Garden Birds

Wildlife conservation always starts with conserving wild habitats.  Through our increasingly tidy countryside, urban development and road building we are leaving less and less wild areas for our native wildlife.  Even places that we think of as undisturbed are in fact heavily influenced by people; either for agriculture or recreation.  Therefore, our gardens are becoming a vital refuge and it is our duty to provide birds and other wildlife with food and safe nesting places wherever possible.

As well as losing their natural habitats and sources of food, birds in particular are also losing their natural nesting sites.  We do not allow trees to become old enough to develop natural cavities for fear of them becoming a health and safety risk, and old buildings are demolished or converted into desirable residences.  This is where nestboxes and feeding stations can really help.

Feeding birds in your garden

To attract a wide range of birds to your garden it is important to provide a variety of food.  Bird tables are great for putting household scraps like bread crumbs, as well as peanuts (which should be crushed so that the larger birds don't eat the lot in a few seconds flat), black sunflower seeds, wild bird mix and (if you're really dedicated) mealworms.

As well as the usual free-standing bird tables, we also make hanging bird tables which can be hung almost anywhere and have the added advantage of not blowing over in the wind!

(Robin) Hanging Bird Table + apex roof £10.50  (Young Great Tits) Hanging Bird Table £4.50  (Nuthatch) Free-standing Bird Table £20.00

Other feeders we supply include our new Ground Feeder (£8.50) which is brilliant for those birds like Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and Dunnocks which prefer to eat on the ground, and the ever popular Apple Feeder (£3.95) which attacts fruit-eating birds and those which feed on the insects that the apples attract.

Standard Peanut Feeders (£3.00) and Seed Hoppers (£4.95) are also available.

All Feeders are available in kit form for £1.00 less than the standard price, and include everything you need to make the feeders at home - great projects for the kids!

Nestboxes

Many garden birds can be attracted to correctly sized nesting boxes, which are brilliant substitutes for their natural choices which are in ever shortening supply.

         Hole-fronted Box (£10.00)            Open-fronted Box (£10.00)              Kit Box (£6.00 each or 2 for £10.00)

The Hole-fronted box is ideal for Blue Tits, Great Tits, Pied Flycatchers, etc.  The Open-fronted box is suitable for Robins and Pied Wagtails.  Either box is available in Kit form and make excellent projects for children, who will love watching to see who visits their box!

We also make small bird boxes from plywood, which are lighter in weight and can therefore be easier to put up, though they will not usually last as long as the softwood boxes shown above.  Plywood boxes in the style above are £7.50, and in an apex roof design are £5.00.

                                                  Sparrow Terrace (£19.95)                                                 Nuthatch emerging from Hole-fronted Box

We now make dual purpose boxes which are in an attractive Apex design and made of thick softwood.  They have a removable front panel so can be used as an open or hole-fronted box.  These are available for £12.50.

Small bird nest boxes can be supplied with an internal camera so that you can watch the goings on inside from the comfort of your own home.  These come with all fittings and are available for just £75 (normal price £100).

All garden nestboxes should be securely fixed to trees or buildings in a quiet location, away from possible disturbance.  Avoid placing the box near to large branches which predators could use to get close to the nesting birds.