WelshLamb Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 Made a little bird table this evening and put it on the front lawn. Hopefully should get some little feathered visitors soon! Got some bird seed and the label said "Guaranteed to attract tits & finches" oooerrrrr Should also get some sport when the crows and squirrels come down :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.philmypower. Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 Nice one buddy my birds cost me a small fortune they eat loads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshLamb Posted November 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 Stayed with my mate in Shrewsury on saturday night, spent most of Sunday morning watching loads of little birds on the feeders in his garden! Couldnt believe how many were there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksdad Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 I spend a fortune on bird food! I buy packs of 6 fat balls for 45p from Home Bargains, which I smash up in the food blender I then add some mixed seed, I get a 20Kg sack from the petfood wholesalers for £8.00, and whatever stale bread, cheese, rind etc. thats going, all goes in to a big tub and then used every day. The burdies love it, and I've even got a few woodies who happened to drop in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimlet Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 (edited) I make fat and seed blocks. Couldn't afford to feed the birds if I didn't. I buy catering boxes of lard from a wholesaler; 32 blocks cost about £20 and last 6 months. Melt it down and stir in wild birdseed mix bought by the 20 kilo sack at the local agri merchant, and cheap plain porridge oats. Line a foil tray with clingfilm and pour in a mix thats thick enough not to leave a layer of neat lard on the surface which will clog small birds beaks. Stick it in the fridge to stiffen and cut into slabs like flapjacks then hang a slab in a wire feeder. All species seem to love it. Its a better way to feed seed than dry in tubes feeders because they fling that all over the place and encourage mice and rats. And you get sunflower seedlings sprouting all over the garden. Had a pair of great spotted wood peckers for the last 2 years and they eat huge amounts of the stuff and when they've had enough they sit of the roof of the house and pull straws out of the thatch. Edited November 1, 2011 by Gimlet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davyo Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 thistle seeds,the tiny black ones, will pull in goldfinches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksdad Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 I tried making lard cakes as you do, but nothing touched them :blink: I only get sparrows, starlings, great/blue tits, a robin and a few finches, maybe they don't like lard: strange thing to find in lancashire! thinking of using suet, but its expensive, might just try lard and see what happens this winter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimlet Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 I tried making lard cakes as you do, but nothing touched them :blink: I only get sparrows, starlings, great/blue tits, a robin and a few finches, maybe they don't like lard: strange thing to find in lancashire! thinking of using suet, but its expensive, might just try lard and see what happens this winter You've got to mix it so densely that you can't see any white lard on the surface when its set. I didn't get it thick enough when I started and I could see the birds wiping their beaks on branches trying to get the fat off. You could try mixing in beef suet from the butcher. There's not much call for it nowadays and my butcher let me have it for next to nothing as long as I let them know. That said my birds haven't been eating much of it during this mild weather. But I bet that'll change with the frosts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmooney Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 I've got sunflower mix out, thistle, and peanuts, plus a suet block feeder too. We're going to add a birdbath and maybe a table feeder too. The squirrels (grays) have a field day with the feeders, it may be time to replace the seals on my air rifle.... birdfeeders by jmooney776, on Flickr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren m Posted November 4, 2011 Report Share Posted November 4, 2011 i,ve just this last few days cleaned and refilled all the bird feeders ( 10 of ) in the garden with seed , fat balls , suet block , peanuts but theres not a bird in site where are all the garden birds , normally have plenty round here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksdad Posted November 6, 2011 Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 same here! Food left untouched for days now, its as if everything has moved out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Monkey Posted November 6, 2011 Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 The missus put a fat ball on the small tree in the front garden yesterday, and within minutes had to put another one out to keep up with demand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pole Star Posted November 6, 2011 Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 Made a little bird table this evening and put it on the front lawn. Hopefully should get some little feathered visitors soon! Got some bird seed and the label said "Guaranteed to attract tits & finches" oooerrrrr Should also get some sport when the crows and squirrels come down :lol: Dont forget too keep then dam cats away ! I dont mind feeding sparrow hawks & merlins but cats ! I gotta draw the line some where !. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted November 6, 2011 Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 i,ve just this last few days cleaned and refilled all the bird feeders ( 10 of ) in the garden with seed , fat balls , suet block , peanuts but theres not a bird in site where are all the garden birds , normally have plenty round here greenfinches chaffinch etc my way, all gone to that virus thats been wiping them all out, goldfinch still about in abundance but thats about all, never seen a greenfinch in my garden since 2009,they used to nest in colonies in the bushes in my garden, just dont see them now, hopefully they will recover their numbers. KW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshLamb Posted November 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 I had a greenfinch on my fat balls today B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted November 6, 2011 Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 We bought a bird table/house, filled it up with "wild bird" seed and haven't seen a bird on it yet after almost a month. Hoping to see a robin which is here every year for the last three years; he comes around this time of year and stays for a few months. But never had a bird table out before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted November 6, 2011 Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 I've got sunflower mix out, thistle, and peanuts, plus a suet block feeder too. We're going to add a birdbath and maybe a table feeder too. The squirrels (grays) have a field day with the feeders, it may be time to replace the seals on my air rifle.... birdfeeders by jmooney776, on Flickr Which one are you scoped in for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorsey Posted November 6, 2011 Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 I had a greenfinch on my fat balls today B) Good job it was you saying that, Welshlamb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeds chimp Posted November 6, 2011 Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 this has reminded me its a job to do..lived here a year now and still not got round to it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted November 6, 2011 Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 I love going in the pet shop / garden centre etc and asking the bloke behind the counter with a dead pan stare whether or not he has fat balls. Never fails to amuse me. I asked an old girl in pets at home whether she preferred fat balls or loose seed. She said she much preferred fat balls and told me to stop being rude. I rolled up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ME Posted November 6, 2011 Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 I am particularly fond of tits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr smith Posted November 6, 2011 Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 I am particularly fond of tits. I do prefer when there not in captivity tho' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorsey Posted November 6, 2011 Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 Are they Great Tits? I can't be sure... think I need to study them more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksdad Posted November 6, 2011 Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 I get my balls from B&M home place, or Home Bargains, don't think they have such Paupers Stores south of birmingham though Pack of 6 cost 45p at both shops, Bargain! Then my next door neighbour gets my seed, she will bend over backwards to accomodate me: she has an account at the pet food wholesalers and doesn't mind collecting my seed, will even go out of her way to get it. :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asa Bear Posted November 6, 2011 Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 I love going in the pet shop / garden centre etc and asking the bloke behind the counter with a dead pan stare whether or not he has fat balls. Never fails to amuse me. I asked an old girl in pets at home whether she preferred fat balls or loose seed. She said she much preferred fat balls and told me to stop being rude. I rolled up. Hahaha! Made me lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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