(Some useful information from the RSPCA website and gardeners world)
We can all struggle with the changing weather. Our wildlife friends are no different. Here’s how you can lend a helping hand to wildlife this winter.
🐦 Feeding birds in winter.
Birds may find it harder to find their normal food in winter, but you can help them to stay strong by leaving out extra food for them. They need calorie-rich suet, sunflower hearts and peanuts to maintain fat reserves on frosty nights. Also, keep bird baths topped up.
🦡Helping badgers in severe weather.
Badgers don’t hibernate, but they do sleep through most of the severe weather. They have a tough time finding their favourite food of earthworms when the ground is frozen. They’d welcome nibbles such as lightly cooked meats, cheese, peanuts and fruit.
🦊 Help foxes
Leave out water and food like dog/cat food and eggs, feed at dusk.
🐿️ Help stock a squirrel’s store.
Squirrels ‘cache’ (store) food when it’s in good supply, to eat when food is scarce.
To help squirrels survive the coldest times of the year, you can offer them nuts such as hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds, plus some chopped apple, beans, carrots or spinach.
🐟 Melting frozen ponds.
Toxic gases can build up in frozen ponds, killing fish or frogs that may be hiding at the bottom. If you have a pond, check it every day for ice.
If the pond does freeze over, carefully place a saucepan of hot water on the surface to melt a hole. Never tip boiling water onto it or break the ice with force, as this can harm fish. You can also place a ball in the pond to stop it freezing over completely. It’s also a good idea to create a nearby rock pile, where they can take shelter. Ideally, this should face north, to avoid temperature highs and lows between day and night.
🦔🐭🐸 Hibernating hedgehogs, frogs and mice.
Before lighting bonfires, check wood or leaf piles carefully for wild animals such as hedgehogs, frogs and mice, who like to hibernate in these cosy spots. They also like compost heaps so please take extra care!
If you find wild animals in hibernation, be sure to leave them be.
Should you find a hedgehog out in the day or one that is small please do pick up carefully and get them help – with us or a rescue centre.
Provide shelter by making a leaf pile, or making a hedgehog house. Leave a dish of water and dog or cat food to help boost their fat reserves.
🐞🦋🐝🐜 Help insects in winter.
The key to helping insects is to keep them cool and dry. If you do disturb them or have to move them, make sure they’re not exposed to damp conditions. Insects readily hibernate in gardens. Bumblebees dig holes in the ground or rest in leaf litter, butterflies sleep in garages, sheds and between folds of curtains. Wasps, ladybirds and lacewings shelter under loose bark on logs and in cracks in door and window frames.
Recreate the areas insects hibernate in by tying up bamboo and sunflower stems, and leave them in a dry spot in the garden. Leave areas of the garden untouched over winter and let areas of long grass remain unmown.
Please do leave out food and water for our wildlife, and areas where they can take shelter – it makes such a difference 🥰
