The UK has been experiencing plenty of wet weather lately and the latest Met Office forecast suggests the unsettled conditions are unlikely to disappear any time soon. Forecasters say showers and longer spells of rain are expected to continue into Sunday and early next week, with only some brighter and drier intervals mixed in.

The Met Office said Saturday night would turn drier for a time as showers ease and rain clears away to the northeast. However, wetter and windier weather is expected to return to western parts of the country later at night. On Sunday, rain is forecast to spread from the west, with some heavy outbreaks and the risk of thunder. Conditions are expected to be windy around coasts, while temperatures will remain cooler in the west and warmer further east.

The Met Office added: "There is some uncertainty in the detail at this stage, particularly early next week, but the overall signal is for changeable conditions to persist, with temperatures generally near or slightly below average."

And while rainy weather is annoying to humans, it can also pose big challenges for garden birds, which often struggle to find food during prolonged periods of rain.

As a result, experts at Ivel Valley Bird Food have urged people with bird feeders to make sure they are placed in sheltered locations where food can stay dry.

They said: "During wet weather, birds struggle to find food, as rain can wash away insects and make foraging challenging."

The experts explained that hanging feeders under eaves or placing them beneath dense foliage can give birds a dry place to feed while helping to stop food from becoming spoiled or mouldy.

The experts also suggested using squirrel baffles if there is no natural shelter available.

They said: "If you don't have any shelter to place bird feeders under, squirrel baffles work just as well. The feeder will sit under the dome, sheltering it from rain and stopping squirrels from getting to it at the same time."

Experts also recommend providing birds with high-energy foods during wet weather.

They said: "Wet weather means birds expend more energy to stay warm and dry. Help them replenish by offering high-energy foods such as suet balls, mealworms, and sunflower hearts."

On top of that, even though there is plenty of rainwater around, the experts have urged gardeners to provide birds with fresh water.

Keeping feeders clean is also important. The experts said: "Regularly clean and disinfect bird feeders to prevent the spread of disease, which can be more prevalent in damp conditions."

They also encouraged people to provide additional shelter through nest boxes, trees, shrubs and hedges, giving birds somewhere safe to wait out heavy rain and strong winds.