If you are interested in bird feeding and would like to provide a haven for garden birds read on for some month by month essential tips. January Provide unfrozen water daily for the birds to drink and bathe in. Make sure you provide plenty of food off the ground such as fatty peanut cakes and high energy garden bird food. The breeding season is about to start to do provide nest boxes if you have the opportunity in your garden. Look out for Mistle Thrush and Redwings during cold spells. February Keep feeding the same nutritious food and unfrozen water that you did in January. Top up the supplies regularly and keep on top of hygiene in the feeding stations. Chances are, you’ll have plenty more birds visiting in the winter months and it’s important to keep feeding areas clean. Also, check your nest boxes if you haven’t already done so to make sure they are easily accessible for the birds as they begin to prepare their nests. Be prepared for sharp weather changes as February can be unpredictable. March As spring time approaches bird song will intensify as the male birds compete for the females. Don’t reduce the amount of garden bird food you provide as the birds will still be struggling to find food naturally and need more energy during the breeding season. It’s the last chance to clean out that nest box or provide a new one in time for the nesting season, and ensure that it’s protected from predators. April Keep your feeders topped up as the weather is still unpredictable and can serve both warm spring temperatures and snow and sleet. Consider feeding the birds live foods as some birds don’t eat seeds and can really benefit from these. To help the birds build their nests you can put out pet hair or wool from sheep so they can line their nests with it. May A high activity month with plenty of bird song as the breeding season reaches its peak and eggs are hatched. By the end of the month many baby birds will have already learned to fly and left the nest, and demand high protein food from their parents. You can help them by feeding live foods and keeping the nutritious seeds topped up. June The young birds are coming into their own and there will still be high activity in the garden as they learn to fly and become independent. Keep your garden protected from predators such as cats by fitting them with a bell to warn off birds of ensure they will be deterred from entering your garden with special deterring products such as sprays. Bear in mind that some eggs are yet to hatch, for example House Martin eggs. July Keep providing water as it will evaporate in hot weather. You should also keep providing food as normal and ensure you stay on top of the cleaning of feeding areas. Most of the young would have left the nest and activity levels may start to die down in your garden. Keep an eye out for baby birds such as Robins and tits and note if they look different to their parents, or if they are just smaller copies. August August is much the same as July, however, some species are leaving for their natural habitats in woods and fields while the summer migrates start preparing to return. The last broods of young are expected this month so it’s important to keep your food supply high on protein for the little ones. Even if you have less visitors this month, don’t stop leaving food out for the birds as they might not come back come winter. September The nesting season is over for most bird species and many of the visiting birds will return south for the winter. With natural food supplies being widely available you will probably see a decrease in garden visitors, but like August, don’t stop putting out food. October Another quiet month in the garden as natural food is plentiful. Take advantage of the calm and have a clean out of your feeding stations and nest boxes in preparation for next month. Stock up on highly nutritious garden bird food and fatty bird food such as peanut cakes. November As the weather starts turning colder more and more birds will find their way to your garden as the natural food resources become scarce. Winter migrants start to arrive and by the end of the month you should have seen a significant increase in garden visitors. Be sure to provide unfrozen water regularly in case of freezing conditions. December By December your garden will be busier with more birds seeking food and water. You might need to increase the amount of food you put out to make sure there is enough for everyone. Also, vary the types of food you offer to accommodate the different eating habits of the birds. You can start thinking about where to put up the nest box next year or even take in down for a clean in preparation for the breeding season starting in the early part of next year. Follow these basic tips and you can enjoy bird song and bird watching all year round while helping our feathered friends. Tina Smith is a keen bird watcher and loves providing food and water for birds throughout the year. She can recommend the high quality selection of garden bird food from Peckish all year round. Read more »

There is an excitement in the hustle and bustle of city life that is enjoyable, but it is important to take a break from time to time and enjoy a different pace of life for a while. For many, nature is the perfect place to find a respite from the typical hum drum everyday routine. There is something refreshing about it that appeals to most people and helps invigorate their enthusiasm for simple things like sunshine and hot chocolate. However, if you’re used to the amenities of city life, outdoor camping may not be the best option. Many people thrive being in close contact with nature, building fires and sleeping on the ground. They seem to have this inherent ability to read the moods of the weather and some even possess this natural bug repellant that keeps mosquitoes and other pests away. For them, the pure outdoor experience is like heaven on earth and they thrive with the wholesomeness of dirt and pine needles. For city dwellers, the pure camping experience can be quite overwhelming. If you don’t possess the skills that many natural campers do, the idea of building a fire might work with a few tries, but there is a high probability that the smoke will be following you all evening and cause your eyes to start tearing up. The insects might find you appealing even with an entire can of bug spray on your skin and in the surrounding air like the cloud around pig pen from the Peanuts cartoon. Then there is a high probability that even after scouring the ground under your sleeping bag, there will be a large rock that you are acutely aware of all night long, but won’t be able to find until morning. For the inexperienced and those who lack the camping charm, this is the kind of experience that sticks in the memory for decades. For those city dwellers who want to experience nature, yet lack the needed experience, going to a cabin for the weekend may be a much better transition before attempting pure outdoor camping. If you can, choose a cabin with log furniture like a log bed or rustic table as part of itscabin decor. Believe it or not, the cabin furniture can have a huge impact on the overall atmosphere during your trip and being around rustic furniture makes the whole natural element stand out even though you are enjoying the amenities of running water and a comfortable log bed. If you are fortunate, there may even be log furniture that provides entertainment as well. Having a pool table or other game table available can be the perfect setting for an evening with good company and warm hot chocolate. If you decide to go in the winter, the days are considerably shorter and having fun pastime activities can make the longer night much more enjoyable before the morning sunrise. Seeing the sunrise on almost a daily basis is a must for those who have not been camping before. Technically, people are used to seeing it on a daily basis, but it takes on a whole other element when you are in nature and surrounded by cabin d?cor. It enlivens and almost has a type of transcendent effect on people. After all, nature is where Walt Whitman wrote his famous collection of poems called Leaves of Grass. If you haven’t experienced it before, it is well worth the effort to wake up early and watch the sun rise. One word of warning, if you have never been camping before and choose a seasonal cabin that is only available certain times of the year, don’t be surprised if you see a few mice. They love to make uninhabited cabins their home for a time. Especially if you’re one of the first for the season, they may still be hanging around a little. If you’re from a city like New York, a few mice are like a drop in the bucket. Just don’t let that small detail deter you or distract you from the wonderful ambiance that nature and rustic furniture can provide during your vacation from the normal hustle and bustle. Read more »