Putting food out for the birds…

A mother blackbird was feeding her fledglings on the patio one day. I put an apple out for her. But one of the babies moved into the centre of the patio and a gull swooped down, picked it up and dropped it from a height. It died in my hand as I was willing it to survive. It is buried in the garden with a little headstone and I feel totally responsible for it’s death

AreWeThereYet

The sparrowhawk that visits us seems to target fairly small birds, although there are loads of big fat pigeons around.

The largest thing I've seen it eat is a woodpecker. We've found feathers every now and again from goldfinches.

It once flew into a pole holding bird feeders and knocked itself senseless for a few moments. It shook it's head, wobbled to it's feet and just sat on the path. It noticed us sitting nearby in the garden and gave us a dirty look as if to say 'this is all your fault' then after a few minutes flew away.

I've seen the sparrowhawk catching and eating a pigeon. It chased the pigeon, which hit the window ! then grabbed it when it was stunned.

A magpie was menacing the woodpeckers but they saw it off!

One of our dogs used to sulk after Christmas and refuse to eat his normal food because he developed a taste for turkey.

Barleyfields

I don’t believe in waste either but would never feed anything containing chicken bones to any animal.

I always make stock out of the carcass which I then mix with my dogs food or add to soup. I then put the bones into the freezer till brown bin collection day and put them in the bin as I don’t know how else to dispose of them. Even then I worry that a dog might get to them so put them in a biodegradable bag. Winnie will only allow me to dremel her claws for chicken: no other treat will do given that having their claws trimmed is, to a sighthound, the most evil and terrifying thing that anyone could possibly do to them

I don’t believe in waste either but would never feed anything containing chicken bones to any animal.

Although I said I was concerned about the dogs getting hold of the chicken wings. I was concerned about whole chicken wings
I have always fed raw chicken wings to the dogs occasionally when we have a chicken It is my present two that concerns me one eats them without chewing. I still feed them but break up the bones with a clever before doing so. Never had a problem.
You can get dried chicken wing tips which along with biscuits make a good doggy take away if out for the day.
As the saying goes. Everything but the squeak. I don’t believe in waste

I sympathise there MayBee and I don’t like to think that any creature has given its life in vain. I won’t even put a dead garden bird into the landfill bin. We have various out of the way places in the garden where they may be laid respectfully. My husband would never become a vegetarian and we have pets to feed, but I do my best …

A lot of it is guilt because, although I personally don’t eat a lot of meat my dog does. And I have to admit that, much as I’d like to be, I could never be a vegetarian. I think I’d end up craving meat the way that I do chocolate if I tried.

That’s a good idea for using chicken fat MayBee. Thank you. I share your respect for the animal.

Farmor15

We live in a rural area and have lots of birds - big and small. The magpies and crows don't seem to affect the numbers of smaller ones - they're all part of nature. We also have cats- but the current ones have no interest in birds, so in the recent cold weather I started throwing bird seed out on the patio - handier than filling feeders.

We have a compost heap - never had a rat problem (cats?) and have little food waste, but I do throw odd bits outside where they disappear - birds, foxes and sometimes hedgehogs dispose of them. I can see that throwing food on the ground could cause problems in built up areas, but not in countryside.

The food I throw out is usually greasy though as I mix stale bread with the fat from the chicken that I cook for my dog each week. I never know what to do with chicken fat. We buy a large M&S chicken each week( they’re supposed to be treated more humanely ). They’re so much more expensive than those from other shops so I try not to waste any of it; and also, in a Native American sort of way, out of respect for the bird. And she scavenges for any food that’s on the lawn: being a hound she’ll eat anything ( and I mean anything: the more disgusting the better). What I don’t understand is that he always puts the hedgehog food in a bowl. I think he doesn’t like handling the bowl that the birds have been eating from because of avian flu, but I always disinfect it.

The sparrowhawk that visits us seems to target fairly small birds, although there are loads of big fat pigeons around.

The largest thing I've seen it eat is a woodpecker. We've found feathers every now and again from goldfinches.

It once flew into a pole holding bird feeders and knocked itself senseless for a few moments. It shook it's head, wobbled to it's feet and just sat on the path. It noticed us sitting nearby in the garden and gave us a dirty look as if to say 'this is all your fault' then after a few minutes flew away.

keepingquiet

No it is just a gentle suggestion...

