13/07/06 ORDERED 1 KOMP 420ltr COMPOST BIN FROM CUMBRIA COUNTY COUNCIL
13/07/06 ORDERED 1 BIOTAL GRASS 250ml FROM CUMBRIA COUNTY COUNCIL
14/07/06 ORDERED 1 NUTTERY SQUIRREL PROOF METAL PEANUT CAGE FEEDER, 2 NUTTERY SQUIRREL PROOF METAL SEED CAGE FEEDERS & 1 NUTTERY SQUIRREL PROOF METAL SUET CAGE FEEDER FROM HAITH’S.
18/07/06 ORDER FROM HAITH’S DELIVERED.
18/07/06 STARTED TO USE THE NEW PEANUT FEEDER AS THE OLD ONE WAS NEARLY EMPTY AND THE CROWS WERE EATING FROM IT. (SEE PHOTOS). WILL USE THE NEW SEED FEEDERS AS THE OLD ONES BECOME EMPTY AND THE BIRDS GET USED TO THEM. PUT THE SUET FEEDER AWAY TO USE LATER IN THE YEAR.
19/07/06 COMPOST BIN DELIVERED AND PUT TOGETHER. SITE FOR IT CLEARED (SEE PHOTO) AND FIRST LOT OF HOUSEHOLD AND GARDEN WASTE PUT IN BIN TO START COMPOSTING.
PUT FIRST OF NEW SEED FEEDERS UP. BIRDS VERY WARY OF IT. CROWS VERY ANNOYED NOT TO BE ABLE TO GET AT THE SEED AND PEANUTS!
20/07/06 BIRDS STARTING TO USE THE NEW FEEDERS SO PUT OTHER SEED FEEDER UP.
24/07/06 BIOTAL DELIVERED. WILL USE IT WHEN IT RAINS AND THERE IS A LOT OF GRASS TO BE MOWN.
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September 2006
12/09/06 BOUGHT WILDFLOWER SEEDS, 2 BAT BOXES, A BUTTERFLY HOUSE AND A BEE & BUG BOX FROM HAYES GARDEN WORLD.
12/09/06 TOOK DEAD BRANCHES OFF THE CORSICAN PINE AND PUT NEW BAT BOXES UP, 1 FACING NORTH AND THE OTHER EAST. (SEE PHOTOS)
13/09/06 PUT BUTTERFLY HOUSE ON SIDE OF SUMMER
HOUSE. (SEE PHOTO)
15/09/06 PUT BEE & BUG HOUSE ON
FENCE. (SEE PHOTO)
24/09/06 CLEARED A PLACE IN THE BORDER IN THE PEN AND SOWED TWO PACKETS
OF MIXED WILDFLOWER SEEDS. (SEE PHOTO)
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November 2006
01/11/06 PUT THE TRAY OF PRIMROSE SEEDS IN THE ‘SUMMER HOUSE’ AS FROST FORECAST. (THE PACKET SAID TO PUT THEM IN A COLD GREENHOUSE OR FRAME FOR THE WINTER)
02/11/06 STARTED TO USE THE SUET FEEDER.
(SEE PHOTO OF FEEDERS)
03/11/06 BEGAN CLEARING THE POND SO AS WE CAN EXTEND IT TO CREATE A SHALLOW AREA AND A BOGGY AREA FOR NEXT YEAR. (SEE PHOTOS OF OVERGROWN POND BEFORE AND DURING CLEARING).
SAW A GOLDCREST BATHING IN THE POND. BUTTERFLIES ARE STILL ABOUT.
05/11/06 FROGS ARE STILL IN THE POND THAT WE WANT TO EMPTY.
09/11/06 BUTTERFLY AND WASP STILL FLYING AROUND. SAW A SPARROW HAWK TAKE A BIRD OFF THE NUT FEEDER ON THE SWING.
February 2007
01/02/07 LADYBIRD ON OUTSIDE OF CONSERVATORY WINDOW.
06/02/07 BOUGHT A GLASS-FIBRE SHALLOW POND LINER WITH GENTLY SLOPING SIDES.
07/02/07 POND DELIVERED.
