I thought I was doing the birds around here a great service. I didn’t think I was going to need to do any market research. My plan was to move my bird table and bird bath closer to the house so that I could photograph and watch the birds from my sofa. I never anticipated any problems in my plan. But you’ve guessed it - things are not happening around here the way I thought they would and I need some advice.
Firstly if you were a bird would you feed from a bird house like this?
One where the paint is peeling off and the roof is caving inor
would you feed from this 5 star deluxe feeding station standing approx 9 feet tall  |  where there are fat balls, sunflower hearts, nuts and seeds of all various types (only half full for now), some fruit and a coconut shell filled with a seed and lard mixture. |
My problem is that the birds won’t feed from my new feeding station.
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On Saturday I removed the old bird table from the bottom of the garden along by the back fence and placed a new bird table/station about 14 feet away from my patio doors so that I could take photos of my feathered visitors. I also moved the bird bath from the other corner of the garden closer to the patio.
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Thinking this would be great and who needs to watch tv when there’s going to be entertainment outside the window I sat back on the sofa and waited for some action. Well there was a brief and I mean a brief confrontation on Saturday afternoon - one bird tried to get at some of the seed and Mr Robin came along and chased him away and since then there’s been nothing. I can hear the most wonderful bird song as I walk into the garden and at the back fence I can see all the birds darting about through the shrubs – but that's as far as they are prepared to travel.
Squirrel Antics
Well I did get one visit to the table – well in fact it was an attempted raid.
This cheeky chap Mr Squirrel Nutkin got three quarters of the way up that 7 foot wooden pole and then decided that was far enough and came back down again. It was quite funny though I missed getting it on camera as I was so busy laughing at his antics.
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Then he climbed up and down the walls of the house, and peered in through the patio doors at me probably saying “ Look at me see what I can do!”
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I don’t think Mr Squirrel Nutkin has given up yet on my bird station if he’s anything like the squirrels the BBC filmed……… only I don’t have any hazelnuts to tempt him.x
Red Squirrel extreme assault course - Clever Critters - BBC Animals
"And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good." (Genesis 1:31)
Hot about the Mouth
After watching those antics on youtube I don’t think my bird box design will deter him for much longer. I certainly don’t mind giving Mr Squirrel Nutkin a little food but not all of it! so if he starts raiding the bird box on a frequent basis then I’ll have to consider dusting the bird seed with Chilli powder or Tabasco. It won’t deter the birds but the squirrels simply detest it and its recommended by the RSPB.x
I would love to have a red squirrel visiting as the greys have a bad reputation around here but the reds in this area have now died out due to squirrel pox)
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More Hot tips this time from you!
Does anyone have any tips on getting my birds to move to this bird table or has anyone had the same problem in the past?Are there any solutions other than moving the station down to the bottom of the garden?
Am I just being an impatient gardener?
How long should the food be left on the bird table before it goes stale as I am used to seed being eaten in no time at all around here?
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and finally if you can cope with all these questions ………………… if you were a bird which bird would you be and why?
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27 comments:
Hi leavesnbloom,
What a beautiful feeding center you have there! I imagine the birds are a bit intimidated! Why dont you move the old one next to it for a while, and then slowly leave less and less seed in that one? They might be attracted to the bright blue of the old one. I would be a common wagtail-they always look so happy!
Have a great day,
Gillian
It seems to me, from past experiences with new feeders, it takes a while for the birds to scope out new restaurants and get accustomed to their locations, figure out where predators might come from, and so on. Give it some time. You might also drag the old feeding stand over beside the new one, as it's probably easier to move than the big one now installed. Gradually the birds will come.
Thanks for visiting and commenting. I see you have a lovely blog here. I will be coming back to read more. I love photos of Scotland.
Interesting about your new bird house. We too have an old split one that needs replacing and we were planning on a new one. Ours will still be in the same location near t the kitchen window so wonder if the regular location will make the difference. We also have several feeders on a tree near to the sun lounge window.
You need to move the bird table slowly, I would keep the old one where it was and have the newer one out too, having some food on both but perhaps sunflower seeds just on one and not the other to give incentive to try the new one. Then I'd move the old one gradually a metre or so every couple of weeks.
Sparrows especially are nervous of new feeders or things moving, tits tend to be less worried about such things happening.
Dear Rosie, I do not pretend to know the answer but, like Jodi, I really believe that it is a matter of time. I am certain if you continue to put food out on the new table, then the birds will in a short time return.
To begin with put out very little and keep it fresh, even if this means renewing it each day and throwing away the old. As for the squirrel I am at a loss to suggest anything.
Do let us know how things go.
