What can I do in order to help the birds?
August for us, is the best time to be in the garden, enjoying the sunshine and generally our favourite season to be out in the great outdoors however this is not the case for all wildlife. For the garden birds August time is generally the time that they start to think about heading to the wintering grounds.
It’s the time that some of them may not be looking their usually beautiful self as they are now shedding after mating season and replacing their old feathers with new warm ones, ready for the cold weather, this requires lots of energy so it’s important to keep feeding your birds through this process. They prefer feeding and drinking earlier in the morning when it is cooler for them but be careful not to put too much out, with the hot weather the food is likely to go off a lot quicker. Not only this but try to feed smaller chunks so that the babies don’t choke.
As well as feed, it is really important to ensure that the bird baths are kept topped up as natural water sources may be in short supply. To keep it nice and fresh, make sure it is situated under the shade, so that the water doesn’t evaporate.
The birds also like to do something called ‘dust bathing’, where, as the name suggests, they roll in dust. They do this to keep their feathers clean, as the dust takes away any oils to stop them becoming matted. So, if possible, leave a patch of soil around, either in an upturned dustbin lid or bird bath.
Shelter is just as important as feed and water, not only does a long section of lawn provide this, it also attracts insects and wild flowers for food. Be careful not to disturb nesting birds; try not to trim shrubs or hedges during the month of August, wait a for a while until breeding season is over.
By Webbs
