Feed the Birds

Who are you looking at?

I absolutely love feeding the birds and do it every winter. Some people say you can feed them throughout the summer which will give them the extra energy to hunt for their young and others say they should fend for themselves. I don't know, but today I decided it was time to get out the peanuts and fat balls and remind them that there is always a place here for them to stuff their little feathery faces! My parents live in the country and while I was there today I put the food out and waited...

...It wasn't long before a robin with a nice round belly popped onto the fat ball. These hardy little fellows are very territorial and brave and he (or she) wasn't too bothered about my presence as I got closer to take a few photo's. I find that the birds usually feed around first light and about an hour or so before dusk and watching them never gets boring.
A few years ago I put up some little bird houses around the my parents garden among the trees (as they have several trees and I have one scrawny one). I don't think the birds have used them but they are there for them if they want and I don't charge rent. The one below only cost €2-3 and has lasted a few years. It also looks quite natural which I like but I haven't seen theses for quite a while.

The birds keep the slugs and snails down to a minimum and so get a free bed for the night if they want it and give me hours of pleasure just watching them enjoy the feast. Seeds, peanuts and fat balls should be available now at hardware stores or pet stores if you want to give a try. It may take a few weeks for the birds to come if you have never done it before but I'd be very surprised if you aren't glad you did it.


I hope to try and make some bird recipe's at home some time, I'll let you know how it goes.

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