O/T How do I attract Birds?

[ŽižkovClaret]

fat balls

[ICL]

Another vote for fat balls. We were having trouble with rats when feeding with nuts and seeds, but switching to the balls in a feeder and the rats have now gone. One surprise is that we now have Tree Sparrows coming to the garden (c. 3). Not seen these in our area before; we’re in Reedley.

[beddie]

I tried fat balls along with most other seeds. As previously mentioned it attracted next to nothing this year, last year was not bad so I'm at a loss to know why nothing is coming in. I brought all the feeders in the other day and threw everything away as it had all gone rotten. I'll try to change the water more regularly and see if that helps.

[Bosscat]

I tried fat balls along with most other seeds. As previously mentioned it attracted next to nothing this year, last year was not bad so I'm at a loss to know why nothing is coming in. I brought all the feeders in the other day and threw everything away as it had all gone rotten. I'll try to change the water more regularly and see if that helps.

We feed the birds also with fat balls ... an interesting point was the Wife bought some cheap ones in poundland .... the birds turned their little beaks up at these (even the Starlings who can clear fat balls in no time) .... so I bought a box of 50 from the Pet supply shop in the Market place in Settle and within the hour of putting them out, back came the birds....

[CaptJohn]

My wife is an avid feeder of birds and her secret is to feed them all year round so that when the bad weather does come, our back garden is their first stop for food. Hence we get a multitude of birds this time of year. We have several birdfeeders which are nearly all Squirrel proof and put out nuts, bird seed, fat balls and logs plus Sunflower hearts. The most numerous are the Goldfinches who love Sunflower hearts but we get Blackbirds, Thrushes, Fieldfares, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Robins, Greenfinches, Long Tailed Tits, Sparrows, Starlings, Woodpeckers an occasional Wren, and unfortunately the Sparrow Hawk who seems to be very partial to Blue Tits. We do get Crows and Magpies as well which I'm not too fond of but my wife doesn't worry.

[Buxtonclaret]

We thought he/she was a woodmouse

Just wondered.
Doesn't really look like a mouse.

[Bosscat]

Just wondered.
Doesn't really look like a mouse.

? We thought it was .... perhaps its not .... but its not big enough to be a rat and it only a short tail too....

Look at its size compared to the peanuts lol

Plus its got a gob full of Nuts

[beddie]

Bosscat, I'll try those better fat balls. Sounds like we're not to far from you, we're just outside Skipton. I'll let you know how we get on.

[Bosscat]

Bosscat, I'll try those better fat balls. Sounds like we're not to far from you, we're just outside Skipton. I'll let you know how we get on.

Gardman fatballs.... not cheap but our birds love-em

Twin Locks garden centre at Gargrave sells them too

[spadesclaret]

Just wondered.
Doesn't really look like a mouse.

I had to look twice, especially as it seems to have five toes, but once I looked carefully I could see it is a woodmouse. The five toes are on a rear leg which it has brought forward. Front legs have only four toes.

[Buxtonclaret]

I had to look twice, especially as it seems to have five toes, but once I looked carefully I could see it is a woodmouse. The five toes are on a rear leg which it has brought forward. Front legs have only four toes.

Did wonder if it was a vole.
I've seen one a couple of times at a friend's place, high up a wall in ivy.
It's small. But the eyes seem wrong.

[Cirrus_Minor]

It's a Brown Rat

This is why we stopped feeding birds. We put grease on the central pole and even encouraged the dog (Jack Russell!) to sniff around but the buggers kept shinning up to feed on the seeds, etc.

[tybfc]

beddie, I agree with Bfc's post above. We have had a very mild autumn so there is still plenty of natural food in the countryside for the birds. When the really cold weather appears and the berries etc., are in short supply your birds should return.

Our garden is very quiet at the moment whilst a few weeks ago we were refilling the feeders daily. Make sure your feeders are clean, forget peanuts like Bfc says and stop worrying.

Oh yes, and shooting cats is helpful, too http://www.uptheclarets.com/messageboar ... c/fire.gif:-" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

Spades - if Dan was ever to see your post about harming an animal you would be up for some questioning.

Have your answers ready.

[spadesclaret]

Spades - if Dan was ever to see your post about harming an animal you would be up for some questioning.

Have your answers ready.

Oh dear! The last person in the world that I would wish to upset is Dan. Please convince him that it was just a tease. I know you can do it. Don't let me down.

Alternatively, don't let him see my post!

[Bosscat]

This is why we stopped feeding birds. We put grease on the central pole and even encouraged the dog (Jack Russell!) to sniff around but the buggers kept shinning up to feed on the seeds, etc.

Eeeets not a Rat Eeees a Hamsterrrr Mr Fowlty

[Billy Balfour]

This is why we stopped feeding birds. We put grease on the central pole and even encouraged the dog (Jack Russell!) to sniff around but the buggers kept shinning up to feed on the seeds, etc.

We've stopped too. Rats were coming into the garden after dark to feed on whatever was leftover on the ground. I don't want our kids playing on a lawn that's covered in rat p1ss and dropping - their droppings are where diseases, like Weil's disease, lurk. We stopped feeding and the rats soon stopped coming in.