Is this the right place to talk about garden birds?

[MadGardenBirdLady]

I started feeding the wild birds during the cold spell earlier this year - which coincided with the last few weeks of DDogs life; he was PTS three weeks ago, leaving me without a pet for the first time in 26 years.

I have compensated by 'adopting' the garden birds - I feed them daily, there are now different feeders around the garden, I make sure the shallow area of the pond is clean for drinking and bathing, I put out fluff/hair for their nests, I browse websites like 'Wiggly Wigglers' looking at product ranges......and, this is where I fear I've gone too far.....I have begun to name them

Am I the only mad garden bird lady on MN?

Sparrows are definitely intelligent little birds mason. I haven’t witnessed that level of genius but mine carry on eating or drinking or even bathing when my dogs are out even when bigger birds get spooked- they know my dogs couldn’t care less!

Oh and I’ve only just put up a sparrow nesting box although tbh I’m half expecting Blue Tits, such a shame I’ve missed this year but it was one of those jobs where I had to do it or I’d miss next year!

Don't feel too bad NKfell, nothing nested in mine the first year it went up - think they have to get used to it first. Yours will be just right for next spring

Oh I hope so!

I found it shocking that sparrows are in the red, and starlings. My garden is full of both so I would never have known had they not said.

A crow occasionally deigns us with his presence. Huge begger. Terrifies Chairman Meow (my Persian Blue puddy cat). He bounds through the cat flap and hides in the conservatory until the crow leaves. Bless.

Our greedy pigeons are called Percy, Petunia, Penelope and Peter! They are very demanding and raid the food almost as soon as I fill it!
Our Robin is called Ellie too.
Absolutely love being in the garden listening to the birds.

Cute sparrow babies from last year. They used to sit on the fence waiting to be fed sunflower hearts by mum and dad.

Chairman Meow

This is a great name for a cat!

We had a goldfinch on our feeder yesterday, they are so beautiful. We usually only get tits so a nice change.

Our woodpigeons are all called Fatso. I can’t tell them apart!

I used to have feeders but the dropped seed started to attract rats. Does anyone else have this problem?

What kind of seed do you use? If it's a mix then perhaps birds are chucking out the seeds they don't fancy.
We use sunflower hearts, there's no mess at all and the birds love it.
Any dropped doesn't stay around long as the ground feeding birds and resident pigeon hoover it up.

I have one blackbird who frequents my garden. I had house sparrows for 3 years but they have now disappeared. I am trying with a new bird feeder, but I will wait and see. However I did witness a massive aerial attack from my garden this afternoon. A red kite was circling and was dive bombed by sea gulls. A couple of crows joined in and then the sea gulls came back with reinforcements. I think the red kite baron will live to hunt another day.

Thanks masonjar it was a seed mix and a lot ended up on the ground so maybe that was it