Sanctuary

By Goldfinch

If you can't persuade old Mrs Noggins down the road not to fell the lovely weeping birch in her garden, at least persuade her to donate the dead wood to you. Most people think that once a tree has been felled - or dies naturally - it is of no use to any wildlife, and yet this could not be further from the truth. Old piles of dead wood are an important habitat for a variety of garden wildlife.

So what kind of wildlife can be attracted by providing a pile of logs? Well, first, dead wood piles will be colonised by various algae, mosses, fungi and lichens. You will then get a damp micro-climate, which will pave the way for various insects and beetles, whose larvae can provide food for birds and small mammals. Even a small garden should be able to support a log pile. Locate your log pile in an undisturbed part of the garden, preferably in dappled shade, and try to keep the logs close together, to maintain the humidity and warmth. Too hot and the pile may dry out; too cold and insects may not be able to survive. Hard wood such as birch, oak, ash and beech - complete with their bark - make the best log piles. Avoid cutting the logs into smaller pieces - keep them as large as can be managed.

Located near a pond, perhaps among ferns and other moisture-loving plants, a log pile can also be a useful sheltering place for frogs and lizards, and can also be a decorative feature in its own right. Remember, log piles should not be disturbed as larvae may not survive being jolted prematurely into the big world. If you do have to move the logs - perhaps for inspection - be sure to do it gently, and replace everything exactly as it was before.

If you cannot - or do not - wish to accommodate a log pile, then a small pile of branches, twigs and prunings can still provide a valuable habitat for spiders and other invertebrates, which in turn provide food for the birds.

You can improvise with other bits of junk, like stone piles, brick piles, sheets of untreated timber and old planks, and sheets of corrugated iron. Which species you will attract depends on where you are and what micro-climate is created in the shelter. You may variously attract frogs, common lizards, or mammals such as pygmy shrews, stoats, mice and rats. "But I don't want rats!" I hear you shout. But you see, kestrels and owls do, and besides, rats are cute and intelligent, and one of the principal predators of the house mouse in urban situations, so it's win-win all round!

No... I'm not convincing you, am I? Even so, I will ask you to remember that the key to successful wildlife-friendly gardening is tolerance; there's no need to reach for insecticides and noxious poisons at the first sign of an unwelcome visitor. Brown rats are generally outdoor creatures, and a few in the garden will not cause you any major problems - I can confirm this through experience - and if they are entering your house it's because you are inviting them in by giving them easy access!

Ask Goldfinch

Hello Goldfinch! I have a question. My friend told me that it's bad to feed foxes and badgers. Is this true? Thank you.
Jane B.

Hello Jane.

Many people enjoy putting out food for nocturnal mammals: badgers, red foxes and hedgehogs. Generally, feeding them is okay, but a few points should be borne in mind.

Apart from hedgehogs (more on them later), food should not be put out regularly. Two, maybe three times a week, on random days, is ideal. Don't make it into a regular habit and certainly don't try to domesticate them or make them dependent on you. I've heard of a sad case where a gentleman regularly provided food for a family of badgers for fifteen years. When he moved out, the badgers suffered for their dependency now that their main food source was gone. So when putting out food for badgers and foxes, make sure it is nothing more than a random treat.

For badgers, put out the occasional scattering of peanuts or even peanut butter sandwiches. For foxes, scraps of meat are better.

Hedgehogs, however, can be fed regularly, especialy prior to, and after waking up from, hibernation. I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that bread and milk are not suitable for hedgehogs. Meat scraps and a bowl of water are better, or tinned pet food. They also take insects, so a few mealworms left over from the bird feeder can be added to their food. For all three animals, the food should be put out at dusk, and any leftovers cleaned up in the morning, to prevent the attentions of cats. Hygiene is important when feeding mammals, too, so take the same hygiene precautions as you would with bird feeding equipment, by making sure feeding bowls and feeding areas are cleaned, and avoiding contact with droppings.


Email your questions to askgoldfinch[at]yahoo.ie