Cyn's Nature Notes: Foxes, magpies, male blackbird and a cat!

Friday 22 June 2012

Foxes, magpies, male blackbird and a cat!

Each evening we are treated to the foxes feeding there are three cubs and two adults, two cubs are not far off the size of their parents but the third one is tiny, so small I don't understand how she can be their sibling. She arrives with the others, feeds with them and comes and goes as they do, so despite her tiny size I think she must be from the same litter.

The foxes do not feed alone, but before they arrive pigeons, magpies, chaffinches, a robin and a male blackbird all tuck in. Directly the foxes arrive most of these fly away, however the last few nights I have been fascinated to watch both magpies and the male blackbird stay and feed at the same time as the foxes. The magpie is bold, but the blackbird stays around the edges of the food as far from the foxes as he can, as yet the foxes have taken no notice of the birds, but this may change and if it does I hope they are able to quickly fly away.

There are a few cats that frequent the garden and one in particular a large black and white, saggy bellied cat has started dropping by and helping himself to the fox food, as soon as he turns up, all of the birds fly swiftly away! He wears two bells on his collar so they always have warning of his imminent approach!!

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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.