The Balancing Kiwi: Where have the Nuthatch Gone?

Sunday 13 January 2019

Where have the Nuthatch Gone?

The Nuthatch used to be a regular visitor to our garden, but I haven't seen one in goodness knows how long...perhaps a couple of years? The last time I recorded them was in 2015 (for some reason I don't seem to have a record of birds seen in our garden in 2016) I did say we get the occasional Nuthatch in a blog post in August 2016. Where have they gone I wonder? Just had a thought the disappearance of the Nuthatch coincided with our new neighbours beside us and the big changes they made to their garden a couple of years ago. Perhaps this has had an effect. Certainly the garden is not what it was when his Mum used to live there. She used to spend so much time in the garden, and it always looked amazing, part of it was 'wild' and part more 'cultured', but a great garden nevertheless for wildlife.

The house across the road from us was owned by the same person since it was built. Sadly she died a couple of years ago and the house was sold. It has been extended and changed almost beyond recognition...must have cost a fortune, although from what we saw lots of shortcuts were made. How they got planning permission for what they built goodness only knows. Their first application was refused, they resubmitted a 'lesser' build, but then subsequently submitted extra applications for 'in retrospect' plans...of course they ended up with what they wanted originally. It is a complete farce what the council allow nowadays.

She used to have a lovely front garden, but now it is no more as are many of the gardens in our street, it has been turned into a huge car parking area. No green, just paving stones and concrete. Such a shame. Where does all the wildlife go that would have inhabited these spaces that once were green but are no longer? Where does the water go when it rains? No wonder there is increased problems with flooding and subsidence now. The whole infrastructure of the land is being changed with no allowances made.

I have been reading 'The Bumblebee Flies Anyway' by Kate Bradbury

The chapter where she describes her distress over a neighbouring buddleia that is cut down that used to be the resting place of sparrows just rang so many bells. When I think just over 15 months ago we had three beautiful mature and healthy Oak trees in our street, that were probably planted when the street was first built. Now we have one left. 15 months ago the first was cut down (which I wrote about) without any warning, then of course the second was cut down back in the summer. Despite almost everyone in the street signing a petition to save it and putting in a request for a preservation order, the council etc, were not interested. Of course it is cheaper for them to cut down a tree than maintain it. Did they use they wood? No, it was just all destroyed in one of those giant chipper machines. Disgraceful. Where did all the wildlife go that lived in those trees? The second tree made a gallant attempt at staying alive and sent out a couple of shoots from the stump that was left, but some person went along and broke them off. Such destruction, and little thought for the environment.

We are one of the few houses in our street that still has a front garden. It is visited by birds and insects alike and probably a few hedgehogs as well. But I am sure when we eventually move, it will all be ripped up to make way for parking, despite the fact that we have a driveway that can fit two cars in it. Sure, they have to be one behind the other, but you can still fit two cars on the driveway. I am sure that if people actually learnt to drive and park properly they could do with smaller driveways. I really think the standard of driving has dropped significantly over the years. I think with the advent of all these cars with the fancy gadgets that basically drive for themselves, people are forgetting how to actually drive, and turn a steering wheel properly!