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Little Green Space |
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Little Green Space |
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LITTLE GREEN SPACE Originally published in the Peak Advertiser on 16 October 2008
There
has been a distinct nip in the air recently, and it’s no longer possible
to just pop into the garden to see what’s going on without first donning
fleece and wellies. It’s an ideal time to start thinking about the
creatures in our gardens which may need a little extra help during the
colder months to come. Birds,
especially, rely heavily on gardeners to provide them with extra food
during the winter, and as the supply of autumn berries on plants like
hawthorn and bramble begin to dwindle, garden birdfeeders can become a
lifeline for our feathered friends. In return, garden birds will help
tackle the slug and snail population in your vegetable patch and flower
border. The
RSPBs annual Feed the Birds Day (www.rspb.org/feedthebirds/about.asp)
on the third weekend of October, is a great time to start thinking about
creating a haven for birds in your garden. If you
fancy having a go at feeding the birds this winter, try making this simple
birdcake: 250g
suet or lard 500g
dry ingredients: any mixture of seeds, nuts, oats, grated cheese, cake
scraps, dried fruit Melt
the suet or lard in a saucepan, add the dry ingredients and mix
thoroughly. Press into plastic containers – old yoghurt pots and
margarine tubs are ideal. Leave in a cool place overnight to set, then tip
out onto the birdtable. Not for human
consumption! In the
meantime, here are loads of ideas for attracting birds to your garden Penny
at Little Green Space A
New Hobby It
matters not how big, or small, your garden is, you can turn it into a
haven for birds. It can be cheap, easy, and could give you hour upon hour
of free entertainment. Feeding the birds will almost certainly lead you to
take a closer interest in them, with the result that you suddenly discover
you have acquired a new and exciting hobby. I
recently gave a talk about garden bird watching to the local Stroke Club,
about 30 members, many of whom were virtually housebound or confined to a
wheelchair as the result of a stroke. They showed tremendous interest and
I like to think that many went on to take up a new and absorbing pastime
that needs little physical effort. The
main things that will bring more wild birds into your garden are food,
water, shelter and nest sites. Even if you have only a tiny paved
backyard, hanging bird feeders (even one) will provide an attraction for
feathered visitors. Peanuts
are probably the first choice of feed but if you have room for more
feeders you could branch out into mixed seed, sunflower kernels, nyger
seeds (a must if you want to see goldfinches) fat balls, coconut halves
and mealworms. The bigger the choice, the more birds you’re likely to
see. Some
birds, like blackbirds and collared doves, prefer to feed off the ground
or at least from a biggish raised, flat platform. That’s where a
properly constructed bird table comes into its own. Keep it Fresh! Remember
to make sure the food placed out for the birds is fresh (you’ll find
that once the peanuts have turned black with successive rain-soaking and
drying out, few birds will touch them). Many
people put out food for the birds but tend to forget that they need water
too. If you or a close neighbour have a garden pond, that may suffice,
although it’s always preferable to have your own purpose-made bird
bath/drinking facility. Wild
birds will soon get to know that they can rely on a free drink at your
place and you’ll be surprised how the sightings increase. Plastic bird
baths are fine but stone ones, I think, enhance the look of the garden –
and won’t need pinning down to stop them blowing over. Make
sure that the water is kept clean and the bath scrubbed regularly to
remove the algae that can accumulate. Birds love a really splashy dip (a
collared dove can virtually empty the bath in a single session) but
they’re not too fussy about where they drop their droppings! Clean out
and replace the water regularly, and in really cold weather check that the
birdbath has not frozen over. Offer Protection Birds
will like your food offerings more if there’s some kind of protective
cover nearby, a thick hedge, tree or shrub where they can seek shelter
from predators. Believe me, even in my modest town garden, sparrow hawks
occasionally pay a visit to see what’s on the menu! If you have no such
cover, consider planting a nice bushy shrub, like berberis, which has
spiky thorns that deter both sparrow hawks and cats. Not
everyone will have room to put up a nesting box - but a single box placed
well out of reach, perhaps up near the eaves on a wall that doesn’t
directly face between south and west, may well attract a family of blue
tits, great tits, or, if you’re really lucky, house sparrows. Of course
a bigger garden might well be suitable for more nesting boxes on walls or
in trees. You
don’t have to hurry to do all this bird attracting! Just add the
different components when you have the time or the money. Meanwhile,
you can prepare to enjoy the fruits of your labour. Find a good viewing
spot at a window overlooking the garden (a conservatory provides an
excellent position), place a favourite armchair there, have a small table
nearby for your coffee cup and bird identification book, sit back and
enjoy! The
enjoyment will be very greatly enhanced if you also invest in a pair of
binoculars. They needn’t be expensive and Christmas is coming, so now is
a good time to make your requirements known to the family! For
more information on all aspects of bird watching, visit the website of the
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds at www.rspb.org.uk
Ken
Dykes at Little Green Space |
