Watch the birdie! (From Free Press Series)

Watch the birdie!

YOU don't have to be a dedicated twitcher to enjoy the colours and sounds of the wild birds in your neighbourhood. You don't even need the latest in binoculoar technology.

Rather than trekking through woodlands and marshes, more and more people are discovering the benefits of attracting birds into their gardens and none more so than in Monmouthshire.

Many locals have signed up to the British Trust for Ornithology's Garden BirdWatch scheme which aims to keep a detailed record of the types of birds which 'hang out' near you.

The beauty of the scheme is that you can note the birds you see over your morning cup of coffee or while working in the garden.

So with the summer months approaching, what foodstuffs should you be putting out in your garden?

According to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in Wales, birds require high protein foods in the summer, especially while they are moulting. Black sunflower seeds, pinhead oatmeal, soaked sultanas, raisins and currants, mild grated cheese, mealworms, waxworms, good seed mixtures without loose peanuts, can all be used.

Soft apples and pears cut in half, bananas and grapes are also useful foods. Some people use soaked dog or cat food and tinned pet foods, but these may attract magpies, crows and cats.

Avoid using peanuts, fat and bread at this time, since these foods can be harmful if brought to nestlings. If you feel you must put out peanuts, only do so in suitable mesh feeders that will not allow sizeable pieces of peanuts to be removed.