Feeding Station

[Dave-N]

Hello All
It has been suggested that Teesmouth Bird Club should have a bird feeding station.
The following criteria would have to apply.
It would have to be in a place accessible to our members, have the permission of the land owner, have some parking for visitors and have a group of people who would keep it stocked and maintained.
If anyone has any ideas please let me know so that I can take this forward.
Dave Nelson (Chairman)

[RCT]

Dave
Great to see this getting some air time.
How about on Seaton Common, just N of North Gare car park. Might have to be an autumn-spring thing but would surely attract lots birds and could pull in some rarities also.
Cheers
Richard

[IanF]

Maybe Dormans Pool by the top car park over winter. Something to help/encourage the Twite/Linnet flocks we get each year.

[A McLee]

I understand that RSPB has very recently signed a lease for Dorman's Pool and they would want to be a player on any feeding programme in that area. Also being a SSSI there will perhaps be constraints in introducing " foreign " plant species when uneaten feed germinates as is its want. A similar thought could be applied to Seaton Common I suppose, but both of these site are good candidates for a feeding station for broadcast seed.
If buntings and finches are target species and not corvids and pigeons, I presume small seeds like nyger would be used and there would be a problem of caching a container on site for periodic distribution by who ever are running the programme. Perhaps the club might approach our friends in Huntsman Tioxide for a site not on the SSSI of Greenabella itself e.g. the hard standing beside the electricity sub-station?

[Adam J]

Hi,
How about Coatham Stob? Potential to attract species such as Great Spotted Woodpecker, Marsh Tit, Jay, Tree Sparrow, Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, Bullfinch, Yellowhammer or the rare chance of an Arctic Redpoll. A design similar to the feeding station at Hurworth Burn Reservoir may be suitable i.e. feeders hanging from a tree. This design would hopefully reduce the risk of theft or vandalism.
Cheers,
Adam

[RCT]

Adam
Great idea, well sited feeders there could attract lots of birds and  would also raise the profile of the club if a feeding station was there benefitting all of the visitors who use the site.

[chris sharp]

I am sure all the sites suggested would make a great feeding station. Now all we need are some volunteers to come forward to keep the site stocked with food once the committee decides on the best site.

[Sylvia and Mick]

Coatham Stobb sounds like a good idea to us also and has lots of potential.

[A McLee]

Since we do not seem to have any volunteers to service any designated feding site, consider this way of dealing with the matter.
Many will have noticed that in hard weather the live stock on Seaton Common are given supplimentary feed in the form of hay, thrown down close to the road crossing the grazing land. This also attracts lark species and finches too. Now suppose regular  birders to the area put down small seeds ( not to encourage corvids and pigeons) on some ad hoc basis. The process would not require anything by way of co ordination and the birds are already drawn to the site as they seem to recognise hay as a seed source.

[Sylvia and Mick]

Regarding volunteers to help stock feeding stations.  I would quite happily help keep a feeding station at Coatham Stobb stocked should one be put there.  However I have not volunteered up to now  as I was under the impression volunteers would come forward once it was decided where should a feeding staion would be located.  I would posssibly be able to help keep a feeding station in another location stocked but need to know where that would be.

Sylvia.

[IanF]

Same with me Sylvia. The feeding station would have to be in an area I frequent, so I was waiting to see what area was chosen. e.g. I'd do Seaton Common area but not Coatham Stob.

I dare say a few other people have the same thought. Plus quite a few members who have no internet access may be interested in helping out with this.

[A McLee]

I do not think the club needs to be necessarily restricted to one location and there seems to be a positive response for Coatham Stob and Seaton Common. Most excellent chaps!
Clearly before we sort out details of the how and the when of the process, permission would have to be sought from whoever and at the moment we do not know the names of the best contacts, but that can be looked into. I shall raise the matter with chair of Cons Comm. - Ted Parker and club Chair Dave Nelson when he gets home from hid birding trip in exotic places

[Col W]

Sylvia, I too was waiting for the feeding station site to be selected.

I would readily help out at Coatham Stob, as living in Yarm and working at Urlay Nook makes it easily accessible most days.
I can also provide suitable water proof / air tight drums to store feed in.

[A McLee]

Ah - progress - excellent!
The site operators need to think about details of where the actual feeding station will be, how secure the storage of feed need be, if infact it is actually necessary to keep any on site? How will the seed dispensers be secured from theft; how can the public view them; can the seed be merely scattered on the ground; how corvids and pigeons can be deterred?
Once the club has a clearer picture, then the site owners can be approached as they will wish to ask similar questions, I am sure

[Sylvia and Mick]

I think if and once sites are chosen and permission is gained it should be mentioned at a club meeting or put in a newsletter asking for volunteers to help as we must consider that not every member has access to a computer as previously mentioned.

Sylvia.