In this guest post Tony Manhart, founder and editor-in-chief at Gardening Dream, shares his tips for making your garden more bird-friendly.Whether young or old, many people enjoy birdwatching. It can be a relaxing way to pass the time, and it is interesting to learn about the different birds that occur where you live. Making your garden more bird-friendly is a great way … [Read more...] about Make your garden bird-friendly
garden birds
Going wild at home: The Blackbird.
For the last few days, I have been watching a beautiful male blackbird in the garden. He arrives around the same time every day, flying up from the wooded valley that runs away from my house.I am not sure if my garden forms part of his territory or he is just visiting for a quick meal. We think our green spaces belong to us but at this time of the year birds and other … [Read more...] about Going wild at home: The Blackbird.
9 top tips for feeding your garden birds
During the winter short days and long nights limit the time birds have to forage, while at the same time natural food becomes more scarce. Our garden birds have increasingly come to depend on the food we provide as an essential supplement to what they can find for themselves at this challenging time of year.According to bird conservation organisations like Birdwatch Ireland … [Read more...] about 9 top tips for feeding your garden birds
Feeder guardian: keep larger birds and squirrels at bay
Feeding garden birds is a great way to give our feathered friends a helping hand and perhaps the easiest way to attract more wildlife to your garden. Here at IWHQ we feed the birds all year round, but with a rookery nearby it's not unusual to see dozens of enterprising corvids descend whenever we put out food. It often means the smaller birds don't get a look in, and the … [Read more...] about Feeder guardian: keep larger birds and squirrels at bay
Special Free Delivery Weekend promo from CJ Wildlife
Need to order bird food for the holiday season?Our Official Garden Wildlife Supply Partner, CJ Wildlife, has a special pre-Christmas free delivery promotion running until midnight on Sunday.CJ Wildlife has a great year-round free delivery policy on orders over €50 -- but for this weekend only they're dropping that threshold to just €30 -- which makes it a great time … [Read more...] about Special Free Delivery Weekend promo from CJ Wildlife
Birdwatch Ireland Garden Bird Survey kicks off Monday
This Monday, 30 November 2015, sees the start of Birdwatch Ireland's most popular survey: the annual winter Garden Bird Survey.Every year Ireland's largest conservation NGO asks households across the country to record the birds visiting their gardens between the start of December and the end of February. How the Garden Bird Survey works Between December and February each … [Read more...] about Birdwatch Ireland Garden Bird Survey kicks off Monday
Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
They say familiarity breeds contempt... and, in the case of the chaffinch that's probably true. The male chaffinch in its full breeding regalia is one of our most colourful and striking birds. If it wasn't for the fact that we see them so often we'd marvel at these colourful little finches.The chaffinch is found all over Ireland in woodlands, parks, gardens, fields, scrub … [Read more...] about Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
Digging, for the birds!
Regular IW contributor Albert Nolan reflects on how a bit of winter digging benefits the bird life in his garden. It was a day when you would have fought to have a shovel in your hand as the icy wind slipped easily through layers of clothes. I was finishing off a new bed that I had started a few weeks ago and for once the frosty weather had been a great help in … [Read more...] about Digging, for the birds!
Gear Review: CJ Wildlife Apollo “Easy Clean” Seed Feeder
Pros: Quality finish and materials. Robust construction. Easy and convenient to dismantle and clean (no tools required). Innovative "feeding rings". Ventilation system keeps food fresh.Cons: None so far.Rating: Highly RecommendedPrice: from €21.95 for the 3-port feeder to €31.95 for the 7-port feederAn excellent all-round seed feeder that's built to last from … [Read more...] about Gear Review: CJ Wildlife Apollo “Easy Clean” Seed Feeder
Dunnock (Prunella modularis)
The dunnock is a small brown bird that is a common, if rather shy visitor to many Irish gardens. Still referred to by many by its old name of hedge sparrow, the dunnock isn't actually related to the sparrows at all. It is the only Irish representative of the accentor family – a group of small ground and scrub dwelling birds that hop around in a characteristically crouched … [Read more...] about Dunnock (Prunella modularis)
Wildlife, whatever the weather
Looking at weather maps lately has been a depressing affair.Ireland has been permanently obscured beneath a swirling, seething mass of rain and wind, and as usual our little patch of the south west coast seems to be getting more than its fair share of the onslaught. Yesterday was a day to stay inside by the fire... watching naff Christmas telly. It was certainly not a day … [Read more...] about Wildlife, whatever the weather
Christmas Competition: bird food, feeder and a festive treat
Thanks to our friends over at CJ Wildlife (Ireland's Wildlife's Official Bird Food Partner) we have a fabulous prize to give away to one lucky winner at the end of the week.Up for grabs are:A 10kg bag of CJ Wildlife's fabulous "Hi Energy No Mess" seed mix A Medium Defender Metal Seed Feeder A Festive Suet SnowmanTo enter all you have to do is fill in your … [Read more...] about Christmas Competition: bird food, feeder and a festive treat
Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)
The diminutive goldcrest is not only Ireland's smallest bird, but also Europe's – a title it shares with its close relative the firecrest. It is widespread and found throughout the country, and often visits gardens, especially during winter months. Despite it's restless, flitting behaviour and distinctive markings this bird's tiny size makes it easy to overlook. Reaching just … [Read more...] about Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)
The Birdwatch Ireland Garden Bird Survey: how you can help monitor Ireland’s garden birds
This post is part of the Crossley ID Guide Britain & Ireland Blog Tour -- yesterday the tour was over at Mark Avery's blog here -- tomorrow it moves on to BirdWords... the official site of Dominic Couzens... who's one of the book's authors. You'll find the full tour schedule here.NB. I'll be posting a full review of the guide to the book review section of the site in … [Read more...] about The Birdwatch Ireland Garden Bird Survey: how you can help monitor Ireland’s garden birds
Long Tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
Few birds in Ireland are as endearing as the long tailed tit. The acrobatic antics of this small, fluffy bird with its extraordinarily long tail are a joy to behold as it flits from tree to tree. It occasionally frequents gardens, usually in small family groups, and sometimes visits peanut feeders and fat balls to supplement its diet, especially over the winter. With its round … [Read more...] about Long Tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
Are birds influenced by colour? BT Young Scientist needs your help
Two secondary school students from Co. Cork are in the process of conducting an intriguing experiment to ascertain how birds are influenced by colour, and how that affects their foraging and feeding habits.Jemma Dearden and her friend Gill Blackburn, who are currently in the transition year at Loreto Convent Secondary school in Fermoy, were short listed to attend the BT … [Read more...] about Are birds influenced by colour? BT Young Scientist needs your help
Birdwatch Ireland Garden Bird Survey starts Monday 03 December
Birdwatch Ireland's most popular "Citizen Science" project... the annual Garden Bird Survey... starts next Monday, 03 December.It's a survey that anyone can take part in and its really easy to get involved here's how Birdwatch Ireland explain it: The way the survey works is very straightforward... Between December and February each year, we ask members of the public to … [Read more...] about Birdwatch Ireland Garden Bird Survey starts Monday 03 December
Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus)
The blue tit is one of Ireland's smallest and most attractive birds. Its distinctive cobalt crown, blue and yellow plumage, white cheek patches and black eye-stripe are unmistakable as it hops acrobatically from branch to branch in search of insect larvae, or hangs upside down at the garden peanut feeder.Ireland’s commonest tit species, the blue tit is found all over the … [Read more...] about Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus)
