Garden Pond Update, Small White Caterpillars, Large White Caterpillars, Juvenile Birds, Muntjack, Roe Deer, Tawny Owls, Barn Owl, Hedgehog

The garden pond looks very mature and although there was an algae issue during the recent hot, dry spell, that’s now sorted.

The ramshorn snails are now breeding prolifically, with numerous tiny snails visible.

There are still common frog tadpoles in the pond but most have now become froglets.

Newt larvae are also visible in the pond. It’s very healthy indeed.

We’ve got both small white and large white eggs and caterpillars in the garden at the moment.

The list of juvenile birds that we’ve had in the garden continues to grow and we’re now up to 15.

blackbird, blue tit, bullfinch, chaffinch, collared dove, dunnock, goldfinch, great tit, house sparrow, magpie, nuthatch, robin, starling, stock dove, wood pigeon.

We’ve got a huge flock of goldfinches (c.100) in the immediate area and we’re getting our fair share on the feeding station as well.

Not in the garden, but from it, I heard a roe deer in the woods that we have in the area.

The muntjac deer are common and very vocal.

I hear tawny owls every night but I’m yet to see one. It’s just a matter of time though.

Sadly, I did see a dead barn owl alongside a local road the other day. It’s just three roads from where I live, so great that we have them in the area.

I have seen them before I moved here though, so not a surprise.

Last, but certainly not least, the hedgehog in the garden is proving to be very entertaining.

It’s like clockwork, the same time every night. You could set your watch by it.

Watch the accompanying video, with a guest appearance from Dilwyn.