Preparing for Spring in a Wildlife Garden

There was a time, before I joined GOY, that I read the papers, watched television, ironed (no, that's not true). Now I find blogs much more interesting and what a fabulous one this is.
Wonderful photographs and what a brilliant des res for the sparrows.
Thank you for the Garden Birdwatch reminder.

Hi Ginellie.Thanks for your kind words.Agree dont watch much TV for info anymore,as find its much more interesting to exchange ideas and learn from each other on GoY.Are you taking part in the birdwatch ?

Great blog BB. Very informative.

Thanks soooooo much BB for all this valuable information. I didnt realise sparrows liked to nest together like this, how amazing. I think the apartments will be Let in no time. I need a robin nest as well and thanks for letting us know the correct height. Looking forward to taking part in the RSPB birdwatch next weekend. Great photos too BB, as ever.

Thanks Gilli.....
Hi Dawn...not sure if theyll be taken,but its got to be worth a try......those old spice boxes been kicking around for ages...knew would find a use for them one day !!

Yes BB I am going to take part in the birdwatch. I have a variety of visitors but I'm not certain I know the difference between a dunnock and a sparrow. The one that visits my garden scuttles about under the hazel mostly. I have a lot of goldfinches too and one day counted over 30 starlings on the lawn at one time - though only 6 managed to get in the birdbath together.

Where's the best place to put the sparrow boxes BB? Its fascinating how they nest together - not like the territorial robins then, lol. Wow Ginellie, sounds like you have lots of birds visiting, they're costing me a fortune in feed but they're worth every penny!

Oh Ginellie...if you get a close look at it the dunnock has a narrower beak than sparrow,and pinkish legs.We get both but hoping the house sparrows nest due to their declining numbers. You must have had a visiting flock of starlings...all trying to get into your birdbath lol !

Hi Dawn,you caould site your sparrow box/flats near the house...very sociable birds.Under eves or guttering would be perfect.Ours are right by the back door !!

Enjoyed your blog & photo's BB, my form came yesterday for the big garden birdwatch.

Interesting and informative blog, BB. If my landlord would allow me to put up nestboxes I would but fortunately around this farm there are lots of old buildings, barns, hedges lofts, roofs etc! So the birds find somewhere safe and secure. If only the farmer would not spray the fields there would be insects and bugs....

Forgot to say thanks for the information on siting the bird boxes. My single hole one is in the right place I think but the open one is way too high and not nearly secluded enough I now realise. I was worried about cats and squirrels so didn't put it in a hedge.
Last year the builders left an old pipe sticking out of the roof and two starlings moved in. Unfortunately the squirrels noticed and tried hard to do the same. Not sure if the fledglings survived.

Hope my sparrows don't see your advertisement or they will want to move! Great blog BB with lots of useful information and great pictures. I would like to put up more bird boxes but have to watch Chloe - in spite of her age she is all terrier and anything low is very vulnerable.

Thanks Clarice...believe you do the bird watch every year.
Pg...lots of natural nest sites then..as you say shame about spraying the crops.Feel a lot of the decline in once common birds has hsd a lot to do with this...and intensive farming.too.Do you feed to compensate ?
Ginellie...when first put ours up realised robins roosted low too...in thick ivy...heres hoping for this year !

Gee...see what you mean...do you have robins nesting in your garden? Dont think your sparrows will desert you.They know a good home when they find one !

Oh sorry Ginellie its the open fronted ones for robins and wrens that need to be lower down in thick hedging Your single hole one fot tits etc should be fine higher up !!

Yes BB I do feed, and lots of variety. Decline is also due to decline in natural habitat, fields being built on and hedges and trees removed, and barn conversions!

Makes you wonder where it will all end Pg : (

Very interesting and helpful, BB. I shall have to tell our new neighbours as they have obviously not read your blog!

It worries me, all so short sighted. Councils and farmers, both the same.

Do you mean new neighbours as in sparrows Spritz ?!!!

Pg,We going to start putting out insect over wintering boxes next year.Only a small thing but it might help...if only a bit.....

No - the people who own next door have finally sold their old house and have moved in permanently. They've been here for weekends and holidays but have now started to make lots of changes in the house and garden. A bird table and a bird box have appeared. I feel like telling them that they are IN THE WRONG PLACE! But I don't think they'd listen.

Goodness me Spritz.!Where is the bird box....on the floor ?!! And the table ???

Fab Blog&Pics Jane/Ray il show your design2Phil this coming wked & see what he can put2gether for me & Sparrows ? Think mine will go up to just under Guttering :) Phils so good with heights how lucky i am ? he can be making1 while i do the Hour Long Bird Watch & when iv done that we can Erect it "il Hold the Ladder" :)

great blog BB, loads of info there.
the spice drawers look like a fantastic idea

Hi Bonkers
Thanks for this great Blog. We want to attract more birds into our garden this year and also provide a nesting box.We have our feeding table but have not spotted any birds using it yet. Any more ideas would be greatly appreciated as we seem to have few garden birds here in Bristol apart from the seagulls from Bristol docks and pigeons.We love the Hilton-Ritz des res that you have created!

Great Jacque....fortunately our old property means can almost touch the bedrooms from the ground.ray sends apologies to Phil....creating more work lol.So he does the work you observe the birds ! Then hold the ladder lol.Sounds good to me LOL

Oh Irish...these spice racks followed us round for two years.....magpie Ray..saves everything...at last a sensible use for it !LOL

Hi Grenville the main advantage of our garden is its rural position and its somewhat unkempt appearance ! It hadnt been touched for years prior to us moving in and wildlife just loved it.

