Hannah Bourne-Taylor, the bird expert known for her forthright opinions on Clarkson's Farm, has made an urgent plea for gardeners to put out water for birds as the UK heatwave intensifies.
Heatwave and Alerts
The UK is in the midst of a heatwave, with England and Wales seeing little rain for weeks. Amber heat health alerts have been issued for most of England, with temperatures forecast to reach the mid-30s Celsius again this week, potentially peaking at 36C on Thursday. More areas may plunge into drought as the extreme summer continues.
Plea for Water
Bourne-Taylor, from Enstone in Oxfordshire, took to social media to urge action. She wrote: "PLEASE PUT WATER OUT FOR BIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE. The brass sun rides the sky in flames, And gallops over the meadows and plains. She burns ground to dust, glowing until the shadows shrink. And every bird hopes to hell for a drink."
She was brought onto Diddly Squat Farm by Jeremy Clarkson to help improve land for bird species and wildlife habitats. She is also on a mission to save swifts from extinction, as their numbers have declined by over 60% since 1995.
RSPB Advice
The RSPB advises that birds enjoy cooling off in water, whether a bird bath, puddle, or pond edge. "If you put out a bird bath, it's best to replace the water daily and make sure you give it a thorough clean once a week. This can help prevent the spread of infectious diseases," the charity said.
Wildlife expert Dominic Couzens told the RSPB: "Every bird species has its own 'thermal neutral zone'. Either side of this range, birds can die; however, this does take extreme conditions. An acclimatised, well-hydrated pigeon, for example, can cope with a temperature of 60°C."
