Birds are such an important part of any garden not only are they great to watch but they are one of the best forms of pest control we could ever wish for. This time of year their natural food sources are starting to dwindle and harsher weather conditions are making life a lot more challenging for our feathered friends. This is where we can help in three major areas; food, shelter and water,

Food.

Different birds have different preferences so what you offer will determine which birds you are attracting. 

Robins naturally eat insects and worms so will love anything high protein such as Peckish meal worms, Peckish Robin insect mix or energy balls. Left over fat scraps (unsalted) can also be left out for them.

Finches (Bullfinch, Goldfinch etc) go for small seeds like thistle seeds. Peckish Nyjer seed or Peckish Sunflower hearts are suitable. 

Blackbirds and Tits love fruit and nuts. Buckton peanuts are ideal but they will also have a go at the sunflower seeds. If you have any left over fruit peels or raisins they can be left out for them. You can throw a few on the ground for the blackbirds and thrushes as they are naturally ground feeders and will be happier foraging there.

When leaving out scraps try to avoid anything salty, mouldy, or very high in milk (small amounts of hard cheese are okay but most birds are actually lactose intolerant!) 

Bird feeders are often purpose made with the food type in mind. So peanut feeders usually have a square mesh such as Gardman Flip Top Peanut Feeder. Suet feeders are larger wired such as Gardman Flip Top Snax Feeder. Seed feeders will be solid plastic with holes for access such as Peckish All Weather Large seed feeder. 

It's very important to make sure your feeders are cleaned regularly. Any mould or gone off food left can be a breeding ground for disease.

During the winter months birds can have a voracious appetite so it's not unheard of to have to refill feeders twice a day. 

Shelter.

Giving birds plenty of places to hide from the elements will also entice them to your garden. 

Having healthy hedges and shrubs are a great natural way. 

If you create a log pile in your garden this will attract smaller wrens and robins who will also feast on the insects living there. 

You can buy bird boxes such as the Gardman Multi-Nest box and place them in the higher areas. 

Always be careful when placing bird boxes that they are out of the way of any potential predators such as cats.

Water.

Access to fresh clean water is critical for all birds, they don't just need it for hydration but also preening and getting rid of ticks/mites and fleas and keeping their feathers in good condition.

Placing a couple of bird baths around your garden will be much appreciated by them.

Make sure on frosty mornings that your bath hasn't frosted over, a clever way to stop this happening is to get a small ball and float it in the bath, a ping pong or table tennis ball is ideal, the constant moving of the ball prevents ice from setting. 

Hopefully with these tips you will have lots of different species of birds visiting your garden which can be great entertainment to identify, you can pick up a bird identification book and see how many species you can spot. Should you see one that you can't identify take a photo and send it to Birdwatch Ireland who will help you find out what it is.

Happy Birdwatching! 

Sophie x

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