Bird Table News

If you are just starting out bird feeding this information may help you as there are a wide selection of bird seed mixes available to chose from.

Look for mixes with

flaked maize, sunflower seeds and peanut granuals.  (Blackbirds love flaked maize)

Mixes that have whole nuts are only suitable for feeding in winter as the large nuts can harm a young fledgling bird.

Peanuts
Peanuts are rich in fat and enjoyed by all the tit family, greenfinches, house sparrows, nuthatches, great spotted woodpeckers and siskins.  It is best to feed these whole peanuts inside a peanut feeder.

Crushed Peanuts attract robins, dunnocks and even wrens and can safely be put on a bird table.  Crushed peanuts are a favourite on my birdtable  and I know they give an extra energy boost to the garden birds.  For this reason they are a good all round bird food. 

Millet
Sparrows, finches and collared doves love millet.  Sparrows can turn the millet to energy very quickly.

Nyger seeds
Nyger Seeds are small and black.  They have a large oil content and are a favourite with goldfinches and siskins. 

Avoid
Avoid seed mixes that split pea beans, dried rice or lentils.  Only the larger birds can eat these, so it’s not worth buying them.

Whatever you do have fun and enjoy bringing birds to your garden.

One of  the most important parts of bird feeding is taking the time to sit and watch them.  In summer sitting in the garden and seeing and hearing them among the hedge is a lovely way to relax.  In winter looking through the window at a  strategically placed bird feeder is a good way to see what type of birds are visiting.

Enjoy bringing birds to your garden.

Tags: blackbirds, peanuts, sit-and-watch, summer, winter