Midwinter: don't forget the little guys!

It's cold. Much of the UK has a blanket of snow. Out in the cold tiny little bundles of feathers are currently trying to survive in sub-zero temperatures. The smallest birds need to find in the region of a third of their own body weight each day to stay alive. They also need to drink.

So, especially if you usually put food out for the birds, don't stop: keep the feeders topped up and, from time to time, break the ice on your bird baths or melt it by adding some warm tap water.

Birds also cannot find food under snow, so brush it off bird tables and feeders and you may like to consider putting food out on the ground on top of the snow on old tray, bread board or similar to help them find it. This is especially helpful to the birds that usually forage on the ground.

Many of our once common birds are now in decline. Let's help them along a little especially through the very cold periods.

(All images show long-tailed tits - below left with great tit and right with blue tit.)