LAST WEEK THE SWALLOWS RETURN, THIS WEEK NEST BUILDING IS IN FULL FLOW

The wildlife certainly thinks spring is on the way as nest building is in full flow in the blue tit nest box.

It appears the house sparrows have decided to use the triple sparrow nest box, now that one of the three boxes has been vacated by the second camera.

They were happy to use the ones without the camera as soon as the nest box was erected, but after two years of no interest in the box with the camera, the ‘secret eyes’ were moved to a new nest box designed for blue tits – they have yet to show interest after a couple of years nesting outside the garden.

The original blue tit nest box has once again got a nest, having had one every year since being put up in 2007 – making it the tenth year in a row.

Unfortunately the camera signal was not working when I put this post up, but I’ll be checking daily from now on to ensure the next post has a couple of images.

The nest builders are a pair of great tits, and the nest is well on its way to being complete.

The garden will see a limited vegetable number this summer, with broad beans, chillis, tomatoes and a new one for this year – cauliflower.

Seeds will be planted this week and it is hoped the sunshine and warmth will continue, not only for the seedling growth, but the fauna.

While the current weather conditions are favourable, the outlook for the weekend is not good for growth and wildlife breeding.

WILL THE WINTER VISITORS NOW FLOCK IN TO THE GARDEN?

Now that winter has started to show it can bring cold weather, there is an increased hope that a few traditional birds will visit the garden feeders and berries still present on the pyracantha bush

While the garden hasn’t seen any frost or snow, the general temperature has been noticeably dropping in the last couple of days and it won’t be long before a carpet of whiteness will layer the land.

It will hopefully bring more birds, and perhaps mammals, to the food on offer and with it potential closer encounters with the local predators – kestrel, sparrowhawk and even the peregrine falcons that live nearby.

Due to unforeseen circumstances the new nest box was unable to be erected, but it will be in the next couple of weeks.

And because of the increased roof space it’ll be able to better accommodate the second camera that has been putting off nesting birds in the triple sparrow nest box.

It is definitely putting off nesting birds because the other two boxes have been used in the two summers it’s been erected.

I knew one was used in the summer last year, but while cleaning them in the last couple of days I found the two without a camera had been used (see below).

Sadly the bird box that has been used by house sparrows, blue tits, great tits and tree sparrows, had five dead sparrows in it (see below).

The positive news was that it was the sixth brood from last summer so between 20 and 30 new house sparrows were brought in to the local population from that nest box.

In the eight years since it was put up there have been an estimated 150+ birds fledging from that nest box, something which is not bad for a small(ish) rural garden.

SECOND BROODS FOR BOTH SPARROW FAMILIES

Both house sparrow families are taking this year’s brooding competition very seriously, as they look to fledge their second broods of the season.

The family in the blue tit nest box are a few days behind their opponents in the sparrow nest box, but they could catch up if the next set of eggs (yes I’m expecting more), are laid as soon as this brood fledges.

And when these two broods do fledge, they’ll find the garden has a new wild animal pottering around the plants and over the lawn.

Yes, the garden is now home to a ‘re-homed’ rescue hedgehog. Max, is a 2-year-old male, who has been ‘called’ Spikey by my daughters, although he’s not been seen since he was set free last week.

 

I’ve been feeding him small amounts of cat food at night, although whether he is eating it or the local cats are taking it, is something I’ve not been able to find out.

He is a big male and I hope he sticks around to provide another layer of the natural circle of life in the garden.

The escallonia and pyracantha are full of flowers and attracting hundreds of bees (honey and bumble) every day, while a red ladybird poppy plant has already produced eight brightly coloured flowers to light up another area of the garden.

There are numerous sunflowers now planted outside, along with broad beans and tomato plants.

And with the summer sun making its presence known, I’m hoping they will all grow big and strong, while Max (Spikey) takes care of those pesky slugs and snails.