Some Animals In The Gardens

Now that spring is on its way out and summer is just around the corner...one sees more and more of the "decorations" that inhabit the premises.
There are of course too many insects and other little creatures to mention them all...but I can show a few of the ones that I could snap a foto of when I happened to have had a camera handy at the moment that they showed themselves.

The first thing is the largest...the swan (Cygnus olor)--The largest leads the way...This is one of the adults that have made a nest on the point of the complex terrain and now has six cygnets bobbing around in the water in-between them.


Next, the water vole...a shy little beast that keeps to itself and is not frequently visible. I can hear it chewing bits of foliage from behind a veil if sagging bank plants from time to time.
I understand that this creature is a protected species in the UK.

Here, I do not know if it is protected or not...but it had better stay out of my garden.
Last year one tunneled from the water's edge and under a length of ground, coming to my tom plants. The darn thing pulled the new tom plantlets down, down and down, until it had consumed the entire plants--and it never came above ground. He ate two in one night. I had to close that tunnel and try and seal up the entrance point.
Water vole (Arvicola amphibius)


I was sitting on the side patio one day and I was watching a small spider on a pole that was part of the rack Clematis rack...when a black form came flying by my face and landed on the pole somewhat under the little, gray spider that I had been watching.--It was another spider of the same sort. It had "flown in" on a gossamer of "silk".

No sooner had the arachnid landed than he began to challenge the other littler spider. They never actually touched one another, but rather scrambled round and round, making quick lateral moves and fake charges.

Eventually the larger interloper maneuvered itself onto a location that was higher up the pole than the little one--and the contest was over.
Spiders facing off



Many of you may recall that I had ducks in the flower garden last year. The eggs hatched and the family left, leaving an acreage of nibbled plants in their wake.
I wonder why they do not go for the free ones--the weeds. Tch!

Well, this year the female may be back...at least there is a duck that has taken up a nesting position on the opposing bank of the canal what borders the northern side of the lottie.
It settled down and made a nest, laid eggs and incubated. All was well until the city council decided to mow the banks. They made one pass on the top of the dike and just missed the nest, literally by a couple of cm's.
The mother came back and tidied what was left of her house.
The female had used her bill to make a sort of tunnel of long grass, but now that was gone. Her back was a bit of camouflage, but the magpies and jackdaws are no fools...they just sit on the train wires above and wait until she leaves.
The mowers did not come back...but I think that the nest has been plundered. I could see a portion of an eggshell standing on end, and I have not seen the female in a couple of days. I fear the worst.
Mallard (F) in the grass


Here you can see her situation from a distance. See how well the long grass can protect the peering eyes of the predators.
Duck from a distance


The blue tits and great tits are annual nesters in the flower garden. This year was no exception and the adults have been very busy rearing their young.
Bluetits (Cyanistes caeruleus)


Bees have been a bit scarce this spring but now there are many more to see--the majority are various bumble bee sorts and the honey bee and mason bees are present but in a distinct minority.
This bumbler has difficulties getting up un that Digitalis bloom.


These beetles I cannot identify. They find the Cistus very interesting, but do not appear to be doing anything destructive.


Finally the coots are rearing young as well. I do not know how many she started with but I suspect more than two. This mum had just two chicks with her.
Coot (Fulica atra)


The usual mice, slugs and moles have not yet begun their full attack on the plants, and I am hoping that there will be fewer this year. Those can be real heartbreakers.

 

You have a great set of neighbors there! I especially like the coot--we have them here, but not nesting.
Thank you for sharing your neighborhood residents with us!

 

Great post Sjoerd... I enjoyed seeing all your wildlife.
I loved the "spider battle" story. I find myself doing the same thing sometimes.... just sit and watch some little critter's daily activities.

 

Thanks EILEEN--I'll bet that you have a couple of the same in your garden, don't you?
Yes, I'm keeping a close eye out for those garden pests.

You are welcome, MG--I think that those coots are almost everywhere in the northern hemisphere.haha. Well, perhaps not really, but they are widespread, that's for sure.

Thanks CHERYL-- I like sitting and looking at the nature that is in the gardens. Its interesting.
Glad you liked the spider story.

 

Sjoerd, I enjoy seeing your garden friends. You sure snap great photos. Hope you don't get unwanted visitors eating plants!

 

I liked this posting a lot -- you have a lot of company there in your lottie! That story about the vole pulling down the tomato plants is too funny! Just like a cartoon. haha. I'm sure you didn't laugh though.

 

Sjoerd, how do you get any gardening done with all the animal distractions? The water vole was interesting as I was unaware of them.

Jerry

 

Your pictures are so clear and beautiful...

 

Thanks KAY-- I hope not too. I am glad that you enjoyed the posting and meeting all the garden "friends".

Thank you, DAISY-- I appreciate your comments. Yes, it was just like a cartoon. It was something that seemed impossible at first, I mean...I went into the greenhouse and there were two empty places where once the toms had been. I had to blink my eyes and shake my head in disbelief. I did not realize what had happened right away. I just stood there, gobsmacked...silently looking, my lips almost forming to speak, but the words did not come out. Yeah, the beast got me on that one.
You are right, I did not laugh.

Haha...JERRY-- I only get to see those animals when I take breaks usually. But I schedule-in days that I just go there to sit and read and sip tea. I occasionally force myself to get out of the chair and go exploring. There is always something to discover, although sitting quietly yields more...and the animals come to me that way.
As for the water voile--I am not sure that they are in North America. They may well be, but I do not know. They are cute to see, but they do love to munch.
If I am sitting quietly sometimes I hear them in the tall grasses across from the canal from me and once I locate them....if I watch, I can se the particular reed or grass slowly go down, down as I hear the gnawing sound. He pulls down as he eats--just like a cartoon, as DB said.

Thank you so much, SHERRY. BTW--isn't it about time to show more of your woinderful bird fotos?

 

Duck Nest Update:

When I went to the lotties to pick strawbs this morning, I saw the broken eggs in the duck's nest--it had been plundered by one of the predators I suspect. What a shame.

 

Fun to see your garden creatures. I love having my garden outside my kitchen window and screened porch so I can watch them year round.

 

Thanks Gail--It would be nice to be able to do what you do...and I must say, you have such a terrific variety of wildlife to observe there. Strikingly beautiful birds and even those pesky chipmunks are attractive to see.

 

hi sjoerd, some lovely pictures youve taken there. It really shows the seasons are moving on and spring is all but done now. Im a big fan of swans too!

 

Thanks, GMB--Yes the seasons are changing, but over here spring is making a valient effort to hang on. The swans here that paddle up and down the little canals come every year...or should I say that a couple come every year--if it is the same ones ort their offspring, I do not know.
Everyone likes them, but do not want them on their lottie.