There is nothing quite like the joy of nature in spring and we don't have to go far to find it.

We can hear the beautiful sound of the birds right on our doorstep – a real springtime treat as the world wakes up from winter. We might even be lucky enough to see them as well.

Being with nature is so good for our mental health. I think back to lockdown six years ago when we began to appreciate the sound of the birds and the importance of nature more when the other distractions were removed.

I know when I bought my house in 2019 in Woking a big selling point was the garden and the birds it attracts, and we have had many feathered visitors over the years.

Recently on Radio Woking I spoke to the self-confessed birdgirl Dr Mya-Rose Craig and Michael Bellingham from UK Pet Food.

UK Pet Food research has found half of us never feed the birds and of those who do there is a drop when we reach spring and summer. We are being urged to continue feeding the birds and support them as wild birds in the UK have less natural food and resources.

Look further into the research and the reasons why we feed birds and we discover over half of us do so because we enjoy seeing the birds in the garden.

We also feel it's important to support local wildlife, especially with less natural food and resources being available to wild birds in the UK.

Many of us feed birds as it is something we have always done since childhood – something Mya can relate to she has been into birds from a very young age and has taken that passion into her adult life with her Get Birding podcast and voicing her support for birds.

Mya has travelled the world birdspotting, becoming the youngest person to see half the world's bird species. She told me there is something special about the birds who literally land on our doorsteps.

She shared advice on how to feed the birds and highlights how little effort is needed to create a food source. Mya advises to keep the bird feeders clean to make them safe and welcoming.

You can hear this conversation with Mike and Mya on my podcast page https://jonandrews01.podbean.com and read more about the research at https://www.ukpetfood.org

I have topped up bird feeders in my garden, which include a see-through suction feeder attached to my kitchen window ready to discover what birds are out there.

You can also download various apps on your phone which help to identify the birdsong, which is really interesting to know what birds are visiting.

Listen to my radio shows on Radio Woking Sunday 9am to noon, Wednesday 7am to 9am.

Emma and I are on Surrey Hills Community Radio every second Monday at 9pm and Life on the Edge with Edge Disability Consultancy airs every first Monday at 10am on Surrey Hills Community Radio and every second Sunday from noon on Radio Woking.

Send me a voice note – www.speakpipe.com/jonandrews or email [email protected]