Gardeners can help robins survive the winter

Dr Nick Carter, director of environment and conservation at Gardman, has revealed that the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology), has again recorded a drop in the number of robins this year.
“The usual influx of robins from the continent hasn’t happened because of adverse weather conditions,” he said. “We know from our connections with the BTO that robin numbers in gardens generally are declining
You can help by treating your garden robins to a pack of special feed and you could be helping to raise vital cash for a charity dedicated to creating gardens at UK children’s hospices.
All profits from the sale of packets of Gardman Robin Feed will go to Greenfingers, a charity run by the gardening industry. It costs £1.99 and is available at garden centres.

Food shortage

Garden birds need your help to deal with a serious food shortage, thanks to the drought-like conditions in many parts of the country.
While there’s a bumper crop of berries, the unusually dry weather means that the parched, rock-hard earth has forced worms and other grubs deep underground, making them inaccessible to most species.
Bird charity, the RSPB say that blackbirds are ill prepared for the onset of cold, winter weather as earthworms are a major source of food for them in urban areas.
 Other species, such as song thrushes – already under threat and on the charity’s ‘red list’, are also vulnerable to drought-like conditions. They love to feast on slugs and snails, creatures that literally go to ground when the weather dries up.

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