| I hope you read and enjoyed Encouraging Wildlife | | | | in dead trees or use existing cavities (natural or |
| Habitats in the Garden - Part 1 of this series and have | | | | bird-made). Cavity-nesting birds include woodpeckers |
| been able to action some of the tips I included therein. | | | | and owls. In urban areas, cavity-nesting birds may not |
| Here in Part 2, I shall share with you another 5 Tips to | | | | be able to find enough natural cavities for nesting. That |
| further encourage wildlife in your garden and | | | | makes birdhouses a valuable habitat resource for |
| landscape. | | | | these birds. |
| Tip 1 | | | | Tip 4 |
| Build a Pond - All animals need water; a pond will draw | | | | Vertical Layering - is created by increasing plant |
| frogs, birds, snails and dragonflies to name but a few. | | | | structures between the ground and the tree canopy. |
| The inclusion of a shallow ledge as a planting platform | | | | Planting bushes or ground covers below some of your |
| with the gently sloping sides of the pond will allow safe | | | | trees will increase the availability of wildlife habitat. |
| access to and from the water for creatures that use | | | | Planting a variety of vegetation in different sizes and |
| the pond to drink and bathe. Adding aquatic plants will | | | | heights provides more cover/protection and feeding |
| encourage visitors including butterflies, damsel flies and | | | | opportunities for wildlife species. Leave the ground |
| dragonflies, the plants will also provide shelter for | | | | level branches unpruned in this area they thus can |
| amphibians and small water birds. | | | | provide winter food and shelter for many birds and |
| *Michael Jones of Pondscapes presents a Pond | | | | wildlife. |
| Building workshop on the last Saturday of every | | | | TIP 5 |
| month, the next being October 31st from 9AM | | | | Leave standing dead trees where you can - A 'snag' |
| onwards, no registration - just turn up and join in! | | | | is a dead or dying tree that is still standing. However, if |
| TIP 2 | | | | a snag or dead limb poses a safety hazard it should |
| Put out a Birdbath - Water is an essential part of | | | | be removed. Snags are often removed from yards or |
| productive wildlife habitats. Wildlife will benefit from any | | | | land mistakenly thought of as no longer having value. |
| water source you provide, and keep it filled with fresh | | | | Nothing could be farther from the truth, a tree's full life |
| water, especially during very dry spells or very cold | | | | cycle at this point, is far from over. Birds, mammals, |
| spells in winter. Bird feeders will also attract birds to | | | | amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates seek refuge in |
| you garden. Adding birdfeeders of different designs or | | | | natural cavities and dens. Small mammals find cover |
| with different seeds may increase the diversity of | | | | and relief from the hot midday sun in dead limbs and |
| birds you see on your property. | | | | downed wood, while spiders, beetles, worms, and |
| Tip 3 | | | | microbes move and feed within the decaying matter. |
| Put up Bird, Bat and Owl Houses - Adding birdhouses | | | | Additionally, fungi and mushrooms flourish on and |
| (nest boxes) and bat houses in your yard will provide | | | | around the snag breaking down the organic matter to |
| nesting and roosting shelter for wildlife. The types of | | | | release important nutrients back into the soil aiding new |
| birds that nest in birdhouses (nest boxes) are called | | | | plant growth. |
| "cavity-nesting" species. They typically excavate holes | | | | |