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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that people are unaware how desperate things are for birds?

242 replies

PhaseolusLunatus · 08/01/2010 15:56

The RSPB are saying that food and water we provide can be the difference between life and death for garden birds at the moment.

Advice here about what you may already have in the house that could help.

They also need water to drink, and, just as importantly, bathe and perform 'feather maintenance.'

There is also a thread about this in chat, but I don't imagine anyone minds a bit more bumping of this topic.

OP posts:
Original poster
PhaseolusLunatus · 08/01/2010 19:29

Sorry Jux, x-posts (was poring over the RSPB guidelines on fat )

Any sort of ball I think, or even some small twigs. The idea is that even a little wind will move it about and break up any ice that's starting to form.

We'll see if it works tomorrow!

OP posts:
Jux · 08/01/2010 19:38

Thanks, PhaseolusLunatus (nice name btw). I'll make sure the dear ones left here do their duty!

UnquietDad · 08/01/2010 19:41

Has it occurred to anyone else just how many threads on mumsnet the above title could cover?

Original poster
PhaseolusLunatus · 08/01/2010 20:10

Now now, UQD, this is a very serious thread So, to get it back on track, here is some sobering news from the RSPB:

"Britain?s gardens are an increasingly important refuge for several species of threatened species, especially during icy conditions. Several red list birds use gardens regularly in winter, including house sparrow, starling and song thrush."

"The icy weather will bring further red-list birds to gardens, including redpolls, yellowhammers and tree sparrows. To help these birds the RSPB is urging as many people as possible to feed garden birds."

OP posts:
Lucianne3 · 08/01/2010 20:13

at UnquietDad

The ice has been so thick on our pond that I don't reckon any twigs or balls would have made a difference , although it's a great idea in less extreme weather. I've been putting a pan filled with boiling water on the pond every morning, but in the last week it hasn't managed to melt all the way through the ice, just creates a big puddle in the ice, enough for the bird to bathe in.

Jux · 08/01/2010 20:20

Our pond is frozen so thickly that dd and her friend could stand on it together without it even cracking (yes, they knew they weren't allowed to; yes, they knew why; yes they were severely chastised ).

I have just put out a large washing up bowl of water with an apple bobbing in it; we love eating in the bath, so why shouldn't the birds?!

Actually we couldn't find a ball, it's too dark to find twigs and the apple floats. It'll do for the moment.

MiladyDeWinter · 08/01/2010 20:28

Rhubarb's, "It was a beautiful shot!"

My DD made a bird feeder earlier out of an egg box, string and er, scraps of food things. It is hanging from the washing line and she swears she saw an albatross at it, as you do.

OurLadyOfPerpetualSupper · 08/01/2010 20:31

Feeling guilty. We don't seem to have many garden birds, I always thought because we live by woods and they stay in there for the cover.

Maybe it's actually because I don't feed them!

Re. the goosefat question: isn't that sort of erm - making them into cannibals? I'm sure I've read you shouldn't give them chicken or eggs for that reason.

Anyway, will go out armed with washing up bowl and supplies tomorrow.

(And will start saving the lint from the tumble dryer for their nests.)

Original poster
PhaseolusLunatus · 08/01/2010 20:38

I did wonder about that, OurLady

OP posts:
wollysocks · 08/01/2010 20:49

all birds in my area seem to have disappeared. saw a magpie yesterday, only one. house sparrows gone and starlings. you lot must have them all.

mad4myboys · 08/01/2010 20:58

can you make fat balls with any thing other than suet? Cant get out to the shops, all i have is pure spread (dairy free!!) or lurpack spreadable!! I know you have to steer clear of salt.....they dont seem to be eating the bread and only pigeons eat the seeds!!

Beanie4 · 08/01/2010 21:07

Aw, I have some museli which will not be eaten in this house so its for the birds now

Original poster
PhaseolusLunatus · 08/01/2010 21:11

It seems suet or lard are the only options, mad4myboys

"You can make your own bird cake by pouring melted fat (suet or lard) onto a mixture of ingredients such as seeds, nuts, dried fruit, oatmeal, cheese and cake. Use about one-third fat to two-thirds mixture. Stir well in a bowl and allow it to set in a container of your choice. An empty coconut shell, plastic cup or tit bell makes an ideal bird cake ?feeder?. Alternatively, you can turn it out onto your birdtable when solid."

