PREPARING THE GARDEN FOR WINTER

So the mild November is continuing and the wildlife in and around my garden is continuing to make the most of the conditions.

The peanut and fat snack bird feeders in my garden are not being emptied as often as when they are during harsh winter conditions, so I can only assume that there is still natural food around.

It has been wet and windy this week and I’m wondering if any winter visitors will be making a trip to my part of the country.

I’d love to see a redwing, but there are not enough trees or bushes providing berries within a short distance of my house.

I’m trying to grow a couple of winter berry bushes in my garden, but they are still young and may never provide a quantity of food even when fully grown, well as fully grown as I want them to be!

Yesterday I prepared the borders for winter and tidied the garden in general. The lawn was raked, all the dead summer border plants cut short and the leaves that covered the lawn, along with raked grass, coated on the borders.

I’ve done this to provide shelter for insects during winter, give the soil protection during heavy frosts and provide the soil with natural nutrients that worms will eventually ‘feed’ into the soil.

 

This process is something I’ve done for a few years now and it seems to help provide a great base for flowering plants. In spring I plan to add something new to the mix, some horse manure from the stables behind our house.

It was just done in time as we had the first frost of the winter last night.

 

There was great excitement in the house this week after the chattering of one of my favourite family birds, the long tailed tit, was heard.

I listened to the group chirp away before I saw them dancing from branch to branch among the nearest trees. They didn’t visit any of my feeders so this seems to back up the theory I mentioned earlier as I can only presume they’re not going hungry because there is enough natural food.

One other thing I’ve noticed during this heavy rain is the amount of earthworms that have been above ground. I know this is normal but I’ve seen plenty on pavements and hard surfaces, suggesting that the ground is too saturated for them, even on the top layers.

What will this mean for the benefits we get from worms by aerating the soil, thus helping water drain through? Perhaps this is only the beginning of a new natural process, but if the rain starts to recede maybe worms can find their home will be habitable again and the status quo will exist again.

A LOVELY SURPRISE

I’ve had a few chances to view the wildlife in the daylight this week and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by some new regular visitors.

I have seen jays around every so often, mainly down the lane, but to see them regularly and in my garden has been a joy.

They are traditionally a woodland bird but I suspect a lack of food is making them search further. Perhaps the acorn harvest has been poor, or the local population has increased thus dispersion has brought them nearer to my garden.

I suspect it could be a bit of both plus the fact these secretive birds are getting bolder as competition for food increases.

So as we’re on the verge of proper winter weather will my garden see more of these colourful birds and how many other species will venture to feed on my fatty snacks and peanuts?

I’m looking forward to the colder weather as it’ll give me more chance to see the birds in the leafless trees, well most of them anyway.

One thing has surprised me is the newly emerged flower from one of my sunflower plants. It’s only a small one, but I suspect the lack of frosts and a few ‘milder’ days has encouraged the flower to appear.

In other news I’ve noticed a number of ladybirds inside the house, most risking being trodden on have been rescued and placed somewhere they can make a winter home.

I’d not seen many this summer so I’m hoping the fact I’ve seen a few this autumn means that there hasn’t been a population crash this year.

One of my favourite times of the year is when fresh snow falls overnight and you can go out looking at which wildlife has been out and about during darkness and in the daylight.

 

How long will it be before this happens? Only time will tell.

WINTER VISITORS SIGHTED?

The frost and for that greeted me this morning was another indication that winter is starting to wrap her hands around the country, particularly where I live.

There are positives to the cold of winter; it kills of bugs/germs that would otherwise thrive in non-freezing conditions, plus it ensures the survival of the fittest wildlife so making the next generation the strongest possible.

Last winter wasn’t cold enough to deliver the usual benefits and this spring and summer have made for terrible breeding conditions for a lot of wildlife. None more so than the great tits that lost all eight chicks in the nestbox that contains a camera in my garden.

I’m expecting to see some winter visitors soon, although as we’re on the western side of the UK, not as many as those who live in a more easterly direction.

This week I’ve noticed chaffinches and goldfinches close to the garden, while I’m sure a flock of redwing flew over the garden.

As the weather gets colder then I’m sure the influx of visitors will increase and my nut feeders will feature a wide variety of birds.

A grey squirrel has been noticed close to our garden on a regular basis, and I’ve even see it in my garden once. I suspect it’ll be back when the weather gets colder.

The grass has grown long in the garden, but I’m leaving it for a while so the insects that are sheltering there can make it to the leaf-laden borders and long term winter residence.

Having not spent much daylight time at home and in the garden I’m hoping the next few weeks will give me a better indication as to what is happening with the local wildlife.