WET, WET AND WET AGAIN

Is there no end to the summer rain and relatively low temperatures? The butterflies and bees have been rarely seen in the last couple of weeks.

Here’s a rare image of a bee making the most of some of one of the flowering sunflowers!

The swifts have seemingly given up on seeing the sun until they return to Europe and beyond, while the swallows are already gathering to leave.

They’re probably thinking twice about spending next summer in the UK if the cooler and damp conditions continue long term.

It seems as if the flora and fauna is already treating the climate as already having entered autumn.

Even the long tailed tits are feeding in the garden, which is highly unusual because they’re only seen from about November to March.

If the food supplies in the wider countryside are diminishing already, it could see some wildlife suffering a bleak winter.

On a sad note it appears the local cats, far too many for the area, are continuing to decimate the wildlife – birds, young rabbits, mice, voles and shrews all falling victim to needless killings.

Previously there’s been barn owls, little owls, foxes, badgers, kestrels and plenty of rabbits around garden and lane, but since all the cats came a few years ago there hasn’t been any seen.

It’s awful when you move to the countryside to experience the peace, quiet and wildlife, only for domestic killers to be swamped by a couple of people, spoiling the wildlife spectacle for everyone else.

On a happier note the blue tit chicks seem to have remained in good numbers, with up to five seen at once in the garden recently.

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Still not many other garden birds coming back, but perhaps that’ll change in the coming weeks – well as long as the cats stay away!

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SNOW SAYS NO TO THE GARDEN

As usual when plenty of the country experiences snowfall, the garden and surrounding countryside sees just rain, with the odd bit of sleet.

If it snows in the garden then there’s going to be pretty significant falls of the white stuff in many parts of the country.

The winter storm, which did deliver some strong winds and plenty of rain recently, hasn’t been enough to drive to many new visitors to the garden feeders.

A tempting glimpse of a flock of long tailed tits did briefly pass over, although only one ventured in the garden to feed on a fat snack.

The feeders close to the house are not being used very much at the moment, and I blame the neighbour’s cats for using the nearby bushes as a hiding place to stalk them.

He pyracantha bush is being trained to grow around the feeders to offer more protection and an old feeding tray has been strategically placed to guard the feeders, but it hasn’t given the birds too much confidence to return.

It’s such a shame that people who come and live in the countryside should ruin it for those who are getting away from daily hustle and bustle, to embrace wildlife, only to have it snuffed out by too many cats driving wildlife away.

There used to be barn owls, tawny owls, little owls, kestrels, foxes and badgers seen regularly in the area just outside the garden, but now there haven’t been any owl sightings or sounds for a couple of years, the kestrels are seen in the very far distance once a month or so, while foxes and badgers are an annual occurrence.

The seven or eight cats (I can’t keep count) are far too much for this area and the population of mice, voles and rats, that the predators I’ve mentioned feed on, are seemingly running out.

If only people would think about what having so many pets is doing to the natural wildlife, maybe it would help restore once thriving wildlife areas.

Until then wildlife will simply move on, depriving those of us who moved to certain areas to embrace the natural world.

WINTER SHOWING ITS TEETH

This week has been cold, mainly overcast, with the odd small snow flurry. Typical February really, allowing winter to demonstrate it’s his season and warmth is something that only March can start to have.

The good thing for wildlife watchers is it gives you chance to attract wildlife by providing food, then sitting back and enjoying the show.

My fat snacks, peanuts and seed mix have all been enjoyed by a wide variety of small birds during the day, while I’m sure the local vole and mice population has taken the free hand-outs dropped by the birds during the hours of darkness.

Once again the main birds on show have been the three tits – great, blue and long tailed – while the flock of house sparrows has been joined by a small one of chaffinches.

The blackbirds and robins have also been making the most of the food, while a few dunnocks are also about regularly.

I’ve not seen many magpies or jays, so can only assume I’ve either missed them or they come when I’m not at home.

What I did see today was the greater spotted woodpecker, which is good news as I thought the resident one had long gone. It scared the other little birds from one of the fat snack feeders and gorged for a few minutes before one of the many resident cats spooked it and other birds to flee.

As the nights become lighter I’m looking forward to seeing more action around the garden, although it looks increasingly like I won’t be seeing anything inside one of my nest boxes.

I’ve been trying to fix the problem – and find it – for a few weeks now and I think it’s a problem with the antenna from the camera to my remote receiver by the TV.

The final chance is if an engineer at the place it was bought will be able to help when I call later this week.

Keep your fingers crossed there is a solution and we can all see some nest box action this spring.