Bird Feeding Station Advice?

Joe94

Joe94

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Hey all,

Im hoping you may be able to help me...

So for the last 5 months I have had a roofed bird table with seed & a hanging feeder attached to the side, with suet pellets in, which thankfully many birds have been enjoying.

Now because I have really gained an interest in having birds in the garden now & particularly with my new found interest in bird photography... at the beginning of this week I set up a new branched feeding station. Now alongside the suet pellet feeder hanging on one branch, I now also have a range of other feeders with a range of different offerings from mealworms to sun flour hearts. (I still have the table in the garden now just for seed & mealworms on top)

However it seems that apart from the very odd occasion, the birds still seem to go straight to the suet pellet feeder & not the other new offerings very much at all... so my question is: Why are they still going straight to the Suet pellets, even on the new set up? Is it because it may take the birds a few weeks to realise there are new foods & what they are?

many thanks everyone :)
 
Exactly that. It'll take them a while to get used to the new ones - just put less food on the old table and move it a little closer each day to the newer feeders.

It should only take a week or two, but remember a lot of birds like to have some cover above their heads - think sparrowhawks.
 
The news hasn't yet got round the local avian community that there is an expanded menu! Once the other species (that prefer mealworms, sunflower seeds [the kernels make less mess than the whole ones] etc.) become aware, they'll come in flocks/charms (we get up to around a dozen Goldfinches on the sunflower and niger seed feeders).
 
Sky said:
Exactly that. It'll take them a while to get used to the new ones - just put less food on the old table and move it a little closer each day to the newer feeders.

It should only take a week or two, but remember a lot of birds like to have some cover above their heads - think sparrowhawks.
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Ahh brilliant!

okay so sorry just to check then, in terms of the suet feeder that was originally hanging from the table... it was absolutely fine to move it to hang from the new branched station with the other hanging feeders. But as you say it will take them a bit of time before the realise there are different feeders on the new station too.

As for the table, thank you for the tip. Even though the pellets no longer hang from its, I will still keep it availabl, but as you say probably just some seed & worms for birds that wish to have to cover. :)

Thank you for your help with this, very much appreciated :)
 
Nod said:
The news hasn't yet got round the local avian community that there is an expanded menu! Once the other species (that prefer mealworms, sunflower seeds [the kernels make less mess than the whole ones] etc.) become aware, they'll come in flocks/charms (we get up to around a dozen Goldfinches on the sunflower and niger seed feeders).
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Ah brilliant thank you :)

I must say I’m hoping for some other species. However it’s funny because being in an outer city garden I get a lot of Starlings & Sparrows but actually I enjoy them because yes there in numbers, but I still thing there beautiful to photograph :) And actually as I’m writing this it looks like they have just found the sunflower hearts feeder aha :)
 
Joe94 said:
Thank you for your help with this, very much appreciated :)
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You're welcome. :)

This forum is handy for things like this. I'd been feeding birds for years, but could never get Goldfinches to come and eat the nyjer seeds. Another member on here @Dale. suggested I put a tray under the feeder - after doing this, I had a dozen or more Goldfinches feeding within a fortnight. (y)
 
From my experience Joe you have one of the best, if not the best, food in sunflower hearts. Although the birds are eating the peanuts they empty the sunflower hearts from the feeders very quickly indeed.

A few years ago we got niger seed because goldfinches(of which we have loads) are keen on it. They did eat the niger but often sat on the niger feeder while waiting to get to the sunflower hearts.

Do you have squirrels visiting your garden? If so, then they will eventually destroy just about any unprotected feeder.

Dave
 
Sky said:
You're welcome. :)

This forum is handy for things like this. I'd been feeding birds for years, but could never get Goldfinches to come and eat the nyjer seeds. Another member on here @Dale. suggested I put a tray under the feeder - after doing this, I had a dozen or more Goldfinches feeding within a fortnight. (y)
Click to expand...

