Bird Table News

I ordered a caged bird feeder from Garden Bird Supplies and it came the other day.

It’s great and I’m really pleased with it.

It’s taken the garden birds a day or two to get used to it, but now they flit inside and get the bird food with ease

I am having to replace most of my hanging feeders with caged feeders (when finances allow)

Rooks had learnt to balance on the hanging feeder that did not have a cage round it.  They put their beaks through the feeder holes.  Squirrels had learnt to hop along the washing line  (the feeder without a cage was hung in the middle of an old long washing line).  So I definitely needed another caged feeder

I definitely do not to feed squirrels and rooks!

I would recommend this new caged feeder. 

• It  comes with a matching hanging bracket. 
• It is sturdy andstrong.
• Birds must feed safe within the cage
• The lid is chained to the feeder so will not get lost

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE FEEDER CLICK THE LINK BELOW

http://www.gardenbird.co.uk/Feedsafe-Seed-Feeder/Bird-Food/GBCC08,default,pd.html

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I still have to have a makeshift feeder so that the blackbirds can get at some birdfood but this caged feeder will serve me well for years.

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http://www.gardenbird.co.uk/Feedsafe-Seed-Feeder/Bird-Food/GBCC08,default,pd.html

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Hanging feeders are great but I still put bird food on the ground feeder for the ground feeding birds that visit.

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I’ve just bought a bird feeder from Garden Bird Supplies.

I have been looking for a new caged bird feeder and saw some here -

http://www.gardenbird.co.uk/on/demandware.store/Sites-GBS-Site/default/Search-Show?q=caged+bird+feeder

I looked at  this one

But I decided on this one  because the openings are smaller and the cage space is bigger

Here is the link that gives you information about it -

http://www.gardenbird.co.uk/Caged-Seed-Feeder/Bird-Food/GBCC69,default,pd.html

  I’m sure it will keep the large birds, especially rooks and crows away from the bird seed.  They won’t be able to reach it.  I know this feeder keeps squirrels away because I bought one before

Dear Readers,

If you click on the Garden Bird Supplies image  it will  open the door to a wonderful  Garden Bird Supplies Shop.

You can browse at your leisure

I’ve just ordered a bird feeder, but  Garden Bird Supplies also sell Bird Food that  is recommended by Chris Packam

It is great to have bird food or bird feeders delivered to your door

Why not take a look

I bought this bird feeder about a year ago and it has proved useful

Click the link below to find out more aboout it -

http://birdtablenews.com/2009/03/caged-bird-feeder/

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Happy Bird Feeding!

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It was freezing cold this morning when I discovered the handle on the newish birdfeeder had snapped in two.  How annoying is that. 

The two bird feeders below lasted me really well – for years in fact.  I still use the top feeder every day – have done for years.

a sturdy bird feeder

A good bird feeder

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Welcome to my product review of a covered ground bird feeder.

THE MESHED GROUND FEEDER

Ground feeding birds are often forgotten.  How many times do you see thrushes, blackbirds on a hanging feeders.  The meshed ground feeder is usually a good way to feed thrushes and blackbirds.

Covered  Ground Bird  Feeders  also give small birds like the chaffinch, robin, blue tit protection from predators including cats and sparrowhawks. 

The cage keeps the larger birds and squirrels off the bird food.  

MESHED GROUND BIRD FEEDER REVIEW

This meshed ground feeder is in two parts.

• The meshed cover comes as a flat pack.  It is easy to assemble. 
• The wooden tray with a wire mesh comes complete.

Ground feeder for garden birds

THE WOODEN FRAME WITH A WIRE TRAY  – Measurements:  41cm x 33cm.   12.5 cm high.  It has 8 cm ground clearance.

WIRE MESH CAGE

The secure cage has

• adjustable mesh sizes. 
  Allowing the ability to alter the mesh when bird feeding
• If you want to measure the actual size of the gap in the mesh here is a guide to the sizes of gap needed to keep out pests -
  48mm gap keeps out cats and pigeons
  40mm gap keeps out starlings
  34mm gap keeps out adult grey squirrels
  29mm gap keeps out young grey squirrels.
• a hinged door
  I have found this useful.  Thrushes and blackbirds couldn’t get through the mesh.  I tied the door open slightly with some string and these birds found their way in.

Meshed ground feeder

This feeder is BTO and BSA approved

  The birds are  attracted to this feeder  all year round, but in winter I made a special effort  to keep an assortment of food on the tray.

WINTER
Last winter this feeder was invaluable.  It was always a hive of activity during daylight hours

SPRING
I bought this feeder in May 2007 and a variety of birds have used it every day.

