ED Nature Watch

[Sue]

45 minutes ago, Mabaker said:

There was quite a lot of noisy crows above Dawson's Heights this morning. Magpies were flying all over the place, all clearly agitated about something. Then I saw a large bird souring above but couldn't make out what it was 

😮

[Katherty]

Lots of ducklings in Dulwich Park the other day. 

[BrandNewGuy]

On 20/05/2024 at 21:19, Mabaker said:

There was quite a lot of noisy crows above Dawson's Heights this morning. Magpies were flying all over the place, all clearly agitated about something. Then I saw a large bird souring above but couldn't make out what it was 

It was probably a peregrine falcon, which freaks out even other big birds. Or possibly even a buzzard, one or two of which have been known to stray from deepest Surrey into the leafier bits of South London.

[Nigello]

Sparrow hawk? I think they’re more common than the other two but I’m not an expert. 

[IlonaM]

I have had sparrowhawks in my garden chasing pigeons on Underhill. One just hung out on a planter for a while in Nov 2021...

[sunbob]

I just saw a pair of spotted woodpeckers following eachother around in the trees in front of Harris Boys!

[Bumpkin]

We were very excited to discover a wren has build an impressive nest in a yucca just outside our window, however since finishing we haven’t seen her for several days.  Really hoping a cat hasn’t got her (or him..). 

[Sue]

9 minutes ago, Bumpkin said:

We were very excited to discover a wren has build an impressive nest in a yucca just outside our window, however since finishing we haven’t seen her for several days.  Really hoping a cat hasn’t got her (or him..). 

Lucky you!

Fingers crossed  a cat hasn't got her and that you have just not been there when she is coming and going.

Please let us know if/when  you see her again!

[satsuma]

20 hours ago, sunbob said:

I just saw a pair of spotted woodpeckers following eachother around in the trees in front of Harris Boys!

Saw a mum and dad spotted woodpecker feeding their babies in the Gallery gardens.

[Penguin68]

On 30/05/2024 at 09:23, Bumpkin said:

We were very excited to discover a wren has build an impressive nest in a yucca just outside our window, however since finishing we haven’t seen her for several days.  Really hoping a cat hasn’t got her (or him..). 

Male wrens build several nests for the female to choose. An empty nest may be a symptom of pickiness, not a tragedy. 

[Bumpkin]

That’s good to know! 

[BrandNewGuy]

On 27/05/2024 at 10:49, Nigello said:

Sparrow hawk? I think they’re more common than the other two but I’m not an expert. 

Sparrowhawks don't soar and tend to fly lower than peregrines or buzzards... sneak attacks on their feathered brethren being their preferred method 🙂

[ianr]

When I watch the clouds from my window they quite often appear like very slow-moving lines of vehicles on a multi-lane highway, gradually edging forward.

So I was rather doubtful when I just now saw them creep forward a very small amount, pause a short while, and then make a small reverse, more or less back to the point they'd advanced from.  Another pause, and then the same repeated.  And again and again.   More perhaps like a small moored boat, being blown by the wind.  I don't at this moment remember seeing anything quite like that before, at least for it to seem so memorable, though possibly i have, and forgotten.

I doubt it's peculiar to Dulwich, but Dulwich is where I happen to be, and it is nature.  So hello clouds.

 

Edited June 12 by ianr

[Sue]

4 minutes ago, ianr said:

When I watch the clouds from my window they quite often appear like very slow-moving lines of vehicles on a multi-lane highway, gradually edging forward.

So I was rather doubtful when I just now saw them creep forward a very small amount, pause a short while, and then make a small reverse, more or less back to the point they'd advanced from.  Another pause, and then the same repeated.  And again and again.   More perhaps like a small moored boat, being blown by the wind.  I don't at this moment remember seeing anything quite like that before, at least for it to seem so memorable, though possibly i have, and forgotten.

I doubt it's peculiar to Dulwich, but Dulwich is where I happen to be, and it is nature.  So hello clouds.

 

How weird! 

[alice]

Dead trees in Peckham Rye Park.  Has anyone else noticed the massive number of dead trees in Peckham Park with stickers for removal?  Some definitely looked dead but there were others that look perfectly okay. Does anyone understand how it’s worked out?

[Sue]

12 minutes ago, alice said:

Dead trees in Peckham Rye Park.  Has anyone else noticed the massive number of dead trees in Peckham Park with stickers for removal?  Some definitely looked dead but there were others that look perfectly okay. Does anyone understand how it’s worked out?

A perfectly healthy looking tree in our road was recently removed, and apparently it was because it had diseased roots. Who knows how this was discovered!

[Bumpkin]

Our wren (or a female he persuaded to join him) has been spotted again feathering the nest.. fingers crossed for babies! 

[malumbu]

Plenty of threads demonising Southwark Council, don't let this one become another.

Larger birds taking over a little in the garden, don't mind the corvids, the jay is particularly magnificent.  And woodpeckers always welcome.  Parakeets not yet taken over but a small flock of starlings are no longer a novelty and go through so much if the feed there for the tits.  Feral pigeons are a nuisance. No blue tit nest this year which is a pity.

The two baby robins are lovely and very friendly.

Also two fox cubs, seeing playing in the garden early evening tonight.

[Sue]

I saw a male sparrow feeding a baby sparrow, and as a result discovered via Google that both mum and dad sparrows share the feeding!

Do all birds do this? 

On a bird theme, I moved around my feeders so the pigeons couldn't get at the feeding holes,  except those on the  goldfinch feeder.

I have had great amusement from watching a very confused pigeon first try to get into the goldfinch feeder (which it couldn't, because the tiny niger seed comes out of narrow slits) and then attempt to reach the holes on the other feeders, which it couldn't because it no longer had a perch near enough the holes.

There were some squirrel like acrobatics, then  a great crash when it fell off. Then it flew away. I haven't seen it since 😂

I too have a very friendly baby robin, but maybe not for long, as it seems to prefer drinking from filthy water in an old bowl to the nice clean water I have provided it with today 🙄

Edited June 27 by Sue
Typo

[Penguin68]

12 minutes ago, Sue said:

Do all birds do this? 

Most do, I believe although there are some exceptions (cuckoos for one, who don't do any feeding!)

[malumbu]

Surely we are all fans of Springwatch.  Lots of nesting birds this year, on I-player for you to indulge yourselves.  Warning some video nasties including snake predation 

[Sue]

Yesterday evening I watched one of "my" frogs attack a very large slug and apparently attempt to eat it.

The slug won, the frog gave up and the slug slithered off, apparently unharmed 😂

I tried to post a video of the battle, but the file was too big, so here are two photos!

[Brian up the hill]

Male and female stag beetles in the garden. Great to see them and have recorded their sighting with the People’s Trust for Endangered Species and the `London Wildlife Trust’s websites. 

Edited June 27 by Brian up the hill

[Sue]

Sparrows are eating the young leaves on the bamboo in my garden.

I have never seen this in previous years, or perhaps I just haven't noticed.

Is this normal sparrow behaviour?! 

[IlonaM]

Interesting article on ring-necked parakeets in today's Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/jul/10/britain-parakeet-invasion-jimi-hendrix-birds-uk-species