A good reminder from John asto the importance of why making regular cleaning on all our feeders are needed, and to be cleaned with a safe disinfectant suitable to use around animals.
If i must also add, an easily forgotten area that will also help further isto just to wipe perches on feeding poles where birds perch before landing on the feeders (and possibly feeder perches and port holes when a thorough clean is not needed) by using a damp cloth with a safe disinfectant on that doesn't contain nasty chemicals (one safe disinfectant to use is safe4pets from haiths).
I have a paved floor under my feeders and this to i need to regular clean as well. Just thought I'd mention these extra bits as it's great to look at our garden birds, and it's great to help look after them too, but its more great to make a good job of it because like John pointed out, it all contributes to the welfare of our local wildlife! -All the best to you all
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Which bird is ideal for keeping cakes in? I asked. The answer: a Bun-tin.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/135715507@N06
For a long time now it as been wildly known that Chaffinches and Greenfinches have been suffering from a disease which causes them to develop terrible growths on their feet.
We have all been advised to regularly clean our bird feeders to try to minimise the infection risk, and from what I can gather Greenfinch numbers are now starting to recover
from a sharp decline. Although large numbers of Chaffinches are seen with badly diseased, their numbers do not seem to have tumbled like their green cousins.
Its all upsetting stuff for those who enjoy watching garden birds.
I now wonder if this same ailment can effect other species too, as a near tame Robin that is fed daily by it's admirers at Moore nature reserve as a similar diseased foot to the finches.
This bird is not fed near the feeding station, so contamination from the feeders there can be ruled out, but does this signal that the awful disease is spreading amongst Robins too?.
