Attracting birds on a budget?

[JustPotteringAbout]

My neighbour has a dead tree in their garden with lots of dead ivy around the top and have hung loads of bird feeders from the branches. I get a view of the numerous species which flock to the structure and feeders from my desk but it's a bit far away for a really good view or to ID the species.

I get thrushes in and some small pesserines which perch on the overhad line to the greenhouse, the stakes or take a drink from containers of water. The birds haven;t really taken to the cheapo feeder tied onto the washing line.
I would like to attract birds to the garden.
Parameters: South-facing garden, coastal 3km inland, Zone 8, few dwarf apple / plum & pear trees < 2m
How could I attract more species, throughout the year without significant outlay?
Looking for most bang for the buck for initial outlay and feed.
If some species eat slugs then all the better.

Suggestions please?

[veggiechicken]

If the birds are being well-fed next door you're going to need something special to tempt them away!! I only feed the birds in winter so not much help!! What about growing teasels for the goldfinches?

[JustPotteringAbout]

Aye, I could try those (had to look them up). I have some sunflowers in the garden to screen off my window, not sure if those will take in a few birds.

[shepp726]

apples cut up and thrown on the lawn will attract all the thrushes.

[veggiechicken]

Or pin an apple to the ground with a skewer or knitting needle - the birds will learn to eat from it (I've seen it in a friend's garden)

[dogsbody]

At this time of year the birds are generally away from the feeders eating au natural. The first thing to do is move your feeder close to protection. If it is out in the open in the middle of a washing line it won't get many visitors - less than 3m to cover is preferred. Then think around what the birds need, cover, water, places to perch/roost/nest, and food. All of these can be delivered fairly cheaply by natural means. The one expense I might suggest is switching what is in your feeder to something such as sunflower hearts as those tend to attract a range of birds in one go. But persevere!

[Polytastic]

Your sunflowers should begin to attract some of them before long and VC's teasel idea was ever good.

I think there could be an easier solution though .... plant a strawberry patch - buy in some srawberry plants that are being sold off cheaply or get some from a friend who's patch needs thinning ... the blighters won't leave them alone :'(

[Tam]

One cheap bird food is the big cheap bags of dog food that most of the supermarkets sell. If you soak it in water till it softens, the birds really go for it. I don't think I would feed it to a dog, but the birds seem to do well on it.

[Verinda]

I have feeders stuck to the window and I buy packs of Cookeen or similar and chop off a bit, let it warm up slightly then squash it into the feeder. The birds love it.

[Whitney]

Be careful though that you don’t attract the wrong kinds of birds or predators. Maybe you should ask local bird groups or watchers about the kinds of birds in your area and what they do to attract them.

[Bill HH]

Attracting Birds on a Budget

I used to find the promise of a ride on my Triumph and six of chips worked fine.



Oh wrong birds sorry,

Well of course we do send out mixed messages to our avian friends, scarecrows, rotating discs etc then a feeder full of goodies. I am very saddened because living near to the sea mean lots of gulls and they seem to scare small birds away, niether have I heard a cuckoo in 14 years since leaving the Midlands, when I put food out it's either gulls or pidgeons that scoff it all.

[alldigging]

The location of the bird table makes a huge difference. If it's near the hedge then we'll get sparrows on it, if it's in the middle of no where only the magpies are brave enough to go on it. Oh and the crows but they are a bit too tall for fitting under it so they gave up.

If you've got no shelter in your garden for small birds then you'll have fewer small birds in it. Plant up some good shrubs - that's an economical way of feeding birds if you get the right one.

[rustylady]

The blackbirds are feasting on the windfall apples.

[Nicos]

Collect windfalls ( some) and freeze them- then feed them to the birds later on in the Winter/early Springr- especially on a frosty morning!

[Feral007]

Yes, well most of my apples went to the birds this year...but I felt sorry for them so I let them have em.

I do buy those seed sticks in winter sometimes. Just need to put them in the right place so the birds feel safe eating.