Page 60 • The HERALD • 15th May 2025 v THE HERALD - Proud to be part of your community v DOWN THE GARDEN PATH • HEDGE CUTTING • FENCING • PATIOS • TURFING • GARDEN CLEARANCES & MORE For a FREE quotation please call 023 8122 4550 or 07548 355262 AUTUMN LEAF GARDEN WORKS All Aspects of Garden Work Undertaken • Driveways • Paving • Artificial Grass • Turfing • Decking • Fencing • Hedge Cutting • Landscaping Hythe Garden Contractors Family company established 1977 For a free quotation please call 023 8084 3556 or 023 8084 0378 problems if they are dumped or planted in the wild. ey spread rapidly and dominate ponds and wetland habitats, harming our precious native ora. Catherine is keen to encourage people to ‘Be Plant Wise’ by following these three simple steps: Know what you grow. Choose the right plants for your garden, pond and water features. Compost with care. Dispose of your unwanted plants, roots, weeds and seeds responsibly. Stop the spread. Keep your plants in your garden – don’t plant them in the countryside or allow them to grow in the wild. To nd out how you can ‘Be Plant Wise’ and help stop the spread of invasive non-native plants have a look at the website of the Great Britain Non-Native Species Secretariat at www.nonnativespecies.org For more information about the work of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust please visit: www.hiwwt. org.uk in the UK and considered a high conservation concern due to their declining numbers. Although there is not currently enough evidence to con rm what Wight Wildlife Trust, is asking gardeners to play their part during Invasive Species Week (12th – 18th May) to stop the spread of invasive non-native plants. “If you’re deciding what to plant in your garden or pond, please choose your plants carefully” says Catherine “There are plenty of suitable and attractive plants which are unlikely to become invasive and which are readily available in garden centres and nurseries”. However, if you do have a surplus of garden plants, it’s very important to dispose of them responsibly. Aquatic plants such as parrot’s feather, New Zealand pygmyweed and water primrose cause serious e New Forest is a very special place for wildlife but is under threat from invasive non-native plants which have ‘jumped the garden fence’ and spread into the wild. Non-native plants have been introduced to areas outside their natural range by human activity and can become invasive if they spread and cause environmental, economic or social problems. Plants such as Himalayan balsam were introduced in the Victorian era as ornamental garden plants but have colonised the countryside, out-competing our native wild owers. Japanese knotweed is a notorious invasive non-native plant as its underground rhizomes can cause structural damage to buildings. Giant hogweed, also introduced as a horticultural plant, has invaded riverbanks and is a health hazard as its toxic sap can cause burning blisters on human skin, particularly in bright sunlight. Catherine Chatters, who works as the New Forest Non-Native Plants O cer for Hampshire & Isle of ‘Be Plant Wise’ during Invasive Species Week The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch Hampshire Results 2025 e UK-wide results from this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch have revealed the Starling has dropped from third to fourth place as the lowest number ever was recorded. In Hampshire, whilst still in decline, Starlings have retained fourth place for another year. House Sparrow held onto the UK top spot once again and Blue Tit remains at number two, with Woodpigeon and Blackbird making up the other top ve most recorded species in UK gardens. Nationwide, almost 600,000 people took part in the world’s largest garden wildlife survey, counting more than nine million birds of over 80 species during this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch – an amazing achievement. e survey provides a valuable snapshot of how our most common garden birds are faring and taking part is one important way to help birds and nature. In Hampshire over 18,900 residents took part in the big weekend and the top three birds recorded across the county were, Blue Tit, Wood Pigeon, and House Sparrow. Starlings are medium-sized birds with glossy plumage that has a purple and green sheen, o en with white spots during winter. ey are also excellent mimics and can make a huge variety of tweets, cheeps and clicks. ey can be found across the UK with their numbers swelling during winter when birds arrive from northern Europe, gathering together to perform spectacular murmurations. Despite these displays sometimes reaching hundreds of thousands of individuals, Starlings are a red listed species is causing these decreases, the UK breeding population declined by 82% between 1970 and 2022. Prior to 2000, the Starling was regularly the most numerous species recorded in the Big Garden Birdwatch. e RSPB’s Chief Executive, Beccy Speight said: “Starlings are one of our most charismatic garden birds, but this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch results is a reason for concern. With one in six species at risk of extinction from Great Britain, we’ve done more damage to our natural world than we realise. However, we can all do our bit to support these threatened birds by taking small actions that can not only benefit Starlings, but a wealth of other garden wildlife.” ankfully, there are ways to support these colourful, charming birds in our gardens. Avoiding the use of pesticides and keeping a natural lawn allows Starlings to forage for invertebrates, especially leatherjackets (crane y larvae). ey also need short grass to watch out for predators whilst feeding, so mowing the lawn now and again is bene cial. Putting up nest boxes also provides Starlings with a readymade nesting site and a box with a 45mm entrance hole is the ideal size for these birds. Beccy Speight continued: “To halt nature’s decline and turn around the fortunes of our native species, we need to help them return to healthy levels, so they become a feature of everyday life once more. Our countryside, our farms and our towns all need support to encourage nature, and while our homes and gardens often provide the perfect place for individual people to help, we also urgently need governments and businesses to join us in the wider fight to restore our natural world.” To nd out the full Big Garden Birdwatch results, more about joining the RSPB, and all the ways you can help garden birds and other wildlife, visit: www.rspb.org.uk/ whats-happening/big-garden-birdwatch
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