Day 48: Angle Shades Moth

Moths are insects I must learn more about, being much more familiar with their butterfly cousins. Both are in the same order of Lepidoptera, meaning 'scale-wings' and both have equally fascinating life-cycles, colours and habits. This moth, which I rescued from inside our garage, hiding it under a rose leaf, is an angle shades, identified with the help of a friend. I think this must be a particularly fresh individual as, apparently, the green bands quickly fade to a 'dirty brown'.

Although this is a common species, I can't say that I have knowingly seen one before, and I think the patterning is rather beautiful. The folded wings when at rest are to give the impression of a dried leaf and when in flight, these moths favour the flowers of grasses. The caterpillars will feed on a range of herbaceous plants, including nettles and brambles.

References:

Chinery, M (2005) Collins Complete Guide to British Insects, HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/angle-shades (accessed 09/05/2020)

Day 47: Great Diving Beetle

This great diving beetle is perching on the floating leaves of brooklime, clearly deciding our wildlife pond isn't the right place for it. After watching this large beetle for some time, I became aware of a high pitched buzzing noise, a little like the sound of water escaping through a small hole (which is slightly concerning when sat next to a new pond...). Eventually, a few seconds after taking this photo, it took off in a rather sudden and bumbling manner, making me jump backwards. 

A diving beetle has been present in our pond since almost a week after we made it, whether this is the same individual or not, I do not know, but it was lovely to watch it surface and dive to the bottom. We are still awaiting our delivery of oxygenating plants, as none survived in the previous pond, so I wonder whether the oxygen levels have depleted enough to make it uninhabitable for this species of still water. Hopefully, once they do arrive, more diving beetles and other species will colonise to make it a small oasis for wildlife.

References:

Chinery, M (2005) Collins Complete Guide to British Insects, HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

Day 46: Field Forget-Me-Not

Amongst the daisies, common vetch and Germander speedwell is a single spike of field forget-me-not. Its pale blue, five-petaled flowers reminiscent of a clear summer sky, where faint puffs of white cloud gather around its yellow centre. Its unopened flower buds covered in pale hairs, when they go to seed the seedpods will stick to clothing and drop off to germinate elsewhere.

These dainty flowered-plants are very common on roadsides, so I'm sure more specimens will appear in out little patch as a symbol of love of the natural world, rather than a token to be worn to not be forgotten by a lover.

References:

https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/plant-fungi-species/forget-me-not-common (accessed 09/05/2020)

Day 45: Common Daisy

The common daisy certainly lives up to its name, but isn't it a glorious sight to see an otherwise boring green lawn come alive with these fallen stars of white and yellow? An even more magical sight when they become pink tinged because 'the faeries sit on them' when they close up at night.

Interestingly, researchers have studied daisies in Africa and have discovered that those which close at night produce cryptic colouration on the lower surfaces of their 'petals' to camouflage them from herbivores. Whether or not this applies to our native common daisy, I am not sure, and they have only studied one plant family so far.

A single daisy head isn't, in fact, just one flower, it is a composite of many tiny flowers which make up the bright yellow centre and the white ray-florets which appear like petals. Daisies are perennial herbs, so they will keep popping back up year after year, providing a valuable nectar source for bumblebees, honeybees and hoverflies. 

References:

Rose, F (2006) The Wild Flower Key, Penguin Books Ltd.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190830112819.htm (accessed 09/05/2020)

https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/plant-fungi-species/daisy (accessed 09/05/2020)

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/wildflowers/common-daisy (accessed 09/05/2020)

Day 44: Germander Speedwell

Another gorgeous wildflower that is growing well in our 'wildflower meadow' is the Germander speedwell. Clusters of pale blue flowers with dark blue veins that look as thought they could have been painted. The four blue petals surround a yellow and white centre, with two long anthers and a stigma emanating out like whiskers.

This plant is widespread and common in verges and hedgerow, so are relatively easy to find. Even so, these 'cat's eyes' are a colourful addition to our little wild patch amongst the fresh green leaves of those yet to flower. 

References:

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/wildflowers/germander-speedwell (accessed 07/05/2020)

Day 43: Common Vetch

These beautiful magenta flowers belong to the common vetch, a plant that is growing in abundance in our 'wildflower meadow'. The leguminous plants are scrambling and climbing over each other to create a lovely display of fresh green foliage with, from afar, polka-dots of pink. Close up, these flowers look like miniature sweet peas, so it is unsurprising that both are in the pea, or legume family. Their climbing habit has caused this patch to become a small jungle of leaflets and delicate flowers, creating a wonderland to peer into from the undergrowth. 

