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Table Garden

Sunday, June 6th, 2010

Table Garden
tips for bird table in back garden?

Hi, I have bought a bird table to put in my back garden. the garden is a square with a tree in the corner which is next to the sitting room window on the left. the right is the side of the house with the back door leading into the garden. in the top left corner we have a rabbit hutch, (the rabbit is free to roam the garden at all times). we have a white boxer which uses the garden at times if she needs the toilet or to sunbathe etc, although she is a house pet so she spends most of her time indoors. any tips where to situate the table to attract birds? also we have bought wild bird feed, is this enough or can we put anything else for them to eat on there. thanks very much.

Birds in my garden tend to prefer tables that are somewhat sheltered, though still with a good view, so that they can spot danger. I have them under trees, also hanging feeders from trees.

Most of our wild birds love shrubbery too, so if you incorporate some deciduous and evergreen plants into your borders, you’ll also find that your birds move between the cover and the table regularly. They often retreat to continue eating their food.

As has been said, birds can be a little messy, leaving bird droppings as well as spilled food, and it’s important that this is not a danger to other animals, including birds. Clean up, and wash feeders regularly, to prevent contamination.

I supply a range of feeds for the birds, as this attracts a bigger range of species coming in. Gold Finches love Niger seed, which is sometimes in some bird seed mixes, but can also be added to a separate special feeder – they somehow magically know it’s there, and just start visiting. Here’s a godlfinch at a niger feeder – http://www.flickr.com/photos/mickthebus/3708589865/

Otherwise, many types of nuts and seeds are great, including chopped nuts and seeds, increase the variety of foods, and more types of birds will come. I recommend feeding all year round, as birds will come to rely on your food, and natural food can sometimes be in short supply, such as when newly hatched chicks leave the nest. Fat balls are also loved year round, and I find Sunflower seed hearts to be the most widely loved by my local birds. Available at Wilkinsons UK, and other stores. There’s some info on Niger seed here, for goldfinches – http://www.haiths.com/Product-Niger-Seed–The-Goldfinch-Magnet!-WBNIGER/ http://www.haiths.com/category-category-niger_feeders/ Not the cheapest supplier!

As many birds, such as Blue Tts, also love insects, aim to not use chemical insecticides to treat problems – you can use diluted soap instead, which does no harm to the birds.

So, I’d keep the table away from where your dog normally ventures, and distant from your rabbit too, alongside some shelter. Then hang some other feeders nearby, if you wish, as this will all pull in birds that like to feed in different ways – some use tables infrequently, preferring ground or upright feeding. Watch out for grey squirrels stealing food too, metal feeders resist their gnawing teeth – plastic feeders can prove expensive, if they’re replaced regularly due to destruction, as nice as squirrels are. It’s also possible to attract red squirrels, if they’re nearby, and I would do anything for these. Robins, wrens and a few other birds often pick food up from the ground, so see if there is a spot that could be set aside for this, preferably where your dog can’t reach.

If you add bird boxes early, birds get familiar with them, and don’t need to hunt around next spring, so I do this as early as possible. Some birds also sleep in bird nesting boxes over-winter, so adding them this year would be a bonus reason for birds to visit your garden. Some birds will nest in plants, climbers etc, so don’t need boxes, and I usually have black birds, wrens and sparrows nesting this way. See what birds start to visit, and then plan accordingly. As nesting season is mainly over, you may find deals on boxes just now too.

Hope this helps. Good luck! Rob

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