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Good to leave lots of bowls of water around the garden for wildlife

FireFire Posts: 19,096
edited July 2022 in Wildlife gardening
I would put out lots of shallow bowls, plant saucers, dishes, seed trays, whatever - out for wildlife for the next few days. Insects, birds and mammals will very much appreciate somewhere to cool down and drink. I used to think one pond was enough but now I think multiple bowls are good - in the front garden and the back; nothing fancy, just keep them topped up and refreshed for the next few days. Stones or similar in the base can help insects to land and take advantage.
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  • puschkiniapuschkinia Posts: 229
    Definitely - so important! I've got some little saucers scattered around the garden and they all got filled this morning. Good idea about putting stones in though, I hadn't thought about that! 

    Even though my container pond keeps getting gross blanketweed attacks it seems the little garden birds have enjoyed it today :)
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I have done just that, there are around half a dozen bowls dotted around in shady places. Can't speak for the very small critters, but the bees, wasps and birds appreciate them during daylight hours, then cats, hedgehogs and foxes over night. A trailcam is a wonderful thing  :)
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    That's the thing to add - that lots of creatures that you don't see are sure to be appreciating the water. Micro critters count too. Most of life is invisible to us.

  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Also some animals and insects are jerks, so even if you have a pond there can be something stopping its fellow creatures from having a drink.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    A fox shat right in the middle of one of my pans of water. An extreme example🙄
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Simone_in_WiltshireSimone_in_Wiltshire Posts: 1,073
    I just found 1 butterfly sleeping in the house on the stairs, another one was fighting for life being caught in a spider web bundle. I freed him but the wings are too damaged. 
    I will keep the door to the garden open until the sleeping butterfly is out again. 

    I ♥ my garden.

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited July 2022
    I have a mini pond, but small birds like sparrows seem to inifintely prefer my plant saucers and rain the gutters when there is any. 🙄 They are nervous in our area because there are so many cats. The birds like lots of cover to dart off to.

    My pond is not in eye shot of my kitchen window, so whenever my back door creaks open most things in the garden shoot away and I don't really get to see what uses the pond - apart from the frogs; they stick around. The same with the front garden. Neighbours generally tell me what they notice happening with wildlife in my garden - they see more than I do. I have a little solar fountain in the front and passers by tell me they see foxes drink from that.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited July 2022



    https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/actions/how-provide-water-wildlife


  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    A lizard just came over while the kids were in the paddling pool. I'm not sure if it could smell the water or just wanted a go on the slide. Since one of the little cherubs just did an impression of a little cherub fountain I wouldn't recommend it drinks the water anymore :#
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    The water bowls I have out are constantly being dive-bombed and sucked dry by swarms of wasps, the bees and butterflies can’t get a look in and the dog had his nose and legs stung badly when he made the mistake of approaching. The birds only get a chance when the wasps have retired, so I have to remember to top them up in the evenings. Found a toad in the dog’s water bowl yesterday, must’ve come in late evening or during the night when we fling all the windows open. That was a fun chase around the kitchen with the sieve and a place mat, but eventually aprehended and removed it safely back outdoors.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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