As I watched, several common carder bees were visiting the flowers, seemingly favouring them over other nearby blooms. Looking closely, many of the leaves have also been nibbled, so they are hopefully hosting some caterpillars or other animals. The common vetch also has other uses, being in the pea family, it is a nitrogen producer, so can be used as green manure and can be grown as livestock fodder.

References:

https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/plant-fungi-species/common-vetch (accessed 06/05/2020)

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/wildflowers/common-vetch (accessed 06/05/2020)

Day 42: Bugle

Like an ethereal wood-sprite who only appears in your peripheral vision rather than being in focus when you look directly at it, this, the first flower spike on either of my bugle plants refused to allow me to focus fully on the uppermost open blue flower each time I pressed the shutter. The dark green-purple foliage spreading like slowly creeping arms to fill the bare ground below the winter honeysuckle, where I can make nothing else grow, is now throwing up thick, hairy purple spikes where these little blue veined flowers bloom. Their shape reminds me more of fairy-tale creatures, of fairies disguised as flowers, or as one with flowers, possibly more than any other in my garden, reminding me of days of poring over Brian Froud's fantastical books. 

This perennial woodland plant is also much loved by bumblebees and is a good early nectar source for green-veined white and orange-tip butterflies. The wild flower, native to most of the British Isles, is Ajuga reptans. The two I have, Ajuga reptans Braunherz, are cultivars of this and are easy to grow under almost all conditions.

References:

Thomas, A. (2017) Gardening for Wildlife, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC.

https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/plant-fungi-species/bugle (accessed 03/05/2020)

https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/89313/Ajuga-reptans-Braunherz/Details (accessed 03/05/2020)

Day 41: Red-tailed Bumblebee

The luxuriously black, velvety thorax and abdomen, finished with a deep orange-red tail make the red tailed bumblebee a wonderful insect to see. This is the second queen of this species I have spotted in the garden, but the first was far too fast too photograph. This individual seemed content to sit on the sunny fence to have a spruce up, diligently cleaning her antennae as pictured. 

Queens of this species are partial to gorses, dandelions and various Prunus species, amongst others, whereas workers love, for example, clover, birds-foot trefoils and St John's wort. Another reason to let lawns flourish with dandelions and clovers. 

We do have an abandoned mouse nest in the 'lawn', and as this is a ground nesting species who often use old burrows, I wonder whether we will be lucky enough for a queen to decide that our little garden is the place for her to nest? If so, the colonies can grow to contain 300 workers!

References:

Falk, S. (2015) Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/bees-and-wasps/red-tailed-bumblebee (accessed 03/05/2020)

Day 40: Garden Snail

The last few days of wet weather has certainly awoken the snail and slug population that lurks under pots, leaves and rocks in our garden. This garden snail (which I'm hoping I've correctly identified, it seems there are more species of snail in the UK than I realised...), whose shell does look rather battered, was making a break for it across our patio. Admittedly, like most gardeners, I get cross if my plants get obliterated by snails and slugs overnight, but have come to accept that this is just a part of gardening for wildlife. They are also providing a food source for the hedgehogs, and, since the hedgehogs arrived in the garden, there has certainly been less damage to plants. 

This group of molluscs are also interesting in their own right, whether it be the foot they move upon with its rippling muscles visible through glass, or their toothed radular they use to eat, or the fact they are hermaphroditic 

I left this snail be to carry on with its journey, whether that be to munch on my heuchera leaves, as often happens, or whether it ends up as a midnight snack for our hedgehog visitors.

References:

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/other-garden-wildlife/insects-and-other-invertebrates/worms-slugs-spiders/garden-snail/ (accessed 02/05/2020)

Day 39: Dandelion

The golden dandelion, lighting up lawns, verges, pavements... any where it can lay its roots. Time and time again, we are told how pollinators use these much maligned wild flowers as an essential source of nectar and pollen, and yet time and time again, gardeners and councils try to obliterate them where they dare to shine. John Clare described them as "fallen stars in a green sea of grass" in his poem A Rhapsody, so why can't more of us see the dandelion in this light? Those awful adverts still appear on TV where they depict 'evil' cartoon dandelions being heroically removed by a gardener with weedkiller, but surely it is time we stopped showing these misleading roles. What is the worst thing a dandelion is going to do if growing in a lawn, park or playground? 

Worryingly, in trying to search for a paper I read some time ago that suggests dandelion pollen lacks certain nutrients and may be poor quality if fed to bee larvae alone, I came across a slogan that stated 'Save the Bees, Remove Dandelions'. Whilst it may be true that dandelions alone won't save our dwindling insect population, we do need to include them in a more diverse ecosystem that we can encourage in our gardens and parks. Using pesticides of any sort is certainly not going to help, due to the many, now well documented effects many have on the nervous system of pollinators. Caterpillars of some butterfly and moth species will use dandelions as a food plant, so we must also consider insects other than pollinators (or at least different stages of their life cycle).

