View From The Shed by Volunteer Shaun - THE GIFT OF GIVING

THE GIFT OF GIVING

What do you want for Christmas? I hope you get it, especially if it’s something that will benefit others like world peace or an end to famine. I suspect though that most of us have asked Santa for something more tangible like a puppy, a pair of slippers, a Playstation or a new pair of 17” Continental Extreme Contact DWS06 Plus rear tyres for a 2019 Hyundai Kona… or is that just me?

We buy gifts for our loved ones at this time of year. It’s a natural way of showing our affection and it keeps the economy ticking over nicely. Some of us even buy gifts for our pets although the jury’s out on whether or not Rover or Tiddles really appreciate the ‘hilarious’ Elf costume that you’re going to struggle to get them into for that one special Christmas morning Instagram post. 

But birds? Birds want nothing special for Christmas. At least they don’t ask for anything that they don’t require every other day of the year. Why should they want anything from us? Nature would provide all that they need if we left their homes and foodstuffs alone. They don’t want gifts. They don’t want trimmings for their nests and tinsel for their trees. And they certainly can’t be doing with unwrapping presents sealed with bows and tape. The lack of opposable thumbs is a bit of a hindrance in that respect. All that we can really give them is food. But what kind?

Some of us seem to have forgotten how to feed the birds in our gardens. These days we just go to the shops and buy large expensive bags of seed and suet, but we don’t really need to (although the RSPB Old Moor shop usually has some great deals on these). We can easily supply plenty of food for our friendly Robins, Blue Tits and the like from the preparation and leftovers of our own meals. It’s good for nature and cuts down on our household waste too. I’m sure that most of you already know what you can and can’t put out for our garden birds but we can all use educational refresher courses, always. Firstly, NEVER give the birds anything salty. It will seriously dehydrate them. So no crisps, be careful with nuts and other treats. However there are plenty of foods from your own table that they'll willingly share...

• Bread - crumble it up. Little birds like little chunks of food and having to break off their own beak-sized chunk from a huge loaf expends precious energy.
• Cheese - grate it. Same reason as above. Don’t use soft cheese though. The crumblier the better as far as birds are concerned.
• Pastry - birds will love the offcuts of your mince pie cases. Put out the raw pastry trimmings but make sure that it isn’t too sweet or salty.
• Apple, pears or plums - either dissect them or leave them whole on your bird table. Many birds will have a go at most other soft fruits too. Experiment with what your particular flock likes but just put out a little at a time and never leave it to go rotten.
• Raw peas or sweetcorn are fine. Garden birds will have trouble digesting most other vegetables though so you don’t need to bother with sprouts.
• Bacon rind - trimming the fat from bacon before cooking is good for us humans, and that’s exactly what the birds like best; raw fat, trimmed from the pink meat before cooking. Again, cut it up small for those small beaks and stomachs to handle. Remember, birds don’t chew their food.
• Peanuts - never, ever put out roasted or salted peanuts. Just the plain red ones meant for human consumption are the best. And it's recommended that you put them in a feeder so that there's less waste.
• Rice - Cooked rice, brown or white, is great for birds. Leave it to go cold first though. Some of them will eat it raw but most prefer cooked.
• Potatoes - boil them and leave to go cold before putting them on your birdtable. Leftover cold mash is great too. But only put out a very small amount. This is a treat for your garden birds. You don't want it to become a treat for rats too.
• Pasta - as with potatoes. They’ll ignore the uncooked stuff.
• Porridge Oats - straight from the box is fine. Never put cooked nuts out.
• Dried fruits - with all the baking that we do at Christmas there’s always a few spare raisins or sultanas.

Note that dry, hard food is fine in the winter but don't put this kind of thing out in spring and summer when there are young chicks around. If the parents take these back to the nest, the little darlings would not be able to handle them. You wouldn't want to do more harm than good now, would you?

They’ll appreciate any or all of the above, and you should always provide a supply of fresh water too. All that flying makes the little chaps thirsty, and they like a good splashy bath almost as much as I do. I’ve never seen one taking a book with them though.

One of the most important rules for feeding birds is, never put out more than they can eat before bedtime. Leftover food on or around a bird table encourages vermin. Nobody wants that. Make sure that the table is free of any uneaten food each night. And if you’re clearing leftovers from the feeding area, you may as well give it a wipe down too. Cleaning bird feeders is essential to avoid the transmission of diseases. If you can, clean them out weekly and dry them thoroughly before refilling. Water dishes should be cleaned and filled with clean water daily. Who knew that feeding the birds could be such hard work? It’s a chore but it’s definitely worth it.  

Let’s be honest, Christmas is a time of gluttony for most of us when we eat far too much and then nod off in front of the telly or pick at a pile of party nibbles just because it’s there. Why not treat your feathered friends just a little bit with some of the above foodstuffs at the time of year when they need the extra energy the most. Remember, Christmas is a time of giving. 

May you and your families have an excellent Christmas and you haven’t been too naughty. Ho, Ho (and furthermore) Ho.