Fat Chaffinch

[Ade B]

Little beggar has emptied the contents of my bird feeder onto the lawn in a number of days presumably sifting through the mixed seed to get to the bits he likes - any ornothologically minded folk advise on suitable chaffinch food, would like to keep him (and the other garden visitors) around but encourage a bit less mess

Air rifle pellets have been ruled out (for now) .


Ade

 

[camerafodder]

Sunflower seeds. They love 'em!

 

[verytalldave]

Being a finch - any small seed will do.
Millet sprays would go down like a treat.

 

[Spinal]

Or a bird-table so he can pick what he wants rather than have to pull everything out beffore picking his favorite food!

 

[Mike Walker]

Wait until mice get t the feeder as they have in our garden - mess everywhere but great watching them do it.

 

[Palfrem]

I have a fat Heron keeps trying to have a fish supper at my pond.

Air-gun anyone?

 

[Mike Walker]

Have a chat with Ashley Cole?

 

[Palfrem]

Mike - He's not much of a shot though is he?

 

[corned]

Sorry, but the best Chaffinch food for you in this instance is buck shot, served at or around the speed of sound.

 

[s88]

Sunflower seeds. They love 'em!

Fully agree.

And they are a ground feeder or off a table, tend to pick up what the others spill. Unless you put some on the ground for them.

 

[manalishi]

Yup - the mixed types of wild bird seed are very wasteful with small finches. They throw all of the hard stuff out. If the pigeons don't pick it all up, you find all sorts of stuff trying to grow next year.

I switched to sunflower hearts. No husks = no mess. But I think it makes it too easy for them; finches and **** discard those that aren't (somehow) quite right.

 

[Charles Morgan]

I have a fat Heron keeps trying to have a fish supper at my pond.

Air-gun anyone?

You would need a specific licence to shoot a heron from Natural England, grantable only if the bird is causing serious damage to fish stocks, you have tried all non-lethal methods to scare birds away, and shooting it would reduce the chance of other birds coming to do the same. If those three tests are satisfied, the licence would allow you only to shoot between 16th September and end of February.

 

[artyman]

A chaffinch is a ground feeder so don't be mean and put some food out for him as well as the Blue **** and Greenfinches.

 

[ringway]

I have a fat Heron keeps trying to have a fish supper at my pond.

Air-gun anyone?

We used to have the occasional visit from a Heron intent on snaffling our Orfe, Koi, Rudd etc, but trained one of our Lurchers (wasn't difficult ) to scare the bird away.

Since then I have come up with an invention that has deterred these birds.

Get a plastic Heron and lie it on its side on the surface of the pond (preferably in the reeds or a planted area so it doesent float around) and the Heron will not visit again. From the skies, the sight of a dead (even plastic) Heron will deter all but the hungriest of birds.

The idea of shooting a Heron who's survival depends on feeding doesn't appeal to me. Remember, we all have to eat.

For the record, a Heron will seek out its prey even in the darkness.

 

[camerafodder]

With all this talk about fat birds and T!TS I didn't it would be long before Ringway flew in!

I can confirm however that his plastic heron suggestion works quite well. Especially if you move it around every few days.

 

[Howard]

For the record, a Heron will seek out its prey even in the darkness.

Yep , our tame heron ( Henry ) comes and stands on the side of the lock all night fishing. No idea when he sleeps , as he's there all day too !

 

[moonloops]

You think you have problems with finches

I had a problem with (feathered) birds crapping on my car. So I bought a "bird scarer" which comes in the form of a large, realistic looking plastic owl.

Do you want to know how I know it doesn't work?

Evidence #1 the birds have crapped on my bird scarer.

Evidence #2 a bird was perched on top of my bird scarer today, oh and crapped on it when I shooed it away..

Not sure if owls eat cats or vice-versa but the neighbours moggy has took a chunk out of it also I noticed

 

[Palfrem]

Didn't know Herons were nocturnal - every day there is something new.

Will get a plastic "corpse" on the weekend.

BTW - Do Herons taste good?

 

[camerafodder]

Didn't know Herons were nocturnal - every day there is something new.

Will get a plastic "corpse" on the weekend.

BTW - Do Herons taste good?

They eat frogs and mice too.

I wouldn't bother eating it though, I used to look after some rescued ones and if you've ever seen a wet one there's about as much meat as you'd find on a skinny chicken leg!

 

[BaldGuy]

Nice bird H