Bird Table News

It’s all been worth it.  All the searching in the old sheds for ‘something’ that would keep the bird food dry during this continual snowfall has been successful.  As soon as I put bird food out it is covered by the falling snow.  This is bad for the starving birds and bad because the bird food that I have bought is wasted in the snow.

I found an old plastic box about 3 foot by 4 foot – without a lid.  I turned it on it’s side.  Now it has a floor, 2 side walls, one back wall and a ceiling.  The opening leads into this covered space.  The snow cannot fall on the birdfood.  I’ve put some birdfood inside this ‘bird shelter’ and it’s been lovely to see the blackbirds, sparrows and other birds concentrating on eating the bird food that is inside it.  It was only there a few minutes and my feathered friends were taking advantage of it.

I have lost my camera, so I cannot give you a photo to show you exactly what I mean.

I have also managed to cover my meshed ground feeder with more bits of wood, plastic and other bits of rubbish.  Now the snow cannot fall through the mesh (well not much can fall through the mesh). Again it’s been worth it because from my kitchen window I have seen a robin and some other birds I could not make out.  Again they were intent on eating the seed and peanuts.

It must help them survive the freezing nights.

It was freezing cold being out in the snow, wind and freezing weather, and at one point I wondered why I was bothering.  But I’m glad I did.

Now I’ll have to get to the shops somehow over the next few days.  Food for us, food for the dog we are looking after and food the these garden birds.

A mixed flock of birds is using my garden as a feeding area.  I see and hear so many as they fly inside or along the hedge.  When I say a ‘mixed flock’  I mean so many different birds seem to unite as one flock and work in harmony getting the bird food.  Blackbirds, blue tits, sparrows, chaffinches, starlings and many more unite together in one colourful flock.

It’s a good job I’ve been here all day today.

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Bev has said

I don’t think there is a simple way to keep food dry all the time but at least this ( see two previous posts ) helps to keep it drier a lot longer.

 

I’ve been thinking about what Bev has said and thinking about the time I spend trying different ways to keep bird food dry. 

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Here is another photograph from Sandy.  Isn’t it great that the blackbirds can feed in peace and the crows and pigeons can’t get at the food

Isn’t it a great idea as well.  A great invention!

If anyone uses this idea I’d love to know

Trisha

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 Bev has some ideas for us

Hi Trish,

Just read about keeping bird food dry in wet weather and winter.

I too find it a challenge and am looking to use a few things in winter that I have done in the past few months.

For the last few months I have bought and used two large 1mtr x 1mtr greenhouse potting trays from a garden centre and one from e-bay.

• I stand them on the ground in 2 different parts of the garden and place one mesh ground feeder in one for the large birds, jays pheasants even a duck and that seems to collect spilt food and easy to clean if theres any left at the end of the day!
  Of course I cant cover that but the large birds eat wet food and if the feeders are wet that day I tip that food in and put fresh out in dry feeders. 
  The trouble is its expensive but the food isn’t wasted. I only put it out that day as wet food isn’t good left out!
• In the second tray I put the caged feeder in at the moment but am going to get another tray . The kids are saying we know what you want for xmas mum ! How sad am I !!
• I have tried out the following two ideas.IDEA NUMBER ONE
  Put the tray or food on the ground (I always use a mesh tray feeder so the food drains if wet) ,then put two large garden pots one on either side and place a larger wider plank on the top high enough for blackbirds to go in but not too high for the rain to blow in too easily. This works ok if its not too windy!

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Idea number two to follow tomorrow!

Bev, your’re not sad, you’re brilliant!  I’ve had so many different birds, all different sizes and colours at my bird feeders today.  It’s been like the M62 in my garden!  But I know such a lot of bird food gets wasted in bad weather.  It means the birds aren’t getting as much food and I’m wasting my money!

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It’s brilliant when a problem is solved. Sandy has solved her problem this way  -

Will it help you?  Do you have pigeons eating all the bird food all the time.

Here is what Sandy said -

Hi Trish,
It works! I put the glass containing the sultanas/raisins on the lawn covered with an upside down hanging basket. The pigeons were very clever and managed to knock over the glass to get to the food, so I’ve secured the glass with tent pegs!

The pigeons poked their heads through but could not get to the food and have now given up. I’ve tried to get a photo of them trying in vain but they kept flying off, I have however got a lovely photo of the blackbird inside it, and also a very clever squirrel on a “squirrel proof feeder”! Kind regards, Sandy

It works. It keeps pigeons away  http://birdtablenews.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=8285&action=edit

This is from a 2009 article I wrote on Bird Table News called KEEPIN PIGEONS AWAY FROM BIRD TABLES!  It’s great people are still picking up on this. 

http://birdtablenews.com/2009/07/keeping-pigeons-away-from-bird-tables/

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I have found it so difficult and frustrating feeding the birds in this wet weather.   

Inside the hanging bird feeders the seed gets wet at the  bottom of the feeding ports and is wasted, because it clogs together and forms firm clumps.   These clumps are no longer any good for birds to eat.

Seed that has been spoilt by rain is unhealthy for birds

This wet bird food clogs the feeder ports and is so difficult to clean.  It takes so much time to bring the feeders in on a dark evening and wash them, clean them and get them dry for the following day.Wet bird food is bad for birds  – and bad for us as well, because it means we have bought bird food just to watch it go mouldy, and then have to throw it away..

Even if Iput the hanging bird feeders in among the  branches the rain still hits the bird food and the money I put aside for buying bird food has been wasted.  But, more importanty there is no food the my garden birds

I saw a really complicated idea on a Bird Forum.  The idea was a way to keep bird food dry by using old tubs, but it was too time consuming and seemed complicated, so I haven’t tried it. 

Any ideas?

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Birds will have a much better chance of surviving the winter if they don’t have to spend hours using energy searching for food – so lets feed our feathered friends!

If we get bird feeding into our minds it will be second nature to us!