Ray Colliers Country Dairy – Birds in the Garden

In the last two decades or more the revolution in making provisions for birds in gardens have taken many forms. Apart from feeding stations there are now a very wide range of nest boxes available and there are different designs for different species. In the larger sizes there are designs for tawny owls and kestrels. Open fronted nest boxes will be used by spotted flycatchers, robins and pied wagtails. Small nest boxes with holes in the side are used by great tits, blue tits and in some case even pied flycatchers. Then there are the trees and shrubs to plant that will give birds other aspects such as cover from predators such as cats and birds of prey. These also give shelter from rain and wind and are just as essential as other considerations.
The wide variety of food has been, perhaps, the major step forward and there is no doubt that this is now a major contribution to the conservation of many birds. The main break through over this was the realisation that garden birds need food all the year around and not only when the weather is poor in the winter. The range of food is now quite extraordinary with many commercial firms dividing it up into mixtures for even individual species. These include robin food, song thrush food, wren food, blackbird food and goldfinch food and the list keeps growing. There are various fat food, suet food with insects or currents and even mixed fruits. Seed is no longer the role of the humble peanut as there is now nyjer seed, sunflower seed, and black sunflower seed. The disappointing aspect are those commercial dealers whot cash in on this bonanza and charge extraordinary prices.
A key aspect of this “bird gardening” as it is often called is one that is often overlooked and that is the constant provision of water. This was particularly brought home in the severe weather before Christmas when frozen conditions were the norm for long periods. Water, apart from simply drinking, is needed for the maintenance of feathers whether this is for insulating against the cold or waterproofing with the rain. It is a common feature at this time of the year to see a bird with its feathers all “huffed up” and this is a sign it is trying to keep warm by creating a layer of air beneath its feathers to insulate it from the cold.

Containers for water come in a wide variety of styles from simple dustbin tops in the ground to elaborate, and expensive, ornamental bird baths. Provision of water in very cold weather is not as easy as it seems. Ironically the birds do not seem to bother over designs as long as there is a few inches of water with sloping margins to give various depths for different sized birds. You may have to keep the water open for a few times each day in very cold conditions. There are additives specially designed for this that contain plant extracts to prevent the water freezing. Do not use other addictives as they could poison the birds. The photograph of a jackdaw was taken on the side of the harbour in Nairn and the bird is drinking from a puddle at the side of the road. Note that the head is extended upwards to get the water down its throat. Most birds do this but there is one exception, a bird that is common in gardens in and around Inverness . The wood pigeon has the ability to suck up the water so it does not need to throw its head back.

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 at 5:44 pm and is filed under Wildlife in the North .

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