DOES birdsong make you chirpy in the morning?
Sadly, 40million birds have vanished from our skies over the past 50 years, according to the RSPB.
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Meanwhile, Homebase says 52 per cent of us want to help — but don’t know how.
I asked Springwatch expert Iolo Williams for his tips to help wildlife in your garden on the “cheep”.
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BREAD WRONG: Most people don’t realise bread can be harmful for birds.
Iolo says: “It offers very little nutrition and can fill a bird’s stomach. Instead put out a variety of high-energy foods such as fat balls, peanuts, mixed seeds and sunflower hearts.”
My tip: Go large and grab a 12.75kg bag of Wild Appetite bird seed mix at Homebase, £8.95 – just 70p a kilo.
WATER TIP: “Water is essential for birds to clean their feathers as well as to drink,” says Iolo.
“A bowl or even an upturned bin lid will do. Water is also important for mammals such as hedgehogs, whereas milk is very harmful and can cause diarrhea and sickness.”
POT TO DO: Even with a small garden or balcony you can help.
Iolo says: “Growing potted plants such as lavender or mint is excellent for bees. You can also grow climbing plants against railings. These provide nectar and pollen for insects and berries for birds, and the dense growth is great for nesting.”
My tip: Plants such as mint are great value as you can use the leaves in cooking. They are quite cheap at supermarkets. A large mint pot plant at Tesco is just £1.25. Similar pots are £3.50 plus P&P at hettysherbs.co.uk, for example.
GO WILD: Wildflowers are perfect for wildlife. You can buy a variety of seeds to add extra. Iolo says: “The flowers are perfect for bees, butterflies and other insects, while the seeds attract birds.”
My tip: If you want to try before you buy, I find you can often get small sample packets of seeds online at sites such as Amazon for around 50p.
Deal of the day
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PUT a grin on your face with Gordon’s gin Sicilian lemon and pink varieties, currently £15 a litre at Nisa Local, down from £16.49.
SAVE: £1.49
Cheap treat
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ADD style to your patio with a garden rug from Lidl. Get this pretty but hardwearing Florabest, made of weather-resistant fabric, for just £6.99.
What’s new?
RUNNERS Need has paired up with tracking app Strava.
Run three times in a week and earn 20 per cent off full-priced New Balance running gear from the store when you opt into the challenge on the app.
You could even win a place in October’s 2021 London Marathon.
Top swap
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KIDS will love a sandpit for the garden. But instead of sinking £30 into this green B&Q offering, above, head to Argos for the similar £20 Chad Valley sandpit.
SAVE: £10
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Giselle’s little helper
TODAY Disney launches Tales Of Courage & Kindness, a digital storybook featuring 14 Disney Princess stories aiming to inspire youngsters to create a kinder world.
Download it FREE and find out more about the campaign at disneyprincessstories.co.uk.
Shop and save
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DINNERTIME will dazzle with Finish Powerball All-In-1 Max Lemon Sparkle dishwasher tablets. A 63-pack is usually £9.50 but just £8 at Asda.
SAVE: £1.50
Hot right now
NEW Baileys Colada blends the Irish Cream drink with coconut and pineapple.
A perfect summer sup, £18.99 from The Bottle Club.
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BILL BREAKDOWN
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PAY BOOST
Martin Lewis warns every employee in UK to not miss out on a ‘hidden’ pay rise
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Chris Packham’s stepdaughter Megan McCubbin presents Springwatch with him for the first time
