Now is the time to start thinking about looking after the wildlife in your garden and helping it through the long winter months.
What can we do
Firstly we can set up bird feeders. Bird feeders aren't that important through the summer months and its probably better to let the younger birds learn to forage for themselves before we start feeding them. But in winter when the ground is frozen and the food is scarce we can play our part.
Put out bird feeders with mixed seeds so we can help lots of different species. The small birds like blue tits and finches will eat the small seeds. The larger birds will eat things like sunflower seeds and the pigeons will eat the grains
Fat Balls
Fat Balls are a great source of nourishment for the birds and help to build the amount of calories birds need for the cold.
Nest boxes
Nest boxes are not used to breed in through the winter months but birds will still use them if the weather get really bad or we get a lot of snow
Lastly don't forget they need liquid water. So frozen ponds and frozen birdbaths don't help.. We need to check daily for a fresh liquid water source.
Do this for the birds this winter and they will surely rewards you with lots of visits. You may even see birds you have never seen before like these long tailed tits and of course the odd blue tit
