The Pickering's Wildlife Garden 2020 |
Click on photos to enlarge.
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16th March 2020 As the sun was shining and it wasn't blowing a gale I decided to take a chance that the one individual in Warrington with Corona virus wasn't hiding in the Nature Garden. Needless to say the reserve was full of dog walkers and mindfulness and the dreaded Corvid -19 seemed a million miles away.
Gary will be pleased to know his frog spawn is still OK, in fact the little black specks are evolving. The garden seems reluctant to shake off winter's cloak but there are signs of some of the perennials returning from their sleep and the Lungwort (Interesting that this plant has a medicinal use and is used to treat people with breathing conditions, might come in useful with Coronavirus) is flowering alongside the pansies, crocus and hellebore. The wild daffodils are now starting to appear along the path.
I then spent the next couple of hours uprooting grass clumps from the beds, so if you're passing and you see grass sods all over the place it wasn't a mole, there's more to do by the way, especially around the bog garden, but that will be for another day.
Gary will be pleased to know his frog spawn is still OK, in fact the little black specks are evolving. The garden seems reluctant to shake off winter's cloak but there are signs of some of the perennials returning from their sleep and the Lungwort (Interesting that this plant has a medicinal use and is used to treat people with breathing conditions, might come in useful with Coronavirus) is flowering alongside the pansies, crocus and hellebore. The wild daffodils are now starting to appear along the path.
I then spent the next couple of hours uprooting grass clumps from the beds, so if you're passing and you see grass sods all over the place it wasn't a mole, there's more to do by the way, especially around the bog garden, but that will be for another day.
Whilst I was there I was amused by three blue tits squabbling over the nestbox we put up in the tree: a couple with a hopeful interloper I think. Nesting should start any day now, well, going on my little blue tit pair at home, who started bringing in moss yesterday. These birds were not the only visitors today; as I sat eating my butty, I was happily surprised to see the Pickering's local buzzard land on the security cameras, methinks dinner was on her mind as well as five minutes later she swooped over my head and landed on a branch by the bird feeders over the road, she waited observantly, then launched down, landing with an audible thump, after a little stomping and wing flapping she rose from behind the hedge clutching a fine succulent rat, I like it when our feathered friends give us a helping hand, don't you? Laura
Blue tit
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The buzzard is clever: keeping just out of full sight.
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Buzzard
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Lungwort
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Lungwort Pulmonaria officials is the first perennial to flower in our Wildlife Garden this year. A reliable, spreading plant it is an excellent, early source of nectar.
Its white-mottled leaves make it an attractive addition to the garden well into the summer.
Its white-mottled leaves make it an attractive addition to the garden well into the summer.
18th Feb 2020 Spring stands at the gate with her finger on the latch. (Patience Strong) Isn’t that a fabulous saying?
Our February project morning dawned surprisingly mild and bright, why? Because over the last couple of weeks our kingdom has been battered by not one but two winter storms. Although I think we appear to have got off lightly compared to other flooded, toppled areas...hope I haven't spoken too soon
Our wee garden, naturally, is looking a little lacklustre at the moment, but there are positive signs, as I went around trimming back the dead vegetation, traces of new growth were there, hiding fresh greenery at the base of perennials, swelling buds on shrubs and climbers with emerging leaves. A chink of light in Nature's door indeed.
No sign of any frogs in our pond yet, but if they're about it shouldn’t be long, certainly in other areas of the country early frog spawn has been reported. Perhaps we’re a little too hopeful, as its early days for our pond, but desperate frogs can be remarkably determined in seeking out water; I once was sent a picture of frogspawn in a dogs water bowl.
Nice to hear that the birds are feeling at home in our garden, reports of a party of goldfinches drinking from the pond, and the nest box, only put up five weeks since, has two pairs of blue tits quarrelling over its tenancy.
