Birds need fresh water as well as food

Have just prised a 20in (50cm) diameter disc of ice from each of two bird baths, freshened the water and immediately a few starlings, two blackbirds and a wood pigeon came to drink. I then cleared our four somewhat smaller bird baths and a pair of song thrushes suddenly appeared at one of these, taking it in turns to drink. They surely need fresh water as well as food.

Wintry days of sunshine can be very deceptive. They look beautiful, but one needs layers in order to keep warm and I am puzzled at the 'rules' of evolution that have kept us without hairy bodies and has us needing to buy clothing, more in order to survive than to look nice. Probably our skins relate more to spring and summer than to autumn and winter, and we are waterproof.

Other ways to keep warm in winter? Purchase a plastic container of dried meal worms to feed the birds. A label on mine said 'To open, snap back the rim all the way round to break the seal', or words to that effect. Now I am a very strong man for my age (27) and can crush grapes with the best of 'em, but it took me ages to get the lid off. By then I was really warm. Cor! So I spoke to the bird food company and asked the person who answered to give it a go, then think about the hundreds of elderly ladies, for example, finding ways to get into the containers while hungry birds watch and wait nearby. She promised to try it herself. I could almost hear the cracking of finger nails. Who knows, a new type of lid may be forthcoming ere long. Must feed the birds and other wildlife where possible.