Mixed Small Bird Aviary in China Guangxi Nanning (1 of 3)

This post is one of a series of three regarding a Bird Aviary and pond built by me in Nanning Guangxi China during the year of 2009

I'm pretty certain it’s the only one in Nanning Guangxi China.

And not only an aviary but a fish pond - bird aviary combination.

Against all advice I decided I just had to give it a go.

Some say, never mix fish ponds and bird aviaries together.

So, one day, in one corner of my wife's garden centre…we begun.

The pond, 3m x 2m and around 45cms deep at its deepest point in a pear like shape was already established. The fish were in and breeding, the water lily's were flowering along with other aquatic plants and also plenty of other pond life.

All making for a well balanced aquatic scene.

Easy peasy, it was just a matter of plonking an aviary over the top.

Well, not quite that simple but I decided to give it a go anyway.

My wife was in full support and between us in about 60 man/woman hours on and off over a two week period and just before the Chinese New Year it was finished.

First off, marking out and laying the foundation blocks, then…

To be continued...here

Another Chinese Garden Landscape area under construction in Nanning China

Large Scale Chinese Garden Park

Seeing is believing...

These type of landscaped parks are being constructed in most majoe cities in China

Artist impression original drawings above

Yet another large scale Chinese Garden Park area being constructed here in Nanning Guangxi China.
This is one of many landscaping projects taking place in Nanning.
Originally an overgrown unused area with steep sloping sides leading down to a much smaller lake, very much like this area...

And now this has emerged over a period of around 6 months.
A much larger lake with all around planting and access. Formal area and naturalised area.
In the main, created using an unskilled labour force including many women labourers.
This is just one landscaping project, there are also many others taking place in my home city Nanning - Don't forget, there are also many other cities in China developing and this will be a similar story there also.
Employment for thousands. Both in the creation and then in the after maintenance.
And it won't stop there...Chinese Gardens are growing everywhere.



Apologies for the wind noise



Local Authority roadside Floral display in China

A refreshingly colourful and somewhat unusual temporary path and roadside floral display in China.
Including potted Bedding plants and Silk Artificial flowers.
The potted bedding, marigolds, busy lizzie, petunia and the like are grown in 1.5 litre Black poly bags.
When displayed, the outside facing line is placed into a white, sometimes terracotta coloured plastic pot, poly bag and all.

That way, when the display is taken away, the plastic pot is recovered and used again and again....and again, finally ending it's days - recycled and spawning another plastic pot.
After 3 or 4 weeks, often longer, the plants and the flowers are returned to a Nursery.
The plants given TLC and a liquid feed or two then, probably a week or two later either displayed again or more likely, sold on.

The artificial flowers are used over and over again - then recycled.
The wholesale price of say, a potted marigold is around 1.5 - 2 RMB
Roughly 1 RMB = 10p (10 RMB to the English Pound)
When sold, they will most likely end up at the local market with an initial asking price of perhaps 5 RMB and a final agreed price of around 2 or 3 RMB.
One plant - multiple revenue.



Vegetable Gardening in China - On the Fly

 

Vegetable patch at the entrance to a cement block making facility with high rise apartments in the background. 
Well, it was a patch of earth sitting there doing nothing - Why not make use of it?

Vegetable garden in China - On the fly

 

Vegetable gardening in China - On the fly.
Never missing an opportunity. A quick thinking Chinese local or two have made very good use of a piece of land which is in the process of being cleared for development.
Over the course of a few days the embankment was cleared and planted.
Perhaps only a few months before they need to move out, but for now - Why not grow a few veggies.
Not a vast area but big enough to make a bob or two. Over the road there is a local market where fresh vegetables are sold.
I'm not sure why the Scarecrows are in place as there are no Crows but it is possible a little bird damage might occur.
Or could it be, that from a distance it looks like people are at work and that alone might be enough to stop any pilferage.

Nanning Bridge Yongjiang River side park in Nanning - One year on

 The riverside park is now establishing very well. About 18 months after work commenced. The rock probably needs a further few years to weather in. But overall everything is coming along nicely. From one end to another is around an hour at a relaxed walking pace with plenty of interest along the way.

Mixed Small Bird Aviary in China Guangxi Nanning (3 of 3)

   

We have now become the local "This is where you take birds you do not want any more" place.

So far, we have inherited one yellow budgerigar and two partridges ( A pear tree would be good!) and a Hwamei Garrulax Canorus.

Be warned - The Love birds love the Water Lilly flowers, eating them, that is.

And yes, they can be a little domineering to new entrants.

But by allowing newbies and the love birds time to adjust, by placing the new arrivals inside the aviary in a separate cage for a few days has done the trick.

Now they all get along just fine.

The fish have not suffered in any way, although I am noticing a change in the water colour, much greener, probably due to increase sunlight. 

Soon I will need to rectify this, not sure how at the moment.

Can't find any Barley sprigs here in China, as I know this works well.

Part 1 and Part 2

Follow up - Sadly the aviary is no longer there, in 2012 this area was demolished and made way for a car park

Small bird Aviary, pond and plants at Qingxiushan Nanning China

Mixed Small Bird Aviary in China Guangxi Nanning (2 of 3)

The Aviary, approximately 7 metres long and 6 metres wide at its widest end and on a sloping area of ground with a fall of about 30 cms from front to back and 20 cms from side to side and situated over a large fish pond was a challenge I was relishing…not.

All the advice was telling me, don't mix bird types, don't include a pond.

I considered it all of course, and yes I know, some birds can be aggressive, so I will stay away from those but in an aviary of this size approximately 25 sq metres my conclusion was that there is enough room for the various bird types to get along just fine.

I realised that I would need to keep my eye on things for a while in the early days. The plan was to introduce all the birds together at the same time in the hope that any particularly dominant birds would be at the same disadvantage as the others.

And it's worked, so far. There is an occasional tussle or two, mainly occurring within the same type of bird but overall nothing too serious.

As for the pond, so far, so good. I have not positioned any roosting perches immediately above the pond, thereby eliminating the risk of contamination by way of the bird droppings.

The planting needed some research which was done online as I knew that some plants are poisonous to some birds.

Plants included.

Lonicera, Ficus, Mentha, Plectranthus, Tradscantia, Lysimachia, Ferns, to name a few, the ones I know but there are others that so far I have been unable to find an English name for, I'm working on it.

To be continued...here

New China Nanning Bridge Yongjiang River Side Parkland Garden - In the making

Two videos and a few still shots taken from the back of the electric bike being driven by my wife.

Sorry about the bit of wind rush noise and me trying to eat a chewy sweet and talk at the same time.

4 kilometres = Just under 2.5 miles and not 1.5 as I said.
Oh, and the BRICKS - They were still waiting to be planted and not already planted as I stated…