RSPB NI: Enjoy a summer of nature spotting

Recently fledged blue tit chick, photo, Nicola Shafer.

It’s a great time for nature spotting, with butterflies flitting amongst the flowers, young birds discovering their wings and a kaleidoscope of wildflowers everywhere.

Over the last few years, I’ve been focusing on making the garden a thriving habitat for all the wildlife that calls it home, from bird feeders to bee hotels, nest boxes to planting flowers.

I’ve even been trying my hand at growing fruit, herbs, and vegetables. I started with strawberries and a top tip from a friend was to grow them vertically on trellises and pair them with flowers like Nasturtiums or Marigolds. These companion plants will attract the insects and keep them away from the strawberries.

Herbs are also easy to grow and have the underrated aspect in that some of them flower, making them good for pollinating insects such as bees! Things like rosemary, chives and sage are all examples of flowering herbs.

Of course, one of the best things you can do for wild birds is provide food all year round, especially in summer when the new parents will welcome some additional support to help nourish their hungry chicks.

A Blue Tit chick can eat up to 100 caterpillars in a day, and with 7-14 eggs laid at a time, that’s one big food shop required to feed all those mouths. Help them out by topping up bird feeders regularly and often, don’t forget to leave some water out too.

As the weather heats up over the coming months, natural water sources may dry up, so providing a container of water for drinking and bathing will really help out our garden visitors. Just be sure to keep it clean and provide a safe route for visitors to get in and out.

A little reminder if you are working in the garden during the next few weeks to keep your eyes and ears open for baby birds, and make sure not to disturb them. If you see a baby chick in trouble, we have a handy diagram to offer the best advice on what to do to help: https://bit.ly/RSPBNI_babybirds