Wildlife and Gardens Thread

[Spudulike]

There does seem to be fewer Blackbirds around than normal this year 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj3x6v05ly6o

 

[leicsmac]

41 minutes ago, Spudulike said:

There does seem to be fewer Blackbirds around than normal this year 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj3x6v05ly6o

 

Another corollary of human activity and its effect on global biodiversity.

[Trav Le Bleu]

38 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Another corollary of human activity and its effect on global biodiversity.

I wonder if climate change deniers will wake up when malaria hits the UK as a common disease?

[leicsmac]

47 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

I wonder if climate change deniers will wake up when malaria hits the UK as a common disease?

I'm not sure I or anyone else really wants to know the answer to that question tbh.

[murphy]

On 14/05/2025 at 16:58, leicsmac said:

Some other animals (like foxes) also spree kill for sport, but yes, domestic cats are responsible for a truly huge death toll of other animals purely for that sake and I've no idea why it's still considered socially and legally acceptable to let them roam in areas that do not require pest control and for reasons beyond only that specific purpose.

I'm not sure that this is true or fair.  A fox that breaks into a hen house for example, will kill more than it can eat but left to its own devices, it would return for the rest of the carrion over time.  People, clear up the mess and decide that it is is a wanton massacre and the fox is maligned as a killing for killing sake.

 

 

[leicsmac]

16 minutes ago, murphy said:

I'm not sure that this is true or fair.  A fox that breaks into a hen house for example, will kill more than it can eat but left to its own devices, it would return for the rest of the carrion over time.  People, clear up the mess and decide that it is is a wanton massacre and the fox is maligned as a killing for killing sake.

 

 

Fair to say.

 

The above being true, however, there are quite a few other species that do engage in surplus killing without then eating what they kill.

[Grebfromgrebland]

3 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

I wonder if climate change deniers will wake up when malaria hits the UK as a common disease?

They will just blame immigrants 

[jgtuk]

3 hours ago, murphy said:

I'm not sure that this is true or fair.  A fox that breaks into a hen house for example, will kill more than it can eat but left to its own devices, it would return for the rest of the carrion over time.  People, clear up the mess and decide that it is is a wanton massacre and the fox is maligned as a killing for killing sake.

 

 

 

3 hours ago, leicsmac said:

Fair to say.

 

The above being true, however, there are quite a few other species that do engage in surplus killing without then eating what they kill.

These are native wild animals, not quite the same as your domesticated cat...

[leicsmac]

2 minutes ago, jgtuk said:

 

These are native wild animals, not quite the same as your domesticated cat...

Certainly not, not in degree of blood spilled anyway. I was more stating the fact that domestic cats aren't the only animal to engage in such behaviour.

[jgtuk]

16 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Certainly not, not in degree of blood spilled anyway. I was more stating the fact that domestic cats aren't the only animal to engage in such behaviour.

Absolutely but I’m not concerned with native wildlife killing other wildlife and imo it’s wrong to compare with domesticated animals. Cats are responsible for huge numbers of deaths of insects, amphibians, birds and mammals across the UK as well as roaming wild defecating wherever they choose (mostly in my garden 😂). 

I think the bigger problem is how little we value animals in general(unless it’s financial), whether in the farming industry or keeping as pets. Go to any animal shelter and you’ll find them overflowing with abandoned pets, many with unwanted pregnancies, strays from the streets and lots of others removed from owners who’ve neglected them. 
Humans are pretty horrible sometimes. 

[Spudulike]

I spent sometime this afternoon chasing off a neighbours killer moggie that was stalking our Blue Tit's. Hoping the chick's fledge soon as it's getting stressful being on watch (hopefully tomorrow as I'll be at the Jamie Vardy leaving party all day on Sunday).

 

A quick Google search confirmed that nothing much can be done about this menace, legally anyway, not that I would ever physically harm any animal. But interestingly noted the Cats Protection League website states that cats have the right to roam. Not true but there is no law that prevents them from doing so (unlike dogs) as a cat is the property of its owner and must not therefore be damaged. Amounts to the same outcome, I suppose.

[Free Falling Foxes]

I posted videos previously in this thread of our Blue Tits.

Of the 8 eggs laid, 5 hatched. 1 chick died after a week and we've lost 2 more this week. They all seemed to be progressing well too

The two remaining ones are quite mobile and I think they'll be off tomorrow.

 

[Spudulike]

2 minutes ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

I posted videos previously in this thread of our Blue Tits.

Of the 8 eggs laid, 5 hatched. 1 chick died after a week and we've lost 2 more this week. They all seemed to be progressing well too

The two remaining ones are quite mobile and I think they'll be off tomorrow.

 

I suppose that they will have been succesful if only two fledge to maturity as it sustains the population. Any more is a bonus.

[Trav Le Bleu]

2 hours ago, jgtuk said:

Absolutely but I’m not concerned with native wildlife killing other wildlife and imo it’s wrong to compare with domesticated animals. Cats are responsible for huge numbers of deaths of insects, amphibians, birds and mammals across the UK as well as roaming wild defecating wherever they choose (mostly in my garden 😂). 

I think the bigger problem is how little we value animals in general(unless it’s financial), whether in the farming industry or keeping as pets. Go to any animal shelter and you’ll find them overflowing with abandoned pets, many with unwanted pregnancies, strays from the streets and lots of others removed from owners who’ve neglected them. 
Humans are pretty horrible sometimes. 

