STAYING PUT, FOR THE TIME BEING

So COVID-19 has hit and confined us to our homes for the foreseeable future, which is not bad for those of us who like to admire the wildlife and potter in the garden – just once a day at the moment!

However, it does mean that we’re going to struggle to provide those extra morsels for hungry birds and other animals, as we come into a time when breeding success can be determined by those extra handouts.

At the moment there doesn’t seem to be much interest in nesting, apart from the recent robin interest in the ivy by the kitchen window, the odd fly by on the oldest nest box and the magpies in the conifer tree opposite the house.

It also means I can’t sort the pond out or get lovely border plants to help deter the cats from defecating in the garden.

It has given us time as a family to plant some seeds, with the usual tomato, broad bean and sunflowers being joined by, among others, the Californian Poppy.

A few of the seeds are already starting to emerge after a couple of days, but it might be this weekend when the more dramatic emerging happens.

Until then we continue to work from home, admire the wildlife when we look up from the computer, and hope spring can replace this cool weather with some proper warmth.

DARK NIGHTS CLOSING IN

This week has been quite cool at night and all but a few of our summer visitors are taking fight to warmer climes.

I saw the final group of swallows make their final swoops around the garden and surrounding fields, they even created such a noise that I went outside to investigate if an aerial predator was around.

I couldn’t see one so put it down to them saying goodbye until next year – I know that’s extremely unlikely.

The garden hasn’t seen much activity with most birds still feeding in the surrounding countryside, although a number of blue tits are visiting for a short period of time most days.

As it’s a quiet time of the year, I’ve dug the pond out and have been waiting for the rain to fill it naturally, rather than tip tap water in to it.

In the coming weeks I’ll get some weed and plants, and hope it’ll attract some insect and even amphibian life in the coming weeks and months.

I hope it will also act as another way of learning about wildlife for my girls, as they do take interest in the wildlife around the garden and often feed the birds with me.

This is the pond in its current state, and I’ll upload more in the next blog, hopefully.

The final bit of news is about the sunflowers, with a few now about ten feet tall. The birds should have a field day in autumn when the seeds are ready.

It’s surprised me the height of some of the flowers, because earlier this summer I didn’t think many would make it.

The tomatoes have produced a few examples of fruit, but I think the garden doesn’t quite have the right space and condition for growth now.

Autumn and winter will be time for clearing the garden up, including trimming back the expanding hedges and ivy growth.

However both are providing good cover for wildlife and may possibly be used next year for nesting – fingers crossed!

NESTING ACTION IS LIMITED

The garden has seen very little in the way of nesting behaviour so far, although some signs of courtship among the local bird population has been noted.

Near to the garden numerous magpies are collecting sticks for nesting, while some have even almost completed nests.

However the nest boxes have seen absolutely nothing, which is unusual because in previous years, at least one nest box would have already been taken – indeed in some years they’re taken in January.

The weather is certainly becoming cooler again and while numerous blue and great tits have been seen to inspect the emerging bulbs on trees and bushes, it may be that it’s not quite right to start building a nest yet.

It’s not a convincing theory, but one this garden is hoping is true, otherwise it’ll be the first year no nests have been recorded here in a decade.

Are the cats, who are continuing to use the garden as a toilet, to blame? If so then action will be taken to combat this trend.

Locally the smaller trees are slowly starting to turn green and bring some colour to the area, while the birds are always excited when the bird feeders in the trees are filled up.

Indeed they are on the feeders within seconds of them being hung up again, full of peanuts and seeds.

WINTER SHIVERS NOT LASTING LONG

The current cold snap (cold by this winter’s standards) is not good for the bulbs and plethora of blossom that is now appearing in the garden and surrounding countryside

The emergence of these significant signs of spring have not been lost on flora or fauna, with two sightings of caterpillars in the garden.

I don’t know what type of moth or butterfly either of these caterpillars will (perhaps won’t now) grow into, but I’ve not seen them since the colder weather turned up.

The snowdrops are stating to emerge, as is the usual winter rose, but both are behind the odd tulip and crocus that have already flowered.

It’s strange to see this happening, but I guess it shows nature goes by temperature and reacts to other species, be they flora or fauna.

The birds are certainly eating up the offerings of fat snacks, peanuts and seeds, but they’re not venturing into the garden as often as in past winters, or indeed staying for long.

I’m hoping to work up the camera in the new nest box in the next couple of weeks, now that the birds have used to it being on the wall.

There is obviously a significant degree of hope that no mice venture inside and nibble off the antenna to the camera and cause a ‘black out’.

