A GUIDE TO FEEDING WILD BIRDS
· Location
Find a suitable place for your feeding
station. Ensure clear visibility and flight paths for the birds - and
a good view for yourself if you can!
· Water
Try to provide water for both drinking
and bathing. Keep it fresh and ice-free in winter.
· Variety
The more variety you can offer, the
better it is for your garden birds. Try a good combination of table foodstuffs
(seeds, fruit, kitchen scraps, feeder foods), nuts (in mesh containers
only) and seeds. There are specially formulated feeder seeds suited only
to the birds that will use a polycarbon feeder.
· Hygiene
Keep your table clean. Ensure feeders
have good drainage. Damp seed will quickly go mouldy and be a threat to
the health of your garden birds. Watch the condition of your foodstuffs
and store them somewhere cool and dry.
· Aflatoxins
These are tasteless, odourless and
colourless toxins produced by the Aspergillus flavus fungus, developing
on peanuts in conditions of high temperature and humidity. Toxins are
absorbed directly into the body fat and, because birds do not carry much
fat, they are particularly susceptible. Large numbers of garden birds
are believed to be dying as a result. Wherever you choose to buy your
peanuts, please ensure that the source they come from is reliably free
of aflatoxin. This involves a guarantee that the nuts are tested in
the UK to be aflatoxin free. Trust supplies are all thoroughly tested
and certified.
· Keep regular
Birds will soon get used to visiting
your feeders - wasting a lot of energy if they are empty! All-year-round
feeding is now approved - but follow the above guidelines. Variety is
particularly important at fledging time - site your feeders near to sources
of natural foodstuffs such as insect-rich plants and shrubs.
Sally Pyner
During January, February and March,
sales of Trust bird food will be taking place at the Market Garden, Bread
Street, Penzance. We can also give you details for mail order of bird
food.
ANYONE FOR WILDLIFE GARDENING?
Chris Baines, one of The Wildlife Trusts'
national Vice-presidents, has brought out a revised and updated version
of his classic book How to Make a Wildlife Garden. It's available in book
shops at £14.99 in paperback (ISBN 0 7112 1711 4).
There's such a lot of interest in the
subject now that perhaps the Trust should have a Wildlife Gardening Group
so that people can share their knowledge and perhaps work together on
projects. Would anyone be interested in starting it?
Mark Nicholson
BEFRIEND THE BEETLES
We have been asked by the People's
Trust for Endangered Species to advertise its survey for the stag beetle
- Britain's largest insect. Although we don't believe it will be found
in Cornwall, we are happy to send out the information (ask us for a leaflet)
and to support the campaign for beetle-friendly gardening. The PTES leaflet
gives various tips on this, including how to make the perfect log pile
for beetles: place it in partial shade; use the thickest logs possible;
use native wood, with bark attached; place the logs vertically
in a pyramid shape (see diagram) with their ends buried 18-20 inches into
the soil.
Mark Nicholson
CLOSING THE LOOP
We all know that recycling is good
for the environment. Reusing materials and containers, and taking whatever
can be recycled to collection points, is one of the basic actions we should
all be taking to help nature. Our friends at Rag & Bone 2000, who
will be helping us with some more beach cleans this year, remind us that
we should also buy recycled products. Only by doing so can we "close
the loop", ensuring that the materials collected do actually become recycled
into new products and that demand for recycled materials is stimulated.
For details of Rag & Bone 2000 and its door-to-door recycling service
call (01326) 311811.
Mark Nicholson
Try out this design of log pile (from
the People's Trust for Endangered Species) to make beetles feel at home
in your garden.
Chaffinch at bird table. Follow our feeding
guide to make sure your kindness doesn't kill. Photo: David Chapman