Perhaps if we shifted views to seeing dandelions as a wild flower, rather than a weed? Or perhaps if we shifted the obsession so many of us still seem to have with keeping a perfect lawn? Or at least try to become more tolerant of allowing the boundaries to blur between a 'perfect garden' and 'nature'. Indeed, my perfect garden would encourage as much wildlife in as possible, and I try to.

References:

https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/plant-fungi-species/dandelion (accessed 02/05/2020)

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2019/07/what-do-caterpillars-eat/ (accessed 02/05/2020)

Day 38: Starling

The starlings arrived today, Wednesday 29th April. I'm always happy when these colourful characters return, even if the photo above doesn't do them justice, taken through the window, in the rain, as it was. Like a few other of our avian garden visitors, a small flock of starlings arrive in spring, stay with us whilst they breed, often bringing fledglings to the garden with them, then disappear again come the summer. On our daily walk, we also heard one calling in its clicking-whistling voice and, having not heard them here for almost a year, couldn't place it until we spotted in sitting on a roof.

These birds have a clown-like side to them, and when they turn up in a gang, which they inevitably end up doing, they squabble and bicker and make such a racket. This one, however, visited alone today, probing the wet grass for worms and other delicacies. I think it turned up a slug in the picture above, and happily flew away with its prize. According the the RSPB, they are still one the most common birds found in gardens, so I'm not quite sure why they don't stay with us throughout the rest of the year. However, I look forward to their antics for the couple of months we have the pleasure of them for.

Day 37: Erigeron karvinskianus 'Stallone'

Between rain showers, I snapped a few photos of the Erigeron, or Mexican fleabane, that has suddenly burst into flower in our front garden. I find the flowers of this wiry plant rather cheerful as I approach the house, especially on rainy days like today. Daisy-like in appearance, the petals start out pale pink and become white as they mature with bright yellow centres. As the season goes on, these flowers will again become pink, even close to magenta, in colour.

Not native, but branded with the 'plants for pollinators' logo by the RHS, I find this plant a good nectar stop-gap. It will flower almost continuously from now until autumn, providing nectar for a range of insects. The type of insect I see visiting most often is hoverflies, but I have also seen small bees use the flowers too.

This particular variety is supposed to only grow to a height of 20 cm and spread of 45 cm, but this plant has already exceeded these measurements. It is recommended to cut Erigeron back to ground level in autumn, but I never have with this one, and it still seems quite happy.

References:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/32487/Erigeron-karvinskianus/Details (accessed 30/04/2020)

Day 36: Blueberry

A new addition to the 'kitchen garden' this year, a blueberry shrub planted in a large pot on our patio, alongside the other fruits and vegetable we try to grow. I enjoy blueberries, but have never attempted to grow them before. It might sound strange, but I hadn't thought about, or realised what blueberry flowers looked like at all. Barely noticeable individually, these sweet white tiny flowers, a little smaller than a fingernail, form in groups. They are similar to small bells, with the stamen visible in the centre, surrounded by the crimped petal edges.

I have seen various bumblebees visit the flowers, but the common carder bee seems to favour it the most. Fingers crossed for lots of fruit later in the summer.

Day 35: Jay

This photo won't win any prizes, but we had an unusual garden visitor on day 35, this colourful jay tucking into a fat cake. These corvids have been very active when on our daily walks and they can often be seen gliding and screeching their way between the large oak trees nearby, but they very rarely visit the garden.

There always seems to be something special about seeing a jay, more so than other members of their intelligent family, perhaps it is their colouring, or perhaps it is just that we see them less frequently. Finding a jay feather, with the various shades of blue sported in its wings, is always a treasure worth keeping.

Occasionally, we find oak saplings growing in our front garden, and I often wonder whether these are thanks to the jays or squirrels forgetting part of their winter hoard.

Day 34: Himalayan Cranesbill

Today. the first of my cranesbills began flowering, Himalayan cranesbill 'Gravetye' or Geranium himalayense 'Gravetye'. The blue petals with prominent veins, beginning as cream then merging to deep pink as they sprawl from the centre of the flower caught my eye last year, although I must confess that I had completely forgotten I had bought and planted them.

There are many varieties of cranesbill, or geranium, that are absolutely loved by bees. Some are native species, like the gorgeous meadow cranesbill that can be found along road verges and in meadows, others are not. Neither of the varieties I have are native, but they are still an absolute hit with bees of all shapes and sizes, none the less.

A quick point about cranesbills, geraniums. They should not be confused with pelargoniums, often sold under the name of geraniums, that are completely different and not particularly beneficial for wildlife at all.

References:
Thomas, A. (2017) Gardening for Wildlife, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC.

