BIRD CARE

A bird-friendly garden at this time of year should be full of seeds, nuts and berries. Nectar and pollen tend to be in short supply in the autumn, but they are still essential foods for many insects that over-winter as adults and then become food for birds in early spring. To encourage native birds and wildlife it is important to offer them traditional native food. Plants such as Crab apples, Holly, Elder, Birch or Hawthorn are just some of the great food supplies for birds through the winter. Container-grown plants are always available but you can save money at this time of year by opting for bare-rooted hedging, or root-balled trees and shrubs. We are lucky in Devon as local growers St Bridget Nurseries dig all their bare-rooted tree fresh to order from their fields in Exeter PLUS you can find out more about Wildlife Gardening from RSPB experts visiting their Garden Centres. On Saturday 21st October the RSPB will be offering a drop in clinic at St Bridget Nurseries Old Rydon Lane, Exeter Garden Centre and they will be at the Sidmouth Road, Clyst St. Mary Garden Centre on Sunday 22nd October. Drop in clinic all day plus question and answer session at 2pm each day.

Plus the garden centres have great offers on a range of bird feeders, nesting boxes and food as well as some great wildlife boxes like a Hedgehog House!