We are feeding our garden birds everyday now. They like sunflowers seeds and peanuts in particular and we also hang out fat balls and apples for them. Some of the bigger birds such as Crows and Wood Pigeons also visit our birdtables now that food is scarce in the fields, hedgerows and trees and a pair of pheasants like to see what’s fallen to the ground for them.
Smaller birds scatter when the big birds arrive but they don’t stay long and we replenish the food whenever necessary so there’s always something for the little ones to eat. The weather is set to become much colder here so I’ve made a point of topping up the food a couple of times today already. If the birds are well fed they’ll stand a much better chance of surviving in the icy temperatures and biting wind set to arrive tomorrow.
You may have heard that there’s an outbreak of Avian Flu at a Pheasant Farm in Lancashire… it’s not far from here. I’m hoping that our wild ducks and swans and all our tiny garden birds stay safe and healthy. We’ll do our bit with fresh food and water every day.
I’ve just got time for one last trip around the garden to tidy away anything that’s likely to blow around when the wind arrives… there’s a few pots to be moved into more sheltered positions for starters.
It’s the BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH starting the day after tomorrow. Saturday 28th to Monday 30th January 2017. Can you spare one hour to join in and help by counting your garden birds?
You may be surprised to see just how many birds visit your garden if you put some food out for them.
Happy Gardening and Birdwatching! Gillian 🙂
One of my favourite reports from home is my Mom’s bird watch reports from her yard in northern Canada. It seems you have a similar part-time job! With your beautiful garden, it’s not surprising you have so many visitors. Seeing pheasants stroll through my property would be such an amazing experience!
I would help out with the bird count, but I’m not sure my numbers from New Zealand would be much help!
Here’s hoping your feathered friends aren’t hit by that flu outbreak. Happy bird watching!
It’s lovely to have wild birds around and I can see how you’d appreciate your Mom’s updates Leah. All we can do is keep things clean and hope all the other birds stay well.
Sweet little robin photos, Gillian. I hope the outbreak is contained – so sad to think of birds falling ill.
Thanks Eliza. They are culling 10,000 Pheasants and there’s a three mile exclusion zone to keep people out and other bird flocks indoors. Obviously they can’t control the movements of wild birds which may have brought the disease in.
🙁
Well hopefully it is going to get warmer over the weekend, but you definitely see more birds at the feeders and birdbaths if it is icy, of necessity I suppose. Good luck with your count. We will be doing it too. The avian flu outbreak is a worry. Finger-crossed that it doesn’t get too much hold.
We’ll try to pick an hour when the birds aren’t snoozing after their breakfast this year. We picked exactly the wrong time last year and had to do it again later!
Gillian I hope bird flu will stop and disappear. It is very painful to know how many birds they sacrifice, even healthy birds. I hope he does not get to his area, and his garden birds can be safe. Greetings from Margarita.
Thanks Margarita. We hope they all stay safe and healthy too.
The birds in our garden especially like peanutbutter! They empty the pot so fast!