mice on bird table! help!

I put a bird table in my garden in december and since have maybe only had 3 birds,i have tried everything!different bird food etc and nothing. I noticed this afternoon a mouse going onto it and eating the food so i have taken all the food away for now and moved the table. Any ideas?what should i do? i dont want a mouse coming back i want birds!!!!!!!

Hi Katie welcome to the forum.

Why not try a feeding station with hanging feeders which you can put seed,sunflower hearts in..something like this www.google.co.uk/.../catalog

Yes i could do. I just want birds on my table not mice,pigeons or squirrels! Thats all i get! very annoying.

To stop large birds like Pigeons going on your table you can get cages with holes in them that will let small birds through,but will also let mice through!!

Katie I don't know if you have a B&M bargains store near you but they are selling feeding stations for £9.99. They have space for 3 hanging feeders and a bowl for water and one for other bits (i put meal worms etc on it). It doesn't come with the 3 feeders but the store sells  them cheaply. We bought 2 after we unfortunately had to cut down our cherry tree and the birds love them!!!!

Hi Katie

I know how you feel but all the animals need to eat and will not pass up a free meal. If your table is on a stand and the mouse or squirrels are climbing up the centre post why not put a overhang on the centre post. This could be an old plastic drinks bottle with the bottom cut off or something of the same nature. Just an idea.

Thanks guys!The problem isnt just this mouse and the pigeons,im just not getting any birds either?? i do have a small garden and i have tried everything-expensive bird,cheap bird food,suet balls etc etc... and still nothing?. i will have to get this feeder youve suggested and try that out,i just hope the pigeons and mice wont get to it!!!??? i hate mice and thought of it perhaps getting into my home gives me the creeps! what food can i give the birds which mice wont eat??

Hi Katie, it's hard to get it right first time - I didn't have much success with a bird table and found hanging feeders much better.  Try moving them around from time to time to see which places are best.  Good luck...

Hi Katie,

for me a metal feeder that allows the birds in but squirrels in was a great success in my garden. I was given a second hand wooden table but I've almost stopped using it because of squirrels and woodies. with a cage like feeder the little birds are safe inside as they feed and they become more and more confident (sunflower hearts are my briddies fav)

But can I say if you have a wood mouse...look at them on google....they are soooooo cute. I have little wood mice which nip up and sit inside the cage and I love watching them when they do!

Good luck

Hi Katie,

I only use tubular hanging feeders, which I hang from a tree. I don't believe they have been visited by squirrels although we have them around - they would find them very difficult. Mice and rats can't get to them. Pigeons have to take their chances on what's fallen on the ground.

I think hanging feeders have so many advantages over the traditional bird table.

Hope you have better luck soon.

:-)

I've had a bird table for a while without much luck. Hung up two bird feeders last week and the birds are loving one and not the other. Peanuts are the current hit as far as|I can see :-)

I have found that sometimes it is a matter of positioning rather than type of food. Originally I started by hanging feeders from the bird table and got few birds using them. However when I moved the feeders into a nearby bush I started getting many more birds feeding from them. So try moving your table and feeders around to see if you can find a position which is preferable to birds.

Attracting birds into the garden often requires more than just a well maintained feeding station. Birds need to feel safe so having a good covering of shrubs, trees or climbers nearby will give them an added attraction. Putting a feeding station within a couple of metres of such vegetation should give them added confidence.

As for the mouse, I wouldn't worry, they are cheeky scamps that often take the food in between visits from birds, they will be in most gardens and they shouldn't be anything to worry about. Enjoy being able to watch the mouse while you can, they are fascinating little creatures!