Hi there
I find that Bird food prices vary everywhere that you go.
There is a stock at Tesco called simply 'Wild Bird' food at a reasonable price, but some of the less liked seeds are the ones that are left each time. I think that these seeds are used to bulk the bird food, and is not really for the birds to eat.
You buy 6 Fat Balls for about 2 pound, which to me is quite costly
Funnily I can buy 6 Fat balls in the local shop around the corner from me for £1.29 o
Then there is a Hardware Store in my local town which sells everything (incuding bird food) including Dried Mealworms for a reasonable price. The Dried Mealsworms cost about £2.50 for a good sized plastic pot (the same pot would cost £4-5 pound from the RSPB)
The same applies with the Nyger Seed. So much cheaper.
I got a large bag of Black Sunflowers Seeds for £1.59
The brand is not a familiar one at all but I am prepared to pay for my black Sunflowers, Nyger and Mealworms in this shop.
Fat balls, and lots of other goodies are sold a lot cheaper than elsewhere. o
As for the mixed seeds, and the Sunflower Hearts. I feel that the RSPB/Guardian ones are the best (can be got at Homebase). There is a good stock in now for the winter.
I think a lot depends on your budget and I think it how you feel about supporting people like the RSPB. Of course there are the 'reliable' brands such as Guardian.
Now a lot of people are getting in on the act with selling Bird food. This means the choice is only going to get larger, so all the better for us the Bird Lovers. :-O