Grow Greener with Garthdee Field Allotments Association

Tag: wildlife Page 8 of 9

Nesting Boxes

Our Garthdee Field site is a wonderful open space, existing as it does so close to the city centre. It is also a haven for lots of wildlife, not least the very many birds that live on and around it.  It’s been great to see more and more plots encouraging small birds to nest on them – in all sorts and shapes of nest boxes.

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We have all had reason to curse the pigeons and crows that seem to get cleverer every year in the battle for our brassicas, but having the smaller song birds about is a real pleasure.  Not every box can expect to attract residents, but this year Sandy has been doubly lucky with a brood of Bluetits on site by his clematis and, better still, a family of wrens – who have taken up home in the most unusual of nesting spots.

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If anyone who can offer advice on the building of nest boxes and their positioning – it would be great to hear from you.

 

 

Phew!

Even the sparrows are pleased the weather has finally improved and we have shaken off that horrible, chill wind.

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Time to get stuff in for sure!

New Zealand Flatworm Survey

The University of Aberdeen are conducting a survey of NZ Flatworms and are looking for a number of allotment holders to participate, both those with and without NZ Flatworms and would appreciate answers to the following questions

1. Do you have New Zealand Flatworm on your plot at present?
2. Have you had New Zealand Flatworm on you plot historically?
3. Would you be happy for someone from Aberdeen University to visit your plot and record presence and abundance of NZ Flatworm, soil pH, take a small soil sample and record earthworm numbers?
In addition they would ideally like to talk to you or alternatively get you to fill in a questionnaire to enable them to gauge the scale of the problem and find out more about your experience of NZ Flatworm. This would be done mid-March- April at a time convenient to you.

4. If you are not able to participate in the study they would really appreciate it if you could fill in this short survey http://www.opalexplorenature.org/nzflatworm Hard copies of the survey can be obtained by contacting Annie Robinson direct at annierobinson@abdn.ac.uk

If you wish to participate please contact Annie as soon as possible. It would be helpful if you would be good enough to let me know if you decide to participate.

Stuart.

New Zealand Flat Worm Study

Thanks go to Bruce Taylor for alerting me to this study.

Aberdeen University has announced it has researchers taking part in a national survey of the New Zealand Flatworm‘s spread and its effects on our gardens, plots and fields.

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As we know the Flatworms kill our native earthworms, but the university site contains some truly gruesome details about how they go about their murdersome business and how difficult they are to eradicate once they get established. It appears that the flatworms can reduce to 10%  of their body weight for up to a year as they await another earthworm dinner.  Perhaps the weight-loss industry ought to be sponsoring this survey!

More details, including how you can participate, are available via these links:

Aberdeen University Research Press Release

National Flatworm Research Project

Unwelcome Visitors to Garthdee Field

Deer oh Dear

I am not sure if it is wise to bring up the issue of immigration just at present, but we currently have a couple of visitors or new residents on our site who are likely to bring the issue to the fore before too long. As they continue to eat just about every green shoot in sight and on site, suggestions for their repatriation to the far reaches of the Deeside Line would be welcomed I am sure.

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Time to get buzzing!

This event may be of interest:

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