Day 33: Water avens

The delicately nodding apricot flowers inside deep red sepals belong to the subtle and beautiful water avens, Geum rivale. The dainty flowers sit upon tall, red, hairy stems and above green, neatly lobed leaves. It took me a while to find this native variety in a garden centre, and I was caught out by what I assume must be more vigorous hybrids that were incorrectly labelled, but this one now lives happily in the margins of our pond.

This is the first of this year's flowers, and it looks like it will be a promising year for this lovely plant. It happily grows in a shady area of the garden, perhaps receiving just two to three hours sunlight each day. The flowers will be visited by bumblebees once they have learnt its whereabouts.

References:
Thomas, A. (2017) Gardening for Wildlife, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC.

Day 32: Red Mason Bee (female)

It has taken a little while for more of the red mason bees to emerge, we only had the three males that had emerged when I wrote my last blog about theses bees (here!) for a good while, but they are now very busy!

The first female we saw emerge from any of our nesting areas was on 11th April, and was promptly grasped by the male shown to the left. Seeing them together really makes their distinguishing features more obvious, especially the females much more robust looking head and jaws.

Of course, she needs these jaws to be able to grasp mud to line and seal her nest with. Most likely not the same female, but I did spot one taking wet mud from around the garden pond.

I have been watching just one female visiting the new bee nest boxes we put up this year and, today, she capped the end of the first nest! The bee shown below is a male investigating possible places a new female may emerge from.

I am hoping, now more males have emerged, more females soon will too, and we'll have many complete nesting chambers.

Day 31: Holly Blue Butterfly

Only my second recorded butterfly that has landed in the garden so far this year, this little holly blue caught my, it's pale wings catching the morning sun.

I'm not completely sure, but it appears to have it's proboscis extended. I had recently watered the garden, so could it be 'drinking'?

The holly blue is the earliest emerging blue butterfly, and is the most likely blue butterfly to be spotted in gardens. The caterpillars of this butterfly feed on holly in the spring, and ivy in the summer, although they may use other plants too. We don't have either of these species in the garden, but there is plenty nearby. We should soon have plenty of nectar-rich plants available for the adults, so hopefully we will see more as spring continues.

References:
https://butterfly-conservation.org/butterflies/holly-blue (accessed 22/04/2020)
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/butterflies/holly-blue (accessed 22/04/2020)

Day 30: Blue tit

Probably my favourite garden bird, these colourful characters have so much attitude. If I am in the garden, and 'in their way', the individuals we currently have visiting will happily sit and shout at me from the fence. The variation of calls they make is wide, with the very sweet, high pitched calls the pair make to each other, to the loud 'shouty' call we so often hear.

We have been trying to persuade them to nest in the garden since we put up the bird box, pictured below, three years ago, and we think we may have success this year. Originally, we had the box on an East facing wall. but as our garden is a bit of heat trap, we think it probably got too hot. We have since moved it to a North facing wall, but no success last year, and finally placed a large potted shrub in front of it. This final thing seems to have done the trick.

A pair, with a particularly brightly coloured and bold male, have been prospecting the nest box since early January, and, over the last week, the action has really built up. We have seen them taking in nesting material and they seem to have chosen the garden gate as a favoured place to repeatedly copulate.

Hopefully, they will stay and I will be able to report fledglings in the not too distant future.

Day 29: Feral pigeon

I have always associated feral pigeons with city centres and had assumed we were a little too far away from the city for them to be interested in our garden. However, what started as infrequent visits to the area, then eventually our garden, by one bird (the speckled one at the front), soon became two birds, then four, then five. It seemed this one had 'told' all of its 'friends' about the free food on offer. They can now regularly be seen queuing on the surrounding roofs either for us to put food out, or for us to go back inside so they can feed in peace. They have also now learnt how to balance on the hanging feeders.

Feral pigeons are derived from rock doves, the ancestor of all domestic pigeons. The wild rock dove is now only found on islands, the north and west coasts of Scotland and on Northern Ireland coasts. However, feral pigeons breed almost everywhere.

I wasn't sure how I felt about these visitors turning up originally, but have come to accept them as part of our garden wildlife, and think they are just as deserving of a free meal as all the other birds are.

References:
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/rock-dove/ (accessed 22/04/2020)

Day 28: Pied Wagtail

I don't really know why, but I am always a little more excited to see a pied wagtail in the garden than most of our other avian visitors. I am happy to see all of them, of course, but there is something about the character of a pied wagtail that I find particularly charming. Or, maybe it is because I've never experienced them visit a garden in other houses I've lived in.

They patrol the roofs of the neighbourhood, wagging their long tails and chirruping to, it would often seem, to no one in particular. They fly, undulating, down into the garden to hoover up ants and other insects, occasionally trying to chase down flying insects on foot rather than flying, or performing acrobatics to catch them in mid air.

