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INTERVIEW: MIKE DILGER

Why do you think wildlife events like the Lee Valley Spring Wildlife Weekend are so important?

Lee Valley Regional Park's WaterWorks Nature Reserve is an urban site on London's doorstep. It provides a fantastic cheap day out for the whole family and you get to see some amazing British wildlife.

Have you been to the WaterWorks Nature Reserve before?

I haven't been to the WaterWorks Nature Reserve before, but working on the BBC's The One Show takes me all over the country and I think this site would be a great venue to film for the show.

What have you got on the cards for the rest of 2009?

80-90% of my time is spent working on The One Show for the BBC, the rest of my time will be spent working on the BBC's Inside Out programme, giving talks about my wildlife experiences and I will be taking a tour to the Galapagos Islands later in the year.

Is there any wildlife you haven't seen but would like to?

I am a keen birder but am still yet to see Quail, Spotted Quake and Water Shrew in the UK and would love to see King Bird of Paradise in New Guinea.

What is your favourite spot in the UK or abroad for wildlife or open spaces?

RSPB Reserve in Minsmere is my favourite place in the UK. You can see over 100 different species of bird before breakfast! You can often find me at Shapwick Nature Reserve in Somerset and I also enjoy visiting the nature reserves and national parks in Ecuador.

What is the most exciting wildlife moment you've shot?

I was fortunate enough to film the Giant River Otter in South America at a Nature Reserve called Manu in Peru. I have also witnessed Killer Whales attacking a sea lion pup which was an amazing site.

How can people play their part in nature conservation? What are your five top tops that people can do in their own gardens?

Anyone can play their part in nature conservation, they just need to look in their own back yard. Gardens are very important wildlife habitats; trees are woodlands, ponds are wetlands and edges provide important wildlife shelter.

My top five tips to attract wildlife to your garden are:

1. Feed the birds

   Use good quality bird food and feed them throughout the year.

2. Bird boxes

   Put bird boxes about 2-3m up on a wall, fence or tree.

3. Nectar rich flowers

   Plant nectar rich flowers such as lavender to attract insects and birds.

4. A pond without fish

   Install a pond in your garden it doesn't have to be big, a foot and a half by a foot and a half. This will make a great habitat for pond skaters, dragonflies, water boatmen and frogs and also provides a drink for birds.

5. Leave a messy patch

   Leave the grass un-mown or have a compost heap, either would make great habitat piles for hedgehogs, fungi, beetles and mammals. A tidy garden may look nice, but it doesn't make a good home for wildlife. This doesn't mean your garden has to look really messy and un-kept, just don't be too tidy and sterile and you will be amazed at how much wildlife will be attracted to your garden.

What job would you have done, if not this one?

I would be working in nature conservation in one way or another. I was a keen gardener from a very early age and would often listen to the birds singing and try and work out what bird it was. I have worked with BTV, Wildlife Trust and RSPB which developed my interest and now I am fortunate to be where I am today.

--ENDS--