Fly Home!

With disappearing habitats and climatic changes the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) both recommend the year-round feeding of garden birds to maintain a healthy and viable flock of native species.

Some species like the swift and swallow feed on-the-wing from airborne insects and will never visit your table or bird feeder, but to most others it represents a single source for fuelling their busy lives. They need energy to keep them warm through the long cold winter, during the busy nesting season and whilst raising their young families. Though winters may not be as long or severe now, the shift in seasonal patterns encourage many species to raise more than a single brood per year, and this prolonged breeding period only serves to heighten the need for a continuous food supply.

The feeding preferences of most popular native species fall into two basic categories, those that prefer softer foods and feed from the ground, like the Thrush, Blackbird, Robin and Wren, and most others who predominantly feed on seeds. All have their particular favourite foods just as we do, and when you select from the Walter Harrison’s Garden Friends range of premium quality mixes you have the choice of those which attract many different species or specially formulated preparations for the more discerning pallet.

The range also includes many attractive and tasty Energy Boost treats to supplement the basic diet and encourage even more visitors to your garden, plus a wide selection of quality feeders and accessories. In fact there’s everything you need to create your very own nature reserve in your back garden.

New products for the 2009 - 2010 season!

Walter Harrisons have extended their best selling range of Garden Friends die-cast feeders with the launch of a new range of unique and innovative designs.

Harrisons exhibits at the world’s largest birdwatching fair

The complete range of Walter Harrisons wild bird diets, treats & accessories featured prominently at the 2009 British Birdwatching Fair held at Rutland Water near Oakham.

Walter Harrison’s will be attending Birdfair 2009

Walter Harrison’s will be exibiting again this year at Birdfair 2009 on the 21st to 23rd August, venue Egleton Nature Reserve, Rutland Water, Oakham, Rutland. You can find us in Marquee 1, Stand no: 69 & 70, come along and see us for some great deals!

Garden Birds April / May 2009

This a great time in the garden for birds! Since early March, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and Robins have been singing early in the morning to proclaim their territories. Now all the other birds are joining in- from the “squeaky shopping trolley” of the Great Tit to the explosive bursts of the Wren and Dunnock. Early morning is filled with birdsong, the lighter it gets the earlier they start! All are looking very smart and bright in their breeding plumages - male Chaffinches in particular.
By now Robins, Blackbirds, Dunnocks and Song Thrushes will be well into their first broods and by the end of April will be fledging their first chicks.

Garden Birds February / March 2009

Gardens are really busy now with lots of birds visiting the feeders. Most of the natural food in the country side has now been eaten and the birds are really dependant on the food we provide. It is now a daily job to refill the feeders, sunflower hearts are the most popular as so many species of birds seem to like them! From Greenfinches to Collared Doves and Dunnocks to Blackbirds; all enjoy them. Niger seed is also very popular, being a particular favourite of the Goldfinches. This has also been the choice of food for a rarer visitor this winter, Lesser Redpoll. I have had 3 of these little finches for the first time ever, in my garden and expect them to stay now until March. They do breed in Scotland, but these birds are probably from Scandanavia as there has been an influx of them this Winter.