Now we’re in the middle of February I wonder if winter is actually simply passing us by this year or will March, as it has done previously, bring us snow, biting northerly winds and sub zero daytime temperatures.

If it does then the blossom laden trees and early nesting birds will be in for a big shock.

WIND & RAIN SIGNALS AUTUMN

The swallows have started to drastically reduce in number, with only a few visible now in the surrounding countryside.

I suspect given the weather forecast for the week ahead that we’ll have none left by next weekend.

On a positive note it should signal the return of the traditional garden birds soon.

The great tits have now made occasional forays into the garden, while the robins and blackbirds are now daily visitors.

I suspect that when the sunflowers show their seeds, many more birds will take advantage of the bounty.

But for now it looks like there’s enough food in the surrounding countryside to satisfy all hungry beaks.

The harvest in the garden isn’t good this year, with not one tomato having ripened yet. I’m still holding out hope for a couple to ripen soon, despite the weather forecast.

So now we face the prospect of darker mornings and nights, along with much cooler, even colder weather, until the spring and summer cycle starts again.

Time to prepare food for all garden visitors, particularly those who require help throughout the winter.

Finally there have still not been any signs of the hedgehog, in our garden or any of the neighbours’. I hope he’s ok and managed to find a safe refuge. Perhaps the darker nights will help us see him, although I’m not holding out much hope.

APRIL SHOWERS

I’ve not seen much of the swallows this last week, I presume they’ve been getting used to their summer home again – checking out the state of their old nest(s) and trying to find food in between the heavy rain.

The last few days have seen plenty of precipitation falling from the sky and dampening the spirits of the wildlife trying to bring the next generation into this world.

I still can’t see properly in the house sparrows’ nest in the blue tit nest box, while all birds are shunning the other nest box with the camera.

The first grass cut of the year brought numerous birds back inspecting the garden for food, with the blackbirds and robins spending plenty of time pulling tasty morsels out of the ground.

After noticing a number of bees around the garden I kept a small patch free from the blades of the lawnmower, as they contained clusters of small yellow marigolds that the bees we’re spending time taking nectar from.

I’m still waiting for news on helping to rehome hedgehogs, but hope to hear in the near future.

One thing I’ve done once again is plant seeds, this year with plenty of help from my eldest daughter, who is nearly five.

She gets very excited every morning when we look in the propagators to see how many new seedlings have grown.

So far we’ve got tomatoes, sunflowers and broad beans ‘showing’ themselves. This time next week I hope they will be joined by runner beans and chillies.

Then the temporary greenhouse will go up and father and daughter will hopefully grow a summer’s supply of veg and flowers.

IS SPRING SLOWLY COMING?

The sunshine might brighten up our days, but step outside and the chill of winter is still hanging around.

It’s almost April and spring is running very late this year. I hope the wildlife around my garden is not too badly affected, although I’m sure nature knows when things are right to breed as they don’t actually use our calendar system!

Most birds seem to have paired up now, but I’m still not sure which pair of tits has won the battle to live in the camera nestbox when spring finally arrives. Both the blue and great tit pair have been seen around it, although I’ve only seen the blue tits actually go in it.

The blossom has emerged in the fruit tree in my garden, but it appears to have stopped growing for now. The bitterly cold easterly wind seems to have made many things stop and wait for the warmer temperatures to arrive – even the daffodils seem to be reluctant to emerge!

I’m still buying fat snacks, peanuts and seeds, when I want to be getting mealworms ready for the arrival of some chicks.

Last year’s very wet spring had a catastrophic effect on the great tit chicks in the camera nestbox, resulting in all eight chicks dying before they were a couple of days old. This year my plan is to make sure I have enough mealworms to supplement the caterpillars both the great tit and blue tit chicks require.

I will make sure that the mealworms are a support of the usual food and don’t become what the birds rely on, but I don’t want to see more dead chicks when there is something I could do to help.

Nature has its own way of rebuilding a species’ numbers following a poor breeding season or harsh winter, but as humans we affect nature so much that I think it’s right that we give a helping hand to the wildlife around us, when we can.

Two things show that this extended winter is having a negative effect on wildlife around my garden. The first is that I’ve never seen the long tailed tits feed in my garden so often; certainly in late March and beyond it’s very rare.

Secondly the great spotted woodpecker is daring to come to the feeder closest to the house and happily feed for a few minutes. In the last five years I’ve probably seen him in my garden the same number of times that he has been in feeding this year.

I hope to see more of these birds going forward; I just don’t want it to be out of desperation for food.

Winter your time is up, spring, it’s your chance to shine!