Be careful what you wish for - there is now more wildlife in this garden than I could have ever dreamed of creating a home for. There are the billions of tiny unseen life forms in the soil. There are tiny little insects, bugs and worms which provide food for so many birds. There are loads of slugs and snails providing food for birds, frogs and toads. There are mice which feed the owls I hear screeching outside the bedroom window at night. Occasionally I still see a sparrowhawk take a small bird and now and again a large female hawk has a big lunch of wood pigeon.
That might be distressing to some but I have to accept it is part of a wonderful food chain which nature designed so beautifully and mankind is busy destroying as fast as he can.
And my latest visitor is not exactly the most welcome because their food is in the pond, and I do so love all those little creatures who have made my ponds their home.
I have a sneaky feeling we actually have two heron because this one looks a lot smaller than the usual suspect who visits in the afternoon at this time of year. I know they are taking frogs and newts and I wish they wouldn't . . . but they do (shrugs shoulders), it is the way of the natural world.
As I am no longer using my big Canon camera pictures through the window with an iPhone is best you are going to get, sorry.
How exciting to see a heron in your garden! Notwithstanding the disappearing pond life....but as you say, all creatures have to eat.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sooze, I guess cannot create an organic space with food and shelter and then limit who comes in. The herons are so beautiful, but we do have less frogs these days :-{
DeleteLocally pond owners have troubles with herons, I do love to see them, I'm still working on my tiny pond, hopefully get it done this weekend.
ReplyDeleteA few years back I remember a local nursery which specialised in ponds/water stuff losing all their koi to otter. Needless to say, the owner was not happy.
DeleteYour wildlife pond is a thing of beauty!
ReplyDeleteWe call sparrowhawks "trouser hawks" as they look like they're wearing fluffy trews! One of them disembowelled a wood pigeon on the lawn last week, William enjoyed the feathers.xxx
I would not be surprised to find your own garden is host to far more creatures than those you see.
DeleteIt is a bit gruesome but amazing to watch a sparrowhawk dealing with a wood pigeon - the hawk would have been a female, the males are not big enough to take down such a large bird.
I knew I was turning into a country girl when I saw a mostly eaten rabbits body at the side of our farm track, and instead of being upset I just thought 'well someone went to sleep last night with a full tummy'.
ReplyDeleteThe pond looks lovely, perhaps one of those very realistic plastic herons to stand at the side of the pond would save a few of your amphibious friends lives. Yes, we once watched a plastic heron at the side of the lake from a distance while we ate lunch at Tebay services, convinced it was real and marvelling at it's patience ... if you can fool us you can fool anyone. ;-)
I remember your "full tummy" comments, and it is how nature keeps a balance. Everything was fine until the bipeds started messing things up.
DeleteI have looked at those large resin/plastic heron but the jury seems to be out on whether they are a deterrent or indicate to others that this is a decent place to visit. There is a heronry barely half a mile away and I really don't want to encourage any more of them.
I know what you mean - I love herons (we see them as a positive talisman) and yes they need to eat too. Circle of life etc. I find it interesting that folk put their 'human squeamishness' on animals and expect them to conform. Thank you for sorting out the access to commenting ð xxx
ReplyDeleteMorning Kate, you are absolutely right - the first time I saw a sparrowhawk take down a wood pigeon I was shocked. Now I think how marvellous it is.
DeleteGlad the comment thing is better for you - I have a delete button and am not afraid to use it if any idiots creep in, AND have found this morning that I can now sign-in and reply to comments on my desk computer which is ~a huge thing~. For years I have been restricted to only commenting via the iPad which I don't use very much.
its me (kate) I am now anonymous (sigh) For ages I was not able to comment on my mobile , only the laptop then a little while ago my laptop followed suit and caused all sorts of signing on/commenting issues, and now it is a little 'random' so - as you can see I am once again anonymous ðĪŠð
DeleteWow! You have welcomed the wildlife with open arms. It's like you have your very own nature reserve. Xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Jules, so lovely to hear from you. My garden is definitely a case of "be careful what you wish for". I wanted wildlife and it seems I have it. ðĪĢðĪĢ
DeleteOh, I love these pond photos! I have always wanted a pond but sadly our land is too steep to build one safely.
ReplyDeleteYou might get your wish for pond photos sooner than expected - after realising yesterday that there were two different birds I set up a motion-triggered wildlife camera. Later today (when it might have stopped raining hard enought to float the next Ark) I will retrieve the data card and see what we've got.
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