This forum is definitely brilliant! Its been excellent over the last 5 months for helping me learn photography & to know I can also gain help for bird feeding is also amazing!

And wow! It amazing what tips & different things works... As I have said above in my garden I do get a lot of starlings & sparrows but I actually enjoys them & feel there still birds & they still like to feed... However what made me do it, is I notice a couple of long tail tits and a robin so hoping the new foods will entice them back more.

On a slightly different question if I may.... I have noticed that there are litearly feeders for every kind of food available haha but am I right in saying that for example I could use a seed feeder or a mesh peanut feeder for dried mealworms for example? And that you don’t need every individual specific feeder for each specific food type?
 
Tringa said:
From my experience Joe you have one of the best, if not the best, food in sunflower hearts. Although the birds are eating the peanuts they empty the sunflower hearts from the feeders very quickly indeed.

A few years ago we got niger seed because goldfinches(of which we have loads) are keen on it. They did eat the niger but often sat on the niger feeder while waiting to get to the sunflower hearts.

Do you have squirrels visiting your garden? If so, then they will eventually destroy just about any unprotected feeder.

Dave
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Ah thank you and thank you for the tips, I haven’t got to Niger yet but have put the hearts & peanuts out, so yeah although I enjoy the starlings myself, I am hoping for some other things to visit, but yea seems the key is giving it time :)

Thankfully we don’t get squirrels here, living just outside a city centre.
 
I don't bother with suet anymore. I was getting large flocks of starlings and nothing else could get a look in.

I now use only sunflower hearts. I counted 24 Goldfinches the other day, along with tits and sparrows. The Doves and Blackbirds hoover up any dropped seeds.

Another thing which seems to help is a large bush right next to the feeders. Any sign of danger they all dive into it.

Sparrowhawks are plentiful round here too.
 
Yes and no. Peanuts in mesh is good, but don't put them in other feeders unless they're crushed first. Meal worms can go in anything; the birds don't care, but using ones that they have to work at are best, it saves them throwing them all over the floor for the pigeons and magpies.

The most important thing I learned is not to buy cheap feeders; they don't last five minutes and can be dangerous - metal ones are best. Especially don't use fat balls in nets as the birds can get their feet caught up in them.
 
Sky said:
Yes and no. Peanuts in mesh is good, but don't put them in other feeders unless they're crushed first. Meal worms can go in anything; the birds don't care, but using ones that they have to work at are best, it saves them throwing them all over the floor for the pigeons and magpies.

The most important thing I learned is not to buy cheap feeders; they don't last five minutes and can be dangerous - metal ones are best. Especially don't use fat balls in nets as the birds can get their feet caught up in them.
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Right okie dokie. Well again thank you very much for all the tips, again very much appreciated :)
 
Buy your seed in bulk if you can too, it's a lot cheaper & the birds can get through a lot especially this time of year. We buy mealworms, peanuts, fatballs, coconut halves (fat filled), sunflower seed hearts and mixed seed(no mess & non-germinating). Our garden 'locals' are ignoring the niger seed at present.

I reckon it costs us £25-£35 a month but its worth it to see the number & variety of birds we get in the garden. My favourites are nuthatches and greated spotted woodpeckers , my wife loves the long tailed tits, she says they resemble lollipops on sticks.
 
broc said:
Buy your seed in bulk if you can too, it's a lot cheaper & the birds can get through a lot especially this time of year. We buy mealworms, peanuts, fatballs, coconut halves (fat filled), sunflower seed hearts and mixed seed(no mess & non-germinating). Our garden 'locals' are ignoring the niger seed at present.

I reckon it costs us £25-£35 a month but its worth it to see the number & variety of birds we get in the garden. My favourites are nuthatches and greated spotted woodpeckers , my wife loves the long tailed tits, she says they resemble lollipops on sticks.
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Thankfully all the different things I bought last weekend were in bulk aha, as you say, I thought it’s best to get everything in bulk as it cheaper in the long run.

