Reflections on an Autumn day

It was another beautiful autumnal day yesterday. A good day for planting some bulbs in the wildlife nature garden I thought. 

I decided to have a little stroll to Hale  light and the Withins first, such a pleasing light at that time of day, and the air full of the calls of curlew. Rob was on his ownsome by the last house on church road doing his migration count, wood pigeons leading the way but the count was low this morning compared to previous days; Rob has been doing this count for years and recording it on the trektellan web site, logging the changes and trends, It's interesting to compare years, have a look at these records, 12 years apart. https://www.trektellen.nl/count/view/392/20191021   https://www.trektellen.nl/count/view/392/20071021

It was cold morning, and there was evidence of an overnight in some of the shadier place, but  I was impressed to still see the cornfield annuals that the farmer had sown along the field edge were still  hanging on, and hopefully setting their seed will germinate for a repeat performance next year....which gets me to thinking we really must try and sort out our  cornfield meadow at the back of the visitor centre, the wonderful colourful displays of wildflowers across the Merseyside area have caught the public's interest and it would be great for our meadow to reach its full potential.  

  

  

Autumn going into winter is always good to observe the birds, not just the migrants heading in and out but also the more home birds feeding on the land, one of the farmers had spread slurry on a field, large gathering of gulls, curlews and starlings were rooting about looking for choice morsels. I was happily surprised, by a covey of nine grey partridge which erupted before me as I passed the hedge calling loudly with rapid scratchy voice. Speaking  of which the hedge and path , it was busy , full of smaller fare, dunnocks, blackbirds, wrens, song thrushes and robins .

I arrived at Pickering’s to see the usual dog walkers and joggers were already out and about. Carol has told me the tree was dropping its leave,  she was right, the garden under a blanket orange ,yellow blanket  and actually complimented the range of flower hues  that were still doing well.

I got to work, serenaded by a robin seeing his wistful autumn song, great and blue tits vocalising the arrival of fresh peanuts in the feeders.

The ground was soft so it didn't take long to push in 185 bulbs, snakes head fritillaries under the tree, allium sphaerocephalon in a side bed, wild daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus and crocus tommasinianus along the path and dotted about. As long as the local squirrels don't dig them out, we should have a little early spring colour and nectar for our wildlife.   It was good to see the hoverflies and bees were still visiting as the morning warmed a little, no butterflies though, perhaps if I’d tarried longer.  (https://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/flighttimes_by_date.php)

Before I left I gathered a big bag of fallen leaves to take home with me, additional bedding option for any hedgehogs hibernating in my garden. 

http://www.thefriendsofpickeringspasture.org.uk/the-pickerings-wildlife-garden.html

Laura

Count the wildlife that’s counting on you

House Sparrows came top in Merseyside and  Nationally 2017   L Bimson 

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2018

Half a million people are expected to watch and count their garden birds for the 2018 RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch in January.

The world’s largest garden wildlife survey, now in its 39^th year, takes place on 27, 28 and 29 January 2018. The public are asked to spend just one hour watching and recording the birds in their garden or local green space, then send their results to the RSPB.

Close to half-a-million people joined in the world’s largest garden wildlife survey in 2017 counting more than eight million birds and providing valuable information about the wildlife using our gardens in winter. The house sparrow remained top of the Big Garden Birdwatch rankings, with starling and blackbird rounding off the top three.

Waxwing in Aigburth Liverpool  L Bimson

Last year’s Big Garden Birdwatch also revealed an explosion in the number of recorded sightings of waxwings. These attractive looking birds flock to UK gardens in winter once every 7-8 years when the berry crop fails in their native Scandinavia. Known as an ‘irruption’, results showed that waxwings were seen in around 11 times more gardens in 2017 compared to the last couple of years, with sightings as far west as Wales and Northern Ireland.

Daniel Hayhow, RSPB Conservation Scientist said: “The birds we see in our garden are often the first experience we have with nature – whether it’s a flock of starlings at the feeder, a robin perched on the fence or some house sparrows splashing in the bird bath. But it may come as a surprise to know that some of our most-loved species are in desperate need of our help as their numbers have dropped dramatically.

“The Big Garden Birdwatch is a great opportunity to get involved with helping our garden wildlife. By counting the birds that visit your outdoor space, you’ll be joining a team of over half-a-million people across the UK who are making a difference for nature. It only takes an hour so grab a cuppa, sit back and see who makes a flying visit to your garden.”