Well, Rosie, great post, as always! In answer to some of your questions, I would leave the food out at least a week before completely despairing. I don't think birds care much about interior decorating, and it's just possible that they're in shock from the sudden move. Or that your garden does provide lots of food for them naturally.
One thing I thought about while looking: the new feeder is by itself with no nearby tree cover or brush to hop into if a hawk or other predator should happen by. My birds prefer the feeders near the wood's edge to the one on the back porch. To improve the reception at the one on the back porch, we put some big branches up in the various pots, which they perch on, and we let vines grow up them. I left the dead vines up until 2 weeks ago, and after they were cleaned out, I noticed the birds visiting less. I suspect they prefer even the cover of dead vines to wide open nothingness (which is what the back porch looks like right now), and ultimately the forest is favorite of all.
If I were a bird, I think I'd be a tufted titmouse because they're my favorite. They're so nervy and delicate and have such a darling disposition, in spite of not being very showy or much to look at or very high in the pecking order. :)
Rosie, I think you have to give it time... birds are very cautious and like to check out a new set up. I heard grey squirrels were being rounded up and put to sleep in England for they are killing off the red squirrels. Is that true in Scotland too?
When I finally got a shiny new feeder, I thought the birds would never visit! I think it took 3 weeks before I saw any activity...I almost gave up. Now it's a favourite lol. Time is all that's needed. :)
That's a very nice feeding station you got. I agree with the others that said to give them time. I've added feeders that took weeks for the birds to find. Eventually one or two will start and the rest will follow. It looks like it should attract a good variety of birds with all the different food choices.
Eventually they will find the feeder. As for the food getting stale, they will find it before it does.
It takes time, as other commenters have said. I have had one feeder the birds refused to use, and I finally decided they didn't like the metal perches on that one. They preferred the other feeder with wood perches. I am sure they will come to love your great new feeding station!
Here is my 'one-cent' tip, if i may. I think birds need some camouflage, they dont like it very exposed and vulnerable. Besides, a bit rough branch is suited for their perch as it suits their feet than the smooth surface. In our case, we know the specific tree branch loved by birds. Squirrels, we dont have them.
I had to get a new bird feeder this year when I went to fill my old one at the end of the Fall and rust had taken out one corner and the bird seed just ran right out onto the ground! I was so excited with the fancy new feeder in a lovely green and the same thing happened, no birds. I waited a few days...no birds. And a few more...no birds. It took about 2 weeks for the birds to use the new feeder, don't know why it took so long. I would suggest being patient...if you build it (which you did) they will come.
My favorite bird is the cardinal, I can watch them forever. I love the brightness of the red against the snow and pine trees next to the feeder. And red is my favorite color, guess that explains it too!
Hi Gillian I'm sure they are intimidated by that bird table - its so big. We get pied wagtails in the garden sometimes.
Hi Jodi- yip the local moggies usually come from that direction into the garden. The old birdbox was in a hole in the ground so once it was out it was out for good - it didn't have a stand. I don't think I could bare to look out at that wreck from my sofa - it was fine when it was at the bottom of the garden.
Hi Barbara thankyou for the visit and your thoughts - I too wondered if they were creatures of habit.
Hi Liz I really should have left the old one in situ last weekend.
Hi Edith I don't think there would be too many squirrels in the London area but I'm sure there are some. Yes I put out alittle to see if they would be attracted as I did not want to waste any food. I hate seeing good food wasted and that includes bird food.
Hi Meredith there is a standard rose bush 2 feet away and a plum tree though still young 5 feet away. I might move my big witchhazel in a pot over to that spot for a while so that they can perch on the branches. I had to look up on google to see a tufted titmouse - they look lovely but I don't think we have them in the UK.
Carol alot of people call the grey squirrels vermin around here - but a grey squirrel I suppose is better than no squirrels. Some people further down the road from me do have alot of problems with them as alot of trees overhang their garden and they get into their bins.
Thanks Kyna I'll let you know how I get along - phew 3 weeks!
Hi Catherine I hope it does attract alot as I want lots of photo opportunities.
Melanie I think they will get at the food today I've moved it all around the garden.
Hi Deborah you sure had a few fussy birds. Maybe the metal was too cold for them. I have one feeder that has a metal perch and I have used it for years - I think its down to locaton for me.
Hi Andrea - good point there about the perching - you've no squirrels - I thought everywhere had squirrels!
Hi Linda looks like I will have to be patient - glad others have been down the same road as me. The Red Cardinal is beautiful - I've only seen them through garden and nature blogs- they are amazing and such a vibrant red. Red is a favourite colour of mine too.
Well this morning I've taken your advice and I went outside - brrrr its freezing here and I moved all the feeders around the garden and divided some of the seed mixture into little trays and will wait to see which trays get eaten from first and that will also show me how far up the garden they are prepared to travel just now. I have a gradual line of feeders weaving through the garden so that if they are adventurous they will come across the big birdtable that has all the sunflower hearts inside it. I'll let you all know in a few weeks how things are progressing.
