[spireitetoo]

You seem pretty clued up on our feathered friends, and how we can look after them with our garden feeders etc, which tbh I'm doing my best, ( to the tune of about 20 quid a week atm).. but I have a bit of a problem, ..
There's a rookery just down the Rd from where I live and the big buggers come and clean up every morning, leaving next to nowt for the smaller birds,.. is there owt I can do to deter the barstewards, other than resort to a gun..

Ps I fill the tables in an afternoon, as I get up at stupid o'clock, and can then sit and watch what's coming to feed...

Any help would be good 👍

This post has been edited by spireitetoo: 13 June 2021 - 06:39 PM

[Mr Mercury]

 spireitetoo, on 13 June 2021 - 06:38 PM, said:

You seem pretty clued up on our feathered friends, and how we can look after them with our garden feeders etc, which tbh I'm doing my best, ( to the tune of about 20 quid a week atm).. but I have a bit of a problem, ..
There's a rookery just down the Rd from where I live and the big buggers come and clean up every morning, leaving next to nowt for the smaller birds,.. is there owt I can do to deter the barstewards, other than resort to a gun..

Ps I fill the tables in an afternoon, as I get up at stupid o'clock, and can then sit and watch what's coming to feed...

Any help would be good 👍

I use feeders rather than tables then very little, other than spillage, for the collared doves or wood pigeons.
At times I think half of the worlds goldfinches are around at ours.

[fishini]

 spireitetoo, on 13 June 2021 - 06:38 PM, said:

You seem pretty clued up on our feathered friends, and how we can look after them with our garden feeders etc, which tbh I'm doing my best, ( to the tune of about 20 quid a week atm).. but I have a bit of a problem, ..
There's a rookery just down the Rd from where I live and the big buggers come and clean up every morning, leaving next to nowt for the smaller birds,.. is there owt I can do to deter the barstewards, other than resort to a gun..

Ps I fill the tables in an afternoon, as I get up at stupid o'clock, and can then sit and watch what's coming to feed...

Any help would be good 👍

Don't use tables, use hanging feeders. Won't stop the damn tree vermin, the dreaded squirrel

[spireitetoo]

 fishini, on 13 June 2021 - 06:56 PM, said:

Don't use tables, use hanging feeders. Won't stop the damn tree vermin, the dreaded squirrel

The bludy things, swing on the fat ball feeders till they fall off,.. then clean em out,.
Might try some of them kids wind mill things from seaside places,.. they don't seem to like owt that moves.. not sure if they'll frighten everything else off too tho.. ?

[dart in the crossbar]

£20 a week! blimey.

[Mr Mercury]

 dart in the crossbar, on 13 June 2021 - 07:32 PM, said:

£20 a week! blimey.

Sunflower hearts arnt cheap and it seems to be the only blooming things that goldfinches eat. Spend ages sat in the garden watching them, beautiful birds.

[spireitetoo]

 dart in the crossbar, on 13 June 2021 - 07:32 PM, said:

£20 a week! blimey.

Fat balls, meal worm, sunflower hearts, no mess feed, peanut kibble,... and various other things.. its only while they are feeding young, it settles down again by August

[Middle East]

 Mr Mercury, on 13 June 2021 - 06:47 PM, said:

I use feeders rather than tables then very little, other than spillage, for the collared doves or wood pigeons.
At times I think half of the worlds goldfinches are around at ours.

We had the same problem. We were putting out fatballs on our birdtables and as quick as they went out a rook or crow would have them away. So we simply put them in a tree hanging feeder laid that horizontal and tied it on with a piece of string.....hey presto no more fatball larceny!

Still spending loads on mealworns and other seeds though....but I've never seen so many different varieties of birds as i have this year its been great to sit on the patio and watch.

[fishini]

 spireitetoo, on 13 June 2021 - 06:38 PM, said:

You seem pretty clued up on our feathered friends, and how we can look after them with our garden feeders etc, which tbh I'm doing my best, ( to the tune of about 20 quid a week atm).. but I have a bit of a problem, ..
There's a rookery just down the Rd from where I live and the big buggers come and clean up every morning, leaving next to nowt for the smaller birds,.. is there owt I can do to deter the barstewards, other than resort to a gun..

