Cyn's Nature Notes: Butterflies, Insects and Green Woodpeckers

Monday 7 July 2014

Butterflies, Insects and Green Woodpeckers

A mild day, not much sun but plenty of butterflies.

I put this down to the meadow at the end of the garden, it has not been cut this year and the many varieties of grasses are neck high. During the day this area is alive with insects and butterflies, we also have a lot more butterflies visiting our garden, many more than we have ever seen before. We have always been pleased at the amount of butterflies the garden attracts, now we have broken all records.

The long grasses in the field at the end of our garden, have also meant that we have many more and different insects. Interestingly the moth count has stayed much the same, as has the number of bats flying over at night.

When we moved here there were horses in this field, a change of ownership brought a change of use. Lately we have termed it the orchard, because fruit trees were planted there. However this year it has been unattended and the grasses now are above the bottom most boughs of the fruit trees.

This has been great for some wildlife, but not so good for others, for instance the green woodpeckers are now unable to search for ants. We know the green woodpeckers are still about though, not only do we hear their call, but they still visit the garden looking for ants.

The two adult great spotted woodpeckers spend a lot of time at the bird feeders, looking for easy meals. This year they have produced one chick, who also spends a lot of time here, much to our delight.

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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.