Want to invite waxeyes into your garden over winter? If you have a ready supply of ripe oranges or grapefruit just cut the fruit in half and put it out for them and if they are around they will soon find and enjoy it.

You may be pleasantly surprised at just how many there are and you will get a lot of pleasure observing them. Often there will be a bossy one who spends more time chasing the others away than actually eating the fruit.

Cats will come stalking them so the fruit needs to be raised up to a safe place. Sadly, there has been a decline in their numbers here this year so far.

E Ross, Otumoetai.