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GARDEN 26 |
Garden Wildlife 3
The garden is also home to a myriad of other insects. These are mostly given unpronounceable Latin names but all play their part in the scheme of things in some way or another. Some, like ladybirds, lacewings and hoverflies provide a useful service in cleaning up the aphid population. Others like bees, are vital to pollination, whilst others, like ants, can be a nuisance as they undermine the roots of plants or bite and sting the gardener and visitor alike. Their most important role however, is to provide food for our most common wildlife; the bird population. As a result of the many diverse habitat areas, both in, and around the garden, and the absence of local cats, the garden is a haven for a large range of birds. They seem to appreciate the fact and are usually very tame (Or rather, they do not regard humans as a threat), and are often to be found in close proximity to the daily goings on.
Despite their reputation for aggressive behaviour and killing each other in territorial disputes, the garden supports a very large number of robins. Once in a while, one of the new season's brood seems to be tamer than all the others and can be trained to feed from the hand.
(L) A baby blue tit waits patiently for its next meal, (R) -which isn't long in coming! Blue tit numbers have trebled since I started putting up nest boxes. In a good year, several broods can be raised in the course of the summer.
Windfall apples provide a bonanza for many forms of wildlife such as foxes, badgers, butterflies and birds. (L) Blue tits are light enough to eat from the tree and so are in less danger of predation. (R) First year Blackcaps were quick to recognise a good meal.
Sparrow hawk numbers have also risen alongside their main prey. (L) This young female crash landed during a training flight and is trying to recover its composure and hide its embarrassment. (R) A young, (smaller), male surveys the area before singling out its next victim.
The smallest regular is the Goldcrest and they can often be found scurrying around looking for insects amongst the yew hedges or ferreting about in the ivy that covers most of the more mature trees in the garden. In the summer months, they are joined by sedge and reed warblers that come across from the reed bed to flit through the rose beds when visitors have left and things are quieter. Blue tits and long tailed tits have completely lost their fear of people and are on aphid patrol at any time during the day. Blue tit numbers have trebled since I put up some nesting boxes in 2002. The incidences of sparrow hawks being seen in the garden have also increased to match this population explosion.
Goldfinches are attracted into the garden by the masses of dandelion seed heads in the orchard. Later in the year they migrate the few yards into the meadow to feast on a bonanza of thistle and teasel seeds. As well as being beautifully coloured, they also sing for most of the summer except for that dull time in July when all the birds are generally going through the moult. Chiffchaffs also sing for most of the summer. It is always a delight to welcome them back from their migration but their song can get a bit monotonous after three months. (As with Blackcaps and some of the warbler species, it can only be a matter of time before there will be no need for them to migrate). The best songster is worth staying late for. A Nightingale can regularly be heard in the trees towards the bottom of the garden and the hotel across the way.
(L) Goldfinches are always welcome in the garden looking for dandelion, thistle and teasel seeds. (R) Thrushes are the first line of defence against snails.
Having never used slug pellets, Thrushes are common throughout the garden and the tell-tale sound of snail against paving can be heard for most of the year. The resident Blackbirds seem to have adopted this method of food gathering recently. Whether they have learnt to do this by watching the thrushes or, being cousins, have always known how to do it, I don't know. They are nowhere near as proficient as thrushes but certainly get through their fair share of the number one garden pest.
(L) Although swallows and martins fill the sky for most of the summer, it is rare for them to touch down. I was delighted to see these fledglings being fed on the roof of the shop before they were strong enough to make the journey to Africa by themselves. (R) More associated with car parks and shopping centres than gardens, pied wagtails also find the shop roof a good place to hunt for insects.
(L) Much to the consternation of all the other birds in the garden, magpie numbers are very much on the increase. (R) The nest-robbing Jay is another bird that I would prefer not to see in the garden.
This unusually coloured female Blackcap successfully reared five chicks to adulthood.