Just love feeding the birds in Winter, am after more ideas, particularly for free standing ones. Found a couple on Pintrest made of old market umbrella's which we happen to have one of around the back of the house. May attack it this weekend.
kacy5,
Jul 13, 10:25pm
From 6 sparrows at the beginning of winter I counted 68 sitting on the deer netting tonight before I lost count---all waiting for the grain I toss out for them when I feed my 2 old pet hinds. No feeder, just spread it all over and when the deer have finished they dash in to see if there is a smidgeon left over from their feed. A few turn up in the morning but, unless it is really cold, they just get what they can find from the night before. It doesn't take long for word to get around in the sparrow community and they sit waiting patiently each night from around 4pm.
samanya,
Jul 14, 1:18pm
I had to buy a self closing chook food contraption as the cheeky little sparrows would sneak into the chook house & gorge themselves & if I appeared, they line up on the gate about 1 m away. I now buy wild bird seed from Binn Inn & use an ordinary pet shop type bird feeder .
flier3,
Jul 14, 4:08pm
I've only got a half coconut into which I put chopped apple and halved kiwifruit with a smearing of peanut butter around the edges. However, I have in mind to make a wooden tray with sides, by using a piece of fencing timber lying around here. Will ;put a few nails for the fruit to be speared on. Giving it a go on the morrow. Loving these threads about the birds.
We have had to resort to using modified chook water feeders, we modified the open bottom by covering it with a plastic lid with holes in it so that the wax eyes can't drink all the nectar, we were having to refill feeders continuously and the tui and bell birds were missing out, the wax eyes can still feed on the spilt nectar, so now we plan on refilling 10 litres a week, the bird song is wonderful
meoldchina,
Jul 17, 2:41pm
Rainrain1, your photos are amazing. I particularly like the Tip Top container with the bird's bums in the air!
brightlights60,
Jul 17, 5:42pm
Gorgeous pics! I just made some dripping feeders as the local supermarkets had all run out. They froze really quickly and I have one hanging out there in a fruit netting bag. They are totally going for it. I love feeding them and would love to get natives in here, but we don't seem to get any. I have heard the very occasional bell bird.
samanya,
Jul 17, 6:25pm
I like the bird bums one too.
sossie1,
Jul 17, 6:29pm
old soup ladle, hung on a nail on a tree.
starseeker,
Jul 17, 7:08pm
Be wary of plastic netting fruit bags. A waxeye caught his tongue on some of this stuff (their tongues have a little 'hook' at the back of them, & it was this that got caught). Fortunately we were able to release it but the whole exercise was very traumatic for the poor wee thing,.
janzvanz,
Jul 17, 9:36pm
Love your photos rainrain1 . great to see all those lucky little waxeyes having a good feed . well done
rainrain1,
Jul 18, 9:32am
Only thing is, I reckon all those little sods of greedy Wax Eyes have scared off the Tuis and Bellbirds, too much of a fight to get on the edge of the dish
annies3,
Jul 18, 2:21pm
Thats exactly right and is why we have made it difficult for the little theives to reach the nectar, they can eat lots more than bell birds or tui, in the food range as well and don't need the nectar to survive, they can still get nectar from the usual nectar feeders anyway Great pictures rainrain by the way !
lindylambchops1,
Oct 19, 7:02pm
Excellent ideas & great photos. Thanks very much for sharing! 😉ðŸ‘ðŸ˜
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