Bird Table News

I used to stop feeding the birds in Spring now I know that it’s best to feed them all year round.  In Spring our feathered friends have tiny beaks to feed.  Birds need all the help they can get when they are raising the next generation. 

I’ve been thinking of other ways to feed all the varieties of birds that come into my garden.  I put bird seed out every day and have often wondered about putting in plants that would attract birds.

I’ve found out Grasses such as fescues and bents provide seeds for sparrows and will feed birds through the winter which must be good as in winter when the days are short the amount of feeding time the bird has is a lot less than in the warm summer months. 

I know it’s a good idea to dig a small patch of lovely brown soil every few days and I may start doing this.  This brings to the surface pests that birds will eat.

I also thought of sending off  for live mealworms and birds, especially robins will have a feast and it will make their lives much easier and happier.  Just image if you did not know where your next meal was coming from.  Not a nice thought is it?

 I know anything from the thistle family is very good at attracting goldfinches.  

I may try and grow sunflowers as they can be sown indoors in pots, but if I do I’ll check first they are seed producing sun flowers.

I have may also get some ornamental grasses that produce seedheads (this must be cheaper than buying feed all the time)

So I’m going to be  spending my spare time learning about which plants are best to plant.

Tags: bents, fescues, plants, sunflower, thistle