Spring and Summer 2025
This new section will record and comment on observations of emerging and hopefully flourishing nature this Summer. The warm weather in March will probably fast track some species to get ahead and may hold others back. It will be interesting to see which species of both plant and animals our very wet Winter and so far dry Spring will benefit most.
Soil moles and rabbits
LEFT AND ABOVE Aerating clay soils usually involves mechanisation or chemicals but the tools of nature can do the job for us. The challenge is maintaining access after the rabbits and moles have worked so diligently. In this case for the newly planted apples and pear trees shown in the picture above the grass needs to be kept short for them to survive and flourish. Scything can be useful but short grass does require the use of our mechanical technology EG a mower.
A large orchard can be grass managed with sheep and also damaged when they eat the leaves of new and low growing saplings. This will be a the first sheep free year to give the new saplings a good start. They are currently on holiday with a local farmer.
Established fruit trees can dominate and hog the available sunlight and reduce grass growth beneath them when planted carefully. Newly planted fruit and nut trees however need some help when they are young. Saplings often die in hot Summers and especially when grass robs them of water and nutrients.
LEFT The grey willow provides crucial early spring foraging for bees providing nectar and pollen. A tree that provides excellent wood for weaving baskets and even furniture to the skilled craftsmen or woman.
The flowers are known as catkins with the long stalks being male and the short stalks with a green tinge being female.
This two section pond has developed a leak and will need some work. A neighbouring pond is full of frogs looking for a new home. The challenge is to repair the membrane without impacting too much on the organisms that live there. I will keep refilling and hope organic debris will accumulate around the damaged area and prevent excessive water loss. I will keep you posted.
New wildlife hotel opening soon. More layers will be added over coming weeks/months to accommodate emerging insects and animals. I am hoping this transitional approach will encourage greater biodiversity. If I build it up in one go it's likely to have less types of species. Nature builds slowly and I intend to emulate this as best I can. Besides I want to take as many materials from nature as possible and they are seasonal. These materials are definitely natural but man made in their construction.
Peacock butterfly using sun's energy to warm up. One of the first to emerge after Winter and the first i've been able to photograph.
One of last years wildlife dens has been claimed by as yet unknown creature. The layers of leaves and branches could house a hedgehog.
Spring is breeding time for frogs and they are both vocal and active
The frogs are camouflaged by the duckweed and in this case a wooden frame under which they hide if they detect predators.
Wasps have scraped off wood fibres to build new nests, this is most prevalent in April. This kind of activity is found on old dead trees especially. You can see the scrape marks where the bark has peeled away. I leave dead trees as long as possible to provide the raw materials needed by wildlife.
Wasps are an essential part of orchard ecology playing an important role in pollination and the removal of tree damaging insects.
The adults feed mostly on the rotting fruit found on the ground and feed insects to their young.
The rabbit holes are numerous where some bramble has been cleared and this and other holes are all active. Bramble was cleared because it was overwhelming the fruit trees near it.
Bramble is an important habitat and food source for nature but can overwhelm other plants to the detriment of biodiversity.
The grey and silvery hairs and the size of this recently dug hole suggest a badger(s) has moved in. This is potentially not entirely positive as they predate on hedgehogs which I have been keen to establish at Five Acres.
As omnivores they will eat fruit and a range of small mammals including rabbits. I just hope the site and surrounding area provides enough nutrition for them to not threaten the population of voles and other small creatures like dormice.
The above picture shows what was an impenetrable dome of bramble now with the middle missing. I have not observed escaped goats from neighbouring farms on the site, or wild ones which according to my research are the only animal that would eat this spiky and tough plant. Muntjac are possibly responsible but again I have not seen them. My sheep will eat the leaves but stay clear of the thorns so they are not to blame.
My theory is the root structure has been nibbled away at by rabbits burrowing underground while creating a network of warrens. One of the pictures above shows quite a few rabbit holes under the recently removed bramble but this bramble was high and rounded without the middle missing or collapsed middle.
The fact of the matter is it's actually a bit of a mystery. Please feel free to get in touch if you have any ideas.
Rabbits have helped keep the grass manageable over the Winter. Its short enough to cut in the Spring and will enable wild flowers to flourish with rabbits feasting on the surplus.
The picture above shows the bark stripped by both Muntjac and rabbits from tree trimmings. Reducing root stock growth is an essential task for the fruit trees. A lot of my rootstock is Blackthorn which can outgrow the less vigorous fruit tree like apple or pear which are grafted onto the root .