For two reasons, I dismantle my garden bird feeders in April.

Firstly, with adequate natural food available from May to September I feel birds,especially the juveniles, should not become too dependant upon what we can offer but essentially learn to forage for themselves.

However, this is a purely personal view.

Secondly, I can look forward to a summer in the garden without pesky parakeets, the population of which has escalated markedly in my area over the past two years. With feeders in place, parakeets dominate them for long periods and imtimidate our genuine garden birds leaving them to sit on the fence waiting for a chance to nip in and and snatch a beakful of sunflower hearts.

There is a bumper crop of acorns this autumn so jays will bury some for winter use. Woodland floors are also awash with copious quantities of beechmast, a favourite food for many creatures and berries are plentiful.

Despite the ravages of leaf miner moth caterpillars creating havoc with the leaves of horse-chestnut trees, conkers are plentiful,large and viable. Interestingly, blue tits are learning to feed on the larvae of the moth in addition to their normal diet of oak-borne caterpillars.

Sweet chestnuts are also abundant and form a welcome treat for deer.

My feeders are now back in place from October as garden birds need to build up fat reserves for the winter and that is when our efforts can really be of additional benefit.