And to be honest Iv learned to do that over the last few months with just having the Suet pellets, especially with the winter flock of 20+ Starling I have haha But as I say I actually like them, I think there fun to watch the way they squabble & create some brilliant photo opportunities... but I am hoping the new offerings will also entice other birds, in Between the starling shaving there pellets aha :) I have already think I have seen a sighting of a longtail tit.
 
I buy 20 kilos at a time of sunflower hearts from Maltby's stores.

Really good quality apart from the last sack. Lots of dust and bits that the birds won't eat.

Might be a one off or might be a supply issue in the current circumstances. We'll see.
 
We get our feed from Wildlife Direct. To reduce reloads, we have a double fat cake feeder and large ones for sunflower hearts, mealworms and a couple of medium sized ones for the niger/nyger seeds - the Goldies seem to have divided opinions on which as nicer! The niger seeds actually come from Wilko - same price as Wildlife Direct (or close enough not to matter!) and we can pick up a kilo at a time when necessary.
 
Nod said:
We get our feed from Wildlife Direct. To reduce reloads, we have a double fat cake feeder and large ones for sunflower hearts, mealworms and a couple of medium sized ones for the niger/nyger seeds - the Goldies seem to have divided opinions on which as nicer! The niger seeds actually come from Wilko - same price as Wildlife Direct (or close enough not to matter!) and we can pick up a kilo at a time when necessary.
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We use Wildlife direct too, & Happybeaks, whichever is cheaper at the time of ordering. Wildlife Direct offer 'points' for purchases which earn discount for subsequent orders. We received a couple of Gardman brand squirrel 'resistant' feeders free from them during their Black Friday as we spent > £50
 
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Thank you everyone for all your help, hints & tips, all very much appreciated.

I do however have one other question if I may & then it will be time to let the new station rest in aha... But I have been reading lots of different things regarding peanuts. Some saying there a waste of time now & some saying there popular...

At the moment, I have a hanging feeder with crushed peanuts in it & put dried mealworms on a tray down the pole. Should I stick with the peanuts or should o replace them with the mealworms so there hanging in the feeder too?

Thank again everyone, I’m really enjoying learning about this :)
 
Hi Joe,

Well done on all your efforts so far. (y)

Don't forget the ground feeding birds too! Robins, dunnocks, blackbirds and others are not keen on feeders but still need to eat, if you can make a sort of cage it keeps the pigeons and magpies out while allowing the smaller birds in. :)

Have a think about making some attractive branches available for the birds to use on their way to the feeders as they make a nicer photo opportunity than actually feeding.
 
Also just had a thought related to everything I’ve said... I actually like the mass of Starling coming at the mo with the winter where there are always more & don’t mind they raid the suet because once it’s gone a don’t re fill until next time.

But of course now I have many other feeders type for other birds, I take it having starling around won’t deter other birds to the other feeders? At the moments the starling tend to come then eaither eat all the suet & go or don’t come for a day or two say?

I hope not because I do like the starlings... iv read there like marmite to people aha
 
Joe94 said:
Thank you everyone for all your help, hints & tips, all very much appreciated.

I do however have one other question if I may & then it will be time to let the new station rest in aha... But I have been reading lots of different things regarding peanuts. Some saying there a waste of time now & some saying there popular...

At the moment, I have a hanging feeder with crushed peanuts in it & put dried mealworms on a tray down the pole. Should I stick with the peanuts or should o replace them with the mealworms so there hanging in the feeder too?

Thank again everyone, I’m really enjoying learning about this :)
Click to expand...

Interesting observation.

If you had asked the question about peanuts a couple of years ago I would have said don't bother with peanuts. Then the birds in our garden ignored the peanuts so much that often I would have to throw them away because they had gone mouldy in the feeder.

