Wildlife Enquiries

June fledge fest!

2013-06-17T16:07:00Z

It's that time of year again when it seems like everywhere you go there are baby birds calling or bouncing around in hot pursuit of parents with beaks full of tasty morsels. I love this time of year and one of the best ways to soak in all of the action is to get to a local woodland and just sit and listen to the constant chattering. It won't last that long as June is the peak month for all of this activity, by July, woodlands will become a much quieter place with less young calling and also less adults declaring their presence.

So, what has happened to our birds recently, well many species will have got their first broods out, some may even be well on their way to second or third like robins and blackbirds. The recent fledgers you will most likely see will be blue, great and long-tailed tits, woodpeckers and corvids won't be far behind. I had the privilege of seeing 4 fledgling goldfinch in my garden last week, they were giving the single parent a torrid time, jumping on her/his back as soon as they got any food from the feeder. Also baby house sparrows are continuing to pop out all over the place, this will no doubt continue well into August with them having at least 3 broods.

A trip down to your local river or lake might be rewarding as coots, moorhens and grebes may all have young, it's unlikely you will find water rail chicks but grebe chicks or 'humbugs' are pretty special! At the coast it is frantic with plenty of feeding going on including at cliff faces or tern nesting beaches, fluffy wader chicks will also be about on coastal wetlands as well as in the uplands during this month.

So what is your 'favourite fledger' so far this year or what do you want to see before this chaotic season is over? Add your comments below! Oh, and I couldn't talk about baby birds without the age old advice...leave them alone!!!

Quiz time - What's brown, noisy and coming to a garden near you soon?

2013-05-20T13:44:00Z

Have you got it yet? At this time of year many of the queries we get about identification have a similar theme, brown, often in flocks, lots of noise sometimes described as looking like plain brown woodpeckers... What could they possibly be seeing?

Well in most cases the birds turn out to be recently fledged starlings and given their sizeable beaks you can see why many people come to this conclusion. These urban birds are just approaching fledging, mostly these days inside roof cavity nest sites, if they have not fledged already. They will be the starlings first brood this year, they usually have a second if conditions allow, and each nest could yield four or five hungry beaks to feed! They will follow the parents pretty closely for the first few days, often joining up with broods from other pairs hence the large flocks, safety in numbers is key for a young starling.

The parents feed them on a wide variety of foods but they spend most of the time looking for invertebrates in the soil, a protein rich food for healthy chick growth. If you want to help them find supplies of natural foods then adopt a mowing regime that allows for a variety of grass length. For example, leave the edges of the lawn to grow long and mow the centre short or create a patchwork effect with long and short squares or strips. They will also look for caterpillars and other insects on trees and shrubs as well as raiding bird feeders for mealworms, fruit, fat snacks and cake crumbs.

Other ways to help starlings are to keep your garden chemical free and put up nesting boxes (under north or east facing eaves ideally but definitely above 3 meteres on walls or trees trunks can also work).

Hare Heaven at Havergate

2013-04-25T13:31:00Z

As a member of the wildlife enquiries team you often get some great opportunities to find out about some excellent places to see wildlife and we are also incredibly lucky to be able to work with various other departments and staff members to further our knowledge and increase our experiences.

In my spare time I enjoy wildlife photography and are always looking for new and interesting locations and subjects to photograph. In my local area I often spend time searching the local farmland to photograph one of my favourite British mammals, the Brown Hare, however these are nervous animals, they can run extremely fast and often these two components make them quite tricky to photograph...I do my best but getting really close can be tricky!

Recently I heard about an amazing place in Suffolk to photograph these mammals up close and personal! Havergate Island is one of Suffolk's best kept secrets and one of the most amazing RSPB reserves out there, but the secret is out and this year the team who work on the island have been extremely pro-active in bringing people to the island to show them exactly what it has to offer! This is great news for everyone and I wanted to take a look myself! After getting in contact with Monika Koch, the Events Officer for Havergate it transpired that she had big plans for the island this year and those plans involved bringing people to Havergate to not only see the wonderful wildlife but also to engage in some artistic and creative events involving artists and photographers, much to my surprise (after Monika had thoroughly checked my credentials) I was offered the opportunity to not only see the island but to also become one of the photography tutors

This was a fantastic chance, not only would I get to see an amazing RSPB reserve and as an RSPB employee this is really valuable but I would also get to photograph the wildlife, pass on my knowledge and meet some great people including staff, members, non members and people interested in photography!

