Support the RSPB
If you live in the UK, please do your bit to support the RSPB by becoming a member and buying your bird food and accessories from the RSPB shop.
I have been a member of the RSPB for as long as I can remember, and have visited (and taken some of my favourite images at) the following RSPB reserves: Bempton Cliffs, Conwy, Dearne Valley, Dee Estuary, Fairburn Ings, Haweswater, Hodbarrow, Lake Vyrnwy, Leighton Moss, Marshside, Mull of Galloway, South Stack, St Bees Head, and Ynys-hir.
As a member of the RSPB you will receive a choice of free introductory gift and an exclusive members' magazine. There are more than 100 RSPB reserves to visit.
You might also consider giving membership as a gift to someone who loves birds, wildlife and the countryside?
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Classic See Feeders |
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Domed Feeder |
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The seed tray reduces mess and wastage |
I get a lot of images in my garden by hanging feeders on a young tree in a large pot and positioning the tree and feeders such that the birds will first land on a branch with the feeders out of view. I set up a 'hide' using leaf-screen over one of our house windows. With plenty of the right kind of food, the feeders are soon very active.
We usually pay a little more for RSPB food than we would for food bought elsewhere, but we know I can rely on RSPB food to be checked, tested and safe. The seeds are high quality and do not contain 'filler' ingredients as some products do, to increase the weight and reduce the cost. This means more of the food is eaten by the birds and less is wasted.
We use Premium Sunflower Hearts, Suet-Balls, and occasionally Nyger Seed in our hanging feeders. The Sunflower Hearts are popular with all Tits, Finches and Sparrows. The Nyger seed is popular with Goldfinches (and only Goldfinches in my case!). You might also need a special feeder for Nyger seed, as it will pour out of some feeders.
I use the seed trays/catchers to reduce the mess (and unwanted grasses) below the feeders.
I use Premium Ground Mix on a wooden ground-feeder for the ground-feeding birds, such as Robins and Dunnocks. The wooden ground-feeder is now discontinued (it's actually very hard work to keep clean!). The RSPB now do a metal mesh version, which looks easier to clean.
We have nesting Blue-Tits in the garden in most years, so at breeding time we often buy mealworms. We've never tried the dried mealworms, only the live ones. One thing to bear in mind with mealworms is that if you have Starlings in your garden, the mealworms will be gone within minutes! We wanted the nesting Tits to benefit from the mealworms, but it took many attempts with the Domed Bird Feeder and some plastic garden trellis to let the Tits in and keep the Starling out. Starlings are very intelligent and determined when it comes to mealworms!