Birds and cold weather

[Buckman]

Normally our feeders only need topping up about once a week, but recently we have ben topping up the feeders nearly every day. These are quite long feeders and hold a lot of seed. I am thinking that maybe the birds know something we don't? Are we in for a very cold snap in the near future?

In Africa we could tell when the rains were going to arrive by watching the birds, but not sure if that can be applied here? I know swallows here are a tell tale sign of rain as they fly low as that is where the insects are.

 

[Bluetonic]

or you are being attacked by Starlings, those buggers clear our feeders in minutes

 

[otherclive]

Our bird feeders we do every couple of days. Hedgehog feeders are topped up twice after sunset and before we go to bed. Some nights we have five hedgehogs feeding. With our neighbours we all have hedgehog highways. Even had one out feeding when it was snow on the ground during the cold spell.

 

[Buckman]

or you are being attacked by Starlings, those buggers clear our feeders in minutes

No starlings as the feeders are right outside our front window and no way could a starling perch on them as they are too big a bird for the feeder plus we have a baffle above each one.

 

[izzy]

At our house the birds get fed better than me

 

[Hutch]

I have four different feeders, seed, peanuts, fatballs and dried meal worm things, I also throw out the heals of the bread with some dried fruit.
I don't mind feeding the grey squirrels, although some call them vermin.
I noticed somewhere recently that the Red squirrel's seem now to be immune to the grey Squirrels pox. !!!

 

[Beachball]

Our three birds feeders seed and peanuts are done every couple days and i sometimes see magpies and blue tits eating the peanuts

 

[Buckman]

We makes sure that the tree rats do not have access to our bird food and we avoid chucking out bread as that attracts the ground rats.

 

[otherclive]

Four hedgehogs last night, and from some of the 60+ videos we might be nearing the time for some “adult content”. Does that make me a voyeur?

 

[Dustydog]

Our four feeders are lasting 2/3 days. I suspect the brooding season is close and May encourage their appetite😋😋

 

[Beachball]

Four hedgehogs last night, and from some of the 60+ videos we might be nearing the time for some “adult content”. Does that make me a voyeur?

View attachment 4371

very nice

 

[Robert_374373903]

At our place there is four feeders all with different seeds in which three are still full
From two weeks ago, how ever our fox the other night decided to take his/her container away so had to put another in place. This morning went into garden and it had put the first box back on last night's one !

 

[GeorgeandAde]

No starlings as the feeders are right outside our front window and no way could a starling perch on them as they are too big a bird for the feeder plus we have a baffle above each one

Buckman......we too are plauged with starlings.
Could you possibly explain what you mean by "baffles"to keep them away?.

 

[Buckman]

Buckman......we too are plauged with starlings.
Could you possibly explain what you mean by "baffles"to keep them away?.

We use see through squirrel baffles as the grey squirrels are a right pest around us. Search and you cna get them for less than £15 each.

 

[otherclive]

Buckman......we too are plauged with starlings.
Could you possibly explain what you mean by "baffles"to keep them away?.

We love having starling visit and don't deny them food, as they are not as common as they once were so supporting their number is something we are keen to do.

 

[Buckman]

We love having starling visit and don't deny them food, as they are not as common as they once were so supporting their number is something we are keen to do.

When we were kids in Cape Town they had to reduce the starling population as they were a real pest as they affected the local bird population. They were also a plague in factories nesting on the rafters. Even the birds of prey could not cope with the vast numbers of starlings. However if you see starlings murmuring in this country, it is a real fantastic sight and something you never forget.

Quite a few years ago they had a similar program to reduce the common myna bird population in Durban as again they were a pest and were not indigenious to the continent and neither did they migrate there every year. I have been told that over here they sell for a fair bit of money?

 

[GeorgeandAde]

Very kind of you Buckman.
Thank you 👍

 

[Buckman]

It seems that the birds are correct with their weather predictions as forecasters are warning of any arctic blast due to hit the UK this week?

 

[otherclive]

When we were kids in Cape Town they had to reduce the starling population as they were a real pest as they affected the local bird population. They were also a plague in factories nesting on the rafters. Even the birds of prey could not cope with the vast numbers of starlings. However if you see starlings murmuring in this country, it is a real fantastic sight and something you never forget.

Quite a few years ago they had a similar program to reduce the common myna bird population in Durban as again they were a pest and were not indigenious to the continent and neither did they migrate there every year. I have been told that over here they sell for a fair bit of money?

We go down to the Somerset Levels a few times on clear winter afternoons to see the murmurations there. It is a spectacular sight, but we try and not be under the flight path as they pour down towards the reed beds to roost.

 

[Beachball]

It seems that the birds are correct with their weather predictions as forecasters are warning of any arctic blast due to hit the UK this week?

Wrap up warm

 

[PTA]

Don't forget to regularly sanitise your feeders. Bird. flu kills.