To properly undertake my tutoring role it was vital that I visited the island so arranged to visit twice so I could understand the lay of the land and gauge how best to see and photograph the wildlife there. For me the Hares are the stars of the island, almost upon arrival after the short 10 minute boat journey from Orford Quay I saw my first Brown Hare, it was sitting along the main footpath and quickly scampered off down the track upon seeing me. I was a little worried, the island was billed as somewhere where the Hares were incredibly tame but this one acted in the same way I have seen so many before. Regardless we moved on, scanned for birds in the hide which rewarded us with views of Redshank, Dunlin, Oystercatcher, Shelduck, Cormorants and some Gulls, the lagoons here are a haven for birdlife and the island itself is extremely important for breeding Herring and Lesser Black Backed Gulls!

Soon we reached an area of gorse, this is one of the main "Hare" areas and within minutes Hares seemed to be everywhere! Popping out of the gorse, running along the track and interacting with each, I even saw some boxing!

Now I started to see what all the fuss was about, Hares casually strolled past me, sat and cleaned themselves on the track and nonchalantly moved around the gorse like I wasn't there! You cannot call these wild animals "tame" but certainly they are habitualised to people and this has to be the best place in the UK to see them up close and observe their behaviour, it was fantastic! The story goes that many years ago when Havergate had a resident farm the Hares were brought across to be hunted for food, the farm is long gone but the Hares are still around and this island lifestyle has afforded them a great deal of protection from hunting and predation, their natural fear of humans is somewhat missing and so they are far more tolerant of close encounters.

The other half of the island is just as amazing, as you stroll past the wooden huts where the wardens reside you enter as throng of noise and action which is the Gull breeding colony, the Gulls are yet to start nesting but I still made sure not to disturb them as best I could, soon Common Gulls will be back on the island nesting, Havergate is such an important nesting site for Gulls and as many of our Gull species are now on the decline this makes it even more important, when the Gulls have chicks it will be a great opportunity to see them up close, most people rarely get to see Gull chicks!

The end of the island offers another cracking view from a hide and more gorse and obviously more Hares! Whereas my first visit I was baking hot and bathed in glorious sunshine my second visit was slightly more of a wet affair and the majority of Hares I found were hunkered down looking rather grumpy and soaking wet! This one finally started to stir in amongst the gorse...

All good things come to an end and after two great trips I am now back on dry land and far away from Havergate. It was a wonderful place to visit, it goes to show that not all the RSPB reserves have to be big, well known and full of people....many of them are small gems tucked away, some have very little access to them because of their sensitive nature and some are hardly known about. These reserves are just as important as our marquee reserves, often so little is known about them that many RSPB members and members of the public won't even realise what great work goes on, what amazing wildlife inhabits them and how much good conservation work goes on, but it does, and its making a real difference! Kieren and Aaron manage the island and do a fantastic job!

I will be returning to Havergate, Monika's enthusiasm coupled with the charm of the island convinced me to say yes to the tutoring and I will be returning on June 22nd for one of the islands 'Days of Discovery', this will include sleeping on the island which I cannot wait for! I will get to see the sun set and then watch it rise, there will be a full moon and I will see everything in a whole new light. I would implore anyone to pay the island a visit, there are lots of opportunities to do so so there really is no excuse!

For more information please check out this section of the Havergate website: http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/h/havergate/events.aspx

Or e-mail Monika directly here: monika.koch@rspb.org.uk

Hot topics - April 2013

2013-04-15T15:46:27Z

April is always a manic month for us in the wildlife enquiries team, as it is in the natural world here in the UK! Now we have some spring like conditions, out there in the wild things are waking, nesting and generally more active! Here are 5 of the most frequently talked about topics for us so far this April!

