CHRISTMAS CHILL CAME NOT THIS YEAR

Christmas has come and gone, and I missed the opportunity to update this blog due to work, pre-Christmas activity and then being struck down by flu.

I do, however, still manage to ensure the birds were fed, as often as possible, although they probably didn’t need as much support compared to previous Christmas’, mainly due to it being fairly mild.

So mild in some parts of the UK that we in Scotland it reached a low of almost 17c, AT NIGHT. While it’s not unusual for us to get the temperature in December, it’s certainly unusual for it to happen at night, as this BBC report explains.

Nothing much has happened in the garden over the last few weeks, although the relatively benign conditions are probably one of the reasons why the flu bug is has been creating havoc!

The wildlife has benefited in that natural death rates at night will be low and food will be fairly easy to find, with water also not a problem.

I’ll be clearing out the nest boxes in the next week or so, before I decide whether to hook up new cameras – I might just get one new one for the original nest box.

Over the first few weeks of 2020, I’ll reflect on 2019 and how the garden changes, so be prepared for some images.

It’ll give the weather time to get cold and bring us some snow, good for killing bugs and helping the next breeding season avoid too much death through little bugs.

AN EARLY SPRING?

Just as winter was gripping the country, with snow and plunging temperatures, then suddenly spring has sprung into life.

The trees are in blossom, snowdrops are brightening the flowerbeds, while crocuses, daffodils and tulips are all emerging.

Indeed, the mild weather has meant the dawn chorus has an extra melody or two added to it, with the local robins being very vocal at first light.

I’ve not checked the nest box cameras recently, but perhaps this weekend will give me chance to have a look – albeit making sure any inquisitive birds aren’t put off from nesting.

The pond will also get a makeover this weekend, with a few oxygenating plants helping create a viable home for many insects and amphibians, along with a water supply for birds.

However, the amphibians are seemingly already attracted by the recovered water feature, although the frog that hopped in the house this week was slightly off course.

A helping hand was required to point it in the right direction, although time will tell if the pond is an acceptable location for the next generation.

The weather forecast looks like it’ll remain very spring-like in the coming days, so perhaps winter has finished.

But, with thick snow laying on the ground in many places last year in March, anyone who thinks we’ve said goodbye to frosts, cold and snow, might be in for a shock.

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!