COLD SNAP BROUGHT THREAT TO EGGS AND CHICKS

Just when spring was warming up and the local birds had got the green light for laying eggs…

The recent cold snap forced the wildlife to seek warmth and shelter from bitter northerly wind and frequent hail showers.

The swallows had been basking in mild spring sunshine last week, producing aerobatic manoeuvres in order to find a mate, but now are only daring to take to the skies when the sun has spent time warming the air around the house and garden.

Among the birds that are seemingly on eggs or have chicks are the robins, blackbirds and magpies.

The goldfinches are still flirting around in pairs, while the house sparrows are still flying around in groups. Hopefully this weekend will be able to provide evidence of whether the latter are utilising the triple next box.

However, the blue tits have laid eight eggs in the original nest box with the camera, although the eggs were not being incubated by either parent in the time spent looking at the nest for a while. 

But, now the eggs are rarely seen because of the incubating adults.

This weekend saw a return to more favourable spring weather and has hopefully given the wildlife the opportunity to carry on with their breeding seasons.

A VERY GREEN GARDEN IN WET JUNE

Activity in the garden has been mainly limited to the flora, with plenty of growth in many plants including the cauliflower and broad beans.

There has been a favourite sight this week with a visit from a couple of newly fledged robin chicks.

They spent quite a while in the garden, watching from various posts and pouncing on the odd invertebrate.

Apart from the off visit from blue tit chicks and flocks of house sparrows, the main visitors have been swooping swallows.

It’s great to see and hear them, particularly the newly fledged youngsters who are constantly chattering to the adults as they chase their insect food.

Sadly they’ll all be gone in a few months and the slow process of summer turning into autumn will begin.

Until then we can enjoy them and hopefully some summer sunshine, which has been particularly lacking following a thoroughly wet June.

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.

SNOW THEN SPRING SUNSHINE BRINGS THE BEES OUT

The cold and snowy weather seemed to be quickly followed by some spring sunshine, which in turn has led to the natural world emerging from its many hideaways.

The blossom on the fruit tree in the garden, and beyond, attracted a number of bees in the last few days, which was a welcome sight.

The birds are still not using the nest boxes, which is quite frustrating. I’m sure they eventually will, and hopefully it’ll be the signal for spring to start properly. Otherwise it could be that they are sensing winter is going to return with a vengeance.

The flora is producing a range of colours now as the borders fill with crocus, daffodils, snowdrops and tulips, but there is a slight concern that the flowerings are half-hearted, as if something negative is going to happen to them if they show too much, too soon.

I’ve not noticed the cats around the garden recently, although they can be heard every night fighting. Hopefully a couple of knockout blows each night mean they stay indoor during the day and leave the garden birds alone.

The long tailed tits have paid the odd visit to the garden since the last post. I sense it’s because the natural food supplies are still not returning to levels at which they feel comfortable not to visit the garden.

So as we await the big spring start, I wonder just how many small mammals and birds will fall victim to all these cats – none if I have my way!

HAVE THE SPARROWS FLEDGED?

The weather is certainly warming up, although it isn't quite spring like enough for some of our feathered friends.

The cool winds have held temperatures back, although this has been offset by some lovely sunshine brightening up the garden.

During periods of rain the slug and snail population has been out and about, I can see there'll be another battle to keep my new vegetables and plants away from hungry critters!

The house sparrow families appear to be growing fast and I'm expecting at least one fledging in the next couple of days.

Unfortunately the blue tit nest box camera is still mainly covered up, allowing me only small glimpses into movement inside.

But the loud and almost constant chirping if the chicks combined with the parents mating again, suggest a fledging and new batch of eggs will not be far away.

Once the fledging has happened I'll try to clear the camera view, although this will be tricky and if I suspect it'll disturb the birds I'll leave well alone.

The only other addition to the garden is the temporary greenhouse, which is now housing young runner bean, broad bean, tomato and sunflower plants.

The swallows are still conducting aerobatic displays and I'm sure it won't be long before they're swooping through the garden after insects.

IS WINTER STILL DICTATING OUR WEATHER?

This weekend has certainly brought some lovely sunshine and provided some great conditions for wildlife to prepare for spring and summer breeding seasons.

But the temperatures are still not providing much ‘spring warmth’ and the birds are not rushing to complete their nest and bring the next generation into the world.

The house sparrows in the blue tit nest box are still adding to the nest every day, but it’s not about to be completed any time soon.

I still have no idea who has added nesting material to the triple house sparrow nest box that has a camera in it.

The focus of the camera has been ‘changed’ because of the amount of dried grasses and small twigs that have been placed inside the box.

I still cannot make out if a bird is roosting in there at night, but the female house sparrow is definitely in the blue tit nest box every night.

Given the activity and frequency of the visits from a variety of birds, I suspect all are currently in the midst of building nest, bit waiting for nature to bring warmer weather before completing the nests and laying eggs.

There has been plenty of flying insects this weekend and that is something the summer bird visitors to the UK will be very interested in.