Ducks and ducklings - From the number of queries we are getting it looks like the cold weather didn't pose any problems for the UK's mallard population! Lot's of people have been finding mallards nesting in gardens, building sites and even in trees! Our advice is usually to leave them be. When they hatch it's best to allow them to pick their route but escort them at a safe distance, if you can flag down traffic so they can cross the road safely then please do so. We have some more guidance on our website which may come in handy if you find them nesting in a place with no obvious escape route!
Where are they? - Given the disrupted start to spring many of our much loved migrant visitors are running late. April is generally the month when we expect to see the majority of species arriving although some like the swift leave it a bit later. Anyone who is used to having their favourite birds arriving on a set date but not finding them arriving on cue this year, don't panic there is plenty of time for them and all the signs are that the migration action is hotting up. Fingers crossed for good weather and keep your eyes to the skies! Report your sightings to Birdtrack as well please!
Nesting shenanigans - Most nature lovers have at some point opted to put a nesting box up (if you have not then why not?). Now is the time when nesting material is gathered, mating takes place, quarrels break out and some early starters have chicks to feed. Unless you have a nest box camera you are forced to observe all of this from the outside, don't be tempted to have a peek. Nesting birds do have some strange habits like pecking the inside of the box or taking out lots of fresh material they brought in. I like to think the tapping around entrance holes is a kind of declaration of ownership or a bit of forward planning, roughing up the surface so the young can grab hold when they are leaving later on. However, it's not really a behaviour that is fully understood, and it won't be until we find a way of asking the blue tits!!!
Time for a trim? - Lot's of queries have come our way asking about the legality of cutting trees and hedges at this time. As a rule we advise that hedge and tree cutting should not take place between March and August as this is the key nesting season for wild birds. If you are aware of an active nest in a tree or hedge that is lined up for cutting, point it out to the contractors mentioning that it is afforded protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Check out the information on the Hedgelink website.
Tapping at the window - Every year during the spring many birds get really confused by the glass in our houses, offices and sheds. The males see the reflection as another male intruding on their patch and will peck at it trying to chase off this unwanted invader, with frustrating results! The best solution to this that we have found is to cover the glass where the bird is attacking with clingfilm, taped round the edges. This should cloud the reflection and remove the trigger for the behaviour, giving the bird a chance to carry on with chasing off real rivals and hopefully preventing any harm from coming to him. Collisions with windows peak at this time of year as well so please consider putting some transfers on the outside of the glass to alert birds to the presence of the glass.

Got any hot topics that you want to discuss, leave a comment!

Some do’s and don’ts on feeding our feathered friends

2013-04-03T11:24:57Z

It’s been a tough winter and spring for the wildlife in our gardens. In Wildlife Enquiries, we get a number of calls and emails asking for advice on feeding the birds, the right type of feeders, what to feed and when.

Some people think that they should only feed the birds through the winter months when there is less natural food available. It’s actually OK to feed birds all year round as supplementary feeding only makes up about 10% of a bird’s diet, and they are drawn to natural food over supplementary food. This is one reason why at times they can seem to abandon our gardens and feeders only to return later. During the summer months the supplementary food can really help parent birds who are busy collecting food for their young. It enables them to grab some food for themselves using as little energy as possible. If there is a shortage of food due to weather conditions, supplementary food can help with the shortfall when feeding their young.

Do’s

Any wild bird seed mix is great; if they contain peanuts ensure that they are smaller than dog mixer biscuits
Sunflower seeds, sunflower hearts, mild grated cheese, sultanas, raisins and currants (soaked overnight), pinhead oatmeal, fat balls (remove green nets if they have them) and suet blocks, apples, pears, plumbs, grapes and other soft fruit, mealworms and wax worms are all fine
Hard fat cut from unsalted meat is fine, so long as it’s well tethered so the birds can take small pieces from it
Bread is OK to feed, but in small quantities. Bread does not have any great value as a food source, and can just act as filler. If you want to put bread out for your birds, use it as part of a balanced diet with a variety of food
Peanuts can carry a harmful fungus, so to ensure your peanuts are Aflatoxin free buy them from a reliable source
You can feed meat and pet food to birds, but only put out small amounts that can be cleared in a day. Fresh meat needs to be cut into thin strips to resemble worms
Brown or white rice and potatoes (without salt added) are fine; just ensure that they are cooked first. You can feed pastry cooked or uncooked
Dry breakfast cereal (ignore wet and mushy cereal), crushed up in small quantities (make sure water is available). Porridge oats need to be fed dry straight from the packet; cooked porridge is too glutinous
Clean your feeders regularly! A 10% disinfection solution is suitable, but thoroughly rinse before using again

