Cyn's Nature Notes: May Happenings

Friday, 7 May 2010

May Happenings

Last year, across one side of the pond we placed silver birch branches, firstly, as an aid to wildlife drinking and bathing and secondly because I had read it keeps the water fresher. On looking in the pond today for tadpoles, I saw the carefully piled branches and logs now scattered all over the pond, due no doubt to over-amorous ducks.

Yesterday a heron was standing beside the pond, but no sooner had he been spotted than he was off. Today, as I stood there I watched a spider on a log now floating in the middle of the pond. Just as I was thinking I ought to rescue him, he leapt off, and ran across the water to another log, then back on to the water and back to the first log. It was fascinating to see the tiny indentations his feet made in the meniscus of the water – just denting, but never breaking the surface tension.

We have a dandelion and daisy spangled lawn, and our greatest pleasure is watching the beautiful yellow, black and white goldfinches with their red faces. They are such a stunning looking bird and they love the dandelion seeds, as do the mallards.

The female duck comes to feed sometime acting extremely stressed. I guess she has been hassled by the stray male mallards. If we are in the garden when they fly over, she will quickly hurry toward us for protection, and if are in the lounge she will sit on the top step huddles against the patio door occasionally tapping the glass with her beak and turning her head slightly to one side, watching us. If she needs feeding she does not settle and her tapping becomes much more insistent. The quick moving squirrel really annoys her, and she only has to see him to stretch out her neck, point her beak in his direction, and hiss.

The roses are now in bud. The lilacs, berberis and apple blossom are all out. It is a good time to look out for shield bugs – they are about now, and so varied.

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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.