[Eileen]

Hi Sue and Stuart,

Funny you should say that about the holly and the ivy Stuart we have holly (Golden King) and ivy (variagated) too!! All the little birds love them to shelter in when the sp'hawk comes a visiting.
My garden is completely organic and wildlife friendly but that doesn't stop me feeding the birds all year round. However, I only feed them 'natural' food on the whole.
During spring/summer it's a mixed seed mixture and peanuts as well as all the aphids and other wee critters they want!!. The peanuts are never loose just incase babies get them stuck in their throats.
During autumn and winter 'my' little feathered friends have fat balls, peanuts, mixed seeds, nyjer seeds, raisins, teasel heads in the garden and sunflower hearts, cottoneaster berries etc. Oh and, of course, all the snails, worms and slugs they can eat. I sometimes put out fine cake crumbs, I have to admit though, with a little grated cheese as the wrens love them. The only other thing I feed them is meal worms and only if it's a particularly poor spring for insects or a bad winter with lots of frosts.
My husband (Ian) thinks I'm mad getting up at 6am every day of the year (no matter what the weather) to feed them all but if I don't I get them doing 'squawking fly-pasts' and bombing sessions (pooing on the windows and patio) until I get out there with the goodies.

Have a good week-end!!

Eileen.