The numbers of many of our most loved birds are in steep decline, including Song Thrushes, Swifts, Lapwing, and House Sparrows. There are many reasons for this – agricultural change, urban development, and climate change. But there are things we can all do to help our feathered friends.
We can provide homes and food – by planting trees, hedges and wildflowers, to encourage more insects, and to provide berries and seeds. We can also provide bird food in feeders as supplemental feeding.
With much appreciated funding provided by Tideswell Parish Council and Beltonville Farm, we are offering a jackdaw and squirrel-proof feeder, filled with sunflower hearts, for `adoption` by any Tideswell resident, subject to some basic conditions.
Tideswell & District Environment Group (TDEG) would like to encourage more people to provide food for our local birds, by enabling people to adopt a bird feeder and fix it in a public space. More people can then enjoy the sights and sounds of our local bird life.
As the bird feeders are partly funded by Tideswell Parish Council, the area covered by the project is within the Tideswell parish.
Information and Conditions
Any public space in the Tideswell area is eligible. You may overlook one of our squares or you may regularly visit a particular public space and would like to see birds visiting that space.
If you are unsure about the positioning of the feeder, please ask us.
The feeders will be provided complete with sunflower hearts. Once empty, you are responsible for refilling the feeders. We recommend you use sunflower hearts. These can be obtained from any garden centre or online from organisations such as the RSPB. Sunflower hearts attract many different birds and create less mess than some other products.
The feeders should be fixed away from public seating or roads and paths (over vegetation of some sort is best), as there will inevitably be some `residue` – from both the birds and bird food!
It is essential that bird feeders are cleaned regularly, to avoid spreading disease to the birds. Monthly cleaning is recommended, with soapy water or a mild disinfectant, then rinse well and leave to dry outside, before re-filling.
If you feel unable to continue maintaining your feeder at any time, just let us know and we will reallocate it.
