22/05/2010 by nigel.

I don’t normally use the UKGW blog for anything other than goings on in the garden but as this study encompasses anything from wide open spaces to your very own back gardens and as we are all wildlife lovers I thought you guys may want to take part.

So why not take advantage of the great weather we are having and get outdoors and enjoy your garden or surrounding area. In doing so you could also help with the Wildest Hide and Seek Study that is being carried out by the The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.. Here is their press release.

PRESS RELEASE
 
19th May 2010    
 
The Wildest Hide & Seek – call to help the WWT track local wildlife

Friday 21st May – Monday 31st May
 
 The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) is asking people across the UK to help with their ‘Wildest Hide & Seek’ study, which is looking at the effects wetlands may have on the range of wildlife found nearby.

In true ‘Hide & Seek’ fashion, participants will need to spend some time hiding quietly in their garden or nearest open space, followed by a few minutes of seeking and recording the wildlife they see.

The UK-wide study is investigating whether having a pond or other wetland in gardens, local parks, school grounds and allotments affects the range of animals found there. The survey takes place between Friday 21st and Monday 31st May and marks the International Year of Biodiversity.

As a big ‘Thank You’, those who take part will also receive a 2 for 1 voucher for entry to their local WWT centre.
Martin Spray, CEO of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, explains:

“We’re asking people to spend one hour looking for fourteen species such as hedgehogs, foxes, kingfishers, frogs and dragonflies which will give us a guide to the health of wildlife habitats. Some animals might be spotted relatively easily, however some may hide under rocks or logs so we do encourage people to be inquisitive!”

The feedback will help to paint a picture of what habitats are like across the country and will be very useful to our research work as well as the work we do to protect wetlands and wildlife worldwide.”

The UK’s Wildest Hide & Seek is part of WWT’s ongoing work on wetlands and water management in the UK.

To find out more about how to take part, and to download a survey guide:
http://bit.ly/wwt_hideandseek

(Or copies can be picked up at local Wetland centres)

WWT WILDLIFE-WATCHING TIPS:

Swallow
The swallow is to daytime what the bat is to night – a superb aeronaut with a taste for flying insects. They fly far and wide but are most often seen near watery areas – where their favourite foods hatch and where there’s mud for nest-building.

TIP Easily mistaken for a bat but a more fluid flyer and rarely out after dusk. Note its distinctive tail streamers and deep red chin. It may perch on telephone wires.

Bat
Nearly all UK bats survive by eating flying insects, which they catch on the wing over wetlands. Bats are a conservation priority in the UK so it is important to know how much difference gardens, parks and their ponds, make to their numbers.

TIP Evening is the best time to see bats. Look above for their distinctive silhouette.
 
Grass snake
Not everyone realises that grass snakes are just about semi-aquatic. They swim well, and like dining on frogs and newts or, if young, tadpoles. They can be identified by their distinctive yellow neck collar.

TIP Grass snakes are incredibly timid and highly sensitive to noise and movement so stay very still and keep very quiet.

Song thrush
The Song Thrush is a classic garden bird which has declined dramatically in the past 40-odd years. Research shows it does best in areas that stay damp throughout summer, rather than places which are dry by mid-year (like much farmland).

TIP Keep still and well hidden. Listen out for the song thrush’s loud and varied musical calls to pinpoint the bird’s location. See if you can spot one taking an earthworm or a snail from the ground.
 
Badger
Loves to eat earthworms and needs a good drink, so quite likely to forage around gardens in the summer when much of the farmed countryside is too dry.

TIP Badgers are very shy. You’ll have to hide very quietly to have a chance of spotting one.
 
Hedgehog
Hedgehogs rely on various creepy-crawlies for food. And, in general, creepy-crawlies like damp areas, with native plants and assorted nooks and crannies – in fact, the conditions supplied by most garden ponds.

TIP Turn the light levels low and listen out for the shuffling and snuffling noises which tell that a hedgehog is out for the night.
 
Fox
A fox in a back garden!?! It’s a more common sight around dawn and dusk than some may imagine, even in the middle of a city. This year’s new cubs will now be out of the den and hungry, increasing the frequency of food forays

TIP Don’t be alarmed if you see a fox which seems to have traded its burnished auburn fur for a coat that’s patchier and scruffier; it’s probably just undergoing its summer moult.
 
Heron
A large, tall, elegant bird and surprisingly common in towns and cities, as well as in the countryside. Herons are usually seen standing stock still in water, waiting to spear a frog or a fish with its long beak.

TIP Watch the sky for the distinctive silhouette of a heron flying overhead or, watch close to larger ponds, streams and rivers
 
Kingfisher
A real eye catcher and almost only ever seen streaking speedily close to freshwater.

TIP Stay very still and quiet. Listen out for shrill-whistled calls and watch for the distinctive flash of blue
 
Frog, toad, newt
Amphibians are many people’s favourite pond inhabitants but it isn’t essential to have a pond to see them – you may well find them in other parts of the garden, or in a damp patch in a local park.

TIP If you can’t watch a pond, seek out the dampest area nearby. Look also under stones and log piles.

Dragonfly & damselfly
Dragonflies and damselflies are icons of summer as they patrol near ponds and other wetland, looking for prey. The easiest way to tell the two species apart is by watching their delicate multi-coloured wings when they rest. The bigger, sturdier, dragonfly keeps its wings open while perched; the lighter, elegant, damselfly, however, closes its wings across its back.

TIP Neither dragonflies nor damselflies pay much heed to humans so should be easy to spot if they are in the area. If you can’t see any in the air, check if they are resting on a plant.

Tips for successful wildlife spotting
 
If you’re new to wildlife surveying, the following tips may help:
 
1.Many animals have a much keener sense of smell than we do, so try not to use perfumed hair or body products before you go out. And don’t take any strong-smelling foods or drinks with you
2.Try to reduce noise and visibility by wearing soft fabrics in colours which merge with your surroundings.

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12/05/2010 by nigel.

Yesterday evening I noticed a hedgehog walking around the garden on the hunt for food… It came across a frog hidden in the undergrowth and pulled it out into the open. For quite some time the hog pulled the frog about and tried to chew on it. On Inspection amazingly the frog appeared to suffer no injuries. After the hog had given up and walked off the frog made it’s way to the safety of the pond.

I managed to capture the whole thing on video… Check it out on the UKGW YouTube channel…. Follow the videos link above..

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10/05/2010 by nigel.

About a week ago a little Robin started to show an interest in what I was doing in the green house. So I threw a few meal worms out. I started dropping the worms closer and close until they were within a foot of where I was sitting. So I took advantage of this and managed to get some very nice close up still shots…

A worm in payment for a picture..

Over the course of the week I started to hold out my arm with a few worms in my hand.. The persistence paid off and on Sunday the Robin took the worms from my hand for the first time. Now when I go out into the garden the Robin is waiting for me. Today it actually started to fly around me before I even had a chance to get the meal-worms out.

I managed to shoot some footage of the little fella feeding from my hand.. You can see a small clip on the UKGW YouTube video channel.

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10/05/2010 by nigel.

Some of you have emailed me about the two feeds that are down… This is just temporary while I do some maintenance with the feeds and within the garden.. I should have them back up soon.

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