More homes for wildlife

I have a lot of hedgehogs visiting my  garden since I started to put food out for them at night.  I put dried kitten food out which they seem to like.  I don't put a lot out as I think their natural food of insects, worm, caterpillars and such like are better for them.  In winter when the ground is frozen they will not be able to find these so it is good to supply an alternative for them.  They do hibernate in winter but they may wake and feel like a snack so it's good to provide something and also water.   The milder winters mean they might not be hibernating for as long.  I watch the feeding station with a trail camera at night so I can see when they are around.  If I don't see them for a few night I don't always put food out as it attracts the cats and sometimes rats.

This is a video of a rat visiting the feeding station a couple of years ago.

I've had a hedgehog house for a few years now but don't think there has been a resident staying in there. I have seem prospective tenants taking in nesting material but don't think they have stayed.  There is some nesting material in there now so I will keep watch on it.

The Garden Pond

I love my pond it is a great place for wildlife.  It has been a breeding place for frogs, toads and newts over the years. For the past  8 or 9 years the numbers of these has been reduced by the takeover of the pond by dragonflies.  There have been so many and their young, which are called nymphs have been eating all the tadpoles for quite a number of years and now there doesn't seem to be any amphibians around to breed in it any more.  With no tadpoles there is no food for the dragonfly nymph so maybe there will be no dragonflies now. 

This is the pond in March 2011 when it had been emptied and relined.  Luckily it didn't stop the frogs and there was spawn later in the month. By July it was flourishing again.  There were damselflies, frogs and newts to name but a few.  Below is a young newt. The grandchildren loved pond dipping to see what lived in there. 

I would recommend a wildlife pond to anybody if you have space.  Very little maintenance involved and lots of pleasure.  It provides water to lots of other creatures including our cat! 

A home for wildlife .

My large garden is too big for me to manage now so rather than be a gardener I manage  accommodation for wildlife.  

For many years I have had bird boxes which have gradually increased in number.  I have a wildlife pond which has  been home to amphibians, insects and other small pond creatures. 

I have many mature trees and a big hedge which provide food and shelter for birds, insects and small mammals.  Also I like to plant flowers which are good for insects and birds.

This week has been bird box maintenance week with the help of Richard https://www.projectnestbox.co.uk/  

Box number one is an old box which needed replacing.  When Richard opened it a great tit flew out and surprised him.  There was already a nest in there but no eggs yet. Instead of replacing it he just fixed it more securely to the fence and left it.  This box had been used by great tits last year but sadly the eggs didn't hatch.  Something must have happened to the adults to make them abandon the nest. 

Box number 2 is a couple of years old and was used by a pair of bluetits last year and I sat on my patio and watched them fledge.  There was no new nesting material in it now so Richard emptied it and left it.  Hopefully it isn't too late for another pair of bluetits to find it.  This box was used by hornets a few years ago.

Box number 3 is newly fitted on a fence post at the end of the hedge.  So many small birds in and out of the hedge all the time so hope they find it and like it. 

Box number 4 was new last year when  it was a replacement for a broken one.  It's a very good site as it has had great tits using it for a few years. Not in use yet but old nest removed, so finger crossed it will be used again.  I really should have cleaned them out earlier. 

Box number 5 has been in this position for several years but never been used. Will leave it for this year and see what happens

Box number 6 is high up in an oak tree where I can't see in it. Richard had his ladder and checked it out. It has the start of a new bluetit nest inside. Apparently it has small feathers in it, which  great tits don't use as nesting material, so must be bluetits. The previous box on this tree was home to honeybees one summer and when they left it there were several honeycombs in it.  The following winter it was full of leopard slugs YUCK! This is a replacement box fitted last year.

Box number 7 has been a successful one having great tits in it for a few years now.  this year they have already started building a lovely nest so shouldn't bee long before there are eggs in it.  It is lined with sheep's wool and some kind of fur.  Looks like  ginger cat to me but no way they would find cat fur in that quantity.  Maybe someone has been grooming a dog and thrown the fur out. 

Boxes 8 and 9 are open front boxes which are preferred by robins,  They like their boxes to be more secluded than the tits do so they have been moved to more suitable positions. 

Box number 10 is a new one fitted high up on the fence.

I think that's enough for today.  I will be writing again tomorrow about more home in my garden! 

 

 Catering for wildlife in the garden. 

It's time to start thinking about the birds and bees in the garden again.

The insects are easily taken care of with lots of wild flowers which I have in abundance, especially dandelions which are an essential first food for the bees and other insects.  They feed on the nectar and in the case of bees they use it to produce honey.  They also pollinate the flowers so they produce seeds and fruit.  Lots of seeds are food for the birds, and in my garden I have a lot of goldfinches that feed on my birdfeeders but once spring comes they make a beeline for the dandelion seeds. I have so many primroses growing all over the garden, the seeds of which were probably spread by the birds. 

I have had bird nest boxes for many years which give me great pleasure. I like watching the birds building their nest and feeding their young.

I am a bit late this year to empty them ready for this years nesting time.  As usual I had some help from Richard Lloyd Evans https://www.projectnestbox.co.uk/ who make and supplies nest boxes. He supplied me with two new nest boxes suitable for great tits and bluetits. He also emptied some of last years boxes and moved two robin boxes to more suitable positions.   

I though it time to branch out a bit so this year Richard has fitted a bat box for me.  Can't wait to see if the bats find it and like it. 

It is such a stylish home and there's a picture of a bat on it so they will know it's for them. 

I have done enough blogging for today but I will hopefully be back tomorrow to tell you about my bird boxes.