Wildlife gardening thread.

CazPaul

CazPaul

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With working full time I don't get as long as I would like in the garden, especially at this time working in the social care sector.

But I love getting out in the garden, I have just added to the native hedging, planted a few native trees, the Cowslips and Primroses have just come through

We now get hedgehogs(Which is very unusual at over 1100 above sea level on the moors), Stoats coming for the rabbits, slow worms, adders, goldfinches after the teasel I planted, Reed Bunting, Wheatear, Stonechats.

This is in addition to the vast array of waders flying overhead, Snipe, Golden Plovers, Curlew, Redshank, Oyster Catchers etc

We now gets bats on a summers evening.

I have done a lot of work over a few years inbetween work, I know it may not look like it. It was a real mess at the beginning.

I will add to the thread as I go along and hopefully improve it

No pond but 3 stone bird baths

A few photos to start with

Anybody else garden for wildlife?





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When I move, I’ll have a completely bare garden, absolutely nothing in it bar a small square of grass and a lot of paving. I’m actually pleased I’m not inheriting a very twee garden or one that’s hard work. Planning on raised veg beds, then shrubs, climbers, plants to attract butterflies and possibly birds.
Any suggestions much appreciated.
 
Hollyberry said:
When I move, I’ll have a completely bare garden, absolutely nothing in it bar a small square of grass and a lot of paving. I’m actually pleased I’m not inheriting a very twee garden or one that’s hard work. Planning on raised veg beds, then shrubs, climbers, plants to attract butterflies and possibly birds.
Any suggestions much appreciated.
Click to expand...


The native hedge I planted about 3 years ago and added to it in February this year, has been great for birds and wildlife.

It consists of Hawthorn, Blackthorn(Sloes), Hazel, Holly, Dogrose, Silver Birch, Field Maple, Elderberry.
 
Nice garden,
We’ve got loads of palmat newts, I think that’s what the misses says they are, frogs and toads in our pond.
We get pheasants wandering up the garden from the woods, which we feed, we used to have a really friendly one that once came indoors looking for a feed.
Buzzards overhead, owls,woodpeckers and all manor of garden birds visiting our feeders.
We have fields opposite so get birds from many different habitats.
I’m sometimes late leaving for work because I’m watching the birds at the feeders.
I’ve got a moth trap which attracts over 50 different types.
We’ve seen rabbits, foxes, badgers and signs of deer.
 
Off da Grid said:
Nice garden,
We’ve got loads of palmat newts, I think that’s what the misses says they are, frogs and toads in our pond.
We get pheasants wandering up the garden from the woods, which we feed, we used to have a really friendly one that once came indoors looking for a feed.
Buzzards overhead, owls,woodpeckers and all manor of garden birds visiting our feeders.
We have fields opposite so get birds from many different habitats.
I’m sometimes late leaving for work because I’m watching the birds at the feeders.
I’ve got a moth trap which attracts over 50 different types.
We’ve seen rabbits, foxes, badgers and signs of deer.
Click to expand...


Sounds a lovely location too, any pictures?
 
DavidG58 said:
Love it Paul

there can’t be many that can match your location ? or many that would swap in winter ?

we spend a small fortune feeding our birds and don’t begrudge a penny ? but don’t get any as exotic as yours
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Winter is incredible David you are right and not in a good way

The wind, storms, snow, blizzards

I don't know how any wildlife survives

It's barren and bleak to say the least, the only things that grow are wild flowers and natives.

If we were loaded it would be a holiday home from April to September.

Views from the garden, the snow one is only a month ago.
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We live a few hundred yards from our local town Longton (Neckend) and the very busy A500 runs through it and also we’re on a flight path to East midlands airport, and I’ve posted before that we get no birds other than Pigeons and magpie.
Since the lock down we have seen to day a pair of blackbirds, a pair of thrushes, a pair of blue tits and a wren it’s made our day.

John
 
Yes we have been creating a wildlife garden for the last few years , lots of logged areas for hedgehogs and other creatures to thrive. We don’t over manicure our borders and have gone for a more ‘rustic’ feel.

Like DavidG58 we love seeing the birds in the garden and are happy to spend money on seed to fill all our bird feeders.

We also have a nature camera set up as we enjoy watching the hedgehogs

 
We have lovely open countryside views, not as lovely as CazPaul mind, we get loads of wildlife Hedgehogs, fox, some Deer, Red Kites, buzzard, all types of birds etc.
But over the last few weeks we've noticed a big difference, not sure if its the lack of flights or the lack of people but theres so much more activity.
We now have badgers visiting every night, been here 23 years never seen a badger in the garden, we used to get loads of newts, but not seen any for 15 years or more, they are back (hopefully badgers don't eat newts)
Even grey squirrels, we saw one some years ago, but theres a good number in our two oak trees now.
Interestingly we see less cats, maybe its because were home more.

