Garden Survival During Holiday Time 01 August 2010 Seven Steps To Wildlife Gardening 26 August 2009 Apple Trees 04 February 2009 Fruit Plants 25 January 2009 Seed Potatoes 16 January 2009 Bird Care 06 January 2004 Adding Winter Colour To Your Garden 01 January 2004 Feeding Birds 23 December 2003 Planting Techniques 19 December 2003 Planting Hedges 14 December 2003 Archive Pages: 1 | 2

Feeding Birds 23 December 2003 Remember feeding birds in your garden should be done all year round (Not just For Christmas) Throughout this month we have seen a real change in the weather from unusually mild temperatures to sever frost and cold spells. Natural food supplies are starting to diminish and those that are left are becoming harder for the birds to get at. If you have not already started feeding the birds in your garden the now would be an ideal time to start. The birds will need additional calories to build up their fat and energy levels to ensure good health over the next few months. High calorie fat products are probably the last thing on your mind leading up to Christmas however for the wild bird population there is nothing better. Feeds such as fat balls and other high-energy products are ideal at this time of the year. Different species of birds prefer different food types and also prefer to be fed in various ways here are a few examples: BLACKBIRD: Feed on the ground or on a table. Preferred feed; sunflower seed. THRUSH AND CHAFFINCH: Same as blackbird. ROBIN AND TREE SPARROW: Feed on the ground or on a table. Preferred feed; mixed seed from feeder and sunflower seed. GREAT TIT AND GREEN FINCH: Feed on a table. Preferred feed; sunflower seed, mixed seed from a feeder and nuts from a feeder. BLUE TIT AND COAL TIT: Same as great tit but only from feeders and not off a table. GOLDFINCH: Seed from a feeder. GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER: Nuts from a feeder. HOUSE SPARROW: Feed on the ground or on a table. Preferred feed; sunflower seed and nuts from a feeder. It may all sound a bit complicated and if you are trying to attract a mixture of birds into your garden then there is nothing stopping you applying all of these techniques. Several feeding sites around the garden will prevent overcrowding and regularly moving the sites will stop a build up of waste food and faeces, which could lead to disease. The same applies to making sure that bird tables and feeders are kept clean to prevent bacteria and virus (wear gloves and wash hands after cleaning etc as many of the diseases in wild birds can be past onto humans). Only buy ‘Quality Assured’ peanuts. This means they will have been tested for aflatoxin, a fungus that can damage the liver and the immune system of wild birds. Only put out as much food as will be eaten within a couple of days. In the future I will write about types of feeders, tables and nesting boxes etc

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