Post removed (X-No-Archive: yes)

On Mon, 26 Jun 2006 20:03:43 +0100, nospam [at] nospam.org wrote
(in article <0pb0a2p2mjghtvlnbjfbn6a8bng87hbpvu [at] 4ax.com>):

> Hello,
>
> We put some seeds out for the birds. I don't know whether this is a
> good idea or not. On one hand, hopefully if they eat the seed, they
> won't eat my plants! On the other hand, it might draw more birds to
> the garden to eat my berries! What do you think?
>
> Anyway, they've eaten two feeders full of seeds already. So my
> question is, where can I buy seed in bulk and cheap?
>

I have never known a bird eat a plant. What birds are eating what plants?
They are your friends and if you encourage them into your garden they will on
the other hand eat some of the pests.

We mostly buy from CJ Birdfoods: <http://www.birdfood.co.uk/>
Not necessarily the cheapest but good quality.


--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
Whitton Open Gardens weekend 1st & 2nd July; enjoy the conservation
churchyard recently filmed for the BBC Heaven and Earth Show and see the
Burne-Jones/William Morris window:
http://www.whitton-stmarys.org.uk/gardens.html

<nospam [at] nospam.org> wrote in message
news:0pb0a2p2mjghtvlnbjfbn6a8bng87hbpvu [at] 4ax.com...
> Hello,
>
> We put some seeds out for the birds. I don't know whether this is a
> good idea or not. On one hand, hopefully if they eat the seed, they
> won't eat my plants! On the other hand, it might draw more birds to
> the garden to eat my berries! What do you think?
>
> Anyway, they've eaten two feeders full of seeds already. So my
> question is, where can I buy seed in bulk and cheap?
>
> Thanks.

Talk to the owners/managers of a local pet shops. They often re-bag after
buying in bulk.
I buy mine in 20/25kg bags, peanuts & seed. Check the quality first as
rubbish is always rubbish despite the packaging.
Good luck
Ray

<nospam [at] nospam.org> wrote in message
news:0pb0a2p2mjghtvlnbjfbn6a8bng87hbpvu [at] 4ax.com...
> Hello,
>
> We put some seeds out for the birds. I don't know whether this is a
> good idea or not. On one hand, hopefully if they eat the seed, they
> won't eat my plants! On the other hand, it might draw more birds to
> the garden to eat my berries! What do you think?
>
> Anyway, they've eaten two feeders full of seeds already. So my
> question is, where can I buy seed in bulk and cheap?
>

Well, that might depend where you are.
Why not ring your local 'Wildlife Trust'?
If they do not sell it themselves they will certainly know who does.
I pay £13.50 for 25Kg.

--
ned

"Ray" <nospamplease [at] moom.com> wrote in message
news:4gatfhF1muaaaU1 [at] individual.net...
>
> <nospam [at] nospam.org> wrote in message
> news:0pb0a2p2mjghtvlnbjfbn6a8bng87hbpvu [at] 4ax.com...
>> Hello,
>>
>> We put some seeds out for the birds. I don't know whether this is a
>> good idea or not. On one hand, hopefully if they eat the seed, they
>> won't eat my plants! On the other hand, it might draw more birds to
>> the garden to eat my berries! What do you think?
>>
>> Anyway, they've eaten two feeders full of seeds already. So my
>> question is, where can I buy seed in bulk and cheap?
>>
>> Thanks.
>
> Talk to the owners/managers of a local pet shops. They often re-bag after
> buying in bulk.
> I buy mine in 20/25kg bags, peanuts & seed. Check the quality first as
> rubbish is always rubbish despite the packaging.
> Good luck
> Ray


I buy a sackfull from a local pet shop, they said they'd order an extra sack
for me, which I pick up after they've added an extra fiver to the actual
price they pay for it. It saved me a few bob, I used to buy the small bags
they made up before.

I have 6 feeders and I've got just under a quarter of the sack left, and
that's 12 months ago.

