The weather is a little dull now but earlier this morning you could have easily been mistaken for thinking it was a summer’s morning. Just after 9am I set up my camera outside to see what activity I could capture around my small pond. Perhaps the Song Thrush would run around the plants or the little wren might appear. All seemed quite for a while.

Blackbirds on morning chase, video 0:29 with no background music, try 480p quality.

Blackbirds chasing each other, shown above, happen practically every morning and today was no exception. They dart as they run along the ground chasing usually in twos and sometimes there can be as many as four pairs chasing at the same time. They will even continue the chase in flight! I’ll be honest and say I find it quite amusing to watch as you never know which direction they will go.

This part of my garden I love to look out on first thing in the morning. It catches the early morning sun and I always enjoy opening the curtains to it. The film above does not show the sharp detail of the planting, processing for viewing on the web has limitations, but this area will develop greatly as the plants continue to grow. There are alliums, fritillaries and drumstick primulas to name just a few of the next plants to come into flower. I will take some photographs another sunny morning.

The film does however capture the feel of planting in this area with grasses and shrubs providing excellent cover for the birds and any other wildlife like our toad and the odd field mouse. By May when this bed is at its very best there it will be a tapestry of plants with almost no sign of the soil. I planted this area to create contrast in plants through form and colour – the bonus has been that I am not the only one that enjoys it! I did not plan to build a wildlife garden and I am always surprised when friends say that is what I have.

My garden will show that a garden does not necessarily need to be wild with weeds to attract wildlife as long as you have an interesting mix of plants then you should have insects – then the rest will come. Water definitely helps with attracting insects and the birds drink and bath in it too I would suggest having even a small amount of water for example in a large plant pot saucer, with some pebbles, would be a definite help in attracting wildlife.

The video, shown above, was taken in my garden on March 24th 2007.