Here is my Mom's bird feeder back in Ireland, forgot to post it before. Love watching the small birds! Mom's Birdfeeder ( photo / image / picture from Frank's Garden )
Hoorah! Well, I noticed when I did my bird counts for the bird conservation organization this spring that there was indeed a remarkable rise in the long tailed tit pop. that I saw passing through the allotments. I was well chuffed...not I read that the numbers over in GB have increased as well. This is very nice. That's a well-made bird feeder that your mum has. I like the look of the stone fence and the lands beyond the feeder as well. It looks like such a lovely setting.
I'd noticed an increase in many of the smaller birds that visit my garden. We had more Long Tailed Tits than usual and they stayed around for much longer too. I think all the snow forced them into gardens as there was no way they could find food elsewhere. Sadly though the Starling and House Sparrow populations seem to be on a downward spiral. I'm waiting to see how many swifts we get this year as they deceased dramatically last year.
We love to feed the birds... Here is a photo of a male and female cardinal taken last winter. We have a metal plate we put sunflowers in and place it on the picnic table or my car. There are also a bunch of housefinches (We call rednecks). We've seen Cooper hawks and american goldfinches and black capped chickadees as well. Male and Female Cardinal ( photo / image / picture from SevenTooMany's Garden )
We do so many things to effect our feathered friends that hearing news of a recovery from poorer years is reassuring that we are headed in the right direction. Jerry
Your Mom's feeder is very nice, I think I will show Randy so he can build me one. I LOVE the view beyond the rock wall, just lovely. No lack of Sparrows in my yard, I have no idea what type they are since they don't sit still long enough for me to get a good look at them. Eileen, I will gladly box up some Starlings and send them to you. They are fun to watch at the suet feeders though, they fight over them like you see Hummingbirds fighting over their feeders.
No thanks Toni. You can keep your starlings as they are such greedy and messy birds. I wouldn't mind you sending me some of your sparrows though as I miss seeing them in my garden.
The view is one of the best things about our area. You can see quite a distance. Thanks for the kind words, I will pass them along to Mom
I imagine hours of entertainment watching the birds, and more hours gazing peacefully into that gorgeous landscape. I'd get nothing done. But I'd sure be happy! Love seeing this Frank.
Frank...I have a ? for you. Does your Mom's bird feeder have an opening on the other side or is there just the one side open? Very nice feeder. I did have my husband try copying a bird house on Duncraft.com . It was for blue birds and tree swallows. It had a wide oblong opening rather than the regular hole...sparrows were not suppose to be able to get in. The first opening he made the sparrows still got in so I had him make another front with a smaller opening and they still got in. I thought it sounded like a great idea but I hope not too many people buy it for keeping sparrows out. So I ended up putting a wren entrance on the front yard bird house..the sparrows cannot get in. I have so many sparrow houses in the backyard and I wanted to watch my tree swallows in the front yard again but it just didn't work out that way.
Hi Sherry, it is opened on both sides. I believe my younger brother made it. Its roof is actual slate. The next time I am visiting Ireland please remind me to get a close up of it for you all.
