Wildlife and Gardens Thread

[Parafox]

5 hours ago, Foxdiamond said:

Heard a song thrush this morning. Almost like it knows they are the best singer around. Says to the other birds call that singing just listen to this!

 

19 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

One of the best, but all of the blackbird family are excellent singers too.

 

As I type this, just seen my first bat of the year!

It's the male blackbird for me. We  have regular visits from one and the song is great to listen to.

[Foxdiamond]

6 minutes ago, Parafox said:

 

It's the male blackbird for me. We  have regular visits from one and the song is great to listen to.

I too am more than happy to hear a male blackbird. 

[Spudulike]

1 hour ago, Parafox said:

 

It's the male blackbird for me. We  have regular visits from one and the song is great to listen to.

 

1 hour ago, Foxdiamond said:

I too am more than happy to hear a male blackbird. 

Kate Bush does a great impression of a blackbird. 

 

 

[brookfox]

Every year I forget how much hard work it is scarifying and taking the dead moss out the lawn 😫

[Trav Le Bleu]

I know probably no one is going to believe me, but several people saw this with me.

 

Saw a turtle in Wistow Washpool yesterday.

 

At first we thought someone had been to the nearby garden centre and dropped a garden ornament in there, it's shell and head sticking out. As such, no photos were taken. Then it turned, dived under water and swam off.

[Izzy]

On 21/03/2026 at 11:44, brookfox said:

Every year I forget how much hard work it is scarifying and taking the dead moss out the lawn 😫

I spent hours last week with a scarfiying rake getting rid of dead moss and thatch from the front lawn. By the end my back was fvcked so I invested in an electric scarifyer for £100 off Amazon.

 

I went over what I'd already done with the rake and it still pulled out loads more. Then I spent more hours aerating with a manual t-handle, 3 spike tool.

 

Think I might invest in those heavy duty spikes you strap on your boots instead or hire an electric aerator for next time.

 

Nearly ready to overseed evrything now the soil temperature is rising.

 

Can barely contain my excitement 

[Trav Le Bleu]

46 minutes ago, Izzy said:

I spent hours last week with a scarfiying rake getting rid of dead moss and thatch from the front lawn. By the end my back was fvcked so I invested in an electric scarifyer for £100 off Amazon.

 

I went over what I'd already done with the rake and it still pulled out loads more. Then I spent more hours aerating with a manual t-handle, 3 spike tool.

 

Think I might invest in those heavy duty spikes you strap on your boots instead or hire an electric aerator for next time.

 

Nearly ready to overseed evrything now the soil temperature is rising.

 

Can barely contain my excitement 

Now I've got the image in my head of Izzy spreading his seed in his garden.

 

Edited 7 April by Trav Le Bleu

[JonnyBoy]

scarifying a lawn by hand is a workout! Seeded y'day so hopefully it turns out alright, just need to keep seeds damp this week and the birds off. have put thin layer of top soil over so should help

[Izzy]

3 hours ago, JonnyBoy said:

scarifying a lawn by hand is a workout! Seeded y'day so hopefully it turns out alright, just need to keep seeds damp this week and the birds off. have put thin layer of top soil over so should help

I've bought some rolls of fleece/netting blanket to put over the lawn after I've seeded it to stop the birds etc. 

 

No idea if it'll serve it's purpose but it was relatively inexpensive.

[Trav Le Bleu]

9 minutes ago, Izzy said:

I've bought some rolls of fleece/netting blanket to put over the lawn after I've seeded it to stop the birds etc. 

 

No idea if it'll serve it's purpose but it was relatively inexpensive.

Claymore mine - Wikipedia https://share.google/7OUfDcI1Kyt5Vb9M9

 

Should work.

[Izzy]

On 13/01/2026 at 17:42, Izzy said:

Had a visitor at the front door earlier then six of his mates turned up!

 

 

Any bird lovers on here? I need some advice please...

 

I posted this about 3 months ago when 7 peacocks escaped from their owner who lives about half a mile from us across a field. Apparently they're rescue peacocks and the owner managed to round up five of them but two are still 'on the loose'.

 

Despite many texts to the owners from me and other neighbours, they seem to have given up the ghost and now don't seem bothered about getting these last two back.

 

Although they're not a big nuisance, they do shit all over our drives and walls and spend all day in and out of our gardens. I'm no expert but it looks like they've lost weight and I've no idea how they're eating and surviving.

 

I rang the RSPCA who said unless they're injured, just leave them alone. We don't fancy appraoching them to try and capture/return them in case they get aggressive.

 

Any suggestions or do we just continue to put up with them?

 

Thanks,

 

 

[Sly]

17 minutes ago, Izzy said:

Any bird lovers on here? I need some advice please...

 

I posted this about 3 months ago when 7 peacocks escaped from their owner who lives about half a mile from us across a field. Apparently they're rescue peacocks and the owner managed to round up five of them but two are still 'on the loose'.

 

Despite many texts to the owners from me and other neighbours, they seem to have given up the ghost and now don't seem bothered about getting these last two back.

 

Although they're not a big nuisance, they do shit all over our drives and walls and spend all day in and out of our gardens. I'm no expert but it looks like they've lost weight and I've no idea how they're eating and surviving.

 

I rang the RSPCA who said unless they're injured, just leave them alone. We don't fancy appraoching them to try and capture/return them in case they get aggressive.

