SNAILS, SLUGS AND SUNFLOWERS

It feels like it should be April rather than May. Sunshine and heavy showers this week are providing excellent conditions for the flora to grow, although given the temperatures each day haven’t been high, significant growth may have to wait until it gets warmer.

I think the tree sparrow chicks in the triple nest box have fledged this week, but there are more that have hatched in the tit nest box with the broken camera.

It’s very frustrating that I can hear the chicks, but can’t see them particularly as it’s a new species that has nested in the one box.

I’ve tested the power cable and it would seem to be beyond repair, but until I can get in the nest box to test a spare cable, I just won’t know.

In other news it appears the swallows are once again nesting in the horse stables; a place they moved to when the small outbuildings at the back of the house didn’t suit anymore.

The wrens and robins are very vocal at the moment around the garden, particularly when a cat is around, which leads me to believe that they both have young chicks.

It may just be my garden, but there has been a huge amount of snails this spring. Most of them have been devouring some of my young plants, with the sunflowers being affected most.

I’ve been gathering about ten a night and they have all been ‘re-housed’ in the garden waste bin, along with grass cuttings and plenty of twigs and leaves.

Not sure if they appreciate the new home, but as long as they’re not eating my sunflowers I’ve not got much sympathy for them – I won’t kill them unless it’s absolutely necessary.

There is some promise of warm weather coming in the next few weeks, so I’m hoping to get the tomatoes outside and watch all the flowers and vegetables growing rapidly.

Perhaps even the onions will emerge and give the garden its first harvest after three years of trying!

THE GARDEN IS SPRINGING INTO LIFE

The first May Bank Holiday has delivered the sounds of new life, lawnmowers and people groaning about bad backs from too much gardening.

I can lay claim to all three having spent most of the weekend in the garden and watching the emergence of new life.

The triple sparrow nest box with the camera that is working has tree sparrows in and they are very nervous when any human is around, even though I was in the garden all day they still gave warning calls whenever they were near the nest.

I suspect the chicks are about ten days old – so about a week from fledging – as they are quite noisy when the parents bring food in. I managed to get one image (which is blurry so haven't put up on here) of the adults over the whole of the weekend due to this nervousness – although the chicks still got many feeds.

In the other nest box, in which the camera isn’t working, I suspect the house sparrows are on eggs as they don’t have frequent visits with food like the tree sparrows, but I have seen them going in and out of the nest box.

The robin family must have young and there is a wren chirping away near to the garden, which I think means there is a robin and wren nesting in the banking by the little stream.

I’ve not seen much of the blue tits or great tits, but they do visit for food.

The dunnocks are rarely seen, while the blackbirds must be feeding youngsters as both parents have been seen collecting worms.

In the garden I’ve planted a number of sunflowers, while the runner beans and broad beans are in two locations with a climbing frame for them to grow up. The tomato plants will soon be in the greenhouse, while the final potatoes have been planted.

The first potatoes should be harvested in early July and as you can see from the image below, the rows of different growth can be seen – the far side were planted first.

Finally the swallows lighten up the skies with their calls and seem to be pairing up. Every night I see a pair on the telephone wires by the garden, singing and frequently feeding by swooping low over the garden.

THE SOUND OF THE NEXT GENERATION

The gardens, fields and woodland around my garden are now very green, with a number of plants already flowering – clematis and strawberry are just two.

Recently there has been some very mild weather, particularly at night, which has meant there has been a huge growth in the flora.

Many of the plants I’ve grown from seed are now either in bigger pots on window sills, in the greenhouse or outside.

The only danger to the ones outside is the forecast frost this weekend and cooler weather – slightly strange for the start of May!

In other news the swallows have been performing their usual aerobatics and almost constant singing – which I thoroughly enjoy as it’s my favourite sounds of summer.

While the bird cameras have failed to deliver live footage of nesting birds, the bird boxes have proved very popular – all but the one with the camera in!

The tit nest box with the camera that has a failed power lead has got house sparrows nesting in there; although I’m not sure if there are eggs, chicks or just a nest in there at the moment.

In the triple sparrow nest box the camera box (which had a house sparrow nest last year with no camera) has nothing, the middle box is being investigated by a pair of blue tits, while the other box has house sparrows, WITH CHICKS.

I first heard them yesterday and after patiently waiting for nearly an hour for a parent to come back with food, was able to confirm the nest box used and the sound of chicks.

For me it confirms the camera has put off the birds, although I’m still hopeful that by keeping it in there the birds will get used to it and not be afraid of nesting there next year.

It does show that if you provide nest boxes in the right locations (height, size and direction the hole faces) then birds will readily take advantage.

The next question as we start to properly enter the breeding season is; how many broods will we have this year?

I’m predicting at least two, and I’m fairly confident the robins and blackbirds are either on eggs or have chicks; I just don’t know where the nests are – a task for this weekend.

Until then I’ll be making contact with a hedgehog rescue centre to rehome any, primarily to help rid the garden of slugs and snails – both are causing a bit of havoc among my growing sunflowers!

SWALLOWS RETURN TO SPARK SUMMER WARMTH?