Species such as starlings and greenfinches have seen their numbers visiting gardens decline by 79 and 59 per cent retrospectively since the first Birdwatch in 1979.

Robin in Winter   L Bimson

But it wasn’t all bad news. There was good news for robins in last year’s survey, with the average number seen visiting gardens at its highest level since 1986, helping it climb two places to number seven, its joint highest-ever position in the Big Garden Birdwatch rankings.

Daniel added: “With over half a million people now regularly taking part, coupled with nearly 40 years worth of data, Big Garden Birdwatch allows us to monitor trends and helps us understand how birds are doing. With results from so many gardens, we are able to create a 'snapshot' of the birds visiting at this time of year across the UK. Even if you see nothing during your Big Garden Birdwatch hour, that’s important information too, so please let us know.”

Grey Squirrel eating sunflower seeds  L Bimson

As well as counting birds, the RSPB is once again asking participants to log some of the other wildlife they have seen throughout the year. This year, people are being asked to look out for badger, fox, grey squirrel, red squirrel, muntjac deer, roe deer, frog and toad. 

To take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch 2018, participants should watch the birds in the garden or local park for one hour at some point over the three days. Only the birds that land in the garden or local park should be counted, not those flying over. The highest number of each bird species seen at any one time then needs to be sent to the RSPB.

The parallel event, Big Schools’ Birdwatch takes place during the first half of spring term next year, 2 January-23 February 2018. Further information can be found at rspb.org.uk/schoolswatch

Hedgehog tunnel in fence  L Bimson

Big Garden Birdwatch and Big Schools’ Birdwatch are part of the RSPB Giving Nature a Home campaign, aimed at tackling the house crisis facing the UK’s threatened wildlife. The charity is asking people to provide a place for wildlife in their gardens or outdoor spaces – whether it’s putting up a nest box for birds, creating a pond for frogs or building a home for hedgehogs.

For your free Big Garden Birdwatch pack, which includes a bird identification chart, plus RSPB shop voucher and advice to help you attract wildlife to your garden, text BIRD to 70030 or visit rspb.org.uk/birdwatch  

Registration for Big Garden Birdwatch 2018 opens 13 December 2017.

A prickle of hedgehogs and a scurry of squirrels among garden wildlife secrets

Hedgehog RSPB images Ben Hall

RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch reinforces importance of gardens to threatened wildlife in Merseyside

The RSPB is encouraging people in Mersyside to get out and uncover the secrets of their gardens and outdoor spaces, after the second round of RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch highlighted the importance of gardens to threatened UK wildlife.

Sixty-six per cent of RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch participants in Merseyside reported seeing a hedgehog snuffling around their garden at some point in the year. But over half revealed they’d never set eyes on a slow worm or grass snake slithering in and around their garden. 

In excess of 585,000 people across the UK took part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch during the weekend of 24 and 25 January, with 72 per cent of them also supplying information on the other garden wildlife they saw throughout the year. In Merseyside, over 8,000 people took part, helping to contribute to the national results.

Daniel Hayhow, RSPB Conservation Scientist, said: “Once again the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch survey has highlighted how important our gardens are for an amazing variety of wildlife living there. A lot of garden wildlife is in desperate need of our help. By providing shelter and a safe place to make a home, gardens provide an invaluable resource and are a key element in helping to save nature, perhaps even playing a pivotal role in reversing some declines.

“The RSPB is encouraging people across the UK to make the most of the spring weather and to go out and explore their garden or outdoor space to uncover the wildlife that is living there. In a few years’ time we’ll be able to show any changes in the distribution of garden wildlife using this fantastic data. By bringing people closer to nature and learning new ways we can all give nature a home, we’ll see improvements rather than declines.”

For the first time, Big Garden Birdwatch participants were asked to keep an eye out for slow worms and grass snakes slithering around their gardens. These secretive reptiles are often found in compost heaps or near a source of water. The results revealed that eight per cent of people nationally spotted a slow worm regularly throughout the year, while only two per cent saw a grass snake.

Daniel continued: “Despite remaining widespread in many areas of the UK, important habitats for slow worms and grass snakes have been lost. As gardens have become tidier, reptile homes have been lost, leaving a shortage of suitable habitats in which to live and breed.

