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COMMENT: Birds need all the help they can get
THEY enhance all our lives, bringing light to the darkest day with their song. Many of them have been immortalised by writers and poets down the ages and just the idea of being without these delectable creatures must surely be unbearable.
Birds. We British love them yet it would be so easy to take them for granted. For as our story on page 7 indicates, a number of our best-loved garden species have experienced serious declines and some varieties - particularly the house sparrow - are causing concern.
The problem seems to have been last year's wet weather. Heavy rains washed away much of the food so desperately required by familiar species such as blue tits. Happily, some types of finches are thriving, which is perhaps some consolation.
We can do little about the weather. Nevertheless, there are measures that ordinary people can take to help the birds. You can put up breeding boxes, install feeding tables and ensure there is a supply of clean drinking water.
If you own a cat, place a bell on its collar so that unnecessary predation is avoided. Also, try to keep your garden as wildlife-friendly as possible by leaving an area where seed-bearing weed plants can flourish. And - if it's possible - avoid decking and let the soil breathe.
Basically, make space for birds. After all, the British are renowned for their compassion for other creatures and so there is no better time than now to give our feathered friends a helping hand in their time of trial.
7:49am Thursday 27th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: nigel, worc on 8:08am Thu 27 Mar 08
Most people call them bird tables in my trade we call them RAT tables.
One of the biggest causes of rats in domestic gardens is the bird table (followed by compost bins).
Customers tend to put out far to much food in one go which then ends up on the floor and is quickly found and eaten by the rats and mice.
If you are going to feed the birds put small ammounts out regularly rather then one large ammount at the start of the day.
Also make sure that it is cleared away by the end of the day as most rodents are nocturnal.
Place bird tables out in the open, rats do not like to expose themselves to danger and if you do get them, you will notice them quicker as they have to come out in to the open.
Most people call them bird tables in my trade we call them RAT tables.
One of the biggest causes of rats in domestic gardens is the bird table (followed by compost bins).
Customers tend to put out far to much food in one go which then ends up on the floor and is quickly found and eaten by the rats and mice.
If you are going to feed the birds put small ammounts out regularly rather then one large ammount at the start of the day.
Also make sure that it is cleared away by the end of the day as most rodents are nocturnal.
Place bird tables out in the open, rats do not like to expose themselves to danger and if you do get them, you will notice them quicker as they have to come out in to the open.
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