Welcome winter birds

MAKE YOUR GARDEN A HOTSPOT FOR HUNGRY WILDLIFE

- DAVID DOMONEY

NOVEMBER is the month to roll out the red carpet for our feathered friends. Short days and long nights make food and shelter scarce, so small steps now make a big difference.

SMART FEEDINGTop up with a quality seed mix, sunflower hearts, and suet pellets. Add plain, unsalted peanuts into a wire feeder. Position apples on a bird table for thrushes and blackbirds, and a few live or dried mealworms for robins and wrens.

Avoid any salty, sugary, or mouldy scraps. If you use fat balls, take them out of the mesh bags so feet and beaks are unlikely to snag.

Clean feeders and tables weekly with hot water, then dry before refilling to help reduce the risk of disease. Learn all about this and more in the latest episode of Step by Step gardening at my YouTube channel, @ daviddomoney.