garden birds

[hollyuk]

Hi,

How can I encourage birds onto my bird table? I've had all sorts of treats on it for the past three days but no birds. am I doing something wrong?

Hollyuk

[Chaffinch]

Give them a little more time Holly, they often take a while to come to something new. If they have not appeard in a few more days then try moving the table to another position.

Just a question do you get lots of cats in your area, if so this may be another reason why they are not coming.

[cupid04]

It sometimes takes the birds a little while to feed from a new place. They maybe
nervous,have your neighbours got cats and so on. Don't forget they are starting to
nest so they need plenty of goodness whilst they brood and rear their young. You
could try some mealworms from your local petshop or garden centre.

[hollyuk]

Hello Chaffinch,

Thanks for your advise.
There are a couple of cats nearby but I have a weeping silver birch next to the bird table and its full of birds first thing in the morning...they must want some breakfast surely!

[Chaffinch]

lol Holly, I'm sure they do, just give them a bit more time. What are you feeding them.
I feed seed, peanuts and sunflower seed, in feeders, with fatballs in winter. I also put out niger seed for the goldfinch (which have now disapeard) Oh and water

[RATTER15]

It will take a week or two sometimes.

[ladybirder]

What food have you put out for them holly?

[hollyuk]

Thanks everybody for your advice and comments.
I'm offering them a feeder full of peanuts, a feeder full of bird seed, a small cage full of stale bread and some water... I might try the meal worms! Sounds like I need to be a bit more patient!

[welshlibranr]

Will take them a while to trust the new feeding station!........I thought they would never come to mine at first, now they are lining up on the telephone wires, waiting for me to out the food!............be patient, they will arrive!.............

[Chaffinch]

Holly, don't give them bread, its not good for them, just stick to the seed, nuts and mealworm

[ladybirder]

Mine are off peanuts at the moment. Stale bread has no nutrition for them really, same as junk food for us. The seeds should be OK and if you can get some sunflower hearts they'll certainly do the trick. You could mix them in with the seeds you have already got. But live meal worms are the real deal for the babies, but expensive. They'll come holly, just be patient.