I'm away out to move this witchhazel - at least I will get to see it;s blooms from my sofa now rather than at the kitchen window.
I'd be a bird of paradise! Do you like them?
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I've nothing to add, except for lots of luck in encouraging your little visitors to move!
I think the bird I'd like to be is a Musk Lorikeet. They're not as noisy as their rainbow cousins, are quite bold and seem to have a great time feeding on my over-ripe plums!
Rosie, so glad to hear from you today... love your post... here, with 12 inches of snow on the ground I cant really get to my bird feeders... my boots dry rotted of all things and i refuse to dredge through the snow without any... anyway... they actually do still have food into them... a rad anyway, and the suet is still in good supply,, but the squirrels have learned how to shimmy the pole and I cant deny them anyway... poor little creatures... the ground has been covered for over a week now.. I love your blog and it thrills me to know that i am networking with someone in my beloved Scotland.... oh, to actually walk upon that blessed ground!!! Someday!! Bye now and blessings to you!!!
Carolyn
We bought a new feeding post for the birds late last year and it took a good week or so for the birds to visit regularly. Plagued by grey squirrels here but have one squirrel proof feeder and one baffler that seems to do the trick :)
Hi Rosie,
All the previious comments are good suggestions. One last thing though - Your last bird feeder may have been sitting in a corridor of shrubbery that the birds use to get from one place to another. They are wary of being in the open. As for stale food, if the birds don't come and the food gets stale, spread it on the ground for your squirrel.
I'm sending birdfeeder blessings your way. They WILL come.
Cindee
Until now, there aren't confirmed observations of the grey squirrel in Belgium yet. I love the red ones... There are always some in our garden, they are so cute...
I don't think birds are creatures of "habit" as much as they are creatures of "familiarity". I agree with those who said you should move the yucky-looking (to YOU) one next to the new one. Then little-by-little, put more seed in the new one. I have to do that even with my dog when I change her dogfood!
Good post + photos, Rosie, as usual!
Thanks to Bavesh,Carolyn,Gipsygardener,Anna,
Cindee, Anne and April for giving me some more suggestions. Here's an update
Yesterday afternoon I discovered that my birdbath had 3 housesparrows in it and there were Great Tits darting about all over the garden and going to the new feeding station. Moving the food all over the garden seemed to do the trick and when they moved from one feeder to the next they eventually found the new one though it was only the Great Tits that were using the new station.
They did like to dart into the shubbery and then to the feeders and then back again. I think I am going to keep quite a few feeders around the garden from now on.
I hope today that I will have the same activity once again.
Hi!
How about some wonderful trees and shrubs native to Scotland to entice your birds? Here are just a few possibilities....Prunus spinosa, Sorbus aucuparia, Ilex aquifolium, Prunus padus, and Malus sylvestris. If I were a bird, I'd much rather have berries than seeds from a bag! There are also some great perennials with good seed heads that you can plant! Good luck and have fun!
Susan
Brilliant! I'm glad they found the new feeder finally. It *is* lovely!
I also forgot to ask, What bird would you be, Rosie? I'm curious now after reading some of the responses.
I'm afraid I don't have any good advice for you, Rosie, but I've found that birds take a while to take to a new feeder. Last year I put up one that attached to the front window with suction cups, thinking I would have a great close-up view of them as well as get some good photos, but they ignored it for the most part. Of course, it didn't help that our cat was usually right next to the window watching them:)
Enjoyed the video--squirrels are certainly clever creatures. Right now, I think I would like to be a hummingbird because I would be some place much, much warmer than where I am right now:)
Thanks Susan for your recommendations - great choices. I have some of those and the others are nearby - but the birds had all of those during our harsh winter
Hi Rose I've seen those window bird feeders and wondered if they worked or not.
Meredith - I nearly forgot about mine!
My choice of Bird? would be a Kingfisher. I've only seen one once down here and he was the most amazing colour of blue. I think all of his markings are incredible but he was flying so fast I did not see the detail so have had to rely on others photos for that. My eldest when he was tiny thought that a kingfisher was a bird with a crown on his head....... I thought that was so sweet and for that reason I've always been fond of the kingfisher as it brings back those memories.
Rosie
Through Him all things were made, without Him nothing was made that has been made. John1:3
Rosie, I have so much to learn here but little to help you. I plan to build a bird feeder in my garden too. Happy Valentine's Day!
Thanks for stopping by my blog today and leaving a comment and I really appreciate you taking the time to do so. I'll either reply to you on my blog or else make a return visit to your blog over the next few days.