Are Birds Busy Nestbuilding In Your Garden?

Springtime always sees the birds busy nest building. I have seen many birds gathering nest building materials from around our garden. This woodpigeon in the photograph found a nice large twig to start the nest with!

I always find its a bit of a balance for me in the garden at this time of year. Part of me has an inclination to tidy everything up and get it looking nice after the winter. 

However, the larger part of me wants there to be habitat and materials for our garden visitors to use.  I know many of our neighbors keep a very tidy garden so especially at the front I do keep things neater there, but the back is very private and can be more for wildlife. I have written a post earlier you may like to read about Are We Too Tidy In Our Gardens? 

I know that nature likes and needs a bit of untidiness and that is useful to the birds and animals that visit and live in our garden. So, in general, our garden is a little on the untidy side or as I like to think it on the wildlife-friendly side. We have a pile of logs in one corner and cuttings and twigs are left on the borders for the creatures to make use of as they wish. This time of year the birds love it! 

I do so enjoy seeing them fly down to gather up a mass of twigs in their beaks and try to see where they fly to as that is where the nest building begins. It is amazing how many twigs one blackbird can fit in its beak! 

I also put out the dander from the dryer to give them something soft if they want it to line the nest. I used to put out dog fur from grooming our golden retriever and it was surprising how many nests we could see afterward which had golden or cream dog fur peeking out for the lining!   

The blossoms from our Magnolia tree make a good nest lining too, so soft yet strong. So we leave them where they fall like confetti and very pretty.

  

So perhaps this year leave a bit of untidiness in the garden, a few sticks and twigs lying around,  they are the birds building materials. 

If you have a dog perhaps after grooming don't put the fur in the bin,  but pop it outside so that the birds can make use of it as their soft furnishings. 

You will be well rewarded for a little bit of untidiness with birdsong and nests :) If you are interested and would like to read my story of the life of a blackbird nest- from nest to fledglings please read Our Nesting Blackbirds.

 Are you seeing birds busy gathering materials and nest building in your garden? 


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Where to Site A Bird Table Or Bird Feeder.

In between lots of things in life things going on I have still enjoyed our garden. In fact, a garden is often a place of solace, of peace and quiet for me. 

 In the winter, I have to admit my time in the garden is much less, usually to fill up the bird feeders!! So when I emerge in the Spring the birds do chatter at me and my hubby. It is as if the garden is theirs and we are intruders, but of course, it is really their garden after all.    

So it is good to take in the Spring garden, to look, to listen, to evaluate and we have been doing all of that and doing all the necessary after winter work. It is lovely to enjoy the Spring, the new shoots, the blooms, the new life emerging from the earth. In the trees and shrubs, birds are busy nesting and the beautiful sound of birdsong fills the air from dawn to dusk now.

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We continue to feed the birds as it is a busy time of year for them, finding a mate, nest building and rearing young and they may need a little help. I am also frequently joined by Mr. and Mrs. Blackbird after any digging in the garden and Robin always appears about five minutes after I take hold of any garden fork or spade!  

In my blog Essential Wildlife Gardening Gifts I recently reviewed a lovely Bird Feeder. I was thinking that while it is good to have bird feeders in the garden it is equally important to have an awareness of where to site them. 

I have certainly made my fair share of mistakes over the years with siting bird feeders! Once in a new house, I placed one right in the path of where the neighborhood cats gathered, no good at all! 

Also last year I hung one in a tree near a big branch and all i got on that birdfeeder most of the time was two huge Woodpigeons who worked out that if they sat on the big branch and bashed the feeder it all eventually came out! Messy and while I like Woodpigeons I would like to attract a variety of birds. 

Where should you place a bird feeder ideally?

1. Out of the way of cats. Easier said than done in my experience but certainly not in the pathway of visiting cats. We have two cats who seem to make a well-worn track through our garden, they appear to have the same routine so I simply avoid placing feeders on that path. Another thing you can do is to place the feeder nearby cover so the birds can fly into it when they need it, but not in a dense cover that a cat could hide in without them being aware of it. I have talked to neighbors about putting bells on the cats, to alert the birds they are there. Some are happy to do that, others not. 

Perhaps if anyone has knowledge of cats they can give some advice on how birds and cats can coexist in a garden? 

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2. Ideally do not place feeders in the same place every year. We should be cleaning out feeders and bird tables anyway but there is still the risk of disease if not cleaned enough or if the same places are overused. So move the feeders probably the best time is just before Autumn so the birds can get used to the new place before the really cold weather begins. If you have feeders out now they can stay where they are but do clean them out.  

