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.

Top 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 meal-worms 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.