HELPFUL HINTS

Buckets can be death traps

Buckets left unattended can quickly become a death trap for wildlife such as small marsupials, lizards, in fact anything that falls in to the bucket will be unable to get out. We have even had calls from distressed people finding small birds drowned in buckets of water.

Please ensure buckets are turned over or left on their side when not in use, buckets with water should have a rope or stick allowing any wildlife to escape.

Frogs are often found in nappy buckets still alive hanging on to nappies just out of the water, however the frog will have sustained nasty chemical burns from the nappy solution. Please put a lid on buckets such as these.

SWIMMING POOLS

Many native animals lose their lives in swimming pools. This can easily be avoided by draping a rope in to the pool so the animal can climb out. All native animals can swim, but will soon become exhausted and drown if they have no avenue of escape.

 

WATER TANKS

It can be very distressing by the time you realise you have had a native animal in your water tank, as usual it is when the water is contaminated. To make sure this does not happen, check your inlets regularly, to ensure inlets are covered with adequate wire.

Animals will access the tanks for water, but will of course be unable to exit.

 

CHIMNEYS AND FIREPLACES

As the cooler weather approaches, please check chimneys before lighting the fire in your fire place.

Also it is a good idea to cover the flue opening on the roof with wire, to stop a native animal investigating.

A native animal may have taken shelter in the chimney, looking so much like a hollow log, Possums, Gliders, and many bird species use hollow logs as homes.

Bush fires, cutting down of old trees that often have hollow limbs, are all contributing to native animals seeking shelter in unusual places.

SNAIL BAIT& INSECT SPRAYS

Snail bait does not only kill snails, it will kill anything that eats it, including your dog or cat, if you do have to use it, please make sure it is done in a responsible manner.

Often problems such as too many snails in the garden is a result of the ecosystem breaking down, you can change this with very little effort.

If you have been using sprays, baits or any other form of poison in your garden, you have most definitely upset the natural balance, STOP using any form of poison. Create a site for compost in a part of the garden if possible, here you can put all garden, kitchen waste, even cardboard and old newspapers. You will find that is a very short time not only will you have great soil, but you will also have birds coming to investigate your compost digging through looking for worms and bugs. The birds will also take care of insects and pests in the garden, you will have a balance back of insects that will now take care of unwanted bugs etc. It may take a season, but it is well worth the effort, and also great watching nature at its best.

 

SWOOPING MAGPIES

 

In springtime Magpies are known for swooping at people, in fact, anything that moves close to their nest. They are protecting their eggs or young from intruders, this usually only occur after they have had a bad experience,and they will forever more perceive anyone and anything as an intruder.

The simplest way to solve this would be to avoid the area for a short time whilst they are nesting. If this is not possible, you could walk on the other side of the road, wear a hat or have an open umbrella above your head. ( This is not for hitting the bird, but for you're protection)

When we realise why these birds react like this, we may have a better understanding and tolerance, would we be any different in similar circumstances?

Relocation is not an option, the young in the nest would no longer have the parent bird to feed and protect them, you would also not really solve the problem as another Magpies would move in to the territory almost immediately, and you could start the whole process over again.

Magpies are territorial and a relocated bird have very little chance of survival out of its home territory.

Let us not rubbish our wildlife

 

 

RETURN TO TOP