It also makes me think of my favourite bird, the swallow, and how I’m now counting does the days until the family that regularly nest within a few yards if the garden, is back again.

That’s when I and the rest of wildlife will know that spring has finally arrived.

IS SPRING AROUND THE CORNER?

I’ve been working for the last few days to fix the nestbox camera, but with no success. I’m going to give it one more go next weekend and then leave it for another year.

During the milder weather recently, the sunshine has given the bird a new lease of life; gone was the days of simply foraging for food to survive and in came looking for a mate and potential nest site.

I watched as both a pair of blue tits and great tits spent time looking at the camera nestbox from various angles and tried different flight patterns from vantage points towards the nestbox.

I haven’t seen any bird actually fly in to or around the nestbox, but I think there has been one bird, or more, roosting in there. If I was to guess I would say it would be a great tit; that’s based on what I noted when the camera was working.

The warm sunshine has brought the dawn chorus to life, with plenty of song in the last couple of days, plus plenty of birds hanging around my garden and surrounding area.

It now appears that the song thrush I’ve seen and heard a lot recently has found either a mate or foe. Judging by the way one was chasing after the other for about ten minutes in the bushes and trees suggest to me that it will be a mate and a breeding pair could set up a nest near the garden.

I’ll be keeping my eye out for them both in case of nesting activity and new chicks.

Talking of chicks I thought I saw a fledgling blackbird recently, but put it down to a slightly differently coloured female.

My thoughts changed when I saw said female in the garden, and it was joined by a definite female and they reacted to one another like they knew each other.

Has anyone ever known blackbirds to breed in winter?

Feeding the birds regularly can be quite exciting as three recent examples show.

Firstly I filled the seed feeder and two fat snack feeders and as I approached the trees that I regularly hang them in (different locations each time), there was a sudden burst of noise coming from the surrounding bushes and trees and I saw a small flock of house sparrows, joined by various species including chaffinch, great tit and blue tit, along with a couple of robins.

They all had appeared to be welcoming me and the food I was bringing and within seconds of me hanging them out, the small birds were taking their turn on the feeders.

Secondly a robin, which appears every time I’m working in the garden or hanging out feeder, has been hovering in flight trying to get at a fat snack in hanging feeder. The hover doesn’t last for long, but he/she is getting much more accomplished at getting food.

Finally the long tailed tits are still making regular visits to the garden, particularly the peanut feeder and as I spend more and more time in the garden, I can sometimes hear the flock coming.

It’s these interactions with nature that ensures I’ll always be a fan and friend of wildlife.

SO LONG SWALLOWS, SEE YOU NEXT SUMMER?

The swallows are still around; well yesterday I saw a pair gliding in the evening air, snapping up insects in daredevil moves, some just inches above the ground.

A few days ago there was almost 20 gathering together, so I can only assume that the last two are parents looking for any stragglers to help make the journey to Africa.

I suspect I won’t see any more after this weekend, well until next spring. They are one of my favourite birds, probably in the top two, so I thoroughly enjoy seeing them, albeit for only five months of the year.

My only concern is they come back next year and were not put off by our lack of summer this year.

In the garden my tomatoes are suffering with the cold weather overnight, even being hit by a slight frost last night.

I’ll still be collecting some for consumption but know the time will soon be upon us when the plants will succumb  to the weather and lead me to thinking of next season for planting seeds.

The butterflies were around in numbers with the sunshine of the last couple of days, making the most of any late summer, early autumn nectar supplies. Some flew away when I went near them, while others (see below) seemingly posed for the camera!

 

The snails and slugs are still out in force in the evenings, especially when it rains, though I’m not culling them as I wait for a hedgehog or two to come and sort them out!

Most plants are showing signs of early autumn colder nights, though others are blooming, including those that are feeding the butterflies.

What changes will the garden and the surrounding wildlife experience over the next few days, weeks and months? Only time will tell, but I’ll be following and diarising what happens around me to give a logged history of wildlife in the neighbourhood.

WILL THE REAL JUNE PLEASE STAND UP

Today was back to what we expect in June, sunshine and warmth, the latter didn't stay for too long though and it was distinctly chilly in the morning and evening.

I bet the wildlife is wondering what on earth is going on, particularly those who have lost broods to the weather.

After watching the demise of the blue tit chicks on Springwatch it seems that this is the fate of many chicks this spring and summer, including the great tits in my garden.

Perhaps second broods will be the norm this year, I hope so otherwise a cold winter could have a devastating effect on some birds.

In other news I was outside as dusk fell and was charmed by a bat flying around after insects, sometimes within inches of my head.

A superb time was had by me, although I'm not sure the bat felt the same. I'm not the greatest bat expert so was unable to identify it. What I will say is it was about the size of a blue tit.

If anyone can identify the bat from my feeble description, I'd welcome your thoughts.

I'll now be keeping an eye out during the evening to see if this area is a good area for feeding bats. It's certainly a good one for swallows, swifts and house martins during the early evening as many gather in the area most nights.

This week the weather promises to be unsettled and cool, yet more battles for our wildlife and us humans as we deal with yet another damp summer!