Your stories

I put in a small pond (2m square liner) in 2021 and a friend gave me some oxygenating plants from her pond. There were some hitchhikers! In May 2022, Large Red Damselflies and Azure Damselflies emerged from my pond. New ones appear each May. 

One of the highlights so far this year was seeing that the old hedgehog had made it through the winter again and had  emerged from hibernation. He has been in the garden four years now and I was not sure if he would survive another winter. 

I have fed hedgehogs for 23 years and ever year I'm so happy to see my first hedgehog each year. 

I put out food for Starlings all year - they are red-listed as their population has fallen by 53% between 1995-2020. At peak times in the winter, I have 24  birds in and around my garden In the Spring, I look forward to the arrival of the first fledglings - they perch next to the feeder and their parents transfer the food from the feeder to their beaks - a few inches away! By the autumn, I can have up to 40 birds, parents and fledglings getting their spots - before some move to wintering grounds. 

I am always fascinated by the flying bats in my garden in early summer. I have lots of insects and live at the edge of a field which may explain it. 

My nightly visitors in Wellington Shropshire. They enjoy a balanced diet - peanuts , calci worms , kitten biscuits and suet pellets.   

My martins are nesting in the stables again, sparrows in the nest box and wood pigeons in the red Acer tree. I found a baby newt in my little pond where many baby pond skaters are paddling madly around. My rescue ponies are looking good and slim after muddy winter, so hopefully no laminitis. Hens laying well and the most beautiful Jacob lambs born to my borrowed small flock who will be with me till October. Wonderful bird song in the evenings.