CLEANING NEST BOXES AND BIRD FEEDERS

Cleaning nest boxes and bird feeders. This is a very important Fall/Winter job that keeps our birds safe. Birds like to make their own nests each year from scratch and don't like to find an old nest in a potential nesting site - so make sure you get rid of any nest material from this year. Because of the risk of fleas, mites or parasites the boxes need to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Once cleaned out I like to leave some wood shavings in over winter that way any small mammal or insect can find a safe place to hibernate and indeed some birds in bad or cold weather find a cosy safe place to roost at night.
Bird feeders need to be cleaned regularly to keep your garden birds healthy, but once a year a good deep clean is necessary to get into all those nooks and crannies.
Birds help us by keeping slugs, snails and harmful insects away from our shrubs and plants so the least we can do is pay them back - give them a regular clean food supply, access both in summer and winter to clean water and a safe place to nest or roost.