It is well worth collecting wild nuts and berries (and other fruits and seeds for that matter) for the birds in your garden in winter. If no such plants are growing in your garden presently, consider planting some (if you have space). Natives are better as they attract more insect life, and consequently more bird life. But for the time being, you can just collect these foods. Chestnuts, hazel-nuts (cob-nuts) and beech mast are good, plus, keep some for your self. YUM! if you have Goldfinches in the gardenlike I do, it is a good idea to pick some thistle and teasel seed-heads (on the stems) and dry them out. When winter comes, push these dried stems into the soil. Goldfinch beaks are made for the task of extracting the seeds! Soon I will put a post up with all the bird-friendly plants you can collect fruit and seeds from or grow in your garden. Also, if you like to forage for fruit and nuts to eat yourself, any rotten or bruised ones unsuitable for storage, feed them to the birds. They don't care about rot! And why don't you visit www.theurbaneforager.blogspot.co.uk , a great blog on foraging from Alan Gibson. I have not collected any fruit and nuts yet, but I will report back when I have.
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