Don’ts

Avoid mouldy foods; most moulds are harmless to birds but some can cause respiratory infections. If the bird food turns mouldy, discard it and try putting less out so the birds clear the food up
Polyunsaturated margarines and vegetable oils contain less energy and cause problems if they get smeared into the feathers of the bird
Don’t put out any food that contains salt; birds cannot metabolise salt and it ends up being a toxin to them. Salted peanuts and nuts should never be fed
Fats from roasting tins and grill pans are soft and can cause problems if it gets into the bird’s feathers. It will also soften quicker enabling harmful bacteria to form
Do not put out whole peanuts for the birds as there is the potential for choking. Ideally put the peanuts in a ridged mesh feeder so small amounts can be taken at a time as the peanuts break up, or finely chop if you have to feed from the ground
Don’t give milk to birds or hedgehogs, they cannot digest it
Don’t feed desiccated coconut as it can swell inside the bird. Coconut in the shell is OK
Avoid food that chicks can’t eat during the breeding season; don’t leave out loose peanuts, large pieces of bread or dry, hard food

Whatever you feed your birds, don’t forget to provide some water for them to drink and bathe in, a shallow plant dish is ideal and easy to keep clean. Take a look at our online shop for details on the different types of feeders and food available for our feathered friends. Remember, after filling your feeders and putting food out for the birds, always wash your hands afterwards.

http://shopping.rspb.org.uk/?utm_source=rspbwebsite&utm_medium=navigation&mediacode=T06ITH0221

Arnold Schwarzenegger and the drunken waxwings...

2013-03-27T11:57:00Z

So spring is keeping us waiting and here in the wildlife enquiries team we have been getting some of our usual and not so usual queries.

Lots of window collisions have been reported, it is a sad fact that even masters of ambush can fall foul of colliding with large solid surfaces such as windows and patio doors. At least two were as a result of a heated chase, with birds trying to avoid the snatches of a Sparrowhawk. Although the Sparrowhawk is also a common casualty. There are simple steps one can take to avoid this.

March would not be March without ducks turning up gardens. Preferring to nest away from the busy waters edge, even the most suburban garden provides welcome shelter as well as peace and quiet to bring up the kids. It won’t be long before little bundles of cuteness will be getting into all sorts of japes. One of our favorite enquirers here in the wildlife team was a young man pondering if Duck’s (like Keith Richards apparently) are immortal as he had never seen a dead duck! After being told ducks can become the victims of predators the young man was not convinced as according to him predators are fictional and only appear in the popular film with Arnold Schwarzenegger...

(Image amazon.com)

Many reports of Waxwings still coming in strong as they migrate from the UK to their breeding grounds... The Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) which visits the UK during winter is larger, fatter and greyer than the Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) which breeds in open wooded areas in North America. The cedar waxwing is known to get drunk after feeding on fermented fruit...I personally would love to see them in The red lion on a Friday night...alas they will remain propping up the bars of Florida and the other states!

Our cheeky punk rockers of the bird world are still being seen as the volumes of emails received this week reflect. It seems that folk are still tantalised a shade of light red by these quirky birds. Many waxwings are now fuelling up for the journey home. We wish them well.

And finally...Still have no idea how this ended up in our department?!

Have a Happy Easter : )

Blog 100 from the wildlife team!

2013-03-13T12:50:09Z

What better way to fill blog 100 than a pictorial demonstration of three of the things to get out and see during March...oh and a rodent quiz! Apologies for my dodgy pictures but they illustrate the points if nothing else!!!

