Sonic the Hedgehog

On the 7th July I was working in the car park next to the 3G pitches and happened to see this little guy shuffling across the tarmac and then into the border. I love seeing wildlife like this on campus because it just shows how diverse our campus can be with the amount of wildlife we come across.
This one was an adult as, although its hard to tell on the photograph, it was actually quite large.
Then on the 27th July whilst litter picking on a morning before the morning graduation took place I saw this little guy in the grass.

Now this one had me concerned because its very unusual to see a baby hedgehog curled up in plain site in an open grassed area during the day. So I did a little research online and got in contact with the Hedgehog Society and I found out that should you ever find a hedgehog like this then it needs urgent care and assistance.

So I'd just like to share some information with you about the hedgehog otherwise known as Erinaceus europaeus.
Although once a common sight across the British Isles but not on the Scottish Islands, it is now in severe decline with an estimate in 2010 of just 1 million now in the wild (1).
A hedgehog can have between 5000 and 7000 spines on their body and what many people aren't aware of is that they do actually have a small tail (2).
Their dietary needs consist mainly of insects but they are known to be partial to a bit of dog food and it does help to put out a saucer of water especially during the summer season.
Should you find a baby hedgehog called a Hoglet sunbathing like I did last week then this does need urgent care. The only reason for them to do this is to try and warm up. So should you find one then you should put it in a fleece or towel lined box using thick gardening gloves, and place a bottle of warm water either underneath or to the side of the hoglet to try and warm it up.

Then you should call your local hedgehog rescue centre or the Hedgehog Preservation Society (01584 890 801) to find out your next step.
Unfortunately for the little guy I found, it was too late. I managed to get him into a box with a warm water bottle and took him to my local rescue but just as we arrived he passed away. It was rather heart wrenching as we got so close but not soon enough. So should you find yourself in a similar situation please do try and save them asap as they are becoming an endangered species within Britain, as it would be such a shame for this species to become extinct.


1: http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/pdf/SoBH_2015.pdf
2: http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/leaflets/L9-Basic-Facts.pdf

Photographs taken by myself on 7th July and 27th July.

As wise as an owl...

This photograph of a gorgeous tawny owl was taken by Rach on the 11th April in a secluded area of woodland just behind the polytunnels at our garages. So this is our bird of the day today.

The tawny owl, otherwise known as Strix aluco in Latin is part of the Strigidae (owl) family.

This bird is roughly the size of a pigeon and has a rounded body and head, with a dark circle of feathers around its face. It is mainly reddish brown when seen from above or behind but the underside is paler. 

The tawny owl is a nocturnal bird and is often heard calling at night but not often seen. Normally you would only catch a glimpse of one during the day if you happen to disturb its nesting site.

It is widespread across England, Scotland and Wales, but not in Ireland. There are approximately 50,000 breeding pairs across the UK and they can be seen all year round if you are very lucky.

Tawny owls like to feast on small mammals and rodents, small birds, frogs, fish, insects and worms. 

Established pairs of tawny owls usually don't leave their territories, whilst their young disperse in the autumn to find their own patch of land. So potentially we have an established owl living in our own backyard which really shows just how much our biodiversity action plan is doing to benefit the surrounding wildlife.

(Information on the tawny owl and other bird species can be found on the RSPB website)

Getting rid of the deadwood...

Yesterday Carl and Paul were working in the wood at the back of Churchwood, planting some new trees to replace ones that had been felled at height. The old trees had to be removed as they were becoming rotten at the base which poses a significant safety hazard for people walking by.

 

The were chopped at a height to allow the trees to become deadwood and habitable for wildlife. A tree left like this can become a home to many different species, from fungi to insects to birds. It is a part of the university's biodiversity action plan to create habitats for wildlife, and by leaving trees like this in the woodland we are promoting our conservation and biodiversity efforts.
These trees were replaced with three beech saplings which should grow pretty quickly in this area with there being so much sunlight and open space now.

The old branches have been left in piles within this section of woodland to create habitat piles which can be very good for encouraging more wildlife into the area, such as hedgehogs, as they provide excellent shelter for the colder and wetter months.
Further up the woodland, Carl and Paul planted some more beech saplings to encourage more growth in an open area.

We have new ties now which attach the tree to the stake for support but are designed like a belt. This way we can easily slacken the tie as the tree grows rather than having to cut off the old tie to replace it with a new one. It shouldn't take long for the new trees to become established but we will be keeping an eye on them to make sure they are thriving.

(Photos taken by myself on Thursday 25th February)

One for sorrow, two for joy...

As I walked along the bottom of the acre yesterday I saw a magpie hopping around looking for worms. So this is my bird of the day. We get quite a few magpies on campus and non breeding birds will normally gather in flocks which is why there are always several together.

The magpie (Pica pica) is part of the crow family (Corvidae).

It stands out amongst other members of the crow family with its black and white feathers that have a purple/blue sheen to the wing and a green gloss to the tail.

The magpie is a scavenger, predator and pest destroyer who is an omnivore, which is to say they will eat other animals, plants, seeds and nuts, fruit, insects, and eggs.

They can be found all year round across the UK from lowland farmland to upland moors, but they are absent from the Scottish Highlands.

More information is available from the RSPB website (http://www.rspb.org.uk)

(Photo taken by myself on 11th February 2016)

I've got my eye on you...

