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Bird Baths - by Claire Colchester
December 21, 2011
Following my previous blog, I thought I would take a look at what makes a successful bird bath and where is the best place to put them.
A successful bird bath needs to be sturdy and simple, but lightweight so that it is easier to clean and refill.
The bath should have shallow sides that slope gradually to allow access to the water.
For higher species diversity, buy a bath that has sloping sides and allows the water to be between 2.5cm and 10cm deep.
Caring For Injured Birds - by Clare Crossan
December 20, 2011
Last week I gave you some tips for helping the birds in your garden avoid injury.
I hope you found them useful but I know that despite our best efforts, you may still find the odd injured bird on your property.
This can be distressing, for both you and the poor bird but luckily there are a few things you can do to help.
First, try to ascertain whether the bird actually does need assistance. If it’s a very young bird and is still moving about, have a look around.
Avoiding Injury - by Clare Crossan
December 13, 2011
Between shiny patio doors and windows and pet cats roaming about, your garden can actually be quite a dangerous place for a wild bird.
We don’t want to stop feeding the birds though – apart from missing watching them pecking about, they need all the help they can get when the weather is so chilly.
So read on for some advice on how help your feathered visitors avoid these common perils.
How many of us have been startled by the thud of a bird hitting the living room window with full force?
Don't Forget the Water! - by Claire Colchester
December 12, 2011
We spend all our time worrying about feeding our garden birds that we forget that they need water.
This is something that I am guilty of. Providing water, especially during winter, is very important.
Over the last week, we have had very strong winds that blew the last leaves off our trees.
Make sure that your water baths are free of fallen leaves and are ready for winter.
A regular supply of clean water is essential in providing our birds with somewhere to drink and clean themselves.
Robins - by Clare Crossan
December 7, 2011
The tree is up, the snow is falling and I’m starting to feel quite festive!
So I thought Mr Robin Redbreast would be an appropriate topic to investigate this week.
You know it’s funny, but every time I see a robin in the summer time I feel a little surprised.
These beautiful little birds are so associated with winter and particularly Christmas that you could be forgiven for not realising that they are in fact found in the UK all year round!
Christmas cards, gift wrapping, tree decorations and even cake decorations all frequently feature this little bird.
Brambling - by Claire Colchester
December 5, 2011
Last winter I had an unexpected guest in my garden. It was the first time I had seen one of these little critters and I fell in love with it.
It came during the “big freeze” last winter searching for food as it hung out on our feeders for a few days.
The little bird that made my day was a female brambling (Fringilla montifringilla).
Brambling are a wintering member of the finch family that come to the UK from Scandinavia and Russia.
Chaffinches - by Clare Crossan
November 30, 2011
I’ll admit that I was never a huge bird fan when I was a child, despite my parents’ best attempts to convince me otherwise, yet there was one little bird who always managed to charm me any time I saw him pecking about the garden; the Chaffinch.
I can’t say why I found these little finches particularly worthy of my childhood interest, other than the fact that they are just plain gorgeous to look at. Shallow, I know!
Luckily, if you want to get a look at the Chaffinch for yourself, you should be able to attract them to your garden without too much difficulty.
Chaffinches are found all year round in the UK and in fact are probably the most common species of garden bird – don’t let this put you off though – they are also arguably the most colourful.
A Wildlife Friendly Garden - Claire Colchester
November 29, 2011
Creating a wildlife friendly garden can benefit not just birds, but mammals and insects as well.
Insects are very important to many species of garden birds, especially during the breeding season as larvae are fed to their chicks.
You can boost your garden bird population by growing plants that can help increase insect life in your garden.
If there is a larger insect population available, then more birds will be attracted to your garden to exploit the larger food resource.
Look for plants that have small, open flowers as these allow insects better access to the nectar that they eat.
Brand New Bird Food Collections
November 24, 2011
Bird-Food.co.uk has been working hard in the past couple of weeks to put together two brand new and unbelievably priced collections.
