Bird feeding essentials
When it comes to feeding the birds, you need to make sure you are offering the right food at the right time. I have also started to make a mental note of the main types of birds that visit my garden and this has helped me choose the food I put out.
In winter, I tend to choose a high-energy seed mix that contains sunflower seed, flacked maize, pinhead oatmeal and crushed peanuts. A similar mix with smaller seeds will be more suitable for a broader mix of birds. I don’t tend to buy mixes with beans, lentils and split peas. Fat balls are also great at this time of year and are very easy to make.
In summer, birds need protein rich food so I love putting out a few mealworms. The wagtails in my garden just devour them! And don’t forget there is an awful lot of food we throw out that the birds enjoy, such as left-over baked potatoes.
Offer niger seeds, which are small and black, rich in fat and have a high oil content. Tits, goldfinches and greenfinches love them!
Be careful with whole peanuts as they can choke young birds. Make sure you buy natural peanuts from a reputable supplier and try crushing them up instead.
Put out black sunflower seeds: a really good all year-round feed – the oil content in the black ones is better than the striped ones.
Keep the feeders topped up, as once you start feeding birds they will come to rely on your garden as a food source.
Always make sure there is fresh water for the birds to drink and bathe in. Remember to keep the water ice free.
Keep things clean by brushing and wiping the table down every couple of weeks and then give it a good wash a couple of times a year. Keep the area around the table clean as well to avoid attracting vermin.
Birds provide a constant source of joy but also work hard for us throughout the year