I have been spending far too much time recently in front of screens following world events.
When my internet crashed for a few hours I re-discovered a much-neglected treasure: there were five different breeds of birds all trying to get at the birdfeeder outside my window - sparrows, wagtails, blue tits, chaffinches, and a robin pecking up the left over. Fascinated to see how they vied for position and used their different shaped beaks, I lost track of time and settled into a gentle reverie. Ah yes, that is what relaxing is…I remember now! I love being a Hampshire garden designer based in Romsey but it is easy to forget how entertaining the local wildlife can be!
If you want to encourage birdlife and keep yourself busy and warm in the coming month, here are a few tasks to get stuck into:
• Keep your birdfeeder topped up but make sure the feed is not so large as to choke small and young birds.
Even in winter there can be dry spells so keep your birdbath topped up and an ice-free patch in your pond too.
• Disease can be a problem for avian wildlife: wash down feeders and birdbaths cleaning off all unwanted detritus every month.
• Offer a grain mix for birds as well as high-fat feeds as birds need a balanced diet - as we do!
• Don’t use cooked fats from meats or vegetables as this can damage the insulating properties of their feathers. Suet is ideal.
• Birds like to have a nearby perch to check out the feed area before swooping in, so place the feeder safely away from cats but near to branches.
• Bird food in plastic mesh can trap tiny feet: solid feeders are better. Keep these topped up to save the birds valuable time and energy looking for food.
• Songbirds love fruit but be careful where you place this as it will also attract furry visitors!
• Check tree ties and stakes. The cold winter winds can knock newly established plants all over the place. Give plants added protection if necessary.
• Tidy up any unruly plants, especially climbers, that may have been dislodged in high winds. Virginia creeper is best pruned now.
• Make the most of the lack of vegetation on most plants to get into shrubberies in order to remove brambles and self-seeded saplings.
• Brush and spread worm casts that appear on the lawn, spiking the lawn where drainage is poor.
• Cut back the foliage of Hellebores: this will allow the flowers to be better seen and appreciated in the coming months.
The days are getting longer, the nights shorter and the cooing pigeons outside my bedroom window are beginning to start up again: we must be entering a New Year.
Relax. Breathe. Think of the Bare Necessities!