Lovely sunny weather in the day has meant colder nights, not the ideal conditions for planting out new plants.

I’ve put some out in the greenhouse, broad beans and sunflowers, and they have so far responded well; continuing to grow well.

More potatoes have been planted so hopefully we’ll have a good supply of spuds from August onwards – perhaps even up until November.

The tomatoes, runner bean, onion, cornflower, cosmos and more sunflowers have been planted, so there should be more green shoots by the end of Easter.

The birds have been flocking to the garden, with the blackbirds picking up plenty of worms from the lawn and blue tits, great tits, dunnocks, robins and sparrows feasting on the peanuts and fat snacks.

But the big news this week has been the return of the swallows. I watched jealously as people report swallow sightings across the country through social media, but this week I heard the sweet sound of spring and summer in the air.

I looked up and saw five swallows showing off their aerobatic skills and they seemed to be having a brilliant time, chattering all the time.

The next job I have is to find out where they’ll be nesting, and also if I can see where other nests are. Stay tuned for updates as I check out the sites I know were occupied last year, particularly the robins by the railway bridge and blackbirds in a nearby small bush.

SPRING READY TO BLOOM

The early spring weather has been fairly cool, but by no means cold and I suspect it’s meant the egg laying and nest building has been delayed.

The weather forecast from next week onwards suggests that warm weather is on the way, so perhaps the birds will now be starting to lay and warm eggs ready for the potential birth of caterpillars.

Unfortunately the camera for the next box that the sparrows were building a nest in still doesn’t have power and unless there’s a miracle it’ll mean there’ll be no chance of seeing it until I know the birds are not using it anymore.

I could easily replace the power lead, but that would mean opening the nest box and disturbing the birds – this is something I will not do.

In a double blow it appears the camera that is working, doesn’t have any action inside. Instead the two adjacent nest boxes have been visited by blue tits and house sparrows in the last few days.

Whether there are nests inside is something I’ll be trying to find out soon.

In other news the crops are growing rapidly, with broad been plants almost a foot high and the flowers and herbs also becoming more than just little seedlings.

Outside the potatoes are emerging, just, while I expect the carrots to starting showing very soon.

The sunflowers that were growing nicely in the greenhouse experienced life outside as the structure fell over, but luckily they were rescued and re-potted fairly quickly and are now all growing again.

The two weeks around Easter should bring plenty of action among the flora and fauna, something I’m really excited about.

 

And hopefully seeing the swallows back for another summer!

SPRING WARMTH BRINGS BREEDING SEASON EXCITEMENT

As spring sunshine grips most of the UK, bringing with it warm weather the breeding season is well underway as birds, insects and mammals all focus on raising the next generation.

The tit nest box, which now has a pair of house sparrows, still doesn’t have a working camera so I can’t view the nest building activity.

The house sparrow nest box camera is fully operational, but no birds are utilising it – which as explained previously I think this is because the camera is too obtrusive inside the box.

Flowers, tree buds and the first vegetable plants sprouting are now being joined by butterflies and plenty of insects, including various bees, as spring has well and truly sprung.

This is a wonderful time of the year and the buzz among the birds in the garden is lovely to see, hear and feel. It feels like a huge race has begun to get the next generation born and raised; it’s great to see it in the garden and surrounding countryside.

I’m sure April will bring plenty of showers, but if the temperatures keep like they are this weekend the growth in the flora will significant.

Of course in turn this will help the mammals, birds and insects that will feast spring’s rich offerings.

The focus in the garden will be fixing the camera, cutting the grass and encouraging the growth of vegetables and flowers.

One thing is for sure, the next few months will bring new arrivals and a colourful garden as wildlife and humans alike enjoy the warmth and sunshine (hopefully).

On a final note I’m taking images of the front of the house and some of the garden that I will unveil in the coming weeks to show how spring helps the garden bloom and come alive.

SPRING WARMTH SLOWLY GOING

Disappointing week as the blue tit nest box camera has stopped working and I think the problem will mean no pictures to see how the nesting goes this breeding season.

Unfortunately the problem could easily have been avoided had it not been for a very clumsy meter reader, who didn’t close the external reading door properly and left it to bang open against the outside wall and the power wire to the camera.

I’ve not fully checked it out but I can’t change the cable as it’ll mean accessing the nest box and therefore disturbing the birds.

Talking of which I did manage to get a glimpse of the birds occupying the nest box – it was a bit of a shock as there were two birds in there and neither was a blue tit or great tit.

In fact it is a pair of house sparrows that were starting to build a nest, which is unusual considering they normally nest in groups and they seemingly haven’t touched the other camera nest box – although I think this is down to the camera being too obtrusive.

I will be checking to see it the cable can be fixed, but I don’t hold out much hope. In the meantime here's the images I have of how it went over the last ten days, until the 'cut off' point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plenty of daffodils are now showing and along with the snowdrops, tulips and crocuses are making the garden fill with colour.

The vegetable and plant growing has started well, with broad bean, marigold and sunflowers all showing in the seeding pots.

I’ll be starting to transport them in to the greenhouse in early April and next weekend plant more outside vegetable – potatoes, carrots and parsnips.

On all counts I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for warmer weather!