Since we improved the pond, making it larger and easier for birds and mammals to access, a couple of weeks ago, we've definitely seen more of these sprightly little birds dashing around the garden. Yet another reason that everyone should provide some kind of water source for wildlife.

Day 27: Blackbird

The blackbird will always hold a special place in my heart as, when we first bought our house, before beginning our journey from a patch of grass with a clematis and two small bay trees to a small wildlife garden, we were woken after our first night here, by a blackbird singing from above our bedroom window. When I hear their melodious songs, whether morning or evening, on our roof or on the roof of a surrounding house, it always reminds me and makes me smile.

This particular female blackbird has begun taking regular baths, between 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm, each evening in the bird bath on our patio, sending showers of droplets everywhere. She flies to the fence, perches and preens, fanning out her tail feathers, drying off, before moving on. (Unfortunately, this photo had to be taken through the patio doors as I didn't want to disturb her.)

At this time of year, we usually get a couple of blackbirds regularly visiting the garden. This year, I think we have two different females (one seems more bossy than the other) and one male, but in winter we have had up to five in the garden at one time, feasting on the crab apples, sunflower hearts and 'fat cakes'. I can only assume some of these individuals must be winter migrants, escaping the colder climes back home in Scandinavia, as once spring arrives, the numbers visiting the garden always decrease.

Day 26: Common Carder Bee

Having more time at home has allowed me to notice (and hopefully correctly identify) one of our most common bumblebees, the common carder bee. She was very speedy, and I only managed to get these two photos that are nearly in focus. So far, this long-tongued bumblebee has visited the pulmonaria patch (above), the blueberry flowers (below), and has been the only bee that I've seen visiting the snake's-head fritillaries.

There were two things that brought her to my attention. It might sound strange, but I think I am beginning to recognise the different 'buzz' some of our different bee species make. The two female hairy-footed flower bees that are now regulars have a specific high pitched buzz, for example, and this bee sounded different to the regular visitors. The fiery ginger fuzz behind the head, at the top of the thorax, then allowed me to find her and watch her visit the flowers listed above. The abdomen appeared to be striped with cream and black hairs.

These bumblebees are on the wing between March and November, and make large nests, so I'll hopefully see more of them visiting between now and autumn.

References:

Falk, S. (2015) Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/bees-and-wasps/common-carder-bee (accessed 18/04/2020)
https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/ginger-yellow-bumblebees/common-carder-bee/ (18/04/2020)

Day 25: Armeria

A plant we inherited when we bought the house, this plant, also known as sea thrift, has grown quickly and has spread to form a green grass-like, almost spherical mat. In spring, it begins to form pink flower clusters supported by long, narrow stems. It requires very little attention, the most I ever need do with it is deadheading to prolong its flowering season.

In the wild, this plant is coastal and can be found along cliffs, salt marshes and other sandy areas. It is beginning to be found along road edges due to winter salting creating ideal conditions for its growth.

It sports the 'RHS Plants for Pollinators' logo, and I do occasionally see bumblebees visiting the flowers, but it certainly isn't a magnet for pollinators where we are, although it is also supposed to attract butterflies and moths. However, it is an easily managed, pretty and bright addition to the front garden and has filled a fair amount of space quickly.

References:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/1597/Armeria-maritima/Details (accessed 16/04/2020)
https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/plant-fungi-species/thrift (accessed 16/04/2020)
https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/armeria-maritima/ (accessed 16/04/2020)

Day 24: Bluebell

Not quite as impressive as a voluptuous sea of bluebells in an ancient woodland, their sweet and enchanting smell greeting you before your eyes meet the haze of blue, this single flowering bluebell on our patch is still a cause for the celebration of spring. I planted a few bulbs in autumn, a year and a half ago, and, as I've needed to relocate a few, I'm happy that any have flowered at all. I am considering buying a few more 'in the green' to compliment those that are beginning to show and create a more impressive display... or I might wait until autumn to buy some more bulbs.

If you are tempted to create your own swathe of bluebells this spring, take care to select the English bluebell, Hyacunthoides non-scripta, rather than the Spanish bluebell. Not only is our native bluebell more delicate, with only one side of the flower spike bearing flowers, causing the 'bells' to nod, and more fragrant (the Spanish bluebell has no scent), we also need to protect our local bluebell woods. The two species will readily hybridise, and the Spanish bluebell may dilute our native species and, ultimately, threaten their survival.

Whether you love bluebells for their own sake, because they create a beautiful display in woodlands, or for their greater wildlife benefit - they are attractive to a variety of pollinators - they make a gorgeous addition to any garden, especially if you're struggling for something to grow in a shady spot. Just make sure they are English bluebells, and that they come from a reputable supplier.

