species of birds in your garden plus Honey and shh you know who ! ..... :o)

11 Feb, 2009

 

Aww, your garden looks beautiful! Brilliant pics, great village, love your bird table and envious of the different birds you have. I often wondered whether I should remove those nets that the fat balls tend to come in, I have a fat ball tower feeder so I'll remove the nets in future, thanks BB, you are so helpful to me and the wildlife. Love to Cyril and Twiggy & Family and Honey

11 Feb, 2009

 

Awwww thanks Amy and Dawn.....Cyril and family very secretive at moment....he just coming out occasionally to take monkey nuts to drey..after raiding the feeder for himself lol. Honey doing ok..got a special treat of chopped up apple today as well as her grated carrot. We had pizza ! lol

11 Feb, 2009

 

Useful blog.
Nice to see the photo of Honey :o)
You look after her well.

11 Feb, 2009

 

Beautiful pics and great blog BB.....you have a smashing long garden and the village looks very old and interesting.
I didn't realize about the food build up and what it could do....will be aware of this in future. Not many birds in my garden though as I have three sets of furry ears usually keeping watch lol!!

11 Feb, 2009

 

Honey is a lucky Bunny. I would guess Twiggy is enjoying the relaxation before being a Mummy!

11 Feb, 2009

 

~had a pair of nuthatches on the bird table as well but I find that when I try something like cooked rice on the or soaked sultanas they just get left and no one had any meal worms today~empty shelves!
However the gulls will eat anything and everything put on the garage roof!gourmet food not needed!

11 Feb, 2009

 

Thanks TT : )
Janey...lots of history to village...the photo taken by the castle ruin is in forge valley...named after a blacksmiths forge in the area many years ago.Some lovely walks in the area and on the fringes of national park.

11 Feb, 2009

 

Thanks Dawn...Honey is fine...covering hutch in these cold temps,but shes holding her own..and as for Twiggy...we will just have to wait and see......all quiet..as it should be ! Shhh

11 Feb, 2009

 

Arlene...dont you worry..those gulls need looking after too ! they are abit like our demanding rooks.All get their share in the end..and thats all that matters.Why not try and get some photos of them ?¬

11 Feb, 2009

 

a really lovely blog to read Ray, all the birds in your garden are well looked after.
lol even Cyril got his photo in this blog.
looks like a lovely village you live in

11 Feb, 2009

 

Very interesting blog, BB and lovely photographs of your surroundings and visitors. I was a little worried about the leaning tower though! Are you in competition with Pisa?

11 Feb, 2009

 

Aw Eileen you know Cyril ... not exactly camera shy is he ?

Not surprising not much left of it Gee - built in the middle ages in a hurry by Sir Barrett ye olde builder I believe.

11 Feb, 2009

 

Lovely blog and helpful BB..this is the first time we have put out food, usually plenty on the bushes, nothing feeding on the feeder though, it said it might take 3 weeks before the birds find it? even the squirrel hasnt noticed it, could it be in the wrong place I wonder? we get a fair amount of birds on the ground.....robins, wren, blackbirds, thrush, collared doves, but nothing unusual.

11 Feb, 2009

 

BB your garden is beautiful even in the winter snow.
Did you build your feeder?

12 Feb, 2009

 

nice pics bb
have been putting out extra seed , on the ground and under cover, seen a few birds about.
might move the feeders this year , especially the gold finches feeder , as the seed on the ground below keeps sprouting into plants during summer , no good in the borders , so may put above the lawn....................steve

12 Feb, 2009

 

I often remember putting out various bird feeds and watching the ensuing feathered chaos in my Essex garden, but the birds here are well organised in finding all sorts of grubs and insects. If I did attempt to set up a bird station here the local feral cats and flying raptors would soon make it a gourmet restaurant! I leave them all to their own interests!

12 Feb, 2009

 

It's good to see wildlife thriving in our gardens. Not many birds visit mine - maybe because of the cat . In my friend's garden there are always lots of sparrows.
I like the photo of that old ruin. What is it ?

12 Feb, 2009

 

I'm a bit worried about that rather decrepit building, too. I don't think that Barrett's did a very good job there. Is it still under its 10-year warranty, BB?

Love the photos - especially the sparrow! Thanks for the blog.

12 Feb, 2009

 

Love your phots You take some good shots

12 Feb, 2009

 

You have some lovely photos BB...... some really nice close ups of the birds......

12 Feb, 2009

 

Thanks all - as you can see from garden so little growing ( very envious of your winter beauty Spritz ) that birds take priority.

Yes Steve those Nyger seed supposed to be sterilised but little birds really messy and I too have had odd plants sprout.Think I will make a gravel area around base of bird table ( a purchased one - not that good at woodwork ! ) have seen someone hang a hanging basket under small feeder which worked well.

Trouble is the larger feeder too long to fit and rather have more goldfinches..

