| With just a little effort it is possible to turn your | | | | and is especially important during the winter when the |
| garden into a haven for birds and wildlife. Things to | | | | birds' normal supply of water may be frozen. Make |
| think about are plants, accessories such as bird | | | | sure you clean your bird bath to prevent the build of |
| tables, bird baths and bird feeders, providing food, | | | | algae - you will find that you need to clean your bird |
| water and shelter for wildlife and keeping predators | | | | bath more often in the summer. A nest box will |
| away. | | | | attract breeding birds and with the decline of natural |
| The first thing you need to think about are the | | | | nesting sites in recent years more and more birds are |
| types of plants for your garden. Plants will provide | | | | using gardens to have their chicks. Birds will also use |
| food, shelter and nesting sites. You will need to plant | | | | a nest box for shelter in the winter and you can also |
| native trees and shrubs such as birch, oak and willow | | | | buy homes for butterflies, bees ladybirds and |
| to attract butterflies and bees as well as insects, | | | | lacewings. |
| which will be a natural food supply for birds, mammals | | | | Leave a pile of logs, twigs and dead leaves in one |
| and amphibians. Wildflowers such as foxglove, | | | | corner of your garden which will provide a home for |
| cornflower and honeysuckle will also attract | | | | lots of creepy-crawlies, mosses and lichens and even |
| butterflies and bees, and flowers with a seed head | | | | a bat. Be careful not to disturb the woodpile in the |
| such as sunflowers will attract birds. Try leaving a | | | | winter as a hedgehog may use it for hibernation. A |
| patch of lawn to go wild - not only will you find | | | | garden pond will be a haven for all kinds of plants, |
| wildflowers amongst it, but the long grass will provide | | | | birds and animals as well as providing drinking and |
| shelter and attract insects. It is simple to attract birds | | | | bathing water. Stock your pond with native plants |
| to your garden with a well stocked bird table or | | | | taken from another pond or garden centre - |
| feeder. Make sure your feeders are sited | | | | remember it is illegal to take plants from the wild. |
| somewhere quiet so that birds are not disturbed as | | | | Insects and small invertebrates will find your pond |
| they feed and keep them away from bushes and | | | | quickly and you will eventually attract frogs, toads |
| shrubs where predators could hide ready for an | | | | and newts. Add some frogspawn from a nearby |
| ambush. | | | | pond if you want to help nature along. . If your pond |
| You can put all sorts of food out for birds such as | | | | is big enough you may be lucky enough to see some |
| kitchen scraps like fruit, rice, cheese, bread, peanuts | | | | dragonflies. |
| and bacon. Or you can buy ready made seed mixes | | | | Large, exotic specimens of fish may look attractive |
| and fat balls, some of which are formulated to | | | | but they will eat insects, tadpoles and froglets and |
| attract particular species of birds. For other animals | | | | are likely to be taken by heron. Instead, choose |
| you can also buy special food for hedgehogs and | | | | some minnows or sticklebacks. By turning your |
| badgers. Make sure you clear away uneaten food | | | | garden into a mini nature reserve you will be doing |
| regularly so you don't attract unwanted wildlife such | | | | your bit to help local wildlife and have the enjoyment |
| as rats. | | | | of seeing animals and birds close up. |
| A bird bath will provide water for drinking and bathing | | | | |