What Bird feeders Advice Please

We had an oyster catcher overhead a couple of days ago. Lots of water sources around here, but a bit far from any oysters...
They must be starting to breed. They come inland for that. We're about half an hour's drive from the nearest coast.

 

Just saw your comment @Butterfly6 - I've only had 'one at a time' nuthatch activity, but they don't venture far from their original sites, and I expect they nest/breed in the nearby NT garden.

I like the tapping info - brilliant! It's funny you saying that though - I kept calling him/her Woody, because they do remind me of woodpeckers for some reason. We don't often get those visiting either, but you can hear them on quiet days. Plenty of trees around for them.
The blue tits and dunnocks are getting quite frisky just now. I hope something fancies the little bird box in the tree at the back end of the garden. Unfortunately, I have work needing doing round there, so I may have to be quick, or I'll have to wait a while...

 

I have a new bird table, been up just over a week and no birds have come near it, it is white in colour, have tied crab apple branch to it, put grapes on it as well as normal bird seed, am thinking if painting it dark green, as I think it is the white that is putting the birds off.
Any ideas how to get the birds back, I don't have many birds, mainly pigeons and black birds.

 

Just give it time @widget . They'll come in their own good time
I doubt the colour's a problem, but you can certainy change the colour later on if you like.
If you use a good quality bird food, that also helps. Pigeons will eat anything, but smaller birds are more particular. Sunflower hearts are good for many types of birds.
Apples and things like raisins or sultanas appeal to blackbirds. I spear apples and push those into the ground for them. That helps to keep them in one place.
Fat balls or blocks are also good, so you might want to consider some of those to hang nearby too. Loads of stuff available from GCs or from online suppliers, and some will have offers too.

 

Thanks for that advice, I have just fixed a branch across it so they can perch on it and look under to see food, but as you say think patience is the answer,

 

I'm sure it'll be fine. While many small birds will use a bird table, they also like other sources, so hanging feeders might be worth getting too, so that you can attract a nice variety of birds. It will also depend on what birds are in your local area. I use a mix of feeding sites, including just sprinkling a little food on the ground, or in among shrubs. Creating a nice varied habitat will also pay off, because it's also about having other food sources like berries and insects to attract birds.

A water source is also a good idea, and it doesn't have to be fancy. I've used old seed trays in the past, or just a large saucer of some kind. You don't need to have a full on pond or fancy birdbath. The main thing is to see that it's cleaned now and again and de iced in cold weather.
They'll come to realise they have a good little restaurant and facilities.

 

Just to add to the info that @fairygirl has given you @widget, some birds are ground feeders, like the blackbirds - ah I see @fairygirl has mentioned that. You can buy feeders for the ground but beware the pigeons and corvids will take the food unless you buy one of the cages that goes over it that will only allow the other birds in. I hope that makes sense!

 

Thanks, got bird baths, just de-iced them, blackbirds do pick at the lawn, not to keen on the old bird table,

 

Birds will stay away from anything new and/or strange in the garden so patience is the word. It can take 3/4 weeks before they begin to investigate. Keep putting seeds out out, I put a fat ball on the tray amongst the seed as well as hanging them. I use feeders with cages on them, not because I have squirrels but to give the small birds a chance to eat before the larger jays etc. snaffle the lot before I get up. They will clear the seed tray, filling their beaks, taking it away to stash repeatedly, until there is no seed left.

 

Still no luck, ask Google if birds can see colour this is what I found.

What colors do birds not like?

One color that the majority of birds avoid is white. A dull or bright white signals alarm and danger to birds, causing them to avoid those areas.

 

I have to admit that it's not a colour I would pick for anywhere in a garden, but if you're worried, you'd have to wiat a few weeks to see how things go, unless the weather's suitable enough for a coat of paint.
If white was such a huge problem though - they wouldn't go near lots of houses to nest, and they certainly don't mind grubbing about in my borders right against the pale cream walls. Many birds are also perfectly happy using those feeders that stick onto windows, and not always with the surrounding walls being covered in foliage. We frequently see magpies and smaller birds clinging to the shell, or fine white gravel, used as a rendered finish on houses here too.
I'm also guessing that, due to the spelling of the word colour, that Mr. Google has found an American site, so you could maybe take that info with a pinch of salt

 

The inside of my birdbath is white and doesn't put birds off using it. Maybe robins and blackbirds aren't that choosy! I've just got to clean it often .

Having plants, trees or hedging near a feeder gives birds more confidence to use it so that they can escape to shelter quickly. I have found that they often don't linger on the feeder here but take the seed off elsewhere to eat.

 

Thanks, might have to think about moving it,

 

I noticed a wall in your avatar picture. If it's a garden wall then access is easy for local cats and birds will know that. I have a walled garden and twelve cats around (not mine) so my feeding station sits almost in the middle of the lawn. Birds have an all round view of what's close by.

 

Hi Sheal, no it is a garage wall with pointed tiled roof, few years back I had a bird table near the side wall and the cats used to sit on the wall waiting, that's why I moved it.
I have a climbing Hydrangea on that wall but in winter it drops all leaves, there is also a Pyracantha but not many berries on it this year,
I have fixed a branch of Crab Apples to the table also fixed a perch to it, but when weather drys out a bit I will paint it green, I do my table and chairs in spring,