10/02/07
ONWARDS CONTINUED TO CLEAR GROUND FOR POND, LINED BOTTOM & SIDES WITH SAND AND FILLED POND WITH COLLECTED RAINWATER. PUT STONES ROUND EDGE OF POND TO MAKE HABITAT FOR FROGS ETC. (SEE PHOTO)
13/02/07 PUT NEST BOXES UP ON SUMMER HOUSE, SMALL GARDEN SHED & IN BLUE FIR TREE. BLUE TIT INSPECTED THE ONE ON THE SUMMER HOUSE IMMEDIATELY. (SEE PHOTOS)
20/02/07 ORDERED 4 NEST BOXES & AQUATIC PLANT FOOD PLUS FROM C J WILDBIRD FOODS LTD.
21/02/07 3 NEST BOXES AND AQUATIC PLANT FOOD DELIVERED – ONE BOX OUT OF STOCK. WILL PUT THEM UP WHEN THE WEATHER IS NOT AS WET!
23/02/07 FROG SEEN AMONG STONES ROUND NEW POND. (SEE PHOTOS)
24/02/07 GREAT TIT SEEN INSPECTING NEST BOX IN BLUE FIR TREE.
25/02/07 BLUE TIT SEEN COMING OUT OF NEST BOX ON SMALL GARDEN SHED.
PUT NEW ROBIN BOX ON SIDE OF SUMMER HOUSE NEXT TO THE HEDGE & WINTER JASMINE, PUT WREN BOX IN HOLLY TREE THAT HAS HONEYSUCKLE GROWING THROUGH IT & PUT BLACKBIRD BOX IN LEYLANDII WITH HONEYSUCKLE GROWING THROUGH IT. SAW A FOX ON THE FELL – SEEN IT A COUPLE OF TIMES SINCE.
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April 2007
APRIL 07 BLACKBIRDS COLLECTING WORMS AND GRUBS FROM THE LAWN AND BORDERS FOR THEIR YOUNG. BLUE TITS TAKING NESTING MATERIAL INTO NEST BOX ON SMALL SHED, AND THROWING SOME BACK OUT AGAIN!
11/04/07 BROUGHT THE PRIMROSE SEEDS INTO CONSERVATORY TO SEE IF MORE LIGHT AND WARMTH WILL HELP THEM TO GERMINATE. TOOK THE COWSLIP SEEDS OUT OF FRIDGE.
12/04/07 BOUGHT SOME POND PLANTS – SCIRPUS CERNUUS, VERONICA BECCABUNGA, MYOSOTIS PALUSTRIS, MENTHA AQUATICA & RANUNCULUS FLAMULA – FOR THE NEW POND, DESCHAMPSIA BRONZE VEIL FOR NEXT TO THE NEW POND AND A FLOWERING CURRANT FOR THE FRONT GARDEN.
APRIL 07 SMALL FROGS IN OLD AND NEW PONDS BUT NO FROGSPAWN. BLUE TITS NESTING IN BOX ON SMALL SHED AND SPARROWS NESTING IN BOX ON BACK OF SUMMER HOUSE.
June 2007
11/06/07 JUVENILE GREATER SPOTTED WOODPECKER ON THE LAWN. NOT SEEN ONE ROUND HERE BEFORE.
12/06/07 ADULT STARLINGS COLLECTING GRUBS FROM THE LAWN FOR NESTLINGS. SAW A BANK VOLE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE SUMMER HOUSE TO COLLECT SEED FROM UNDER THE BIRD FEEDERS.
13/06/07 TWO YOUNG ROBINS VISITED THE GARDEN TO FEED AND ONE KEPT CHASING AN ADULT ROBIN AWAY.
14/06/07 SPARROW HAWK TOOK A BLACKBIRD FROM THE GARDEN.
JUNE 07 REGULARLY SEE THE BANK VOLE ROUND THE SUMMER HOUSE AND TWO WOODMICE HAVE STARTED TO FEED FROM THE BIRD FEEDERS ON THE TREE EACH EVENING AT DUSK. HAVEN’T SEEN ANY IN THE GARDEN BEFORE AND DON’T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE LIVING. ONE NIGHT FOUND A TOAD WITH ONLY ONE EYE SITTING ON THE BACK DOOR STEP WITH THE DOGS LAST THING AT NIGHT. THE DOGS WERE IGNORING IT. PUT IT BY THE STONES ROUND THE POND. REGULARLY SEE TWO SMALL FROGS IN THE NEW POND AND THREE LARGER ONES IN THE OLD POND. THE WILDFLOWERS IN THE PEN ARE FLOWERING NICELY. HAVE LEFT THE PEN UNMOWN AS THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT GRASSES AND FLOWERS, ESPECIALLY RED AND WHITE CLOVERS, GROWING. HAVE ALSO LEFT ANY PATCHES OF WILDFLOWERS UNCUT ON THE LAWN. BIRDS ENJOYING THE RASPBERRIES GROWING IN THE PEN.
