How fast can a fat ball disappear?

We've put a few balls out in a new feeder and were a bit puzzled as to how they could go so quickly. We watched in amazement this morning as a squirrel and two jackdaws took turns on the feeder whilst a magpie and two wood pigeons cleared up below. Does anyone else have this kind of ambush?

 

Oh yes; greedy perishers!

Trouble is, when you put food out for the "birds", it doesn't stipulate, tits, robins, wrens and other little nibblers ... so the big guns come in and nick the lot!

 

Squirrels are a nightmare and regularly wipe out food for the birds. I have found though that using the squirrel proof feeders do give them a challenge and some just give up.

Rusty

 

Same problem here with magpies and squirrels, just reminded me of a artical hubby read out to me in the paper the other day about a squirrel that got stuck in a peanut feeder, he ate so much he couldn't get out!!!!!!

 

Ha that could have happened to our previous feeder, the squirrel was completely inside just hanging on by his back legs.
Would have to say that I don't mind the squirrel having some as long as he doesn't break the feeder, and they were taking turns nicely which was a bit strange to watch

 

I have a squirrel that visits the garden -first he nicks my bulbs then goes and nicks the food I put out for the birds. He scampers up the bird table and when he's sampled whats on the top he then hangs with his tail round one of the pegs and swings out until he gets what he wants from the fat balls and bagged nuts. Looks cute but such a pest.

 

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Who Me ? But Im So Cute !

 

OK you win - you are kinda cute - now own up where have you hidden my bulbs?

 

I have starlings ambushing my front feeders i shoo them off so the smaller birds get fed

 

I haven"t seen a starling for years joolz!!!!!!!! the garden was always full of them when we were kids.

 

They are plentiful here but the poor sparrows dont stand a chance when they swoop in on the feeders on my acer,they dont invade the feeders in the back garden thou but will take the bread i throw out on the back which helps as there is always too much for the wood pigeons and doves to clear
i put raisens,dried bananas and peanuts around on plates to keep the squirrels occupied so ive not caught them raiding the feeders yet
Trying to keep them all happy and fed is quite a task but i do find starlings are big bellied bullys if you let them be

 

That's because Joolz lured them all away with her fat balls.

 

Sams here Joolz, 5 or 6 Starlings will demolish a couple of fat balls in a few minutes. 20 Sparrows would do a good job if they could all get on at once.

 

Has anybody got any fatball recipes to share?? scotkat inspired me to make some last week but i failed miserably i need differant oats and not crunchy tesco ones...im now eating them for breakfast myself with the maple syrup and honey,tastey but gives me jaw ache

 

There isnt that many sparrows here at moment and i was surprised on how many starlings there is,i thought they both migrated but im not a bird watcher so have never payed much attention in the past
If i could get them tesco oats clusters to stick together for a fatball id defy them to polish one of them off in 20 mins strongy x