It's mid-March. We should be enjoying the transition from winter wardrobe to spring attire, welcoming the springtime colours of the yellow daffodils, primroses and lesser-celandine, pinks of the cherry blossom, purples of the crocus and dog-violets, whilst also spotting some of our returning wildlife.
We didn't get off to the best start as at the beginning of the month the strong easterly winds bought in the Beast from the East and Storm Emma which caused havoc for both us and our wildlife across the UK.
The forecast is in and we are set for another round of chilly weather- a new blanket of snow is set to fall as The Beast from the East Part 2 rolls in. It's time to operate 'Mission Weird Weather', so here are few tips to bear in mind when thinking about our wildlife.
Frogs and Toads
Many of you have been sending in your incredible photos and videos of the mass spawning that has been happening in your ponds! It seems as though the milder conditions post Beast from the East has really thrown these beautiful amphibians into action. Many of you asked what you can do to help your frogs and frog spawn out when the weather turns Arctic-esque.
1. When temperatures plummet, frogs and toads tend to hunker down amongst old log piles and in dirt, either in or out of the water. When they find a suitable place, they enter into a deep temporary sleep, called torpor, which slows their heart rate down dramatically to conserve energy in order to survive the cold. You may come across a frog that seems totally lifeless, but sometimes they are in such a deep sleep that it takes a warm spell of weather to awaken them again. So, leave them be and put them back where you found them.
2. Getting oxygen to your pond is important when temperatures fall below freezing. Anything living in your pond will rely on an oxygen source to the water. If it is totally covered in ice, this will restrict the amount of oxygen to the water and to them too. Place something that is buoyant into your pond, you could use a tennis ball that will remain unfrozen, whilst providing an area free from ice that will allow oxygen into the pond and also an escape route out of the pond if needed.
3. What if I have lots of frog spawn and am worried about it freezing? Well, this is a tricky one- mainly because sometimes you just can't come up against the brute force of nature. However, frog spawn is made up of around 99.7% water and dissipates heat very slowly, this means the egg mass is maintained at a higher temperature than the surrounding water. Frog spawn is probably hardier than you think when it comes to withstanding cold temperatures.
Birds
1. Put out plenty of mixed foods including; sunflower hearts, oats, peanuts, mealworms, fat balls and fresh fruit. An enormous influx of fieldfare and redwing were seen during the last bout of freezing cold weather. These winter thrushes are rarely seen at garden feeders, but will seek food if their normal feeding pastures are covered in snow. If you pop some fresh apples out for them, you may be lucky enough to spot one, if you haven't already!
2. Pop out some fresh water for the birds and other wildlife, but keep an eye on it as it'll frost over quickly if temperatures are cold enough.
Other wildlife
It's not just our amphibians and birds that will struggle in the colder weather, the snow can bury vital foods needed for survival for many other species too; hedgehogs and badgers rely on small invertebrates like snails, slugs and worms to sustain them and small mammals such as wood mice and field voles are particularly vulnerable to the cold too. Foxes, will also struggle to find food in the changing conditions.
- Seeds, nuts, berries, meal worms and high-fat foods such as cheese will be a welcomed treat for a wide variety of wildlife. Dog/cat food left out for foxes and hedgehogs will really give these animals a helping hand through the wintery conditions.