August 2007
AUGUST 07 MORE BUTTERFLIES ABOUT BUT THE BUDDLEA IS PAST ITS BEST. SEEN A LARGE DRAGONFLY IN THE GARDEN A FEW TIMES. THERE ARE STILL YOUNG SPARROWS AND BLACKBIRDS BEGGING FOR FOOD FROM THEIR PARENTS. SPARROWS ARE STILL COLLECTING DOG HAIR FROM THE LAWN. THE FROGS ARE STILL IN BOTH PONDS.
11/08/07 SAW TWO DEER – ONE A YOUNG ONE – IN THE FIELD BROWSING ON HAWTHORN. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE SEEN TWO TOGETHER. TWO KESTRELS WERE DOING ‘AEROBATICS’ OVER THE FIELD AND FELL.
Autumn 2006
Last autumn we sowed some wildflower seed mixes in the new part of the garden as a wildflower border. They are now starting to germinate. We also sowed some primrose seeds in a tray to see if they will germinate – so far only a few have come through but it is early days! We have just sown some cowslip seeds in a tray so will have to see if they do any better.
Separation
Between the new and original garden was a very overgrown and untidy leylandii hedge, so we removed that and have planted a serviceberry, a guelder rose, an elder, a snowberry, a spindle tree, hollies, honeysuckle, pyracantha, blackberry and currant bushes. We have also planted a border in front and among these with snowdrops, daffodils, forget-me-not, primroses, grape hyacinth, sedum, everlasting pea, foxglove, evening primrose and many more wild plants have appeared.
02/08/06 MADE A PEDESTAL FOR A NEW BIRD BATH NEAR THE CONSERVATORY. (SEE PHOTO)
03/08/06 FOUND MEG ON THE LAWN WITH AN UNUSUAL CATERPILLAR THAT WE DID NOT RECOGNISE. (SEE PHOTO) PUT IT IN THE BORDER IN THE PEN SO AS THE DOGS COULD NOT GET AT IT.
04/08/06 FOUND ANOTHER OF THE ABOVE CATERPILLARS ON THE PATH. PUT IT WHERE WE PUT THE OTHER ONE.
05/08/06 FOUND ANOTHER CATERPILLAR (SAME AS ABOVE) NEAR THE CONSERVATORY THAT SEEMED TO BE STARTING TO PUPATE. PUT IT NEAR THE WALL IN THE PEN.
10/08/06 MOWED THE LAWN AND PEN. USED BIOTAL AS SUCH A LOT OF GRASS. SENT E-MAIL AND ATTACHED PHOTO OF STRANGE CATERPILLAR TO CUMBRIA WILDLIFE TRUST FOR IDENTIFICATION.
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October 2006
04/10/06 SOWED TRAY OF PRIMROSE SEEDS AND LEFT THEM TO GERMINATE BY THE SUMMER HOUSE. WILL PLANT THE PACKET OF COWSLIP SEEDS IN THE SPRING TO SEE WHICH DO THE BEST.
12/10/06 SEEDS IN THE PEN STARTING TO SHOW THROUGH THE SOIL.
INSECTS STARTING TO USE THE BUG BOX AND THE BUTTERFLY HOUSE.
January 2007
JAN 2007 STARTED CLEARING GROUND FOR NEW SHALLOW POND NEXT TO ORIGINAL ONE – DECIDED WE COULDN’T EXTEND THE ORIGINAL ONE SUCCESSFULLY.
30/01/07 HIRED A TIRFOR WINCH TO MOVE TREE TRUNK OUT OF WAY OF NEW POND. (SEE PHOTO)
March 2007
MARCH 07 SEE BLUE TITS INSPECTING BOX ON SMALL SHED REGULARLY BUT HAVEN’T SEEN THEM WITH NESTING MATERIAL. LOTS OF BIRDS HAVE RETURNED TO THE GARDEN TO FEED. SEEM TO BE PAIRING-UP AND INSPECTING NESTING SITES.
