Winter is a quiet time for butterflies and moths as they spend the colder months hidden away or in a dormant state as eggs, caterpillars or chrysalis. However, this is a good opportunity to look back at the year and assess which plants thrived, flowered well and were attractive to butterflies, moths and other pollinators.
If you are desperate to get out in the garden doing practical things, then the birds would be very grateful for your help.
Bird populations, like butterflies and moths, are a great indicator of the health of the countryside and with the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch survey about to get underway, it is the perfect time to find out what species visit your garden and how you can help them.
All you need to do is spend an hour over the weekend of 29-31 January counting what you see and registering your results on the RSPB website.
Around half a million people took part last year, with almost eight million birds counted, with the House Sparrow taking the number one spot, closely followed by the Starling.
The birds you will see can vary depending on where you live, what food you use and where your food is placed, but on the RSPB's website, you can find tips on what seed mix to use, different types of bird tables and even a guide to making your own bird feeder. You can also see photos and listen to the birdsong of each of the different species you are likely to encounter.
The results of the Big Garden Birdwatch, much like our Big Butterfly Count, create a ‘snapshot’ of bird numbers in each region and help paint a bigger picture of what's happening to UK populations, allowing the RSPB to spot any species in trouble and to target their conservation efforts where it is needed.
Happy Birding!
The Secret Gardener