Pontypool Magazine August

Gardening
Songbirds
Bring music to your life by attracting your own
dawn chorus.
Nature’s early-morning concert
is one of the summer’s greatest
pleasures, and with a little
encouragement, we can bring
this dawn chorus to our front
and back doors.
The birds:
Robin – The robin produces a
twinkling, crystal-like sound
that flutters
through the air.
You’ll hear this
little fellow all
year round.
other that offer a range of
tones and a stylish array of
chords.
Song thrush – Heard
throughout the year, the song
thrush makes a sound closest
to those slightly shrill mobile
phone ringtones… but nicer!
on offer; while tits, finches and
siskins love the fatty proteins of
peanuts.
Great tit – A
repetitive twotoned
whistle
that cuts through
the air and is
most prominent
in early spring.
Wren – For
many, the best
improvised
whistle of them all, with a raft
of twists and twirls ending up
in a rattling cacophony of noise
towards the end.
Willow warbler – Best
characterised for a chain
of notes that lowers as it
progresses, the warbler’s song
has clear gaps in between
notes and a powerful chirp.
Chaffinch – Heard throughout
spring and summer, the
chaffinch offers a punchy,
powerful array of notes that
slows towards the end
Blackbird – So typical of the
bird itself, the blackbird’s song
features notes drawn into each
Goldfinch –
With elegant
inflections
and the occasional sound of
a penny whistle thrown in for
good measure, a chaffinch has
an eclectic song and is heard
from early spring.
How to attract them: Bird
feeders – Unknown to many,
the type of food you leave
in bird feeders will directly
influence the species you
attract. For instance, suet balls
are favourites with robins,
blue tits and long-tailed tits;
niger seeds are loved by
greenfinches and goldfinches;
starlings, robins and blackbirds
will come if mealworms are
Water – Whether bathing,
playing in it or drinking the stuff,
a supply of fresh
water, usually on
a shallow plate,
is one of the best
ways to get birds
engaged in your
garden.
Plants – Edible
plants, berries,
shrubs and
wildflowers will
keep your birds hanging around
for long periods.
Protection – Birds are always
on the lookout for cats and
other predators ready to disrupt
their everyday pleasures of
gliding from one branch to
another, so the more space you
can offer your feathered friends,
the more they will relax and
hang about.
Birdboxes – Ensure you’re
hanging these high enough
away from cats and squirrels,
and in a semi-sheltered where
birds can nest in peace.