LATE AUTUMN BLOG 2019
Having been away in sunny florida for a few weeks it was a bit of a shock to the system to return to the chilly UK.
When we arrived home we noticed that the leaves had fallen from the trees in the park at the back of our house and had settled in our garden completely covering the lawn.
Strangely, there was one advantage to this - we observed a hedgehog busily collecting the leaves from the grass, scurrying back and forth into the flower border and tucking his hoard into a nest behind the bottom of a Pyracanthas. It was a joy to discover we have a new - and special - resident! Fortunately, the nest was completed before the frosty nights arrived.
Naturally, due to the colder weather, there has been a lot of activity around the bird feeders. This has attracted the attention of the Sparrowhawks (not that they are ever very far from our garden!). They continue to zoom into the plum tree after their prey but usually end up just scattering the birds. The ‘catch’ success rate is not very high - even though they can navigate through the branches at an alarming rate to pursue their prey.
We will make sure the bird feeders, bird bath and water dishes on the ground are kept topped up - garden wildlife needs all the help they can get through the winter months!
