During the cold weeks of the New Year gardens can be a real haven for birds looking for warmth and shelter. Many natural food and water sources will be in short supply so the food and water found in gardens can be a literal life saver.
Birds will become bolder and will venture into gardens looking for scattered scraps and well stocked feeders and bird tables. You may have windfall apples on the ground which can be supplemented with sliced and soaked, dried fruit from the kitchen. You may be lucky enough to see fieldfares and redwings who are searching for berries and fruits in the cold weather.
Greater spotted woodpeckers may visit gardens particularly if you leave out a lump of rotten wood or provide a peanut feeder.
Make sure you keep your bird feeders and tables well stocked and put out plenty of energy rich foods such as nuts, suet, cooking fat, meat scraps and cheese or you could hang up a coconut. It is fine to leave out whole nuts and large chunks of food at this time of year as there is no risk to fledglings as the breeding season has not yet begun.
Left over Christmas cake or pudding would be ideal as it is packed with fruit and fat, unless it has been soaked in alcohol. Do not put out salted or coated nuts as these are harmful to birds.
A bird bath will be an important source of drinking water so keep yours topped up and free from ice. Do not use antifreeze or other chemicals.
You can plant shrubs during the winter - choose plants that are berry-bearing to provide a natural food source for your garden birds and which will also attract insects for birds to eat.
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