Bird feeding and cover

[nightshade]

I noticed that the garden birds were absent from my garden due to the high winds so having pruned the the native hedging I placed a loose mounded pile
of the larger shrubby bits on the lawn.
Over the last two days there have been five birds in there at any one time,Dunnocks, Tits, Finches, Wrens, Sparrows, Robins, Bull Finches etc.
It obviously makes them feel safe and is down out of the immediate strength of the wind

[tufftie]

That's a good idea to give them cover and keep them in the garden I do get birds feeding in this garden in high winds but think it's because there's a lot of cover for them. There's a wood at the back of the garden and hedges (though one of them very young) down both sides and loads of ground cover and hiding places for them. They seem to hide in the hedges and then make very quick trips to the feeders and back in the strong winds.

[Pete Collins]

That was a good idea, nightshade. And I'm very jealous of your Bullfinches!

I have noticed here that there are fewer birds visiting the feeders outside the back window since a nearby bush that gave them cover was over-enthusiastically cut back.

[Kayleigh]

Good idea with the cover..My garden is like that all round. I put hedge trimmings at the back of the borders and the back of the shed and greenhouse. The frogs and toads use them in hot weather. We have a few dunnocks, blackbirds and robins and about 40 house sparrows
The sparrows use the bay trees mainly for cover and it gives good protection from the weather as they are evergreen...