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I see Jensen using a browning trail cam, they are great. we have 3
 
We are quite rural only a few houses ...we have a stream running through the bottom rear garden and an oak wood behind that which is an SSI
We get a lot of red kites overhead and lots of different birds in the garden .We have an owl that visits.
We've seen badgers and foxes oh and we have a mole that is the bane of our life!!!
 
Boris7 said:
We have lovely open countryside views, not as lovely as CazPaul mind, we get loads of wildlife Hedgehogs, fox, some Deer, Red Kites, buzzard, all types of birds etc.
But over the last few weeks we've noticed a big difference, not sure if its the lack of flights or the lack of people but theres so much more activity.
We now have badgers visiting every night, been here 23 years never seen a badger in the garden, we used to get loads of newts, but not seen any for 15 years or more, they are back (hopefully badgers don't eat newts)
Even grey squirrels, we saw one some years ago, but theres a good number in our two oak trees now.
Interestingly we see less cats, maybe its because were home more.
Click to expand...


Now that sounds a lovely area as well, any photos?
 
Well done, nature is to be enjoyed and looked after. Sounds as though you are doing a great job.

But I must admit I miss read the OP at first. I thought you mentioned glow worms, then looked again and it was slow worms. I remember glow worms as a child (71 now) anybody know what happened to them? I saw some in Brittany about 10 yes ago but none here.

Anyone got them?
 
Glandwr said:
Well done, nature is to be enjoyed and looked after. Sounds as though you are doing a great job.

But I must admit I miss read the OP at first. I thought you mentioned glow worms, then looked again and it was slow worms. I remember glow worms as a child (71 now) anybody know what happened to them? I saw some in Brittany about 10 yes ago but none here.

Anyone got them?
Click to expand...
I used to fit glow worm boilers.

John.

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Boris7 said:
We have lovely open countryside views, not as lovely as CazPaul mind, we get loads of wildlife Hedgehogs, fox, some Deer, Red Kites, buzzard, all types of birds etc.
But over the last few weeks we've noticed a big difference, not sure if its the lack of flights or the lack of people but theres so much more activity.
We now have badgers visiting every night, been here 23 years never seen a badger in the garden, we used to get loads of newts, but not seen any for 15 years or more, they are back (hopefully badgers don't eat newts)
Even grey squirrels, we saw one some years ago, but theres a good number in our two oak trees now.
Interestingly we see less cats, maybe its because were home more.
Click to expand...
People have been told to keep cats in. Because of the dreaded CV contamination risk. Or rather. They were sort of misinformed about it. But the result is the same. . .
 
Glandwr said:
Well done, nature is to be enjoyed and looked after. Sounds as though you are doing a great job.

But I must admit I miss read the OP at first. I thought you mentioned glow worms, then looked again and it was slow worms. I remember glow worms as a child (71 now) anybody know what happened to them? I saw some in Brittany about 10 yes ago but none here.

Anyone got them?
Click to expand...
I think there are pockets of glow worms still in the U.K. Can't recall exact locations but they are still to be found. Friend of mine saw them when he was on a bird ringing project a year or two ago. You've reminded me to look into it again. It's one of my top "when we can travel" wish list entries lol.
 
Much as they give us grief in many respects insects are something that I miss.

I can remember driving at night in country areas and suddenly entering blizzards of moths in the 60s that disappeared with us in the early 70s. Anyone still got it
 
It must be hard to go off in the van when living somewhere nice like that. Are you going to cut the hedge or lay it ?
 
Ivory55 said:
It must be hard to go off in the van when living somewhere nice like that. Are you going to cut the hedge or lay it ?
Click to expand...

Let it grow and then trim it slightly. Needs to get quite a bit taller yet before cutting back

Yes it's a beautiful area especially this time of year, the area is alive, it's wonderful the bird life especially

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We moved here on the coast 3 years ago, sadly don't see much 'real' wildlife. During our first month we saw a hedgehog trundling down the (quiet private) road in the evening, a few days later we found it, or its relative, dead in our front garden. So sad, maybe the hand of man, slug pellets or the like?

We had to redesign the garden as it was so neglected although I'm sure that was a haven for birds. We're now replanting with plants beneficial for insects etc. At the moment we see mainly pigeons and seagulls not many small birds but I hope to change that. The dog doesn't help, eating berries and spilt bird food and chasing everything that moves - she especially dislikes magpies :LOL:

I want the garden to be somewhat untidy for instance I leave heaps of leaves and debris behind the shed but Mr reckless keeps tidying and sweeping up :mad::rolleyes:

I'm loving the respite from noise and pollution and the chance to enjoy the garden a bit more.

Karen
 
Absolutely beautiful day up here, why wouldn't you want to be in the garden with views like this from all sides of us.

Cutting the grass today although a lot of it is lichen and moss.

Some people take for granted living in a beautiful area, I know how lucky we are.

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This is the hole the Stoat keeps nipping in and out

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