Wildfoods For Birds

[Outlaw Pete 2,224]

Certainly a dodgy plant Pete, I would think if you were making hay you wouldn't want that stuff in the mix .....

 

 

 

That, as I understand it, is the biggest danger, apparently. Seems it loses its foul flavour as it dries. Yet it remains lethal! So, yeah, ye stock can eat it, in hay, and keel over! Sod That!!!

 

Goldies are well enough catered for though. I'm sure there's plenty of the stuff in the rough fields around here. I just try to keep it out of the meadows. See how I've learned the definite distinction now, look?

[KittleRox 2,147]

Wild Campion has just started seeding roundabout, I was picking some seed pods the other day for the first time and it seems this plants a favourite of the lychnis moth, caterpillers feed of the seeds inside the seed pod then emerge to eat the plant itself, I was cracking the pods open over the sink and a caterpiller popped out I near sxxxt meself

I tried to find out if the caterpillers are poisonous or not but details are sketchy, usually if caterpillers are toxic they 're brightly coloured, also birds eat campion seeds, caterpillers eat campion seeds, birds eat caterpillers which ate the seeds etc etc so all things being equal they should be fine for the birds, I'll let you know the outcome

 

[KittleRox 2,147]

what I'm collecting/ feeding at the moment

 

grasses, milkthistle, prickly sowthistle, plantain, campion, dock

 

lots of seed in campion heads

 

 

[KittleRox 2,147]

Lovely bed

 

[KittleRox 2,147]

todays concoction - seeding grasses, dock, milkthistle, knapweed, plantain, ragwort, hawksbeard, meadowsweet and the odd dandelion

 

 

not sure of the plants name but grows everywhere and something which you can start collecting now, hangs on the dry stems of the plant untill the end of winter so plenty time, not for feeding the birds but for nesting material, I collected it for my birds this season and it makes a lovely silky smooth nest lining

 

 

 

cheers

[Outlaw Pete 2,224]

That last plant's Willow Herb, mate

[paulus 26]

spotted a load of teasel around the old farm building whilst i was out with the dogs earlier, the goldies love it

[KittleRox 2,147]

wee update of wild stuff I'm feeding at the mo

 

milkthistle, dock, alder cones, the odd ragwort and dandelion also

[fireman 10,917]

Still a few grass's holding seed heads as well and chickweed and shepards purse still going here in Norfolk.

[KittleRox 2,147]

Still a few grass's holding seed heads as well and chickweed and shepards purse still going here in Norfolk.

that reminds me I thought I spotted shephards purse the other day but wasn't 100 % so just left it, I'll need to take a look at my own pics lol

[fireman 10,917]

It has a thin stem with white flowers and the seed pods are heart shaped that go purple as it matures and ripens.

Edited December 9, 2013 by fireman

[KittleRox 2,147]

It has a thin stem with white flowers and the seed pods are heart shaped that go purple as it matures and ripens.

aye checked it mate, it looks like the one I spotted was mugwort, I'll keep my eye out for shephards purse

[Outlaw Pete 2,224]

Water Cress

I saw someone mentioning this, on one of the dedicated bird forums. It grows in a ditch I walk by every day here. So, that's handy

 

One of ancestors made his living from gathering and hawking this stuff. I'm surmising that its properties were far better known and appreciated, back in those days.

 

What ever. As and when I have birds, they'll be having some of this

 

 

[KittleRox 2,147]

Never heard that one Pete, good to know, I'll look out for this one as well, cheers

[KittleRox 2,147]

Wild Bullies feeding on the hawthorn and willow buds at the minute, primarily hawthorn