Now they eat the peanuts, not as much as the sunflower hearts, but they get eaten. I think it depends on the individual birds and as most small birds have a short life few, if any, from a couple of years ago are likely to be around now. I think in our garden it also helps that we now have regular visits from a couple of great spotted woodpeckers and a few ring necked parakeet, both of which prefer peanuts.

Its just a matter of trying to see what works and having enjoyment watching the antics.

Dave

Agree - starlings are great. Wonderful entertainment and a great looking bird.
 
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Tringa said:
Interesting observation.

If you had asked the question about peanuts a couple of years ago I would have said don't bother with peanuts. Then the birds in our garden ignored the peanuts so much that often I would have to throw them away because they had gone mouldy in the feeder.

Now they eat the peanuts, not as much as the sunflower hearts, but they get eaten. I think it depends on the individual birds and as most small birds have a short life few, if any, from a couple of years ago are likely to be around now. I think in our garden it also helps that we now have regular visits from a couple of great spotted woodpeckers and a few ring necked parakeet, both of which prefer peanuts.

Its just a matter of trying to see what works and having enjoyment watching the antics.

Dave

Agree - starlings are great. Wonderful entertainment and a great looking bird.
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Ahh brilliant, thank you very much for the info & tips, very much appreciated.

But yes I think as you say I just need to leave it for a bit now & see/enjoy what happens & if I feel some isn’t works then just try again with something different :)

As for the Starlings, I’m glad I’m not the only one aha. Only thing I did think earlier though & have just asked above is.. The starlings do come down in a group of sometimes up to 20 & as iv said can devour the whole suet pellet feeder in two goes through a day (I don’t refill until next day or two), but would this prevent other birds still finding & coming to the other foods in the other feeders throughout the rest of the day? I do get sparrow dart in and out so they don’t seem to be phased by them. :)
 
It’s not just about the feeders joe , I know your shooting from your window so move the bird table close enough to get nearly full frame shots which then means less cropping = less noise ..
Also if possible think of your bird table as a scene from the cinema so rocks ,logs, and especially mossy logs can be used to look as if your shooting in different places daily by a simple change of scenic items .
One of my contacts uses things like pop and beer cans or ornaments for the birds to perch on , check out Carl jones on Flickr . . Personally I try to avoid getting bird feeders i any shot . You also have a silent shutter which is helpful . .
 
simon ess said:
How's the quality of the sunflower hearts? They're a few quid dearer than Maltby's, but if the quality's better....
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They taste ok to me! Labelled as "unfit for human consumption" but I taste each bag as quality control - if they're fit for the boids, they'll do for me.

Tried peanuts but even the Tits turn their noses up at them, preferring the sunflower seeds or even the mixed seed. Tried a few different brands but that made no difference.

The Starlings get though a lot of mealworms when they come through and are really messy, throwing them all over the place. They pretty much ignore the fat blocks (tried assorted balls to no avail) apart from one individual at the moment who seems to be the only one that's stayed around.

The Robins, Blackbirds, Dunnocks and other ground feeders do a pretty good job of clearing up the dropped food for us.
 
the black fox said:
It’s not just about the feeders joe , I know your shooting from your window so move the bird table close enough to get nearly full frame shots which then means less cropping = less noise ..
Also if possible think of your bird table as a scene from the cinema so rocks ,logs, and especially mossy logs can be used to look as if your shooting in different places daily by a simple change of scenic items .
One of my contacts uses things like pop and beer cans or ornaments for the birds to perch on , check out Carl jones on Flickr . . Personally I try to avoid getting bird feeders i any shot . You also have a silent shutter which is helpful . .
Click to expand...

Cheers for the tips mate. Thankfully the area I have set up is a decent distance from the window, but yet a good distance near enough to it, to get good shots.

I think what I will do is get the feeding areas established hopefully to some different bird’s, then do some more proper practice on the photography skill side of things of capture ring them & then yeah final step to start adding more of a scene to the frame :)

You know your going to be one of my go to for the actually photography of the actual bird side of things anyways haha

Thanks as always though mate, always appreciated!
 
