Looking Forward to Spring

Agent D found a few minutes to stand and watch the birds coming to feed in her garden recently. At first glance the garden was quiet but as she stood quietly what appeared to be just dead leaves on the trees were intermingled with a constant hopping and fluttering of birds lining up to come in to land for food! She has fat balls which seem to be the favourite, nuts, seed, pear and / apple halves and crumbled bread. The raucous squabbling of the sparrows formed the backdrop for the high pitched cheeping of many types of tits (including coal, blue, great and the wonderful long tailed tits), the lower and more sedate call revealed a nuthatch taking nuts from a half coconut shell whilst the blackbirds busied themselves amongst the fallen leaves. Little jenny wren was bumbling along the fence and amongst the branches whilst two robins chirped and fluttered around.The sparrows also frequent a bucket of water for bathing and drinking in noisy groups of fluttering feathers. Far from dead the garden is already moving towards Spring. The bulbs are pushing through and the yellow catkins hanging from the hazel nut trees provide a rich food source and the birds are already building nests with two sparrows fighting over a downy feather.Agent D is encouraging all the Agents to take part in the annual Bird Garden Count organised by the RSPB on 24 to 25 January. This annual event is so important to monitor our native species in order to safeguard their future.Agent D is also running wild flower plot and sunflower growing competitions. Only a small area is needed or even a container but both will attract and provide food for a myriad of insects (including bees and butterflies) and also birds. This is especially important in our urban areas where concrete dominates so much. Lots of little actions working together to make a big difference.