Afterthought

[BobD]

If you are in the habit of feeding wild birds please remember to fill the feeders up so they as well as you can eat tomorrow! Easy to forget at this busy time.

[Dawsonmackay]

Don’t wild birds have other sources of nourishment beside what’s in bird feeders?

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Dawsonmackay]

Of course but if you regularly feed them and then stop they will have got out of the habit of searching. RSPB advice. The population where we are is probably higher because so many of us in our little lane feed them. For example we generally have five or six bullfinches here not to mention goldfinches and long tailed tits.

[jerseygirl49]

Thanks Bob. In this household, the birds are fed before me ! (my hubby John gets breakfast each morning).

[Dangerousdriver]

We have lots of wild birds here, mostly found frequenting the bars and pubs. I appreciate the sentiment, but I’m worried that if I start feeding them, they won’t leave!

[sotolol in reply to Dangerousdriver]

Mine disappear after they have had their babies. Then all back in December especially the blackbirds. We get beautiful swifts in May each year their calls and flying techniques are amazing. Love birds

[Visitingcat]

I’ll definitely be filling the feeders today, we have so many birds visitors to our flagged back garden (unfortunately including sparrow hawks occasionally ) with a rather dashing blackbird with one white eyebrow.

I swept some seed scraps and other garden debris into a pile the other day and as he was watching me I left it in a pile instead of picking it up and he and the robin had a great time chucking it about again searching for goodies.... 🙂

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Visitingcat]

This isn't top trumps honestly but we get the occaisonal sparrow hawk as well and we have two or three buzzards who float across our valley when they are not being dive bombed by the rooks who live in the stand of black poplars in the field next door. Small birds include nuthatch and gold crest as well as the usual spread of tits and finches and of course our resident pheasant Claude and his wives who trash the grass under the feeders picking up dropped seed. They will all go on holiday of course during RSPB Great Garden Birdwatch weekend! (that doesn't include the many owls either as I don't ever see them very often.)

[Visitingcat in reply to BobD]

My favourites are mr and mrs bullfinch who show up together, and very rarely, a greenfinch, can’t get over how brightly coloured they all are, still a lot of goldfinches but not as many as there used to be..

We have thought about stopping feeding as we get mice coming into our built on little greenhouse thing ( not big enough for a conservatory) and really hope they never make it into the house. But would never do it in winter, I don’t think I could bring myself to do it at all really we get so much enjoyment from watching the birds.

I heard owls once or twice a few years back in the night and once saw one perched on top of the nearest lamppost calling and being answered from away over the small heath area close by. I was utterly entranced by them and did not mind being woken at all 🙂

Sadly nothing heard from them recently....

[Hidden]

Done Bob, you can get a fair few rarities if you leave food out !

[djbgatekeeper]

Yes I will make sure my wife's lunch is put out, she's the only wild bird around here 👍🎄🎉

[Melbourne-Girl]

Ha ha, we all need at least one wild bird in our life. Enjoy your meal BobD

Best always,

Melbourne-Girl xx

🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀

[Ianc2]

One of my neighbours has a large bunch of conifers that that have been colonised by a gang of seven murderous magpies. One for sorrow, two for Joy, three for a girl , four for a boy, five for sliver, six for gold, seven for a secret that must never be told. ..

They erupt first thing in the morning, go racketing around the garden, making a right old row. Pick at the flower pots, make right old mess and clear off, usually followed the squirrel who comes looking for nuts, digs out the bulbs and also clears off.

Knocking the bird food flying is a fairly standard procedure, as well chasing everything else that flies, except the heron that pops in from time to time to inspect my goldfish. Robin redbreast still survives however, even sitting on my fork handle looking for worms.

Slowly the days grow longer, the light nights are coming back. Roll on spring.

[Hidden]

The garden birds are the only thing we miss after moving to the seaside We do see the occasional robin but the seagulls steal any food we leave out & also wreck the feeders. We do get some magpies & jackdaws.

Merry Christmas

Pat x

[wilsond]

Living next to a massive wiidland we too get a wide variety ( Inc both woodpeckers and Jays) but on Xmas day..two muntjac deer paraded around the lawn, and scoffed crysanthemums as we ate our lunch!! Hole in fence.....

Lovely treat!

[BobD Volunteer in reply to wilsond]

We do not have deer here sadly but foxes etc in the copse across the lane and my neighbour has cameras out there to watch bats and things.

Interesting about the Jay. I have seen one a couple of times down here but we had a regular when we lived in Essex. Re Squidge* I am happy for them to feed so long as they don't destroy the feeders.

* Squidge. Back when Noah and I were young my sister had a reading book about Squidge the Squirrel who road his bicycle along the telgraph wires . Pedal pedal pedal and whoops over the pole. Hence forth every squirrel is called squidge. Little things etc.

[sotolol in reply to BobD]

My son when alive called all squirrels Keith. So that’s what I call them all. My grandchildren think I’m bonkers. 🤷‍♀️

[wilsond]

Btw if you get trouble with squirrels as we do..the only feeder that prevents their access is the Guardman one xx

[sotolol in reply to wilsond]

I have a squirrel buster money back guarantee it really works if away from a fence or tree as they learn to hang on the top and shake it. But free standing they have never worked it out. Instructions say to keep away by so many inches I’ve forgotten but you get the idea. I’m old. 👵🏻

[Lilypocket]

I feed mine on the window sill on the first floor to avoid cats. Also they are " squirrel proof" feeders to avoid the annoying parrots that are as common as starlings here in France. I am an amateur ornithologist and love watching birds. Happy New Year to you and your family.

Hugs

[sotolol]

Yes you are correct. They are habitual feeder feeders (ha) and rely on our gardens for regular food. I feed all the birds and collard doves two grey squirrels and a black squirrel. Bull finches too. My dad bless him was always telling me not to forget to feed the birds. My husband says I care more for them than him....

[GrannyE1]

Our birds have had a v happy christmas/ new year. Problem is we have far too many crows magpies red kites jays squirrels and far too few small birds. We used to have lots. Blue tits Robins and the odd wren but in fewer numbers and fat overgrown pigeons. Fewer insects in spite of the fact that my garden is organic with many bee friendly plants. Fings ain't wot they used to be!

[BobD Volunteer in reply to GrannyE1]

Last autumn we planted a small wild flower meadow up on the hill behind the house on an area which is impossible to mow so hoping that will develop over the next few years and provide some insect life to bolster food stocks. We also had some trees pruned and lopped and one removed to improve light in the area .