Hobbies and Crafts

Jane I hope you are pleased with the tree surgeons efforts and I feel sure that your feathered friends will be back to see you very soon for their food.

Ann it is one of my favourite places.I'm sure you would love it.The only birds I saw though were Great big Pidgeons and Seagulls.
Yes I'm sure the birds will be back in full force once their food is all back up in place :-D

I am sure they will come back once the food is out. I have not been to venice would love to go sometime.

Oh I have been absent for so long.Busy time here and then we went to Venice for a lovely holiday as OH retired a fortnight ago.
Yesterday ,and today we have had the tree surgeons in (and tomorrow) and all my little birdies have disappeared as it has been so noisy with all the machines,plus I have had to move all their food .Hopefully when it is all peaceful again and food back in place they will return.They must be a bit confused right now :-S

Mmm worrying that. Our seeders were empty within half a day but I blame the pigeons and doves.

kandj I'm pleased you found the link helpful :-)

Do you think the birds know something we don't :-S in my garden all the birds have been very busy eating, drinking and bathing in the bird baths...........are we heading for a cold spell :-(

Lesley x

Thanks Ann I will remember your advice about the dry bread for next year.

Lesley your link is mega interesting and really very helpful..... thank you.

Thanks Lesley,haven't used it often and it is usually crows that have had it. (No salt added at all) hopefully hasn' caused any problems shallavoid it in future.

Hello Ann I've C&Pd this.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/feeding/whatfood/

Cooking fat

Fat from cooking is bad for birds. The problem with cooked fat from roasting tins and dishes is that the meat juices have blended with the fat and when allowed to set, this consistency makes it prone to smearing, not good for birds' feathers. It is a breeding ground for bacteria, so potentially bad for birds' health. Salt levels depend on what meat is used and if any salt is added during cooking.

Lard and beef suet on their own are fine as they re-solidify after warming and as they are pure fat, it is not as suitable for bacteria to breed on.

Polyunsaturated margarines or vegetable oils

These are unsuitable for birds. Unlike humans, birds need high levels of saturated fat, such as raw suet and lard. They need the high energy content to keep warm in the worst of the winter weather, since their body reserves are quickly used up, particularly on cold winter nights. The soft fats can easily be smeared onto the feathers, destroying the waterproofing and insulating qualities.

Lesley x

Is that right Lesley? I have seen people make fat balls etc by mixing fat/oil in. I don't do it often but is it harmful?

Ann I really hope I don't come across as being pedantic as that isn't my intention but feeding birds with oil from a roasting tin is a big no no.

I think bread is fine now as the babies are older. In spring I soak it in water, gravy or oil from roasting etc

oops! I do break bread and put this out daily......am I doing something wrong?
I have 2 bird baths so always water nearby. I find the starlings come down in droves and clear the breadcrumbs so fast. Almost like watching a scene from the Alfred Hitchcock film, The Birds.

Yes, never feed birds whole peanut(crush them) or dry bread when they are feeding young. Not seen anything about fat balls, they only take small amounts of those.

Ann the birds use my compost heap in the summer :-D

I have always believed that fat balls, bread and peanuts can be harmful if the parents feed these to nestling :-S

Lesley x

I did read somewhere by the RSPB that if you feed birds in the winter they rely on that feed source and flying back to find it empty wastes valuable energy. So birds should be fed all year round.

kandj that is great news re your tree :-)

I must admit I don't feed birds while there are plenty of bugs and other natural sources of food for them to eat and right now our lawn is alive with daddy long legs (crane fly) that I want eaten before they lay there eggs ............................. I don't like or want leather jackets :-|

Lesley x

Our chopped up tree is sprouting tiny leaves. I have had to look twice, but its true!

It still looks very odd, but the birds seem to have adapted happily and are eating the seeds and haven't deserted our garden...... hurray!!

I am continuing to fill the seed feeders and my little feathered friends keep emptying them.
I watched with great amusement this morning as a fat pigeon tried balancing on the feeder and kept falling off. He was undeterred and tried many times, swinging the feeder tipping quite a lot of the seeds onto the ground so it was much easier to eat.
So funny and very entertaining to watch. I wonder how the pigeons fly off when they .are so big Isn't nature marvelous?

I gather Ann you must been on your hols in Tenerife :-D :-D.I love watching our Red Kite that seems to be back again.It was so low today just crossing over the garden ,and i didn't have my camera at hand :-S.It looked so beautiful.
Yes things will look much neater when we have had the work done.Especially the big hedge.My OH can only do so much on it ,and the back of it is higher than the front as he can't reach to that side even with a bit of scaffolding,and the lady next door couldn't possibly do her side .So when it is done I think she will be really pleased :-D
It just looks a mess at the moment.
The little Blue Tits,Chaffinches ,and Robins are being right little piggies at the moment.The Berry flavoured fat sticks are disappearing at the rate of knots again.

We go to Venice next week ,so i am having to leave my son in charge of feeding them all .I think I will be messaging him every morning just to remind him as the last thing he will be thinking of is feeding birds.