Birds will be busy building nests and feeding baby chicks in April, but they may struggle to find food since plants are just starting to grow again after winter
You won’t need to throw away old mug and tea cups, as they can be used in your garden this month – stock photo
Gardeners are being encouraged to rummage through their kitchen cupboards for any old neglected mugs or chipped teacups, as these are amongst the finest ways to help birds remain healthy in April.
Birds will be occupied at present constructing nests and nourishing baby chicks, but they may find it challenging to locate food since plants are only beginning to flourish again following winter.
This means that the quantity of seeds and insects in gardens remains fairly restricted, and most individuals don’t have the time or funds to pop to a pet shop simply to purchase a feeder.
If birds struggle to locate food in early spring, fewer chicks will make it through to summer, leaving gardens more vulnerable to pests like aphids, slugs, and other insects that harm flowers.
Place mugs on trees, fences or even on a table to help feed birds(Image: Getty)
However, Cass Bailey, the founder of Diary of a Frugal Family, has revealed that it’s straightforward to assist your local wildlife and create a homemade feeder from old mugs or teacups.
She stated: “At this time of year, our little feathered friends could do with a bit of help from us (actually they’d be glad of the help year-round but this time of the year especially) so we decided to make our own thrifty homemade bird feeder using a couple of aluminium mugs that we have in the cupboard and some twigs we collected when we were walking the dog.”
Utilising a mug as a feeder is the simplest method to assist birds during spring, as not only does it provide them with a food source, but it means they needn’t venture far from their nests to forage. Encouraging local birds to settle nearby means you’re far more likely to spot robins, owls, blue tits, blackbirds and sparrows frequenting your garden.
Birds that receive support early in the growing season will naturally act as a form of pest control for your garden, meaning you won’t need to fret about slugs devouring plant leaves or aphids wreaking havoc on your roses, reports the Express.
It gives birds a easy food source so they do not have to go far from their nests(Image: Getty)
How to make a homemade bird feeder out of mugs
You will need:
A mugA pack of suet fat (185g)A pack of bird food (370g)A few broken sticks or twigs
Suet fat can be purchased from the baking aisle in most supermarkets, and typically comes in beef, vegetarian or vegan varieties. Budget-friendly bird seed mixes can also be found in the pet aisle.
Method:
To start, place the suet in a pot over a low heat and allow it to melt for five minutes until completely liquefied.
Next, put some birdseed in a bowl, pour in the melted suet, and combine everything together. You’re aiming for a ratio of one part suet to two parts birdseed.
Decant the bird food into a mug, using a spoon to pack it down so the surface appears smooth. Then, press a few twigs or snapped sticks into the edges of the mug, as birds will relish perching on them while feeding.
Pop the mug in the fridge for a couple of hours to allow the bird food to set, after which it’s ready to be placed in the garden.
Fasten some string around the handle of the mug and hang it somewhere elevated in your garden, such as a tree or fence. Alternatively, you can position the mug on the ground or on a table if preferred, though place a large stone inside before adding your bird feed to prevent it from blowing away.
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