Nellie’s First Post – October 2012

Hello folks, my name is Nellie and I live in Claxton. I am a Border terrier cross, so what I lack in size I make up for in attitude. We terriers are the ‘punks’ of the canine world, feisty but good fun and low maintenance. Terriers sometimes have a bad press but I like to think we are smart dogs with a good story to tell and an opinion to express. I know how to secure a treat or find a comfortable and warm location to dream and plan my next pretend hunt. I get to walk around Claxton every day and so observe the flora and fauna through the months. Given my qualifications and expertise, I thought it would be a good idea to share some of my experiences and observations with my fellow Claxtonians. We dogs have a significant contribution to make to the cultural richness of our communities and so I intend to help establish a network of local commentators – two legs or four it doesn’t matter (you see I have read Animal Farm).

I thought I would kick off with an observation concerning the relatively low numbers of birds in the garden in October, despite the generous supply of seeds and nuts in your bird feeders. This is not surprising given the current harvest of seeds and berries available in the countryside for wild birds. There will soon be large numbers of song birds arriving from Northern Europe migrating to the British countryside, to enjoy the relatively milder winters. As the natural harvest diminishes the wild birds will move into gardens to take the seeds and nuts from your bird feeders and lawns. The song birds you see during the winter months may well not be local to Norfolk and Suffolk, but of continental origins enjoying our relatively balmy winters thanks to the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf Stream. This is a good time to clean your feeders and bird tables, stock up on your supplies of seed and sunflower hearts as when the frosts arrive so will the birds to your well stocked feeder and bird tables.

 

Nellie

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