Autumn is now in full flow and while the colours in our gardens dwindle with flowering plants dying off, the wider countryside will come alive with the rustic colours of this season.

Berries add colour to hedgerows and provide a vital source of food for our birds but these too will be harder to come by as the weather turns more wintry.

This is where we come in. Seed mixes like peanuts, nyjer seeds and sunflower hearts will attract all sorts of birds and provide them with the nutrients they need. But you'll be surprised at the amount of 'bird food' we have lurking in our cupboards and fridges too!

I always put out things like leftover cake crumbs, cooked rice, pasta and potatoes, slightly softer fruit and even some grated cheese.

It's so rewarding to see birds coming to your feeders and once you start, you will find that they adopt your garden and keep returning.

It is therefore very important to keep putting food out because birds will waste a lot of precious energy if they come back to your garden and find there is no food for them.

The RSPB's Feed the Birds Day on October 24-25th marks the perfect time to start thinking about the food we can put out in own gardens.

We're also recommending a 'top five' wildlife gardening tips if you want to go one step further. Planting native plants, making a log pile, providing an insect home, putting up a nest box and creating a water feature can all be quick, simple and hugely beneficial for both wildlife and us!

To find out more visit www.rspb.org.uk/feedthebirds.

Kate