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Autumn Feeding for Garden Wildlife
Autumn is in the air
The trees are most definitely beginning to change; autumn’s making her presence known. I love the cooler mornings, though the constant rain of recent days hasn’t exactly been pleasant. As the season changes it’s an important reminder that winter’s not long away. British winters, as we all know, are extraordinarily varied. Last winter there wasn’t even a single frost in London; as a result it’s been a nightmare year for pests and creepy crawlies. The year before that there was snow on the ground for several months. Who the hell knows what we’ll get this year?!
Not knowing how harsh our winters will be means it’s best to cater for the worst; certainly in the case of caring for wildlife. I’m a believer of giving a little helping hand to those who inhabit your garden. BUT it’s better not to help at all than to do so intermittently so make sure you’re prepared!
Birds
Start feeding birds now to establish a ‘local restaurant’
During autumn, when there’s a plethora of berries out, there doesn’t seem to be much need for feeding birds. However, if you haven’t done so already, you need to start establishing a local ‘restaurant’. In the depths of winter, particularly very cold ones, it’s important for birds to know exactly where they can go to get food so they don’t waste precious energy scavenging for food. This means that if you start providing food now, despite the fact the locals don’t really need it, you can create a centre point for later in the year. Be sure to keep fresh feed up at all times so birds can come to rely on this precious resource when they most need it.
Fish
In many cases, if you have fish in your ponds they won’t actually need food during the winter; in fact, it’s just the opposite as they go into a state of torpor. However, I have a tiny sunken tub to act as a waterhole for local creatures, and it contains two fish to keep the mozzy population under control. However, at this time of year the biting flies are on their way out, meaning there’s less organic and natural goodies for my fish to eat. As a result I have to start supplementing them with a few pellets from All Pond Solutions to keep them going. In addition, because the winter’s aren’t always frozen, you may need to give a little bit of food throughout the winter months. Certainly, the lack of frosts last year meant my fish were still interested in taking food around the year.
Hedgehogs
Oh, if only I could have a little hodgepig in my garden but, alas, city suburbia doesn’t really suit these creatures. About a decade ago a resulting little hedgehog came to my London garden a couple of times, but it quickly vanished and was never seen again.
Hedgehogs hibernate so you don’t actually have to worry about feeding them through the winter. However, at this time of year you can find that some young hoglets haven’t put on enough weight to survive the winter IF it is harsh. If you find a very malnourished and underweight animal, it’s best to contact a shelter who will be able to take it in and care for it. In the meantime, if you have a local population of these prickly beasts, it’s a good idea to pop some catfood and water out for them to help them add a little weight before their winter sleep.
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