LOOKING BACK AT SPRING CHANGES

This week, with the weather turning towards settled, warm and dry conditions I’m going to look at the transformation the garden makes during spring.

In a series of images I’ll be looking at what happened in March and April this year. In later blog posts I’ll show the summer, autumn and winter changes, some of which will be quite spectacular.

Before that the swallows are starting to gather in big numbers on the local telephone wires and have spent the last couple of nights feasting on the variety of flying insects that are taking to the skies now the evenings are warming up a little.

Although some have already gone, I suspect many of the ones that are still here might stay for this week at least, as the food supply appears to be here in large numbers.

I’m still getting the usual garden visitors, although mainly the blue tits, great tits, house sparrows and tree sparrows. The robins, blackbirds, dunnocks and wrens appear to be still enjoying the wider expanse of the fields and hedgerows beyond the garden.

March

 

April

 

IS AUGUST THE 'NEW' START TO AUTUMN?

It certainly looks like summer is now over and autumn has started to talk us on the long journey to winter.

Although Bank Holiday weekends are notorious for poor weather, this particular one comes on the back of over a week of cold and wet conditions.

The number of small birds in the garden has increased rapidly, with many chicks from this year clearly visible. The peanuts and fat snacks are disappearing at a faster rate than during January!

Two major things I’ve noticed during this inclement weather are the swallows gathering in large numbers, before seemingly moving away and starting the journey to Africa.

The other is the lack of butterflies and other insects –although that’s not really a surprise because if I were them I’d be hiding somewhere warm and dry.

When the sun shines through it can quickly get warm and then some insects do appear, only for more rain to come along and them to quickly search for the nearest cover.

I think the weather has certainly stopped the seemingly unstoppable breeding power of the tree and house sparrows. Both parents appear to have settled on four broods this year.

This gives me the chance to take down the nest boxes, clean them, but most importantly confirm the problem that blighted the viewing of the house sparrows’ prolific breeding.

News from that next time, while I’m looking at doing a season series of images showcasing life in the garden. The first images will be from March and I will continue until the end of February next year to give an image of life in a small countryside garden.

TIME FOR A SUMMER STORM?

Is the summer finally over? It would appear that the forecasted ‘summer storm’ is signalling the early start of autumn, although I live in hope that the remainder of August will bring sunshine and warmth.

The cooler (not cold) weather is certainly good for the gardens and crop growers, but now we’ll need to see some sunny weather to help the final crops reach their maximum potential.

While the numbers of insects, butterflies and bees has slowed somewhat, there are still plenty about when the sun comes out.

What is proving remarkable is the tree and house sparrow parents appear to be raising a fourth brood!

I heard today the first faint cries from newly hatched chicks, which I’m amazed at – although slightly frustrated because of the failure of both nest box cameras to deliver footage of these chicks.

The garden has started to fill up with families of small birds recently, as the parents appear to be completing their annual moult and showing their offspring which gardens are good to visit for food.

I only wish the garden was bigger so I could provide more nesting sites, but maybe one day that will be the case.

The next blog post will be in the aftermath of this storm that is meant to be arriving this weekend, the remnants of Hurricane Bertha.