Good day to you all. It’s a beautiful crisp sunny morning
here! Sadly, the birds are not singing, I need to prepare their bird feeding
station for the winter. I don’t tend to feed them in the summer as there are
loads of berries for them to eat. I just give them water. I say every year, it’s
vital in winter to give garden birds water because it keeps their feathers
fluffed up so they can fly better. When birds bathe, they preen their feathers.
When preening, they rearrange their feathers spreading oil from their gland so
that they can remain waterproof and trap and insulating layer of air
underneath to keep them warm. Keeping a birdbath clean helps to prevent birds
from catching diseases. There are two nontoxic products you can buy to keep
your birdbath clean. (Apple vinegar one cap and 9 part hot water, or Ark-Klens)
have you heard of a
solar sipper? It’s a birdbath that uses solar energy to prevent the water from
freezing. You can also put some kind of polythene sheet, when the ice freezes
the water, then lift the polythene up and the ice will come away with it.
The short days mean there is less time for our birds to find food. Any old
apples or apples from your trees that have small holes in them, don’t throw
them out, birds will love them. Different species like different foods. Sparrows
and finches like seeds. Tits like fats but not turkey fat, it’s too soft it
will stick to their feathers and stop them from flying their feathers won’t be
waterproof. Thrushes and Robins, eat
fruit. Starlings will eat anything. Sprinkle some grated mild cheese under
trees for more timid birds, I guess the mice will be happy too, right? If you
only put out enough food for that one day, don’t let the food get mouldy and it
will if you put out loads of it, so only enough then the birds will eat it and
there will be non left for those long tailed unwanted guests. Avoid anything
mouldy or salty. Salt is poisonous to small birds.
Birds love dried fruit, but please if you have a dog don’t
let them near the dried fruit or you may have a huge vet bill or worse, a dead
dog.
If you have a bird
table or bird bath, just make sure it looks secure. Birds will only come to it
if it looks safe. You don’t need to spend a fortune on a bird feeder or bath,
that is only for our own enjoyment. A bird will be happy with a turned-up bin
lid. Just keep it clean. Some kind of garden mirror will keep the cats away or
half empty glass bottles as the cat will look at their reflection and think it’s
a bigger cat. When I say half empty, I don’t mean chuck out your whisky
bottles, but the empty ones you may have, fill with water. Ask your local
bar/pub if they can spare any.
OK, you have been tuned into with nature and Fifi, hahaha, I
just love those little feathery friends and I dread to think of a day when there
will be non or at least fewer of certain kinds.
