Bird Feeders on the allotment?

Hello  After a shakey start with a Landshare plot I've just managed to move to my own council allotment plot I am so thrilled even though it's an overgrown disaster at the moment but it will be so satisfying to tame it. My question is, is it ok to put bird feeders on an allotment or will it bring the birds to eat the fruits? I noticed that my neighbour has got a feeder up and it was proving very popular with the birds this morning.

I would love to feed them but should I ?

I would....but then birds and beasties come before fruit and veg in my garden
You could always check with the committee (if there is one) whether there are any objections to encouraging wildlife.  I'd be mindful though of neighbouring gardeners who might be using slug pellets etc.  Enjoy your new plot!!!!

Hi Twinklekat, if you feed the birds now, they'll be more likely to come to your allotment to feed on caterpillars and aphids in spring. You should have more than enough fruit to share with them in autumn anyway, so don't worry!

Kate

Thank you for the replies. I really want to feed the birds but I will just check with the site manager first, don't want to get a black mark in my first week  but I'm sure it'll be ok as next door's got a bird feeder.

Thanks again ladies

A better way to attract birds might be to erect some nest boxes. If there are pests on the plot they will be taken to feed the young.  You could also heap up sticks or stick a kettle somewhere in the hope a robin will build.

Good birds to encourage would be tits, robins, dunnocks and thrushes.

Discourage, ducks, pigeons,doves, partridges and pheasants.

I'd be worried about pigeons and squirrels taking advantage, and also rats coming after spillages. All these will damage crops and rats are particularly unwelcome.

Will you have space to plant some bird and insect friendly shrubs and flowers ?