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bridie
Platinum Member
 United Kingdom
2395 Posts |
 Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 09:51:48 AM
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Im so relieved to see my little wrens are back on the fence today as ive not seen them for a couple of days they are attacking the fat balls along with the tits.
Yesterday while cooking lunch I made a giant fat cake stuffed with dried fruit, seeds and nuts.....all the bigger birds love it.
Ive also noticed my garden pond is thawing slightly today so have to watch my little dog Pippin as she has been walkng across it over the weekend.....naughty girl enjoys giving us a heart attack  .
Hope all your little birds are doing OK.
Mandy 
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LYNDILOU
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
13976 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 10:45:15 AM
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Mine are doing well thanks Bridie , I think all people here care for their birds and are thoughtful,
I didnt know wrens were meat eaters though? someone said they were ? I thought they eat seeds! if I put cat food out wont it attract foxes , who may then look at my chickens? |
   
www.dreamfield-arabians.com |
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Kazzy
Platinum Member
England
3335 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 10:59:24 AM
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Mime are little porkers
I cant find any fat balls at all around here I think they have sold out but I am getting them lard and mixing bird seed in it and they are wolfing it down.
They have bread aswell. I also put out water in a bowl, usually its been freezing up so I just a dd a little hot water from the kettle and it seems to be ok for a few hours. My cat has got his nose firmly planted on the patio doors making noises when they appear for food!!
My little robin at the stables is having a field day aswell, he sits on the stable wall and eats whatever Kazzy throws out of his feed bucket (He's a messy eater!!)
Janet |
     
Sunny Cheshire |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 11:03:08 AM
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Hi Birdie how do i make a fat cake for my birds i am feeding them all 2 a day and i bought them some dried mealworms but think they might enjoy a fatcake can you post recipe please |
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jaj
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4324 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 11:06:37 AM
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I'm down to my last bit of bird food today but placed a big order with RSPB for seed and fat balls etc last Friday. Really hope it comes tomorrow.
Been defrosting the bird bath and putting out fresh seed just now and it really does look as though it's begining to melt just a little bit.... !
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Kuraishiya (Maleik el Kheil/Kazra el Saghira) and Sahara Bey (Kuraishiya/WSA Charismma) |
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bridie
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2395 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 11:07:00 AM
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| Hi sab2.....I just melted a big block of cheap lard and added dried fruit, nuts, seeds to it, poured it in big container and let it set...they love it. |
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geegee
Platinum Member
England
3682 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 11:19:41 AM
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I buy a large sack of wild bird seed and fat balls, which tend to last about 6-8weeks.
Even the partridges are coming in for a feed.
Lots of Great Tits, Blue Tits, Coal or Marsh Tits (Can't tell the difference) and Long Tailed Tits and an abundance of Robins. Have seen a few Woodpeckers.
I love watching the birds, something very theraputic (sp?) about it..... |
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themewoman
Silver Member
England
375 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 2:49:09 PM
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| sorry if i'm being slow but how do the birds know to eat it? it doesn't look like their normal food does it? |
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Quarabian
Platinum Member
Wales
4340 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 7:56:36 PM
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I am so pleaseed to hear your bird feed stories. Don't forget if you run out of seed there is always something in the house or stable. Bread crumbs (you can slice it up thinly and also empty the toaster tray) or any muesli or seeds you have in the cupboard or coarse mix from the stables. Don't forget to turn over a bit of the muck heap for the robins and blackbirds to get worms. Some one mentioned this on another thread.
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Gerri
Platinum Member
England
4211 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 9:23:27 PM
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I put bread out when the snow came as I saw lots of birds and wanted them to have some food but they did not touch it |
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LYNDILOU
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
13976 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 10:12:49 PM
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| be patiant Gerri they need to find the food , make sure its safe , they often dont all flock down straight away , once they have found you as a source they will keep coming back , often traveling miles to get to you, give them time and you will be richly rewarded, |
www.dreamfield-arabians.com |
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Pasha
Platinum Member
England
3622 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jan 2010 : 08:52:20 AM
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Just a word of warning - I hung a fat ball off of our bird table which already had a fat cake on and my cat jumped up and grabbed the bird that was trying to eat it
Luckily for the bird, my devil cat brought it in in tact and mum rescued it! He even had a little meal of cat food before setting off again
Moral of the story - make sure they are high enough that cats can't leap up and grab them!
We had a little fox on our frozen pond the other day, so he (and any other little starving meat eaters) are now enjoying felix finest |
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Gerri
Platinum Member
England
4211 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jan 2010 : 5:06:00 PM
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| I bet you lot are going to think I am always crying..... but I did what you said and put more bread out for the birds and later when I went out to feed the horses, I went into the tack room and there was a body of a tiny little robin and also next to it another tiny bird, I was absolutely choked, poor little thing must have been so hungry and I signed its death warrant I screamed at the cats for being soo naughty, they have plenty of food, I felt physically sick, they were just so tiny, poor little things |
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LYNDILOU
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
13976 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jan 2010 : 5:34:15 PM
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Gerri , dont get cross with yourself and the cats they are just following their natural instinct however , see if you can put the birds food out of reach of the cats ,high bird tables, nuts on brackets or maybe hanging from a branch on a tree, but at least you are trying to help the birds , good on you  |
www.dreamfield-arabians.com |
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Quarabian
Platinum Member
Wales
4340 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jan 2010 : 11:02:48 PM
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Don't worry Gerri, for every bird that is lost to cats another 10 must die of cold and starvation. Don't blame yourself. At least yours died happy. Sorry if this sounds hard, I am a real softie and have rescued many little feathered friends from the clutches of the cats. Some you win, some you lose.
