All is quiet on the feather front

July is a relatively quiet time in the bird world. Most of the young have fledged and males no longer need to win a mate or defend territory so birdsong is less noticeable. House martins, swifts and swallows drift in the warm summer evening air, feasting on flying insects. Disease spreads quickly in the warm weather so try to keep feeding and drinking areas clean, washing them in warm water with a mild, environmentally friendly detergent such as Ecover. Regularly top up drinking water.

Golden rod is an excellent wildlife-friendly plant, attracting hundreds of insects. Lemon balm and hemp agrimony attract bees and fennel is a popular pit stop for hoverflies seeking nectar. Some softwood shrub cuttings (i.e. new growth) can be taken at this time of year, such as Bodnant viburnum (Viburnum x bodnantense) which will provide a rare source of very early nectar in winter.