Bassetlaw: Online garden centre wants us all to feed the birds this winter

Online garden centre www.potterandrest.co.uk is encouraging people to feed wild birds throughout the winter to improve their survival rates during potentially harsh conditions.

Peter Burks, Horticultural Expert at www.potterandrest.co.uk, said: “It’s really important that wild birds are fed during the colder months of the year to ensure they survive.

“We have been lucky to so far have a pretty mild winter but there is no doubt it will get a lot colder and fast.

“It is a good idea to start feeding before the very cold weather sets in so that the birds know where to come when times get hard.

“Food and water needs to be put out on a regular basis and in severe weather it may be necessary to feed birds twice a day.

“Birds require high energy, high fat foods during the cold winter weather to maintain their fat reserves so they can survive frosty nights.

“Always adjust the quantity given to match the demand and never allow uneaten foods to accumulate around the feeders.”

The virtual garden centre sells a range of bird seed, feeders and boxes for birds and also has a wealth of advice on its blog.

Anyone wanting questions about birds answered can contact the experts directly via Facebook at www.facebook.com/potterandrest or via Twitter @PotterandRest