What to watch out for in January

January’s dawn chorus is nothing compared to that in May, but it’s here and is a sign of brighter days to come. Listen out for the “tee-cher teecher tee-cher” of great tits. By the end of the month they’ll be joined by the explosive song of the wren; occa

Look out for siskins. These small finches boast striking yellow-green plumage, and have a distinct forked tail and long bill. The male has a black crown, a bright yellow bib and black and yellow wing feathers, while the female is much paler green, streaked with black. They breed throughout the British Isles but largely in conifer plantations. They’re most likely to come into gardens in late winter when natural sources of food are in short supply. Numbers of siskins visiting our gardens has increased dramatically in recent years, where they’ve risen to 24th in the Big Garden Birdwatch 2018 survey. In the wild they eat small seeds of alder, conifers and birches. British Trust for Ornithology ( BTO) data suggests they’re more likely to visit gardens in years when Sitka spruce seed crop is poor, and on wet days, when pine cones remain closed and the birds can’t access the seeds. Leave out nyjer seed, unsalted peanuts and sunflower hearts.

Also be on the lookout for…

Flies such as the bluebottle, may be sunning themselves on warm, bright days. Slow worms, which you may accidentally dig up while preparing the ground for spring. Gently place them in your compost bin and lightly recover them. Fieldfares (inset) and redwings, which may still be patrolling gardens for berries and windfall apples.

And don’t miss…

Winterwatch returns to BBC2 this month – check TV listings for details. Kate Bradbury will give a talk at the Highgrove Talking Gardens festival in April. Titled ‘Wildlife gardening’, Kate will share tips on how to encourage wildlife into your garden. See page 23.