 

3. If you want to watch the birds a consideration is to place the bird feeder where you can see them easily. This should not perhaps be the first consideration but is an important one as many people including me, get considerable pleasure from bird watching. 

4. It is generally not a good idea to position the bird feeder in an exposed windy spot. I did this once and got no birds visiting it at all! It was simply moving around way too much. The feeder, especially hanging ones may here get blown about and look unstable to the birds. If it's a bird table, do make sure it is securely fastened so it does not blow over in high winds or gales, as much for your safety as for the birds. Try a quiet more sheltered area away from the winds. 

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5. Feeders that can be positioned directly onto windows can be wonderful for bird watching. This can be especially useful for people who may not be able to get out as much or feel the cold and winds but can watch birds from the comfort of their home. Or just for anyone who likes to see birds as close as possible. Just make sure that the birds would not be trapped should a predator come by, that they have an escape route or small bush or tree to fly into for cover nearby ideally. Our birds love our dense shrubs for this.

6. If you have an existing tree or bush that has berries the birds like already (our cotoneaster seems to be a firm favorite!) you can try hanging a feeder there too. If the birds are like ours they will eat all the berries first but then the birdseed feeder will be there for them to eat when they have exhausted the natural food source and they will be used to visiting that tree anyway. 


7. Ideally position the feeder where it will not get the worst of the rain or if it is not fully waterproof in downpours it may get the seed all wet and soggy.

With any bird feeder, it may take a little while for them to get used to it and so try just a small amount of food at first. Once the first brave bird has eaten from it without incident, more will follow!

So just a few ideas. It is best to try out different places in your garden and see where the birds like. You will know you got it right when you see the birds visiting on a regular basis.  

Good luck and enjoy the birds in your garden! 


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Planning Ahead Bulbs For Summer Joy !

Things are just starting to get busy in the garden! Spring flowers are bursting forth everywhere. The birds are busy gathering nesting material and staking out territory. 

No sooner do I see the first crocus bloom than I start to think of what I need to plant for summer flowers.

I wish I was a very organised gardener! It is always a happy surprise for me when shoots come up  :) For a  while, I have no idea what they are as of course I did not label or do a plan of where I planted the bulbs last year. I know I should but then of course I would not have the joy of discovery....my excuse anyway!

Planting Summer Bulbs

I love to plant summer bulbs in several different ways. I love to have some for cutting for flowers in the house. If you want to do this I would advise timing your planting so that you plant a batch then leave it and plant more a week or two later, then more a week or two after that. In this way, you will have flowers coming up for many weeks which you can cut for the home.

I also like to plant in pots so that I can move them around to the front of the house or into really sunny spots if that is what they need. Sometimes I will dig a hole and then sink the pot into the hole so that I can move it again when flowering is over.

Then I plant in the ground as well to fill up the borders. I do have to be careful planting in our heavy clay as even with improvement to the soil some bulbs do not like it at all and refuse to come up or rot in the ground.


 

So I am careful how I plant making a very large planting area and improving with lots of grit and light compost. It is important not to make a "sump" of a small hole water is attracted to, so it must be a large area. If I do this properly, however, then usually the bulbs are successful. 

The other way is to choose plants that love heavy clay and moisture so I have to do my homework and choose carefully. It is always easier if we go with plants that love our soil and position in the garden or as often I just love the flower, I simply use pots.

Often it is advised to start planting summer bulbs like freesias and begonias indoors for a while. I have never done this as I would quickly run out of room. So I order everything or buy from garden centers and then wait with anticipation until I think the last frosts have passed to then plant out my bulbs.

Favorite Summer Bulbs And Wildlife

There is so much choice and so beautiful but you need to start thinking now what it is you would love to have in the garden and what may be good for the wildlife too. A  wide variety of flowers is better than just a single type.

Also try to get a spread of flowers across the whole of spring and summer and all the seasons so that the bees, birds, butterflies, moths and all the other creatures have something to eat, shade and shelter all year round. A corridor of flowers all over the garden they can travel between is lovely for them.

If you have big gaps in the garden with no flowers at certain times of the year this is not good for the wildlife. Try to plant to keep it going all Spring and summer, even into the autumn if possible where you live. 

Summer bulbs and corms that are very useful to bees , in particular, include Alliums, Crocosmia, Star of Bethlehem and the Red Hot Poker. I also always think of how each flower can contribute to the garden wildlife. 

I am sadly lacking in Star of Bethlehem and Red hot poker but I do have an abundance of crocosmia. However, our crocosmia (although a summer flowering bulb) seem to always flower in early autumn. A welcome sight as they are bright red and just lovely but I do not feel I can include them in my summer flowers - unless they start to get going a little earlier!   

