Well, with all the work I have been doing this week in my North Kent garden now that I can't get to our lovely reserve it has not been surprising that I have encountered an amazing amount of wildlife whilst toiling in the sunshine!
My bird list is still rather paltry with just 29 seen and heard but it has included daily Sparrowhawks, Buzzards and Mediterranean Gulls which arrive this time of year to breed on some of the RSPB managed islands in the Medway not far from where I live..
Med Gulls (AT)
Goldcrests are busy singing between the firs with two males giving it large and Mistle Thrushes make for mournful songsters at the start and end of the day.
I even had a small party of Siskins head through (only my second in 20 years) but am desperately awaiting my first ever Red Kite that all my friends now seem to get over their gardens with some regularity.
I made a little video the other day to take you on a tour of my patch with a few ideas of things you can do...
Down at ground level I have found several Common Frogs during my work as well as five nice Smooth Newts whilst moving stuff around. Not seen any Slow Worms as yet but I know they are there.
Common Frog
Honey Bees, Buff-tailed and Red-tailed Bumblebees have been visiting the Mahonia, Kerria, Primroses, Crab Apple and Willows and there have been several hoverfly species around the pond and investigating my Hoverquariums.
Primrose
Honey Bee
Mahonia
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (LR)
I discovered a single Hazelnut chewed by either a Wood Mouse or Yellow-necked Mouse but as I have only seen the former in my garden I will assume it was a Woody! The toothmarks around the outside of the chewed rim identify the culprit as few marks are left on the outside by Bank Voles!
Gnawed - bit like my finger nails looking at this shot!
I then moved some decking planks and discovered at least one winter’s worth of nut stash!
The Stash
Within the detritus I found two chrysalises which I think are a butterfly but I am not sure which one and stuck to an old gate a woven silken cocoon which I think belongs to a developing moth. I left the latter where it was and moved the former into some leaf litter.
Chrysalis #1
Chrysalis #2
Brimstone and Peacock have been visiting and there are now a few dancing flies higher up in my trees so despite the troublesome spot that we find ourselves in at the moment, Spring is still doing its best to move along.
Brimstone on new Nettles
Howard Vaughan, Information Officer