Springwatch’s Iolo Williams on how to help your local wildlife for cheep
DOES birdsong make you chirpy in the morning?
Sadly, 40million birds have vanished from our skies over the past 50 years, according to the RSPB.
Meanwhile, Homebase says 52 per cent of us want to help — but don’t know how.
I asked Springwatch expert Iolo Williams for his tips to help wildlife in your garden on the “cheep”.
BREAD WRONG: Most people don’t realise bread can be harmful for birds.
Iolo says: “It offers very little nutrition and can fill a bird’s stomach. Instead put out a variety of high-energy foods such as fat balls, peanuts, mixed seeds and sunflower hearts.”
My tip: Go large and grab a 12.75kg bag of Wild Appetite bird seed mix at Homebase, £8.95 – just 70p a kilo.
WATER TIP: “Water is essential for birds to clean their feathers as well as to drink,” says Iolo.
“A bowl or even an upturned bin lid will do. Water is also important for mammals such as hedgehogs, whereas milk is very harmful and can cause diarrhea and sickness.”
POT TO DO: Even with a small garden or balcony you can help.
Iolo says: “Growing potted plants such as lavender or mint is excellent for bees. You can also grow climbing plants against railings. These provide nectar and pollen for insects and berries for birds, and the dense growth is great for nesting.”
My tip: Plants such as mint are great value as you can use the leaves in cooking. They are quite cheap at supermarkets. A large mint pot plant at Tesco is just £1.25. Similar pots are £3.50 plus P&P at , for example.
GO WILD: Wildflowers are perfect for wildlife. You can buy a variety of seeds to add extra. Iolo says: “The flowers are perfect for bees, butterflies and other insects, while the seeds attract birds.”
My tip: If you want to try before you buy, I find you can often get small sample packets of seeds online at sites such as Amazon for around 50p.
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