A SURPRISE VISITOR

So we did have a summer this year, it was in May and June. July and August must be the new autumn!

The warm weather helped to give some wildlife better conditions to raise their young, but it then became too dry as all wildlife need water.

One of the major worries was the pond behind our house. It’s been home to coots, moorhens, reed beds with various insects, fish and a number of ducks. This is despite its relatively small size.

Unfortunately the farmer who owns the pond used almost all of its water to spray on his crops. While this is understandable, the system that was used had more leaks than a Wales farmer’s market or all the country’s water firms put together!

I noticed on a number of occasions the birds floating on what was left of the pond looking very confused with what had happened.

Since the rain started the pond has filled up thanks to an incoming small stream, but is now almost breaching the ‘dam’ wall at one end. It’s at the highest level I’ve seen in three years.

Unfortunately most of the wildlife will have either perished or found somewhere else to live/breed.

My pond is still teeming with life as the number of frogs increasing and tadpoles decrease. I’m not sure how many will survive the first year of life but I hope some will return to spawn when the time is right.

The garden is now in full bloom after and very well watered. The flowers and various plants, bushes and crops have attracted all sorts of insects, butterflies, and moths.

It’s fantastic to see so many of these creatures making our garden sufficiently interesting for them to visit, feed and breed.

This of course attracts birds and we’ve had frequent visits from the blue tits and great tits youngsters born in and around the garden.

One noticeable sight is the amount of goldfinches, swallows and swifts flying overhead or nearby feeding on the wing or in the surrounding fields and bushes.

But, the most exciting moment came when I noticed a bird I’ve never seen before was spotted nearby. It must live within 200m of our house as I’ve spotted it on numerous occasions observing the scene from the same lookout post.

The bird in questions is a little owl and we feel extremely grateful to be able to share our neighbourhood with us.

I first noticed it when a blackbird was issuing an alarm call in a field adjacent to our house. As it was still light I investigated what was bothering it and watched a similar sized bird fly up to a telegraph pole. I then noticed it on the same pole in the subsequent days and was able to identify it.

With a new arrival in our house due any day, updates may become infrequent as Sarah and I become enthusiastic parents! Hopefully we’ll do as well as our local wildlife.

THE CHICKS ARE BACK

I say the chicks (blue tits) are back, but obviously not in the nestbox, just visiting the garden for the titbits on offer.

I'm hoping they take a liking to any insects that eat any of my vegetables or roses!

It's been a quiet few weeks since the blue tit, great tit and blackbird chicks fledged, but the skies have been taken over by the swallow fledglings, with their enchanting summer song both on the wing and at rest on the telephone wires.

When they first fledged the swallow youngsters would sit on the edge of our roof calling for the parents to feed them.

But in the last few days the birds have been through their moult and are starting to return to the garden for food and maybe a glimpse of where they grew up.

The pond has suffered with the hot dry weather and I've been forced to add water to it. Luckily many of the tadpoles are now little frogs and are often seen resting on the edge of the pond and even exploring the surrounding rockery.

I'm hoping they utilise the pond from now on when required, especially as the big pond behind the house is almost empty after the farmer has continually drained it to feed crops.

What's most concerning about this pond is it's been designated a wildlife conservation area. So the draining of it makes a mockery of what it is there for in the first place.