Ps I fill the tables in an afternoon, as I get up at stupid o'clock, and can then sit and watch what's coming to feed...

Any help would be good 👍

I'm not at £20 a week it's running at £60 month but I buy in bulk which works out cheaper and I get a good stock on for the winter months. I feed lower energy food in summer and really high energy food in winter. Don't forget to empty and clean your nestboxes around August and put some straw in ready for winter then clear them out about March time.

[azul]

 spireitetoo, on 13 June 2021 - 07:32 PM, said:

The bludy things, swing on the fat ball feeders till they fall off,.. then clean em out,.
Might try some of them kids wind mill things from seaside places,.. they don't seem to like owt that moves.. not sure if they'll frighten everything else off too tho.. ?

What’s wrong with Corvids - very clever birds and they have attitude - they have to make a living

[spireitetoo]

 azul, on 14 June 2021 - 04:03 PM, said:

What’s wrong with Corvids

They are greedy sods

[Mr Mercury]

 azul, on 14 June 2021 - 04:03 PM, said:

What’s wrong with Corvids - very clever birds and they have attitude - they have to make a living

[fishini]

 azul, on 14 June 2021 - 04:03 PM, said:

What’s wrong with Corvids - very clever birds and they have attitude - they have to make a living

The only corvids I get are jays. I welcome these to my feeders. I also get regular visits from a male sparrowhawk. He'll be feeding young somewhere

[hilly81]

Birds are doing well around my gaff judging by the amount of Bunkum on my car.

One got stuck in our conservatory a couple of weeks ago. The dog was going absolutely mental trying to get hold of it. Luckily I managed to coax it out of the doors before it hurt itself. I’d imagine it was pretty stressed though.

[azul]

 fishini, on 14 June 2021 - 05:40 PM, said:

The only corvids I get are jays. I welcome these to my feeders. I also get regular visits from a male sparrowhawk. He'll be feeding young somewhere

Beautiful birds - must admit I’ve never had Corvids raiding my feeders although there are a few in the vicinity.

I had Jackdaw fledgling crash land of my patio table and thought it was going to attack my cheese and ham sandwich. Spent the next 4 days feeding it on slugs and wood lice hiding under my patio pots.

This post has been edited by azul: 14 June 2021 - 06:14 PM

[Wooden Spoon]

Saw a huge bird of prey today, eating road kill


Went on the RSPB identify a bird and it turns out it was a white tailed eagle!

[fishini]

 DEATH, on 17 June 2021 - 05:45 PM, said:

Saw a huge bird of prey today, eating road kill


Went on the RSPB identify a bird and it turns out it was a white tailed eagle!

Not locally I presume. I have only seen them in Scotland. They are known as flying doors due to the size of their wings. Our largest bird of prey

[Wooden Spoon]

fishini said:

1623952962[/url]' post='1588742']
Not locally I presume. I have only seen them in Scotland. They are known as flying doors due to the size of their wings. Our largest bird of prey

Local to me!



Did a bit of a Google and there’s been around a half dozen sightings in this part of the country.



It was a huge bird, I bet wing tip to wing tip was 5 feet across.



https://www.ebws.org...te-tailed-eagle

[isleaiw1]

 Wooden Spoon, on 17 June 2021 - 08:14 PM, said:

Local to me!



Did a bit of a Google and there’s been around a half dozen sightings in this part of the country.



It was a huge bird, I bet wing tip to wing tip was 5 feet across.



https://www.ebws.org...te-tailed-eagle

I would have thought that was less likely than Derbyshire now I have vaguely worked out where you are...

Red Kite's are the thing round here, apparently a breeding pair were released a fair few years ago and now they are a B****Y pain....! Love watching them but Kestrels are my fave....

[fishini]

 Wooden Spoon, on 17 June 2021 - 08:14 PM, said:

Local to me!



Did a bit of a Google and there’s been around a half dozen sightings in this part of the country.



It was a huge bird, I bet wing tip to wing tip was 5 feet across.



https://www.ebws.org...te-tailed-eagle

Almost 6 feet for males and nearly 8 feet for females. Huge bird.