As there wasn't a lot of work to be carried out in the garden this month, I joined some of the gang in a spot of tree planting. A recent donation from a relative put me in the happy position of being able to purchase some trees for the reserve; mindful of our resident and migratory birds I chose a selection of berry bearing trees - wild cherry, bird cherry, rowan, buckthorn and holly. We’ll have to be vigilant and keep them watered as spring progresses, but it will be lovely to see them bloom and bear fruit in the coming years. Thanks to the 'tree fellas' for helping me to suitably site and plant them.
Laura
Our February project morning dawned surprisingly mild and bright, why? Because over the last couple of weeks our kingdom has been battered by not one but two winter storms. Although I think we appear to have got off lightly compared to other flooded, toppled areas...hope I haven't spoken too soon
Our wee garden, naturally, is looking a little lacklustre at the moment, but there are positive signs, as I went around trimming back the dead vegetation, traces of new growth were there, hiding fresh greenery at the base of perennials, swelling buds on shrubs and climbers with emerging leaves. A chink of light in Nature's door indeed.
No sign of any frogs in our pond yet, but if they're about it shouldn’t be long, certainly in other areas of the country early frog spawn has been reported. Perhaps we’re a little too hopeful, as its early days for our pond, but desperate frogs can be remarkably determined in seeking out water; I once was sent a picture of frogspawn in a dogs water bowl.
Nice to hear that the birds are feeling at home in our garden, reports of a party of goldfinches drinking from the pond, and the nest box, only put up five weeks since, has two pairs of blue tits quarrelling over its tenancy.
As there wasn't a lot of work to be carried out in the garden this month, I joined some of the gang in a spot of tree planting. A recent donation from a relative put me in the happy position of being able to purchase some trees for the reserve; mindful of our resident and migratory birds I chose a selection of berry bearing trees - wild cherry, bird cherry, rowan, buckthorn and holly. We’ll have to be vigilant and keep them watered as spring progresses, but it will be lovely to see them bloom and bear fruit in the coming years. Thanks to the 'tree fellas' for helping me to suitably site and plant them.
Laura
The planting area.
Eric planting a tree.
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Laura with a cherry tree.
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The 'tree fellas'
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The garden in February.
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1st Feb '20 A honey bee was seen in the garden today. I was putting peanuts into the holder when it landed on my hand, inspecting it for several seconds before flying onto the pink top of the feeder. Unfortunately it flew off while I was getting my camera out but hopefully it will find some flowers with nectar soon. There are plenty nearby. CAC
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6th Feb The bulbs are beginning to show in the wildlife garden. LB
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Our top ten birds.
28th Jan '20 This weekend saw one of the RSPB's main events of the year. The 42nd Big Garden Birdwatch running from 25th to 27th January 2020. For four decades, the Big Garden Birdwatch has highlighted the winners and losers in the garden bird world.
To take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch you just watch the birds in your garden or local park for one hour, at some point over the three day event. You count only the birds that land, and record the highest number of each bird species you see at any one time.
I decided to visit our Nature Garden with its little feeding station to see what it was attracting. This is the garden's first winter and although birds have been observed rooting through the plant debris and woodchip on the floor, we decided to install a few feeders at the back of the garden. The Nature Garden is only across the road from the reserve's long serving winter feeding station, a popular lifeline to many of our feathered friends and naturally we expected them to quickly find the new site.
I didn't quite manage a full hour of observation as I arrived late in the afternoon, and although I managed to sit quietly adjacent to the back of the visitor centre, it was pretty cold, the light was fading and I was aware of the reserve closing time.
And the results are in -11 species were recorded visiting the garden within the hour:
Blue tit 4, Coal tit 1, Great tit 2, Long tailed tit 5, Goldfinch 9, Blackbird 2, Song thrush 1, Chaffinch 3, Magpie 1, Collared Dove 1, Robin 1
Not a bad count for a short visit with easily spooked foragers, I'm sure with time our bird species list will grow; we just need to be patient, the planting and wee pond should attract a good variety of wildlife. Just sitting and watching the bird interactions can be quite amusing and absorbing, an activity I am likely to repeat.
Laura
To take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch you just watch the birds in your garden or local park for one hour, at some point over the three day event. You count only the birds that land, and record the highest number of each bird species you see at any one time.
