Excellent reminder to all that cheap corn food is not really good and it is will only attract more squirrels. Water is why so many visit me. Lake in my backyard but still birds prefer to go to all the different water stations I have around. Thank you for sharing your video.
Great tips and advice. Birds are constantly vigilant and their lives seem to revolve around feeding and preventing attack. Great to see a Woodpecker using the bird feeder.
Interesting! I never really thought about putting the feeders under a substantial overhang; but after you state their fear in the hawks, it seems totally justified. Come to think of it, many times in the wild I will see birds under a lot of cover and maybe just within arms length, but no fear from their cover. Try to walk up on a bird that doesn't have cover and they will take flight 20 meters off! Thank you for sharing!
This was actually counterintuitive to me. I was worried that these locations would make them easy prey for cats in my area. Two neighbors have cats and although I think I have a good spot for the feeder I worry they would become easy targets.
I have experimented for years with all kinds of bird food. Now I mainly like peanuts (they love them) for birds and a fat pasta with seeds. I have a lot of trees and shrubs around the feeding place where they can hide. I also have a chicken coop where the birds can enjoy the seeds and the old bread that the chickens get all year round. I have many birds every winter and spring: blackbirds, all kinds of tits, sparrows, green-lings, woodpeckers, pigeons, etc. I know that I have to start feeding on time, otherwise the birds will not eat in the winter. Then they go to the neighbors. I also have a pond with goldfish in the garden where the birds can wash regularly and of course there comes a heron regularly to catch a fish. My 3 cats do no harm to the birds, they only take a mouse once in a while.
Thank you for your informative video,I just bought a stand bird feeder,plonked it near a tree,two days nothing no birds came near it.Iv now relocated it near foliage..
The people who don't feed the birds don't have the cheapest entertainment, especially in these times. What better way to quarantine and hunker down than to sit out in your back yard and watch the birds.
It's interesting to see in England people trying to attract house sparrows. While on the other side of the pond we do all we can to keep them away from our feeders.
I’ve moved into a new suburban home, where gardens are very bare. I’ve planted various things, and hung up the bird feeder, with water. I’ve struggled with rain spoiling the food, creating waste, and for the longest time only had a shy Woodpigeon visit regularly, but just yesterday, as the weather has turned colder, I had goldfinch, long tailed and blue tits, blackbird, and a robin fly in, feed, and disappear. From your advice I need more trees and climbers 👍
Hey, great tips. Should I be worried that the seeds that fall to the ground will germinate and sprout? I love birds and the idea of providing them a feeding station, but don't want to deal with unwanted growth on the ground.
CastleBravo yes you should be extremely worried, for every little seed that drops from the feed a tree will grow so do be careful where you put your feed, you could have a jungle with in 20 - 30 minutes if not careful.
Thanks Alex an interesting observation, I recently acquired a 'large' sack of 'slightly contaminated' caged bird food that was going to disposed of. Since filling the feeders with this the visitors have certainly increased & a few changes. Sparrows, finches the most noticeable. For sometime & have had Sainsburys Peanut Bird Cake hanging this also is proving a favorite to those who can hang on long enough to grab a mouthful, this is one of the cheaper 'good value' item that work. atvb t ..
Thanks, Alex I built a wood bird feeder I put It up hanging from a tree branch two days have gone by I hear birds in our backyard we have a lot of Doves that's mainly what I am trying to attract to the feeder so far no luck. Maybe they can't see the food in the feeder I don't know what to think. I thought of putting something up so that they can see the bird food. What do you suggest Thanks.
Belated new year greetings Alex. I am from India and have lots of Bulbuls, barbets, magpie, sunbirds that grace the trees around my home. Do advise on the food that attract the 4 birds into my balcony and also what are the contents of the 3 bird food you have prepared in 3 different mesh containers. Thanks & stay blessed. Dr Ramanujam
Oh no! Mine is just a suction cupped feeder on my window, no trees by it, and I just googled hawks Chicago and saw a 2019 article about how hawk sightings in Chicago soaring and how they’re coming for the birds at our feeders! I will make some changes to make it safer!
Thank you for the useful info. Can't wait for the birds to try out the ground up 'No Mess' bird food! Hope they sell it in our local Wilko, as that's where we buy all our bird food!
Actually I have one cat that is really good at bird catching plus she climbing trees attacking bird nests. I have to put the feeder up high enough out on a tree limb that the cat can't climb out to catch the birds. Normally We have several bird nests in our trees, but the bird have stopped because of My cat. Catching them. I have cats to catch the field mice and Rats. I live in the back forty far away from the street. I live in It's a lot different than in USA.
beautiful bird sanctuary, truly lovely was wondering if you could share name of your (2) feeders you have here, would like to try this type. bought the Brom squirrel proof feeder and squirrels empty this out in no time. thank you
Yeah they all have a FB group they go on to and they post on there telling all the other birds where the best food is lol To be honest they will eat it if they are hungry. I buy the cheap stuff and it is gone in a couple of days from 6 feeders and i live in South London. I get woodpeckers and all sorts eating it all. I must admit that if i put sunflower hearts out they are gone even quicker but because of the price of those now i'd rather spend the difference on my own dinner.
My birds like black oil sunflower seeds. I mostly get black capped chickadees, tufted titmouses, and goldfinches but I would like to attract more woodpeckers. Any suggestions?
Thank you for the amazing tips! I am setting up a bird feeder on my balcony. Would it be OK to set up a feeder higher on a balcony but water lower (on the balcony ground) or would the birds not use the water if it's that low and 'inside' the balcony?
@Monika Pul I am also having a similar setup...the water is on the balcony ground the feeder is hung up from a hook...but this setup hasn’t really attracted any birds to my feeder...so even I was looking for that answer...
It's true re cheap feed..it is too big for them, and they waste more than they eat..the ground stuff is twice the price, but so worth it. Cheap stuff doesn't smell as nice, either...the good stuff smells delicious to humans..! A shallow plant tray is essential...Lightweight and easy to keep clean 🦆
We have had to stop putting fatballs in the feeder as the bits that fell on the floor was attracting rats and left a mess that could only be cleaned by scraping the fairly greasy stuff . Now we put meal worms out during the day and have unfortunately lost all the tits and finches that used to come.
USE MIXED NUTS IN YOUR FEEDER, I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING, SINCE I USED MIXED NUTS, I GOT A GOLD CHEST TYPE OF WOODPECKER, ALL I AM SAYING IS TRY MIXED NUTS, WORKS BETTER THAN ANY OTHER BIRD FOOD.............
I am plagued with grey squirrels can you recommend a good cheap powerful air gun ,is 22 calibre the best ?.. your thoughts and recommendation would be much appreciated.
“Further, God blessed them, and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many, fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving on the earth.”