Top spectacle to see must be starling roost! They are still together in huge numbers and the murmurations are something special. Whilst some people who live near to the locations might not appreciate the mess, this is only a temporary event and the mess will stop in a few weeks when these mass gatherings dwindle as these birds return to their breeding sites, many of them heading back to Eastern Europe. The picture below was taken in Leamington Spa near to ASDA last weekend where a roost of over 5000 birds were putting on a great show before diving into conifer trees that border the railtrack. They attracted the attention of at least two sparrowhawks and a buzzard, someone did suggest a peregrine had been seen but I didn't catch a glimpse! Any thoughts on what this shape reminds you of?

If you are not near to a starling roost but you fancy going out late in the evening in search of some fantastic wildlife then find yourself some open areas with rough grassland, get yourself settled an hour or so before the sun sets and see what turns up, if you are lucky then you may see the ghostly shape of a barn owl hunting low over the field. Also at this time of year in the lowlands we still have other crepuscular predators on the wing such as the short-eared owl. Many of the contributors to the forums have shared some great images of these birds recently and as we are approaching the breeding season, they may be on the move which could bring them into new sites. We had one a few weeks ago in the area near to the Lodge in Bedfordshire which was a real treat! Unfortunately for us it seems to have moved on, giving someone else great views further east I suspect, but the barn owls around here are real performers and come out most nights before dark, usually too distant in poor light for great pictures but an awesome sight to end any day on!

You don't have to go far to find great spectacles at this time of year, garden bird feeders can be really busy right now with little seed food out in the wild. Here at the Lodge our feeders have been buzzing with siskins, redpolls and bramblings, as well as all of the usual suspects this site attracts! If you want to try to recreate this spectacle then get feeding some sunflower hearts, nyger seed or a no-mess mix. These birds will feed from hanging feeders, bird tables and ground trays. The action around the feeders is frenetic with squabbles constantly going on, if you get a big flock, the noise can be amazing! I caught these two lesser redpolls mid-squabble!

And finally, the rodent quiz, I spotted this little chap hiding in the bracken here at the Lodge, not much to go on but have a guess what it is?

RSPB at Ecobuild

2013-03-08T11:05:59Z

Earlier this week I joined some of my colleagues down at the Excel centre in London for the huge Ecobuild event. As interesting as it was to see the wide range of technology and types of eco-home that are available, our main role was to promote biodiversity in the built environment. Our little stand was in the Biodiversity Pavillion which we shared with a number of other conservation groups such as Swift Conservation, the Bat Conservation Trust and the Wildlife Trusts.

During the course of the event we had hundreds of conversations with members, builders, planners, architects and students as well as a few people curious to find out more about what we were doing at the show! On our stand we had some Ecosurv nesting bricks for swifts and bats to illustrate the way that nesting space for birds and bats can easily built into new housing developments as well as any renovations. We were also promoting a range of other measures that can incorporate nature into new developments including green roof technology, sustainable drainage systems and living walls. Bees were a frequent topic of conversation and the focus on trying to get them back into the urban landscape. As well as the various landscaping options such as wildflower meadows and nectar rich borders, it was fascinating to see the range of organisations that now specialise in flower rich green roofs, a great way of creating space for bees and other beneficial insects, even where space is limited. Even sheds and garages can provide a significant area for such a project!

Check out the links here, here and here to find out more about some of these great ideas for enhancing the built environment for wildlife. Given the amount of lawn and garden space that has been lost in recent decades, providing this habitat on top of our buildings seems like a great way of putting the green back into urban green space.

Ecobuild is going International with events in India and China but it should return to Excel, London next March (4-6) and I thoroughly recommend going along if this sounds of interest. If you do go, there is a chance you will come across the occasional mountie and stormtrooper (spotted stroking the Dulux dog, there is a video on the homepage!!)

Migration, spawning and buds bursting

2013-03-04T15:38:25Z

Now that march is in full swing, many of us are turning our thoughts to the start of bird migration and the arrival of some of the trail blazers such as sand martin and wheatear. Having a look at the average arrival dates for some of the more common species on the Birdtrack site (here) gives you a idea about when to expect the influx. I try to keep track with the Portland Bird Observatory updates as they are in prime position to witness some of the first migrants to make landfall, check out their site here. Of course some of the birds that have been with us this winter will be heading back to their breeding grounds.

