WINTER STORMS BLAST THROUGH THE GARDEN

In the last post it mentioned ‘non-stormy winter’, well that certainly isn’t true now! A pretty ferocious storm has passed and another one, with less ferociousness, is currently running across most of the UK.

The first one had a big impact on the garden and surrounding area, with trees down, bushes bent over and one of the birds feeders being blown into oblivion – never to be seen again.

Three others survived in situ and have been a welcome supply of food for the birds after they had to spend many hours hunkered down away from the wind and rain.

The two nest box cameras are working, albeit only one is able to translate night images, but both have revealed no activity at all, which is very unusual for this late in February.

One nest box designed for tits, which has never been used, has been redesigned to suit robins, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that one of the locally resident birds use it.

It’s been semi covered with rose and ivy, so time will tell if that’s enough cover for them.

The blossom on the trees that emerged last week following the mild weather has been scattered over a wide area, so it may mean a depleted crop of fruit this year.

Cats are still a big problem and I wonder if them being in our garden is making the birds nervous and causing them to look for nest sites elsewhere.

The cat patrol has been stepped up and all cats near the garden are being firmly chased away.

Will it work? The birds will benefit if it does.

COLD WINTER WEATHER ON THE WAY?

After a relatively non-stormy autumn and warm winter, so far, the forecast is set for a spell of colder weather, which will invariably have an impact on our wildlife.

In recent weeks the garden has been a regular feeding place for long tailed tits, a sure sign that nature’s bounty of food is bordering on empty.

This is a signal for help with extra food, particularly fat-based snacks, for birds and wildlife in general, and with easterly winds making for some very cold wind-chill temperatures, now is the time to make sure those feeders are regularly topped up.

While the garden fills with small bird flocks, overhead many groups of birds fly to daytime feeding grounds from overnight roosts.

The marshes near the garden provide many birds with food and safe roosting sites, particularly waders. This in turn means predators including the peregrine falcon, short-eared owl and marsh harrier are about, albeit it much smaller numbers.

It’s great to see flocks of redwing and fieldfare, along with passings from curlew, lapwing and various ducks and gulls. They all make use of the fields around the garden for feeding, while feeding and roosting around the marshes.

The cold weather will affect them all, but with saltwater in abundance around the marshes, it will need a prolonged spell of cold weather to mean the waders and shore birds will suffer from a food shortage.

Meanwhile it’s up to people to help the smaller garden birds with helpings of peanuts and fat snacks, to help them until spring brings warmth and insects.