I have so many favorite flowers and bulbs, here are just three that I love to grow in my garden. No doubt over time I will discuss the others!

Alliums

 

I adore Alliums and am gradually getting more in the garden. Beautiful spheres of blooms in purples and whites followed by amazing seedheads for even further interest. They love sunny, well-drained positions so I a limited where I can grow mine but they flourish in the right place. 

They are wonderful mid-summer flowers, just when you need a new flower to look at. I find my bees love these Alliums and often find quite a few balanced on the round heads, so a good plant to grow for our bees.

Oriental Lilies

 

Very showy, center stage plants. I have a few of these and last year rescued some sorry looking specimens from the garden center. I cannot resist a poorly looking neglected plant to nurse back to health and most times I am successful :) Just check they are not diseased of course but mainly in garden centers its lack of care and water,  which if they are not too far gone can be rectified. So I will see how these do this year.

Moths love my lilies so these are good to grow. Mice do seem to like the bulbs as well so I do keep a watch for this! Of course, if you are interested in wildlife do not get the pollen-free varieties, we need the pollen! I have read that Stargazer lilies are not so attractive to wildlife so do your homework and choose carefully.

Freesias 

  

Attractive to butterflies and bees and birds seem to like Freesias as well. I find that I need to plant new bulbs each spring as they do not seem to come up again if I leave them in a pot or in the ground. They are really half-hardy I think but I treat them as an annual rather than a perennial. They are one of my favorite flowers though so I don't mind too much buying them each year.

 As I do not have a greenhouse I have to grow Freesias outside in a sunny sheltered spot. I simply love the fragrance and their lovely arching habit. I leave some for the wildlife and some are taken indoors for the home. So I do plant these in succession over a few weeks so we can have them in the garden and home for longer. 

There are many more lovely choices for Summer Bulbs which you and the wildlife will love. Simply do a little research, try growing a variety of summer bulbs and plants and see what is successful for you and what the wildlife love where you live. 

Which summer flowering bulbs or plants do you love best?  Are you thinking of planting out bulbs or plants for summer flowers?

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Spring Flowers And Natures Rebirth-Are You Seeing Signs Of Spring?

At last a sunny day ! What is that golden globe in the sky? Well, it has seemed a very long time since we have seen it for a full day, or at least for it to give much warmth. However, the sun was out today and the landscape was bathed in a beautiful golden light so I got out into the garden!

It is so lovely to see the green shoots of the larger, taller daffodils coming up, no flowers on most of these larger varieties yet, but they will surely come to delight us later in Spring. 

The flowers of the tiny Tete a tete daffodils sheltering under the bamboo have decided to flower though and their tiny, courageous, perfect and pretty little sunny yellow flower heads being a smile to my face...

The pure white pretty snowdrops are in full flower now and I am very happy about just how many there are this year. Pure white and so simple yet so brave and the first to face the cold, the snow and the winds, yet looking so delicate and gorgeous. 

I have gathered snowdrops slowly over years. Often they have been given as gifts especially from my Mum. I have fond memories of gathering them with her in the green from her garden and planting them in my own. A shared experience of continuity gardening often gives.

We were also given snowdrops as a gift from an elderly very kind lady who we used to walk our dogs with. I love it when memories and emotions are attached to plants and flowers.

The large Camillia shrub has nice big fat buds all over it just waiting to burst into its beautiful pink flowers, maybe in a few weeks we will see them. I will certainly share them here, it is quite a stunning sight as this shrub is so tall now!

The crocus is in flower too. The last time I looked there were none and now suddenly here they are! I think they look like jewels in the garden. Small but bright and beautiful and shining out in the garden.

The yellow ones are proving a little shy hiding under the shade of the tree and for all when the sun goes in they return to the safety of a bud. However, once the sun shines out especially the purple ones are turning their faces happily to the light and opening wide and beautiful, for it seems to soak up every last ray of goodness and nourishment from the sun! 

They remind me to rest and heal and take in the goodness of the earth and I too take a minute to turn to the sun and stand there basking in its warm rays... 

I am glad I planted more crocus last year and the year before. I love daffodils and crocus and all the spring flowers and I adore the slightly messy mix of shoots and flowers and leaves all coming up not quite where I planted them. The bulbs that naturalise and multiply themselves with little intervention from me. Little surprises to watch for each day now that bring happiness and hope...

 I love to plant for a Spring garden and think that I always will.....
As this quote says:-

"I think that no matter how old or infirm I may become, I will always plant a large garden in the spring. Who can resist the feelings of hope and joy that one gets from participating in nature's rebirth?"

