Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
I’m fond of the robins that live in our garden. When our bird feeders are empty, one robin will swoop in a zig zag motion in front of me. He gets my attention and accompanies me down the garden to the feed bin. He waits on a twig as I fill the jugs with wild bird seed. If I leave the lid open and go to give the chickens their morning treat (deluxe parrot seeds) the robin flutters down to steal some too. He also flies out to join me on the journey to the feeders at the front of the house, although he flies over the roof and I tramp...
read moreHow to attract birds to your winter garden. Part three: supplement regular feeding with fat balls
We have three feeders hanging in the winter flowering honeysuckle just outside our kitchen window. If we hang fat balls over the hooks at the top of the feeders when we refill them, different species of birds feed simultaneously from the same feeder. If we are lucky we see six species of birds feeding, three at the top and three at the bottom. Usually different species form an orderly queue in the honeysuckle and wait their turn. Why not add a penthouse restaurant and double the covers? The two feeders that contain wild bird seed are emptied...
read moreLondon frogs return each year to breed in our pond
We might not have bees but we have frogs. Loads of them. These are the descendants of the London frogs that my mum raised in an aquarium in the kitchen, 14 years ago. If frogs travel away from your garden they will return in the Spring to breed. This is a humdinger of a party. The frog fest in our pond is 24/7. When we open the back door we can hear the low sonorous croaking. This is a constant bass addition to the bird song. Except the birds sleep. The jolly in our pond will continue for at least two weeks. The croaking stops when I walk down...
read moreDaffodils and wildlife
The house where I’m working is set in farmland. A beautiful place, with a moat and five bedrooms. A pair of ducks circle the pond and drift up and down the water. When I open the back door, small shy moorhens rush for the cover of the reeds. After dark I can hear the nervous cackle of pheasant roosting in the trees and the cry of owls. Set within a circle of trees and surrounded by farmland, the location is a haven for wildlife. Today a kestrel drifted for five minutes above me, riding the thermals with just an occasional flick of wings....
read moreWallflower ladybirds
I was amazed to see that my wallflowers had tiny red buds three days ago. But on closer inspection the buds turned out to be a group of ladybirds huddled together amongst the leaves. I was delighted. These little beetles are valuable. Felling a bit like a younger Silas Marner I did a spot check of all ladybirds clinging to our wallflowers. There were twenty six. Worth £14.99+ if I had bought them from a ladybird farm. But leaving cash aside, ladybirds stop aphids being too much of a problem in our garden. I drove off to work feeling smug and...
read moreLadybirds. Natural, biological aphid control.
There has been a ladybird living on the orchids in the bathroom all winter. Today, I discovered that ladybirds feed on scale insects and mealy bugs as well as aphids. We have had a problem with scale insects on the leaves of some of our orchids, which appears to have fizzled out. I like to think that this ladybird feasted in style at The Orchid Restaurant all winter. As the orchids flower constantly, the ladybird would have had a constant supply of pollen and nectar which form part of their diet. I’ve always been keen on ladybirds. Ever...
read moreHow to attract birds to your winter garden. Part two: winter flowering shrubs for you and the birds
I think that I get more pleasure from winter flowering shrubs than any other shrubs in the garden. When they flower it’s like a surprise visit from an old friend. The birds like them too; the flowers attract insects and these in their turn attract the birds. My Mother advised me to plant winter flowering shrubs near the house, this was good practical advice as we don’t spend much time pottering in the depths of the garden when it’s chilly. She also pointed out that it would be a good idea to put the most scented shrubs in the...
read moreHow to attract birds to your winter garden. Part one: setting up
Most of the houses that I work in have a conservatory. The majority of them have a pair of binoculars lying on a windowsill. Not for observing the neighbours but for watching birds that visit their gardens. When I look at a client’s bird table I often wonder whether a lot of the birds do the rounds. Is it the same belligerent gang of long tailed tits that took turns to eat our fat balls this morning? And do my precious collared doves actually belong to families all over the village? To encourage bird visitors, we plant shrubs that...
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