17/03/07 SAW YOUNG RABBIT IN GARDEN BY THE SUMMER HOUSE. NOT SEEN ONE IN THE GARDEN BEFORE. (SEEN IT A FEW TIMES SINCE)
20/03/07 COLLARED DOVES AND WOOD PIGEONS STARTED TO COME FOR FOOD REGULARLY AGAIN.
21/03/07 SOWED THE COWSLIP SEEDS IN A TRAY AND PUT THEM IN THE FRIDGE.
25/03/07 LOTS OF FINCHES ARRIVED ON THE FEEDERS – HARDLY SEEN ANY SINCE LAST YEAR.
27/03/07 SAW BATS FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR.
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May 2007
MAY 07 BLUE TITS VERY BUSY FEEDING YOUNG IN THEIR NEST BOX. YOUNG SPARROWS ARE VERY NOISY IN THEIR NEST BOX – PITY IT ISN’T FACING THE HOUSE SO AS WE COULD WATCH THEM BEING TAKEN FOOD. TWO BLACKBIRD TERRITORIES MEET DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE GARDEN. BOTH, DROOPY AND BROWNWING, HAVE SUCCESSFULLY REARED YOUNG WITH GRUBS ETC. COLLECTED FROM THE GARDEN. THE YOUNG BLACKBIRDS NOW FEED REGULARLY IN THE GARDEN WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE PARENTS – MAINLY THE MALE. NONE OF THE COWSLIP OR PRIMROSE SEEDS HAVE DONE VERY WELL, PLANTED OUT THOSE THAT HAVE GERMINATED.
END OF MAY 07 WHILE WE WERE AWAY THE SPARROWS AND BLUE TITS FLEDGED. NO SIGN OF THE BLUE TITS BUT SPARROWS ARE ABOUT.
July 2007
02/07/07 CAME HOME TO FIND A YOUNG BLACKBIRD DEAD ON THE LAWN AND BEEN PECKED BY CROWS.
08/07/07 CUT GRASS IN PEN AS GRASSES AND FLOWERS HAD GONE TO SEED. LEFT GRASS LYING FOR SEEDS TO DROP OUT.
09/07/07 TWO GOLDFINCHES EATING GRASS SEEDS ON LAWN THAT HAS BEEN LEFT UNCUT. HAVEN’T SEEN THEM FEEDING IN THE GARDEN BEFORE.
14/07/07 COLLECTED THE CUT GRASS OFF THE PEN FOR COMPOSTING. SHOOK OUT ANY SEEDS FIRST. SAW A VERY SMALL BLUE BUTTERFLY ON THE BLUE FIR TREE IN THE GARDEN.
15/07/07 SAW A VERY SMALL FROGLET IN THE LONG GRASS ON THE LAWN.
17/07/07 SAW A FOX IN THE FIELD – LOOKED HEALTHY.
JULY 07 LOTS OF SPARROWS AND CHAFFINCHES OF ALL AGES FEEDING REGULARLY. BOTH BLACKBIRD PAIRS HAVE HAD ANOTHER BROOD THAT HAVE BEEN FED FROM GRUBS FOUND IN THE GARDEN. DROOPY HAS THREE YOUNGSTERS FOLLOWING HIM AND BEGGING FOR FOOD. STILL SEE THE BANK VOLE BUT HAVEN’T SEEN THE WOODMICE RECENTLY. DOVES AND WOODPIGEONS COME DAILY FOR FOOD. TRY TO DISCOURAGE CROWS AND MAGPIES FROM VISITING. THE SPARROW HAWK OCCASIONALLY MANAGES TO GET A BIRD FROM THE GARDEN. TWO TYPES OF BAT REGULARLY HAWK ROUND THE GARDEN – PIPISTRELLE AND A LARGER ONE. BUTTERFLIES ARE BGINNING TO APPEAR MORE OFTEN. LOTS OF RABBITS IN THE FIELD AND A VERY YOUNG ONE COMES INTO THE GARDEN. THE BUZZARDS GIVE AERIAL DISPLAYS OVER THE FELL, THERE SEEM TO BE TWO ADULTS AND TWO YOUNG ONES. BIRDS STILL EATING THE RASPBERRIES AND CURRANTS FROM THE PEN AND BORDER. SAW A GREY SQUIRREL GO THROUGH THE PEN AND ANOTHER DAY SAW ONE RUN ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD. SEEN A DEER ON THE FELL A FEW TIMES.
