Garden Birds - Everything you need to watch birds

Window Watching

Most people's first experience of bird watching starts by looking at birds through the window at home. We all learned what a sparrow, blue tit and robin looked like when we were children and we may have also got to name and recognise the more regular visitors to our garden. For those looking to take up bird watching as a hobby this is therefore an obvious place to start again, in order to rekindle that childhood interest.

Habitat

Trees, hedges and shrubs are important habitats for birds. They provide shelter, nesting places and food. A pond will provide water and insects on which the birds can feed. A lawn is where blackbirds will hunt for worms and that scruffy patch of weeds left wild in the corner will do wonders--especially if you have a Buddleia planted there. The important thing is to have variety of plants that will attract insects or provide seeds or berries on which the birds can feed.

Attracting Birds

But what can you do if you live in the city, have a small garden or even only a balcony to a flat? Don't despair! There are numerous ways that you can attract birds within sight of your window.

Firstly a good supply of fresh water, for drinking and bathing, is a must. A birdbath, and there are many varieties - including ones that you can hang up from a vertical wall - is an essential item. Position it somewhere where you can see it from your window and you will be surprised how many birds it soon attracts.

Next is food. There are numerous types of food on sale - even in your local supermarket or garden centre. And there are specialist bird food suppliers that will even deliver direct to your door. Again variety is essential - different sorts of seeds and nuts and, if possible dried or even live mealworms. Try to buy good quality foods from a reputable source. I have listed some on the Bird Food page.

However, if the budget is tight, there is no need to go to great expense. As a kid I used to hang up bacon rind and whole peanuts on a string. I still chop up old bread or fruit cake to put on the bird table. A good net of peanuts hung up in the winter is sure to attract tits and they will go wild for half a coconut hung up on a piece of string! Their acrobatic antics are sure to amuse.

There is a wide variety of bird tables available of various sizes, shape, design and material. Some are very simple, made of recycled materials other, have roofs and the most expensive even have thatched roofs! It really is a matter of personal taste and budget as the birds are more interested in the food than the architecture! Check them out in my Online Store

Feeders tend to be broadly of two types, mesh for peanuts or solid bird cakes that the birds can peck through and vertical tubular 'hoppers' for seeds, with holes and perches on them. These can either be hung from trees or purpose built poles both designed to help prevent squirrels from stealing the bird food. There are also some links to suppliers of bird tables and feeders on the bottom of the Bird Food page.

Books

There are many books on the subject of garden birds but some that I have in my collection that I would particularly recommend are:

'The Complete Garden Bird Book - How to identify and attract birds to your garden' by Mark Golley with Stephen Moss, published by Silverdale Books for the Wildlife Trusts - a practical guide on how to do what the title says, with illustrations.

'The Garden Bird Handbook - How to attract, identify and watch birds in your garden' also by Stephen Moss, published by Silverdale Books for The Wildlife Trusts - illustrated and with spectacular photos.

I would also recommend the 'RSPB Birdfeeder Guide' by Robert Burton & Peter Holden - Beautifully illustrated guide to attracting and feeding birds to your garden.

All from Amazon (right) or in my Online Store.

Website

A great place to visit is British Garden Birds which lists all the popular garden birds, with descriptions