Get yourself a Thermos of Tea and a spotting scope at the ready, as this week the BBC’s Autumnwatch hits our screens again! The show has been running since 2006, broadcasting previously unseen footage of one of the most active times of year for wildlife, and introducing the viewing public to the world of trail cameras, bird box cams and thermal imaging. The show also provides fantastic insights into the activities of urban wildlife, proving that you don’t need to live out in the wilds to see some of the British Isle’s most fascinating creatures. In this spirit, we thought that we would celebrate the return of the show to our screens by running through a quick list of ideas for wildlife habitats that you can add to your own garden to provide homes and food- not just in Autumn, but all through the year!
A home for Bees. Bees have been having a hard time of it of late. The last few years have seen a dramatic fall in numbers, potentially due to pesticides. This is a massive cause for concern, as Bees are responsible for pollinating many of our food crops. Lucky then, that provided you’re not planning on setting up a Honey business, setting up a basic bee home is incredibly easy. As we mentioned in our post on the subject, all you really need is a chunk of wood with some holes in it, or a bundle of hollow sticks collected together.
Keep things wild and free. If you’re looking for a really low effort way to help animals in your garden, then one of the best ways is to simply leave a patch of grass to grow into a long meadow. This allows a whole host of insects- and the animals that eat them- to move into the habitat, which would not be possible if the grass was kept short and manicured. If you want to make things a bit more colourful, you can also get specific wildflower seed mixes that work great in wilder patches of grass.Sections of wild meadow are great for wildlife. Image via
Pond party. Many of us will have a pond in our garden, but if you want to really make it suitable for wildlife then there’s a couple of things to consider when setting it up. Firstly, adding sloped edges to the side of the water will greatly help animals such as frogs get in and out of the pond. Secondly- Don’t have any fish, especially Koi. These will most likely make a meal out of any small animals in the pond.
Collect a nice, steaming pile of compost. Compost piles are not only a great way to recycle kitchen waste, but can also attract a host of creatures to bed down, from invertebrates to Toads and Newts. This increased bug activity can then attract a wide range of birds for lunch. Speaking of which…
Provide a snack for passing birds. As we get to the colder months of the year, setting up a feeder can be even more helpful for birds, as their usual food supplies can start to get a bit meagre. You can also set up food on a table, but beware of other animals like squirrels stealing the food. A great option at this time of year are Fat Balls, as they provide huge amounts of energy for the smaller birds to burn. Wouldn’t you know it- you also get a recipe card for making fat balls with all of our wireless bird box camera kits! image via
It’s not just birds that need a home. Of course, everyone knows that bird boxes are an easy way to provide a home to wildlife, but did you know there are countless more types of animal “boxes” that you can install. With their Make a Home for Wildlife campaign, the RSPB have free instructions for making a whole host of these, including hedgehog and bat homes.