The first visitor to the meshed ground feeder in May 2007 (Sorry, I couldn’t resist).  

Very first visitor

I cannot leave the cage door open too much because larger birds were getting in.  

I altered the mesh and also  the door. The cage now allows the smaller birds to feed in safety.

SUMMER AND AUTUMN
I use this bird feeder all year round.

PROS AND CONS – LOOKING AFTER THE BIRD FEEDER.
This feeder is out in all weathers.  In winter, if I can I bring the feeder tray into the back porch on an night.  It keeps the tray clean and dry. 

I have given the wood tray a coat of clear varnish to protect the wood from the rain, sleet and snow it has to put up with

It is easy to clean the wire mesh tray with water.  This is sometimes needed if rain has ‘gunged’ the bird food on the tray, or if it the wire mesh just needs a general cleaning.  The wire mesh allows the rain to fall through.

This is a good bird feeder and a little care means it will last me years.

WHICH BIRDS CAN GET INTO THE MESHED FEEDER
In my garden I have a problem with larger birds getting all the bird food. 

At the moment if I open the mesh too wide or leave the feeder door open a little then starlings, pigeons, moorhens and even farm hens try and get the food.  This would leave  the smaller garden birds such as the wren, blue tit, sparrow and robin without any food. You may not have this problem.

So at the moment I have to keep the wire mesh small and the door closed to keep out the larger birds.  Unfortunately this means the blackbirds and thrushes cannot get in. 

I like feeding thrushes and blackbird. It’s annoying that because of larger aggressive birds it’s difficult to feed them.  Blackbirds and thrushes come every day. 

I try and get round this problem (which has nothing to do with the bird feeder) by -

• Leaving the meshed door open for part of the afternoon.  I find the larger birds come early morning
• Putting grated cheese and other food under a bush nearby
• Throwing waste water on a patch of ground ( to help them get worms if the ground is hard)

 NOTE: I think the arrival in my garden or rooks, crows, ravens, pigeons is something that is happening all over the country.

SQUIRRELS
This feeder certainly keeps squirrels off the food.  My daughter and her friend watched a grey squirrel trying to get into this feeder.  It found the weak link – the string keeping the door closed.  It could not manage to get in though.  They said it looked funny walking round.  (They never thought to take a photo).

SUMMARY

This ground feeder is very useful and versatile.  You can have the mesh and the door open differently to suit the type of bird that is visiting your garden

With a little care the feeder will last a number of years.  I have had mine since 2007 and have used it every day.

The ground feeder attracts a lot of birds and gives them a safe place to feed.

 If you are interested in the ground feeder tray click on this link Soar Mill Seeds.  After you have clicked the link type in Ground Feeder Tray into the Search tab.

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Click here for the -

ADJUSTABLE GROUND SECURE SAFE CAGE

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Click here for the – GROUND FEEDER TRAY

The above items are sold by Soar Mill Seeds

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 There is a choice of meshed feeders.    

GARDEN BIRD SUPPLIES OFFER A  

CHOICE GROUND SANCTUARY

Do you have any comments you want to add?  Please let me know.

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CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT  TWO CAGED  BIRD FEEDERS

Supplied by  Garden Bird Supplies

See which of these bird feeders suits your needs best.

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Keeping the bird food inside bird feeders dry when it is raining is difficult

Driving rain can seep into the feeding holes in the hanging bird feeders and clogg up the bird seed. 

This makes it difficult for birds to get at the seed just at a time when they need to get energy quickly.

It’s a messy job trying to get the wet bird food from inside the bird feeders and clean the feeder. 

• I don’t put out all my hanging feeders.
• I always keep one hanging feeder as a spare.  I keep it dry and clean

This means when I bring in the rain lashed, wet bird feeders I don’t have to try and unclog the wet feed from inside the feeder straigh away.  When the hanging feeders have been cleaned I can leave them to dry naturally.  This really helps me when I’m short of time.

Keeping a spary, dry, clean bird feeder means there will always be bird food when the birds need it most.

This Bird Feeding Tip is just a basic, simple way to make sure our garden birds have a supply of dry, clean food at a time when rain and cold weather can make survival difficult for them.

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Some of the bird feeders I use to feed the birds in my garden are just a bit old but they still serve their purpose which is to be a safe haven for birds to eat food.

I thought I would show you  some of my garden and some of my bird feeders.

You do not have to spend a lot of money to feed birds.  When you invest in a bird table or feeder it will last for years.  Just look at mine.

Bird Table with roof -

old bird table

 I used this bird table for years and years.  The legs are rotten.  I now lean it against a tree to keep it propped us.

