I admit I am very generous when it comes to feeding my garden birds.
It does bring it's rewards as I have seen some wonderful visitors down the years.
50 fat balls last a couple of weeks at least... I bought these at the weekend at B & M for just under £6... my local garden centre has been charging me nearly a tenner... it pays to shop around.
While I was topping up the feeders the House Sparrows where sat in the bushes all around my garden.
Lots of juveniles just waiting for me to go inside.
I used to fill the feeders (they take four fatballs) before I left for work in the morning...
...then return home to find them empty.
I was missing out watching all the birds feeding while I was at work...
...they aren't starving so I have changed my routine.
I now only top up the feeders with one or two fatballs at a time... and usually when I am going to watch.
It's still quite expensive... during the time it took me to capture the images for this post the sparrows had devoured the lot.
Me? ... I am off to B and M's to buy some more fatballs... and seed and fruit and feeders to replace the ones destroyed by the squirrel.... happy days.
I've never seen Fat Balls here, but I put suet blocks in my mom's bird feeder. They last about a month and attract some nice birds for her to watch. - Margy
ReplyDeleteI have to say that the Sparrows sit on my feeders until the sunflower seeds are all gone. The other birds don't have a chance to get at the seeds. My feeders hold about a litre and a half each. The sparrows finish them off in one day.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen those before, but they sure look popular. You're so good to the birds!
ReplyDeleteYou treat your little birds very well, but they reward you you with their attention. We don't have fat balls her, we have suet blocks, and they seems to last quite a while so I guess they are not quite the delicacy as fat blocks to the little birds.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Sparrows. I left a fat ball, when a squirrel took a whole one, cheeky.
ReplyDeletefunny isn't it how our love for the birds drives us to do new things; your routine with filling the feeders again when you want to watch them is a good one
ReplyDeleteLove your sparrows. Nice to see you have them around again. I'd love to try that idea out. Birds certainly go through the food:)
ReplyDeleteIt seems so odd to see House sparrows as welcome visitors in your English garden. Here they drive away native birds, and have bullied bluebirds and tree swallows out of nestboxes. It is a whole different perspective.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures. I make my own suet to cut down on cost. When I set it out, it's devoured within hours. They can't leave it alone. It's fun to watch.
ReplyDeleteWe have no shortage of House Sparrows at the feeders during the winter. They love the suet cakes we put out for the woodpeckers.
ReplyDeleteI've got the same issue Andrew, I'll fill the fat ball feeder in the morning and by the time I'm home from work its empty, combination of Sparrows and Woodpeckers, and the dam Squirrels!!
ReplyDeleteVery nice and Interesting garden that was for birds....Thanks for sharing......
ReplyDeleteenjoyed your sparrow fest
ReplyDeletemuch love...
It's so worth it Andrew to get shots like these. I must admit I go through bags and bags of wild bird seed also, I'm not sure if it's 'regulars' who come or just random, but there they are waiting everyday for me to go out and fill up the trays. Very enjoyable!
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