With the festivities over, now is the perfect time to create some moments of joy to lift your spirits in the midst of winter.
One of life’s secret but simple pleasures can be yours with very little effort, outlay or skill. All you need is a window to the outdoors, a simple bird feeder and some quality bird food and you can embark on a whole new fantastic adventure with a host of your new found feathered friends.
Wild pets
Welcome some wild pets into your daily life and start feeding the birds. It’s a great way to have the joy and delight that pets can bring, but without a few of the responsibilities. These tiny delicate creatures will reward you with hours of entertainment as they jostle for food at your feeding station. The beauty and amusing antics of garden birds is a delight and a sure fire way to beat the winter blues.
Feel good factor
January can be a dull month, but outside in the depths of winter, in a garden or space near you, are dozens of beautiful creatures that are surviving on a knife-edge. Feeding the birds is a great way to lift your spirits and support these fragile creatures at a time of year when every morsel of food counts. You don’t need a lot of kit or a big garden; a simple feeder and some bird food is enough to give you the feel good factor. By supporting the birds with some high energy feed you are ensuring their survival through the most difficult time of year and if they like your plot, they may even nest nearby in the spring. Feeding the birds is a rewarding pastime that can have a huge effect on your wellbeing. Watching the birds intently for a few minutes at a time and noticing every nuance of their aerobic antics brings you right into the present moment and away from any worries or cares you may have. It’s a subtle way of introducing an element of mindfulness into your daily routine and the perfect distraction from day to day issues.
Harness the pleasure
As you watch the birds daily, you will start to recognise not just the wide variety of garden species, but also individual characters that are frequent visitors to your plot. Get to know them; take some pictures, keep a diary and harness the pleasure of your feathered friends. It’s an addictive hobby and one that you can share with others of any age. Children love to watch nature and a busy bird feeder is a great conversation topic for young and old. Share it with the elderly with a thoughtful gift; a bird feeder and some bird food is a great present for a senior friend or relative. Sit down with the kids and teach them the difference between different birds. They’ll be hooked in no time.
Banish the blues with some reds, yellows and greens
These beautiful wild creatures need a steady supply of natural food that includes seeds and berries and garden insects and in the process of feeding on these, they will also help to keep your garden pests under control too. Remember that many garden birds are ground feeders that will not always visit a hanging feeder. Robins, thrushes, blackbirds and chaffinches will also forage in the undergrowth for bugs and seeds and will benefit from a handful of bird food scattered in the garden. By feeding the birds in different ways you are catering for the huge variety of wild bird species that you may see in and around your garden. A glimpse of a newcomer, robed in glorious red, yellow or green feathers is a real spirit boost and will help you to realise that you are doing something really worthwhile and making a difference. It’s a great feeling when the birds return again and again to your garden feeder and a surefire way to banish the winter blues.
