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This weekend is RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch and it’s time to prepare.

M loves birds, especially robins and swans. It’s highly unlikely a swan will pop by our garden this weekend, though we may well spot ‘Peck’ our resident robin.

We bought M this Robin Bird Feeder for Christmas. It’s designed specifically for robins who don’t usually visit hanging feeders, they prefer a flat surface to eat from rather than a pole to perch onto. This feeder has a tray they can sit on which makes it perfect for robins.

We’ve been very impressed with this feeder. The small umbrella roof means the food stays nice and dry. This has proved true even in heavy rain and strong winds. The robins have come, which when something actually does what it says on the tin, it gets my vote. Though maybe that was because of the robin bird seed and insect mix, well whatever the case, the combination worked. You can find out the link to where we got the robin bird feeder from here and the bird food here.

As part of our bird feeding station (sounds grand but at present is just two bird feeders hanging from a buddleia plant) M wanted to make sure the birds had something to drink. We followed instructions from the RSPB’s activity ‘Build a bird bath’.

First M found 3 bricks and placed them on the ground in a triangle. He rested a large plant pot saucer (about 30cm diameter) on the bricks.

He placed some stones, and half a terracotta plant pot in the saucer and filled it up with rainwater.

M is really pleased with the result and now we just need to sit back and watch.

The RSPB run a wild challenge. In their words, “It’s a challenge for you to connect with the natural world in brave new ways – to reach out and touch it and meet it head-on, up-close and personal.”

The birdbath activity is one of their ‘Helping Nature’ activities. Children complete activities to receive their bronze, silver and gold awards. Well worth doing if you have nature-loving children. Now I just need to get organised and sign my two up!

Having our bird feeding station is going to be a great way to see if M is ready to have his own pet! Can he make sure the birds always have food and clean water?!!

Do you/your children have a pet? Who looks after it?