Wildlife - wot you got?

[Squirrel]

Words fail me - it sounds magical!

[Shortie]

Saw my first butterfly in my garden yesterday going for the pollen on one of my rain daisy. I think it was a peacock (orangey-brown with two 'eyes' on each wing).
Think I stil have my toad but am still longing for a hedgehog

[pigletwillie]

We have 9 nest boxes at home with not a sniff by anything avian at any of them, the two exposed ones that are fixed to the sheds on both of our plots are occupied by Blue tits which are feeding them like crazy with catterpillars from the neighbours plum trees. We also have a song thrush nesting in a tree in the neighbouring plot and whilst I was planting chillies in my "freecycle" greenhouse he was seranading me from the top of their shed. What a wonderful song they have.

[blackkitty]

I had a squirrel sitting on the fence eyeing me up in the greenhouse this morning. It was probably waiting for me to leave so it could get my strawberries. But still it was very cute.

[NOG]

I've got bees.....they look like bumble bees and they have set up home in my comost bin. So we now share it....I have the compost at the top and they have the bottom foot. I thought that bumbles were solo bees not communal.

[Alice]

[ATTACH]315[/ATTACH] Baby squirrels. Just appeared a few days ago so guess about 3 weeks old. Very playful and very charming. Won't be saying that when they're big enough to be raiding the bird feeders

[Birdie Wife]

Very cute! Did you watch Springwatch last night with the clip of mother squirrel chucking her offspring off the roof?

[SueA]

Couldn't stop laughing Birdie, I hope the one she left behind got down safely!
I've just seen an orange tip & speckled wood butterfly in the garden this morning- first butterflies I've seen in weeks- not as many around this year. I'm attaching photos of a snail I found sitting happily on the seashell mulch (lot of use that is) in a pot & sunbathing bees.

[Slug]

Hello!

I'm new to the forum, but it certainly seems quite busy - and full of useful info!

I feel very envious when I read about the wildlife in all your gardens. I am living in a 'new build' house, and I'm desperately trying to mature my garden so it becomes more wildlife friendly. At the moment I have 3 resident wagtails, lots of Jackdaws and Rooks (they're such big ugly things that gobble up all the bird food I put out to attract other, smaller birds!), a bunch of starlings who only ever go round in a gang of 16.... they land on the lawn, go on a mad worm munching fest, then fly off again.... to be seen again maybe a month later?

So as you can see, it's not exactly a wildlife haven in my garden (but I'm trying to change that!). I'm worried about attracting the birds with feeders though because just each neighour seems to have at least one cat - and they all seem to sit on the walls around my garden - not exactly a safe spot for birds!

One thing I do have plenty of.... slugs (hence my grapevine name!!). Oh, and lots of bumble bees (which I'm happy about!).

Hopefully in a few years I'll be able to sit back and listen to the birds, watch the squirrels etc.... but for now... I'll just sit and listen enviously to everyone elses tales! Makes for great reading.

Slug

[JennieAtkinson]

Very cute! Did you watch Springwatch last night with the clip of mother squirrel chucking her offspring off the roof?

Unfortunately missed last night due to visitors and wasn't quick enough to get a tape in. I just loved the blue tits and the HUGE caterpillar the night before. I was laughing so much I missed the next bit!

I hope they do a final programme of the best bits. Its great viewing.

[smallblueplanet]

Hello!....At the moment I have 3 resident wagtails, lots of Jackdaws and Rooks (they're such big ugly things that gobble up all the bird food I put out to attract other, smaller birds!), a bunch of starlings who only ever go round in a gang of 16.... they land on the lawn, go on a mad worm munching fest, then fly off again.... to be seen again maybe a month later?.....

Hi Slug - starlings are 'mad' aren't they?! If you've got a waterbath (up turned dustbin lid?) they'll provide endless entertainment when they come to bathe - they are very funny.

Keeping bigger birds off feeders is difficult, but you can get 'caged' feeders that work quite well (although the starlings beat them!) and maybe you could try putting metal wire (with the same size holes as for bird boxes) round a roofed bird table?

The birds on feeders need to be able to see any predators approaching but they also need somewhere to fly/flee to - growing shrubs takes time though. Give it a go. Try searching some of the wildlife trust/rspb sites they often have ideas for safer bird feeders.

[Alice]

Thanks for the pics SueA, Just loved that snail. Slug the wildlife will come with the maturity of your garden . Birds need shelter as well as food so when your trees and shrubs have grown you'll get more variety.

[Squirrel]

Just got home after choir and heard a tawney owl in a nearby tree! They have been missing from around here for about two years. Lovely to hear them again. Spotted one flying overhead outlined against the sky. What beautiful birds!

[JennieAtkinson]

It must be fantastic to have owls and squirrels. I know they are a pest (the squirrels) as my parents garden was over run with them. But so lovely and entertaining to watch.

I have always loved the cuckoo (none this far north though) until I saw the film on Springwatch tonight. The baby cuckoo, less than 24 hours old heaving the eggs out the nest on its back. Scary stuff!

[Slug]

Thanks Smallblueplanet - I will look to get some sort of bird bath set up to try to attract the 'mad' starlings back, and any other birds!

I've been too afraid to set up bird feeders because of all the cats, but I might look to see if I can hang something off my washing line (then the birds can poop on my clothes!), or put a bird table up in the centre of my garden to make it harder for the cats to get at the birds.

I'm putting trellis up around the garden for climbers etc... and it's working quite well at keeping the cats out - at least they can't sit on the wall and lie in wait for the birds...

Ta!

Slug