References:
https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/plant-fungi-species/bluebell (accessed 15/04/2020)

Day 23: Sparrowhawk

A garden first today! Summoned outside by my husband who spotted this glorious raptor by the pond, the cacophony of small birds alarm calling from the surrounding gardens should have caught the attention of all others. Clearly feeling somewhat miffed that he had been disturbed from his drink or bath, he sat and eyeballed us from the fence for a good while afterwards, whilst we tried to respect his distance in the confines of the garden.

We usually see these ambush predators pass by at full speed when in woodland, and I've never been able to appreciate the full colours and talons first hand before. Beautiful amber eyes, matching the colour of his feet almost perfectly, long and penetrating dark talons - a pigeon's nightmare, mottled russet-orange breast and smokey grey uppers, and that hooked beak...

The usually comfortable and trusting garden birds are now being much louder and more vigilant, and I can't blame them... now he's found us, will he be back?

Day 22: Collared doves

A day late with this post!

The subtly scalloped edges of the collared dove's wing and tail feathers are rather beautiful. These birds are much more delicate than the wood pigeon and are markedly smaller in size, especially when seen side-by-side. I also find it endearing that we rarely see an individual collared dove, rather we see them visiting the garden in pairs. These two even seem to have figured out that it is easier to balance (using the 'Principle of Moments', if I have my physics teacher hat on) and take seed from the hanging feeders when one sits each side.

Although not native to the UK, originating from Turkey, these birds have become naturalised and widespread here, and their monotonous song of 'united, united' can be heard everywhere, including, mistakenly, in the opening credits of many period dramas. Breeding for the first time in Britain in Norfolk in 1955, the collared dove spread naturally and was not introduced by humans.

References:
https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/birds/facts-about-collared-dove/ (accessed 14/04/2020)

Day 21: Chaffinch (Male)

Unlike some of our garden birds, the chaffinch doesn't stay with us year long. A male usually announces himself in spring with his 'telling off' piping call, then disappears again in late summer / early autumn. This one arrived in the garden early last week and has popped back most days. He hasn't yet discovered the hanging feeders, but has gained enough confidence to try the ground feeding table, filling up on sunflower hearts.

I am, however, a little concerned about his feet and legs, and am wondering whether he has 'scaly foot'. Having done a little research online, it seems this is caused by mites and is highly contagious. Other than keeping the feeders clean to try to prevent it spreading to other birds, I'm not sure if there's anything else I can, or should, do for this individual.

Day 20: Hedgehog

Last spring, we made a 'hedgehog highway' into our enclosed garden - just a 13 cm square hole in the
fence leading to our driveway. We hadn't seen any hedgehogs, but we do have a park nearby, so thought it was possible they might be around. I hand't convinced everyone it was a worthwhile enterprise though...

After a few weeks, I noticed some droppings in the garden which looked like those from a hedgehog - dark, with shiny black bits, the wing cases of beetles, one of the hedgehogs' main foods. So, I bought a small bowl and some hedgehog food.

To our surprise, that same evening, I looked out of the doors, just to see if anything was there, a hedgehog was sat at the bowl, happily crunching away at the hedgehog food! I could scarcely believe my eyes. They began to visit like clockwork - always arriving at the food bowl at 10:10 pm every evening. When I didn't see them, I worried something had happened to them, but they always came back.

As they had been visiting so regularly, we decided it was time to buy a hedgehog house, just in case they liked our garden enough to stay there. I'm fairly sure one hibernated in the house during the winter. We put straw in the box, but when I had a sneaky check (only once and only because I had to move it so the fence could be fixed), it was so packed with leaves and other bedding material, it was pressing against the roof!

I've been putting out food for them this year since mid-March, but it's only been the last week or two that I've seen any evidence of our hungry hedgehogs, so I borrowed a trail-cam from work to see if I could catch them - and to see if it was these little animals that keep knocking the food bowl down the steps. It would seem they are!

It is so lovely to have these lovely mammals visiting our garden, and that we can provide them with food and nesting space, as they are really struggling to hold on at the moment - over the last ten years, more than half of rural hedgehogs have been lost and third have been lost in towns and cities. There is, however, lots we can do to help them in our gardens - I've written about just a few here, but you can find out lots more at Hedgehog Street: https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/help-hedgehogs/.

If you want to feed hedgehogs, remember, never ever give them bread and milk! Feed them with specialist hedgehog food or cat or dog food. I use 'Brambles', but there are lots of others available.

Also, never use slug pellets! In fact, since the hedgehogs have arrived in our garden, we have hardly any problems with slugs and snails.

It is getting to the nesting season, so fingers crossed for baby hedgehogs this year...

