h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Specifically, why aren't great s attracted any more?

When I moved into my new house, almost the first thing we did was hang a net bird-feeder in the garden - and we were amazed how quickly it was emptied. It only took a few days, and it seemed as though blue and great s were particularly attracted.

We were going through those net things at a rate of knots so we bought a 'proper' bird feeder made of metal that has a seed feeder and a nut feeder. We can refill this one from enormous sacks of nuts and seeds.
Trouble is, since we put it up two weeks ago hardly any of the nuts have gone. The seeds have been more popular, but seeing as the birds were eating a net of nuts every few days I am worried that they still haven't got through the first lot from the new feeder.

I was watching it at the weekend and we are still getting blue s on it, but no great s.

Can anyone think of a reason why the nuts are suddenly unpopular, particularly with great tits? How can I get them to come back again?

and sorry for the subject line,
k

We get loads of birds in our garden - and they tend to eat different food depending on the weather. We have at least 5 different types of food source out for them at any one time and they vary what they eat. Sometimes they like the seed, others peanuts, other some weird berry thing we get. I wouldnt worry too mcuh about them not eating it.

It might be that they dont like the feeder though. We got this one and they just done go anywhere near it. Maybe changing the feeder might encourage them back. If not, just make sure its full. They may have another food source or something else stupid. We got some great tits in spring, none at all over summer and autumn and now they're back with their tails between the legs. They obviously found somewhere better to eat!

I am worried that they don't like the new feeder, but the blue tits still seem happy. I suspect that they preferred the net ones because they could peck bigish holes in it and have all the nuts fall out to the floor where a free-for-all would take place. That was one of the reasons for getting a metal feeder - but now they have abandoned us altogether

We have got all sorts of exciting birds now we're in the countryside: chaffinches, robins, blackbirds, wrens, song thrushes, collared doves, starlings, sparrows, pheasants, partridges and some kind of large bird of prey (maybe a kite) have all paid us a visit in the last few weeks. Hope I haven't upset the s too much.

WoW! Thats quite a fantastic collection. We were thrilled with the doves and the great tits!

Maybe they dont like the effort so have gone somewhere else? Birds balance the cost of eating with the worth of eating (or so my A-level animal behaviour reminds me! ) so it may not be them worthwhile coming to the feeder. I know they eat from our wooden one at home with no trouble (normal sized holes). Maybe you could get one with slightly larger holes? Squirrels caused a lot of trouble for us till we got them their own feeders, but now there is a whole family which is really spiffy.

I'm not sure what to suggest. Maybe you could try a higher energy food for them? And if they do have trouble finding food, they will be back. They always come running back when they need us!

I'm in central London and I only get bluetits, robins and once starlings in my garden. Before Christmas my bird feeders were emptied every week, but during January I haven't had to replace any feeders. I think the birds must be finding a better source of food, either natural or someone else is feeding them.

One point is to check that the food hasn't gone mouldy as that probably would stop it being eaten.

I really love seeing birds feeding in my garden, I feel quite slighted that they've moved elsewhere!

QB

Now you come to mention it, my peanut feeders are getting more blue than great tits at the moment. The great tits seem more interested in sunflower seeds. It might be as Archangel Fashion Cat says cost of eating/worth of food. They can get hold of the sunflower seeds more easily and quickly which is important in this cold weather we're having at the moment. Queen Bronners is absolutely right about the need to ensure your nuts are nice and fresh - and are the feeder nice and clean? I empty out the nuts and clean the feeders once a week. Chop up any nuts that are left in the baskets and put them on the bird table, then refill the feeders with fresh nuts. Always use peanuts that are certified free of aflatoxins. Apparently peanuts can kill your garden birds if they have aflatoxins - caused by moulds that you can't always see.

There's a great part of the BBC where you might find more answers. It's the Birdtalk message board here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-perl/h2/h2.cgi?state=threads&board=nature.birds&&sort=Te

Well the nuts were nice and fresh when I put them out, new feeder and new bag of RSPB-approved nuts. I went and had a good look at it last night and it looks ok, but I have a new theory. The cage part with the nuts in is above a smooth-sided bit with the seeds in. I think that the blue tits are fine (being small) and can still easily cling to the cage and get the nuts but the great tits are finding it harder to hang on because of the smooth sides of the seed feeder. They are bigger so need footholds further from the nuts than the little birds.

