If you’re an avid bird feeder like me, then you must see lots of pigeons – they are the commonest of all garden birds with at least 2.5-million pairs in the UK. The wood pigeon originally lived in coastal regions and the countryside. In modern years, they have found their way into urban gardens; tempted … Read more
I don’t mind the magpie; I quite enjoy spotting them when about and about. I am not so fond of them in my garden, especially during the breeding season. It is the time of year when they are at their hungriest and aware that there are unattended eggs and nestlings in the locality. I wondered … Read more
Coal tits are regular visitors to my bird tables but, each trip is so fleeting it is sometimes difficult to tell what they are eating. If you’re a regular reader of mine, you know that my feeders are always well stocked with various treats. It seems as though the smallest member of the tit family … Read more
In some bird species, very little separates the male and female; in others, the birds look like polar opposites. The differences between male and female blackbirds beggar belief – only one of them is a black bird! The male of the species is the most instantly recognised as a blackbird due to his glossy black … Read more
The bullfinch is a beautiful bird with a striking reddish-pink breast. They are instantly recognisable, so I am very aware that I rarely see any in my garden, I can’t remember the last time I saw some at my feeders. One of the best ways to attract birds to your garden is by offering a … Read more
Have you ever wondered if magpies are attracted to shiny things? If you were to take a peek in their nests, would they be adorned with stolen jewellery and metallic objects? My interest is piqued, are magpies thieving scoundrels or, is it just myth. The results of scientific testing show that magpies are no more … Read more
There can be few better sounds than the melodic tunes of birdsong. Weeding my flower beds and sorting the shed are made much more pleasant tasks if I’m being serenaded by my garden bird friends. I’m not sure if birds sing ‘because they can’ or if there is an ulterior motive for their song. Why … Read more
Do your garden feeders seem to have less activity when the temperature drops and the nights draw in? Mine vary from day to day – sometimes I can’t keep the dishes topped up quick enough, while others I throw lots of uneaten treats away. I know that some birds migrate, but wondered are there any … Read more
Jays are shy birds that are happiest when hidden deep inside the woodland. They will make urban parkland their home, but only if it has plenty of matures growth in which they can cover. Jays are so timid that you might be forgiven for thinking that you had never spotted one. Like me, have you … Read more
Great tits are the largest of the tit family; and probably the cleverest. They are ground feeders; while their relatives the blue tits are swinging acrobatically from hanging feeders, the great tit hovers beneath to quickly hoover up all of the spillages with very little effort. Although great tits prefer an insect diet in the … Read more
