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Your September Garden Bird Checklist
Why Each Step Matters More Than You Think
September feels different in the garden. The light is lower, the mornings carry a chill that wasn't there in August, and if you stop and listen, the garden is suddenly busier with birds than it's been all summer.
Robins are singing again after their summer silence, announcing their winter territories with a quieter, more melancholy song.
This is one of the most rewarding months of the year to watch your garden – and one of the most important times to make sure everything is in good shape for the season ahead.
1. Clean Out Your Nest Boxes
The single most important practical task of the month is cleaning out your nest boxes.
Once the breeding season is over, towards the end of September, give them a proper clean. Place the old contents on your compost heap and use boiling water to kill any parasites. Once the box has dried out fully, replace the lid and hang it back up.
Wrens and other small birds will often use a clean box to keep warm over winter. Don't leave this until spring – old nesting material harbours parasites, and a clean box now is one birds will actually use for winter roosting.
2. Give Every Feeder a Proper Clean
This is also a good time to give every feeder a proper clean. Damp autumn conditions accelerate mould growth on seed and debris below feeders faster than any other time of year.
A purpose-made bird hygiene product makes this job quicker and more effective than washing-up liquid alone. Clean feeders, bird tables and bird baths properly without harming the birds that use them.
Move your feeder's position slightly each week to stop ground contamination building up underneath, and always clear out any old food before refilling.
3. Look Out for Spectacular Autumn Visitors
The first spectacular visitors from Scandinavia are beginning to arrive. Young birds born this summer will be making their way south and can make some surprise appearances in our gardens.
Keep an eye out for warblers like Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler, who may use feeders to stock up before long journeys. Tits begin forming large mixed flocks with different species banding together, sometimes passing through in their dozens.
Redwings and Fieldfares from Norway and Iceland arrive exhausted after their sea crossing. Putting out suitable food on a low ground tray can make your garden a genuine refuelling stop for some of the most beautiful birds you'll see at close range all year.
4. Don't Tidy Up Those Sunflowers Yet
If you've planted sunflowers this year, resist the urge to tidy them up just yet. Leaving sunflower seed heads in place provides a nutritious food source as the seeds mature – a favourite for finches, sparrows and other seed-eating birds.
Leave any other seed-bearing plants standing too, where you can. The more natural food your garden provides, the more species it will attract and retain through autumn.
You can also help supplement natural food sources by keeping sunflower hearts topped up at your feeding station – particularly useful for the Goldfinch flocks gathering throughout September.
5. Don't Forget About Water
Now is also the time to think about water. As the weather cools and natural water sources start to dry up, birds need reliable places to drink and bathe.
Keep your bird bath clean and topped up with fresh water. A good bird bath cleaner removes algae, bacteria and debris quickly and safely.
Our hygiene range includes bird bath cleaners as well as feeder disinfectants, all bird-safe and designed to make your weekly cleaning routine as quick and straightforward as possible.
6. Check Your Feeders Before Winter
September is also a great time to check your feeding station for cracks, mould or damage. Anything that can't be properly cleaned should be replaced before winter arrives and garden birds become increasingly reliant on your feeders.
A clean, well-maintained feeding station can help make it easier to offer different foods to different species throughout the changing season.
Your September Garden Bird Checklist
- Clean out your nest boxes now – use boiling water to kill parasites, compost the old material and rehang when dry so Wrens and other small birds can use them to roost through winter.
- Clean every feeder, bird table and bird bath thoroughly using a bird-safe hygiene product.
- Move your feeder position slightly each week to prevent ground contamination building up underneath.
- Put out suitable food on a low ground tray – Redwings and Fieldfares arriving from Scandinavia will appreciate it.
- Leave sunflower seed heads and seed-bearing plants standing – they provide natural food that finches and sparrows will take through October.
- Top up sunflower hearts for the Goldfinch flocks gathering this month – September is one of the best months to see large numbers at the feeder.
- Keep a variety of bird foods stocked through October – this helps attract a larger range of visiting garden birds.
- Clean and top up your bird bath or water dish using a bird-safe cleaner – fresh, clean water is just as important as food at this time of year.
- Check your feeders for cracks, mould or damage – replace anything that can't be properly cleaned before winter.
- Install a nest box now if you're adding one – birds will investigate through autumn and winter, ready for spring.