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Post by WildlifePaul on May 15, 2019 20:26:23 GMT
Gorgeous pictures Matt, Looks like you've made your garden a little wildlife heaven! I'd love to see more pictures of your full garden, Maybe do a little thread on the garden visitors part?
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Post by matt on May 15, 2019 20:28:01 GMT
I was going to do it Paul, but I wanted to wait until the new wildflower patch was in bloom and the pond edges had grown in a bit more. Might do it anyway and post some progress pics as it changes. Definitely a huge change from when we moved in two years ago and had a totally blank canvas (all lawn, not a single other plant).
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Post by matt on May 15, 2019 20:32:33 GMT
This is how the "wildlife" part looks now. There was nothing here before. Along the fence is a mixed native "bird friendly" hedge that went in about 18 months ago as nothing more than 12" bare sticks - amazing how this has grown. A few fruit trees and then the pond went in last winter and the scruffy grass looking bit around pond/path is the new wildflower/meadow grass which is starting to grow in. Hopefully pond will merge in with a bit more growing and you won't see the edges. We have semi-resident frogs in there now, and an almost constant stream of avian visitors - and all in perfect position for me to look at from my office behind, where I work during the day:
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Post by sammi on May 15, 2019 20:35:09 GMT
Hi Matt, I love the pics of the garden. Even if they didn't choose your box this year you have certainly made a beautiful garden for them. Wow just seen the latest pic. That is your office Who wouldn't want to work there Beautiful
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Post by suep on May 15, 2019 20:38:37 GMT
Lovely photos Matt, the birds are obviously enjoying the pond. Looks brilliant. Sue After posting this I saw the new pic of the garden and ‘office’, absolutely fantastic. Well done Matt.
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Post by WildlifePaul on May 15, 2019 20:42:13 GMT
Lovely garden Matt, How could a blue tit not want to nest in your garden???! need a word with themselves haha
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Post by matt on May 15, 2019 20:48:26 GMT
Thanks guys. The only problem now is that I spend more time watching the birds than working.. Might as well put a few more that I have taken over the last couple of days. Hoping to get better shots of all of them, and a few more species. I counted 9 birds in the pond at one time last week - starlings, pigeons and sparrows. The pond is really just a glorified birdbath but they do seem to love it! I do have slight concern that the local sparrowhawk will clock it one day, but no sign yet since the pond went in.
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Post by matt on May 15, 2019 20:49:22 GMT
Lovely garden Matt, How could a blue tit not want to nest in your garden???! need a word with themselves haha I honestly think all the bird friendly additions will make a difference for next year Paul. Fingers crossed!
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Post by YorksherLass on May 16, 2019 10:16:30 GMT
Your photos & description of your garden Matt, in a word - WOW!!
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Post by WildlifePaul on May 16, 2019 11:36:48 GMT
Them latest pictures are STUNNING!!!
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Post by elle on May 16, 2019 15:24:05 GMT
Brilliant pictures Matt, beautiful garden, I’m very envious of a few gardens some people have on here, your very lucky Elle xx
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Post by Amanda on May 17, 2019 19:30:43 GMT
Love your garden Matt, so do the birds!....fab photos. Say ‘hello’ to West Sussex, I used to live in Haywards Heath
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Post by Deleted on May 18, 2019 15:32:43 GMT
More great pictures Matt
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Post by elle on May 19, 2019 19:15:16 GMT
Matt, just going back to the nestbox picture of your visitor peeping in, I think it looks like a sparrow!! Maybe a sparrow for next year beautiful garden Matt Like the summer house as well Elle xx
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Post by matt on Jun 1, 2019 8:34:25 GMT
Funnily enough I've just found another hole in our wall on the other side of our house, and this one has a starling nest in it! So, two locations to try for boxes next year (sparrow and starling).
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Post by suep on Jun 1, 2019 8:42:22 GMT
So hope you do get a nest or two or three next year Matt, as you really deserve it. Any bird would be mad not to take advantage of such a bird friendly garden. Amazing. Sue
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jun 1, 2019 11:24:59 GMT
That is great Matt! Hopefully it bonds well for next year with some new boxes, Since you make your own make sure the starling hole is 45MM and make it double the size of your tit boxes in height. You can make it 50mm if you wish, I have seen a few with 50mm holes but 45mm is all that is required! They like plenty of space between the base and entrance hole apparently. Really looking forward to seeing all the changes you've made over autumn / winter for spring. icon_biggrin
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Post by YorksherLass on Jun 1, 2019 15:58:45 GMT
As the others have said Matt - good for next year, as you've had such a lot of bad luck this year & your garden is absolutely gorgeous - birds will be mad not to build nests next year!
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Post by karenupnorth on Jul 10, 2019 7:32:07 GMT
Hi Matt, hows things, just thought I would see how your plans for next year are coming along.
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Post by matt on Jul 10, 2019 10:52:19 GMT
Hi Karen, Not been on here much I must admit with so much other stuff going on, but you are right - it is time to start thinking about next season! I still have a sparrow in the house wall but I think the starlings have left the other wall hole so the plan is to fix both of those holes, paint the house (I did say "plan"!) and then put two boxes in the same positions as those holes with fingers crossed they will return and just accept their new homes. Other than that, I will make a couple of sideview boxes and replace a couple of my normal boxes with them. Also thinking of trying a bit of a fancy upgrade to one box with a dual camera setup, with a camera pointing down from the roof towards the outside of the hole. This could be pretty cool when (if!!) the chicks start appearing at the entrance. Need some time and energy but I want to get the boxes up by October really in the hope for a rooster or two. What are your plans now?
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jul 10, 2019 11:40:52 GMT
All sounds good Matt, Looking forward to seeing the changes made, Hopefully you get some roosters this autumn!
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Post by matt on Jul 10, 2019 14:03:37 GMT
Thanks Paul. Yeah I thought it was a bit weird last year when we didn't get any roosters at all, especially since at least one of the boxes had been up all year. I've never had any sort of roosting activity outside of nesting season, but I suppose the upside is that my boxes don't get full of poo!
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Post by karenupnorth on Jul 10, 2019 14:54:18 GMT
Sounds good Matt. Well I have my boxes all sorted, two are new ones and I have furnished them out or them! Hope they like the decor I have Boulder roosting still in the tree box but will be putting a new box up in its place as it was one that I made and my carpentry skills are not great and it seems to have a leak! Other than that I have been planting lots of bee friendly plants and sunk an old belfast sink in my wildflower garden and made a mini pond, I have had one frog in it so been quite busy, really looking forward to next season, bring it on
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Post by matt on Jul 10, 2019 19:07:07 GMT
Great stuff karen. Our wildflower patch is in full bloom and the bees love it - well recommended! We have so many more birds in our garden now than we did last year, so fingers crossed for a successful season for both of us next year. It will be round before we know it, and at least it gives us something to look forward to over winter!
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Post by Ann70 on Jul 27, 2019 6:24:22 GMT
to yourself and Paul for setting up a wonderful forum, ive enjoyed being part of it. Happy summer to you both.
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