I took this picture when we had all the frost on 21st January but I couldn't resist choosing him as my bird of the day today. I never truly realised just how much wildlife we have on campus so I'm really going to keep my eye out in the future for more pictures.
So here's the blurb about the Blackbird or as its Latin name, Turdus merula, for you. It is part of the Turdidae family of chats and thrushes.
The male of the species are the most recognisable as they live up to the name of Blackbird, whereas the female is brown with speckles or streaks on the breast. They really stand out in the garden with their yellow/orange eye ring and beak. The eyes are just like those ones you get for stuffed teddy bears.
The blackbird can be found pretty much all over the UK and worldwide really, anywhere from gardens to countryside to coasts to hills, unless they are high peaks. This bird can be rather partial to insects, worms, and berries for their diet. So make sure you have plants such as Holly and Cotoneaster horizontalis that produce berries in your borders, well tended healthy soil and even a bug hotel to attract them to your garden.

You can quite easily buy a bug hotel at your local garden centre but should you have the materials to hand then you could make your own. All you really need is some wood, bamboo canes and straw or leaves and pile it up in your border. The insects want somewhere they can wiggle their way in to for protection and shelter. By having one of these in your garden, you are more than likely to get some inhabitants which will increase the biodiversity in your garden and will increase the likeliness of birds visiting you. If you do this then I bet you're more than likely to get some amazing wildlife right in your back yard!

Check out the RSPB website for more information www.rspb.org.uk

#biodiversity #wildlife #birds

(Pictures taken by myself on 21st January and 23rd January 2016)

Spotted at the bird feeder

On Tuesday I happened to walk by the bird feeder at The Cottage at the perfect time. I spotted a Blue Tit pecking at some nuts. So this is my bird of the day today!

It took awhile to get a good picture as the little guy kept jumping around the cage just as I was about to take a picture.

So here's a little bit of information about the Blue Tit or as known by it's Latin name: Cyanistes caeruleus. It is part of the Tit (Paridae) family. It's one of the more recognisable garden birds with its blue, yellow and white markings. In Spring, the young blue tits have yellow instead of white cheeks.
They can be found not only in gardens, but woodland, hedgerows and parks too. Their diet consists mainly of insects, caterpillars, seeds and nuts. A bird feeder with 4-5 blue tits at it may be feeding 20 or more of their family. So make sure to keep your bird feeders and tables topped up for our little feathery friends.


Head to the RSPB website for more information. www.rspb.org.uk

#birds #wildlife #biodiversity

(Pictures taken by myself on 26th January 2016)

Jaywalking...

No it's not a post about jay walking in America, this is about my bird of the day.

It was very difficult to get a clear picture of the Jay in the Queenswood woodland as it kept moving about just as I was about to take a picture. I apologise for the blurriness, it may be a case of Where's Jay, rather than Where's Wally? (Waldo for our American readers). I was disappointed as I'd just set up the perfect shot and then a loud bang from a nearby skip frightened it, so it flew away.

The Jay or as it's Latin name: Garrulus glandarius, is a member of the Crow (Corvidae) family. They are the most colourful of the Crow family but are rather shy and prefer to be hidden in the woodland. They are normally spotted when flying from tree to tree in search of food as they emit a screeching call. It can be found across the United Kingdom and in pretty much any woodland, park, and mature garden, and has a penchant for acorns. They also eat nuts, seeds and insects, but they do also have a liking for the nestlings of other birds and small mammals.

I used some of this information from the RSPB website as I'm afraid I don't really know much about birds, but hey, now I do :)
Just so you know, should you wish to take part, it's the Big Garden Birdwatch on the 30-31st January. Go to the RSPB website for your information pack. The birdwatch is all about spending an hour watching your garden and spotting the birds that visit. This means you'll be taking part in the world's largest wildlife survey. It's definitely worth taking part. www.rspb.org.uk

#wildlife #conservation #birds

(Picture taken by myself on 25th January 2016)

That's not the bird we were looking for...

Well, when we installed the bird tables a couple of weeks a go I was really hoping we would get a wider variety of birds than this! This is the bird table at Carnegie.
I was thinking something more along the lines of blue tits, robins, sparrows...not pigeons! Oh well, at least it's being used. Maybe in the future more birds will come and use the feeders. I did notice that most of the seeds in the middle feeders on all three tables has gone, so unless the pigeon is ridiculously greedy then other birds must be using them. I'll keep an eye out should I see more visitors to the tables and keep you all appraised of any developments.

I did see some blue tits on my walk round whilst taking winter interest pictures at the back of Bronte so they are out there somewhere!

(Photos taken by me on the 21st January 2016)

Welcome to the university!

  

Welcome to Leeds Beckett University, Headingley Campus

This blog has been created to give you an insight into just what the grounds maintenance team get up to around the campus. The purpose of this blog isn't just to show you what we do, but to also show you what you can do in your own gardens at certain times of the year.
I am Louise Stephenson, one of the Grounds Maintenance Assistants, and amongst other things it is my job to tend to the borders and grass around several of the buildings. Hopefully through my blog, you will get an idea of just what we get up to and how we create the beautiful grounds you see before you on a day to day basis.
We are a team of six grounds maintenance assistants (myself, Carl, Paul, Jen, Rach, and Mark), one apprentice (Sam) and one manager (Peter), covering a site set in 100 acres of park land. We also work on the city campus site now and then keeping it looking neat and tidy. Generally, Rach and Mark work on the sports side of the campus covering the football, rugby, and athletics areas, whilst the rest of us work on the 'floral' side. I say floral but this covers the entirety of the site from the greenhouse to the woodland to the buildings' borders.
I hope you enjoy this blog and feel free to leave any comments about what you'd like to see in future posts and any horticultural questions are more than welcome. Hopefully between the eight of us we will be able to answer your queries.


#wellmet #leedsbeckettuniversity #gardening #biodiversity
(The picture above was taken in June 2015 by myself)