Spring has finally arrived and now gardeners are seeing all sorts of wildlife flock back to their outdoor spaces, including birds of various types from robins to finches, blackbirds to magpies and scores of other British favourites in between.

Because April is bird nesting season, gardeners are being urged to do what they can to help feed birds, which in turn will help them to provide for their young chicks in their nests, and help keep under-threat bird species alive. Garden blog Happy Beaks says: "April is here, and nesting season is well underway! Here at Happy Beaks we've loved hearing the return of the dawn and dusk choruses, which have been gathering in gusto over the last few weeks as birds little and large compete to attract mates and proclaim their territory from the treetops.

"With the new month greeted by nippy nights and frosty mornings for many of us around the UK, it's more important than ever to make sure busy parents-to-be have a constant food supply."

But you don't have to resort to an expensive bird feed and seed mix if you're not a hardcore ornithologist. Instead, you can turn to all sorts of household leftovers that would probably have gone to waste otherwise.

According to website Webbs, you can put out fruit, grated cheese, potatoes and even breadcrumbs.

They said: "Bird tables are designed so that almost anything can be placed on them and accessed by the local bird population. Using household leftovers is a great way to feed your local birds without needing to purchase bird seed.

"It also has the added benefit of reducing your household waste. Fruit is a common bird-friendly leftover food source, fruits such as apples, pears and plums are perfect for birds due to their high-water content and natural sugars. Birds can also eat breadcrumbs, grated cheese, potatoes and rice, both brown and white is safe for birds to eat."

Of course, always remember to clean away any uneaten seed or food, and clean your table regularly. If it's a flat bird table without any cover, it could be worth taking extra care as the while it investigates whether they are helping spread diseases.