Day 19: Buff-tailed bumblebee

The deep buzz of a queen buff-tailed bumblebee gives me goose pimples in spring, especially if they do a low fly-by when you are least expecting it. As the crab apple Evereste has sprung into life even more, there have been more and more visits by these common and endearing bumblebees.

These bumblebees have visited the garden in every month of the year, including all the way through the winter, when they forage on the winter honeysuckle. Nesting takes place in old rodent holes, usually below ground, and there can be up to three generations produced each year, with those of the third generation likely being those I've spotted during the winter.

Not being too fussy about the flowers they visit, buff-tailed bumblebees are commonly seen in gardens. They only have short tongues, so prefer open flowers like daisies and apple blossoms, as above, but can bite holes in the bases of deeper flowers to 'rob' nectar without pollinating them.

References:
Falk, S. (2015) Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/bees-and-wasps/buff-tailed-bumblebee (accessed 10/04/2020)

Day 18: Red Mason Bee (Male)

The red mason bees are emerging!

Despite the various bee boxes we've put up around the garden, there are always some that prefer to nest in the weep holes above the patio doors. When we first moved in, the previous owners had stuffed them with kitchen towel, presumably to stop the bees getting in, but it certainly hadn't stopped them. Now we just let them get on with it. We have installed bee boxes next to the doors, in the hope they will find these preferable, but we will have to wait and see. Over the past few days, a few males have begun to emerge, but no females have made it out as yet.

The males emerge before the females and have much longer antennae. When the females have mated, they find a nesting cavity in which she will build a series of cells. In each cell, she lays an egg, leaves a food parcel of pollen and regurgitated nectar, then seals it with mud. She then repeats this until the cavity is full, with females developing at the back and males at the front. Females develop from fertilised eggs, whereas males develop from unfertilised eggs.

The red mason bee is an important pollinator and, if the right sort of bee boxes are purchased and managed, it is possible to greatly increase their numbers locally. There's lots of good advice here: https://nurturing-nature.co.uk/

Once the females emerge and start (hopefully) nesting in the bee boxes, I will write another entry on their progress. Fingers crossed for lots of bees!

References:
Falk, S. (2015) Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/bees-and-wasps/red-mason-bee (accessed 09/04/2020)

https://nurturing-nature.co.uk/solitary-bees-2/red-mason-bee-osmia-rufa-life-cycle-part-1/ (accessed 09/04/2020)

Day 17: Anemone coronaria 'Harmony Pearl'

I must admit, this particular plant was an impulse buy earlier in spring, when I was desperate for there to be a little more colour in the garden. I was seduced by the beautifully purple centres, emanating outwards towards white petal edges. Even the anthers appear blue-purple, held above short and spindly lilac filaments. All of this majesty held above delicate lace-like, low growing foliage.

The 'Plant for Wildlife' logo on the plant label was also attractive, and the label states it is attractive to bees, but I have yet to see any visit the flowers. This is one of four anemone species I have introduced to the garden, and is the only one flowering at the moment. It should flower all the way through from March until August, overlapping with the flowering period of all of the others, hopefully creating a lovely display.

References:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/108378/Anemone-coronaria/Details accessed 08/04/2020
https://www.bransfordwebbs.co.uk/plant-profile/plant-profilecopy-8/ accessed 08/04/2020

Day 16: Crab Apple 'Evereste'

These pale pink-white blossoms are adorning the newly-leaved branches of my favourite of the two varieties of crab apple we have in the garden. Flowering earlier than the 'John Downie' variety, and fruiting later, preferred by pollinators in spring and by blackbirds in autumn, the Evereste crab apple really is a lovely small tree. We are not allowed to plant trees in our gardens here, so we have two large pots for our crab apple trees, and both seem to be coping well so far. I use the remaining space around the trunk to plant up with small perennials like campanula, squeezing in as many plants as possible.

Not only are the flowers good for pollinators, if you're very lucky, bullfinches may also be enticed by the buds and the winter thrushes, redwings and fieldfares, may be attracted to the apples. The leaves also provide food for many moth caterpillars.

References:
Thomas, A. (2017) Gardening for Wildlife, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC.

Day 15: Wood pigeon

I feel the wood pigeon is often overlooked as being a common and clumsy bird. It is true that they often seem greedy, and will hoover up what food they can in as short time as possible from the bird feeders, filling their crops. They are the largest of the pigeon and dove family to visit our garden, indeed the largest and most common of this family that breeds in the UK.

However, I think of the wood pigeon as being rather beautiful in its own way. The light wasn't particularly good when I took the photograph above, but in the sunlight, their throats shine with an iridescent green and purple above the white collar. They are an entertaining, sometimes clown-like, bird to watch as the males try to woo the often disinterested females on surrounding house roofs.