--

Regards
p.mc

nospam [at] nospam.org writes
>Hello,
>
>We put some seeds out for the birds. I don't know whether this is a
>good idea or not. On one hand, hopefully if they eat the seed, they
>won't eat my plants! On the other hand, it might draw more birds to
>the garden to eat my berries! What do you think?
>
>Anyway, they've eaten two feeders full of seeds already. So my
>question is, where can I buy seed in bulk and cheap?
>
>
Assuming by 'eating plants' you mean 'taking berries', I can only
suggest growing more berries and growing less palatable (to birds)
berries.

Berries which aren't red are not as attractive - my yellow-berried holly
tree keeps all its berries. Skimmia and pernettya seem to be totally
disliked by birds.

I find they're not very enthusiastic about Viburnum and cotoneaster, but
that may be because I have a good supply of more attractive berries - I
think other people find that cotoneaster berries go quite quickly.

Putting out seed will attract more seed-eating birds. If you want the
birds but not the berry-eating, try nyger seed, which attracts things
like goldfinches which go for thistle, lavender and dandelion seeds
rather than berries, and fat cakes, which are a favourite with tits (we
have 4 different species in our garden) which eat a lot of insects.

--
Kay

> I have never known a bird eat a plant. What birds are eating what plants?
> They are your friends and if you encourage them into your garden they will
> on
> the other hand eat some of the pests.
>

<-- points at all the wood pigeons scoffing cabbages and god knows what else
;o)

Post removed (X-No-Archive: yes)

On Mon, 26 Jun 2006 23:24:23 +0100, Janet Baraclough wrote
(in article <313030303930323944A06CA788 [at] zetnet.co.uk>):

> The message <0001HW.C0C5F80D015134B5F0407530 [at] news.individual.net>
> from Sally Thompson <me2 [at] privacy.net> contains these words:
>
>
>> I have never known a bird eat a plant. What birds are eating what plants?
>
> Wood pigeons or pheasants eat brassicas and salad crops; blackbirds
> and starlings, and magpies, and chickens, all eat soft fruit and stone
> fruit. Many birds graze grass. clover and herbage and peck flowers.
>

Yes, I realise I was just thinking of plants=flowers and that the OP meant
the whole plant and/or foliage, and we don't really have a problem apart from
yellow crocus.




--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
Whitton Open Gardens weekend 1st & 2nd July; enjoy the conservation
churchyard recently filmed for the BBC Heaven and Earth Show and see the
Burne-Jones/William Morris window: http://www.whitton-stmarys.org.uk

nospam [at] nospam.org wrote:
>So my
> question is, where can I buy seed in bulk and cheap?

The Lincolnshire wildlife trust have a good range:
http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/shop/birdfood/index.php

Most agricultural feed vendors will sell by the sack
http://www.cwg.co.uk/
http://www.wellandvalleyfeeds.co.uk/product_pages/wild_bird_ products/feeds.htm
www.thecountrystore.co.uk

or the pet trade
www.petfoodsupplies.net etc etc etc

In the past it was considered bad practice to feed during the summer
months, but we now do because of the pressures on wild birds by extreme
agriculture and the spread of housing. Remember to put out water, too.
Some good advice at e.g.:
http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/factsheets/feeding-wild-birds.p hp
or (risking the wrath of extremists):
http://www.rspb.org.uk/gardens/whatyoucando/feedinggardenbir ds/index.asp


It is important to buy from reputable suppliers. Some stuff sold on
markets, or even in the pet trade, is reported to contain fungicides or
other chemicals that can accumulate in the bird populations. There is
concern too about naturally occuring contamination:
http://www.food.gov.uk/Consultations/ukwideconsults/2003/afl atoxinsinwildbirdfoods

Post removed (X-No-Archive: yes)

Sally Thompson wrote:
> I have never known a bird eat a plant. What birds are eating what plants?

