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Nuthatch |
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Robert V
Senior Member Joined: 06 Aug 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1264 |
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Posted: 26 Oct 2014 at 7:54pm |
Hi all,
I've never had a nuthatch on my feeder before, is this rare / usual, or do they do it elsewhere? Does this mean that food elsewhere is in short supply as I've had the woody on there as well!!?? Rob |
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RobV
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Iowarth
Admin Group Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Status: Offline Points: 743 |
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Hi Rob
It was a long time ago but I well remember at my partner's family farm in Zummerzet, seeing both Spotted and green Woodpeckers at the feeder throughout most of Autumn through to Spring. never saw them in the Summer though. I would guess that it is associated with food not being quite so plentiful and would hazard a guess that they will become regular visitors (although I am jealous of the Nuthatch!) Chris |
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Chris Davis, Site Administrator
Co-ordinator, Sand Lizard Captive Breeding Programme (RETIRED) |
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Suzy
Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1447 |
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If you put food out all year you will get birds coming to feed.
I get nuthatches at times, sometimes for months on end and then they disappear. I get up to three at a time. I might wait years between these periods of visiting. Today I heard bullfinches in the gardens here. I have had had them visiting continuously for over ten years and then last year they vanished. Hope they are back for a spell. For the past few years we've had siskins breeding here and coming on the feeders with young. I think that is because of all year feeding. Here is a photo of a flower of a niger seed self sown plant taken today. I have had them grow before but not looking like this. Different seeds I guess. |
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Suz
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GemmaJF
Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Location: Essex Status: Offline Points: 4359 |
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I'm jealous Rob, never had a nuthatch on the bird feeders, yet!
It's peanut gorging season. There is a wide range of species that will go mad for them as winter approaches. I filled my peanut feeder up just before dark yesterday and it was stripped clean by 08:30 this morning! Edited by GemmaJF - 27 Oct 2014 at 10:09am |
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Suzy
Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1447 |
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Peanuts are not so popular with the birds here. They more go for black sunflowers, hulled ones or niger/nyjer seeds. In fact peanuts often rot in the dispenser. The nuthatches love the sunflowers. I think it is also down to how many feeders are put out in the locality - spoilt for choice!
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Suz
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Chris Monk
Senior Member Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 282 |
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I usually get a nuthatch visiting my garden bird-table feeders at intervals during the year and by pure chance one was there on Monday and visiting again today (was away yesterday at work so it could have been there on Tuesday as well). It must have known there was a thread about them on this Forum. It was using both the peanut and the sunflower hearts feeders and when I was out doing some work around midday I saw it searching around in the gutter of the cottage at the bottom of the garden. In the afternoon I looked out and there was Gemma's bane on the bird table - a horrid large grey moggy, so sent the dog out to chase it out of the garden.
Have occasionally had greater spotted woodpeckers visiting, usually adults. A few years ago a juvenile GSW was a regular visitor but unfortunately one day whilst it was there in the summer a sudden severe thunderstorm btoke out and afterwards I found it dead having flown off straight into the glass pane of the French windows. |
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Derbyshire Amphibian & Reptile Group www.derbyshirearg.co.uk |
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Robert V
Senior Member Joined: 06 Aug 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1264 |
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I think Suzy may have tripped upon the secret.
I usually soak my peanuts and partially crush them before putting them in the feeder, that way the birds seem to manage not to leave any to rot, but just lately I've been adding black sunflower seeds to the crushed mix. That must be it, the Nuthatch comes down when there are still sunflower seeds inside - hey that's a good tip Gemma / Chris, how to get Nuthatches down. Rob
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RobV
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