I decided to visit our Nature Garden with its little feeding station to see what it was attracting. This is the garden's first winter and although birds have been observed rooting through the plant debris and woodchip on the floor, we decided to install a few feeders at the back of the garden. The Nature Garden is only across the road from the reserve's long serving winter feeding station, a popular lifeline to many of our feathered friends and naturally we expected them to quickly find the new site.
I didn't quite manage a full hour of observation as I arrived late in the afternoon, and although I managed to sit quietly adjacent to the back of the visitor centre, it was pretty cold, the light was fading and I was aware of the reserve closing time.
And the results are in -11 species were recorded visiting the garden within the hour:
Blue tit 4, Coal tit 1, Great tit 2, Long tailed tit 5, Goldfinch 9, Blackbird 2, Song thrush 1, Chaffinch 3, Magpie 1, Collared Dove 1, Robin 1
Not a bad count for a short visit with easily spooked foragers, I'm sure with time our bird species list will grow; we just need to be patient, the planting and wee pond should attract a good variety of wildlife. Just sitting and watching the bird interactions can be quite amusing and absorbing, an activity I am likely to repeat.
Laura
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Goldies
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Long-tailed tit.
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Long-tailed tits.
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Mon 13th Jan '20
Do you ever have one of those days when you know you’re truly alive? So it was this morning as I gathered rotten logs in the woodland, the wind whipping through the trees of Pickering Pasture, strengthening with the oncoming high tide.
Today was our first project day of the New Year, and storm Brendon was racing across the Atlantic to embrace us with a less than convivial greeting, mmh, was climbing ladders and putting up nestboxes a good idea? Not deterred the friends party split up and started their jobs.
Do you ever have one of those days when you know you’re truly alive? So it was this morning as I gathered rotten logs in the woodland, the wind whipping through the trees of Pickering Pasture, strengthening with the oncoming high tide.
Today was our first project day of the New Year, and storm Brendon was racing across the Atlantic to embrace us with a less than convivial greeting, mmh, was climbing ladders and putting up nestboxes a good idea? Not deterred the friends party split up and started their jobs.
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In the nature garden, sheltered by the visitor centre, it was a little less blowy and the woodcrete nest-box was put up in the tree, one fixer and two to hold the ladder, well done guys, shouldn’t be long before the blue tits are viewing their prospective residence.
Today, Maurice was finishing off the bug house, installing a wooden entrance tunnel leading to the space under the house, a sheltered area designed to offer a hedgehog a safe place to sleep. His next job will be the construction of the wooden compost bin. |
Hedgehog home
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Nest box fixing.
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Aiming to exhibit as many wildlife enhancing initiatives as possible in the garden, one outstanding project was the creation of a frog abode, offering them a cool, dark hiding place from potential predators, with the bonus of a built-in food source.
Having built the pond last summer we were too late to see much amphibian action, but now it has matured a little and has plant colonisation we are hopeful of seeing frogs migrating to the water to spawn, something that could happen anytime now, already the first frog spawn has been recorded on the Woodland Trust Natures calendar, on 12/01/20 in Devon. https://naturescalendar.woodlandtrust.org.uk/ Throughout their life cycles, frogs have an important place in the food chain as both predators and prey. Common frogs are most active at night, coming out of the pond or their hiding places to feed on a wide variety of invertebrates such as flies, moths, mosquitoes ,snails, slugs and worms, so a useful ally in our garden. In winter they hibernate either in the pond mud or under piles of rotting leaves, logs or stones, so a purpose built lodging incorporating these materials should be ideal. The abode was started today; created by digging a hole in the ground about a foot deep, filling it with assorted stones and logs, creating a higgledy-piggledy underground maze. We then continued to pile logs on top creating a low mound, and placed some soil back over the top, aiming to leave entrance gaps around the edges. In our abode a range of wood was used, some of it aged and rotten, already, hopefully, full of tasty invertebrates for our amphibians. A little more work is needed to finish the abode, for alas, the storm was giving no quarter and it was time for the friends along with the wildlife to take shelter. Laura |
Frog abode
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Wed 1st Jan 2020 I joined the hordes of new year's day strollers this afternoon; yep the reserve car park was overflowing with dog walkers and perhaps those nursing hangovers.
