A Visitor Returns...
Somehow, I've lost a photo that I had posted but these will do.Last year for the first time in all the time I have lived here(Decades)we started seeing a few young squirrels around the garden. They were no trouble to speak of and added some enjoyment to the other frequent wildlife that had started to appear such as a variety of birds and even some toads and frogs.
From a previous post you'll know I had created a kind of nature garden which was neat and tidy but had enough features to please animals and they felt safe.
But you'll have read the great changes some new neighbours have managed to cause which has resulted in a very open area and though I hope some of the area will be returned to the way its been for probably 40 years or more, it will take so long to grow again, I probably won't see the results. Climate change is happening and though I do not agree with all we are being told as to the causes(that's for another time)this need to rip out green stuff and alter the environment must have some effect. The previous neighbours had a lawn to sit on and enjoy the sunshine in the Summer, trees, shrubs and flowers to lok on but now most of that has gone. And that's why it was a surprise to see this in my garden last week. It must be best part of 6-8 months.
One evening a squirrel who had lost part of its tail but was still quite agile had started to trust me and almost come to the point of taking peanuts from my hand. It and the rest disappeared after that. I'll never know if they were harmed, took up residence elsewhere or moved back into the countryside.However, lots of changes had been happening and I just think it was too much.
These changes mean the wildlife have less protection to hide in. And yet, the other day a Robin still visited which as experts have said Climate Change may see Robins not visiting the UK is encouraging as by now I would've thought it may've migrated by now. Then again, I can remember seeing many Robins in Bournemouth in Summer years ago so unless it gets extremely hot, this seems to suggest they are happy with a reasonably warm climate.
I said that I would attempt to plant more shrubs and I hope this may be the year but they'll take time to grow and as a fence erected by the neighbours was not strong enough and then was damaged in winds I cannot really do all that I want as there is a promise that its going to be taken down and rebuilt from scratch and that will get in amongst the flowers and shrubs already planted so I better wait.
But this was good to see and gives me hope for the future.
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 3:21 am
4 Comments:
Even a little bit of unusual wildlife makes a garden much more interesting, doesn't it? When I was a small boy we used to get robins in the garden and they fascinated me.
Lovely to see that the squirrels have returned to you, Gildy. I have two robins who sit and watch me when I'm gardening. They are lovely birds and must be nesting nearby. The blackbirds are nesting at the bottom of the garden this year which is far more sensible than the spot they chose last year. Lovely time of the year isn't it?
Although we do not have squirrels (they wouldn't get a minutes peace) we do have a couple of hedgehogs that live under the shed and this year we have plenty of ladybirds already. We also have a resident pair of blackbirds and our robin. We also have our property surrounded by hedge (no fences for me) although a pain to cut I wouldn't have it any other way although one of my neighbours has tried to change my mind.
I even have a wild flower patch to attract the bees and other insects.
I really have much catching up to do. Hi Les, yes it does add something to the garden. I still think that we are short on what visits since all the changes.
And Mags, I have to say it is a lovely time of the year and for anyone like a weather forecaster, it must send out mixed messages because we'll be told its unusual but the British climate has always been different and that's why we have such a beautiful country, I love it.
And Hi Lorraine, I think if I'd have had my way we would have had shrubs and hedges around the garden too and my other visitors here know and I guess you've read some of it too the changes have come about because of neighbours. The area had been the same for decades and one side of our garden was a natural break but by the time they built their fences and removed that break because it was on their side of the boundery, it was lost to us as well but I believe it was stronger in strong winds than any fence they have built since. And of course they took some of the hedge on their side away at the front of the house so it is mainly concrete now.
Low maintenance I guess but is it really any easier. If you keep on top of your work in a garden, I'm not sure it takes any more effort to look after.
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