Geese eat quite a lot. They can graze an area closer than a goat, and
that's quite a lot of plants. Ever wondered why Gallium is called
"Goose-Grass"

<nospam [at] nospam.org> wrote in message
news:0pb0a2p2mjghtvlnbjfbn6a8bng87hbpvu [at] 4ax.com...
> Hello,
>
> We put some seeds out for the birds. I don't know whether this is a
> good idea or not. On one hand, hopefully if they eat the seed, they
> won't eat my plants! On the other hand, it might draw more birds to
> the garden to eat my berries! What do you think?
>
> Anyway, they've eaten two feeders full of seeds already. So my
> question is, where can I buy seed in bulk and cheap?

I get mine from the local racing pigeon shop - he buys large sacks to make
his own smaller packs of wild bird seed but was happy to sell me a large
sack.

The problem is that the birds don't eat ALL the seed, much of it they
scatter on the ground where it germinates ...
Mary

"Mary Fisher" <mary.fisher [at] zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:44a14469$0$904$4c56ba96 [at] master.news.zetnet.net...
> The problem is that the birds don't eat ALL the seed, much of it they
> scatter on the ground where it germinates ...

We had that problem, especially as our bird table is above a flower bed. We
use Huskfree Advance from Haiths with good results
http://www.haiths.com/product.asp?lookup=1&brand=1&p f_id=WBADVANCE

It's a bit pricier than standard seed, but saves a lot of mess.

On Tue, 27 Jun 2006 14:29:29 +0100, robertharvey [at] my-deja.com wrote
(in article <1151414969.108368.278280 [at] p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com>):

> Sally Thompson wrote:
>> I have never known a bird eat a plant. What birds are eating what plants?
>
> Geese eat quite a lot. They can graze an area closer than a goat, and
> that's quite a lot of plants. Ever wondered why Gallium is called
> "Goose-Grass"
>

I hadn't considered geese since the OP referred to seed feeders and I've yet
to see a goose on one of those<g>.

As for the Goose-Grass, I've always liked the name "Sticky Willy" :-)



--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
Whitton Open Gardens weekend 1st & 2nd July; enjoy the conservation
churchyard recently filmed for the BBC Heaven and Earth Show and see the
Burne-Jones/William Morris window: http://www.whitton-stmarys.org.uk

On Tue, 27 Jun 2006 14:23:29 +0100, nospam [at] nospam.org wrote
(in article <j7c2a29m2uo5hk38khqv4tk99kmc80qvvu [at] 4ax.com>):

> On Mon, 26 Jun 2006 20:46:05 +0100, Sally Thompson <me2 [at] privacy.net>
> wrote:
>
>> I have never known a bird eat a plant. What birds are eating what plants?
>
>
> Hello again,
>
> Thanks everyone for the replies.
>
> Sorry, I should have been clearer: they eat my soft fruits and
> berries. I wouldn't mind if they ate anything else, but I grow the
> fruit for me, not them!

Yes, I'm sorry, I was very tired and just misunderstood what you had written.
I wasn't including fruits and vegetables in my thoughts of plants<g>.



--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
Whitton Open Gardens weekend 1st & 2nd July; enjoy the conservation
churchyard recently filmed for the BBC Heaven and Earth Show and see the
Burne-Jones/William Morris window: http://www.whitton-stmarys.org.uk

"WRabbit" <the_wrabbit [at] replaceinvalidwithcom.gmail.invalid> wrote in message
news:QGcog.92249$wl.85377 [at] text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>
> "Mary Fisher" <mary.fisher [at] zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:44a14469$0$904$4c56ba96 [at] master.news.zetnet.net...
>> The problem is that the birds don't eat ALL the seed, much of it they
>> scatter on the ground where it germinates ...
>
> We had that problem, especially as our bird table is above a flower bed.
> We use Huskfree Advance from Haiths with good results
> http://www.haiths.com/product.asp?lookup=1&brand=1&p f_id=WBADVANCE

Won't it germinate without husks?

