Watching Wildlife on the TV!

Recently Bill Oddie presented a documentary about 100 years of filming nature and took us through the development of nature films and programs over the years.

It can only be described as amazing the progress that has been made and it was a wonder to be watching wildlife during these different periods all due to the adventurous spirit of the film makers and what they had filmed for people to see.

The quality of wildlife programs continues to improve and in my opinion are a valuable assett in providing an entertaining and informative wildlife education for both young and old.

Watching wildlife from the doorstep!

At our first home we were fortunate to have an extensive area of waste ground in front of us where back to back houses had been demolished. From our door step that went straight out on to the street pavement we used to be able to observe flocks of Goldfinches, Linnets and sparrows.
And at dusk waves of Starlings heading for the Town
Center to roost for the night.

Watching wildlife on waste ground!

Once I observed a family of seven Kestrels while walking across what was deemed as waste ground.

Watching wildlife in your garden!

This is the easiest way of all. There is so many ways in which we can be watching wildlife in our own garden.

A garden shed provides valuable storage space but also takes up a considerable part of the garden. Installing a green roof can mean we can have the best of both worlds. All that has happened is the garden bed has been elevated, much like raised beds have, but to a greater height.

Because of this there are important safety factors to keep in mind when take on a project of this size. The structural strength of the building we are thinking of putting a green roof on has to be considered owing to the extra weight it will have to carry.

The use of lighter substrates will help as will strengthening the roof supports.

As has been said on our main green roofs page we reiterate - "If there is any doubt to the buildings structural safety with a green roof on it then it's important that we get specialized or professional advice. This would also apply to ensuring the roof is watertight. On both counts it's better to be safe than sorry!"

Do it right and green roofs a grand feature to have in a wildlife garden.

A wildlife habitat can be defined as a physical environment that surrounds, influences and is utilized by a population species. Sounds out of our reach does'nt it?  But it's not.

Think of urban foxes. In many ways urban foxes live a healthier lifestyle than their rural relatives. Many urban foxes reside in gardens, feed themselves, raise their offspring and do all of this without any real hindrance to their human neighbours. They have utilized an ordinary garden setting and turned it into their own wildlife habitat, and with the busy lives people live nowadays foxes can reside in their garden without the owners even being aware of it.

Think what could be acheived if we purposely provided a garden habitat for wildlife and conservation.

Owing to the exploitative nature of most wildlife they take full advantage of any waste food humans discard. Seagulls and Magpies are true masters at this strategy.

Sadly not all this food is good for the local wildlife!

Fact is most food people eat nowadays lacks nutritional value. It will be the same for the wildlife that eats it.

Providing wildlife foods that meet their nutritional needs will help them be healthier and better prepared to meet the rigors of their lives throughout the year.

What wildlife foods they are supplied can make a difference!

Shelter is the key reason.

Safety is also a factor and not to be forgotten Comfort.

The construction of the nesting boxes and where we site each box should take all these factors into consideration.

As birds will not only use the nest box for nesting, but often use the boxes in winter to roost in, we need to avoid extreme temperatures. Too cold a position will more than likely mean the box won't be used for nesting or roosting.

An adequate nearby supply of food and water is also a big plus in helping the parents to not only meet the challenges they face in rearing their young but also surviving the winter.

Nesting boxes are a real asset in the wildlife garden.

When we compare our little patch of water to natural ponds we might think that its not worth having for the local wildlife. Not so. Visit your local Nature Reserve or a friend who has a pond and ask them if its worth it, then stand back and listen.

A small garden pond in thousands of gardens adds up to a substantial area of water.

There are companies that create natural ponds for customers, and with their expertise they can even convert existing swimming pools into natural ponds producing water that is so clean you can swim in it. And commendation to them but for most of us this is not the scale we can accommodate in our gardens.

So start simple and who knows, one day we might have the opportunity to have a large natural wildlife pond as our very own garden water feature.

When thinking about attracting wildlife to our gardens there is one main factor to keep in mind - the needs of the species we are trying to attract.

There are common needs that even humans have -
FOOD, WATER AND SHELTER.

Provide these, or the opportunity to have any one or more of them and local wildlife will start to make good use of them.

This is, in our opinion, the most simple and effective of all the wildlife gardening tips you will find.

Whats provided has to suit the individual needs of a species and even to some extent for the various types within that species, just think about all the different nesting techniques amongst birds and you will see what we are saying.

We hope you enjoy your visit to our site and visit often.