"All I see is a world of white. White ground, white trees, white water, white sky, white flakes of cold falling from the sky. Where is there warmth? Where is there food? Where is my strength? For so long now life has been a hard frozen world, where finding enough food is my only thought during daylight and seeking a warm perch to survive the night my main hope. Gone is my fear of people and the dangers they represent, for without food and warmth I will not live to see another day."
If a robin, blackbird, thrush or many other birds could speak and we could listen, perhaps these would be their words during this prolonged period of arctic conditions. Without some extra food many will die due to cold and starvation, that is why the bird feeding zone at the Lodge is so important in winter. It is also why leaving the birds to forage undisturbed in scrubby areas, along hedgerows or in the wooded areas is so important, whilst the cold weather continues.
Please do enjoy the wonderful scenery in the reserve, do enjoy the fun of playing in the snow, but please ensure that you ( and any dogs) stick to the main paths and open areas and give the birds and many other animals the chance to survive. An extra 15 minutes of undisturbed feeding time really could be the difference between life and death for them.
And when you get home, throw out a few kitchen scraps onto an area cleared of snow. Apples, sultanas, seeds, peanuts, fat balls, mealworms and boiled rice are all a great help during the cold.
I know so many people love visiting Vinters Valley Nature Reserve, please express your love in a way that helps many more of the birds and animals to survive this winter.
