Category Archives: In the garden

Roof garden

Posted on 1 March, 2012 by

It feels like a long time since we moved house, but it’s only been three months. I’ve gone from wildlife-rich to wildlife-poor, but the streets – and roofs – are not as empty as I thought. While Crook is brimming … Continue reading →

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My black and yellow house guests

Posted on 14 September, 2011 by

I’ve started finding dead and dying wasps in the carpet and the kitchen sink. It’s that time of year of course, but I’m finding more than usual. Although given that there’s a wasp nest in the gutter it’s not a … Continue reading →

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Cat fight

Posted on 27 July, 2011 by

Our neighbours have a new cat. After trying to keep him as a house cat they’ve now given up and allowed him to explore the Great Wide World. He’s very sweet, but not very brave, and follows me round the … Continue reading →

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summertime

Posted on 12 July, 2011 by

I’m acutely aware that I haven’t blogged for a while. I’d say I’ve been busy but the truth is I just haven’t got around to it. So what’s been happening? All’s very quiet in the garden. The tree sparrows still … Continue reading →

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Independence day

Posted on 13 June, 2011 by

Today was independence day for this greater spotted woodpecker. For the last couple of weeks the garden has been visited by the adults, checking out the area for easy food sources. This morning an adult and juvenile were repeatedly visiting … Continue reading →

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Secret dramas

Posted on 13 May, 2011 by

For the garden birds, the breeding season is well under way. But the drama is also well hidden. I’ve been expecting my tree sparrows to disappear for some weeks now – that’s what they did last year, anyway. But no, … Continue reading →

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Eating weeds

Posted on 20 April, 2011 by

I’ve taken foraging to the next level: I’ve started eating weeds. It all started with the first ramsons, or wild garlic. While searching for recipes I found all sorts of other edible wild plants. I’ll now snack on wood sorrel, … Continue reading →

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My bonkers tree sparrows

Posted on 9 April, 2011 by

I’ve talked about my tree sparrows loads of times here (just click in the tag cloud to read the posts). I get lots in the winter, and very few in the summer, but so far this year numbers are still … Continue reading →

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Do blackbirds worship a God of Worms?

Posted on 12 March, 2011 by

Despite the threat of snow and near arctic winds of the last few days, there can be no doubt that spring has reached the north of England. The wheat is standing tall, lambs are calling in the fields, and there’s … Continue reading →

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A tree sparrow experiment: safety first

Posted on 25 February, 2011 by

As regular readers will know, my garden is blessed with a large flock of tree sparrows. I’ve lived with tree sparrows now for over eighteen months, but I haven’t really got to the bottom of the question: what do they … Continue reading →

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