Sometimes?

[Trav Le Bleu]

In other news a Raven alighted briefly on our garden fence. It was massive! Don't think I've ever seen one in the city limits before.

[jgtuk]

1 hour ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

In other news a Raven alighted briefly on our garden fence. It was massive! Don't think I've ever seen one in the city limits before.

Excellent. I’ve heard their range in Leicestershire has increased. The only breeding birds I knew of years ago were at Croft Quarry. 
Growing up in Leicestershire, seeing a Raven was amazing, now living in Wales it’s unusual not to see them every day.

[VLC86]

Spotted a fox in my front garden camera so I’ve started putting food out for it.

 

Its now back multiple times a night and brings its mate, very cool.

[Free Falling Foxes]

12 hours ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

I posted videos previously in this thread of our Blue Tits.

Of the 8 eggs laid, 5 hatched. 1 chick died after a week and we've lost 2 more this week. They all seemed to be progressing well too

The two remaining ones are quite mobile and I think they'll be off tomorrow.

 

Here's a pic.

One of the dead chick's is at the feet of the mother. She has tried to remove it several times but has been unable.

[Spudulike]

Mine are still being fed this morning so I'm not expecting them to fledge today. The box is 10 foot up an oak tree and I'm hoping the chick's will be able to flutter to one of the lower branches rather than just crash land on the lawn where a cat could be waiting. When that happened in the past, I've been out there picking them up and helping them into a tree for cover. Not the sort of thing that would happen in nature but then again neither is having human introduced predators prowling.

[TeamRocket]

Anyone know any good garden centre around Leicester? For plants( vegetable, chilli tomatoes etc). Need to take my mum on day out to a nice d garden centre. Thanks

[Trav Le Bleu]

3 hours ago, TeamRocket said:

Anyone know any good garden centre around Leicester? For plants( vegetable, chilli tomatoes etc). Need to take my mum on day out to a nice d garden centre. Thanks

Brooklea Nurseries, just off the A6 near Mountsorrel is a great independent garden centre. Cheap, good for plants, not so great for garden furniture or ornaments, though it does have them. The only thing I'd count against it is accessibility to older and infirm people due to being on an slope in the entrance/exit.

 

Staunton Harold, near Ashby-de-la-Zouch, is one of our favourites. As well as the large, reasonably priced, garden centre, there is a courtyard of art and craft shops, and really nice cafe and deli.

 

Closer to Leicester, Wistow Rural Centre, near Great Glen, has a similar, but smaller vibe.

 

They're my three favourites with honourable mentions going to Tur Langton, Hawgrips (Enderby), Palmers (Narborough Rd) and Glebe Cherry Lane (Countesthorpe).

[TeamRocket]

8 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Brooklea Nurseries, just off the A6 near Mountsorrel is a great independent garden centre. Cheap, good for plants, not so great for garden furniture or ornaments, though it does have them. The only thing I'd count against it is accessibility to older and infirm people due to being on an slope in the entrance/exit.

 

Staunton Harold, near Ashby-de-la-Zouch, is one of our favourites. As well as the large, reasonably priced, garden centre, there is a courtyard of art and craft shops, and really nice cafe and deli.

 

Closer to Leicester, Wistow Rural Centre, near Great Glen, has a similar, but smaller vibe.

 

They're my three favourites with honourable mentions going to Tur Langton, Hawgrips (Enderby), Palmers (Narborough Rd) and Glebe Cherry Lane (Countesthorpe).

Thanks really appreciate the recommendation. I'll definitely take her to one of the 3 or even all 3. She's 85 and has never been to a really garden centre before so I thought il treat her to a day out. where she could by as many plants as she wants and have somewhere nice to eat at the end. Thanks again.

[Trav Le Bleu]

1 hour ago, TeamRocket said:

Thanks really appreciate the recommendation. I'll definitely take her to one of the 3 or even all 3. She's 85 and has never been to a really garden centre before so I thought il treat her to a day out. where she could by as many plants as she wants and have somewhere nice to eat at the end. Thanks again.

I was expecting someone with a Pokémon username and avatar to have a younger mum

 

Here's some Google maps links to help you.

 

Brooklea

 

Staunton Harold

 

Wistow

 

Hawgrip

 

Palmers

 

Tur Langton

 

Cherry Lane

 

 

 

Edited 18 May 2025 by Trav Le Bleu

[Kopic]

My garden has been obliterated by box caterpillars and I'm gutted. Only just found out about them today, thought the bushes had died from lack of water. Gone to have a close look and they're all covered in them. Ffs.

[Trav Le Bleu]

2 hours ago, Kopic said:

My garden has been obliterated by box caterpillars and I'm gutted. Only just found out about them today, thought the bushes had died from lack of water. Gone to have a close look and they're all covered in them. Ffs.

My brother's has too, all of one hedge gone. I have seen it all over the place too. Absolute infestations. At first I thought that it was because invasive species (which it is) has no predators, but my brother said loads of birds had been coming and feeding on the caterpillars, but clearly not enough.

 

Guess we'll be seeing a lot of box tree moths this summer. They are quite pretty, so not all bad.