One good thing to have happened in recent weeks is that many people have been seeing a bit more of their local wildlife. Sid’s Piece, our small conservation woodland which was created and is maintained by our community, has undoubtedly seen more visitors who have taken advantage of some warm sunny days and the extra leisure time they have had. Everyone is welcome of course. But our gardens are also great habitats for wildlife; in the UK the total area of gardens is as valuable to general wildlife as all the National Parks. What have you been spotting? Feel free to let us know, using our Facebook page and email contacts.
At this time of year, depending on habitat, you could be coming across tadpoles, bird nests, plenty of tree blossom, and summer migrants such as Swallows, Cuckoo’s and particularly in the centre of Stanton, Swifts which dart around in small flocks, screaming their presence.
Hedgehogs too are making their presence felt, you may see signs on your lawn or hear them at night. Is your garden hedgehog friendly? They love leaf litter, piles of twigs and un-kept corners of the garden. If your garden is enclosed by fences then have you considered creating a shallow exit/entry tunnel? You might want to check with your neighbour first of course, but for many homeowners, popping out at night with a torch can reveal active hogs and later on, hoglets.
Night-time video recording is even more fun. If you don’t spot hedgehogs then in the daytime you’re bound to see popular garden birds especially if you have bird feeders, which should continue to be replenished to help the adult birds. And if you’re popping in to Sid’s Piece, please let us know what you see; there have been recent sightings of Barn Owl, Yellowhammer and Holly Blue Butterfly to name a few.
We hope you’re all well!
At this time of year, depending on habitat, you could be coming across tadpoles, bird nests, plenty of tree blossom, and summer migrants such as Swallows, Cuckoo’s and particularly in the centre of Stanton, Swifts which dart around in small flocks, screaming their presence.
Hedgehogs too are making their presence felt, you may see signs on your lawn or hear them at night. Is your garden hedgehog friendly? They love leaf litter, piles of twigs and un-kept corners of the garden. If your garden is enclosed by fences then have you considered creating a shallow exit/entry tunnel? You might want to check with your neighbour first of course, but for many homeowners, popping out at night with a torch can reveal active hogs and later on, hoglets.
Night-time video recording is even more fun. If you don’t spot hedgehogs then in the daytime you’re bound to see popular garden birds especially if you have bird feeders, which should continue to be replenished to help the adult birds. And if you’re popping in to Sid’s Piece, please let us know what you see; there have been recent sightings of Barn Owl, Yellowhammer and Holly Blue Butterfly to name a few.
We hope you’re all well!