Lynda |
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justine
Gold Member
England
641 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jan 2010 : 11:25:53 PM
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We are feeding our birds to bursting! The blackbirds wait each morning for more, they are soooo fat! others, bluetits etc are more shy but get plenty.
Ruddy squirels pinch fat balls! they are cute tho!
Pheasants eat horse feed spill.
Bizzare! Got puppies- maggies and crows first are eating our shavings-dog-dooo pile! OK, it makes sense but ewwwww!
Funniest thing, not bird related but, my mares hate foxes. In the snow foxes are clear. I watched my mare stalk a fox, she was ready to kill it! Lucky Mr Fox had a fence to escape. Funny, mares dont care about our dogs but foxes!!!!!! Nature is wonderful!
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jbassindale |
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Rozy Rider
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4545 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jan 2010 : 11:39:54 PM
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First job after feeding and puttin the horses out..feeding the chucks and the birds in my next job..which includes some stray pheasants and a bunch of partridge..Now I'm down another cat, Sylvester checked out end of November and nows pushing up the daisies under the big tree in the garden..so down to three cats now and they are the three lazy ones and seen to be in front of the fire all day long, so I've feed the little birds on the patio.. I use this bad weather to empty the freezers of all the old food, brown loaves and cake, blackberries, rasberries and slows all taking up room..the birds love them all..nothing goes to waste here, as the chickens clear all the bits up...and then the birds clear all there corn up...
Sam (Arab fell over in the snow today and cut his back leg..quite nasty).
Sue |
Sue
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gabriele ault
Gold Member
Wales
782 Posts |
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Pasha
Platinum Member
England
3622 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2010 : 09:02:44 AM
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| To be honest I think the Owls and Foxes around here will be fine as the poor little Rabbits are out in force trying to find food and they're so easy to spot in the snow - hoping they work out to go up to the haybarn and feast there! Feel so sorry for them! |
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jaj
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4324 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2010 : 09:20:23 AM
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I feed my birds as soon as I've packed the children off to school, lots of trays of RSPB seed, fat balls, fresh water etc. Then spend ages gazing at them all coming to feed bless them!
My lovely friend text to say don't try and get up to the horses as roads awful again, she will feed and turn out. Ah joy! Another cup of tea and on with some work . |
Kuraishiya (Maleik el Kheil/Kazra el Saghira) and Sahara Bey (Kuraishiya/WSA Charismma) |
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LYNDILOU
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
13976 Posts |
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Eeyore
Gold Member
1181 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2010 : 11:32:15 AM
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The rabbits like to snuggle down in my horses field shelter, there is straw in there and of course the horses left over hay! There are so many birdies coming into the garden for food at the moment, it costs me a fortune to feed them.
My brother rescued a tawny owl that was injured on the road the other night, they must be so weak and hungry  |
Heléna
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jaj
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4324 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2010 : 11:54:57 AM
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Lynda, I am spending all afternoon sorting and entering invoices for darling hubbie's company and would rather be pottering with my ponies! At least I can sit in front of the log burner and listen to Radio 4 whilst doing it and periodically make more tea and watch the birds munching their food !
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Kuraishiya (Maleik el Kheil/Kazra el Saghira) and Sahara Bey (Kuraishiya/WSA Charismma) |
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Quarabian
Platinum Member
Wales
4340 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2010 : 11:01:39 PM
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Hurray!! I was rewarded with a nuthatch today.
That's blue tits, great tits, coal tits, chaffinches( my favourite) robins, blackbirds, woodpecker, bullfinches, dunnocks and field sparrows.
Oh and the buzzards and kites have two dead sheep in the field. I know it is sad that sheep have to die despite all the care they recieve, but we are supposed to take the dead ones for incineration. a) we can't get out and b) the buzzards have to eat too. Sorry if this is a bit gross. I hate finding dead sheep. |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2010 : 5:29:20 PM
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| Birdie made my fat cakes today and they love them my other half did coment that i never make him a cake told him he can buy his own birds can,t. |
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Nerusa
Bronze Member
Scotland
160 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2010 : 9:42:45 PM
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| I don't suppose pheasants count, but I feed some strays from the local shoot and love to give them a safe haven! They are joined by robins, chaffinches, a selection of the tit family, wrens, reed buntings, and a great-spotted woodpecker. In recent weeks, several bold rabbits have claimed a place at the ground-feeding station, and I love to have them so trustful to feed almost at my feet. |
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Feeding The Birds......
Gabriele