I'll have a look, thanks,

Mary

<robertharvey [at] my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:1151395295.791525.50800 [at] b68g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> nospam [at] nospam.org wrote:
> >So my
> > question is, where can I buy seed in bulk and cheap?
>
> The Lincolnshire wildlife trust have a good range:
> http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/shop/birdfood/index.php

That's what I like.
A good honest plug for the local corner shop. :-))
That is precisely where I get my seed from.

--
ned
http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk

Sally Thompson wrote:
> As for the Goose-Grass, I've always liked the name "Sticky Willy" :-)

Yes, but you are a girl and it wouldn't have the same subliminal
terrors...

Mary Fisher <mary.fisher [at] zetnet.co.uk> wrote:

> Won't it germinate without husks?
>

I've been using it for about a year and I've not had anything germinate from
it. The one time I used something else I had major weeding to do.

The only problem I've got now is to find something tough enough to grow
under the table, the starlings etc can be a bit tough on the plants below to
pick up the scraps.

--
NK
Follow spamtrap instructions to reply

"WRabbit" <thewrabbit [at] replaceinvalidwithcomgmail.invalid> wrote in message
news:4ge58mF1mmd04U1 [at] individual.net...
> Mary Fisher <mary.fisher [at] zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Won't it germinate without husks?
>>
>
> I've been using it for about a year and I've not had anything germinate
> from it. The one time I used something else I had major weeding to do.

Hm. That sounds encouraging - although the hens tend to eat the sprouting
stuff they don't get everything. Thanks.
>
Mary>

In article <44a14469$0$904$4c56ba96 [at] master.news.zetnet.net>, Mary Fisher
<mary.fisher [at] zetnet.co.uk> writes
>
>
>The problem is that the birds don't eat ALL the seed, much of it they
>scatter on the ground where it germinates ...
>Mary
>

I find that the pheasants and pigeons hoover up all the seed on the
floor - the only problem is that they seem to be a bit over-enthusiastic
and hoover up the grass too - leaving bare patches - so I move the
feeders around on a regular basis.

--
regards andyw

"newsb" <news [at] benevolent.org.uk> wrote in message
news:eAom5WErd7oEFw4W [at] benevolent.org.uk...
> In article <44a14469$0$904$4c56ba96 [at] master.news.zetnet.net>, Mary Fisher
> <mary.fisher [at] zetnet.co.uk> writes
>>
>>
>>The problem is that the birds don't eat ALL the seed, much of it they
>>scatter on the ground where it germinates ...
>>Mary
>>
>
> I find that the pheasants

We don't have those in inner city Leeds :-)

> and pigeons hoover up all the seed on the floor

but I did see a rat hoovering a few weeks ago :-(

Mary

Post removed (X-No-Archive: yes)

"Janet Baraclough" <janet.and.john [at] zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:313030303930323944A3D12F94 [at] zetnet.co.uk...
> The message <44a3bf39$0$906$4c56ba96 [at] master.news.zetnet.net>
> from "Mary Fisher" <mary.fisher [at] zetnet.co.uk> contains these words:
>
>
>> but I did see a rat hoovering a few weeks ago :-(
>
> I'll buy that rat..does it do ironing?

It didn't stay around long enough for me to find out - I made sure of that.

Sorry ... next time I'll give it a test. Or just send it to you and you can
do the testing :-)

Mary
>

In article <0001HW.C0C5F80D015134B5F0407530 [at] news.individual.net>, Sally
Thompson <me2 [at] privacy.net> writes
>I have never known a bird eat a plant.


You must be joking! Pigeons have eaten through all my crop of calabrase,
broccoli and sprouts and I'm having to put some more plants in and
consider netting as it's really bad this year.

janet

--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

"Janet Tweedy" <jan [at] lancedal.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:JtDi1+CS+PpEFwRf [at] ukonline.co.uk...
> In article <0001HW.C0C5F80D015134B5F0407530 [at] news.individual.net>, Sally
> Thompson <me2 [at] privacy.net> writes
>>I have never known a bird eat a plant.
>
>
> You must be joking! Pigeons have eaten through all my crop of calabrase,
> broccoli and sprouts and I'm having to put some more plants in and
> consider netting as it's really bad this year.

