Cyn's Nature Notes: Thirsty Worms

Saturday 19 May 2007

Thirsty Worms

Our lawns are sprinkled with daisies, some all white, others prettily pink-edged, and dandelions. Until a few years ago, I used to spend much time digging dandelions out of the lawn to leave it pristine and weed-free as Mike likes it. Now, however, we welcome daisies – they remind us of starlit skies, and we especially like dandelions as a small group of bullfinches spend much time on the lawn eating the seeds from dandelion clocks. They are such a neat bird, a pleasing shape and such well-defined edges to their various colours of their coats. The pretty red-faced goldfinch is also drawn to the garden for the dandelion seedheads and seeds from the lemon balm plant.

Yesterday I saw our first newly fledged robin, very fetchingly speckled. The family in the carrier bag of plants are not fledged yet, but with both parents feeding all day long, they should be very strong when they are ready to face the big world.
We watched a visiting cat stalk, catch and dispatch a short-tailed field vole a few days ago. These are charming creatures and a good addition to the garden as they bring the owls; the weasels and the foxes have also been spied hunting and catching them.

I am constantly fishing worms out of the pond. How do they get in there and why? I never see them “running” across the lawn at breakneck speed to go for a swim, and if it is just a drink they need they could get that from the birdbath.

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About this Blog

When we moved to our present home in December 1987, I was very ill and bedridden. My garden was a life-saver, although it was very different then. The first thing I did was to put up bird-feeders, and long hours were spent lying indoors in a recliner. This was when I discovered many things. Do you know the underside of every blue tit’s tail is differently marked? Gradually, over the years, the garden changed. We put in shrubs and plants that would not only enhance the garden, but would also be good for wildlife. The first rabbit we saw was so joyful for us. The deer eat the flowers, prune the apple trees, eat the marrow, and are wonderful to watch. Foxes have been a major part of our wildlife. We have fed them each night for more than 20 years. They are such a delight, especially in late summer and early autumn when there are youngsters. They behave like puppies and are great fun to watch.

I love all wildlife: the mason bees that nest in the brickwork of the bungalow, the hornets that last year made their home in the roof above our bedroom, the bees currently nesting in the roof above the bathroom. On a hot evening, if you stand quietly in the bathroom, you can hear this amazing sound: it is very rhythmic and reminds me of the waves at the seaside. It is made by the beating of the bees’ wings as they fan their nest to keep the temperature at the right level -- how many people have heard that sound? I feel so privileged.

Obviously, I feed the birds. When I open the window in the morning I call “Come on Bobby and Blackie”, and one followed swiftly by the other they fly immediately to the bird table. Each morning, on rising, I make my way to the kitchen and find the squirrels already sitting on the window ledge waiting to be fed. Winter brings the moorhens and spring time the mallards. Our pond is a poor effort from a human point of view, but wild creatures see it differently. On summer days, the grass snakes spend long hours in the pond: eating the fish, froglets, toadlings, newts, and any other living creature they can swallow. Although I hate to see the pond emptied this way, I do enjoy the snakes and feel they are an important part of the balance of nature in the garden. Watching a dragonfly nymph climbing out of the pond, up a plant stalk, and then over the next few hours gradually transforming into a beautiful dragonfly -- these are contented hours well spent.

It has been my pleasure to write and publish a nature column each month. I am always delighted to hear how much pleasure this brings to my readers. I have often been asked if I have written a book, so I am making more of my writings and photography available through this web site and blog.