Their loud clapping flight when spooked and their lazy-sounding call (supposed to sound like 'my-toe-is-bleeding) are familiar and easy to identify and I would miss these sounds if they were to disappear. Surely, we should appreciate all wildlife, no matter how common, if we wish to conserve it?

References:
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/woodpigeon/ accessed 06/04/2020

Day 14: Marsh Marigold

These sun-yellow flowers are my favourite plant in our tiny pond. No matter what the winter has been like, or whether it gets little sun, this plant always performs well, and it is always reassuring when these glorious, golden flowers open up in spring, inviting pollinators to visit out little patch.

The marsh marigold is a native, deciduous perennial and its bright flowers are visited by many different insects. The flowers, apparently, resemble goblets, giving them an alternative name of 'kingcup'. It is thought to have been growing in the UK since before the last ice age and currently has a stable population.

If you are thinking about digging a pond (a must for any garden!), I would strongly encourage including this plant in the margins. It spreads, but only to a manageable size, is reliable and requires little looking after; even so, it will reward you with beautiful flowers in spring.

References:
Thomas, A. (2017) Gardening for Wildlife, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC.
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/wildflowers/marsh-marigold accessed 05/04/2020
https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/plant-fungi-species/marsh-marigold accessed 05/04/2020

Day 13: Large bee-fly

First bee-fly of the year! I have absolutely no idea why I get so excited to see these furry bee-mimics, but they are an insect I always long to see in spring.

Today, we were busy in the garden, planting new wildflower plants that I bought as plugs a few months ago, and beginning to prepare the ground for pond improvements, when I heard a whining buzz above me and then, there it was, happily nectaring on the remaining primrose flowers.

This is, I believe, a dark-edged (or large) bee-fly, with the dark wing edges more obvious in the photo to the left. However, in my opinion, the most impressive feature of the bee-fly is more obvious in the photo above - the ridiculously long proboscis they use to probe flowers like primroses and violets for nectar. Don't be alarmed by this feature of the bee-fly - they are harmless.

Bee-flies are not bees, but they do parasitise the larvae of bees. This particular species targets mining bees by hovering close to their nesting area and flicking eggs to land near the nest entrance. The bee-fly larva will then eat the bee larva.

As much as I also love bees, it is fascinating to learn about the complex and intertwined life cycles of species which interact with each other, and is yet another reason we need to improve our gardens for a myriad of species, rather than focusing on just a few.

References:
Chinery, M. (2005) Collins Complete Guide to British Insects. HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
Falk, S. (2015) Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/flies/dark-edged-bee-fly accessed 04/04/20

Day 12: Early mining bee

Surely I can't be alone in thinking that this solitary bee is incredibly cute? This male had been returning to a favoured spot on some fresh winter honeysuckle leaves for a few days, but had been too fast for me to photograph. I must have caught him here when it was a little cooler as he didn't budge when I approached with my camera this time.

There are so many solitary bee species to learn, I had to put this one out on Twitter for help, and, luckily, Steven Falk, author of the Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland, replied with a species suggestion. This is Andrena haemorrhoa, or the early mining bee. The males and females are quite distinctive, with the males being smaller and duller in colour than the females. As this one shows, they have buff coloured hairs on the head and sides of the thorax. It was this, and the long antennae protruding from that fluff that caught my eye.

These bees have a long flight season, from March to June, and are widespread, so I hope I will encounter more of them in our little patch. Maybe, if some females turn up, they may even nest here.  

References:
Falk, S. (2015) Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
https://www.bwars.com/bee/andrenidae/andrena-haemorrhoa accessed 03/04/2020

Day 11: Hairy-footed flower bee

I was so excited to find this gorgeous female hairy-footed flower bee in the garden this morning! After a bit of chasing from one patch of pulmonaria to another, I managed to get a few shots of her before she buzzed away again. I definitely need to practice capturing bees in flight.

This is the first record of a hairy-footed flower bee I have for our garden, so I had to confirm she really was one (thank you Kate Bradbury for replying on Twitter!).

Female hairy-footed flower bees are completely black, but have striking amber bristles on their back legs. This is what caught my eye when I first spotted her. She moved so quickly, she was hard to keep track of, but in her few moments of stillness, I was transfixed, watching her extend and retract her very long proboscis when nearing and leaving flowers.

These bees may resemble bumblebees, but are in fact one of the many solitary bee species we have in the UK. Hairy-footed flower bees are one of the first of this group to emerge in spring, and will be busy pollinating plants like pulmonaria (pictured), primroses, red dead-nettle and comfrey. Definitely something to keep an eye out for in the garden and a reason to leave that patch of dead-nettles in the lawn alone.

References:
https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/hairy-footed-flower-bee-anthophora-plumipes/ accessed 02/04/2020
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/bees-and-wasps/hairy-footed-flower-bee accessed 02/04/2020