Author Topic: Bird feeders on a balcony  (Read 2368 times)

Bird feeders on a balcony
« on: 26 December, 2020, 12:07:17 pm »
We like to feed the birds but have had problems with pigeons, parakeets and squirrels. The squirrels can defeat almost anything. They used to avoid the balconies but this lot have discovered (or become willing to) climb up the walls or jump from a nearby tree.

So, the latest plan is to hang a feeder, probably a Squirrel Buster Mini, from the bottom of the balcony above, in the best possible position and as high as possible, probably with a clear baffle above it.

I think this should work for the pigeons and hopefully the squirrels. But parakeets may give it a go - to repel them, I’d need to go for a guarded feeder rather than a spring-loaded one.

Any suggestions or alternative approaches?


Kim

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Re: Bird feeders on a balcony
« Reply #2 on: 26 December, 2020, 05:07:17 pm »
Paging Jurek.  Jurek to the mechanically-belled courtesy phone please...

Re: Bird feeders on a balcony
« Reply #3 on: 26 December, 2020, 07:59:29 pm »
Something like this perhaps?

https://www.gardenwildlifedirect.co.uk/henry-bell-heritage-squirrel-proof-cage.html?gclid=CjwKCAiA25v_BRBNEiwAZb4-ZbH8PuJF8dHR7k0LfBm_9TnE922F6hSkOMn-Nkuy_6KiBb1H_1VZ2xoCRPcQAvD_BwE

The squirrel-busters take up quite a bit of height when deployed and would then be close enough to the balcony railings to encourage the squirrels to keep trying, at the very least. I need something that will tuck in under the baffle dome and not hang so low. So after some thought I’ve gone for a medium sized guarded feeder rather than weight-activated, despite it probably being vulnerable to passing parakeets.

We shall see.

It’s not ideal for feeding birds, a balcony. This is a last attempt at seeing if it will work in a way that doesn’t attract the uninvited too much.

Re: Bird feeders on a balcony
« Reply #4 on: 26 December, 2020, 08:04:16 pm »
Paging Jurek.  Jurek to the mechanically-belled courtesy phone please...
I'm working on this.
Bear with me.

Re: Bird feeders on a balcony
« Reply #5 on: 27 December, 2020, 08:18:57 am »
Yup. Bears will do it   ;D