A much cooler Wednesday
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  1. #1
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    Default A much cooler Wednesday

    After two scorching days its turned much cooler. But we are still enjoying the outdoors. We started a bit late admittedly to dig out a veg patch yesterday so with the abundance of worms we have discovered we have made a wormery.

    Any ideas on different ideas to attract wildlife into the garden gratefully received.

    We are on day 3 of sats one more day for ds to get through.

    Have a lovely day everyone
    When someone tells you nothing is impossible, tell them to go slam a revolving door

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    After 2 lovely days, it has been really miserable, drizzly and cold here today!

    We've come to the zoo as planned and most of the animals are out and it has stopped drizzling!

    Enjoy the wormery ... we've been growing caterpillars... and thought we were going to release the butterflies today ... but it's too cold and wet!

    I have a bee/ladybird house that is a wooden box with lots of holey sticks/straw in it that they get into. I've seen instructions to make them and thought that could be fun. We've planted flowers for need and butterflies.

    We did feed the birds but my cats are too good at hunting birds to encourage them!

    DS started his GCSEs yesterday ... 3 and a half weeks to go ... plus half term! He seems quite happy so far, and there hasn't been any last minute panicking about revision ... so far!
    Last edited by loocyloo; 16-05-2018 at 12:07 PM.

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    It's definitely much cooler here today, but we were still able to spend the morning in the garden.

    We get lots of wildlife in our garden - all sorts of birds, bees making nests in he bird boxes, squirrels pinching the bird seed, frogs, toads, foxes, field mice and even the occasional hedgehog makes an appearance. I think the key to it is having a wild garden! On our road most of the gardens are neat & tidy - 6 foot fences with tidy lawns and neat flower beds. Our garden is fully enclosed by trees, has completely untended areas with tree stumps, wild blackberry bushes etc. There's a field a couple of streets over and I think we attract most of the wildlife from there!

    For the last couple of weeks we've been watching a pair of collared doves in the tree outside the window. The children were fascinated watching them build their nest, although I was a bit disappointed that it was just a platform on a branch. I was hoping for a proper nest-shaped nest! We left some wool out for them to use and it disappeared so the children are convinced the birds took it. I think it probably blew away! The birds have been taking it in turns to sit on the nest but we haven't spotted any babies yet.

    Good luck to those with children taking exams. We've just got one son doing uni exams, so it's a quiet exam season for us!

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    We always find that when we have been digging a robin will appear very soon afterwards, and always leaves with a worm. Perhaps you could make a hide out and see if any birds come to get any worms you may have missed.

    Our lavender plant is usually teaming with bees.

    I love taking a trip to a garden centre/pet shop with the little ones to choose bird feeders. Equally, we never tire of making our own - usually much cheaper too. There are so many different ways of making them and it's fun to try out different ones - and different positions in the garden. Probably the easiest one we do is using a stick that we would have found earlier in the day in the woods, dipping it peanut butter and birdseed and then hanging from a tree. The squirrels do nick most of it though, and they are a nuisance as they dig up our lawn, so we are not keen on attracting them. Our most popular spot for birds was on a tree at the end of our communal path, but the result was that there was a build up of bird droppings on the ground, and so I don't put one there any more.

    If you go on the RSPB website there is lots of information about leaving out nesting materials for birds. Always a fab activity.

    Pitfall traps and tulgren funnels are interesting to do. I keep saying I will invest in some sweep nets if I get little mindees in the future. Holding a white sheet under a tree/bush and giving it a good shake is a good one too. Obviously these ideas don't attract wildlife, but it's fun finding out what you already have.

    I read (in a Steve Backshall wildlife book for kids)about making 'snail stew'. It attracts snails and slugs. Might be worth a google.

    We have always made our own bug hotels instead of buying them and the children have just loved this process.

    I used to keep a laminated sheet and whiteboard pen in the garden (either on a clipboard or tied to the fence) with about four pictures of different common mini beasts on the top. The children could add a 'mark' next to the appropriate picture each time something was spotted. Great outdoor mark making and counting/data handling opportunity.

    Oh, our reception class last week found snails and put them in some food colouring (not sure how, but perfectly ethical - they checked) and then put the snails on a large piece of paper and watched them create art with their trails!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Maza View Post

    Oh, our reception class last week found snails and put them in some food colouring (not sure how, but perfectly ethical - they checked) and then put the snails on a large piece of paper and watched them create art with their trails!
    Oh wow! That sounds brilliant!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Maza View Post
    Oh, our reception class last week found snails and put them in some food colouring (not sure how, but perfectly ethical - they checked) and then put the snails on a large piece of paper and watched them create art with their trails!
    Love this how much foodcolouring i dont really want to drown the snails
    When someone tells you nothing is impossible, tell them to go slam a revolving door

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    Some great ideas thank you.

    Mouse i will have the best wildlife garden ever as when describing my garden maintained beautiful well kept is not words thay describe it

    The sun is out again today last day of sats so fingers crossed its been an okay day
    When someone tells you nothing is impossible, tell them to go slam a revolving door

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    I don't know how much food colouring - I'll find out.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Maza View Post
    I don't know how much food colouring - I'll find out.
    Thank you i think my lot would enjoy this
    When someone tells you nothing is impossible, tell them to go slam a revolving door

 

 

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