18/07/07 SAW A GREY SQUIRREL ON THE OLD NUT FEEDER (PUT THE FEEDER OUT WHILE WE WERE AWAY) TEARING THE WIRE AND EATING THE NUTS THAT WERE LEFT. THE FEEDER IS USELESS NOW!
20/07/07 A JUVENILE GREATER SPOTTED WOODPECKER WAS FEEDING ON THE NUTTERY PEANUT FEEDER AND NUTTERY SEED FEEDER. THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE SEEN THIS – PRESUME IT IS THE SAME ONE WE SAW LAST MONTH ON THE LAWN.
21/07/07 CAME HOME IN EVENING TO FIND THE ONE-EYED TOAD ON THE DOOR STEP OF THE PASSAGE. PUT IT BY THE POND AND IT DISAPPEARED UNDER THE STONES.
23/07/07 RABBIT IN THE GARDEN HAVING A WASH WHILE MEG (ONE OF OUR DOGS) WAS LYING ON THE LAWN – BOTH IGNORING EACH OTHER! WE SEE THE RABBITS IN THE GARDEN MOST DAYS.
25/07/07 FOUND A DEAD WOODMOUSE ON THE LAWN.
30/07/07 SAW SQUIRREL TRYING – BUT NOT SUCCEEDING – TO GET NUTS AND SEED FROM THE NUTTERY FEEDERS.
The WOW influence
Since being accepted on the ‘Welcome Home Wildlife’ project we have added more wildlife friendly features. We have put 2 bat boxes in the Corsican pine, 3 tit nest boxes, 1 robin nest box, 1 blackbird nest box and a wren nest box in various places round the garden. The tit boxes were immediately investigated and we have seen blue tits visiting one box and great tits visiting another regularly so we hope they will nest in them. The tit box on the small garden shed has a pair of blue tits visiting regularly and they are taking nest material into the box and then throwing some of it out. We don’t know if it is the same bird taking it in and throwing out what the other one has put in or not. We cannot easily observe all the boxes to know if birds are interested in them or not. We have also put up a butterfly house and will put attractant out soon, it is next to the buddlea so hopefully it will be used. We have also put a bug box in the border among the shrubs. Behind the summer house we have left a ‘rough’ area that has a log pile in it as well as nettles etc. All the removed leylandii were chipped and have now been put on the borders as a mulch which is very popular with the birds as it is full of insects.
Spring 2006
This spring we bought a small more natural looking pond, with sloping sides, which we have put near the other pond. We have surrounded it with large stones with plenty of hidey holes for frogs and toads. We had to clear a tree stump that was in the way so we have left it as an ‘uprooted tree’ for insects to live in as we will make holes in it. We have also cleared all the large plants out of the old pond and we are waiting to get native plants to put in both. We are going to put some plants round the pond also as we have made banks of soil onto the rocks. We hope to encourage moss to grow on some of the rocks. We have a large frog that has been in the old pond since we moved to Allithwaite last year but so far none have come to keep it company! Last year there were four frogs of different sizes in the pond all summer and we had some tadpoles. Hopefully it is just the disruption of us clearing the old pond and making the new one that has kept them away and we will have some frogspawn next year. We saw a toad in the ‘rough’ area the other day.
The original organisation
In the original garden there is also a large Corsican pine, a small magnolia, a buddlea and another shrubby bush that is full of small fragrant flowers in the spring that bees and other small flying insects are attracted to. There is also a holly bush, a small apple tree and a leylandii that we have taken the top out of. Growing among these are honeysuckle, ivy and other climbers.
On the opposite side of the garden we have planted 12 ornamental hollies, to eventually form a hedge, and 4 evergreen pernettya. There was already a hydrangea and 2 pine trees on that side of the garden. Near the bungalow, under the hedge was a small, square pond, with straight sides and full of large, unsuitable plants. The main part of the garden is lawn.