 

Any suggestions or do we just continue to put up with them?

 

Thanks,

 

 

https://www.wikihow.com/Catch-a-Peacock#:~:text=Download Article-,1,Trap the peacock.

[Trav Le Bleu]

1 hour ago, Izzy said:

Any bird lovers on here? I need some advice please...

 

I posted this about 3 months ago when 7 peacocks escaped from their owner who lives about half a mile from us across a field. Apparently they're rescue peacocks and the owner managed to round up five of them but two are still 'on the loose'.

 

Despite many texts to the owners from me and other neighbours, they seem to have given up the ghost and now don't seem bothered about getting these last two back.

 

Although they're not a big nuisance, they do shit all over our drives and walls and spend all day in and out of our gardens. I'm no expert but it looks like they've lost weight and I've no idea how they're eating and surviving.

 

I rang the RSPCA who said unless they're injured, just leave them alone. We don't fancy appraoching them to try and capture/return them in case they get aggressive.

 

Any suggestions or do we just continue to put up with them?

 

Thanks,

 

 

What do they taste like?

[Sly]

Peacocks can be a nightmare! 

[Raj]

Went Braggie park today it was heaving as you would expect  but it's still one of the treasures of Leicestershire.

 

When you get away from the path and chavs its stunningly beautiful 

[Spudulike]

Don't feed the birds in the summer says the RSPB. We have Blue Tits nesting and probably Robins which are constantly taking Sunflower Hearts from my feeder. Seems a bit harsh to remove it whilst they need to feed chicks. Hopefully they'll be enough natural food available 

 

BBC News - Want to help garden birds? Don't feed them in warmer months, says RSPB - BBC News
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2lwvz1pl1no

 

[Stadt]

How do you get started at gardening? I moved into my first house 18 months ago.

 

I keep on top of the basics e.g mowing the lawn and cutting hedges back. 
 

The border to the drive is starting to look dishevelled but I don’t know what are and aren’t weeds.

Edited 10 April by Stadt

[Parafox]

9 minutes ago, Stadt said:

How do you get started at gardening? I moved into my first house 18 months ago.

 

I keep on top of the basics e.g mowing the lawn and cutting hedges back. 
 

The border to the drive is starting to look dishevelled but I don’t know what are weeds and what isn’t.

Dig them all up and start again with plants that you know about or like and can recognise in the future when they flower.. That's what we did.

 

Choose perennials as they will flower every year. The green stuff that appears that you haven't planted are most likely weeds and need to removed, roots and all otherwise the border will be swamped with weeds.

 

 

Edited 10 April by Parafox

[Foxdiamond]

17 minutes ago, Parafox said:

Dig them all up and start again with plants that you know about or like and can recognise in the future when they flower.. That's what we did.

 

Choose perennials as they will flower every year. The green stuff that appears that you haven't planted are most likely weeds and need to removed, roots and all otherwise the border will be swamped with weeds.

 

 

Sound advice. For the perennials I would suggest those with a long flowering season that attracts bees and butterflies. Drought resistance is good too once established. Lavender is reliable as are hardy geraniums.

[Parafox]

1 hour ago, Parafox said:

Dig them all up and start again with plants that you know about or like and can recognise in the future when they flower.. That's what we did.

 

Choose perennials as they will flower every year. The green stuff that appears that you haven't planted are most likely weeds and need to removed, roots and all otherwise the border will be swamped with weeds.

 

 

Just to add, if weeds appear get them out early. It's not worth delaying otherwise you'll be on your hands and knees far longer.

[DJW1]

2 hours ago, Stadt said:

How do you get started at gardening? I moved into my first house 18 months ago.

 

I keep on top of the basics e.g mowing the lawn and cutting hedges back. 
 

The border to the drive is starting to look dishevelled but I don’t know what are and aren’t weeds.

Bulbs can be a good choice as they flower, die off (don't cut them down when green) and flower again the next years.

[Spudulike]

3 hours ago, Stadt said:

How do you get started at gardening? I moved into my first house 18 months ago.

 

I keep on top of the basics e.g mowing the lawn and cutting hedges back. 
 

The border to the drive is starting to look dishevelled but I don’t know what are and aren’t weeds.

Stating the obvious but it's worth using Google lens to identify plants. You might find some gems that are worth keeping 

[FoyleFox]

Good advise to start again. It would also be worth looking for evergreen shrubs, small ones that will also flower. Azalea or rhododendron type. Alongside looking for perennial plants that come every year, check the flowering times, you can plan for flowers for many months that way. 

[SecretPro]

On 07/04/2026 at 08:03, Trav Le Bleu said:

I know probably no one is going to believe me, but several people saw this with me.

 

Saw a turtle in Wistow Washpool yesterday.

 

At first we thought someone had been to the nearby garden centre and dropped a garden ornament in there, it's shell and head sticking out. As such, no photos were taken. Then it turned, dived under water and swam off.

Common now in Leicestershire and most of the UK. Watermead is brimming with them, can often see them sun bathing in Spring/Summer. An invasive menace unfortunately, even if cool to see. 

 

EDIT: Should have clarified, most likely a red-eared terrapin 

Edited 10 April by SecretPro

[Spudulike]

Anyone heard a Cuckoo yet? Amazing birds. Not seen one for two years (North Cornish coast).

 

https://www.bto.org/get-involved/volunteer/projects/cuckoo-tracking/updates