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Songbird Survival


stuartyboy
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I've mentioned the charity 'Songbird Survival' on here before. 

For anyone who doesn't know, it's a very pro active charity that wants to support our birds and appreciate the damage corvids and cats can do. They actively support culling of species for the benefit of song birds. They talk a lot of sense backed up by their own, and that of others, scientific research. 

As most of us are conservationalists first and shooters second, it is a very good charity to support. Particularly when we're facing pressure from groups like Wild Justice.

I've no connection to the charity except being a member, but thought it may be a good time to remind folk seeing how Christmas is coming up. A membership is very cheap and is more useful than a lot of tat you could otherwise buy.

 

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12 minutes ago, stuartyboy said:

I've mentioned the charity 'Songbird Survival' on here before. 

For anyone who doesn't know, it's a very pro active charity that wants to support our birds and appreciate the damage corvids and cats can do. They actively support culling of species for the benefit of song birds. They talk a lot of sense backed up by their own, and that of others, scientific research. 

As most of us are conservationalists first and shooters second, it is a very good charity to support. Particularly when we're facing pressure from groups like Wild Justice.

I've no connection to the charity except being a member, but thought it may be a good time to remind folk seeing how Christmas is coming up. A membership is very cheap and is more useful than a lot of tat you could otherwise buy.

 

Would like to second that, they seem to say it like it is, with only one agenda [unlike packam] 

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Yes, they have some good counter studies to WJ on the effects of predation and for that reason I joined back in May of this year (£20), as you say we need all the help we can get.

11 minutes ago, Vince Green said:

An RSPB woman told me the re-introduction of Kites around here has had a detrimental effect on songbirds

Their numbers are being kept artificially high through feeding stations, nature finding a balance..NOT.

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27 minutes ago, Vince Green said:

An RSPB woman told me the re-introduction of Kites around here has had a detrimental effect on songbirds

We have a huge amount of kites (I can sometimes count up to 20 visible together) and I have commented several times they are our most common bird, followed by woodies. 

We put up a feeder in September and I’ve seen a solitary great tit, I’ve not had to refill it once! 

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2 hours ago, stuartyboy said:

I've mentioned the charity 'Songbird Survival' on here before. 

For anyone who doesn't know, it's a very pro active charity that wants to support our birds and appreciate the damage corvids and cats can do. They actively support culling of species for the benefit of song birds. They talk a lot of sense backed up by their own, and that of others, scientific research. 

As most of us are conservationalists first and shooters second, it is a very good charity to support. Particularly when we're facing pressure from groups like Wild Justice.

I've no connection to the charity except being a member, but thought it may be a good time to remind folk seeing how Christmas is coming up. A membership is very cheap and is more useful than a lot of tat you could otherwise buy.

 

Never heard of them.

Googled them, read their info, watched the YouTube video & joined.

Thanks for posting.

 

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1 hour ago, simonm said:

We put up a feeder in September and I’ve seen a solitary great tit, I’ve not had to refill it once! 

I would look at the position of your feeder and what's in it, mine are all near cover so the birds can duck in and out, and I just feed sunflower hearts and fat balls,  suet blocks.

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We live about 30 miles from the original release site of Red Kite and I can practically guarantee if I step outside there will be several within view. There has been no drop in songbird numbers that I have noticed and when I tried feeding the kites day old chicks, they never touched them - Scotch Eggs, however, are gone in minutes! Reading about the bird it seems that they are simply too cumbersome to catch small birds unless the bird is injured or sick. Personally I wouldn't believe a word the RSPB say - ask her to justify her comment officially.Any drop in songbird numbers is down to cats and Farmers cutting hedgerows late in the year when berries are on the branches - these are what the birds eat over winter.

Edited by bruno22rf
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12 hours ago, Mice! said:

I would look at the position of your feeder and what's in it, mine are all near cover so the birds can duck in and out, and I just feed sunflower hearts and fat balls,  suet blocks.

Plus one for comment. I have found the sunflower hearts the best to attract most of the finch and tit species. Fat balls the best for woodpeckers and unfortunately startlings. Try to avoid the wild bird seed as like you when I filled the feeders with it nothing ate it

 

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12 hours ago, Mice! said:

I would look at the position of your feeder and what's in it, mine are all near cover so the birds can duck in and out, and I just feed sunflower hearts and fat balls,  suet blocks.

As above. I also feed a British finch mix and meal worms. That way, tits, finches, sparrows and soft bills are all covered.

Edited by Penelope
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29 minutes ago, yates said:

Plus one for comment. I have found the sunflower hearts the best to attract most of the finch and tit species. Fat balls the best for woodpeckers and unfortunately startlings. Try to avoid the wild bird seed as like you when I filled the feeders with it nothing ate it

 

Most seed mixes that I have seen labelled as 'wild bird seed' are all mostly wheat. Better suited to chucking at pheasants.

A good quality British finch mix is much better, as it will be made uo of canary seed, rape, niger, hemp, groats, millet, linseed and teazel.

https://www.gardenfeathers.co.uk/british-finch/countrywide-british-finch.html

https://www.gardenfeathers.co.uk/british-finch/countrywide-goldfinch-siskin-seed-mix.html

https://www.gardenfeathers.co.uk/british-finch/countrywide-greenfinch-mix.html

https://www.gardenfeathers.co.uk/british-finch/countrywide-bullfinch-mix.html

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As i have also said in past SBS Well worth supporting! They do a lot of good science based stuff. There latest Autumn/Winter publication got some really interesting articals in it. Cats etc. Whoops! forgot we ant allowed to mention cats on here.😉 

Tried loads of wild bird seed mixes over the years. Best i have found and no i am not connected to this company is No Waste from  Charnwood MIlling Co. There High Flyer mix good to. Both no husks so don't attract rats. Everything gets eaten. (Turtle doves love it)!  Have also used to seed rough ground with great results. 20kg bag about £18.00 Discount on more than 10 bags.  NB 

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