ED Nature Watch

[The Minkey]

Sue: I hadn't realised they'd gone - lol - would explain why I haven't seen them.

[Sue]

Well the peregrines might not have gone, but the RSPB have :)

[SteveT]

KirstyH wrote:- last year it was 3 weeks earlier (March 8th) and the year before that it was 25 February!

That is what I call interesting local knowledge KH.

The birds are nesting later this year too.

[Sue]

At least they're nesting!

[SteveT]

I have recently been putting up fat balls into a container, in my haste I took them out of the net bag before dropping them into the holder and the birds wouldn't touch it then I dropped in a couple still in the net bags and they were all over it.

My conclusion is they have been conditioned by the packaging, a bit like us really.

[The Minkey]

The RSPB advise removal of the netting, Steve T, as it's a hazard for the birds:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/feeding/how.asp

"Mesh bags ? a warning

Peanuts and fat balls are regularly sold in nylon mesh bags. Never put out any food in mesh bags. These may trap birds? feet and even cause broken or torn off feet and legs. Birds with a barbed tongue, eg woodpeckers, can become trapped by their beaks.

Doesn't bear thinking about, does it. On a happier note, birds can be cautious about changes - they will get used to it.

[Nero]

I saw a jay in the large area of back gardens in the Goodrich/Dunstan's/ block about a week ago. I know they are not that rare but they sure beat wood pigeons. No frogs or toads, though, which is a shame.

[BrandNewGuy]

With regard to the peregrines at Tate Modern, I don't think they nest there, but they use the tower as a place to teach the fledged chicks how to hunt. I think they're from the nest that's on top of an office building near the BT Tower, but the parents need somewhere high and clear of obstacles to help the youngsters learn how to fly ? it would be very easy for one to crash when practising to fly at over 180mph :-)

The RSPB are usually there from July to September, once the youngsters have left the nest and start flying.

[SteveT]

With regard to the peregrines at Tate Modern, I don't think they nest there,

That is a surprise, the name peregrine is after all an arty farty kind of name, innit?

[KirstyH]

Its all explained by the nice canadians at http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/info/names.html - apparently the falcus bit means sickle (shape of wings/talon/beak) and the peregrine element - wandering etc. Only need to look up modernus tatae to check they are a suitably arty-farty location for the peregrines.

I did a nightclass 3 or 4 years ago via Birkbeck, and was sure there were peregrines in the square their library looks over (close to SOAS).

[SteveT]

Thanks for that KirstyH you are becoming a threat to Peckhamgatecrasher,

she is full of interesting facts on all kinds of stuff,

even cricket.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I've just seen a Manx fox run into St John's Churchyard. Quite an amusing sight though probably his brush was lost in some gruesome way.

[SteveT]

The female blackbird is disturbing my seed bed, looking for soft damp stuff to line her nest, whilst my french bean seeds are all over the place.

Is it called, ornithological vandalism?

[PeckhamRose]

The squirrel sits at the red screen door at the hole about 20 feet up the tree. She took a mighty long time hauling that red screen door up. She thinks it may put off the green parakeets. But no, they want their home back and they want it now. They don't often bother her these days though, but she has to sleep with an ear open, having watched and witnessed Jessie cat for years learning her tricks.

Squirrel sits at the screen door. She's not to know the red discarded bit of cardboard once housed a brand new Fisher Price toy. She doesn't care the toy was itself discarded by an ungrateful child not one week later. All she knows is there is a lot of different coloured screen doors she could choose and experiment with long as she has the energy to keep bringing them up the tree. And the parakeets are hassling her. And she's pregnant with about three. And climbing up and down is not easy and she keeps falling off the smaller branches as she eats the new budding leaves bursting forth from the tips. She needs food. She tries not go down to ground level, as she is sometimes used as target practice by the kids or their dogs. She's tired, she's big, but for now, she's safe.

[The Minkey]

I love the idea of Mrs Squirrel's red front door ;-)

"I've just seen a Manx fox run into St John's Churchyard. Quite an amusing sight though probably his brush was lost in some gruesome way."