“Piles of logs, compost heaps and ponds provide ideal warm, sheltered environments for these species to breed, find food and to hibernate.

“The more people providing these features will increase the habitats available for all reptiles in their gardens and will hopefully contribute to reversing their widespread decline.”

For the second year running, grey squirrels remained the most widely-spotted non-bird visitor, with 73 per cent of participants in Merseyside spotting one scurrying across their garden or climbing up a tree at least once a month. At the other end of the scale, the grey’s native relative, the red squirrel, continued to struggle and was one of the least-seen species nationally – with 10 per cent of participants in Merseyside seeing one on a monthly basis. The red squirrel is under threat by loss and fragmentation of woodland habitat, and a lethal virus carried by the grey, and has been lost from large parts of the UK. This virus is relatively harmless to grey squirrels, but is fatal to reds.

Hedgehogs remained a popular garden visitor for the second year running. Over 65 per cent of people nationally set eyes on the spiny species throughout the year, although it is thought populations have declined by 30 per cent since 2003 – with less than a million left in the UK [The People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), a charity which has been running counts of hedgehogs for over a decade and compiled the figures, believes there are now fewer than a million hedgehogs left in the UK, down from an estimated 2 million in the mid-1990s and 36 million in the 1950s].    

Badgers were spotted by twice as many people living in rural areas than those living in suburban or urban areas, with over 40 per cent reporting to have seen one during the year. The contrast in sightings between rural and urban areas was mirrored by reports of muntjac and roe deer; around 35 per cent of rural residents saw either species of deer compared to only seven per cent of urban dwellers.

The RSPB is encouraging people across the UK to go out and explore their garden or outdoor space to uncover the wonderful wildlife that is living there. The State of Nature report revealed that many garden favourites, such as starlings, hedgehogs and butterflies, were all in trouble. By giving a home to the nature on our doorstep, everyone can help reverse these wildlife declines. Brand new figures released last week from the RSPB show that membership for the year 2014/15 is at an all time high – 1,159,094. This is a 44,000 increase on last year’s figures and highlights the continued growing support for providing a home for nature across the UK.

The RSPB’s partners are also highly enthusiastic about the wildlife results and the help that they provide in building a better picture of UK wildlife. 

 

Dr John Wilkinson, ARC Science Programme Manager, added: “Yet again the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch is providing useful data on the importance of UK’s gardens for wildlife. As natural habitats become increasingly fragmented, gardens provide essential living space for some reptiles, especially grass snakes and slow worms, which live and breed in compost heaps and find shelter in neglected areas.”

Henry Johnson, People’s Trust for Endangered Species Hedgehog Officer, said: “No other country in the world can muster half a million people for a wildlife survey. Spotting animals is just the start. For more people to see hedgehogs in the future, we need more holes in fences, joining up gardens, and more insect-friendly gardening.”

Marina Pacheco, CEO of The Mammal Society, said: “These fantastic results show the importance of our gardens not only for birds but for the whole range of wildlife including our mammals.

“Records for mammals are particularly scarce and as we are currently collecting data for a national mammal atlas these records, plus any other people send in, are invaluable for informing future conservation.”

Big Garden Birdwatch is a part of the RSPB’s Giving Nature a Home campaign, aimed at tackling the housing crisis facing the UK’s threatened wildlife.

The charity is asking people to provide a place for wildlife in their own gardens and outside spaces – whether it’s putting up a nest box for birds, creating a pond for frogs and toads or building a home for a hedgehog.

To find out how you can give nature a home where you live visit: rspb.org.uk/homes  

424,699 Big Garden Birdwatch participants (294,550 gardens) provided information about other wildlife that visits their garden.

The overall UK results are:

2015	At least monthly (%)	Ever this year (%)	Never (%)	Don't know (%)
Badger	12.16	22.50	64.05	13.45
Grey squirrel	73.62	89.54	7.87	2.58
Red squirrel	2.49	4.75	88.33	6.92
Muntjac deer	6.51	15.49	76.69	7.82
Roe deer	8.71	17.85	74.56	7.60
Hedgehog	28.47	65.28	19.95	14.78
Slow worm	7.71	23.39	50.70	25.91
Glass snake	2.33	14.41	62.03	23.57

 This table shows the wildlife results for Merseyside gardens in 2015.

