August 2024

Many people, including me, like to assist their local bird populations by providing nest-boxes for spring breeding, and bird feeders, especially during winter. However, Britain’s birds are never more abundant than during August. Most passerine (sparrow-like) birds breed from March to July, so the country is now replete with fledglings learning how to feed themselves as their exhausted parents retreat to moult. You will begin to see moulted feathers, frequently encountered on the ground when you are out and about from July to September. Meanwhile, if you keep your bird feeders charged with sunflower hearts in the summer, you, like me this morning, could see adults and young of species such as greenfinches, blue tits, goldfinches, nuthatches, coal tits, robins, house sparrows and great tits eagerly having their breakfast. Also, dunnocks, blackbirds, robins, wood pigeons and song thrushes will be picking up the spilt food underneath. Chaffinches may also appear both on the feeder and below. The best feeder to get is the RSPB Squirrel Buster Mini seed feeder and fill it with sunflower hearts. With other feeders, you will just be feeding the invading grey squirrels. By giving young birds, a good start in the summer, they are more likely to survive the winter to breed next year.

My research has recently focussed on how blue tits use aromatic herbs to enhance the health of their nestlings. We humans frequently use herbs to enhance our health, e.g. lavender bags among our clothing stores, aromatic herbs such as parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme among others in our food. It is also likely that perfumes that we apply to our bodies are beneficial plant extracts such as lavender and myrtle. Well, blue tits do likewise, but the aromatic herb they prefer in Britain is called ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea), a relative of the mint grown in our gardens which is spearmint (Mentha spicata). They also may use this and other types of mint, also red dead-nettle (Lamium purpurium). Herbs used by blue tits in other Eurasian countries include lavender, yarrow, veronica, lesser calamint, fleabane, lemon balm, yellow archangel. The benefits of these plants have been found to include higher levels of haemoglobin in the bird’s blood and beneficially lower blood sugar levels. Other effects include lower numbers of insect parasites, fungus and bacteria in nests. Physiologically, the plants seemed to have anti-inflammatory benefits and help the nestling’s feathers to grow faster ready for fledging.