Daily Archives: November 29, 2012

WET BIRD FOOD

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I have found it so difficult and frustrating feeding the birds in this wet weather.   

 

Inside the hanging bird feeders the seed gets wet at the  bottom of the feeding ports and is wasted, because it clogs together and forms firm clumps.   These clumps are no longer any good for birds to eat.

 

Seed that has been spoilt by rain is unhealthy for birds

 

This wet bird food clogs the feeder ports and is so difficult to clean.  It takes so much time to bring the feeders in on a dark evening and wash them, clean them and get them dry for the following day.Wet bird food is bad for birds  – and bad for us as well, because it means we have bought bird food just to watch it go mouldy, and then have to throw it away..

 

Even if Iput the hanging bird feeders in among the  branches the rain still hits the bird food and the money I put aside for buying bird food has been wasted.  But, more importanty there is no food the my garden birds

 

I saw a really complicated idea on a Bird Forum.  The idea was a way to keep bird food dry by using old tubs, but it was too time consuming and seemed complicated, so I haven’t tried it. 

 

Any ideas?

HELPING GARDEN BIRDS SURVIVE THE WINTER

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Birds will have a much better chance of surviving the winter if they don’t have to spend hours using energy searching for food – so lets feed our feathered friends!

If we get bird feeding into our minds it will be second nature to us!

A few top tips – Food and Water for our garden birds in winter.

  • UNFROZEN WATER is really essential for drinking and bathing.  Birds need to bathe in cold weather to keep their insulation in tip top condition.  A ball or a piece of wood in the water may help stop the water freezing over.
  • GRATED CHEESE on a lawn or under bushes helps many birds including wrens, dunnocks, robins, blackbirds and thrushes.
  • FRUIT – such as cut up apple helps thrushes.  Redwings will die if they cannot find fruit.
  • FAT AND SUET BARS give energy for every bird
  • SEEDS on the ground or on birdtables help many birds
  • KITCHEN SCRAPS –such as bread, stale cake, chopped bacon find will feed blackbirds, starlings and many more.
  • BIRD FOOD – any type of bought bird food will help.  There are many to choose from.

Cold weather in winter can be a killer for birds so lets FEED THE BIRDS

I’ve just bought some more  bird food.  I say it will last me a long time, but I know it won’t.

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I find it so difficult to feed the birds when the snow is falling or when it is raining, or when the wind is blowing!   It wastes such a lot of bird food.  I’m going to do something this year to make things easier – I don’t know what yet though.

Trisha