I think we got to 25 Fallow Deer in the garden today. I actually spent some of yesterday constructing a brush fence to protect the dry stone wall that had taken a hit from deer so it was good timing.
For the second year in a row we have plenty of frogspawn in the main pond even though it barely holds any water. As last year I shall distribute the spawn around the ponds and sinks and hope that increases the survival of tadpoles. Last year one of the sinks did the business but I could see no evidence of tadpoles inthe other places. Given that I know we have some Palmate Newts in the small plastic pond the spawn or tadpoles should at least provide some food for them.
They seem to be animals who stumble across food rather than having a plan. Some years they will come across an apple on one of our trees and then strip the lot of that tree without moving on to adjacent trees. Yesterday I found a squirrel munching its way through all the rose hips that I had assumed would be eaten by the birds. It didn't look uncomfortable at all despite the viscious thorns.
I like Moles and I wouldn't wish them any harm but we probably have too many for the good of the flora and fungi in the fields. The South Field has had a poor year for flowers, particularly Orchids and not a great Fungi year either. Given that most of it is now molehills this is not a surpise to me.
