I put my first fat balls out this week, to give the birds a bit more than their usual seed mix. It’s time to fill some feathered tummies.
As we head into October, our birds and wildlife need to start putting on a bit of extra weight to see them through the cold months. Many birds and animals will die during winter if they don’t eat enough in the autumn.
So, here are five ways you can help them right now.
BLUE TITS
Photo: Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)
They’re one of our favourite garden birds, but blue tit chicks have a poor survival rate... and then they have their first winter to face, too.
They don’t store fat, so they have to eat 30% of their own body weight every day during the colder months just to survive. Research has shown they lose 5% of their bodyweight just from keeping themselves warm during a long, winter night.
This time of year, they’re going to struggle to find the 300 insects a day they need to make up these calories - so garden feeding stations provide a much-needed lifeline. Can you be a blue tit hero?
What to feed them: Peanuts (in a peanut feeder) are their favourite. Sunflower hearts or seeds, and fat balls.
HEDGEHOGS
Photo: Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)
Hedgehogs have to be at least 600 grams by the end of November to survive hibernation – that’s about the size of a melon. So, make sure you feed up any local hedgehogs over the coming month to give them a fighting chance - and if you see undersized hedgehogs in late autumn, contact a rescue centre for advice as they're not likely to make it on their own.
What to feed them: Specialist hedgehog food, cat or dog food (non-fishy), leftover meat (finely chopped), mealworms. Chopped raw peanuts and hard cheese are OK in small amounts. Put fresh water out daily - more often if it freezes.
What NOT to feed them: Bread, milk, or salty foods (bacon, crisps, salted nuts, corned beef)
Why not provide them with somewhere cosy to hibernate, too?
BADGERS
Like hedgehogs, badgers are omnivores. The vast majority of their diet is earthworms, but these can be harder to find in winter. Badgers also need to store fat to see them through a winter underground, and periods of drought can make things even worse. You can supplement their winter diet if badgers visit your garden, and they’ll often respond quickly to handouts, turning up for more and telling their friends. I’ll never forget the thrill of watching a troop of badgers emerging from the shrubbery to frolic under the floodlights on a friend’s patio… absolutely magical.
What to feed: Whole peanuts, peanut-butter sandwiches, dry dog food.
GOLDFINCHES
Photo: Nigel Blake (rspb-images.com)
I love these gorgeous, bright, distinctive little birds but I never see goldfinches except in winter, when they start thronging to my garden in droves. They’re after seeds, and they love the thick patch of teasels we planted a few years ago. This time of year, the teasel-heads yield little seeds for which the fine, pointy goldfinch beak is perfectly adapted. Their scarlet faces catch our eye from the window and they’re a delight to watch.
What to feed: Nyjer seeds (requires specialised feeder) are a nutrient-packed finch food. Teasel plants will go down well, too!
BIGGER BIRDS
Great spotted woodpecker. Photo: Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)
We're not discriminatory in our bird feeding; we sustain plenty of blackbirds, rooks, jackdaws, magpies, woodpigeons, collared doves, squirrels and the occasional woodpecker. And we don’t want any of them to starve in the winter, either. My strategy involves casting some food around on the ground because that’s usually their first port of call; but they do sometimes head on up to the bird table and hanging feeders.
What to feed: Windfall apples (I have loads at the moment!), fat balls, suet blocks, mixed seeds, mealworms, porridge oats, cooked rice, grated cheese
What not to feed: white bread, cooking fat, vegetable oil, margarine, milk, dried rice or coconut, mouldy or stale food (it can kill small birds).
So it’s time to lay the table and let the winter banquet begin! Let’s all feed up our furred and feathered friends and give them a fighting chance to get through the winter, so we can enjoy watching them (and their new families) next year!