Glad things are easier for your birds in Spain Nariz,ours being kept going through this weather one of our coldest winters for 30 years.The mortality rate for the little birds esp will be high so they all need our help.More heavy snow as I write !

The lop sided tower is all thats left from the castle built during reign of Richard III being based in Yorkshire he ruled from up here and built many castles .I love the local history - not far from Stamford Bridge ( no not where Chelsea football team play ! ) where King Harold fought the Vikings then had to march his men down to Hastings to fight William the Conqueror - 4 days later.

Can you imagine a trek of nearly 300 miles before battle - no wonder they lost !

12 Feb, 2009

 

A great blog. You're certainly providing well for the birds in the cold weather.

12 Feb, 2009

 

Hi BB, my robins have found the mealworms on the sleepers, by the pond, two there together today so I hope they are a pair, as you've told me before they wont be both male! Also been feeding the other robin in another corner of the garden, he's so tame and appears when ever I'm around that area - given him some meal worms too, lol. Also today I saw a yellow pied wagtail, It flew out of the overflow ditch that trickles from the pond, he was nice but shy!

12 Feb, 2009

 

Hi we used to run Home and Garden Centres. In the winter we used to sell tons of bird food, bird nuts etc., A few months later they would be asking for something to kill the weeds in the lawn! One customer even had canabis growing in his lawn? Did it really grow from the bird seed?

What a fantastic blog, so many clear bird pictures, it's lovely.

We have a real crop of blackbird families, maybe eight pairs, they had just started the courting, which leads to Blackbird WARS, when along came the icy weather. One year all the birds ganged up on the Alpha Male bird, they killed him. I had to put him in the wheelie bin.

12 Feb, 2009

 

Hi everybody...usually on here at teatome,but a 15 minute journey home has just taken us 3 1/2 hours Caught in gridlock due to jack knifed lorry,blizzard,,5 inches of snow and un gritted roads. Nightmare !

12 Feb, 2009

 

Thanks Paul..
Dawn..great that you have a pair of robins...hopefully will nest in one of your new boxes !! Wagtails are so funny to watch...running along with that tail wagging !
Marge..had heard that they will fight to the death,but not had the misfortune to witness it.Not nice for you........

12 Feb, 2009

 

Dotty daisy...whereabouts is your feeder ?If you put it close where the birds congregate they will find the food,surely !

12 Feb, 2009

 

I have a black and white one Dawn he is always trawling around on my garage roof ~we have had one for years but not sure if it's the same one!

12 Feb, 2009

 

How lovely Arlene, I've seen the black and white ones around but I dont think I've seen a yellow one before.

12 Feb, 2009

 

Our one trotty has been feeding all day here for about a month.today was joined by another pied wagtail who lasted five seconds.Our trotty was having none of it and sent him packing ! Shame..we would have fed both.! The pecking order......

12 Feb, 2009

 

BB our feeder is hanging from the new pergola, which is quite near the house, we did wonder if they were put off by the bay tree and the olive tree which has been covered in fleece and weed suppressant which as you know is black and is also near the house.......who knows?

12 Feb, 2009

 

Youre probably right Dd...especially if they flap a bit.You could move it around and see where they use it !Good luck and keep us all posted !

13 Feb, 2009

 

Sorry Weeds...no didnt build feeder but very sturdy,and was on special offer last summer at £21 !

14 Feb, 2009

 

My feeder has seen a lot of birds but it is about worn out, I've had it for years, need a new one. I'm toying with building one, I have some bits and pieces of lumber. Might be fun. Mr. says he will help. If we manage it, I will post a picture.

15 Feb, 2009

 

Hi Weeds - have you seen some of Mikec s feeders ? He has some lovely examples not sure if he made them but worth a look on his pics.

15 Feb, 2009

 

Ace garden BB. That first pic is stunning.

Really liking the bird pics too. Turned 40 last year and my team in work all mock me coz I took to birdwatching in the garden and now gardening.....Doesn't bother me though as they don't know what they're missing!

I'm counting down your blogs and totally enjoying them....

GREAT STUFF!

28 Jul, 2009

 

Who cares what they say...its a wild and wonderful world out there and all for free ! Think you will just get more and more enjoyment as the years go by.Am in early 50s and was only recently able to enjoy wildlife to this extent when became self employed as a gardener ! Thanks for your lovely comments.....

28 Jul, 2009

Add a comment

Featured on

Recent posts by bonkersbon

Members who like this blog

  • Gardening with friends since
    29 Jul, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    28 Jul, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    22 Oct, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    4 Feb, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    14 Aug, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    2 Jul, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    27 Oct, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    31 Jan, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    18 Sep, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    22 May, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    27 Sep, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    4 Jul, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    10 Nov, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    17 Jun, 2007

  • Gardening with friends since
    12 Jan, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    22 Jan, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    10 Feb, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    30 Dec, 2011

Garden centre