It is, magpies and woodpigeons have learned to get into y small plots in
hurdle enclosures. Bean netting across the top has solved the problem, at
least temporarily.

Mary
>

"Mary Fisher" <mary.fisher [at] zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:44a50e23$0$904$4c56ba96 [at] master.news.zetnet.net...
>
> "Janet Tweedy" <jan [at] lancedal.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:JtDi1+CS+PpEFwRf [at] ukonline.co.uk...
> > In article <0001HW.C0C5F80D015134B5F0407530 [at] news.individual.net>, Sally
> > Thompson <me2 [at] privacy.net> writes
> >>I have never known a bird eat a plant.
> >
> >
> > You must be joking! Pigeons have eaten through all my crop of calabrase,
> > broccoli and sprouts and I'm having to put some more plants in and
> > consider netting as it's really bad this year.
>
> It is, magpies and woodpigeons have learned to get into y small plots in
> hurdle enclosures. Bean netting across the top has solved the problem, at
> least temporarily.
>
> Mary
> >
Not to mention sparrows eating the crocus and primroses, and bullfinches
haveing all the buds on the forsythia, and I still don't know which bird
pulls all the onion sets up each year!

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

On Fri, 30 Jun 2006 11:40:18 +0100, Janet Tweedy wrote
(in article <JtDi1+CS+PpEFwRf [at] ukonline.co.uk>):

> In article <0001HW.C0C5F80D015134B5F0407530 [at] news.individual.net>, Sally
> Thompson <me2 [at] privacy.net> writes
>> I have never known a bird eat a plant.
>
>
> You must be joking! Pigeons have eaten through all my crop of calabrase,
> broccoli and sprouts and I'm having to put some more plants in and
> consider netting as it's really bad this year.



Yes, I know, I did explain in another post. I was very tired and the OP
mentioned seed feeders, so I didn't associate the problem with vegetables.
Sorry for your pigeon problems though. Perhaps you can develop a taste for
pigeon pie<g>




--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
Whitton Open Gardens weekend 1st & 2nd July; enjoy the conservation
churchyard recently filmed for the BBC Heaven and Earth Show and see the
Burne-Jones/William Morris window: http://www.whitton-stmarys.org.uk

"Sally Thompson" <me2 [at] privacy.net> wrote in message
news:0001HW.C0CB39E201B77038F0407530 [at] news.individual.net...
>
>
> Yes, I know, I did explain in another post. I was very tired and the OP
> mentioned seed feeders, so I didn't associate the problem with vegetables.
> Sorry for your pigeon problems though. Perhaps you can develop a taste
> for
> pigeon pie<g>

We love pigeon meat, Spouse wants a gun ...

Mary

Post removed (X-No-Archive: yes)

"Janet Baraclough" <janet.and.john [at] zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:313030303930323944A5AB1391 [at] zetnet.co.uk...
> The message <44a58439$0$911$4c56ba96 [at] master.news.zetnet.net>
> from "Mary Fisher" <mary.fisher [at] zetnet.co.uk> contains these words:
>
>
>> We love pigeon meat, Spouse wants a gun ...
>
> Why not give him a catapult?

That's a thought! But he also wants to deal with the magpies next year which
have increased in number so that they really are a pest - to other birds'
hatchlings.

Mary
>
> Janet.