Town gardens can attract wildlife but what do you use on your bird table and what you hoping to attract ? Goldfinches will visit but niger seed is very messy they scatter it everywhere - sunflower hearts are a big draw , do you have any natural wood stumps in your stumpery ?

see its worth holding on to things, you never know when they will come in handy lol

Looks like Jacque's husband and mine are going to be very busy building these boxes BB, Ha ha. Regarding the insects and grubs etc. I've got a really good excuse for the overgrown, nettle and weed infested areas (natural, lol!) of my garden, I'll just tell people its for the wildlife - which is true!

Aye Irish my record is nigh on 20 years for an old wooden mantlepiece that now makes our pond seat !

Right Dawn most of my garden looks overgrown and I have to explain where the flower borders are ! These boxes bought from Ikea that sells this sort of thing very cheaply.

Thanks bonkers for your reply. I'm using a general wild bird food mix on our table at present , but sadly there are no visitors apart from the city pigeons that seem to be very prolific at the moment.We have had some Robins and a pair of chaffinches eating winter berries. Perhaps, first of all we should determine the types of birds that are living around this area before we proceed further. The stumpery partly consists of oak stumps but they are all planted with ferns and are very close to the house.Do you feel that I will need to contact the local council to see if there is anyone who can give advice or speak to the RSPB and ask for their help as well?
Thanks again for all your help, and we will let you know if we make any progress-it would be wonderful to increase the bird population here.
Best wishes,
Grenville.

O Grenville Make sure Alan takes lots of fab Pics when those Birds do come flocking in wont u :) with the Beauty of your garden&the Birds the Photos will be Outstanding :)xxx

If you d like to decrease pigeons Grenville although more expensive , the premium bird food uses much less corn and maize. In general bird food this used to bulk up seed and pigeons love it.

Think you should get blackbirds - they go mad for sultanas and apples , chaffinches will use tables but prefer to eat off ground.Dried mealworms are cheapest but require soaking in warm water to moisten , if you cant attract any birds on this diet I d be amazed .

Thanks for all this advice Bonkers .Will give this a try and will let you know how we progress.

LOL Dawn you have the right idea,and yes John and Phil ....get moving we wwant results LOL

At the back of their house, there is a tiny courtyard with a well in the centre. On top of the well head is a potted Phormium. They have hung the bird table from the arch over the wellhead, it is about 3 metres from the house wall (if that) with NO shrubs near, only pots and a small shed. The bird box is balanced on the well ledge. I suspect they are going to fix it to a wall which backs the courtyard - about two meters high.

Now tell me if they have got this right, BB!

Does not sound right at all Spritz.For a start if the table is suspended above a well presumably it will swing,and the birds will not like that,plus seed etc is going to be all over the place.Plus no shrubs means no shelter so will have nowhere to disappear to safely.Also regardinf bird box..height ok if they have a direct clear flight path which if as you describe it they wont have.Oh dear ! Sleeting here at moment.What a contrast to yesterday !

Another lovely blog from you Mr B :-) I have a couple of birdboxes, but none have ever been used. The robin prefers the shelf in the shed! My neighbour has a very popular bird table whcih is visited by LOADS of sparrows. Sadly, he is moving house soon - so I think I will have to install a birdtable to keep the sparrows fed....watch this space!

Wonderful blog BB,
It looks like the birds in your area will have many choices in living space. We have 3 nest boxes in the yard but only one has ever been used. The others always seem to have squirrels living in them : )
Good luck with the Sparrow apts, novel idea. Gourd birdhouses are popular in the US, mostly for insect eating Martins.

Hi BB. So I have to go to Ikea to get the boxes, thanks for that, I didnt realise they sold them. Are you going to make the insect (over wintering) houses yourself, what are they like? Just going back to my garden being "natural", someone came one day and said, "You stinging nettles look really well". I just said, Thanks, ha ha.

You have given me a lot of ideas Bonkersbon, I love the idea of the spice boxes, and you must let me know if they work, meanwhile, I'll buy 2 or 3 and place them together around the garden.
Gail x

In recent garden magazine it was suggested an old teapot hanging off a cup hook with the lid placed upside down on the base for them to perch on would make an ideal nest site.

Looked great on a L shaped wooden bracket.

Sparrow flats were quite expensive Daff so happy to give a try for £5 - sure something will find a use for them if not the birds.

Oh Sid,yes...lucky he has lots of sparrows.Theyll soon find their way next door to you ! Keep up the good work...shouldnt cost much to feed them,after all once they were common every where,and lived on scraps in towns particularly.
Wohlibuli....not seen a gourd feeder...sounds fascinating !

Hello Bonkers,
Must just add my 5ps worth to the chorus of approval, what an excellent blog. Lots of stuff on here we can refer to, espesh re careful positioning of homes. Never knew most of that : ))

Thanks Weeding....just love to share ,and think we all learn from each other here on GoY x

Just reading through other people's blogs and found yours BB....brilliant!

We are hoping to attract lots of wildlife as well. Already the garden is frequented by sparrows - house & tree - robins, coal tits, blue tits, great tits, blackbirds, crows - big bullies - wing-collared doves, magpies, chaffinches - not many though, woodpecker - only Ali has seen him - and of course, the 3 squirrels! Also, stumbled upon a frog last week by compost bin so pond due to go in soon.

Gonna read your other blogs now - great stuff!

Why thankyou very much for your kind comments Oddbillie.Have a love of wildlife like yourselves and they give us hours of entertainment ! Moved here 2 years ago and the first thing we did was install pond.Now looks like beeen there forever ! Good luck with yours !

Thanks BB. It's going in to a boggy, part shade area behind GH - any advice or tips?

Well....try to get as much light as you can in,and make the pond as big as you can.The boggy area could also be a bog garden adjoining the pond,with shade loving plants like hostas around.The frogs will love the big shady leaves !

Interesting and great advice BB. Thanks very much, will keep you posted....