I started off with all good intentions of still allowing the rooks to feed but just making it a bit awkward for them… however I underestimated how clever these corvids are, and they took to using the bamboo sticks as supports to access the actual feeders easier! Think of the panda on bamboo stilts in Kung Fu Panda and you get the idea 🙂
So, a quick look at the shop on the BirdwatchIreland website and I found these 2 feeders with guards around them. Ordered that day & they arrived the following day (was really impressed!), and I have to say the feeders are lovely! Priced at €22 I think they are really good value.
It’s taken the goldfinches a couple of days to get used to them and I’ve yet to see the greenfinches on them…
The blue tits and great tits, however, love them 🙂 Which is what I was aiming for anyway as they weren’t getting a look in with the rooks around.
Also, with the feeders being smaller – the fat ball feeder takes 3 fat balls – it means the tub of 50 that I have should last longer – happy days!
The rooks have tried to hang on to get at the fat balls, and we’ve caught them trying to lift the handle of the feeder in order to drop it to the ground… a few cable ties has put paid to that idea though!
I’m pleased to say they have given up on the new feeders now and have gone back to picking up any discarded seed on the ground. I also throw out suet pellets and a bit of grated cheese every now & then so I think they’re happy enough 🙂
Wow, they didn’t want to give up on the fat balls did they, sneaky birds! At least now you can feed all the birds happily 🙂
They’re certainly persistent! Think we’ve reached a happy compromise now though… finally 🙂