With peak migration still to come, things closer to home are stirring after the long winter. We have been getting lots of reports of frogs in mating clinches as well as lots of spawn reports, especially from the south. This coincided with the mysterious appearance of a jelly like substance being noticed which could be the result of frogs or toads being predated, the predator leaving the spawn behind. Gruesome stuff! Toads need help crossing roads in many parts of the UK and our conservation colleagues at Froglife coordinate toad patrols at traditional crossing points near to toad breeding pools, you can volunteer to help, click here for more info'.

I always see spring as being truly here when the first daffodils in flower and i'm happy to say that they are now starting to pop open in my local patch! Other than crocus, winter flowering honeysuckle, snowdrops and gorse, there is not much about for any early bees and given the threat of more chilled days to come, its likely they will stay in hibernation for a little while yet.

Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

These cold temperatures are a reminder that it's tough for a bird out there and they are battling to find enough food. We have had lots of reports of birds usually associated with farmland and woodland habitats zoning in on garden bird feeders as the natural seed supplies are at a low point, what you could call a 'food gap'. Some of the species observed are reed buntings, yellowhammer and linnet as well as the woodland species like lesser redpoll, siskin and even hawfinch. Keep feeding throughout the cold spell and it's also a timely reminder to leave any herbaceous borders uncut through the winter because at this time of year, any seed that is left can be a big draw for local finches.

RSPB (rspb-images.com)

One species that does seem to have disappeared from most places is the waxwing, we've only had a couple of reports from London recently, where they were taking advantage of some lingering berries, but the rest seem to have moved on. Have you seen any recently?

Tips for February

2013-02-07T13:02:13Z

Before the next wave of snow comes in this weekend you might be able to get outside to do a few bits and bobs around the garden, there are certainly a few things to start looking out for!

A key task for the month of February is to finish off any hedge trimming, cut back any ivy that needs a bit of attention and if you are planning on filling any gaps with bare rooted whips, get them in soon. I've been looking at ivy berries recently and many of them don't seem to have fully ripened although i've seen sparrows and finches eating them anyway! Have you noticed the same? If you do give the ivy a bit of a trim, try to leave any berries and have a quick check first for early nesting birds, we've had a couple of reports already of robins and mistle thrushes nesting (in a Christmas wreath and a traffic light respectively!)

One shrub that I always leave a little later for a cut is the buddleia, given the open structure of these late flowering shrubs you can be sure that there are no birds nesting there so I cut these back hard in early March. I usually check the foliage as it is often possible to find a few wintering invertebrates sheltering amongst the seed heads or folded leaves, have a look if you do it and see what you can uncover. I usually bundle up some of the cuttings and lay them at the back of borders to not only provide a shelter but also to give those invert's that are still slumbering a chance to emerge in the garden rather than packing them off with the 'green bin'.

Mentioning buddleias reminded me, it won't be long now before we start seeing our first butterflies, bumblebees and other wildlife that will be emerging from hibernation. Please post your observations of spring coming to life on our community thread here and you can also record various events like the first frogspawn via Natures Calendar.

When the snow does hit remember to keep your feeders topped up and keep a look out for unusual visitors!

Likely visitors in the snow - a quick guide!

2013-01-24T13:34:00Z

We've been inundated with enquiries about unusual birds venturing into gardens since the snow hit. Here is a quick picture guide (illustrations by Mike Langman (rspb-images.com) ) to some of the birds that are likely to have been causing some of the confusion. Before diving into it I wanted to point out that anyone spotting any of these birds would be helping out the monitoring work by ourselves, the BTO and our other partners by adding the sightings to Birdtrack as well as the Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend.

Fieldfare - just a bit bigger than a blackbird, likely to be seen near any apples or berry bushes, quite belligerent at times and often seen along with redwings. A winter visitor to our shores and will seek shelter and food in gardens when the weather is harsh.

Redwing - a winter visitor like the fieldfare but smaller, about the size of a song thrush, makes a high pitch call and like it's bigger cousin often seen in gardens during harsh weather taking apples, berries or sifting through leaf litter for invertebrates.

Blackcap - this warbler is feisty and will try to take over the feeding station, best to spread your food around the garden in order to keep the peace. The blackcaps wintering here will breed in Eastern Europe leaving in the spring when our breeding population of blackcaps arrive from the warmer south. The female has a brown cap. Fond of fruit, fat snacks, cheese and mealworms.

