A fallen tree transforms the woodland garden

A warbler stops to take a drink from the bird bath beside the fallen tree that has played a part in rewilding that corner of the yard.

New habitat attracts greater variety of wildlife

“With every death, comes new life. Embrace the void, become something greater.”

It’s been almost two years since the Hawthorn tree tucked in a corner of our yard fell to the ground and began transforming the area – rewilding it and bringing new life to a corner of the woodland.

We were lucky. The downed tree poses no risk in the garden and is in a wilder area of the yard where we can leave it be rather than try to remove all the branches and “clean up” the area.

Leaving it alone over the past few years has transformed that part of the garden creating habitat that was not present prior to the tree falling to the ground.

Fallen tree creates new habitat

A mature Hawthorn tree that fell in the garden has played an important role in the rewilding of the area.

The mid-sized Washington Hawthorn tree opened a hole in the canopy, shaded new areas of the woodland floor and, most importantly, provided shelter for birds, squirrels, mice and a variety of insects, reptiles and amphibians that call the woodland garden home.

Click here for more on building a brush or wood pile to attract wildlife.

Birds and mammals grew accustomed to the tangled thorny branches and used the downed tree as a refuge, safe from hawks and other predators.

Our little screech owl took up residence in the owl box after the Hawthorn tree fell in the woodland floor creating a new habitat in the corner of the garden.

Screech owl appears in rewilded area

Then, the screech owl appeared and took up residence in the owl box I had put up in the pine tree a year earlier. The fallen Hawthorn tree’s branches rise up near the owl box providing cover for the little predator. For my post on the screech owl click here.

For months, our screech owl watched over the garden from the security of the many thorny Hawthorn branches that rise up from the forest floor.

It provided hours of entertainment in the evening looking out into the garden from its home, before flying off to hunt for the evening.

The red squirrels didn’t seem to mind “screechy” being so close to them and often would climb up to sneak a peek into the owl’s home before going on with their business.

We’ve always had a variety of wildlife either living in or visiting the garden. But the fallen tree seemed to entice more birds.

Yellow warbler looking for insects.

A weekend of warblers

Last spring, for the first time ever, the yard seemed filled with warblers. For a week or two, they regularly visited the part of the yard where the tree had fallen, drinking and bathing from the bird bath and feeding on the insects. For my complete post on a weekend of warblers, click here.

All the while, they offered up opportunities to photograph them while they filled the corner of our yard with songs.

In spring, momma deer appeared in the yard visiting the bird feeders before returning to the cover of the fallen Hawthorn.

Just days after first noticing her, the doe had her fawn in the yard and hid it among the ground covers on one side of the backyard while she stayed on the opposite side hidden among the ferns and Hawthorn branches watching over her fawn from a distance.

Fawn in the spring garden among the Forget-me-nots.

More recently, it’s wild turkeys. Two young male turkeys to be exact.

They are living in the tangled branches of the fallen Hawthorn where they literally disappear into everyday after getting their share of bird seed.

Click here for my post on living with wild turkeys.

Even in the middle of winter, where snow is covering the ground and tree branches are bare, the turkeys manage to disappear once they enter the tangles branches. Sometimes, they’ll fly up on top of the branches to enjoy some sunshine.

Turkeys find a new home

Two young male wild turkeys are comfortable among the branches of the fallen tree.

In the middle of winter, as I look out over the fallen tree, I can’t help but see a massive wood pile not dissimilar to the much smaller one I built in another area of the garden.

These are important areas for all types of wildlife.

They provide perches for birds and small mammals, are a resource for food from insects to mice, and an important safe habitat and roosting area for an assortment of wildlife big and small.

Over time, the branches will break off and fall to the ground adding nutrients to the woodland soil. Mosses and lichens will move in and begin to break down the tree branches. Beetles will begin attacking the tree’s larger branches and trunk breaking down the wood while at the same time providing a food source for birds, toads and snakes.

There are already plenty of woodpeckers in the garden, but the rotting tree trunk will attract even more as the beetles and other insects move in. Millipedes, wood bugs and a host of other insects will help to increase the variety of fauna available in the garden.

The result will be a greater variety of flora and fauna finding a home in the garden and creating a healthier, more diverse environment.