How to turn your garden into a bird haven

A great way to encourage birds to come to your garden is to provide them with food. Buy a bird feeder and fill it with nuts or bird seeds and hang it up in your garden where birds can find it.

Follow these step by step instructions to make a coconut bird feeder for your garden. Helps birds survive the winter or enjoy the summer.

Step 1: Cut Coconut
Drill a small hole in the coconut and drain the milk out, then cut the coconut in half

Step 2: Melt Lard
Melt the lard in a saucepan, making sure you stir until it's fully melted.

Step 3: Mix in Seed
Mix the bird seed in with the lard so that it is scattered throughout the mixture. Then spread the mixture into the coconut halves.

Step 4: Allow to Cool
Allow the lard to cool down a bit and then put the coconuts into a fridge or freezer to harden.

Step 5: Hang in Garden
Once the mixture is fully hardened in the coconut shell take it out the freezer and hang it in the garden. Watch the birds as they enjoy the food.

If you have a bit more room in your garden install a bird table. On your bird table leave a bowl of water and some food. Bread, biscust and cake crumbs are all favourites.

You can buy a bird table or build your own.

A bird box provides a cosy shelter out of the wind where birds can make a nest. Attach one to a wall or tree and if you're lucky, the birds may even lay their eggs there, allowing you to watch as the young chicks grow up.

You can buy a bird box or build your own.

If there is room why don't you add a bird bath to your garden. Gives birds a chance to freshen up and they also drink from the bath if the water bowl is empty. Allows you to observe more curious bird habits.

RSPB tips on keeping bird baths free from ice.

The RSPB is a British charity that promotes the conservation and protection of birds. They have 203 reserves throughout the UK, organise a nationwide bird survey each year and get involved in petitions affecting the environment and in particular birds. They are also one of the organisations responsible for classifying the official conservation status for each breed of bird in the UK.