By Douglas Boatman

Photographs: Karen Carruth

“Feed the birds, tuppence a bag.

Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag ...”

You wouldn’t get much for tuppence these days. But, hold on, the bird lady in Mary Poppins was sitting on the steps of St Pauls Cathedral about 100 years ago – so 2p then is equivalent to just short of £1 now, therefore you’re bound to find something suitable in Poundland.

Nowadays the old girl would be charged with contravening public health regulations by encouraging vermin. This threat does not appear to have put people off. The provision of wild bird food is now a multi-million pound business endorsed by moderately famous personalities.

When I were a lad our resident gang of sparrows had to get by on a couple of stale slices of Mothers Pride. Culinary expectations have now moved on and our feathered friends now expect to tuck into peanuts, suet balls, chopped sunflowers, mealworms and more.

There seems to be divided opinion on whether to feed wild birds (or animals) in the first place. Does it not create a skewed dependency which alters natural population levels?

Yes, it possibly does, but cast your mind back over the last 40 years and look at how bird numbers and diversity have changed.

Hay-making became haylage, then two-cuts of silage. It had to happen – drying grass in Ayrshire is a mug's game.

A consequence has been the loss of the partridge, plover and yellow hammer, so forgive me if I provide the survivors with safe haven and a bit of grub (excuse the pun).

The weather hasn’t been too harsh this year (although there may be more to come) and wildlife seems to be in good fettle.

Contrast this with the winter of 2010 and 2011, when there was a huge drop in numbers of all types of birds.

I’m not a member of the RSPB and my knowledge of the different species is a bit limited – most small birds in my garden come under the category of WBYs (wee broon yins).

Avid birdwatchers can easily identify birds by their call. There is one bird living in our old woods that makes a noise like a poorly lubricated footpump – I think it is one of the tit family – but I could be wrong.

The birdie books describe woodpeckers as shy, secretive creatures. Ours hasn’t read the script as it shouts 'keek, keek' before hammering into the peanut feeder and stabbing at any WBYs that get too close.

Predation and competition are always a problem. Attacks by sparrowhawks and cats are all too common. The only steps you can take are to provide a bit of emergency shelter next to the bird table and clear away any patio planters or outdoor furniture that the moggy can hide behind.

Birds soon learn to fly to the ‘perchy tree’, have a quick scan for possible danger, then hop on to the feeder.

One bird that has its mind set on world domination is the collared dove. Originally from Eurasia, they have appeared in greater numbers over the past 10 years or so. Greedy beggars – they scoff down a lot of food before the WBYs get a chance.

However, I have found a way to cramp their style. Offcuts from weldmesh fencing bent into a U-shape make a handy tunnel where the small birds can squeeze through the gaps but the Doves find it too tight.

It is amusing to watch the exchange of offensive tweets and two-feathered salutes.

The weldmesh tunnel also serves as a good deterrent for squirrels although you may need to secure them in some way – these varmints are pretty persistent.

We are fortunate in that squirrels are scarce in our locality. My father (now in his 90th year) is still an active member of SMEGS (Scottish Mission to Exterminate Grey Squirrels). The lead shot encrusted bird table outside his kitchen window is testimony to his enthusiasm.

Ideally you want to create a long-term haven for wild birds. A cosy habitat where they can get a good feed then perch up and sleep it off!

Take the goldcrest for example. Britain's smallest bird (smaller than the wren), it weighs about six grams – the same as a damp sycamore leaf.

It wouldn’t be happy sitting in a bare hawthorn hedge during a January gale. Plant a group of conifers with soft, dense foliage – Lawsons Cypress would be good – add a well-trimmed beech hedge and soon you will have year round company from a whole range of bird species.

As with feeding any type of livestock, costs can easily get out of hand. I recently got a bird food catalogue in the mail encouraging me to buy live waxworms at 4p each. I don’t think so!

Feed little and often to minimise waste. Birds will soon turn up their beaks if faced with foosty food.

As the season turns to spring, the demand from the bird table changes. Starlings, which have spent winter keeping cosy in Glasgow, return to start nesting and making a mess.

Blackbirds, which have generally rubbed along quite well for the past few months, will now become territorial and peck lumps out of each other.

A bit more warmth will see the return of swallows. Always a welcome sight – although the cat won’t be so pleased – being dive-bombed is not good for your street-cred!

The dawn chorus will get earlier every day – always led by the thrush singing from high in the larch trees at the bottom of the garden. The wren and the chaffinch then join in and soon there is a whole choir of birdsong rising above the constant baseline of the distant roar of commuter traffic heading for the city.

Feeding the birds? Yeah, it's well worth it.