The Bigg Bird Forum

[Bird Fan]

Hi Everyone

I am new on the site, but have been viewing and enjoying reading your posts for a couple of weeks.

I am definitely fast becoming a complete bird nut and my obsession has meant my partner building the bird station in our garden, shown in the photo below.

I am delighted to now have blackbird and hen, robins (a wren - but not seen for a while now), an abundance of sparrows, wood pigeons, feral pigeons - grrrrrr! and we now have our first nesting blue tits as well.
the odd great tit stops by, but in the back garden where i have a normal bird feeding station.

I recently had major issues with feral pigeons swarming in, taking all the food and even clinging onto the hanging seed trays and staying for the day until the feeders were emptied.
This has been solved over the past weekend by covering the area of the hanging feeders with large, plastic wire as shown in the other photo on second posting. Sparrows and even starlings can enter, but the pigeons can't. They have to now make do with the offerings that fall onto the slabs below.

I am just waiting for a caged feeder to arrive, especially for live mealworms and then I have feeder to suit all my garden guests!

[Bird Fan]

Here is a close up of how we have prevented the feral pigeons from sitting on the hanging feeders all day!

[SueP]

Wow, brilliant Lisa. Might have to pinch your ideas
Sue

[Twinkle]

We have problems with pigeons eating the food from the feeders. We have a green opposite where lots of people throw down food for them. I would be wary that any of the birds would get caught in netting. We have caged feeders, and squirrel proof ones. Our squirrels hang from the top so the weighted ones don't close.

[Bird Fan]

Hi

None of the birds have had an issues getting caught, in fact they seem to actually enjoy having the netting as they sit and wait their turn in the feeders.
Even the starlings can access if they want to, although they prefer to hang off the suet ball feeder, which is not in netting.

Lisa x

[Twinkle]

I will have to try it. Thanks

[Coot]

Hi Lisa fantastic idea I have the same problems as every time I feed the birds I am swamped with jackdaws and pigeons.