Nod said:
They taste ok to me! Labelled as "unfit for human consumption" but I taste each bag as quality control - if they're fit for the boids, they'll do for me.

Tried peanuts but even the Tits turn their noses up at them, preferring the sunflower seeds or even the mixed seed. Tried a few different brands but that made no difference.

The Starlings get though a lot of mealworms when they come through and are really messy, throwing them all over the place. They pretty much ignore the fat blocks (tried assorted balls to no avail) apart from one individual at the moment who seems to be the only one that's stayed around.

The Robins, Blackbirds, Dunnocks and other ground feeders do a pretty good job of clearing up the dropped food for us.
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It seems then I don’t need to worry too much then & even though I have starlings (which I like) & they can devour all the suet pellets in one.. other birds should still hopefully come for the other offerings too.?
 
Starlings are beautiful but I've never managed to capture that beauty on a camera. Probably because it's the iridescence that gives them the shifting beauty. Similarly, Magpies (but I don't like them as much - they do too much damage to other birds!)

We sometimes get different species in shifts but just as often get mixed groups. Greenfinches and Chaffinches seem to be the bullies but we don't get them as often as the others.
 
Any solutions to Magpies?

The wife has fed the birds for that last 5 years. This summer we have been plagued by magpies bashing the feeders to knock the contents out onto the ground where they eat it. so much so 2 feeders would be emptied with in hours and other birds are avoiding the feeders. If we put trays on the bottom of the feeders they can then land on the feeder and stuff themselves. She has now stopped feeding altogether for the moment.
 
Nod said:
Starlings are beautiful but I've never managed to capture that beauty on a camera. Probably because it's the iridescence that gives them the shifting beauty. Similarly, Magpies (but I don't like them as much - they do too much damage to other birds!)

We sometimes get different species in shifts but just as often get mixed groups. Greenfinches and Chaffinches seem to be the bullies but we don't get them as often as the others.
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Ahh they certainly are beautiful birds & luckily I have managed to capture them... this was one I got a couple of weeks ago.

But thank you, I was just worried because they do come in masses (which many moan about) I thought they would stop other smaller birds also feeding on other things at the station, because I really don’t want to have to try deter the starling because there nice in my opinion too so would like to have both aha.

I think I just need to let the starling do there thing with the pellets, then let the other birds enjoy the rest of it :)

DBBE4929-75B6-459B-ACFD-15C51B708AFB.jpeg
 
simon ess said:
That's interesting.

I've never had Magpies come to the feeders.
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Strangely I have also had a couple of magpies come down to the new station but to the try half way down the pole or the floor, so touch wood not causing any real issue at the moment.

This probably sound weird but all this really make me enjoy the wonders of wildlife & birds so much more aha.
 
We have mostly hanging feeders with cages around them, they discourage the magpies and squirrels. Our 'flock' tend to hit the mixed seeds & sunflower hearts first but the woodpeckers & nuthatches like the peanuts. The bluetits and great tits also go for the peanuts if the bullies (greenfinches) are hogging the other seed feeders.

It's entertaining watching a magpie trying to peck at a coconut half filled with fat & seeds hanging from our hawthorn tree. They will fly vertically up from the ground (approx 1.75m) stab at the coconut and then drop to the ground & pick up any pieces they manage to dislodge.
 
simon ess said:
That's interesting.

I've never had Magpies come to the feeders.
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Until the last couple of months we never had a magpie come to the feeders. The odd one would clear up under a feeder sometimes, but at least one now has worked out how to hang on to the peanut feeder. It doesn't visit that often - I think the rewards(it is really too big to fit easily on the feeder) are not worth the effort involved.

Dave
 
Don't forget to clean your birdfeeders etc. frequently.
 
munch said:
Don't forget to clean your birdfeeders etc. frequently.
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Thank you for the tip. I have bought good quality metal feeders that allow you disconnect them to individual parts for easy cleaning :)
 
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