I’m a gardening pro and birds just love my favourite Poundland product
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.
"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.
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.
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.
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.
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
SAVE!
Get this freestanding £54.99 Johnson and Jeff Keburn bird table from Robert Dyas
Or get this £9.99 version from The Range.
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.