Ok!

Well, I'll try.
But school dinners put me off some of the more unpalatable bits.

We live in a rural area and have lots of birds - big and small. The magpies and crows don't seem to affect the numbers of smaller ones - they're all part of nature. We also have cats- but the current ones have no interest in birds, so in the recent cold weather I started throwing bird seed out on the patio - handier than filling feeders.

We have a compost heap - never had a rat problem (cats?) and have little food waste, but I do throw odd bits outside where they disappear - birds, foxes and sometimes hedgehogs dispose of them. I can see that throwing food on the ground could cause problems in built up areas, but not in countryside.

We’ve had to stop feeding the birds. Mice and the rats were accessing the peanut feeder. Currently trying to find a feeder system with a rat baffle. Would certainly never throw large quantities of food onto the lawn.

Well done MayBee. I wouldn’t risk it either but you might find a recipe to use them for yourself, though I confess I have never been keen on them. Or cook them and de-bone them for your dog. Fiddly I know. They should still be ok.

Barleyfields

Please try to stop him Gwylt. Kites eat other birds as I’m sure he must know. And the bones in chicken wings could fatally injure your dogs. I love watching kites gliding on the thermals but definitely wouldn’t encourage them into my garden.

A lot of people give their dogs uncooked chicken wings because, supposedly, it’s only when they’re cooked that they splinter. My dog came with pages full of instructions as to what I should and shouldn’t do and buying her was like the Spanish Inquisition but she came with a bag of goodies including frozen chicken wings which, six years later are still in the freezer because I’m not going to risk it and I’ve never known a vet advise it either.

Barleyfields. You are preaching to the converted as they say. I am keeping fingers crossed he has taken my concerns on board

Barleyfields

We get the occasional sparrow hawk and kestrel too. The dozy wood pigeons are a favourite target. The kites, thank goodness, don’t come down into the garden, just wheel around high in the sky unless they see prey in the fields. I hate to see that side of nature but it is what it is.

Our Sparrowhawk hides in the hedge and ambushes the pigeons.

Galaxy

If I had a view like that Maybee I would be feeding deer, rabbits, the lot, it looks lovely

The back field is full of curlews at the moment which congregate at this time of year. I love their cry. Alas, it isn’t my view but my partners. I’m back home now and my garden is tiny.When I could walk ok I used to go for a walk in the dark past the rookery and, with it being a bit creepy I used to call to the rooks for a bit of reassurance so I feel that I owe them one. I like the way that they now come to me instead. When my daughter had a tiny black puppy and the buzzards seemed to be flying over her garden far more often than usual,the corvids used to scare them away. I asked a birdwatching friend what his favourite bird was and was surprised when he said rooks, but I get it now.

Leave them in the wild where they belong! They will, sadly, find lots of small mammals to eat. I would be seriously concerned about your dogs, or maybe a stray cat, getting hold of chicken wings as chicken bones are so dangerous if ingested. Maybe that will dissuade him - not to mention the possibility of rats being attracted to them if left out. Perhaps your local wildlife trust could suggest other ways of increasing the number of kites in your area, without resorting to encouraging them into your garden. Gardens are not their natural habitat.

Barleyfields. I notice your comment. “Try”. To stop him. I said don’t think it sensible but wouldn’t put it past him to try on the sly
Apparently there are only two breeding pairs within three miles of here

No it is just a gentle suggestion...

Eat your own food yourself and don't waste it.

Is that an order?

Honestly!
Some posters must think we throw all our leftovers all over the garden and leave them there 😀

No, just exactly what we know the birds will eat and it's gone in seconds.

Now suet balls - the squirrels somehow manage to find them in other people's gardens then bury them in ours for later!

keepingquiet

Good grief. Rat heaven. Birds are wild creatures and unless we have a prolonged cold snap are perfectly capable of finding their own food.

Putting food scraps out like this is a vermin magnet, including rats, squirrels, as well as pigeons and yes, sea gulls.

Crazy. Eat your own food yourself and don't waste it.

Who’s wasting human food? Not us! We only put out bird food bought for the purpose - suet balls and sunflower hearts - and scraps of meat fat that would otherwise go in the food waste bin. Which are always gone within minutes.