Skyline Design UK Premium Quality All Weather Outdoor Furniture

Bird Watching

Article by Nick Rinylo

Happy New Year!


2020 was a tough year for all of us, and life looks pretty different now to how it looked at the start of last year. With a fresh lockdown just before new year, it can be pretty challenging to keep thinking of things to occupy time with. In lockdown number one we all baked banana bread and sourdough and went on long walks, but now it’s lockdown three and icy and cold outside.

However, with fresh snowfall all over the country and the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch at the end of the month, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy your garden in the winter.

Bird Watching


Why not take advantage of lockdown and start bird watching in your own back garden? There are lots of birds to be seen in January such as Fieldfares, Common chiffchaffs, Lesser redpolls, Yellowhammers and tons more. Your garden may or may not be a popular tourist spot for birds! So to give them a little incentive, we’d suggest putting a birdhouse in your garden, and spreading some feeder across the grass and in the trees. Ensure to keep your feeders safely away from predators as birds will be more inclined to take the food when it’s placed higher up. With a little TLC, you’ll have some absolutely stunning birds flying by in no time. And if you’re very lucky, you’ll have a visit from a Goldfinch!

Snow is Falling


Some of us have been lucky enough to see a few days of snow this month, and the weather reports say it’s not over yet! We hope you’ve all been taking advantage and have got your sledge out!

There’s more to enjoying your garden in the snow than just snowmen and snow angels though. With cosy clothes, quality outdoor lighting, comfy garden furniture, and a fire pit there’s no reason you can’t spend evenings outdoors enjoying beautiful cold weather with your families. On top of this, the cold weather we’re seeing this January won’t scare off the birds; fortunately, there are often even more birds to be seen when the snow hits, like Robins, Crossbills, Goshawks, Snowy Owls and loads more.

Garden Upkeep


Caring for your garden in the winter is still vital, especially if you want to attract lots of furry or flying friends. Even though the temperature has dropped significantly, it’s still important to water your plants and make sure they’re covered. You can even buy flower fleeces to keep them protected over the winter. If you have any spare plant pots laying around, it might be a good idea to plant any of your flowers inside to help keep them covered. You can even put your plant pots higher or put them in a greenhouse to keep them warmer. If you need to keep your plants raised, why not check out Skyline’s LED planters

You can also spread some lawn feed over the grass to help keep your lawn healthy moving forward. It’s also advised to clean up as many leaves as possible and add a thick layer of mulch to your lawn. You’ll see the benefits when spring arrives! 

Keeping your garden well kept will help make sure that your backyard is full of wildlife. Things like hedgehog houses, bird boxes, and bird baths full of fresh, lukewarm water (so it doesn’t freeze over in the cold) will help animals make their home in your garden. This in turn means you’ll have a very successful bird watching season! 

For more tips on making your garden wildlife friendly over the winter, take a look at these top tips from Country Living

Cheers to the New Year!


We hope you’ve all had an amazing January and a fantastic start to the year! Many of us have been lucky enough to enjoy this amazing cold weather. Here at Skyline, we’re wishing everyone good fortune and health for a positive 2021.

Get prepared for another year of staycations and outdoor catch ups with friends with our outdoor furniture by taking a look through our collection and getting in contact with us today!