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.

A TYPICALLY QUIET AUGUST MADE EXCITED BY A NEW NEST DISCOVERY

With much of the wildlife still seemingly hiding away, it’s been left to a few of the stars of the garden this year to make the headlines, and also one big surprise.

First, the big surprise and it was the discovery of new nest in the garden just last week; a nest from a bird I’ve seen around the garden and lane, but never thought it would nest near the house.

The bird in question is a goldfinch, which has nested near the top of a small bush/tree, about eight feet from the ground and in a fairly precarious place.

I’d been hearing a lot of calling from the goldfinches around the garden in recent weeks, particularly in the last week or so, and looking at the state of the nest I suspect the young had recently fledged.

It’s brilliant that a small garden can provide the right environment for birds to nest, so now the goldfinch can be added to the list of nesting birds in the garden, alongside blue tits, great tits, robins, house sparrows, tree sparrows and blackbirds.

The robin family now appears to be in dispute with one another, as one of the youngsters is seemingly trying to win our garden as part of its territory over one of its parents – I suspect the male.

They have both been seen often in the garden in recent weeks and it would seem it’s quite a good place to have.

Who will triumph in the end? I don’t know but both are quite feisty and friendly in similar doses – friendly to the humans who live here.

Another now regular visitor is the hedgehog, who can be seen, and often heard, most nights.

The hedgehog is leaving regular deposits of poo around the garden too, but is also getting around the neighbours’ houses and is also being provided some food by them.

It looks like the hedgehog has found somewhere it likes, and if collectively we continue to provide the right environment for it, then it’ll hopefully stay.

One of the most important things is allowing free and easy access to all the gardens and making sure the cats and dogs stay away from it.

I think most of the neighbours are excited to see a hedgehog, so hopefully it’ll stick around.

IS SPRING IN THE AIR?

After reviewing the changes on the garden during 2018, it’s now time to see what’s been happening in the garden this year.

Well we’ve already had snow, which is still a rarity for this garden and an omen for other places in the wider areas.

As the garden is at almost sea level (about 30ft), if the garden gets snow then other places will have lots more!

The recent cold snap has seen the usual flock of long tailed tits come visiting – on an almost daily basis.

Added to that a few chaffinches have been seen and they have bolstered the number of birds seen, along with the blue tits, great tits, robins, dunnocks, house sparrows and the odd goldfinch.

There hasn’t been much blackbird activity in the garden recently, although they have been spotted down the lane, in the hedgerows, so there must be still some good food sources amongst the bramble and small fruit trees.

The tawny owls have been quite in the last few days, although this might be to do with the windy weather.

Nothing has been done on the pond, mainly because it was frozen, but it has remained full, so in the next few weeks it’ll be scraped out a little bit and oxygen-rich plants put in.

Buds have started to appear on the fruit trees in the garden, while snowdrops are now flourishing in some areas of the garden.

They have been joined by the odd crocus, and I’m sure further arrivals of both plants will have daffodils for company soon.

However, while spring is certainly in the air, I suspect winter is not done yet!

WINTER, SPRING, SUMMER & AUTUMN IN THE SAME MONTH?

We’ve not yet finished April but we’ve seen weather representing all four seasons already.

Hail and a little snow started the month, before spring(ish) conditions followed, then last week summer took over, while autumn came along today and looks like staying until May – or until winter starts the sequence again.

What’s been lovely to see, up until today, has been the swallows dancing in the air, chattering and making plans for breeding, plans that may be on hold for now!

The nest building in the garden continues, with the blue tits and blackbirds making their choices of nest location well known.

The male wren has been entertaining the female at his nest in the previously unused nest box.

It’s been difficult to assess her feedback, although she has been spotted a few times so perhaps this nest ‘sale’ is still under discussion.

What’s been very distinguishable is the dawn chorus, and what a lovely sound the birds are making around the garden.

Wren, blackbird, blue tit, house sparrow, robin, dunnock, goldfinch, chaffinch, swallow, chiffchaff and great tit all providing a cacophony of alarm bells from the first chink of light – at the moment 5am is late for some birds!

The big question for the birds is will there be enough food for when the chicks arrive, particularly for those that have laid eggs recently, as the colder weather isn’t beneficial for the usual spring gluttony of caterpillars.

One thing I do is order mealworms, and the first batch is due to arrive this weekend, so it’ll be interesting to see which birds fly off with big bunches of them first.

SPRING IS READY TO GO, BUT HAS WINTER GOT A FINAL BITE?

Now that the second batch of bitterly cold Siberian weather this winter has relented, the wildlife has literally sprung into life.

I think we can technically say we’re in spring, even if the weather isn’t playing ball.

The blossom is blooming, the spring flowers are adding colour to the garden, and the birds are full of song.

There appears to be at least two robin territories close by, one which includes the garden.

A pair of blue tits are still making their interest in the original camera nest box known, while other birds seen regularly in pairs are great tit, robin, blackbird, dunnock, house sparrow and goldfinch.

Now that the snowdrops have gone for another year and the crocuses are giving their final fling, the daffodils have taken over.

Apart from the blossom, many bushes and small trees are showing signs of the cold winter, looking quite forlorn and not showing any interest in the spring sunshine – albeit it the sunshine isn’t too warm yet.

The honeysuckle and pyracantha are the worst looking, so it’ll be interesting to see how they fare when spring warmth final makes an appearance.

However, before any warmth it looks like winter will make another appearance over Easter, which makes me wonder just how the wildlife will react, particularly if any of the birds have laid any eggs.