Posted by chris jones on January 21, 2007 at 2:47 PM
Hi iv started to use a feeding station but im having some troubles,
the station is atracting blue tits amd great tits and chaffinches. The most part its blue tits so now iv got loades of blue tit pics and great tit pics and some chaffinch pics. What i want to know how can i atract birds to the feeders that are not visiting now, i use the following bait at this time.
peanuts
fatballs
niger seeds
the birds that i know are close by are gold finches ,green finches ,
bull finches ,cole tits
the feeding station is by a med sized fishing pond with fields and farmland all around all the advice you can give would be just great.
I assume you are using whole peanuts, not a good idea. You have potentially several problems. Firstly the shell casings, these will “litter” your set, and the size of the peanuts.
If the birds can take away a whole one, then they won’t come back for quite awhile, if you have whole peanuts in a feeder during your shoot, then birds will hold their position, thus restricting the number of birds/visits to your station, in any time frame. Dominant birds take precedents. Use peanut granules, this will give you more visits, and no shells.
Re the Wren, tried “Super Glue” ??:
Seriously, get a heavy container, such as a desert dish, not to deep. If you can’t get a heavy container, get a plastic one, bottom of a drinks bottle will do, screw thro’ the bottom into a smallish piece of wood, you can easily weigh this down. Place near cover, and place a perch near by, but make sure the container is in plain view. Put live food in it, Mealworms for example. After a short while, build up a small set around the container, you will with care be able to raise the container up on “blocks”.
Wrens hunt in walls, wood piles etc. searching for their food. Bear this in mind for your set.
Good luck.
Posted by chris jones on January 21, 2007 at 7:17 PM
thanks ray i never would have thought about the nut thing il get on to that right away and where the feeders are there is a big log pile so il sort out the feeding station eg mealworms as well you have all been a great help will look for some thing to put the mealworms in tommorow and go from there.
When you have the birds coming in, start to cover over the top of your container. By restricting access then you will find that the birds will perch up for those extra few seconds, thus giving you just that extra bit of time for your shot(s).
If you find that the cost of using Mealworms is becoming expensive, try using fisherman’s maggots, the smallest are called “squats”.
Watch those background(s) and the natural lighting direction.
Hi Chris,
I have much the opposite birds coming to my feeders, that is Coal Tits, Greenfinches, and Goldfinches. All of those love sunflower seeds! Even the goldfinches.
Discussion
6 repliesthe station is atracting blue tits amd great tits and chaffinches. The most part its blue tits so now iv got loades of blue tit pics and great tit pics and some chaffinch pics. What i want to know how can i atract birds to the feeders that are not visiting now, i use the following bait at this time.
peanuts
fatballs
niger seeds
the birds that i know are close by are gold finches ,green finches ,
bull finches ,cole tits
the feeding station is by a med sized fishing pond with fields and farmland all around all the advice you can give would be just great.
thanks in advance
chris
Regds
SteveHL
I assume you are using whole peanuts, not a good idea. You have potentially several problems. Firstly the shell casings, these will “litter” your set, and the size of the peanuts.
If the birds can take away a whole one, then they won’t come back for quite awhile, if you have whole peanuts in a feeder during your shoot, then birds will hold their position, thus restricting the number of birds/visits to your station, in any time frame. Dominant birds take precedents. Use peanut granules, this will give you more visits, and no shells.
Re the Wren, tried “Super Glue” ??:
Seriously, get a heavy container, such as a desert dish, not to deep. If you can’t get a heavy container, get a plastic one, bottom of a drinks bottle will do, screw thro’ the bottom into a smallish piece of wood, you can easily weigh this down. Place near cover, and place a perch near by, but make sure the container is in plain view. Put live food in it, Mealworms for example. After a short while, build up a small set around the container, you will with care be able to raise the container up on “blocks”.
Wrens hunt in walls, wood piles etc. searching for their food. Bear this in mind for your set.
Good luck.
thanks again chris
One last thing.
When you have the birds coming in, start to cover over the top of your container. By restricting access then you will find that the birds will perch up for those extra few seconds, thus giving you just that extra bit of time for your shot(s).
If you find that the cost of using Mealworms is becoming expensive, try using fisherman’s maggots, the smallest are called “squats”.
Watch those background(s) and the natural lighting direction.
If I can help further just ask.
Good luck.
I have much the opposite birds coming to my feeders, that is Coal Tits, Greenfinches, and Goldfinches. All of those love sunflower seeds! Even the goldfinches.