Whether they’re scurrying away to hibernate this winter or out foraging amongst the frost, your garden wildlife can benefit from a helping hand as the days get shorter and the temperature continues to drop. Here are some tips on what you can do in your winter garden to help wildlife.
Look after wildlife in the winter garden
Bath time for birds
Blackbird bathing Credit: Ray Kennedy (rspb-images.com)
Access to water to drink and bathe in is important for birds, and in winter natural water sources may freeze and become inaccessible. It’s great to have a bird bath out in winter - keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t freeze over as well! If it gets icy you can use warm water to remove the ice, or if the ice is thin you can gently break it into pieces.
If it’s getting too chilly to creep into the garden and remove ice you can put small items including ping pong balls, corks, or twigs in the bird bath– the movement prevents the bath freezing over entirely.
Find out how you can make a great bird bath
Prepare a feast
Robin feeding on a bird table in the snow Credit: Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)
The cold weather and frost can make natural sources of food more scarce. Birds require high-energy foods during the cold winter weather to maintain their fat reserves and survive the chilly nights. Fat balls and other fat-based food bars are excellent winter food (if you purchase it in netting, always remember to remove the netting before you put it out for the birds). Unsalted nuts and seeds can also be put out, as well as mealworms, and even your leftovers. Remember to put your feeder up high enough that predators can’t get to them!
Wild in winter
Log construction for bugs (rspb-images.com)
Give yourself a wee break from tidying to let your garden go a little wild this winter. A pile of fallen leaves can make a cosy hiding spot, and leaving wood piles gives insects a safe resting place. Where possible, leave areas undisturbed for hibernating creatures to safely sleep all winter. You can relax inside wrapped up warm and know hibernating wildlife in your garden are safe and cosy in the nooks and crannies you’ve left for them.
Provide shelter
Nest box for birds fixed to a tree trunk Credit: Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)
As well leaving the garden wild to help hedgehogs and other wildlife, you could repurpose a nest box for small birds to use as shelter. Aim to position your nest box so that it’s shielded from direct sunlight (if you’re lucky enough to get any…) as well as from wet winds.
Insects and bugs also need places to shelter over winter – consider building a bug hotel!
If you want to make sure you get your outdoors fix and make a difference to your garden wildlife this season check out all our ideas for helpful winter garden activities!