Open top bird table

I put the birdtable near our laurel hedge (the hedge is evergreen and gives shelter to a lot of birds) 

bird table sheltered by a hedge

This hanging feeder has proved useful. 

Hanging bird feeder protected by a meshed cage

CLICK HERE FOR A REVIEW ABOUT THE CAGED BIRD FEEDER AND HOW TO BUY

There are loads of differnt types of bird tables and bird feeders to choose from but basically they all do the same job – they feed birds.  If you do buy one they will last a long time.

There are many types of bird feeders. Some are open, some are squirrel resistant, some are caged to keep out the larger birds and predators. 

There are also many types of bird tables.  Some are open topped and some have a roof. 

The two bird tables in the photos serve their purpose even though they are old.

More photos in future weeks.

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FOR SALE CAGED BARREL SEED FEEDER FOR GARDEN BIRDS

This hanging bird feeder is -

• 12 inches tall
• Holds about 600 g of seed
• hangs freely from branches or a hook

This robust bird feeder has a

• large central food holder
• frame that deters squirrels and larger birds and so allows smaller birds to feed easily. 

This ‘birdcage’ style feeder lets small garden birds slip through the bars to feed.

It is -

• Functional
• strong – the top, bars and base are netal
• easy to fill

Metal bars keeps squirrels out which is one reason I invested in this feeder.  It also keeps large birds out such as pigeons.

It will last years and is ideal for attracting small birds.

The feed tube in the centre is surrounded and protected by a metal roof, bars and base.

• Feed tray at the base of the feeder
• The clear plastic tube lets bird seed flow into the tray.
• There are drainage holes in the tray.

• The lock-on lid which is chained on keeps squirrels out and yet is easy for me to fill.

• The clear plastic feed tube has one opening at the base of the feeder.  This means the whole transparant feed tube will keep the seed dry.

RESULT / HOW I TESTED THIS HANGING BARREL SEED FEEDER -

I hung this bird feeder from a branch on a tree.  It was sheltered from the bad weather and a variety of birds used it

Unfortunately larger birds such as crows and rooks used it as well. A black agile crow clung to a branch, stretched its body out and put its beak through the bars.  It managed to get at the feed.  For this reason I had to move it to an open position

CLICK HERE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN FINDING MORE ABOUT THE BARREL SEED FEEDER

Produced in China – it would be nice if we could produce something similar here in Britain.  I’m sure there’s such a lot of people who have the knowledge.

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DROLL YANKEE NEW GENERATION SEED FEEDER

Droll Yankee New Generation Bird Feeder

I have had this bird feeder for about two years now.  I have used it with and without the seed tray.  It is as good today as it was when I bought it.

It has stood the test of time  and I am sure there must be many satisfied customers.  

INFORMATION ABOUT NEW GENERATION SEED FEEDER (DROLL YANKEE)

This feeder is squirrel resistant.

The  Droll Yankee bird feeder it is a hanging feeder with a strong alloy top, base and feeding ports.

The hook for hanging is sturdy

Sturdy hanging bird feeder

All the feed flows to the feeding ports.  The feeding ports are well designed to protect the bird seed from the rain.

It has a screw on base where a seed tray could be used.

Below are two photographs taken last year when I used the seed tray.  It was very useful to have.  Because of squirrels and crows balancing on the seed tray and getting all the food I had to take it off.

Droll Yankee Seed Feeder with seed tray attached

Seed tray stopping any bird seed falling to the ground

WHERE TO BUY THE  8″ DIAMETER SEED  TRAY

The Droll Yankee Seed Feeder is sturdily built and will last a long time.

I dropped it once (without the seed tray) and the onl y hing that broke was one of the bottom perches at the feeder port.

In torrential rain the feeder portholes do, of course, get wet and seed can clog the portholes.

I have taken this feeder for granted over the years. It is one of the feeders that I fill up every day – sometimes twice a day.

I have hung this feeder in various places in my garden over the years and have fed a lot of birds from it in spring, summer, autumn and winter.  At the present moment I am putting a general food mix into the feeder.

This feeder would suit someone who is starting out feeding birds as well as the seasoned bird feeder.  Using a good bird seed mix will attract a variety of birds.

I have seen sparrows, chaffinches and blue tits near the fence, queuing to feed from this feeder while other birds are perched on it and feasting.

I would recommend this bird feeder

CLICK HERE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT MORE ABOUT THE DROLL YANKEE NEW GENERATION SEED FEEDER .

WHERE TO BUY THE  8″ DIAMETER SEED  TRAY

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