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| Adult and Juvenile woodpeckers - Jenny Jones |
Despite a commonly-held view that wild creatures only
need help finding food during winter months, the RSPB is urging people to
put out food this summer too.
Food shortages can occur at any time of year and this can
be a major problem for garden birds especially, which are currently
trying to find food to feed hungry chicks. Cool and wet conditions such
as those experienced in many parts of the UK recently, can make it
very difficult for birds to find their staple insect food and
in particular caterpillars.
Richard James, a wildlife advisor at the RSPB said Now is the height of the birds breeding season so there are many busy
parents looking for food to feed their hungry offspring.
Birds need to find
food for their young brood quickly and don t want to be away from them for too long, so having a supply of
seeds, mealworms and suitable kitchen leftovers can really help
them out.
The RSPB actually sells a third more bird food in June
than it does in December. The charity believes the food may be eaten more
quickly than in other months because birds see it as a convenience
and, just like some busy mums and dads, opt for the easier option to
keep their children happy.
And it's not just birds that need our help at this time
of year. The RSPB is asking people to leave out food for hedgehogs
too, such as tinned dog or cat food, crushed biscuits or specialist
hedgehog food which can brought from the charity's online shop.www.rspbshop.co.uk. Never give hedgehogs milk as it can cause stomach problems.
The RSPB is asking gardeners to plant insect friendly
flowers too, so butterflies, bees and other insects can thrive.
Honeysuckle, dahlia and cornflower are among those that are attractive to look at
and nectar rich for insects.
A year since the RSPB launched its biggest-ever campaign,
Giving Nature a Home, almost 300,000 people have pledged to provide
summer and winter food for birds, put up a nestbox or plant nectar-rich
flowers among other measures to help UK wildlife.
And it s not just members of the public who have been
Giving Nature a Home. Last month, LegoLand launched a wildlife garden
made entirely from LEGO bricks,
designed to inspire visitors to attraction to give nature a home.
The set of Emmerdale was one of the first to lend a hand
to the campaign, installing a bug hotel, hedgehog house and a
nestbox around the famous soap village. Even the grounds of Downton Abbey have been transformed
into a home for nature with a wildflower meadow.
Martin Harper, RSPB Conservation Director, said The response to the RSPB s Giving Nature a Home campaign in its first year
has been excellent. It shows the desire that many people have to
help the wildlife around them. However, we need even more people
to give nature a home.
You can do as much
or as little as you like. Simple steps such as putting out food or installing a nestbox can make a big
difference. You could even go on to provide ponds, hedgerows and insect
homes too to really make your home an excellent home for nature.
Outstanding footage of garden birds visiting garden
feeders was filmed by Brian Reid in his garden in Cambridgeshire. It shows
starlings, goldfinches, greenfinches and house sparrows taking
advantage of the extra food provided for them. Please see this link:
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