As part of a clearance sale we have assembled our Wild Bird Ultimate Clearance Collection – which is worth over £50, contains 14 products, but can be purchased as a set for just £19.99!
This really is the best value collection we have ever put together and you will not find better value on these products anywhere else.
The Wild Bird Ultimate Clearance Collection has a variety of foods and feeders, perfect for the winter months we are now in as our wildlife searches frantically for food and energy sources.
Wind Turbines - by Clare Crossan
November 22, 2011
Climate change. Unless you’ve just awoken from a twenty year nap, you’ll have heard all about it.
Of course, one of the most important things we can do in the battle against climate change is the development and implementation of renewable energy sources.
The government has stated that 20% of energy should be from a renewable source by 2020, while the Scottish government has pledged an ambitious 50%.
Ours is a windy little island so it’s no real surprise that wind farms are seen by many as a viable solution to the predicted energy crisis.
But what does this have to do with birds you may ask?
Bird Cakes - by Claire Colchester
November 21, 2011
As the nights close in and the weather gets colder, birds spend more and more time foraging for food with a higher energy content.
Any surplus is stored as fat during the day and burnt off at night to keep the birds warm.
If they do not store enough fat during the day then they will not survive the night. This is why it is important to always keep your feeders full because birds become reliant on them for food.
The smaller species, like goldcrest or wren, are most at risk because of their size. The slightest change in food availability could be fatal.
While sunflower seeds and peanuts on their own are energy-rich, there is one food that is far better at giving birds the much needed energy; fat.
Swarming Starlings - Clare Crossan
November 15, 2011
Come autumn, many starlings arrive in the UK to spend the winter months here.
It has to be said that in general they are not greatly loved – these gregarious birds can be rather noisy and compared to some of the more colourful species our little island is blessed with, they can look a bit plain.
So why am I bothering to dedicate a post to them you might ask?
From a distance they may look similar to the blackbird but if you get the chance to look a bit more closely, you’ll see that a starling’s plumage is actually a lustrous shimmer of purple and green hues – they are really quite beautiful.
Their true delight however lies in their ‘swarming’ or ‘murmuration’.
Bird Feeding Tips - Claire Colchester
November 14, 2011
Personally I prefer seed mixes to feed my birds. There is a wide variety to choose from, but good quality mix can cater for a wide variety of birds.
Most seed mixes can be dispensed in a normal feeder or scattered on a feeding table for ground-feeding birds. Make sure you check the maize and wheat content as some companies use these to bulk out the mixes and flaked maize can block feeders.
They do not encourage a wide variety of species as many species dislike these components, preferring other cereals like quinoa and millet that are included in higher quality mixes.
These mixes are nutritionally balanced to cater for a wide range of species including finches and tits.
Long Tailed Tit - by Clare Crossan
November 8, 2011
My mum has been fascinated by birds a lot longer than I have. She’s lucky enough to have a huge garden and she spends many hours tending it.
Not your neat lawn and well trimmed shrubbery for her though; her garden is a virtual wilderness of trees, berry bushes and beautiful flowers. The result is that she welcomes many different bird species, throughout the year.
Her absolute highlight, however, was a flock of long-tailed tits that visited one autumn several years ago and unfortunately have yet to return.
So what exactly was it that made this sighting stand out for her?
Winter Food for Birds - by Claire Colchester
November 7, 2011
Putting out food, especially in winter, it very important to our garden birds. During the cold winter months our garden birds will expend a lot of energy overnight keeping warm. The smaller the bird, the more important it is for them to replace the energy lost.
If they can’t replace that energy during the day then the next night they will perish. This is why it is important to not just feed your birds, but keep feeding them as one day without their regular food source could be fatal.
Different types of food can attract different species of birds. With a little knowledge, you can attract some different species to your garden.
Peanuts are a favourite of many of our garden birds from tits to finches. They are high in oils and proteins that are needed by birds. They are best supplied in a mesh feeder [http://www.bird-food.co.uk/s/cat-wba-wbpf/], which stops birds taking whole nuts and choking themselves.
