Sunday 28 February 2016

WILL THE GARDEN SEE SNOW IN MARCH?

Recent overnight frosts have not appeared to be too damaging to the flora that has emerged a little earlier than usual.

Indeed plenty of blossom and traditional spring flowers were out before the first snowdrops appeared.

I had wondered whether any birds had started nesting, but after a check up on all the nest boxes I have seen no evidence of any nesting material.

It meant good news for installing a new camera to replace the one in the triple sparrow nest box, which had been broken thanks to a mouse that hadn’t taken to kindly to it being in a place it was sleeping.

The camera was obviously putting off the birds nesting, as the other two boxes sections have been used since it was first erected. The mouse and a new nest box (with roof space for the camera) have meant a change of camera location.

The new camera installation has taken three sections of work, but is now fully operational as the images below demonstrates. The first one is the new nest box, the second one the original one.

Now there will be a lot of finger crossing as human eyes will be firmly focused on both cameras to check for any movement.

The new nest box has a smaller entrance as I’m hoping to bring back the blue tits, as they have not nested in the garden for a number of years – mainly sue to the house sparrows, tree sparrows and great tits.

There has been no sign of the caterpillars and I suspect they have crawled away to hide from the recent overnight frosts and prepare for warmer spell before emerging again.

Finally, the long tailed tits have been visiting regularly in recent days. It’s lovely to see and hear these birds in close proximity to the house although as there were only two of them I do wonder if the previously seen larger group has disbanded ahead of the breeding season, or these are two outcasts. 

Tuesday 16 February 2016

WINTER SHIVERS NOT LASTING LONG

The current cold snap (cold by this winter’s standards) is not good for the bulbs and plethora of blossom that is now appearing in the garden and surrounding countryside

The emergence of these significant signs of spring have not been lost on flora or fauna, with two sightings of caterpillars in the garden.

I don’t know what type of moth or butterfly either of these caterpillars will (perhaps won’t now) grow into, but I’ve not seen them since the colder weather turned up.


The snowdrops are stating to emerge, as is the usual winter rose, but both are behind the odd tulip and crocus that have already flowered.

It’s strange to see this happening, but I guess it shows nature goes by temperature and reacts to other species, be they flora or fauna.


The birds are certainly eating up the offerings of fat snacks, peanuts and seeds, but they’re not venturing into the garden as often as in past winters, or indeed staying for long.

I’m hoping to work up the camera in the new nest box in the next couple of weeks, now that the birds have used to it being on the wall.

There is obviously a significant degree of hope that no mice venture inside and nibble off the antenna to the camera and cause a ‘black out’.

Now we’re in the middle of February I wonder if winter is actually simply passing us by this year or will March, as it has done previously, bring us snow, biting northerly winds and sub zero daytime temperatures.

If it does then the blossom laden trees and early nesting birds will be in for a big shock.

Tuesday 2 February 2016

WINTER TEMPTATIONS NOT ATTRACTING USUAL WINTER VISITORS

This weekend the garden had three pairs of human eyes looking out for birds, although they weren’t the only eyes looking at the garden. There was also by a pair of cat eyes – an unwelcome sight for everyone else.

Once the cat was chased off the counting began; the first tick in the box came for the… grey squirrel, which was quite ironic as we’d not seen one for a couple of months!

But the usual suspects started turning up soon after and within an hour we’d seen most of the birds we see during a weekend.

House sparrow – 8
Tree sparrow – 5
Blue tit – 4
Goldfinch – 4
Dunnock – 4
Blackbird – 3
Robin – 2
Great tit – 2
Magpie – 2
Wren – 1

Unfortunately no long tailed tits, great spotted woodpeckers or starlings, but I know they’re around.

The new nest box has been up for a week and it now has one of the cameras inside it. I hope it will not put off the birds like it has done in in one of the boxes in the triple sparrow nest box.

There is hope for it because it does have a pitched roof, which can house the camera and not interfere with nest building or even put any birds of nesting there.

The only location for the nest box is underneath the triple sparrow nest box, and hopefully the ivy growing up the wall will act as a cover to the entrance. It could even keep the noise down from the noisy sparrow neighbours!

With winter only showing glimpses of its might, sometimes just for a night of low (ish) temperatures before reaching 10c or more the next day, it’s no wonder not many fieldfares, redwings and other wintering birds haven’t been seen.

Instead tulips, crocuses, daffodils and snowdrops are all either growing or flowering. It’s great adding colour to the garden in January, but I fear winter has one big icy blast up its sleeve.

And given the odd report of swallows wintering in the UK and ducklings being born in December and January, I hope no garden birds decide to start the breeding season early and get caught out by winter finally getting its act together.