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Welcome to the world of the Vincent D'Onofrio obsessed - and a bit of real life thrown in.


Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Wildlife Gardening

The more creatures I see and hear in my garden the happier I am. I spend a fortune each week on food to put out for the birds. It's been a few days since this year's young starlings fledged and appeared at the feeders. Today I've spotted the first young sparrows. My orange ball bush (Buddleia globosa) is in full flower, and is covered with bees. It's a relief to know that they haven't yet become extinct, hereabouts at least. While I was filling the feeders this evening, right over my head, an invisible wren sang its amazing song, loud for such a tiny bird, and very intricate. As usual someone had uploaded a suitable video to YouTube:

 

Two years ago I started feeding the local fox after two of my chickens were killed. I thought it was better to make sure they had no need of fresh hen. Of course, since then we have had two dreadful winters and two appalling summers, so I've found it very difficult to phase the feeding out. It became impossible when a fox started waiting at the end of the garden while I filled up the bird feeders, in full expectation of a feed. A couple of nights ago, as I watched the fox approach the food, I suddenly became aware that there was a rough and tumble going on, and realised there were two cubs with their mother. I rushed in to get my camera, but when I snapped a picture, unusually the flash was on, and the youngsters fled. I haven't seen them since. But with a bit of tweaking, I brightened the picture I did get enough for the figures of the three of them rather than just the flash reflected in their eyes:
 

I think the resemblance of my garden to a piece of unkempt woodland helps them feel at home.


8 comments:

judith said...

I have a bird that sings away in my garden. It starts eary morning then seems to rest about 11.am then starts again in the afternoon...if fact it's still at it now (10.10pm). I asked it this afternoon to please be quiet but it just ignored me and carried on singing happily away. I know it's very nice but....LOL.

val said...

That'll be a blackbird, Judith.

judith said...

Yes I think your right...I know it's driving me silly..Who said the Country side is peaseful and quiet?? LOL.

JoJo said...

Nothing wrong with a wild garden! Great shot of the foxes though!!! They are so cute!

vikeau said...

They're probably still rubbing their eyes after that flash.

mauigirl said...

Great photo, vikeau is probably right, they're seeing spots before their eyes!

I also have annoying (but gorgeous) birds that sing in the morning, afternoon, night (Whipporwill!! Whipporwill!). I love where I live as we have the wild Texas scrub behind us and are able to see many awesome wildlife situations. But really, how much does a bird have to squak!

Eliza said...

The only fox I've seen was walking along the road in broad daylight...I think I like your little family better :)

We mostly have magpie's around here, although we currently have a crow family nesting under the fascia boards along the bottom of the roof..we're waiting for them to fledge before we get it fixed and as the chicks are growing it's getting a bit noisy

bobbybegood1 said...

What wonderful natural world! You are a true environmenalist. Cheers Val!!

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