We don't have any either; I'm going to be relying on cooked rice, dried fruits, oats (dry), dog food (meat and moistened biscuits) and bits of apple stuck on trees.

OP posts:
alypaly · 08/01/2010 21:14

i have put lots of food out for the birds and some warm water(now ice) but bertie blackbird is getting aggressive and he wont let the robin anywhere near the food. hes attacking all the other birds except the wood pigeons

Original poster
PhaseolusLunatus · 08/01/2010 21:15
  • The dry oats bit just means not cooked, as cooked ones can leave glutinous deposits on beaks.
OP posts:
themildmanneredjanitor · 08/01/2010 21:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

alypaly · 08/01/2010 21:52

tread the snow down first as they are a bit timid of the trays and water containers. Sorry i have visions of birds with beaks stuck together with cheese...ha ha.. Can i come,the birds are fed better than me

FuriousGeorge · 08/01/2010 22:22

glycerine in the drinking water will prevent it freezing so quickly and won't hurt the birds.I used to use it in my aviary so know it works.

dd2 and I made a bird cake out of lard,but the chickens had a bit of a go at it before I could tie it up out of their reach.We also have a sack of grain that the chickens turned their beaks up at,so I am shovelling it onto the bird table as fast as it is being eaten.

Drayford · 08/01/2010 22:34

thank you for the glycerine tip - I wonder if I put that in the cattle and sheep troughs it would stop them from freezing (only joking animal welfare people) as I am well pissed off from spending 3 days (7 hrs a day) carrying buckets of water to said animals.

I am so pissed off and knackered ...................

Poppity · 08/01/2010 22:35

I have tried feeding the birds in our tiny garden for months, but we never get any, although we hear them every morning and evening.

We live in the middle of a large village and have several neighbours with an excessive cat problem, so wondered if that was why. Have tried all sorts to tempt them in to no avail.

So, is it worth me trying now? Any tips?

MamaGoblin · 08/01/2010 22:47

Pretty much the only reason I ventured down to the village shops on wednesday was because we'd run out of bird seed and fat balls!

Out there at the moment, we have five fat balls in a feeder, a feeder of seed and sunflower seeds, one of peanuts and half a cocoanut full of lard. And I've put seed and so on under the bench, where it's less likely to be covered by snow. I know this is a no-no because of cats, but ours hates the snow and hasn't gone anywhere near the birds.

But - I didn't even think about water! Am going to do the apple-in-washing-up-bowl first thing tomorrow.

spookycharlotte121 · 08/01/2010 22:49

I would like to help the birdies out.... I have cheese, oats a raisens in the house and some wrinkled fruit which i just put in the bin but i will pull out and chop up for them.

question My garden is very open... still covered in snow and I dont have aany bird feeders or a bird table. How should I "display" the food.

lazyemma · 08/01/2010 22:52

after reading this thread, I went out and covered our garden table in chopped walnuts, pine nuts, currants, grated cheese, and a tub of water with some twigs floating in it. I'm going to get some proper bird food and feeders tomorrow and try to get a bit more organised. Well done for letting us all know - I was totally ignorant about this sort of thing.

TeddyBare · 08/01/2010 22:55

This may sound like a stupid post but please hear me out!

  • I have never seen birds in my garden and I live in quite a built up suburb (my garden backs onto a lane which runs between my garden and the gardens of the next street). However there definalt are local birds because I've een them on the green which is opposite my house. Will the birds know were to find the food? Do they see it when flying around or anything? Is there some kind of word-of-mouth process to tell other local birds of a food source?
  • I don't have a bird table or any feeders. Would it be better to put the food and water straight on the ground or balanced on my fairly high up wall?
  • If I take the food in at night to avoid attracting rats, will the birds not see it as a reliable source of food and not bother to come?
  • I was just looking at the general scraps which birds can eat page. I don't have any proper bird food currently, will they find and eat ust scraps or do people usually use cheese etc to bulk up the proper bird food they put out?
Thank you
piscesmoon · 08/01/2010 22:58

They seem to find it! I can rely on the fact that 2 blackbirds will be waiting on the fence tomorrow. Once I put the food out more birds will appear.