Forum Topic

Big Garden Bird Watch

There is a 'Garden Birdwatch taking place all over the country between the 28th and 29th of January. It would be great to get as many Brentford people involved as possible. All you have to do is watch the birds in your garden for an hour at any time during the weekend of the 28th-29th January.If you are interested in taking part pop into our office on the High Street and pick up a leaflet!

Julia Quilliam ● 4943d4 Comments

Just fyi, I read that while birds don't react to the chili when they eat the food, it does irritate their eyes. In powder form (mixed into seed) it's especially easy to get in the eye, but even when used on something solid like a fat ball, it transfers easily into the eye due to frequent grooming.

Holly Hodges ● 4941d

Thanks Keith. But I've tried everything but the chilli powder. The problem isn't with squirrels eating everything as soon as I put it down. It's just that no birds come to the garden. Are they scared off by the squirrels and pigeons or are there just too many cats around. I can't believe we have more cats around than anywhere else. Birds used to come to the garden. I even had a blue tit fly into the house once. But nothing for the last 4-5 years.

Peter McGovern ● 4941d

You could hang the fat balls in a bush where the larger birds can't get at them.Make a hook from a piece of metal wire. You can also put chilli powder on them as birds don't mind it and squirrels hate it.Don't put food on the ground as you will encourage wood pigeons and horrible feral pidgeons and pesky squirrels. You can buy a squirrel trap on't th'internet. If you do put peanuts out for birds,they have to be the specially treated ones as the normal ones carry some sort of lurgy that is injurous to bird health.

Keith Iddon ● 4941d

Apart from the very occasional Magpie and Pigeon - no birds visit my garden. I have a huge tree with squirrels in it and there are a lot of cats in the neighborhood; but I leave out seeds, fat balls and peanuts and only the squirrels eat them. This has been going on for years now. Any suggestions?

Peter McGovern ● 4941d