RSPB charity officials are sending out a warning to all the UK’s bird lovers, as the cold weather grips the nation’s gardens. This of course will cause major issues for our fine feathered friends, as water sources freeze over and food becomes scarce.
Now is the time for all of us to really step-up our bird feeding to provide birds with the nutrients and water they need to drink and wash. RSPB are suggesting that you leave a few more calorie-rich foods outside, including –
- Mixed seed
- Fatballs
- Suet sprinkles
- Sunflower seed
- Mild grated cheese
- Rice
- Porridge oats
to provide birds with some serious energy laden snacks during these sub zero temperatures. A fresh supply of water every morning will also be really helpful, and if you are finding that the water is freezing, try floating a ping pong ball in the bowl. This helps to keep the water moving thanks to the ball moving in the breeze.
RSPB’s wildlife advisors, Richard James, said –
The sudden drop in temperatures across the UK will have been a big shock to birds’ systems after spending the past couple of months with few worries in terms of food availability. Thanks to the recent mild weather, many natural food sources have been readily available and water has been easy to come by. Now the snow and ice are here birds will need all the help they can get to survive the winter. With the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch coming up on the weekend of 26 and 27 January, keeping your feeders, tables and bird baths topped-up will not only make sure your garden visitors are well fed and looked after, it’ll also encourage them into your garden just in time for you to take part in the world’s biggest wildlife survey.
Don’t forget that the RSPB Garden Birdwatch is just around the corner, so let’s hope the weather clears up by then! This will take place on the weekend of Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th January 2013, and is the world’s biggest wildlife survey! For more information on the Big Garden Birdwatch, checkout their page to find out how you can get involved this year.
If you would like to find out more about the work of the RSPB, check out our dedicated charity page for more information on how you can help by purchasing a membership card to provide funds.
