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.
Another regular visitor to the garden, are Blackcaps. They love fat feeders and can be found on them quite early in the morning. I have had both the grey and black- headed males and the pretty beige and rust brown- headed females. They also like fruit and compete with the Blackbirds over the apples I put out. These birds are wintering here from the continent and will leave around the end of March, to be replaced by our breeding birds returning from Africa.
If you have Chaffinches visiting your garden, keep a close lookout for their northern cousins, Bramblings. They are usually found together during these months, they always seem to favour black sunflower feeders but will readily feed on the ground underneath them.
As the days gradually start to lengthen and spring slowly starts to arrive, the amount of birdsong begins to increase. Already the Robin who has quietly been singing all winter is getting louder and is being joined by the Song Thrush; as March arrives the Blackbirds will join in. The behaviour of the birds will also alter, Blackbirds that have fed relatively peacefully together, through the winter, start to chase each other and the males will also fight as they try to establish a breeding territory.
February the 14th marks the start of nest box week-this is the time to put up new boxes. Bluetits and Great Tits will already be looking at boxes on warmer sunnier days, although they will not nest until April. However Robins will nest in open fronted boxes from March, if the weather is mild. Lynne Demaine
