As Christmas fast approaches for us all, please don’t forget the birds outside still need your help to survive the long winter. Although it is not too cold at present, the absence of insects and grubs means they are very reliant on us to put out seed, fatballs, and mealworms to help them through until Spring.

If the fatballs you buy have nylon nets on them, please remove and destroy the nets, as each year many birds literally hang themselves or suffer terrible injuries from getting caught up in the netting.

If feeding where seeds can fall to the floor, please place a tray underneath to stop the seeds remaining uneaten and going mouldy. Finally, please ensure there is fresh water available daily (more often if below freezing), and disinfect the water bowls each week. These precautions are to help prevent the transmission of instances such as canker caused by mouldy seeds or unclean water. If a feeder becomes mouldy, then it too should be thoroughly cleaned and perhaps refilled with a seed more readily taken.

If anyone has any spare mealworms (dead or alive!) please let us know as our stocks are running low. Thank you.

Many thanks to you all for caring about the wild birds around us.

Nigel