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Do you have a feeder guardian (squirrel cage around bird feeder)? (1 Viewer)

If so, do you get birds other than blue and great tits going inside it?


My father recently bought a caged feeder for the fat balls because the Jackdaws were wasting no time in demolishing them from the open feeder. He also used to get Blue and Great Tits, House Sparrows, Goldfinches etc but non of these will now enter the new caged feeder.
 
I have two - in the shed! I abandoned them as they led to a massive reduction in the number of birds of all types visiting the feeders. They weren't bought so much as squirrel deterrents, but to appease the wife's dislike of feral pigeons strewing birdseed - and especially niger seed caught in the tray below the niger feeders - on the grass, where it sprouts ... She's learned to live with me, so I'm sure she'll learn to live with them too.
 
I recently got a Squirrel Buster Mini for my Grandma as she has a big squirrel problem.

I'll get back with how effective they are once I've got round to visiting and installing it, but it presents just like a normal feeder until a squirrel lands on it (in theory).

Both RSPB and WWT shops sell them.
 
I was interested not to stop squirrels (though that may become a requirement in the future) but simply to stop the doves/pigeons standing on my seed tray and eating straight out of the seed feeder. I can remedy this by lowering the seed tray but that means more mess on the ground...

But in any case I'd like to know what you think of the Squirrel Buster Mini.
 
Last year I bought the 'Choice' Tube Sanctuary -first pic on here http://www.meripac.com/
It allows you to set the size of the mesh, so I set it a tad bigger than other cages I've used. I only used it whilst away on hol, but tits and finches went in ok. I must say it's pretty awkward to use, though, hence I'm saving it for occasional use only!
I also use ground cages with fixed size mesh. The larger mesh one is fine, stops pigeons (but not squirrel!), but finches don't like going in the smaller mesh one, only tits, robin, dunnock go in that one.
 
I use feeder guardians a lot because squirrels are a real pain for me. The small birds were a little wary at first - particularly the Robins - but now seem to be OK with them. The squirrels, however, have started removing the feeder lids and getting to the food that way. They can't get it all but they've now started chewing the plastic of the feeder itself. Eventually I'll have to get some more feeders, but the guardians are still intact.
 
If so, do you get birds other than blue and great tits going inside it?

I have a Duncraft squirrel proof caged feeder on a WBU Abs pole set up w/ stove pipe baffle that was really purchased to keep the starlings and grackels at bay. Squirrels on this system are not a problem. The smaller song birds love the feeder and I'm refilling it every other day. I get titmice, house finches, goldies, various sparrows, chickadees, even a downy woodpecker now and then. This feeder is great and easy to clean.;)
 
Hi
I have a cage for my ground feeding tray and a caged seeder mix for hanging as well as other hanging feeders. The ground feeder has my robin, dunnocks, sparrows, chaffinches and the occasional clever starling ;)

The hanging cage has a smaller mesh but the sparrows, chaffinches, blue tit and coal tit (or pinch and store) feed happily from it.

My flock are obviously greedy |:D|

I bought the cages to stop the pigeons and starlings from taking the lot as well as keeping them safe from a neighbouring cat!
 
yes I do git more then blue tits in my gardiants chaffinch house sparrows greenfinchs goldfinces wrens nuthath great tits long-tailed tit black caps coal tit bullfinches just leave the guardiant on for longer
yours Anthony
 
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