On 3/7/06 09:45, in article 44a8d93c$0$911$4c56ba96 [at] master.news.zetnet.net,
"Mary Fisher" <mary.fisher [at] zetnet.co.uk> wrote:

>
> "Janet Baraclough" <janet.and.john [at] zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:313030303930323944A5AB1391 [at] zetnet.co.uk...
>> The message <44a58439$0$911$4c56ba96 [at] master.news.zetnet.net>
>> from "Mary Fisher" <mary.fisher [at] zetnet.co.uk> contains these words:
>>
>>
>>> We love pigeon meat, Spouse wants a gun ...
>>
>> Why not give him a catapult?
>
> That's a thought! But he also wants to deal with the magpies next year which
> have increased in number so that they really are a pest - to other birds'
> hatchlings.
>

We were in Bristol yesterday and saw more magpies in a few hours than we see
in a week round here.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

The message <C0CE9CC8.33143%sacha [at] privacy.net>
from Sacha <sacha [at] privacy.net> contains these words:

> We were in Bristol yesterday and saw more magpies in a few hours than we see
> in a week round here.

My wishes for their welfare are not at all kind ...
Jennifer - in Bristol

Jennifer Sparkes <jsparkes [at] zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
> The message <C0CE9CC8.33143%sacha [at] privacy.net>
> from Sacha <sacha [at] privacy.net> contains these words:
>
>> We were in Bristol yesterday and saw more magpies in a few hours
>> than we see in a week round here.
>
> My wishes for their welfare are not at all kind ...
> Jennifer - in Bristol

The neighbours must think I'm mad(der) because whenever I see one in our
garden I'm out of the kitchen clapping my hands to chase it away.

A couple of years back we heard a really distressed sounding bird in the
front garden. It was so loud it had woken us up (about 6am). A pair of
blackbirds were frantically trying to chase a magpie away frm their nest.
Unfortunately by the time I'd got some clothes on the magpie had suceeded.
It was heartbreaking.

I don't mind sparrowhawks, I can cope with the cheek of starlings. But
there's something evil about magpies.

--
NK
Follow spamtrap instructions to reply

"WRabbit" <thewrabbit [at] replaceinvalidwithcomgmail.invalid> wrote in message
news:4gs89oF1p3bbhU1 [at] individual.net...
> Jennifer Sparkes <jsparkes [at] zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
>> The message <C0CE9CC8.33143%sacha [at] privacy.net>
>> from Sacha <sacha [at] privacy.net> contains these words:
>>
>>> We were in Bristol yesterday and saw more magpies in a few hours
>>> than we see in a week round here.
>>
>> My wishes for their welfare are not at all kind ...
>> Jennifer - in Bristol
>
> The neighbours must think I'm mad(der) because whenever I see one in our
> garden I'm out of the kitchen clapping my hands to chase it away.
>
> A couple of years back we heard a really distressed sounding bird in the
> front garden. It was so loud it had woken us up (about 6am). A pair of
> blackbirds were frantically trying to chase a magpie away frm their nest.
> Unfortunately by the time I'd got some clothes on the magpie had suceeded.
> It was heartbreaking.
>
> I don't mind sparrowhawks, I can cope with the cheek of starlings. But
> there's something evil about magpies.

I don't think of them as evil, I think they're beautiful and only doing what
Nature intended. But I don't want to see flocks of them predating on the
small birds. There didn't used to be so many round here, something has
contributed to their success :-(

Sometimes one's principles are sacrificed to pragmatism.

<sigh>

Mary
>

In article <313030303038353444A8F4C830 [at] zetnet.co.uk>, Jennifer Sparkes
<jsparkes [at] zetnet.co.uk> writes
>The message <C0CE9CC8.33143%sacha [at] privacy.net>
>from Sacha <sacha [at] privacy.net> contains these words:
>
>> We were in Bristol yesterday and saw more magpies in a few hours than we see
>> in a week round here.
>
>My wishes for their welfare are not at all kind ...
>Jennifer - in Bristol


We've got 6 on our lawn most days, they look like parents and fledglings
though the youngsters seem fully grown now and yet haven't gone away.
(We've also got a dove and her family on our satellite dish, 3 inches
from the bedroom window)

janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk