Yet Another Cycling Forum

Random Musings => Miscellany => Where The Wild Things Are => Topic started by: Sergeant Pluck on 26 December, 2020, 12:07:17 pm

Title: Bird feeders on a balcony
Post by: Sergeant Pluck 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?

Title: Re: Bird feeders on a balcony
Post by: rafletcher on 26 December, 2020, 02:35:06 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

Title: Re: Bird feeders on a balcony
Post by: Kim on 26 December, 2020, 05:07:17 pm

Paging Jurek.  Jurek to the mechanically-belled courtesy phone please...

Title: Re: Bird feeders on a balcony
Post by: Sergeant Pluck on 26 December, 2020, 07:59:29 pm

Quote from: rafletcher on 26 December, 2020, 02:35:06 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.

Title: Re: Bird feeders on a balcony
Post by: Jurek on 26 December, 2020, 08:04:16 pm

Quote from: Kim on 26 December, 2020, 05:07:17 pm

Paging Jurek.  Jurek to the mechanically-belled courtesy phone please...

I'm working on this.
Bear with me.

Title: Re: Bird feeders on a balcony
Post by: slowfen on 27 December, 2020, 08:18:57 am

Yup. Bears will do it   ;D