One was in my garden and another at the top of my road. It had grabbed the blackbird by the neck and shook it like a terrier dog would.

It then flew into nearby trees and a pigeon flew straight at the magpie and had a bit of a dingdong.

When I went back indoors the magpie came back and retrieved the dead bird and flew off with it.

It feels like all out war between the birds around our area. I wish I could deter the magpies as they are scaring the smaller birds from out garden.

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WHY NOT JOIN SONGBIRD SURVIVAL.  I HAVE JOINED

http://www.songbird-survival.org.uk/

It is doing such a lot of good work – trying to save our songbirds by scientific study.

Predator birds are killing our songbirds, but no one seems to be talking about it

Trisha

Hi All This is the first time I have seen this site,

It is less formal than the other sites I have been to.

Anyway, a tip to keep squirrels from the feeders I used to have several squirrels visit the bird feeders and with the resultant damage increasing, I decided to put a stop to this.

The squirrel proof feeders are fine, but it you have 10 or 20 they can be not very cost effective. So putting my thinking cap on, I tried a number of things, but the best I have found is using twine to hang the feeders from.

The squirrels rely on something solid to support themselves on, so using twine to hang the feeders on takes away the support and no more damage (or visitations now) Hope this helps

Thank You for a lovely site Regards Hayden

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Thanks for this.  As I said in my email to you – I’m going to try this.

Trisha

Hi, I’m in Derby and have a flock of about 20 for about the last 2 weeks eating from my holly bush

Neil.  feb 2012.

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Very interesting.  It must have been amazing to have them their in your garden for so long and to be able to get so many sightings of them.  Did you get any photos?

It has two flanks of white on both sides of its body.   Unless Chaffinches breed with Dunnocks.  

But its always in the garden and the Robin chases it off. We also have two robins now and they do not fight

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The above is in reply to the first  description -

We have in our gaden a bird that is very much like a Dunnock, but it has white feathers on both its wings.We have Dunnock, robins chaffinches and the usual birds. But only this one has white feathers.Can you tell me what kind of bird it could be, if not some kind of Dunnock

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I’ve tweeted it and will take a look at some bird books and ask a few friends.

Trisha

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Hi Denis,

Thanks for this information.  It’s good to know they are thriving.   I think they often join with flocks of  Fieldfares.  They are one of our winter visitors and don’t often nest here. 

I can’t ever remember seeing one.  They stay in the open countryside and so for you to see them in your garden is a bit exceptional.  I hope it doesn’t mean that bad weather is coming and they are preparing for a winter freeze.  Get the bird food ready

Trisha

I took this photgraph about a year ago and have it as my screen saver, but I wonder what other people think

East Yorkshire

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From Bev -

Our feeding station is positioned near the shrubs and surrounded by the canes which seem to deter the sparrow hawk a lot of the time.

As the weather gets worse its not very easy to climb my garden to the higher level as its very steep and slippery, so I am encouraging the jays etc to come nearer the house and gradually they seem to be doing so.

I do this because I and my neighbour actually saw jackdaws and jays chasing off a hawk quite a few times last month . They also mobbed it so maybe they will actually help deter it for the smaller birds to eat in safety. Has anyone else heard of the same thing happening?

I saw them mob the resident tawny owl a few times this year but he comes back daily in the evening ok.

It seems to me that sparrow hawks are getting more determined here even though they aren’t always successful it doesn’t seem to put them of trying so all we bird lovers can do for our garden birds is persevere with our many deterrents!!

Any one else had similar problems ? It would be interesting to compare tactics! I have re positioned the balloon again today,so will see if it makes any difference !! Kind regards and a happy new year, Bev.

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Hope the balloon does make a difference.  I agree all anyone can do is try to deter the hawks so the garden birds can survive.

At the moment in my garden we don’t have any sparrowhawks, but  I see them flying in the countryside.

Amazing that Jays and Jackdaws mobbed a sparrowhawk.  It goes to show birds do think as a group (which I think we know anyway when we see them daily in the garden)

At the moment in the garden I’m lucky that pigeons are the only birds that try to grab the bird food

I am still using the canes stuck into the soil with some wire round as well. Get loads of birds in.  Am also using a makeshift feeder from an upturned plastic tray and an ordinary ground feeder.  I throw seed on the grass near a bush for the blackbirds that are waiting there on a morning.

Take care

trisha

Hopefully it will be this weekend, my daughter wants to join in with the fun too. I thought it would make a nice change from buying the ready made fat products available.

everything is ready and waiting -

• lard from the supermarket,

• a good quality bird seed mix and the exciting bit..

• .lots of different things to make exciting toppings just to let the birds know it’s Christmas!!

I’m using old coconut shells, scrubbed out and dried after the birds have eaten the original fillings. These will be ideal to pack with the melted suet and seed mixture and the string to hang them is still intact. A generous sprinkle of dried mealworms, suet treats, chopped sultanas and papaya will make them look festive as well as delicious! Perhpas I should get some cranberries too?

To make block shapes I’ll use a baking tray lined with cling film, so that I can cut it into squares to fit my holder after it’s been in the fridge overnight. AND I’m wondering if I’ll have the time or the courage to attempt some very special fat snowballs…the plan is to make a seed and suet ball then roll it in peanut granules…how pretty on the tree!!! How tempting for the birds!!!
Wish me luck!!

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This is great.  So many plans and ideas.  Many, Many tanks for replying to my plea for winter recipes for birds.  Sounds like you are going to have fun and the wild birds are going to have a feast.  Have a wonderful Christmas and I’ll be having a go as well

Trisha

I’m sure there must be many different ways we all feed birds, not just  by putting bird seed out. 

Here’s one I received in January

Hi Trish and everybody,

 my cake is

•  lard,
• ground sunflower
•  and peanuts, also whole ones
• all put together with currants and sultanas,

They go down a treat,

I had 9 long tail tits here today,
Not seen thrushes around, am worried,,mum used to come into workshop in breeding season, but offspring not so keen,,

Keep up the feeding everyone, we will get them through,,

Have 5 or 6 blue tits roosting in a nest box they have used twice to breed in,, dont know if the same family have moved in,,R

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NEVER USE VEGETABLE OIL TO MAKE A BIRD CAKE. ALWAYS USE FAT/ LARD OR DRIPPING

R is right IF WE KEEP UP THE BIRD FEEDING WE WILL HELP GET THE BIRDS THROUGH THE WINTER

Look forward to receiving some new bird feeding ideas

Trisha