Grey Wagtail - this river dweller often turns up in cold snaps and even ventures on to garden bird feeding stations. Most likely to be seen walking around in the snow picking up bits of fat or cheese or mealworms.

Woodcock - this shy wader of the woodland often ventures into gardens where it seeks areas that are not frozen so it can search for worms in the soil, occasionally seen out in the day time but most active during the night.

Long-tailed tit - likely to be seen in a group jostling for space on nut feeders. These tiny birds are very busy and rarely stay put for long but in winter they can be regulars to garden feeders.

Reed bunting - often described as 'like a sparrow but not' to us, these birds venture into gardens when it's cold from their farmland and wetland homes.

There are plenty more birds that are causing confusion out there including bramblings, waxwings and even a sanderling turned up on a driveway in Newmarket. Hopefully this helps and don't forget to record your sightings on Birdtrack!

More winter tips from the wildlife team

2013-01-18T13:06:46Z

Cold out isn't it!!!

We're getting a flurry of queries from all over the UK about how best to help our feathered friends in these harsh conditions so here are few more tips on what you can do to help them out!

Feed little and often - the cold and damp conditions can mean food gets frozen or feeders get clogged, check them regularly and give them a clean when you can.
Top up your bird bath - birds need to drink even in the snow so if your birdbath is frozen, try this, empty it and cover the inside with a tough plastic sheet that extends over the edges. Fill it up with water and put a ping pong ball in to move the surface around to prevent freezing during the day. It may freeze overnight but in the morning you won't have to break the ice as you can just pull it out using the plastic sheet. Replace and refill the next day.
Raid your pantry - if you are snowed in then you may still be able to help your feathered friends by putting out some food they may be hidden away in your kitchen. Cooked rice, porridge oats, mild grated cheese, dried raisins and sultanas, apples, pears, pastry, mixed nuts (unsalted!) and lard (make yoru own fatballs!) are all good for birds.
Frozen park lakes - many wildfowl have no choice but to sit the bad weather out on the ice. If you want to help them try offering some green veg leaves, fruit, cook potato and special duck pellets. Your local lake may also have herons and egrets, they may appreciate you taking a trip to the fishmonger for some fresh fish treats - I think sprats are usually available and can be slid out on the ice.
Things not to do! Don't feed anything with high salt levels, dessicated coconut or chocolate, don't put any food out in mesh bags and the only thing going into a bird bath should be water!

Hope you can all find time to get out and enjoy the snow, fingers crossed we can all do our bit to help make it that bit easier for our wildlife! Keep an eye out for these chaps on your travels!

January tips and tricks

2013-01-03T12:17:26Z

Happy new year!

2013 has started off much as 2012 finished with plenty of the wet stuff around. However don't let a bit of mud and rain stop you from doing a few bits around the garden to help out the wildlife. I managed to brave the conditions and got out for a while to do some pruning, hopefully to encourage thicker growth this spring to create conditions ideal for nesting birds. I bundled some of the cuttings up and placed them in the borders where I hope to attract in a range of invertebrates. As tempting as it is to cut back the dead herbaceous and flowering plant stems try to leave them until March as they may be sheltering some wintering minibeasts and may also provide seed food for some garden birds like the goldfinch. Check to see if any of your hedges need a trim now that most have ceased to bear fruit or berries, if you have noticed any that still have berries on them keep a close eye as waxwings will be scouring the land looking for any berries and can turn up anywhere. Most of the hawthorn hedges, rowans and hollies will have already been hit by the birds leaving the later ripening ornamental species like cotoneaster and pyracantha that are planted around our parks, gardens and towns as likely places to spot these stunning visitors.

One thing you might want to take a closer look at in January is ivy. At this time of year ivy can be a lifesaver for birds as it's purple to black berries should just be ripening as most of the other berry crops are coming to an end. Most of the ivy plants you will see across the UK will produce berries although the wild type dark leaved hedera helix is usually the best for berry production, the variegated varieties don't seem to deliver as good a crop in my experience. In the queue of birds that eat ivy berries are woodpigeons, blackbirds, greenfinches and starlings to name just a few. It's also likely to provide birds with a safe roosting habitat during the long winter nights due to the dense foliage.

