15th November 2011
We are trying out a new squirrel baffle on the fat-ball feeder. It didn't baffle a robin!
The feeders have been under sustained vandalism. We repair them as best we can but we need to buy more robust versions. We will then install them in a more secure place.
Help us to buy these, and nest boxes too!
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28th June 2011
The large squirrel-proof seed feeder is missing - presumed stolen/vandalised.
Another new three-chambered feeder has also been damaged. This mindless theft/damage
leaves the young birds in the Gardens short of food at a crucial time. Please keep your eyes open in case the feeder has been dumped in bushes. We are trying to come up with a temporary solution, pending replacing the feeder.
26th May 2011
The weather in early spring has meant early broods of blackbirds,robins, and the whole tit group. Today a family of longtailed tits were around the stream area, chipping noisily to each other. Insect food has been plentiful but growing broods mean more visitors to the feeders - the adult longtailed tits appeared as soon as I filled the stream feeders.
13th December 2010
The Water Rail is still present at the pond and this morning caught a frog.
Photos by Jenny Backwell
9th December 2010
If you wonder what the strange bird is at the pond, it's a Water Rail - usually secretive, it has clearly been driven from its usual marshland home by thew icy weather. Look out for it by the watercress beds. There's still a Grey Wagtail around, too. Look out for more Redwings arriving.
28th November 
2010
We installed our new bird interpretation board today - in the woodland conservation area (up the steps from the rose garden).
Come and see how many of our local birds you can spot! And put the Big Garden Bird Watch - Sunday 30th January in your diary!
23rd September 2010
There were two grey wagtails around for much of today by the pond/watercress beds, and a nuthatch on the big feeder on and off for over a hour around midday. The nuthatch is according to Brian Eastlea, a "first" for the Gardens - it may stay around now that it has found a source of food!
13th August 2010
Jenny Clark from the Sussex Bat Hospital brought these delightful pipistrelles and other bats along to St Ann's Well Gardens to make friends with lots of our young and older park users.
The night before, some of took part in a bat walk round the gardens, led by Ryan and his bat detector. We were not disappointed - we had good views of our resident bats as they zoomed around in the twilight.
20th May 2010
Haven't the Garden Gang been busy bees? This month they built a bee bar!
22nd April 2010
The newly-formed Davigdor School Garden Gang helped Park Rangers Sarah & Paul build a fanatstic 5 star, 4 storey "bug hotel". This luxury accommodation creates habitats for beetles, bees, ants, butterflies and moths, and a whole range of other animals. And it's made entirely from recycled materials!
30th March 2010
The new feeders have been attracting lots of birds, glad to find a reliable food source in the bad weather.
Meanwhile at Sussex Heights, the peregrines have produced their first egg - take a look at the website for regular updates.
22nd March 2010
The female great spotted woodpecker was on the stream feeders this morning.
1st March
2010
Has Spring arrived? This morning in the Gardens, the birds clearly though so. Lots of greenfinches & goldfinches around, and good views of the woodpeckers.
28th February 2010
The bird feeders we made last Saturday are up in various locations in the Gardens and we will be keeping them filled to help our resident birds get fit for the breeding season. Blue, great and long-tailed tits have already visited, as have starlings. The squirrels love them too, so we've added a squirrel-proof feeder.
8th February 2010
The last few days have been showing signs of spring, but there's another cold snap on its way. Still lots of redwings in the Gardens and a few fieldfares. These colourful cousins of the thrush are over from Europe in seach of food.
Look out for birds prospecting nest sites - blackbirds are the earliest to nest. Also blue tits, great tits, long-tailed tits, robins, wrens, song thrushes, chaffinches and magpies. In the eastern part of the Gardens, listen out for the drumming of our star birds - the pair of great spotted woodpeckers.
Other events planned for 2010 include a Dawn Chorus walk in May, and Bat Week in August.
31st January 2010
Despite the cold, the Gardens made a good spot for the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, with plenty to see, though some of the smaller birds were clearly roosting somewhere to keep warm! The redwings are still around, mainly lurking near the Furzecroft fence and in the Sensory Garden. The wrens could be seen as well as heard, though foraging beneath the waterfall at the pond must have been cold. Blue tits and starlings were conspicuous by their abence - just single birds at various points in the Gardens. It was nice to see that the longtailed tits are still very much in residence. 150 feral pigeons, being fed, were not such a welcome sight. No sight or sound of the greater spotted woodpeckers - can you let us know if you hear them drumming?
24th May 2009
The woodpeckers are now feeding their chicks in the nest. Now that the Spring Festival is over, why not do a bit of springwatching? How many different bird species are resident in the Gardens or nearby? Let us know if you spot anything unusual.
19th April 2009
The first blackbird fledgling has been spotted - keep a look out for more baby birds demanding to be fed! Also a pair of goldcrests have been seen - listen out for their very highpitched calls. They're Britain's smallest birds and very hard to spot.