THE SUMMER QUIET HITS THE GARDEN

As usual at this time of year the garden is really quiet at the moment, with most birds hiding around the hedgerows, fields and trees while the adults moult.

In the last week there has been some visitors, with the odd blue tit (both adults and this year’s young), while the magpies are constantly around and making plenty of noise.

The other birds starting to come back in the garden are the robins, indeed the robin family that fledged a few weeks ago.

The youngsters are starting to show signs of the red breast, while the adults seem to be getting more and more comfortable with us in the garden, mainly while we’re working.

With the youngsters still learning about life, they are always making nervous warning sounds whenever they are around the garden and we’re in there.

They still come around the seats and tables, often underneath picking up crumbs from the floor, so cleaning up for us at the same time.

The weather hasn’t been summer-like, but it has been mild and moist at night.

This led to a surprise visitor in the kitchen one evening as a toad came to visit.

We were able to show it back out again, but it was a lively one and seemed to be smaller than the one I found last year.

Finally, the hedgehog seems to still be around as I’ve found droppings around the small pond and in a couple of other parts of the garden.

I think it lives under one of the sheds, although I do wonder if it has a bolt hole under the logs near the pond.

I’ll hopefully be able to spend a bit of time in the garden in the next couple of weekends and see what I can detect.

AUTUMN IN FULL SWING

The wet and windy weather we often associate with autumn has arrived, and with it bringing plenty of flooding.

It’s still been fairly warm in the garden, which means lots of slugs and snails creeping around, with some having found their way into the house.

Figures suggest the average garden has about 20,000 slugs and snails, and given the amount I’ve seen at night recently, that figure doesn’t surprise me.

Unfortunately, there are still no signs of hedgehogs, which are a great natural predator of slugs and snails.

However, during a dry interlude at the weekend I was clearly some parts of the garden from a build-up of debris from the weather, when I came across this large toad.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen a toad around the garden, but it’s great to know the range of species it does hold – even if I don’t see them often.

The toad eventually sauntered off after I’d discovered it’s hiding place, but I’ve no doubt it’ll be hiding around the garden still as the food source is good and there are plenty of place to hibernate over the winter.

The small flock of house sparrows that have been roosting in the wall foliage are still around, although I suspect October will see them find somewhere else with more shelter when the leaves do fall down.

The bird feeders are being used more frequently, and the numbers of great tits, blue tits, robins and dunnocks using them has increased slightly in recent days.

I suspect it’ll continue doing so in the coming weeks, so it’s time to stock up on fat snacks and peanuts for them.

In the meantime let’s hope they all keep dry(ish) in the autumn deluge.

TOAD IN THE HOLE

Not the usual sausage in mash version, but an actual toad in a hole in our garden.

I noticed it last night while watering the plants in the greenhouse; I thought it was a mouse but it then appeared from the undergrowth.

It appeared to be wary of me, but not completely overwhelmed once it could see I meant it now harm.

The good news is the toad is still there tonight so is obviously enjoying our garden and I'm happy to welcome a new animal to the garden as it will eat slugs, snails and other animals that want to eat my plants!

I think I've worked out where the toad lives so will be keeping an eye out and updating the blog with further news.

This morning, after my daughter's 5am alarm call, I was able to watch some of the birds in and around our house and noticed another new bird.

A female blackcap was among a family of chiffchaffs, my returning great tits and a sole robin chick.

It was great to see and hear all the birds going about their daily routines and the families feeding together. The whole scene reminded me of my own family growing together and the early alarm call was soon forgotten.

Maybe I'll get up at 5am most days (during the summer) to see what else is happening in and around where we live.