This is the second time I'd called in over the festive holiday, each time I've topped up the feeders in the nature garden, which continues to attract visitors. Both days were cool but sunny and the birds were in fine voice, and all the feeding stations were busy, most noticeable being the flocks of long-tailed tits, such a delight to hear and see... did you know their old English Gloucestershire name was mumruffins!? However the cutest highlight of the day had to be the wee vole sneaking his lunch from under the scrape bird feeder, bless, didn't entertain the thought of him in the clutches of a local kestrel and buzzard.
The garden was snoozing in a golden light, only the winter pansies and a few yellow daisies hanging on; no sign of any bulbs breaking through yet, unlike my flowering snowdrops and rising daffodils in my garden away from the coast? As we welcome the new year our garden approaches it's first birthday; I've found it to be an enjoyable and fascinating project, which has drawn on the skills and shared knowledge of all the friends and look forward to it's further development.
Today I surveyed a scene that has disturbed many visitors to the reserve, that being the tree clearance in the woodland belt, on the embankment alongside the riverside walkway, the works being carried out by Halton Council . I was surprised, dare I say shocked, at the amount of trees and shrub undergrowth that had been removed, apparently this management aims to promote the diversity of the shrub and tree layers and eventually improve it ecologically for wildlife. I have no experience of woodland management so can't really comment, but it does look excessive; there is a news item on the website which gives 2 points of view. http://www.thefriendsofpickeringspasture.org.uk/tree-clearance.html It wasn't really obvious to me today, but I read that some new trees have been planted on the slopes. Hopefully in time, nature will quickly re- populate the site, and for the time being, those creatures that sheltered and bred there will have found a suitable new home elsewhere on the reserve. Further tree planting on the reserve is planned in the new year, a follow up from the friends tree project day, part of last years Big Climate Fightback campaign and national tree planting day.
Happy New Year Everyone. Laura
This is the second time I'd called in over the festive holiday, each time I've topped up the feeders in the nature garden, which continues to attract visitors. Both days were cool but sunny and the birds were in fine voice, and all the feeding stations were busy, most noticeable being the flocks of long-tailed tits, such a delight to hear and see... did you know their old English Gloucestershire name was mumruffins!? However the cutest highlight of the day had to be the wee vole sneaking his lunch from under the scrape bird feeder, bless, didn't entertain the thought of him in the clutches of a local kestrel and buzzard.
The garden was snoozing in a golden light, only the winter pansies and a few yellow daisies hanging on; no sign of any bulbs breaking through yet, unlike my flowering snowdrops and rising daffodils in my garden away from the coast? As we welcome the new year our garden approaches it's first birthday; I've found it to be an enjoyable and fascinating project, which has drawn on the skills and shared knowledge of all the friends and look forward to it's further development.
Today I surveyed a scene that has disturbed many visitors to the reserve, that being the tree clearance in the woodland belt, on the embankment alongside the riverside walkway, the works being carried out by Halton Council . I was surprised, dare I say shocked, at the amount of trees and shrub undergrowth that had been removed, apparently this management aims to promote the diversity of the shrub and tree layers and eventually improve it ecologically for wildlife. I have no experience of woodland management so can't really comment, but it does look excessive; there is a news item on the website which gives 2 points of view. http://www.thefriendsofpickeringspasture.org.uk/tree-clearance.html It wasn't really obvious to me today, but I read that some new trees have been planted on the slopes. Hopefully in time, nature will quickly re- populate the site, and for the time being, those creatures that sheltered and bred there will have found a suitable new home elsewhere on the reserve. Further tree planting on the reserve is planned in the new year, a follow up from the friends tree project day, part of last years Big Climate Fightback campaign and national tree planting day.
Happy New Year Everyone. Laura
The Winter garden.
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The garden in Winter.
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Field vole
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Tree cutting.
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Pickerings Pasture sunset.
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