With such warm weather (hopefully) on the horizon, Northumberland Wildlife Trust is urging members of the public not to let wildlife wilt in the heat as they reach for their sun cream and ice lollies.
The biggest thing all wildlife needs during hot weather or prolonged periods of dry weather is drinking water. As fresh natural sources of water such as streams and ponds start to dry up, it is vital that everybody does their bit to help.
Water is important for mammals and for birds who need it to remove dirt and grit from their feathers and to keep them in tip top condition. They can easily suffer from heat stroke and over exertion.
If budgets allow, the wildlife charity is encouraging everybody to put a bird bath in their garden or back yard and to keep it topped up with water, although any shallow dish such as a washing up bowl will suffice. For smaller birds, water in a saucer is better as they may fall into a deeper container and get into difficulty.
Drier weather conditions make worms tunnel further into the soil, becoming scarce for the wildlife that usually feasts on them, such as blackbirds, robins, hedgehogs and frogs. To compensate for this, additional food should be left out to help them.
Items such as dog or cat food will be readily taken by blackbirds to feed to their chicks. Cooked pasta, boiled potatoes, grated cheese and unsalted bacon rind are suitable along with fat and suet balls.