Think about shivering wildlife before binning your scraps – Hayley Matthews

Some waste food could help birds and other wildlife survive the winter, writes Hayley Matthews.

Winter can be a tough time for birds and other wildlife (Picture: Andy Hay/RSPB/PA Wire)

It really is such a cold time of year and I struggle to feel satisfied with the copious amounts of mince pies, nuts and chocolates so I have no idea how the wildlife do it.

A sparse sprinkling of frost on the ground and the odd whimpering leaf is not enough to keep any little birdies or squirrels fat enough to get through a cold Scottish winter.

I saw a wonderful post on the Porty People Facebook group from a man called Colin urging people to feed the birds as they really do need it.

Cheese, cooked pasta, rice, nuts etc all can be left in a high quiet spot for our feathered friends to snack on over the cold season to keep them going.

And I imagine if you’re really serious about helping the wildlife over the cold snap then fat balls, bacon bits and bird seed are all essentials on the list too.

The problem I have round my bit are the gutsy, big-bellied cats that hang about (a few of them my own) with their bellies swinging off the ground.

They’re no threat to the birds as a predator, but they are a threat in the shape of a snack pincher.

I’m always throwing out seeds, rice, cheese and scraps that baby Oryn throws on the floor, so as long as he’s being a messy eater, the birds round my bit will be ok.

But please, don’t throw out your scraps, feed the birds, hedgehogs and foxes because they feel the cold too and will always appreciate a winter snack.