Make your garden cool for birds and bees

Hot temperatures can be bad for many of our favourite garden birds. The extreme heat can cause water sources to dry up, meaning birds will desperately be searching for water.

Birds need fresh water to drink – but also to bathe in. Taking a dip in water and shaking the drops through their feathers helps keep their feathers clean and also cools them down. 

If you have a birdbath, keeping it topped up with fresh water can be a life saver for our feathered friends, but if you don’t, there are many other simple things we can all do in our outdoor space to help.

Create a mini pond in your garden for birds and other wildlife. A mini pond can be made with an old washing up bowl or a just a plastic ice cream or take away tub.

 

 

The hot weather may mean natural food supplies, like worms, become scarce. Summer birds will be grateful for extra treats, as many are busy raising their young, little and often is the best way.

Put out things like black sunflower seeds, oatmeal, soaked sultanas, raisins and currants, mealworms, waxworms, mixes for insectivorous birds, good seed mixtures, without loose peanuts.

Don’t leave food out too long and be sure to keep an eye on rotting food. Hygiene is extremely important when it comes to feeding your garden birds, especially in the summer.

Bees need help as well during a heatwave.

 

 

Tired and grounded bees can be revived during the heatwave with a simple food solution left in a shallow tray.

A simple mix of sugar and water (in a 2:1 ratio) will give a hungry bee a boost.

Bees need plain water as well as food, so your new garden ‘pond’ is good for birds and bees.