Open a Bird Cafe

[Stravaig]

Oh wow, this is fun!

https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activit ... bird-cafe/

We had a pied wagtail as a frequent visitor but then I didn't see it for days. I wondered if it had migrated south for winter but, no, they don't do that so I don't know what's happened to it. Having visited the excellent RSPB site for info, I discovered that wagtails are insect eaters although they'll eat just about anything if hungry enough. We'd just been giving it seeds.

Instead, we've opened our bird cafe with insects in suet. Still not seen waggy but we currently have a flock of about 20 starlings making a great feast out of it. Also chucked out a handful of seeds for those pushed away from the suet thing. They're scoffing those up as well. Funny little creatures and better than the telly!

Apparently the starling population has been much in decline in recent years. Glad to help them if we can.

[snooky]

I,too,have bought suet pellets with insects in them but the birds seem to prefer the dried mealworms.The Robin found them first then the female Blackbird bullied it, and was in turn chased away by the male Blackbird who then was harassed by Magpies and along came the Grey Squirrel to sort it all out and hoover up the mealworms!!Quite a sideshow but they are all getting their share.

[robo]

I had help from the couple who help me with the chickens we covered the top of the chicken run with fine mesh the run is L shaped and two sides have the corporation fencing which stands at 8 feet high or 2.4 meters it is tight all the way round but we’ve had all types of birds in the run the latest was yesterday morning when a Robbin came trotting out of the chicken shed and a starling pecking food off the floor we still can’t find we’re the buggers are getting in

[Stravaig]

We're going to be more posh and start a bird bistro.

[retropants]

We have a robin who waits by the back door for his pink (berry flavour) pellets. There's also a pair of collared doves who come and ask for their dinner too, very sweet of them. We of course have wood pigeons, starlings, magpies, squirrels and also some feral pigeons, but we try to keep those last ones away, as they demolish everything and bowl the other birds out of the way. The robin came and sat at the bottom of the windscreen of my car after I started it and was waiting for it to warm up. He was eating the ice mush as it collected on the bonnet, right in front of me!

[Stravaig]

I'm loving this bird cafe!

The starlings came and feasted earlier but now it nearly dark Waggy has come back. He doesn't seem that much interested in our cafe's offerings. Just seems happy enough to scavenge around on the terrace. Oh well, you do what you can.

[Primrose]

I think robins are undoubtedly the tamest of all the avian customers. They seem to have an inbuilt understanding thst humans can be easily cultivated by a little bit of brave avian behaviour and flattery.
And who can blame them? . Not many people can resist the thrill of having a tame Robin feeding from your hand!

On the other hand wood pigeons are just "".thick". We've been feeding our injured wood pigeon for more years than I can recall yet she still flies away to keep a safe distance on the fence when we open the patio door to feed her, and only returns when the door has been closed again. But surely a wood pigeon's brain is a little bigger than a Robin,s. But not more clever obviously.

[Stravaig]

The other man's grass is always greener...

We've expanded the bird bistro so there's now three feeding stations but it's rare to see a bird at each of them. No. They always seem to want what someone else has already got. So there's great competition over one suet brick while two lie unused. Bird brains!

[Stravaig]

When I'm upset, stressed out, or angry - quite a lot with what's been going on - I look out and see the birds making a feast of our mealworms in suet blocks. It makes me so happy.

If you're upset what calms you down and makes you happy?

[Stravaig]

We have the same visitors every day. The waggies, the starlings, and sometimes the sparrow. I feel full of joy to see them.

[oldherbaceous]

I don’t really get angry, but if I ever get upset, I try and do a job that shows some achievement….it nearly always works for me.