winter wildlife tips

You and your family need food, water and warm shelter - wildlife do too.

There are lots of little things you can do to help the wildlife in your garden this winter.

                                                          

• RSPB advise feeding your garden birds through the winter months as they will be struggling to find food.
• Place feeders about 10 feet from shrubs, or other places where cats might be.
• Make sure your bird feeders are keeping the seeds dry. If seeds get wet, remove and replace with new this will prevent mold growth, clean regular to prevent disease.
• Provide water for wildlife this is almost as important as food through winter.
• Plan to Plant trees and shrubs that are native to your area and many can provide winter berries, other food sources, shelter and nesting sites.
• Avoid cutting back hedges and leave a band of un-mown grass along it, this provides shelter and food.
• Allow some of your plants to go to seed to provide winter food for seed-eating birds.
• Be careful not to disturb creatures,when you are tidying and preparing for winter or they can waste energy trying to find a new habitat.
• Make sure there are plenty of places to take shelter - dense shrubs, wood piles, long grass, rock piles.

 

European hedgehog tips. 

• If burning garden leaves or refuse use a  incinerator or move the pile just before setting fire to it. This should prevent any hedgehogs that have made a home in the rubbish being harmed.
• Hedgehogs are getting ready or may have already begun to hibernate at this time of the year . During hibernation a hedgehogs will wake up several times, and if you see one it is a good idea to offer food and water, then, if there are no signs of problems, let the little fella go on its way.
• Keep a pile of logs in an undisturbed corner of the garden to provide shelter for insects and mammals - if you're lucky a hedgehog or toad may find a home there and feed on all your slugs and snails.