ED Nature Watch

[minder]

Here's the Jay and plastic duck!

[Sue]

That's a great picture! :))

[Mousey McP]

Green Woodpecker hopping around Goose Green this morning @ 6.30 then flew up into the trees opposite St Johns Church. Possibly nesting?

[civilservant]

Bumblebees have been flying into the kitchen and then exhausting themselves flying into (closed) windows trying to get out, silly things. Luckily, sugar water, or even a squashed cherry, seems to get them back on their wings.

I hear that they rarely sting, so just pick the little fat furry critter up and plonk it next to the sugar water.

[fl0wer]

Dear friends

during the floods last winter I took a cutting from one of the Lombardy Poplars in Camberwell New Cemetery.

Seeing that people are grieving at the recent tree felling, perhaps you'd like to help me find the right spot to plant this healthy baby one, which is about 2 ft high now and still in a pot.

We will wait till there is wet weather again (perhaps October/November), to give it the best chance of survival.

Need to research whether there are any land drains or built foundations near the place that's chosen - because poplars reach their roots towards water. Therefore, the best site will be by a stream or in damp open ground. Once planted and established this tree will offer many more possibilities for taking cuttings, they are hardy & easy to do, & good for teaching children how roots begin etc.

[edhistory]

A] Is it a "good idea" to plant a non-native lombardy poplar in the wild in our valley?

B] The only "suitable" sites in our valley seem to be those owned by Southwark Council.

John K

[steveo]

There's one in my garden. It's taller than Canary Wharf and looks like it should be in Lombardy not Dulwich

[BrandNewGuy]

Mousey McP Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Green Woodpecker hopping around Goose Green this

> morning @ 6.30 then flew up into the trees

> opposite St Johns Church. Possibly nesting?

It's probably too late for nesting - more likely to be hunting ants, which are their favourite food. Despite being a woodpecker, it spends more time feeding on the ground than in trees.

[wellington]

I posted this in the main section and someone, kindly, suggested I post it here:

We have had an abundance of stag beetles this year. I have also finally seen many in flight too.

They don't seem to be able to right themselves when the are on their back. If I turn them over they just flip themselves again. There is a right beast in our garden just now who is absolutely going manic and there doesn't seem to be anything we can do to help them.

I would be grateful for any helpful advice anyone could give.

[lousmith]

These beasts are virtually prehistoric, having managed thus far without intervention. I agree they seem uniquely unfit for purpose in their magnificence. Try not to worry for them though, nature knows best.

[wellington]

Well, I'm happy to say that, after the upteenth time turning him over, he has finally stayed in that position and seems much better. My little one found him in an empty pot filled with water and thankfully too as he is the most magnificient one we have seen so far. I have seen at least 10 in the last 2 weeks and on about 4 occasions have seen them in flight. For the last 2 1/2 hours our little friend has been devouring some peach we've given him.

[JackieO]

fl0wer Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Dear friends

> during the floods last winter I took a cutting

> from one of the Lombardy Poplars in Camberwell New

> Cemetery.

> Seeing that people are grieving at the recent tree

> felling, perhaps you'd like to help me find the

> right spot to plant this healthy baby one, which

> is about 2 ft high now and still in a pot.

>

Are you sure it's a Lombardy poplar? There are some native black poplars in Camberwell Old Cemetery, one was unfortunately chopped down during the recent works. If you have a cutting of it, it would be great to find somewhere local to plant it, as it is native to Britain. I suggest you contact Daniel GReenwood from the London Wildlife Trust, I'm sure he would be interested in your cutting it if is a black poplar. His work address is [email protected].

[fl0wer]

Thanks JackieO - for sounding a positive note.

I was careful in my research, so as to offer correct identification for what will turn into a substantial tree. The Lombardies were in Camberwell NEW Cemetery forming windbreaks near the playing fields.

I will take cuttings of the Black Poplar in Camb. OLD Cem., happy to donate them to the Trust in a few months time.

BTW several of these trees are having a particularly spectacular 'snowstorm' of seed-cotton this year.