That's odd. I saw a fox on the skyline of the covered reservoir behind me, walking very, very slowly, late summer last year. The walk was peculiar so I picked up the binocs for a better look and saw it had just lost its tail. It made me feel sick to my stomach to be honest. I didn't think it likely to survive give it was clearly in a major amount of pain and was being circled by crows and magpies. I wonder if it's the same fox? If not, how are they getting their tails trapped?

As for my neck of the woods - just seen the first butterflies of the year loving the sunshine. Peacock's, I think, deep red with distinctive 'eyes' at the outer tip of the wing.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I saw a lovely butterfly today too - think it was a Painted Lady.

Finally found violets in profusion today in Old Camberwell Cemetery. When we were children, the Sunday School would go out the day before Mothering Sunday to the woods and pick wild flowers to make posies.

I remembered collecting primroses, cowslips, buttercups, daisies, anemones and violets. Since I hadn't seen any violets I thought I must have imagined it. Our poor mothers - the posies must have been a wilted mess by the time they received them.

[PeckhamRose]

Today MrsSquirrel has decided to get rid of red screen door because she could hear even the bluetits laughing at her. She's in SE15, not SE22, and the blatant show is clearly embarrassing. She's found a piece of bark that fits nicely and also flips up so acts as a porch floor. She was out earlier than normal this morning but the pesky humans on the flat opposite have put the squirrel proof bird feeders up and also lined the drain pipe with motorcycle chain spray so she can't climb up. Lots of new buds on the trees though; they will have to do. Oh this pregnancy is tiring!

[first mate]

New subject, but I'm seeing an awful lot of dead and dopey bumble bees. Is this normal? I always thought they died in autumn. With nay luck I just don't know enough about the bee life cycle!

[civilservant]

Has anyone seen any hedgehogs in East Dulwich? I haven't seen a single one, alive or squashed, since moving here four years ago.

[The Minkey]

Someone spotted a hedgehog in my garden a couple of years ago - I never have though. I live up by the reservoir.

I was listening to something on R4 the other day - apparantly bumblebee sightings at this time of year are all Queens looking for a suitable hole to nest in. They'll be much bigger than regular bumblebees. If there isn't much nectar around, they can run out of energy and die. It is possible to help them on their way by giving them diluted honey or sugar water (preferably non-chlorinated) - I did a quick google and came up with this:

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/insects-and-invertebrates/46924-help-bumble-bee-rescue.html

"Well just to update, I put a small puddle of diluted honey near to her and she noticed straight away. Shuffled over and drank the lot and had 'seconds'. She perked up immediately and busily clean herself (or at least that's what it looked like to me!) for five minutes."

[sunnysideup]

what a wonderful day, I can see a lovely pair of tits from my office garden window.

[The Minkey]

It is a lovely day indeed.

Whilst out there soaking up the first warm rays of Spring, I saw another butterfly sunning itself in my garden, a Comma - this site is brilliant for identifying butterflies: http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?species=c-album

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

If you get time this week, go and have a look at the magnolia tree in the Japanese Garden in Peckham Rye. It is absolutely stunning at the moment.

Does anyone know what the strange looking flowers/weeds are in Brenchley Gardens - near the bench overlooking the golf course? Nearest thing I can think of is a red hot poker except they are not red!

Lots of speedwell about too which must be one of the prettiest weeds.

[PeckhamRose]

Mrs Squirrel has given birth to five live baby plant destroyers, I mean baby squirrels.

And in the last hour she has been given a 5 bedroom council tree flat and carefully gently transplanted each baby squirrel by mouth head first down, from her cramped damp little tree hole 20 feet up, to her new abode in the next tree along.

I could not photograph it however. My camera ran out of battery. I got camera two. Its battery had died a long while ago and I could have wasted time putting new battery in or just watching the scene unfold.

Whilst she was carrying one down, tiny little paws and a head emerged from the tree hole and I worried one might fall out!

I'm exhausted! I guess the tree hole should now have a For Let sign put by it. The parakeets have had their beady eyes on it for a while so when they return from their mini trip in Forest Hill they may make it their own again.

[bonniebird]

Peckham Rye park this morning at about 10am was stunning:)) The warm sunshine bought out all the little tiny birds, around the bowling green I saw Wrens, Blue Tits and Great Tits just flitting around the trees, it was lovely, Wrens are sooo cute and tiny(tu)