WHO’S WATCHING WHO?
BY SALLY EDWARDS
Christmas is far behind us, but one of our favourite symbols of the festive season, the Robin Redbreast, is for life, not just for Christmas. I love seeing him (or her) in my garden. He fills me with joy and makes me feel I must be doing something right in the garden. The robin is the bird I naturally talk to out loud.
I think I’m watching him, but really he’s watching me, as to him I’m the private chef who digs up the earthworms ready for him to swoop down and gobble up. That’s why robins aren’t as afraid as other birds, because this is how they prefer to feed, by foraging around large animals.
Fauna is vital for a garden so I’m working on creating other reasons for birds like the robin to visit. Here is my list so far.
Create a habitat. Think about why a bird would visit you. Have you got food, shelter and water? She’ll prefer natural food so be the kind of gardener who leaves something out – a pile of leaves or moss, compost or a log pile. Plant climbers, vines, evergreen trees, shrubs and trees that produce seed, fruit or berries. Birds love insects, so invite the bugs and they’ll bring the birds.
Nesting Boxes: I’m not a fan on just trawling for plastic bottles and making my garden look like a rubbish tip but I will try to upcycle where possible. Try using items you would see in the garden or in a lovely setting like a watering can, spare wood, a teapot, an old box. Ask around if you don’t have anything. Robins particularly like open nests, placed low in very secure, tight places. If you need to buy, I rather liked the Brushwood Robin Nest by Simon King online.
Familiarity breeds birds. They need to trust you’ll be there for them all year round. So don’t give up if your visitors don’t appear immediately, and provide a variety of food all year by supplementing your natural food sources with feeder table food like mealworms, nuts and suet. Remember you can create your own feeders too. Look at the old blue chandelier someone upcycled!
Avoid toxic chemicals. Your garden is a dinner plate for birds. You wouldn’t spray your dinner plate with poison would you? If you absolutely, 100% have to use chemicals do so in a carefully targeted way and repent by doing something really eco elsewhere!
Check the water. Keep it clean and defrost where possible, especially in the late winter.
Watch them, watching us. Join or create a ‘garden co-op’ group and invite your friends and neighbours to watch birds with you. Learn the habits of the different species and how they interact (I’m talking about the birds here, not your neighbours!). Sign up and commit to a bird watch programme – check RSPB for details (a major one is at the end of January).
I hope my list of goals helps you find more feathered friends like the robin. They entertain the cat and give us another reason just to sit and watch rather than get on with the mowing….. Only kidding, get nesting!