When we got a call asking us to help out a Lincolnshire Florist with a design for British Flowers Week, (19-25th June 2017) we were only too delighted to say ‘yes’ and we sent them a large bag of RWBFC British grown sunflower seeds for Abigail MacNiven’s creation.
Do you know that currently only 12% of all flowers bought in the UK are actually grown in the UK? British Flowers Week is a national campaign that showcases the best of British flowers and foliage; and with the beauty, variety and wonderful smell that British flowers can have, why wouldn't we all only buy British flowers?
Five florists within the UK were chosen by a team of top judges (two of which are the Queen’s florists of choice!) to represent this special week within the floral calendar. Petal & Stalk were the only non-London based Florist shop. More...
Up, up and away...or found on the ground?
I am often contacted by people who have found a young garden bird (or birds) sitting on the ground and looking as if they have been abandoned by their parents. This can understandably cause concern.
The first thing to say is that this is very common, and in over 95% of cases, there is no need to be worried and you should not intervene. For example, this gorgeous young robin is clearly doing very well for himself and feathering up.
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Last week Richard attended a really informative meeting held at Rotherfield Farm near Alton, to hear about the conservation work they are doing to help re-establish grey partridge on the farm and increase lapwing numbers which have been in sharp decline over the last decade. The farm is owned by Sir James Scott and has been in the family for the last 200 years. It is a 5,000 acre estate, with arable, forestry and a large dairy.
Grey partridge are one of the 3 main indicators for modern day farming. The other two are brown hares and skylarks. Here on the farm we have hares and skylarks in abundance, but we lost our grey partridge about 5 years ago - so this was a fantastic opportunity for Richard to find out what we can do to help them recover.
Grey Partridge
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mealworm window feeder and mini mealworms are a fantastic source of protein and water for garden birds. There are many of our resident garden bird species which are declining in number in the UK and the worst hit are those who rely on insects and invertebrates for food. 20 - 30 years ago farms and gardens tended to be more diverse and there were a lot more insects,invertebrates, bees, butterflies and birds than there are now.
Oftentimes, birds nesting in gardens will lay fewer eggs and fledge fewer young than those living in natural woodland sites – this is likely due to the lack of mature, native trees. The absence of this habitat means that birds are not provided with the insects needed to feed their young, resulting in the reduction often witnessed in garden populations. However, you can help by providing some juicy mealworms of your own for the birds to feast on!
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So far, April has been a very dry month here on the farm. In fact, we haven't had a single drop of rain all month. This means that our spring barley which we planted in early April badly now needs a drink. Rain is forecast next week and I am sure there will be some mightily relieved growers everywhere when the rainclouds appear.
This year, we have tried direct drilling for the first time and we are very excited about the huge positive impact this type of drilling may have on our farm. You may remember that last November Richard topped off a field of mustard which we had sown after harvest as a 'cover crop' to hold nutrients and moisture in the ground.
Mustard planted after harvest last year and used as a cover crop for this year's naked oats
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This year, for the first time in about 5 or 6 years, we have a flock of Golden Plover back on the farm, which is really lovely to see. They are enjoying our over-wintered stubble fields, where they can get stuck into all sorts of worms and invertebrates, and they are also enjoying our grass seed, wild bird cover seed and hedgerow berries. As I am writing this, I am wondering whether the plural is 'plover' or plovers'? One sounds right, the other looks right...need to consult the dictionary!
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As you may have already noticed, we've had a bit of a makeover here at reallywildbirdfood.co.uk. Our new website went live yesterday, and we're very happy with it - we hope you like it too!
Not only does our website have an eye-catching new look, it also has responsive functionality that makes it easier to browse and buy our products on a smartphone or tablet. The dynamic design 'responds' to the size of the screen you're using, giving you a smooth online shopping experience across all kinds of different devices! More...
We at Really Wild Bird Food offer an extensive range of stand-alone feeder cages and guardians, which can be used with your existing feeders to make life much more difficult for squirrels and large, unwelcome birds like seagulls and pigeons. We also stock Nuttery caged bird feeders, which include both the guardian and the feeder itself.
Click here to browse our full range of feeder guardians, or choose from the featured products listed below. Remember, we offer FREE delivery on all feeders IF you also order seeds or live worms from our Bird Foods department.
Two sizes available (small or large). Compatible with Droll Yankee tubular feeders.
Buy now >
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A delicious and very high energy seed mix, containing crunchy dried mealworms for extra protein and delicious berry flavoured suet pellets for extra warming calories.
Well - who doesn't put on a few pounds over Christmas?!
This crumble is a real winter-warmer for your resident robin and will be loved by other soft-billed garden visitors such as thrushes, dunnocks and blackbirds. This mix also contains home grown naked oats, home grown millet, sunflower hearts, pinhead oatmeal and peanut granules.
You can order some right here!
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Countryside Stewardship 
