birds:
Birds are perhaps the easiest creatures
to attract into any garden.Some of the bolder species will be tempted by simply scattering a few crumbs on the ground.
What i aimed to do in my own garden,though,was to create a complete habitat for birds
,so that they could find food,shelter,and
perhaps a safe place to nest,too.
A well stocked bird table goes a long way towards providing food,but there are certain species;
chaffinch,wren,blackbird and robin,to name a few,that prefer to feed on the ground,
so i have a small wooden platform on the ground,and this does away with having uneaten food all over my patio,which has encouraged
mice in the past.
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If you have a garden with plenty of cover,and not much noise,you may have be visited by some of the
shyer species,like the Dunnock(left)or Robin(right)These secretive little birds like to hop around on the ground,searching for food such as grubs and insects among leaf litter |
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| Blue tits are a welcome visitor to my garden.Their antics keep me amused for
hours,and hopefully they`ll nest in one of the many boxes i have put up.
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When siting nestboxes,take into account the likelihood of predation.Generally they should be placed
between 2 and 5metres high,out of direct sunlight,and facing away from the prevailing wind. |
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| There are many types of nest boxes available,for many species of bird.Most birds aren`t too discerning,
safety,security and peace and quiet,being most important,not whether the nest box is homemade or one of the more expensive`woodcrete`ones.
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The R.S.P.B.and B.T.O.now recommend feeding birds all year round.Intensive farming methods,and loss of habitat means that many birds
may struggle to survive,even in the summer months.I feed various foods,to hopefully attract a wide range of species:
Black Sunflower seeds appeal to the Sparrows and Finches,while scraps and fruit cater for the ground feeding birds like,Blackbird,Robin,Thrush,Wren and Chaffinch.I also buy Nyjer seed for the Goldfinches,which visit me every day,and make or buy fat bars for the tits and
| When positioning birdfeeders,take into consideration any nestboxes that you have put up:birds generally will not nest close to a feeding area,several metres away,at least,is ideal,but not easy in a small garden like mine. |
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Birdfeeders don`t need to be this big!This one is four feet long,has 12 feeding ports,and holds several kilo`s of seed:very handy when i go away on holiday |
SPRING 2005
As we move towards Spring,the activity in the garden has increased dramatically.
Each morning i am woken by the sound of a Blackbird,singing from my rooftop.The various Tits
are busily inspecting every birdbox that i have put up,and the Robins are being very territorial,their lovely warbling song is beautiful.
At this time of year i try to keep my two cats indoors as much as possible as the nesting birds
are much happier when they`re indoors.We often have baby birds in the garden in Summer,
while they`re still being fed by the parents,and it`s heartbreaking to see them taken
by cats.
It`s a good idea,during the breeding season,to feed live foods,such as earthworms,or
mealworms,as these are very beneficial to the young birds in the nest,and the parent birds may well have
to work less hard to find food.
SUMMER 2005.
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In late April,we noticed lots of activity,with Blue Tits,and Coal Tits inspecting the numerous nesting boxes that we had put up,and eventually we were delighted to see that the Blue Tits were nesting in a box right up under the eaves of the house,one that we`d put up for House Sparrows.The young eventually flew the nest during the first week in June.......while we were away on holiday! |
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