DERBYSHIRE: Look after birds during cold snap,

Remember to feed the birds during the cold snap

Remember to feed the birds during the cold snap

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust is asking people to remember to feed the birds during the cold weather.

The snowy conditions will drive birds out of the countryside as they search for food.

This may mean that some unusual species can be seen in gardens, including woodcock, snipe, yellowhammers and reed buntings.

Numbers of blackbirds coming into gardens will increase and other winter thrushes are more likely to visit, including redwings and fieldfares. Blackbirds and fieldfares eat apples, so putting out some of these to feed them is a big help, and you can also use other fruits such as pears.

Also, make sure food supplies and water are ice free and not covered in snow.

You can feed birds almost anything that isn’t salty, so avoid bacon and salted nuts as salt is very bad for birds.

Put out fat, cheese, old cake etc. You can put bread out but break it up into small bits and put it under a hedge if possible – this will prevent it being quickly taken by bigger birds such as gulls, magpies and other crows.

Most garden centres and pet shops stock a range of seeds, fat blocks and feeders.

However, if you don’t want to venture out, you can order a wide range of products from Vine House Farm, www.vinehousefarm.co.uk – they donate a percentage from each sale to the Wildlife Trusts.




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