Let it snow...

The wildlife team has been really busy recently with lots of queries coming in related to the wintry weather, many expressing concern that birds are struggling to cope in the harsh weather. It is true that these times are hard for birds but many run the risk of being killed by misplaced kindness. Putting olive oil into bird baths is a definate no, it won't stop it freezing and can really harm their feathers. The best way to stop a bird bath from freezing is to put a lightweight ball in to keep the water moving, empty it in the evening and fill it up again the next morning. Feeding surplus fat from roasting tins is also bad as it contains salt, smears easily and can be a breeding ground for bacteria, use lard and beef suet as a base for making homemade bird cakes.

Garden spotting

The cold weather has made gardens very busy with some unusual visitors making appearances. Snipe, redwing, fieldfare and black redstart are among the species reported to us in the last week or so. Lots of people asking about waxwings, a poor year for seeing them in the UK so far and not as many reports of siskin, brambling or redpoll as we have had in previous years.

Feeding

Again cold weather related, lots of queries about alternative food sources as many people are stuck in their homes wandering what they can feed the birds from the backs of their cupboards. Some of the more exotic foods being offered across the UK include papaya seeds, cous cous, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, muesli and ant pupae. Someone also suggested chocolate but this is not really a good idea! We suggest food stuffs such as cooked rice, porridge oats, grated cheese, soft fruits and cake crumbs.

Sparrowhawks

These awesome raptors are active in gardens at the moment and this always generates a number of queries. To see them at close quarters in the garden environment is an enormous privilege. However watching predation in the garden can be distressing, its never nice to see one animal kill another, however you have to respect this top predators cunning and agility. We have also had plenty of reports of them getting trapped inside warehouses, probably as a result of chasing prey. One unlucky family arrived home to find their cat had brought a live and kicking sparrowhawk into their kitchen.