Can anyone answer my questions about this cotton:

a) is it actually full of seeds that can grow? If so, why aren't there zillions of baby trees nearby from other years?

b) if the seeds are infertile, could the great quantities of cotton be used as layers in compost heap?

c) are there uses wild creatures make of this cotton? It would seem ideal as nest lining, etc, but no sign of activity.

[edhistory]

As far as I'm aware there are NO black poplars in Southwark.

See the black poplar species action plan for London.

The black poplar is an endangered species.

If you have come across a previously unidentified black poplar pollard you should notify a competent person BEFORE taking a cuttng.

John K

The Lead for this species is the Natural History Museum

Dr. Fred Rumsey

Dept. of Botany

Natural History Museum

London

SW7 5BD

Tel 020 794 25692

email [email protected]

web www. nhm.ac.uk

[fl0wer]

edhistory, why not go and look for yourself, take a walk through the old Cem and see.

Reading this http://www.rfs.org.uk/learning/Poplar it seems possible the one by the footpath could be a hybrid. I would be surprised if Daniel Greenwood had not seen it already.

[edhistory]

You might like to supplement your reading:

Conservation of Black Poplar (Populus nigra L.) by Joan Cottrell [2004].

(I can't get a URL to work - but a search engine will find it).

The point I am making is that you should not take a knife to a black poplar.

John K

[fl0wer]

To all it may concern

here is a simple page for identification purposes: http://www.cheshire-biodiversity.org.uk/useful-resources/pdf%20black%20poplar%20id%20(Read-Only).pdf

and to EDHistory in particular, would you do me the honour of reading my posts more carefully as twice you have assumed I would do harm, and responded with crushing comments.

The OLD Cem's huge, unpollarded black poplar offered a few innocent questions and for choice I would not be propagating it at all, as I have just got window boxes and a doorstep for my gardening. The Lombardy I chose along with Weeping Willow in the wintertime, in response specifically to the floods and only with appropriate riverside sites in mind.

[pearl1]

I just had a gigantic moth in the house - at least 3 inches across. Is that at all unusual? I've never seen one before. It was either black or very dark. Had to turn off lights to get it out do not entirely positive on colour.

[fl0wer]

How wonderful! This is the right season to see Privet Hawk Moths, http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=1669

and I have been wondering where they were, considering the privet hedges are now in full bloom.

There are several other hawk moths, so browse the link and see what you come up with.

[fl0wer]

important news for gardeners re: buying in supplies of bumblebees - it turns out they are not as disease free as the big firms claim.

=>http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/jul/18/bumblebees-honeybees-parasite-infection

Was unsure where to post this in the Forum, but thought people here might well be setting up gardens with wildlife friendly motives and feel inclined to get in some bees.

This seems a place to start. Please post the link around as widely as possible.

[dennis]

Had an amazing display of nature in action this morning.

Sat at the patio doors sipping a cuppa, watching the sparrows

and tits drinking out of a bowl of water on the wall.

The bowl is tucked into a Pyracantha to save them from the local cats.

Unfortunately it didn't offer enough cover from the

Kestrel / Sparrow hawk that crashed down on a poor

Sparrow. Bird of prey last seen swooping across the garden

with its breakfast between its talons. The other birds quickly

took shelter in the bush, popping outa few seconds later

and disappearing.

Amazing scene not sure exactly what the bird was as

It was all over in a second. Half expected Kate Humble

pop her head around the corner.

[fl0wer]

Have seen similar through an apparently impossible thorny hedge gap. Speed & flight skill incredible.

Did it resemble this:

http://www.wildlifewatch.org.uk/beast-of-the-month-sparrowhawk

[gedwina]

Hi everybody - very happy as just spotted a frog / toad in my new half barrell pond! Can anybody help I'd this? Thought I hadn't seen as many slugs this year

[lousmith]

Rana Temporaria. Common frog to you and me. Well attracted. They gravitate to life preserving wetness when the weather is like this. Expect it to vacate when it rains!

[gedwina]

Thanks for the I'd, very happy to see it in the garden - looks very fat and healthy