Edward Giobbi

In my wanderings around the garden, I was accompanied by the beautiful birdsong all around me. So sunshine, flowers and birdsong, what a beautiful combination. It is no wonder that I Love Spring !


Are you seeing signs of Spring flowers yet in your garden or parks or fields near you? 


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The Last Snow Of The Year, The First Snowdrop And Hope

The garden, even in its total desolation, has a beautiful splendor...

The morning sun gradually permeates everything, transforming black night to yellow hue to blue and silver, highlighting the glistening frozen dew drops.

As it grows more vivid and exact you can detect dazzling, dancing ornaments and figurines in the snow.

Birds awake to a wintry wonderland, feathers fluffed out, keeping warm as they can, looking for food. Like us they are waiting for Spring. 

A million intricate icy shapes are unbelievably ornate and perfect. The snow takes on a life all its own, like the sea or the earth but secret and silvery. Hiding the landscape beneath, transforming the outlook to a new scene.

Snowflakes, each unique and stunning. A short perfect life, turned forever upon fragments of its own self and destined to fruitlessness and silence. Crystals of infinite complexity living for nothing but to gradually dissolve their own perfect unique selves.

Crystals growing slowly into each other as the snow grows heavy,  moving softly, silken floating downwards from the skies to form a blanket over the green grass and to lie heavy upon the boughs of trees. Each moment, each flicker of sunlight, reflecting the cycles of life and of death. 

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From this the brave snowdrop decides to lift her head, to be the first to shine in the world of flowers, heralding the coming of Spring, the Hope for Spring. 

She is so beautiful, pristine, bright green shoots and a bowed graceful flower nodding humbly as she, courageous and bold, shows winter she will not be kept down.

For us, our spirits lifted to see the snowdrop in all her delicate white pure grace. Beautiful now and Hope indeed for the warmer, easier days to come.

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Can You Attract Wildlife If You Only Have A Patio Garden or Window Box?

Some people may say that it's all very well talking about gardening and attracting wildlife if you have a large garden with many different areas but what if you have a patio area or a window box, is it still possible to be a wildlife gardener? 

To this, I would say Yes absolutely! Every person in every type of garden can attract wildlife  and can grow something that some kind of wildlife will see as a great food source or shelter.

If you have a patio garden, no grass, no shrubs or trees literally all paved over, you can still have a wildlife haven.

A Bird Bath In A Small Garden.

A birdbath on the patio will provide water for birds and a place for them to bathe and keep their feathers clean which is incredibly important. People often talk about feeding the birds but a birdbath is just as important if not more so and fewer people have them in gardens. So yes even in a tiny space you can have a birdbath, there are many different designs and sizes. 

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Bird Feeder In A Small Garden. 

If you can have a feeder attached to a window or a nail into a wall or fence then you can have a bird feeder.

 Again there are so many different styles and if it is going to be on a small patio then you will want it to be decorative or stylish,  nice to look at and you have so many choices.

 A beautiful one is considered here Gift Of A Gorgeous Decorative Wooden Bird Feeder   

Bug House In A Small Garden. 

If you want to be able to have a place that bugs, lacewings, beetles etc can overwinter and make a home in, you can buy commercial bug houses and some of them look very pretty indeed.

You can also make your own it all depends on your wish to do it and simple bug house design knowledge.  

Pots Of Flowers. Pots Of Herbs.

If you have space for three of four pots then you can make space for flowers the wildlife butterflies and bees will love. I routinely grow Lavender in pots. 

I try to buy terracotta pots but I do reuse old plastic ones as well. We have heavy clay soil and while I do grow Lavender in the soil it does not last as long as if I grow it in a pot, as it really likes light, well-drained soil,  so I do both. So you can grow Lavender.

Equally, you can grow Rosemary in a large pot and free well-draining soil. Other herbs like thyme, curry plant, chives, mint and sage can also be grown. Most herbs like a sunny spot.

I would strongly advise keeping mint in a separate pot all by itself. It can be a thug and outgrow other plants. Do not let mint get into the soil of a garden or you may find it everywhere! In a pot, it is great and contained.  

You have a large choice of flowers and most can be grown in a pot so marigolds, daffodils, crocus, hyacinth, cornflowers, poppies, whatever you like really can be grown in pots including many wildflowers from seed. I would say though that the bigger the pot the more impact the flowers will have and the easier it will be on you regarding care and watering needs. Three large pots in my opinion are better than six small ones. 

You can easily have a large pot planted up with daffodil bulbs, snowdrop bulbs, lavender and wildflower seeds sown on the top. 

