Living with Birds Top tips for late spring and summer feeding. Tweetapedia

The RSPB has recently updated its guidance, suggesting a pause on feeding seeds and peanuts from 1 May to 31 October to help curb the spread of diseases like trichomonosis.

While we welcome this broad advice as a safeguard for the general public, we believe it doesn’t necessarily apply to our community of dedicated feeders.

Because you have always followed our “gold standard” - using easy-to-clean feeders, high-quality foods, and rigorous hygiene - you are already mitigating the risks that these new recommendations aim to address.

Summer feeding is important. It sustains parents raising chicks and adults beginning their annual moult, providing a crucial boost as our garden visitors face shrinking natural habitats and a decline in insect numbers. By maintaining your high standards of care, you can continue to provide this essential support safely.

 Just keep following these simple steps:

 1.      Feed Little and Often: Put out only enough food for a day or two. This ensures every beakful is fresh, hygienic, and hasn’t been sitting in the summer heat.

 2.      Prioritise High-Energy Foods: Focus on suet cakes, fat balls, Flutter Butter®, and mealworms. These high-protein treats attract species that are naturally less likely to spread diseases between one another.

 3.      Keep It Sparkling: Wash feeders weekly, or more often if you can. In summer, smaller feeders are best as they are emptied daily and discourage crowding. Remember to rotate where they hang to keep the ground underneath fresh and clean.

 4.      Refresh Water Daily: A cool drink or a quick splash is essential in the heat, but bird baths can quickly become breeding grounds for disease. A quick scrub and refill with fresh tap water each morning makes all the difference.

5.    Keep a Watchful Eye: If you ever notice a visitor looking lethargic or "puffed out", stop feeding for 2 to 4 weeks. This encourages birds to disperse and is the kindest way to break a local infection cycle.

The Choice is Yours

Whether you keep your feeders full or choose to pause seeds and peanuts for the season, we are right here with you. If you do take a break from seeds, you can still provide a valuable nutritional supplement by focusing solely on our high-energy suet, Flutter Butter®, and mealworms.

We are constantly innovating and refining our range because we care as much about your garden visitors as you do. Our goal remains the same: to give you the very best tools to keep your garden a healthy, thriving, life-sustaining sanctuary all year round.