It seems quiet in my garden at the moment. Ok, the birds are still coming to the feeders, but there’s not much else going on. There’s a lull. It seems that my garden wildlife is waiting for winter to slip quietly away.
Does that sound like your garden? Well, let me introduce to what’s really going on...
Broody birds
Some of your garden birds are about to start nesting – even in February! Blackbirds, song thrushes and robins are well known to nest early and on the sunnier days recently, I’ve heard all three of them singing as the males issue their battle cries to rivals, and attempt to attract females. Yes – the garden bird breeding season is about to begin!
Sleepy butterflies
What of the bugs? There can’t be many of these around now, surely? Well, if you have a shed, outhouse or garage, these could be a warm winter home for a butterfly.
Species like peacocks, commas and brimstones hibernate as adults and survive our cold winters. Plus with warmer winters, red admirals are making it through too.
When there’s enough heat in the sun to warm the fragile, and often tattered wings of these hardy souls, you may find them floating around your garden. Seven species have already been recorded this year, according to our friends at Butterfly Conservation.
But it’s not just the adults. Brown and purple hairstreaks, for example, lay their eggs, resembling small sea urchins, during the autumn and leave these to develop and survive the winter. Other species wait out the winter as caterpillars and even chrysalises, before spreading their wings in spring.
Hibernating hedgehogs
Do you have a compost heap or log pile? Snug, warm and dry, these are the perfect winter des-res for a multitude of species, from hedgehogs and grass snakes to frogs and newts.
We all know about checking under the bonfire for hedgehogs, and with warmer weather these spiky slug-munchers maybe rustling around your garden.
Napping newts
Newts, having climbed out of the pond are looking for somewhere warm, cosy and frost-free – so a compost heap is perfect! It’s around now that they’ll be on the move back to their breeding ponds – staking their claims to the prime spots. So look out for them on dark nights after rain. It’s a similar story for our frogs.
As for our dragonflies, well their nymphs could be hiding away at the bottom of your pond – even if it’s covered with ice. Under the water it’s a battleground and they’ll voraciously devour any other pond life attempting to survive the winter.
Dozing daffodils
The plants are waking up too: there are snowdrops in full flower here at The Lodge. Their droopy, snow white flowers add a small splash of colour to a winter’s day. They’re followed closely by more colourful flowers though, as daffodils burst into flower: screaming that spring is here! Right now they’re peeking their green shoots above the soil – just waiting for the sun.
And finally...
So, you see, whilst your garden may seem quiet at the moment, it’s really just waiting to burst into life. I think of it as our wildlife is just resting up, taking a deep breath before exclaiming ‘Let’s get on with it shall we?’
Do you have broody birds, hibernating hedgehogs or dozing daffodils in your garden? Let me know by leaving a comment below.
For more on our science, check out the RSPB Centre for Conservation Science web pages.
I was delighted to see two Grey Wagtails at the bottom of my garden last week (I had to look them up to find what they were) but it was lovely to see the flash of yellow as they flew away. I hope I see them again. So far I have seen many sparrows, a couple of starlings, two great tits, a few bluetits, a dunnock, three collared doves and two woodpidgeons all collecting round the feeders. A robin appears occasionaly but not often enough. I retired last September so I am looking forward to some Summer this year. I live in Grays, Essex.
My feeders have been very active here in West Berkshire - greenfinches, siskins, coal tit, long-tailed tits, goldfinches (though they've turned their beaks up at the latest batch of nyjer seed!), starlings demolishing the fatballs, house sparrows, chaffinches and the usual suspects - robins, blackbirds etc. Above us we have red kites and the odd buzzard.
Stoat! pattered across the patio, nosed in behind the mini-greenhouse and headed off. I'd never seen one before in suburbia and had no idea any were around. Are they more common in built up areas than I had thought?
High Derbyshire here!, Of the original 20 starlings from 3 broods last year we have a resident 7 pairs, still eating me out of food. There are three pairs of blackbirds - we suspect 1 original pair and youngsters from the way the other 4 get bossed around. Our pair of goldfinch disappeared at the start of the first snow in December. Hope they are alright we are a bit expesed here though we have a high leylandi hedge. Haven't accidently unearthed the frog this year so no idea if he/she is back. Other than the odd wren, housesparrows (in varying numbers) and a pair of dunnocks, a pair of Collared Doves and the wood pigeon our regular visitors are sparse this year. A ginger cat has taken up residence under the hedge during the day but the birds appear to realise he is fast asleep 90% of the time and ignore him My Garden is part of an open plan long bank above the clothes drying area out back so there are not many bushes besides the leylandi hedge; the "washing terrace" is actually 6' below the bank and that is where I have a couple of mini ponds so I get the old frog but no spawn! We still have the odd corner of snow around.
Snowdrops fully open here and birds lively. Many sparrows, dunnocks, blackbirds, collard doves and a pigeon. Now the fog has come down!
Gill