There are so many seeds to choose from The Promise Of Seeds A Thoughtful Gift has ideas. I often grow seeds in pots again due to our very heavy soil seeds often struggle, so containers are an easy solution. 

Large Planters With Climbers.

If you have room for a very large planter and a wall you could even grow honeysuckle or jasmine up the wall. In fact, we did that for several years and one year when the plant was mature a blackbird made her nest about eight or nine feet up in the honeysuckle! 

If you are using planters you will just need to be careful about the needs of the plant. Most herbs do quite well in planters as long as its free draining. It is best to read up on the needs of other flowers and to understand their feeding and watering needs and check on them every day especially for water in the summer as they rely on you for all their needs. 

If you have a balcony or window box equally you can grow whatever flowers and herbs you want within the space and if it suits their needs. Just make sure that the planter does not become too heavy and you may want to use lightweight soil and a tray for drainage spills.

Hanging Baskets

These can be amazing in summer and can be adapted for nearly all-around use as well so be creative and use every inch of space you have. The wildlife will find you if you provide some food, water and shelter. 

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Can You Have A Pond In A Small Garden? 

If you like yes you can even have a water feature. A half-barrel or plastic container that is waterproof can be made into a little pond for wildlife. You need to add oxygenating plants, a few tall reeds, a small waterlily is always lovely.

Then you need a means of escape for small critters like large stones and a plank. Fill it with rainwater, not tap water. I will be talking more about ponds later but do bear in mind if you do not have one, it is possible on a small patio.

Of course, if you like you can have all these features, or maybe you are thinking it is going to be a little too crowded!

If you know your neighbours, maybe you can discuss sharing with them, one having a bird feeder and another a birdbath, different wildflowers in pots, one a water feature.

The wildlife does not see boundaries like we do and will happily move between gardens for their food, water, shelter. So if you speak to your neighbours and they appreciate wildlife like you do, it may be worth a try!

So just a few ideas about how to attract wildlife into a small patio area or balcony. 


How do you like to attract wildlife to your garden?   

Do You Ever Stop, Look And Listen in Your Garden?

I went out this morning to fill up the bird feeders and to add a new one. It has been so cold here lately and we have had hard frosts and snow and high winds I am concerned for the birds. It was really cold so I did not intend to stay out long, although I was well wrapped up. 


However, I walked back up to the house I was struck by the most beautiful bird song. I saw the robin high up on one of the shrubs clearly and proudly singing his little heart out. No doubt starting to re-establish his territory.


I heard other birds, sparrows I think, a blackbird, a coo of a wood pigeon. As I stood still and silent I began to hear more and it was the most wonderful orchestra of birdsong. I thought people would pay to go sit in theatres to hear this most stunning of music and here it is all around me. 


As I stood there silent and perfectly still I noticed a large male blackbird nearby. He was intent on kicking up the leaves and searching for food underneath. He looked at me but was not afraid. He walked and hopped and continued in his search for food, gradually getting closer and closer to me. I could feel my heartbreak quicken, how close was he going to come to me?


 He ended up literally inches from my feet, no sign of nervousness, just going about his day. I often wonder when I see a blackbird in our garden if it is one of the descendants of the blackbird nest that hatched four chicks several years ago. We watched them from the building of the nest to eggs and fledglings and young adults. If you are interested I wrote about it here Our Nesting Blackbirds.



 My husband and I often joke that it is not really our garden at all, it is theirs, we just get to be guests in it now and again! Today that felt true and wonderful!

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I watched the blue tits and all manner of little birds squabble for a place on the feeder, the big woodpigeon looking perplexed that he could not actually fit on the feeder and eventually taking his place underneath to catch all the spilled seed instead.


 The brave blue tit who was first to do a fly-by and then land on the new feeder- just for a second-to test it out no doubt, then came back and rewarded with fresh delicious seed. 


Then as I started to not be able to feel my feet through the cold I noticed a bird fly down and hop up into the birdbath. It was about to brave the cold to take a bath to preen and clean the feathers and get into good condition. It must have been so icy cold and it started somewhat tentatively dipping the beak, then a foot, then the chest and then plunged in!


Then it was flapping and washing itself all over, it looked a lot of fun! It was over quickly. Then preened the feathers out carefully using the beak and with a bit of last-minute fluffing out off it flew. 

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Back into the house for a warm coffee and warm feet! Made me realise that you really do not have to go far to see the beauty of nature.


 However what you do need to do is to rest to be still, to be quiet, to appreciate it all...  I am often guilty of being very busy in the garden. There is always pruning, digging, planting, weeding etc to do. 


However, maybe this year I will take more time to be still, be quiet, look, to listen. 


How about you do you take time to be still and look and listen in your garden?  

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