BIRDS
2009 nestbox camera pictures click here
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 Wren(left)or Dunnock(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 our garden.Their antics keep me amused for
hours,and hopefully they`ll nest in one of the many boxes we 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. |
| 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.
| 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 we go away on holiday |
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There are many occasional visitors to our garden,such as this wagtail(right)and more common residents,like this beautiful robin(left).
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| Choosing the plants and trees carefully can have enormous benefits.This Alder tree that we planted just a few years ago has both catkins and cones to attract the birds. |
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We get flocks of finches every day during autumn,winter and spring,like siskins and this goldfinch that has come to eat the seeds that the tree offers in abundance. |
Images.Top row,left to right:1 Greenfinch eating Alder seeds.2 Long Tiled Tit.3.Starling.4.Siskin.
Bottom row.1.Great Tit and Chaffinch.2.Siskin and Golfinch.3.Red Kite being mobbed by Crow.4.Black Headed Gulls in winter plumage.
Birds recorded in/over our wildlife garden
Dunnock , House Sparrow ,Starling , Blackbird , Robin
Nuthatch,
Wren,
Wood pigeon,
Collared dove,
Mistle thrush
Song thrush,
Pied wagtail,
Yellow wagtail,
Swallow,
Swift
House martin,
Blue tit,
Great tit,
Long tailed tit,
Coal tit
Greenfinch,
Goldfinch,
Chaffinch,
Siskin,
Magpie
Rook,
Crow,
Jackdaw,
Jay,
Sparrowhawk
Kestrel,
Kingfisher,
Blackcap,
Herring gull,
Black headed gull
