TORRENTIAL RAIN, FLOODS AND FROSTS – THE SPOOKY PART OF AUTUMN

As Halloween approaches, the first frost of the autumn landed in the garden.

While it wasn’t particularly harsh, it’s certainly a sign of things to come and the wildlife will have certainly taken note.

The rain over the weekend caused all sorts of problems for many people and the lane we live on became a 6-8 inch deep torrent of water for many hours.

Luckily it diverts off the lane before the house, but the incessant rain meant the garden was a soggy mess for a couple of days.

It’s hard to understand what impact it’s had on the wildlife around the garden, however I’m sure it’ll have impacted feeding for many – apart from those who love the wet conditions, including the local badgers.

The garden has seen a number of visits from a number of jays over the last few weeks, with their warning call often heard when we step out of the house.

The bird feeders are being consumed fairly quickly, although the peanuts are being shunned in favour of the fat snacks – probably easier to eat!

I suspect the next few days and weeks will see the number of birds coming into the garden on the increase, although it’ll be hard to tell in the week as the clocks going back now mean evenings are definitely dark, while mornings are too busy with breakfast and getting ready for school and work to spend much time looking out of the windows in the garden.

I’m expecting a flock of long tailed tits to be seen again soon, and it’ll signal the lack of natural food on offer.

It’s the that the food we supply to our feathered friends becomes really important, so the garage will soon be increasing in supplies – albeit in containers that will prevent rats and mice getting at them!

PLANNING AHEAD FOR SPRING

The stormy weather appears to have abated for now, which is good news for everywhere, particularly those areas with the dreadful floods we’ve been seeing.

It’s also seen a change in some of the flora in the garden, with the first snowdrop appearing and blossom on the fruit tree.

Along with the snowdrop a host of other spring bulbs are showing, with tulips, daffodils and crocuses all sure to be flowering by the start of March.

 

I do have a little worry about them due to the severe snow and cold weather we experienced last March, but I guess that’s the gamble nature plays every year and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.

I’ve already planned my spring planting session and I’m hoping the hard work over the winter in preparing the ground will pay off.

This week I’ll be buying the required seeds ready for the germinator and, for some, simply putting them straight in the ground.

With a new baby due in June it’s vital all the planning is done now so the plants are well on their way to bearing fruit by June.

Finally the garden is now equipped with two nestbox cameras, as I’ve hooked up one of the compartments in the sparrow nestbox (see above).

Below is the view from each camera, first tit cam then sparrow cam.

 

 

There’s not been any action yet, but I’m hoping to see some visitors in the next few weeks.

CHRISTMAS REFLECTIONS THROUGH FLOODWATER

As we near the end of 2012, it can be remembered for just one thing, one thing weather wise anyway – rain, rain and floods.

It has been a truly monumental year for rain as almost every part of the country has felt the force of floodwater and the devastation it causes to us humans, but what about the wildlife?

I know from personal experience how wildlife has suffered with the great tit family of eight chicks dying, not long after hatching. The wet weather meant caterpillars were washed away or hadn’t hatched, therefore resulting in starvation for the chicks.

The failure of the great tit family in my garden was not the only one, as I heard of many small bird families across the country feeling the same affect from the weather.

Obviously either side of the food chain would have been affected as the failure of small insects breeding was partly responsible for the small bird families not having much breeding success and therefore contributed to larger birds and birds of prey not having as much ‘food’ for their young.

All in all 2012 has not been brilliant for wildlife, but before we write it off as a failure, we must take it into context.

Nature has a wonderful way of balancing itself out over a period of many years and while this year might not have been great for a number of reasons, the overall picture can’t be viewed for many years to come.

Perhaps 2013 will provide a bumper crop of insects and in turn a larger number of small bird chicks that fledge. Only time will tell and that is something we must all look forward to.

As for my garden, the recent wet weather has ensured a plentiful supply of worms for the blackbirds and robins, while my peanuts, fat snacks and seed mix has given the great tits, blue tits, tree sparrows, house sparrows and dunnocks enough food to supplement the natural bounty.

I’ve only seen fleeting views of chaffinches, goldfinches, while the jays are seemingly taking up residence in the trees and hedgerows of the lane.

Christmas has no effect on wildlife, it’s just another time of the year, but if we all gave a little thought and made sure there was enough food and water (there might be enough of this) for them, we all might benefit when it comes around to the spring and summer as bird song lightens up our light mornings and long evenings.