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Hi, Here in Yorkshire we are still having cold weather so I am still putting out food for the birds as well as the peanuts and fat balls in hangers. I don't want to make the birds lazy which I know can happen if they get to dependant on food that is put out for them. So should I start cutting...

how can i make my garden more bird friendly and what is the best feed for all sorts of birds like black birds, tits ,wrens, finches, chaffinch, robins pigeons and doves

Hi, My neighbours cat brought in a fledgeling Song Thrush - alive. Then she brought in an adult Song Thrush - dead. I'm assuming it was the baby's mam. So now I have it in a box in my dining room. It's chirping like mad, obviously hungry but I have no idea what to feed it! I've...

When herons have caught a frog from a pond, why do they (a) carefully adjust its position to hold it across the middle and (b) dip it in the water a few times before swallowing it? My partner suggests it may be squeezing the gut contents out and washing it - is this likely? Does anyone have any other...

Hello, My daughter and I would like to build a nest box to encourage birds to visit our estate and I would like some advice on which nest box to build. Full disclosure: I know nothing about birds. I live on the top floor (4th floor) of an old block by Hackney Rd. It's not too far from the...

had one in my garden this morning watched him take about 5 minutes looking what was going on before jumping in at the nyger seeds , hope hecomes back do you think he will , and why was he on his own , goldfinches keep flying over but dont want to stop is this usual?are there any better looking birds...

Hi, I know there have probably been loads of posts on this topic recently, but for some reason I'm unable to search the forums. I was just wondering if it's ok to put out fat balls in the summer? I have some RSPB ones that say they are suitable all year round and are high in energy, as they have...

After watching birds in my garden for 20 years I hadnt seen a Goldfinch until I put out some Niger seed this spring. How do Goldfinches who dont usually visit my garden know there is Niger seed when it is encased in a plastic tube?

Hi Zeb Welcome to the Community. :-) Usually when you feed wild birds, you don't have much choice in what comes and what doesn't. Some members on here would love to see Sparrows feeding on their feeders. Mixed seed will attract a mixture of birds, so if you want to try to attract different...

the peanuts will be taken only if there is no other easier food in your dish - as they can't be eaten whole, the birds have to work harder to break them up so they chose the smaller pieces first - lazy or what? However, if you put your peanuts into a wire holder they will enjoy them as they can only...

Waxwings will basically move through the UK exploiting the various foods as they go. As different berries ripen over the course of the winter they will be able to adjust their focus to some degree. Bear in mind hawthorn berries are only just ripening up and ivy berries are still developing, they should...

Hi there I love all birds but they have their places in my eyes. During the 'bad' cold snap there has been an influx of Black Headed Gulls in my back garden. I am sure that my neighbour is throwing food for the birds at the moment, and it is bringing in hoards of Gulls. They eat everything...

Heya I live in Chippenham and used to have loads of blackbirds visiting our garden, but we haven't seen any since around Spring, and even then we didn't see many young as we usually do. Is there anyway we can attract them again? We get some other birds like long tailed tits, blue tits, crows...

Dear Everyone, Thank you so much for all your replies. Wow ! So nice to now there are so many ordinary bird lovers. I perhaps need to explain the situation here a little better. When I say I have too many starlings, there are 3 separate flocks at the moment (there was only 2 when I first wrote for...

Good tips there from Barnsley lad, if you are finding buying bird food is becoming a drain on your finances then why not consider providing some of the cheaper every day food items that birds enjoy. You will find they enjoy windfall or soft apples, cooked rice, cooked potato, cake and pastry crumbs,...

i feed al sorts of birds all year round with nuys fatballs and bread there must be other things i can put out especially in the winter any sugestions mustang

Hi all. I disloged a wood pigeon nest yesterday while cutting my hedge. I didn't think there would be any birds still nesting at this time of year, but there were two young chicks in the nest. They're probably about 14 to 15 days old, judging by images I found on the web. I wedged the nest...

Hi Ange We certainly do not advocate the use of the waste fat from cooking processes as bird food as it can cause problems for birds on three fronts. Firstly, when placed a outside and left for the birds the combination of meat juice and fat is a breeding ground for bacteria which can make birds very...

Hi Lyndsey, What spoilt birds! This all sounds delicious, but there is one thing that I should point out though - fat from cooking is potentially bad for birds. The problem with cooked fat from roasting tins and dishes etc, is that the meat juices have blended with the fat and when allowed to set...

Hi all, Hope you can help! I've just recently started feeding birds in my small urban garden. But I'm unsure how often to change the food i put out. I'm using: Peanuts, Seed Cake, Fat Cakes, Half a Coconut with Fat and Mealworms, and fat balls. Any help would be appreciated as...

This topic has come up quite a few times on the forums, there is an interesting thread here . I don't think the nest with mud in would be that of the blackcap, it is a bit too early and they don't use mud in their nests as far as i know. The blackap nest is a delicate structure of grass and...

Should apples be hung up or cut up and scattered or just left whole? Also, how do you differentiate between a male and a female robin? I have two in my garden which i thought was unusual as they seem to be territorial or have I got it wrong? (one seems to carry it's tail a bit higher than the other...

Alright, Basically I have every feeder under the sun. I used to have robins, house sparrows, dunnocks, starlings, a blackbird and the occasional blue tit. Everybody says 'be patient, they will come' but I have been feeding the birds for 1 year and they have all disappeared! ...

Thank you very much all of you. I think I found some great ideas such as the use of hanging baskets, cut down the food (already done) and put fat cakes away from the feeders. I don't have many birds feeders: 2 with seeds (of which one is squirrel proof), 1 peanuts squirrel proof and 2 fat balls feeders...