The Chronicles of an Amateur Wildlife Gardner: Volume II - One Year In

Happy January everyone! What a murky, miserable time to be alive but at least the days are getting longer. That is legitimately one of the only positives to say right now.

It’s almost impossible to believe that we moved into our house a whole calendar year ago and in that time, all four seasons have played out in dramatic fashion. I’ve seen it blanketed in snow, blossoming in spring and baking in a heatwave. I even had a fence panel come down during storm Arwen! I know, drama. Managing a garden for wildlife on my own for a year has been filled with intrigue and has allowed me to reflect on my expectations about it. I’ve been surprised by some things and my assumptions have only been reaffirmed by others. 

So what are some of the lessons I have learned since getting the garden?

1. You can’t stop cats

Full disclaimer, I love cats. Their independence and intelligence makes them an ideal pet. But when you all of a sudden have neighbours with cats, they basically become the most irritating and vile creatures on the face of the Earth. They can’t help being curious and wondering what pigeon tastes like. If you’re trying to build your own haven for wildlife, having moggies spill through daily scuppers any dreams. I’ve tried cat repellents that are about as useful as a toothless beaver. I’ve tried blocking entrances to the garden and they still find a way to sneak in. If you build a wall higher, they’ll just jump over it. I’m unintentionally putting on a buffet for them all and like a meteor hurtling towards Earth, I can’t do anything to stop it. I’ll keep trying to deter them but chasing them in my bright pink crocs has its limitations.

2. Mix it up

When catering for the birds in your backyard, it’s unfortunately trial and error. There’s no way for them to knock on the window and request their meal via a menu, so it’s annoyingly taken a lot of guesswork. I have tried almost every variety of food available with some hits and spectacular misses. Peanuts and fatballs have turned out to be massive failures whilst sunflower hearts and suet blocks have gone down a treat. I even quickly managed to lure goldfinches by putting out nyjer seeds, which was an unexpected plus. I’ve also realised that different foods are more popular at different times of the year. I only seemed to attract starlings in the spring so by the summer, the suet blocks sat gathering dust. My advice would be to not persist with food that just isn’t being eaten. There’s no point in letting it turn mouldy, revamp your menu to see what sticks. Birds can of course be incredibly fickle.

3. Be grateful for what you have

I’ve lived alongside two gardens in my lifetime. My current Essex garden in an urban backdrop and my childhood garden in rural Norfolk that attracted bullfinches, barn swallows and barn owls. The bar was unfortunately set very high. Imagine my buzz when I first had a woodpigeon visit the yard. I soon became overloaded with feral pigeons that gregariously dominated the bird table. Initially I was miffed that this was the only semblance of biodiversity out of my window but I soon realised that they were in fact the trailblazers. With a garden full of pigeons, other birds felt at ease knowing there were multiple sets of eyes on the watch for cats and other predators. Great tits, collared doves and starlings soon followed, comforted by a literal barrier of feathers. We can’t all have capercaillies coming round for tea so the best solution is to simply manage your expectations.

4. Get your neighbours involved

Living in a mid terrace has its difficulties and what has certainly been a hindrance for me is the isolation of my garden. The patch is simply an island surrounded by an ocean of trampolines and paddling pools. There’s a lack of thick vegetation that provides shelter and of course, there are enough cats to sink a battle ship. If you collaborate with your neighbour to plant a hedge or simply put food out for wildlife, it will surely expand your theoretical nature reserve. I haven’t tried to myself as I’ve obviously only recently moved in and I’m frightfully British but if you’re chummy with your next doors, get them to lend you a hand.

And finally:

5. Don’t put suet pellets on your lawn

They essentially melt, stick to your grass and leave an immovable stain that can’t be eaten by anything. Put them on your table to prevent any embarrassment. I learned this from a friend.

What do you love/hate about your garden? If you don’t have a garden, just go and get one. We have the same 24 hours in a day…