The Birds And Wildlife That Share Our Living Space...

I feel good! In that I fortunately have a little bit of a garden. I would hate to think that one day for some reason I find myself in a house without one. What do I do in my garden? Very little...In fact I never been really one who sits in the garden for hours in chair with patio furniture. I probably prefer looking at my garden from the house.

I prefer keeping it simple by having a basic lawn(which if I am honest)I do need to kill some of the weeds growing amongst the grass but you only notice them, if the grass is allowed to grow or you get really close to the lawn and inspect. There are a few trees and shrubs around the perimeter and recently a few tubs with flowers. I have taken to putting bulbs in the border that runs down one side as that means colour and various plants appearing at various times of the year, every year.

Generally, I have kept the design(perhaps by accident)more like a nature garden that a bird or other animals will feel safe or protected when they visit.

I don't mind if there is a dark corner. The birds hide in the trees or in or under the shrubs.

The other reason for me not using the garden much is because I want them to see the garden as theirs. Though if they do see me around they do get used to me and realise that they have nothing to fear and its me who feeds them and gives them access to water.

I would not say that I feed them any more than any one else but whilst I am able to afford to, I do make certain that what they are fed is the best from various grains of seed or nuts, fruit or oats...whatever.

If I have not managed to eat all my own food(especially things such as blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, apples, pears, grapes etc...)they'll get it.

I am sensible enough to put out only what is the right amount for the amount of birds/animals visiting so nothing remains that could cause problems with rats or whatever. And if I saw a dramatic increase in what visits the garden or a problem I am also sensible enough to stop feeding or reduce what is put out. And then wait a few weeks before commencing again.

I am fortunate to get at the right time of the year blue tits, green finches, chaffinches, collared doves, sparrows, blackbirds, magpies, robins, coal tits, gold finches and the like. But each year is different and one year I'll see more of one than another. That also is true of starlings and wood pigeons. Those I do not encourage as much but if its an odd wood pigeon or an odd visit from starlings as they only visit at certain times and work their way around the different gardens(whether I feed or not)what I do will not cause an increase in their numbers.

Besides wood pigeons and starlings can eat so much I could not afford to continue to feed any bird.

I mainly feed from feeders hanging on trees or a washing line. But occasionally, will put a little food on a garden path because to be fair some birds are not built to sit or hang on a feeder like some of smaller birds. And so they are going to miss out.

The pleasure(as stated in an earlier post)was knocked out of this simple task because new neighbours felt it necessary to complain to the authorities resulting in a visit, even though my family has been doing this for over 40 years at the same address and that practically every other neighbour also feeds our feathered friends. With so many television programmes making a case for the environment and the wildlife that we share our lives with it seems crazy that we were singled out.

I notice looking at the official website of the local authority that their advice for feeding of birds flies(sorry about the pun)in the face of what most bird experts or organisations that look after birds would suggest. It says that there is no need to feed birds during the summer months. And the only time that they seem to suggest that its ok is in Winter. So I think that the official advice is not the most accurate of information. In fact it is not very detailed.

Well, I would say Winter is a must. I would also include Spring when the young are being raised as they need food as do the exhausted parents. I have also discovered that early Summer is still popular and again some birds have more than one brood. And late Summer into Autumn, it gets busy again.

But again every year is different. If there is a period where feeding drops off I would say between August and early September. And birds have been fewer since the visit from the council which again makes it even more sillier that someone was asked to come and see me. And many birds travel abroad so the busiest time for native birds is October to June.

No one, not even the official that called seemed to take into account that this area's character is that the gardens and neighbours around here have mainly stuck to a plan of having lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers and the feeding of birds.

Whereas(and in time perhaps they will replace some items)but since moving in the neighbours have taken out every tree, shrub, bush. The lawn has practically disappeared(and I think as a rough guide)there is only about a third of the lawn remaining. I know its your own personal choice what you do and how you want your house but a fancy patio has been built that resembles something like a town square(that takes approx a third) In the next few weeks a conservatory is to be built but the gardens are too small and not really suited to such buildings being added and that will take the other third. The front garden has been changed because they took out a long established hedge and erected a wall with columns that surrounds two sides and so little birds like sparrows have lost some habitat and more have moved into the hedge that we have allowed to remain.

The conservatory will be taller and near the panel fence so we will see it from our garden and possible it will be a little darker in our garden because of it. The patio was built higher so if they sit on their patio furniture they are looking into our garden because they can see over the fence and this also means that they may have a view into our kitchen and dining room(as wherever we move, we can see them)

Since they've changed the design of their garden, by making it so open I have noticed more larger birds visiting the area as a whole because trees and shrubs or obstacles which put off large birds, as its harder for them to land and take off or fly around a garden have been removed. I have seen crows and wood pigeons land in their garden or sit on their fence so if a little bit of bird poo was a problem, they may well find that it is more of a problem in the future and the neighbours or myself cannot be blamed. This time I really would put up more of a fight or talk to other neighbours about the situation or seek legal advice. It may never happen again.

They do not seem to realise also that by taking out all the trees and shrubs etc...any birds that once were living in their garden had to look for new homes and so spread out to the surrounding gardens and probably over populated the other gardens. To keep the peace we also allowed the neighbours to shape a tree in our garden that was not over their side as such but near the fence but by the time they finished, it was such a mess, it was removed and to prove the point around teatime, birds that had flown away earlier in the day returned to find their home was no longer there and it really was a sight to see them looking for somewhere else to spend the night or confused by the loss of habitat. As a peace offering they have replaced the tree(with probably a better one)but it will take that long to become established I suspect that I will be quite old to see the results and assuming I am still living in this property.

So now, through all these changes(not of our doing)I am going to have to see about planting some shrubs and/or climbers to give colour, height and privacy(which again will not grow over night)and I want to have them at least 6 to 8 inches above the height of the fence. I also hope to plant some varieties that will offer berries that birds will enjoy during the late summer/winter.

My bedroom view has been spoilt and I cannot do much about that but at least at ground level our garden will look something like it used to and has for over 50 years. It is annoying when none of this was of our doing. Our garden being more open is not being used as much as before so I do hope I can reverse this situation and enjoy my hobby again.

One great piece of news is that the last few days some robins have returned so perhaps things are looking up again.

I am more concerned about the pigeons living streets away in the shopping precinct from a health point of view, at least a little bit of bird droppings can be lost in grass or soil especially when it rains more of a problem I would think now most of their garden has been built on. And I'm not having a go but they own a large dog and it always leaving deposits around the place which to me is more of a health problem.

And so this last year has been quite stressful, not only because of all the above but the alterations over this time has caused lots of noise. The other week it was so bad I was on the other side of our house from their's in the kitchen and holding the kitchen draining board I could feel the vibration. But we are the neighbours you'd love to have...helpful and friendly, never interfere or complain or trouble anyone. Maybe I should start but its not my nature...I disappear into the background and am at my most outspoken on my blog or some of the meesageboards that I visit.

For all the above I am prepared that in the end all will work out ok and because I dislike problems, I have given in on all that has happened to date but now I do not think that there is anything else that could affect me.

This was taken before any alterations were made and the natural break on the left was still ok.

Just to give you an idea of what my garden is like this picture was taken just after alterations had started and what was a natural break had been thinned so much because a fence was to be built and what had been left of the break was no longer any use.

And this is how the natural break now looks, replaced with a fence and our tree of over 40 years removed and the new replacement in place before we get a chance to add any shrubs and more flowers so there is a bit of work ahead.

To be fair I have no real problem with the fence replacing the original natural break but its just that its all extra un-necessary work.