The joy of birds

I enjoyed Jamie Morton’s articles on birds. People underestimate the value of birds in gardens. I do not need to spray for aphids or poison snails, the birds eat them all. In spring I watched a tui looking for codling moth caterpillars on my walnut tree. All that is needed to encourage birds into the garden is water, a shallow birdbath that they can stand in while bathing is ideal. Tuis love a good bath. In winter I feed the birds, but we also have trees that produce food. Thank you Jamie, it made a nice change from all the unpleasant news and reminds us that the simple pleasures in life are often the most rewarding. S. Hansen, Napier