There’s always something interesting to see from a wildlife point of view in the garden. Squirrels are being very busy collecting up acorns and hazelnuts and meticulously burying them in the ground. It’s funny to see them popping the acorns into a hole just the right size and them carefully patting down the soil to keep them safe. It’s a complete mystery to me how they manage to find them again although judging by the number of hazel and oak saplings that I’ve recently spotted in flowerbeds they obviously don’t find them all. Gardeners always seem to have a friendly robin by their side, we are no different and enjoyed seeing one such visitor at the end of August. Every time any of us took a break in the garden there was the friendly robin hopping around closer and closer looking very bedraggled, presumbably either a young bird or an adult in the middle of moulting. Just a few weeks later and now when I am in the garden I hear a distinctive chirping sound and there is a robin looking resplendent in his new red breast feathers. This year I have hung up the bird feeders a little earlier than usual and have been treated to the sight of long tailed tits and great tits feasting on the fat balls. These don’t last long, I did wonder if after the heatwave they would be a little short on natural food.
Flocks of mistle thrushes always appear in the garden during August. They arrive so quietly, maybe 20 or more at a time, and fly straight into the yew tree to eat the berries. This year there appear to be fewer berries so the thrushes haven’t spent as long here as usual. The big question is where are these birds the rest of the year?
Not quite in the garden but spotted in the lane as I walked the dogs today, a beautiful very prosperous looking stoat running towards me along the lane and then at the last minute seeing the dogs he dived into the verge. Luckily they were looking the other way for a change and didn’t spot the stoat!
An unusual visitor appeared at the back door last week. As I stepped outside I bent to pick up what I thought was a bit of bootlace. Luckily it moved before I touched it – it was a young snake! I have to admit that I did jump back inside fairly quickly initially but obviously photographs had to be taken. With a bit of research we think and hope it is nothing more alarming than a grass snake. The snake remained for a little while then disappeared quietly under the step. The thought occurred to us later that there must be an adult snake somewhere around. Not sure that I really want to encounter a fully grown snake in the undergrowth – wellington boots on when in the garden from now on I think!
Rabbits and moles live here – tolerated and the less said about them the better!
And now Cake – with a wildlife twist.
A hedgehog cake! Requested by younger daughter as a 21st birthday cake. Happy to oblige – this is the third hedgehog I have made over the years – and much easier to construct than the Ferrari F1 race car cake she wanted for her 18th birthday! (that was achieved but colour was less Ferrari red more Force India pink!)
As ever there is plenty going on gardening wise with changes to a couple of flower beds to be made over the next couple of months. Watch this space!!
Tales from a Country Garden 