How do I attract small birds? I mostly get magpies and wood pigeons
Hanging feeders, with their small perches, favour smaller birds and are difficult for magpies and wood pigeons to use. If providing food on the ground or on a bird table, consider purchasing a feeder guardian – this is a small cage that only allows access to species that are blackbird-sized or smaller.
Various deterrents are marketed to keep cats away from feeding stations, but these vary in effectiveness. A better option is to reduce the chances of a cat taking a bird. Position bird baths and feeders away from low cover, where a cat might hide. Choose nestboxes where the base of the box is well below the entrance hole – out of reach of would-be predators. MT
Bats are tricky to identify in flight, because you often get only a fleeting glimpse. A bat detector that ‘translates’ the high-pitched echolocation calls of bats into noises we can hear can help. However, even without a bat detector, there are clues that can help you make an educated guess.
Common and soprano pipistrelle bats are by far the most abundant species in Britain, and are frequently found in gardens and around houses. So, if you see a small bat (about the size of a sparrow) flying close to sunset between head-height and treetop height, it is likely to be a pipistrelle.
Brown long-eared bats are another species commonly found in houses, and also in trees. They come out much later than pipistrelles – usually waiting until it is almost dark. These bats are slightly larger than pipistrelles and have a manoeuvrable, slow flight – they weave in and out of trees without any difficulty. If you are very lucky, you may even see their long ears!
Much larger, and regularly seen from gardens, are noctules and serotines. These both appear to be around the size of a blackbird when they are flying. Noctules have fast flight and long, thin wings – they are usually seen high in the sky, around the height of swifts and swallows, and are sometimes seen flying at the same time as these birds.
Serotines, on the other hand, have broad wings and are often seen flying lower (treetop or below), making lots of dives and turns as they attempt to catch beetles. CLM