	Monthly (%)	Ever (%)	Never (%)	Don't know (%)
Badger	1.25	3.16	88.11	8.74
Grass snake	0.08	1.00	82.53	16.47
Grey squirrel	73.28	88.24	9.22	2.54
Hedgehog	25.95	66.08	20.69	13.23
Muntjac deer	0.22	0.82	94.81	4.37
Red squirrel	10.45	19.57	74.63	5.79
Roe deer	0.37	1.19	94.74	4.08
Slow worm	3.28	5.80	70.10	24.10

Help for hungry hedgehogs

Prickly garden visitors may need some help after hibernation, says RSPB 

Now spring is here and the weather is warming up, most hedgehogs will have woken from their winter hibernation. However, with fat reserves running low and having lost a third of their bodyweight, they ll be on

a desperate hunt for food in our gardens to fatten themselves up before the breeding season begins.

Hedgehogs feed mainly on invertebrates and need to find vast quantities of insects and other small creatures to sustain them. Sometimes natural food isn t readily available in the quantities required, so the RSPB is

urging people to give hedgehogs a helping hand by providing some extra nourishment.

Richard James, one of the RSPB s wildlife advisors, said: "As temperatures gradually rise, and nature begins to unfurl, our garden friends, the hedgehogs, also stir from their spiky-ball hibernation. 

Sadly, it s estimated that UK hedgehogs have declined by a third in the last ten years, so it's vital that we do our bit to give them a home in our own gardens this year.

To help complement the hedgehogs  natural diet, the RSPB has launched a new food specifically designed to be a nutritious treat.  Cranberry Crunch is made from top quality ingredients, including: premium suet

pellets; sunflower hearts; peanut nibs; dried mealworms; and dried cranberries. 

Richard continues:  This food provides a healthier alternative to the old wives  tale of bread and milk, which must always be avoided as it causes the hedgehogs stomach upset.  Small amounts of cake, biscuits

and pastry as well as fresh and dried fruits and cooked vegetables can also be used as a tempting and wholesome hedgehog treat. A fresh supply of water will also be gratefully received and used by other garden

wildlife, like birds as well.

As well as providing extra food, the RSPB suggests making your garden as wildlife-friendly as possible to make life easy for our threatened garden inhabitants. 

Many modern gardens have less  wild  space than they used to due to decking and paving, meaning Mr and Mrs Tiggywinkle struggle to find natural shelter in hedges and leaf piles.  Fences can also block

hedgehog highways by preventing them moving from garden to garden. Planting a garden hedge helps enormously   the clue is in the hogs  name. And they re not only good for hedgehogs, they also provide

habitat for nesting birds and a host of insects and small mammals.

You can also help these prickly critters by setting up a permanent hedgehog shelter in your garden. Hogitats, as they re known, are available from a range of outlets including the RSPB.

As well as being cute, hedgehogs bring their benefits:

Don t forget having a hedgehog move-in can be a great advantage to any keen gardener, as they just love to munch their way through all of your pesky slugs and snails,  adds Richard. 

The RSPB warns against using chemicals in the garden, and slug pellets can be particularly detrimental.  The charity also recommends using non-toxic brands when putting preservative on garden sheds, fences and

other wood furniture around the garden as hedgehogs often lick new smells and surfaces.

Cranberry Crunch is available at RSPB shops on reserves as well at the charity s online shop. 100% of profits go to helping save nature.

This year s Big Garden Birdwatch was a bit different. For the first time ever we asked people to tell us about other wildlife that visits their garden. These results will be released on Thursday 17 April.

Giving Nature a Home is the RSPB s biggest-ever campaign, aimed at inspiring everyone to do their bit for nature, wherever they live and however big their outside space.

For more information or to get your free guide filled with tips on how to give nature a home where you live, visit rspb.org.uk/homes 

Tips to help protect hedgehogs

          Hedgehogs habitually hide themselves in piles of leaves, grass cuttings, pampas grass, compost heaps and bags of rubbish. 

Always check these before burning, cutting, strimming, mowing, putting a fork into or disposing of them.

          Many plastic items can trap, ensnare or cut a hedgehog.  These include netting, plastic can holders, large necked bottles, plastic pots and barbed wire.

          Hedgehogs can also easily fall down holes, into water troughs, ponds, swimming pools and other types of water vessel.  If you cannot prevent them from falling in, then make sure there is always a way for them to get out.