I've put some nuts out on the stump of a tree that will have to do as a bird table for now so they can get something, and will have a look round for a different style of feeder at the weekend. I'll try getting a normal one that doesn't do two jobs.

What's your local squirrel population like?

I've never seen any in the garden, or in the immediate vicinity. Doesn't mean the little tinkers aren't there though I did initially think that squirrels might have been taking the netted nuts so was extra vigilant, but didn't catch any in the act .

I definitely haven't seen any great tits around the feeder since I got the new one, so I think they just don't like it. Will have to find a new solution for them.

k - lover of

My nuts aren't even getting eaten by the squirrels! It is the same dispenser I've used before and last year ate happily form it, washed and filled with fresh nuts. I have only seen one peck at it since November.

On the other hand they all adore the sunflower seeds and am going to have to buy another bag!

Kelli, it might be a sparrowhawk, we have one that regularly brings done collared doves in the garden.

This one looked quite big, bigger than the birds I think of a hawks. I say 'i think of' because I've never actually looked them up to see if I am identifying them correctly. It was quite big with reddish-brown feathers. I didn't see any special markings on it but it had that distinctive blunt predator shape and hovered over our garden for ages.

k - loving living in the countryside

Try http://www.birdfood.co.uk/
They are specialists in bird-food and containers, are recommended by the RSPB, and regularly feature in Birdwatch and Birdwatching magazines. Hope this helps.
The other reason Great may not be around is that it is now/Breeding/Territory time, and Great are very aggressive in finding and defending territory. If you hear a bird sound you don't recognise, it is probably a Great . It may be they are so active, that they aren't visiting your site.
Where I am there are loads of flitting in and out of the Cherry trees, chasing each other (saps up ) and Great are singing their bell-like song, although I can't see them.

And if it's really big, it could be a Gosshawk - looks similar in colouring but mich, much bigger which is why when we reported one to the RSPB and they said "In Birmingham? Nah!" we thought how little they really know...

I live on the edge of the city centre but in quite a green area, birdwise today we've had s of varying description (blue and long-tailed mostly), sparrows, blackbirds, wood-pigeons, doves, magpies, starlings are making a comeback in Brum too, robins, a really tame jay that started visiting us in the last couple of weeks was actually tapping at the window watching me typing this morning (I can mail you a pic!), a thrush, dunnocks, woodpeckers (greater-spotted, I think), nuthatches, bull finches, crows...

I've heard owls for the first time in years over Christmas and as for other birds of prey we have had the odd sparrowhawk in the summer but that gosshawk was a _huge_

This is, as the crow flies , about 3-4 miles from Brum city centre.

I also have a peculiar liking for penguins, which I haven't seen yet in the garden...

Is there a HooToo twitcher's society yet?

I've had a bit of a surf but can't find any pictures of the bird of prey I saw. Found lots of pictures of birds just sitting there, but I need to see pics of the things flying to be able to compare them.

Have stuck some long sticks through the wire mesh and that seems to have cracked the tit problem, I saw a great tit using the sticks as a perch. Also saw a small greenish bird, might have been a greenfinch. Am loving the days when I can work from home and look out at my garden

Think I have worked out why the nuts were disappearing so quickly before too. I think that the nets were being knocked down and then magpies were coming and emptying them on the ground, or maybe they were able to cling to the net. The magpies are certainly not able to get to the nuts in the new feeder so they aren't being guzzled quite so quickly.

Must make sure I put some loose ones on the treestump each day so they do get something to eat.

The sparrowhawk (fairly sure it is one of these) looks like it has a mate

All the birds have got used to our new feeder now, the greenfinches in particular are pretty greedy! We've also seen some long-tailed tits and something that was the size and shape of a phesant but was brown and speckly. Anyone got any idea what that might have been?

Doesn't seem to be anything in our nestbox yet, how can I attract nesting birds?

The hen pheasant is the size of a cock pheasant but brown and speckly Until later....
BCNU - Crescent

The jay's still tapping on the window demanding food

Re nestbox.
Ensure it is clean and facing south in a warm, dry area. Wash with a non-odourised disinfectant, and hang a ball of loose wool on close proximity. Also any other material that would make good nest material, string, cloth, moss, hay, etc. and keep your fingers crossed.