AUTUMN WEATHER BRINGS NEW HARVEST

As the transition from summer to autumn progressed, the garden produced a small harvest to feast on.

OK, so it wouldn’t exactly make a feast, but the tomatoes did eventually come along even if it was weeks after the strawberries and broad beans.

They tasted pretty good too, so maybe planting earlier next year might work better for an earlier harvest.

The newly acquired bat box will go up soon, although with the prevailing wind coming down both sides of the house, I might have to be careful in where it’s placed and also borrow some ladders from a neighbour.

While there are bats that fly around the garden, I’ll be quite surprised if they do make use of the roosting box this winter – but you never know!

The sunflowers were a big disappointment this year, with only my youngest daughter’s making it to full bloom.

It did make a remarkable recovery as it was eaten by slugs, but then remerged and produced two heads.

While it was my daughter’s, it was technically me that kept it fed and watered, so I’m going to claim a small part of the sunflower’s success.

Finally, there’s a good haul of berries on the pyracantha which I’m hoping might attract a passing fieldfare or redwing flock.

I’ve not seen any down the lane so far this year, but it is quite early, and I would expect to have chance of seeing a few later this month or into November.

Time will tell if there’s enough berries to attract them.

A WHIFF OF AUTUMN IS IN THE AIR

As the first wafts of an autumnal scent started to drift around the garden, so the signs of the third season of the year became more apparent. 

In the airs above the garden I’ve seen large numbers of swallows, almost entirely youngsters with their shorter forked tails, chattering away as they chase food. 

They seem effortless in the way they dance across the sky and all the time accompanied by one of my favourite sounds of nature, swallows nattering to each other. 

Given the weather next week is looking quite settled and mild, I expect a few swallows to be still showing their aerobatic skills for a little longer, although it’ll once again be a sad day when they finally depart for another seven months away. 

While there have been some reports of swallows staying in the UK throughout winter, I don’t expect them to stick around here. Perhaps the warmer southern counties near to coast are the best chance, if indeed any do decide to stay. 

The hedgehog(s) haven’t been seen for a few days in the garden, although one of the neighbours is still seeing them more regularly. 

I’ll put more dog food out now, in addition to the water bowl, to help them/it fatten up for winter. Finding out where it calls home might be beyond me at the moment. 

In the garden, just like in the wheat fields around the house, that harvesting has been in full swing. 

All the broad beans have been collected and one or two tomatoes too; but once again they have been poor again this year. 

So indeed, have the sunflowers with only one making it to show its sunny self, and even that one is not fully open yet! 

Finally, another new nest in the garden, taking the total this year to five, in addition to the robin ivy next, goldfinch bush nest, great tit nestbox nest and woodpigeon tree nest. 

While the bird remains anonymous, I suspect the layout of the next suggests a robin. 

The video would show why I think it’s a robin, because the entrance is rather open, after I created it following the demise of the first two robin broods. 

It’s not the robin family that successfully fledged a brood from the ivy because they definitely nested again in there, but it’s perhaps the robins that are now trying to stake a claim to the garden against the ivy family. 

This could be one to watch over autumn and winter.

THE NEXT GENERATION IS ALMOST WITH US

In the last week or so the robins have still been around the garden, sometimes looking at the ivy and going in to investigate what I presume can be to build another nest.

I’ve even seen them go in with nesting materials, although not very often and I don’t think there was enough movement to suggest the garden will have robin chicks this year, sadly.

The great tit chicks are very loud now and I’m surprised they haven’t fledged yet, although the parents are seemingly trying to tempt them out now!

Perhaps when the heat we’re likely to see tomorrow will prove the final straw as the nest will become very hot and their feathers will increase their body temperature and incentivise them to reach for the outside world.

The house sparrow families are seemingly thriving and the swallows are looking like they are nest building, more on both of those next week.

The pond has plenty of life in it, but there’s not been the sign of the frog for a while and there’s not visible frogspawn.

However, it is providing a place for insects to live and they are needed for a bio-diverse garden, which is what I want to have.

The broad beans, tomatoes and other flora are growing quite well, although not so much the poppies. I don’t know why that is, but they are in various locations around the garden so let’s see how they all are in a few weeks.

As we approach the traditional summer season, it’s going to be interesting to see how the current Covid-19 situation will impact everyone and the wildlife.