Getting Ready For Winter - by Clare Crossan
November 3, 2011
Somehow winter is nearly upon us again and if we are to believe the forecasters’ predictions, we’re in for another cold one.
So stock the cupboards, dig out the thermals and get ready for the snow. But, let’s not forget our feathered friends.
There are a few things we can all do now to help our garden birds through the tough times ahead.
It has been said before but is always worth repeating; start putting food out now for the birds so that when the severe weather hits, they know where they can go when natural food sources are no longer accessible.
Redwings and Fieldfares - by Claire Colchester
November 2, 2011
As the nights begin to close in, a shrieking “tseep” can be heard coming from the inky night sky.
This call comes from migrating redwing (a member of the thrush family), which winter on our shores from Iceland, Finland and Russia.
Another thrush that comes to spend winter here is the fieldfare, which has travelled from Scandinavia.
Both these distinctive species provide a welcome alternative in your garden to the resident blackbird, which many people don’t realise, is a member of the thrush family.
If the conditions are right then both species can be tempted into your garden with very little effort.
Introducing Clare Crossan...
November 2, 2011
Bird-Food.co.uk are pleased to introduce the second of our new bloggers on our website this week, Clare Crossan.
Both of our new contributors will be supplying regular articles which are designed to entertain and inform all of our bird enthusiasts.
Below is a small profile that Clare wrote about herself so you can get to know her a bit better.
“I’m a professional copywriter, columnist and blogger – a profession I stumbled into after a few years spent in advertising.
Introducing Claire Colchester...
November 1, 2011
Hi, my name is Claire Colchester and I am going to be contributing to the Bird-Food.co.uk Blog in the future.
I grew up on a farm in Norfolk. We used to raise ducks for food and now we are just an arable farm. For about a decade I’ve kept ducks as pets. This is probably what sparked my interest in birds.
At college, I did a National Diploma in Animal Management where I realised that I wanted to work with wild animals rather than domesticated ones.
I went on to do a degree in Animal Behaviour at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, though I did a lot of modules in ecology.
During my degree, I went on a wide range of field trips that fuelled my love for birds and need to work with them as a career.
Protecting Birds on Bonfire Night
October 25, 2011
We have all been told of ways of protecting our cats and dogs on Bonfire Night, but what about our feathered friends who have no option but to be outside while they are surrounded by strange lights and loud noises.
While we can keep our pets tucked up inside in the warm away from the fireworks going off, it is vitally important that we take into consideration the potential dangers and harm we may cause to wild birds during the next couple of weeks.
One of the most common issues that occurs around this issue is from people building their bonfires too close to trees and nest boxes.
The issue here isn’t of fireworks actually harming birds physically, but is more to do with loud bangs happening close to where they are nesting that result in them having to move elsewhere.
Top 10 Bird Food and Accessories
October 13, 2011
The wide range of bird food and accessories available at Bird-Food.co.uk make it easy for our bird enthusiasts to get the products they need to ensure their gardens are full of wildlife.
From feeding stations to all the essential seeds and nuts, Bird-Food has everything that a bird feeder needs to build a welcoming environment.
So if you are thinking of encouraging wildlife into your garden then have a browse through the bird food and accessories here at Bird-Food.co.uk to see what is on offer.
Below we have compiled a list of our Top 10 Bird Food and Accessories, many of which are available at half price.
Feeding Wild Birds in Winter
October 6, 2011
With the long cold winter days approaching it is more important than ever to keep our feathered friends happy and healthy by supplying them with a nice selection of bird food.
It’s easy to forget how tough it is for birds to feed when temperatures fall below zero and there is snow and ice covering the ground.
The simple fact is that even a small layer of snow covering their usual food sources is enough of a problem for birds to struggle to get access to it.
Then there is the obvious problem of the ground being too hard so birds like thrushes can’t get through to where they often feed from.
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