          Dogs can injure hedgehogs, so make sure you know what your dog is doing when in the garden late at night. 

          If you accidentally disturb an active hedgehog nest, carefully replace the material.  The hedgehog will soon repair or move the nest elsewhere.  If there are young in the nest, avoid touching them.  Similarly, if it is a hibernating adult, avoid waking it.  Should it wake, you may want to leave it some food nearby.

Two thirds of North West homebuyers would consider paying more for a house with a wildlife-friendly garden

Frog home

A survey has revealed that nearly seven out of 10 people in the North West would consider paying more for a property that has a wildlife-friendly garden. 

Together, the RSPB and Rightmove asked 1,548 people across the UK a series of questions relating to gardens and garden wildlife. 

In answer to the question ‘would you pay more for a house with a wildlife friendly garden?’ 16% of people in the North West surveyed answered ‘yes, definitely’, another 9% answered ‘probably’ and 41% said ‘maybe’. 

Of those surveyed in the North West, more than 9 out of 10 (91%) said they were happy when they saw wildlife in their garden, and 83% feel they have a duty to protect wildlife.

Across the region, three quarters of respondents agreed that gardens play a role in helping to save some of the threatened species in the UK.

The survey was carried out to get an insight into people’s knowledge and interest in UK garden wildlife following the launch of the RSPB’s new campaign, Giving Nature a Home, which aims to help tackle the crisis facing the UK’s threatened wildlife. 

Hedgehog home

The charity is urging the nation to provide a place for wildlife in their own gardens and outside spaces and hopes to inspire people across the UK to create a million new homes for nature. 

TV homes expert, Linda Barker, is supporting the campaign. She said: “To me, having wildlife in your garden is the perfect finishing touch to any home. Planting wild flowers, digging a pond or creating a log pile for bugs is not just a good way of getting creative and making your garden more attractive, but it will also benefit threatened garden wildlife at the same time. 

“Individual actions will make a difference and start to help tackle the lack of habitats for some of our wild creatures. In my garden I’ve put up a nest box for birds and planted nectar-rich flowers to attract bees. If everyone can do just one thing and gave nature a home in their outside space it would be amazing - together we can make a big difference.”

Sarah Houghton, RSPB campaign manager, said: “The results of this survey are really encouraging. To find out that the majority of people in the North West think having a wildlife-friendly garden is so important they’d consider paying more for one is great news. Nature in the UK is in trouble and some of our more familiar garden species are amongst those suffering serious declines. Gardens provide a valuable lifeline for things like starlings, toads, hedgehogs and butterflies, so we want to persuade people to give nature a home where they live – it could really help make a difference.”

Matthew James, Head of Communications at Rightmove, comments: “The garden has always been one of the key aspects many buyers consider when looking for their dream home, and for some it can even end up being the deciding factor.  For so many homebuyers to say they would consider paying more for one is a very promising sign for the Give Nature a Home campaign. Wildlife-friendly gardens, as well as helping to prevent a further decline in some species, can be a great way for families to enjoy the outdoors and learn more about the creatures that live, quite literally, on their doorstep.”

The launch of the RSPB’s Giving Nature a Home campaign comes after 25 wildlife organisations, including the RSPB, released the groundbreaking State of Nature report revealing 60 per cent of the wildlife species studied have declined over recent decades. 

http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/stateofnature_tcm9-345839.pdf

Nestbox

Sarah from the RSPB continued: “There are all sorts of jobs you can do in your garden at this time of year that will help give nature a home. From planting bulbs ready to attract bees and other insects next year; building or buying a hedgehog shelter, also known as a ‘Hogitat’, ready for them to hibernate in; digging a pond or tidying-up your existing one; or putting up nest boxes in time for next spring.

“And those who want to rest not work this weekend can still do their bit for nature. Holding off on pruning your hedges is a great way of helping wildlife without actually having to do anything.  Leaving them until around February next year means the berries will be able to be eaten throughout the winter.”

The RSPB is offering free expert advice to people on how to give nature a home in their outside spaces - whether it’s a huge garden or a small planting tub on a balcony. 

By visiting the RSPB’s website people can get their free Giving Nature a Home starter guide, pledge their support by sharing plans, pictures, tips and ideas with others.  The site also gives more information about what the RSPB is doing to give nature a home in the wider countryside. rspb.org.uk/homes