Bird Table News

 Hi,

It’s a lovely Sunday morning in the Yorkshire countyside.  The sun is shining, the hedges and fields are a lush green and the sky is a clear blue sky.  Have been outside filling the bird feeders.   

I noticed a few starlings inside the meshed ground feeder.  Don’t want that.  I keep the door to this covered meshed ground feeder half open and put bird food in their  for the blackbirds and thrushes.  Trouble is this means starlings can get inside as well.  I decided to close the door to this feeder to keep the starlings from scavenging the food.

This means only the smaller birds like robins, blue tits can get in through the small mesh holes.  But it stops the starlings.

Then, looking out of the window I saw 4 blackbirds and some thrushes hopping round the outside of the feeder, pecking through the wire, but not able to get the bird food.  One starling managed to push through the closed door and get inside. 

I gave up, went outside and opened the door.  The starlings, blackbirds and thrushes will have to sort it out themselves.

I’ve been using string and scissors to try and sort my new bird table out.  The new bird table is covered in wire to stop crows getting at the bird food.  Trouble is crows balance on the top of the wire, and by doing this have gradually pushed the wire down and they can now get their beaks through some of the wire.  I’ve been out with string and scissors trying to tie the wire back up and trying to make the holes smaller.  I think I’ll have to put smaller mesh round, but if I do that the blackbirds and thrushes won’t be able to get onto the table.

And you thought bird feeding was simple!  It will be for you. 

As I’ve said before I live in the countryside.  I have a rookery nearby and a flock of starlings seem to live nearby as well.  But they have as much right to be here as the thrush and the blackbird I suppose.

This morning I’ve put a mix of bird food out.  I’ve put some crushed peanuts, some sunflower hearts, some nyger seed.  I’ve filled the feeders up with mixed bird food.  I’ve put apple and cheese into the ground feeder (and the blasted starlings got it!).  I’ve thrown some bread out.  I have also put out some bird food mix especially for blackbirds and thrushes.  Hope they do get it.

 A photo of my meshed ground feeder when it was new

 Here’s a photo of my bird table - Wire round my new bird table

Tags: bird-feeder, ground-feeder