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Post by SueA on Dec 18, 2011 20:30:49 GMT
I saw fieldfares last year around this time in an apple tree a few miles down the road but haven't seen any so far this year, it was thick with snow though last year!
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Post by Cherry on Dec 19, 2011 8:58:13 GMT
I don't think I have ever seen my feeders so busy. The great spotted woodpeckers feed every day and the blackbirds are flying in to eat the ornamental grapes which are still hanging next to them. They are all quite happy together too. I must learn the names of the little coloured birds which come in masses.
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Post by Rosie on Dec 19, 2011 12:32:02 GMT
I was filling the feeders this morning and a blackbird was about 6ft away watching me, i chucked down a bit of seed and it came over, must have been 1 1/2ft away from me, i held some out of my hand to see if it would take it, it looked at it then me, cocked it's head as though it was considering it, then a wee bird flew in and scared it away. It was lovely to see it so close up, it looked very sleek and healthy, with bright eyes and bright yellow beak  ;D |
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Post by Tel on Dec 19, 2011 20:06:41 GMT
I don't think I have ever seen my feeders so busy. The great spotted woodpeckers feed every day and the blackbirds are flying in to eat the ornamental grapes which are still hanging next to them. They are all quite happy together too. I must learn the names of the little coloured birds which come in masses.[/quote] If they come in masses Cherry and you learn the names of them, how you going to know whos who, if they come in a mass again, they all look the same.   |
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Post by Cherry on Dec 19, 2011 20:54:29 GMT
No Tel. There are about six different types of small birds. The sparrowhawk was around this morning and they scattered really quickly and one hit the window. I thought it would be a goner, but it was OK. Obviously, they just make for cover in a panic without having their diversion planned.
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Post by Rosie on Dec 20, 2011 9:04:22 GMT
I don't think I have ever seen my feeders so busy. The great spotted woodpeckers feed every day and the blackbirds are flying in to eat the ornamental grapes which are still hanging next to them. They are all quite happy together too. I must learn the names of the little coloured birds which come in masses. Very funny our Tel ;D ;D |
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Post by Louise on Dec 20, 2011 9:39:30 GMT
I've discovered that the blackcaps love the sultanas that are in Asdas muesli, i feed this with a premium grain mix and suet chips - for the ground feeders. I wondered if anyone knew where the most economical place was to buy just the sultanas - i don't want to buy the kind you see for human consumption because they'd be more than i'd like to pay but for animal consumption i'd be interested to know if anyone's got any sources ;D I think i remember seeing some in the Pampurred Pets concession in a GC but i'm not 100% sure, and, i'm not passing there for a few days yet  |
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Post by Louise on Dec 20, 2011 9:53:10 GMT
Well fancy I just rang my usual sunflower heart supplier and asked the question and she told me they're actually on their website  The snag is ..... the minimum size for that as a stand-alone item would be the 11 kilo size ..... if i'd known all this i could have included it on the order i placed a couple of weeks ago  www.wildbirdfood.uk.com/acatalog/Plain_Seeds_and_Peanuts.html |
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Post by Louise on Dec 20, 2011 12:57:51 GMT
Hmmm !
After doing a bit more research it's cheaper to buy Asdas packs at 84p as that works out at £1.68 a kilo ..... much cheaper ;D
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Post by peony on Dec 20, 2011 13:04:40 GMT
Hmmm ! After doing a bit more research it's cheaper to buy Asdas packs at 84p as that works out at £1.68 a kilo ..... much cheaper ;D That's what I do Louise  84p in Morrisons too. |
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Post by Louise on Dec 20, 2011 13:06:45 GMT
I read somewhere that it's best to soak them before putting them out, do you do that - is this to remove the oil covering or to rehydrate them  |
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Post by peony on Dec 20, 2011 13:16:32 GMT
I read somewhere that it's best to soak them before putting them out, do you do that - is this to remove the oil covering or to rehydrate them My blackbirds and robins seem to love them either way, but it does 'plump' the sultanas up if you soak them. What they get depends on whether I've remembered to put some in water the day before ;D |
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Post by SueA on Dec 20, 2011 16:04:44 GMT
I think you're supposed to soak dried fruit in water to rehydrate it or it can swell up in the bird & cause blockages. The only time I've fed dried fruit to the birds was one year when the blackbirds were struggling to feed 2 youngsters & I soaked it & put it on top of a wall for them. Some of the sultanas you get seem soft & plump enough anyway so I would imagine they'd be O.K. as they are. I've got half a bag of Tesco 'own brand cheapest' sultanas at the moment & will soak & put some out if it snows or freezes here.
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Post by wildlifefriendly on Dec 20, 2011 18:19:50 GMT
I put out sultanas all the time, I've never soaked mine (I didn't know it was recommended), if the poor birds had to wait for me to remember to soak their sultanas they'd die of hunger ;D I buy the value range, the birds don't seem to mind at all.
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Post by Louise on Dec 20, 2011 19:24:32 GMT
Is that from Tesco Sue ?
I compared their price to Asda and Asda were cheaper.
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;D
Sept 6, 2018 17:58:08 GMT
Sept 6, 2018 17:58:08 GMT
Aug 10, 2019 9:01:47 GMT