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I’m a gardening pro and birds just love my favourite Poundland product
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THE days are getting longer and the growing season is underway. But we’re not the only ones busy in the garden.
Migratory birds are returning to the UK to start mating and nesting in our outside spaces - and they’re sadly facing an uphill battle.
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Sean McMenemy, founder, told Sun Gardening: “Between the loss of woodland, tidier gardens and modern, insulated houses, our birds are left with far fewer nesting opportunities.
"Nothing compares to watching a little bird take its first flight, especially if it’s from a nest box you put up yourself. And if we give birds more places to nest and provide healthy bird food, they’ll mate more, which will help to slow the decline in bird species”.
But what else can we do to encourage birds to nest in our outside spaces?
As well as planting insect-attracting berry and fruit trees - to help feed the birds - we should keep seed heads on throughout the year.
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Gardening expert Lee Smith at says to include hydration stations around the garden.
Parent birds need a lot of water around nesting season - it’s thirsty work!
Make sure it's in a quiet sheltered place away from dense bushes cats can spring from.
The advises that when choosing a bird table, wood may look great, but metal, plastic and polycarbonate are easier to clean. The smoother and straighter the post, the harder it is for cats and squirrels to climb.
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You don’t even need a garden – feeding trays can attract birds to a balcony or a windowsill, or even to a block of flats.
You can find full instructions and plans for building a nest box at .
When buying bird food, try to get a , seeds and live food like mealworms and waxworms.
Fruit, especially bruised apples and pears, will be popular with thrushes and Blackbirds.
is currently selling bags of bird seed for 99p and a whole host of other dried insects, and feed.
While has bags of food from £1 upwards.
Finally, remember that all bird nests and eggs are protected by the Wildlife & Countryside Act of 1981.
It's illegal to deliberately damage, or destroy the nest of any wild bird while it is in use or being built - or to take or destroy their eggs.
So check before you prune that no birds are nesting there.
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KEEP IT CLEAN
Bird Feeder experts Finches Friend’s top tips to prevent spreading disease include
- Keep food dry - Bird seed that is exposed to rain and becomes wet is a more suitable environment for disease transmission.
- Birds don’t wash their feet! Don’t allow them to walk in their food. Dirty feet spread droppings and therefore disease.
- Wash water stations weekly - dirty, stagnant water increases the risk of disease transmission. Avoid clay, cement or corroded iron birdbaths as they can contaminate the water.
- Garden Hygiene - scrub tables and feeders with a weak bleach solution, and clean the areas surrounding and below your feeders and tables, wear gloves and empty old food.
- Provide several to reduce the number of birds in any one spot. Rotate the position to minimise droppings and food waste in areas underneath them.
SEED THE BIRDS
Peckish is offering a free packet of wildflower seeds with every purchase of their Wild Bird food.
The seeds, available now, are a mix of easy-to-grow wildflowers selected to provide nutrients and nesting material for birds.
They can go straight in the ground during April and May - to bloom from June to August.
Seeds include sunflowers, teasels, cornflowers, corncockles, cosmos, nigellas and marigolds.
For more information about the free wildflower seeds and to find your nearest stockist visit
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BOXING CLEVER
The National Trust, in collaboration with CJ Wildlife, has developed a new kids' range, including a build-your-own birdbox and feeder kits - designed with little hands in mind.
Visit
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TOP TIP!
Put chilli powder or Tabasco on bird feed - it won’t bother the birds, but squirrels will hate it and leave the food alone.
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THIS WEEK'S JOB
Cut back large Hellebore leaves to reveal the remaining flowers, and start pulling up bindweed - dig down to get it all, including roots.
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WIN!
WIN! Our friends at are offering TWENTY readers the chance to win a pair of fleece-lined Cloggies.
Perfect for a spot of gardening, and easy to slip on and off.
To enter online fill in the form
Or write to Sun Cloggies competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP.
Include your name, age, shoe size, email or phone. UK residents 18+ only. Ends 23.59GMT 20/04/24.
Full T&Cs here
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SAVE!
Get this freestanding £54.99 Johnson and Jeff Keburn bird table from Robert Dyas
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Or get this £9.99 version from The Range.
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LEARN!
Q. My lovely Pierrus plant last summer suddenly contracted something airborne.
The leaves had awful mottled brown spots, then they dropped off.
It’s come back again this year. Can I use anything?
Jackee Schwab, via email.
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A. Sounds like leaf spot - which is a fungal disease.
But the Pieris should be saveable. First, cut back all the affected leaves, and pick up all the fallen ones so it doesn't contaminate the soil. Burn them. Use Neem Oil on every affected part. Going forward, don't water from the top, don't mist it, use acidic "ericaceous" well-drained soil, and mulch every year.
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