February is National Bird Feeding Month
We all have one of these at least in our garden.
Well, February has finally arrived and the first signs of spring are starting to appear in the garden and in the form of birds returning. As the month progresses more and more signs will appear.
Our colourful friends that give us such pleasure will return to mate, lay their eggs, and begin preparing for the long journey south again at the end of summer.
They do sometimes come back a bit early and have just finished a very long journey so you need to be prepared to give them some good food so they can recover from their long trip .
The National Bird Feeding Month came about in 1994 by a man called John Porter who cared about the welfare of birds. As he said Nothing says spring like the singing voices of our favourite birds.
Any of these sorts of feeders are ideal and can all be bought separately. These feeding stations are ok. We have one out the front but some birds may not like the place it is put. Our birds feed out the back and the front and up and down the garden. Do not buy a feeder with a roof though as the birds can’t see any predator that may be lurking
As we don't know how the weather will progress in February, we need to make sure to fill the feeders regularly and give them what other food we can. There are all sorts of feeders you can buy, but believe me, the bog-standard ones are as good as any. People pay silly money for feeders, not sure why, the bird’s don’t know the difference.
These trays are ideal for Robins as they have difficulty in landing on other feeders.
Mealworm
Kibble
Feeders are available for these as well
We have loads of feeders, trays, fat ball feeders, etc. etc. all round the garden, front and back even have some hanging on electric cables overhead to the shed. Safe from cats as well and rats can't get to them.
Taff is the one that fills the feeders 3 or 4 times a day. We use peanuts, seed, sunflower hearts and sunflower seed, fats balls, suet pellets, mealworms and peanut kibble generally. He has two mixes, and the first goes on the ground inside the garden and out, for the peasants, magpies, crows etc. Albeit the magpies and crows do tend to come into the garden. The first that goes on the ground in large quantities consists of suet pellets, sunflower seed and sunflower hearts, and is eaten up very quickly so has to be topped up regularly. The second mix which goes in feeders and trays is seeds, mealworms, suet pellets and peanut kibble and the birds love it. We don't give bread as it is of no nutritional value whatsoever ever, a bit like us eating chewing gum. We also have a birdbath which gets filled at least twice a day! And a tall bird feed with feeders and trays on it.
Suet Pellets
Long tail Tits
Starling. A beautiful but messy bird
We have a reasonable variety of birds coming to the garden: blackbirds, woodpeckers, Blue tits, Long Tail tits, and sparrows by the hundreds, closely followed by Starlings. Just to name a few. Not forgetting the Pheasants and the French Partridge.
Great Spotted Woodpecker. We have at least 2 that visit
Common Blackbird, lovely to watch moving through the shrubs
Magpie. Love to see these out on the track and have quite a few and they often sit on the shed roof as well
So as you are starting to think about getting your garden straight and digging it over for spring and summer planting, please spare a thought to the birds who will bring life to your garden and great pleasure to you when you watch them.
The best way to buy bird food and often the cheapest is on line in bulk and get it delivered. The only thing we don't buy on line is seed and suet pellets cos nobody can compete with what we pay for it.
Please remember that a lot of what we call common birds are now in decline, so please do your bit and feed them, they will repay you a 100%
All are welcome.
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