Give the birds a feed

We've had snow and sub-zero temps for 4 weeks now so toss some food out for the wild birds, . . the poor sods are really struggling here at the moment, . . I'm usually not in favour of these artificial survival methods but it's been hard for them this year.

Re: Give the birds a feed

I bought some wild bird food yesterday and put it down before the 8" of snow fell. They won't get that until the thaw sets in. So, I cleared the patio table off earlier and put it up the garden with some more food on it. A bit late in the day for them to feed maybe but now that's covered with another inch of snow. I'll try again tomorrow but I'm beginning to wonder if the neighbours are running better bird cafes than I am.

Maybe it's because the birds aren't wild enough. Most of them around here seem pretty laid-back.

Re: Give the birds a feed

I feed and water ours everyday, the fat balls are being eaten okay and usually the bread til today but as soon as i defrosted the bird bath with kettle water, put fresh water in and put the bread out the heavy snow came and froze and covered everything again cept for the fat balls.

Re: Give the birds a feed

As a keen birdwatcher I always feed the birds all year round. When I moved here eight years ago there was no garden just a bare patch fenced on three sides and no birds whatsoever. Now I have lots of shrubs and trees, three birdtables and numerous feeders hanging from the trees. In one day last winter I counted over twenty species of bird coming to the garden. Unfortunately though I never get any sparrows, not one. Today I have had goldfinches, blue tits, great tits, a grey wagtail, pigeons, collared doves, magpie, blackcap, dunnock, robins, blackbirds, thrush.

I have a pond with a small waterfall which the birds love to bathe in plus they always have a supply of drinking water. I love watching them.

Re: Give the birds a feed

I feed and water the birds daily too...

Re: Give the birds a feed

Yes I do too. And could I just stress how important it is to make sure there is always unfrozen water for them to drink and bathe in. It is just as important as food.

Re: Give the birds a feed

Birds fed and watered here as well.......as soon as I put food out they appear from nowhere......put enough out for all of them.......

Re: Give the birds a feed

We had a Fieldfair in the garden , have not seen one of those for a while.....and the Woodpecker is regular, he loves fat balls....

Re: Give the birds a feed

I too feed them year round. During our recent 16" snow when the patio was too deep in snow for me to get out my nice neighbor came over for the bag of birdseed and filled the feeder for me. I put out a suet cake Monday and it's almost gone now. Dolly - sparrows? All of the English sparrows have emigrated here, I think, they're about 90% of my diners!

Re: Give the birds a feed

I have seen more sparrows during my many visits to your great country than I ever do here in my part of England. At one time they were very common, but in the eight years I have lived in this house I have only seen the odd one or two and none for two years. I bought a sparrow roosting box which I had fitted to the house four years ago, but never have had any birds use it.

p.s. I brought my daughter to Washington for her 40th birthday - we loved it.