One thing’s for sure is the wildlife around the garden has been carrying on with the breeding season, blissfully unaware of the situation their human neighbours are going through.

Time will tell how much the pandemic has affected wildlife, hopefully it’ll be in a positive way.

In the meantime we’ll keep on trying to help the birds get fed with mealworm handouts and watch as the next generations make their way in the world around us.

IS IT AUTUMN OR AUGUST?

I go away for a couple of weeks and the weather goes from record breaking heat, to a soggy August in a matter of days.

They should rename August as autumn, given the late evening and early morning feel in the air, not to mention the wet and windy weather.

Over the last ten days the swifts seem to have departed for warmer climes, can’t say I blame them, while the garden birds have definitely quit the breeding season for this year.

I have seen the swallow family, now looking great with seven fledged youngsters, taking to the air and learning the aerobatic skills that a swallow needs.

It’s a fabulous sight, watching the newly-fledged swallows dancing around the skies, flirting with the fields and trees, and all the time chattering away to their parents.

They’ll be off soon and to me it means autumn has already started.

The garden is quiet with the likes of blue tits, great tits, house sparrows, dunnocks, blackbirds, robins and wrens only sporadically visiting.

I’ve cut back on extra food for them, apart from a couple of feeders, but perhaps with the weather conditions I’m tempted to put some fat balls out there.

The flora is growing significantly with all the wet and warm(ish) weather, but not the ones I want to.

The sunflowers are not as tall as last year (no they’re not dwarf ones), the tomatoes are only just flowering, and the broad beans have basically failed.

But the grass, rose bushes and ivy, the ones I have to trim regularly, are flourishing – so plenty of time in the garden for me at the moment.

With Bank Holiday weekend coming up shortly, the weather is bound to improve…

The wildlife might not care about this, but the humans who use the garden certainly do!

SUMMER IN WET MODE?

While it's fair to say this summer has been warmer and drier than last year, well maybe July, the fledging of our summer visitors hasn't been too visual.

Certainly the swifts have been successful, and there are often family groups circling high above the garden on most evenings this month.

The screeching sound of the swifts is a fantastic summer sound, although it'll soon be gone again for another year.

The swallows haven't been seen in family groups, although individuals are regularly seen and heard. I do wonder if the wet spells in June impacted the nest, just like the swallow family on Springwatch.

If that has been the case, then the weather recently has certainly been much better, so hopefully we'll hear the sounds of young swallows in the coming days.

The garden birds are certainly not around as much, which is normal for this time of year. But a family of long tailed tits has visited the garden twice recently, so perhaps the parents are showing the youngsters where to get winter food.

Having said that, only this morning I've already heard a family of blue tits, great tits, wrens and robins around the garden, so they're either recent fledglings or they have stuck around a bit longer because of food.

The tomatoes and broad beans haven't been successful this year, although I'm hoping the spell of warm weather next week will help growth.

ANOTHER INDIAN SUMMER?

August once again proved to be anything but the height of summer, but the end of the month heralded a warmer spell which might just be enough to see summer migrants stay around a bit longer, including the swallows.

However this week looks like being a false dawn on any warmth in September, as rain and coolers winds look like winning out.

I think the swallows had two broods this year, as there’s been quite a few birds with shorter tails swooping around the garden and surrounding countryside.

I don’t know how long they’ll stay around for, but as they’re my favourite birds I hope for just a little bit longer.

The garden birds are now making a bit more of a comeback in the garden, with the blue tits, great tits, house sparrows and even the odd robin making regular appearances.

This year’s tit fledglings are still easily recognisable, although they’re definitely getting in tune with their surroundings, feeding areas and warning calls from their parents.

With the sunflowers started to get into full flower, the seeds will hopefully provide an autumn booty for the birds.

Talking of garden booty the broad beans have once again delivered a good harvest, while the tomatoes are struggling in the garden.

Next year it’ll be tumbling tomatoes, broad beans and sunflowers, and nothing else.

They’ll also be a re-introduction in the garden too, as I’m planning on reinstating the pond after filling it in because of the girls being toddlers.

Now they’re both at school, I think the small pond can come back and help them learn a little bit more about having different wild parts to a garden and the wildlife it can bring – albeit on a small scale given the pond isn’t huge!

Time will tell if frogs make it back, but hopefully it’ll provide a home to some smaller creatures and perhaps be a water source for the small birds.