Bird related birthday presents?

[BirdLover82]

My husband really loves looking at the birds and as it's his 40th birthday soon I'd love to buy him some bird related products for our garden! Came across this site http://www.livingwithbirds.com/ and thought it looked good but I don't know what to pick. Do garden birds like different foods at this time of year? Help!

[applestar]

If I was getting something, my first pick would be really good quality squirrel-proof feeder (also rats, and chipmunks, etc.)

THEN it would make sense to get the preferred premium birdfood that contain nuts, dried berries, shelled sunflowers. You could get ones with mealworms in them too, but I would pass on that myself.

Also, as weather gets colder, they appreciate high calorie suet and suet mixes. (Again, animal-proofed feeder is essential)

Migrating birds seem to zero in on bird baths and fountains, etc. water features. Sound and sight of moving water -- sprayer, mister, multi-level waterfall -- will catch their attention more. If it freezes in the winter where you are, then birdbath defroster or thermostatically warmed birdbath would keep the birds coming in the depth of the winter.

...does he have a good pair of birdwatching binoculars? What about a set up to take photos and videos with binoculars... Or maybe a remote birdcam? Technology is getting better every year.

OR you could get some birdhouses.

[rainbowgardener]

it always helps to tell us where you are located. There are hardly any garden questions that can be discussed without regard to location/ climate. The site you linked is a UK site, so can we assume you are in the UK?

This is a good time to start feeding birds, for those of us in the northern hemisphere. Lots of birds eat mainly insects in the summer, but switch back to seed for the winter, when the insects are hard to find.

If you have squirrels around your yard, the ones this catalog calls "nuttery" (e.g. http://www.livingwithbirds.com/bird-fee ... y-classic/) are the only design that has worked for me for squirrel proofing.

But this site didn't have one of the ones I think is really important, the upside down feeder:


http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/4 ... SY355_.jpg

Assuming you have goldfinches where you are. When we started putting out tube feeders, they would be swarmed by house finches and others and the goldfinches would never get any. The upside down feeder has perches over the ports instead of under, so the bird has to hang upside down. Goldfinches are perfectly happy doing that; house finches and many other birds can't. I found it for you at Amazon UK:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Birdscapes-736- ... ird+feeder

Amazon.co.uk also has the upside down suet feeder. If you want to put out suet, which is good to do in winter, a high energy food source, the upside down feeder is useful. Otherwise big birds including starlings, grackles, etc will just sit there and pull away at the suet until it is gone. But again, they can't use the upside down one, but woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees and others, like them

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cedar-Suet-Upsi ... uet+feeder

When we first started birdfeeding, not knowing this kind of thing, we were very disappointed, because we attracted hordes of undesirable birds, pigeons, starlings, etc. If you want it to be pleasant, you need to be selective in what you put out and how it is delivered.

Best Wishes! Let us know what you pick and how hubby likes it. I think it is a thoughtful gift.

[BirdLover82]

Thank you so much for your responses! Great to have a starting point, will report back what I decide!

[tomc]

B'day present? KFC bucket meal.

[imafan26]

if you have the time for them a cockatiel or a small parrot. They require a family and don't like to be alone, but if people can spend a lot of time with them they are a lot of fun and can be trained to talk and follow you. If you don't have that kind of time, they need a companion.