Chris Shields (rspb-images.com)

With all this water around creating a pond in your garden might not be the first thing on your mind but January is actually a good time to think about creating one. Not only will it create a wildlife attraction for drinking and bathing birds but all kinds of aquatic and semi-aquatic life can be attracted into the garden. A pond for wildlife doesn't have to be huge, small water features can be just as popular with wildlife so if you are looking for a new project in the garden for the new year please consider a pond. We've got some tips to help you here and Pond Conservation have also got some great information here. Whilst it's pretty mild and the soil is soft it's definitely something to think about! It's worth watching ponds for activity, frogs have spawned very early in spring in recent years and a mild January may get them stirring.

After Christmas you may have some left over food items that you just can't face eating! If you are unable to face any more pastry, Christmas cake, mild cheeses or mixed nuts (as long as they are not salted) then all of these items can be left out for the birds.

Don't forget to sign up for our Big Garden Birdwatch survey later this month!

Merry Christmas from Wildlife enquiries

2012-12-21T16:02:20Z

As this is the last Wildlife enquiries blog before Christmas we want to wish all of you who have taken the time to read our blogs this year a merry Christmas and a happy new year! It doesn't look like we'll be seeing the Lodge looking like the below picture this Christmas, although we may need a boat to get in and out soon given the promised wet weather!

Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

But it won't be long before we start seeing these popping up!

Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

I hope that you can get out and about this Christmas, good luck tracking down some of the wonderful winter wildlife around at the moment like these cheeky chaps and I hope you manage to enjoy some nature in between the mince pies, Christmas pud and presents!

David Kjaer (rspb-images.com)

Decorate your hedges and trees for birds this Christmas!

2012-12-14T15:19:05Z

Fed up of tinsel and twinkly lights everywhere? We've got some festive ideas for (outdoor) tree decorations to help the wildlife! These might not look quite so dazzling as a flashing santa or a neon reindeer but they will attract in the birds! I'm sure you will all agree that our feathered friends can brighten up our gardens better than any shiny ornament during the dark winter days! You may need to prepare yourself to get a bit messy!

Dipped pine cones - For this you will need some foraged pine cones that are intact and open. You will also need a large bowl, some lard and any bird seed, porridge oats or crushed nuts that you wish to add to the lard. Some string to hang them up is also useful. All you need to do is to warm the lard so it's pliable, get your hands in and mix in your extra treats and then roll the pine cones in the mix until you are satisfied they are well stuffed with tasty lard bird treats. Pop them in the fridge to set and then when they are nice and solid pick a tree or hedge and hang them up! Visiting members of the tit famliy will probably be first in line!

Popcorn and monkey nut tinsel - This is one for those with lots of patience! You need a needle, some tough thread and some unsalted plain popcorn and/or monkey nuts. Thread the tasty treats along the thread and then hang the string around or across a tree or hedge. The length will depend on your patience!

A gingerbread or pastry angel - Pastry is popular with birds and a pastry angel for the top of your tree is going to be a popular edible decoration with your garden birds. There is a recipe here, there is no need to bother with the icing! If you make a batch of slightly small ones try hanging them up on the tree.

Multi-coloured fat baubles - To make fat baubles you will need to follow the lard recipe for the pine cone treats but this time if you want to add some food colouring (it won't harm birds). When you have got them all mixed and in a range of interesting colours, whilst the lard mix is still pliable roll them into balls. In order to hang them up at this stage poke a hole through the middle and thread some short bits of string with a knot on the end, tie a loop in the other end so you can hang them up. Let them set in the fridge and hang them up when they are solid. You could of course go for different shapes using a dough cutter to make lard stars etc.

Fruit cocktail - Apples and pears that are a bit over ripe are really popular with blackbirds and if you are lucky waxwings. Try slicing the fruits and pushing the slices onto sticks or bits of string so they can hang from the trees.

I hope that these ideas give you some food for thought this Christmas. If you have any questions or your own ideas for bird food tree decorations please share them in the comments section!