ED Nature Watch

[DulwichFox]

Have not seen many Foxes over recent weeks.. Usually see a couple on my way home from the boozer.

Could that be due to the warm weather. ?

Foxy.

[civilservant]

now you mention it, me neither.

I hope they're ok. We did hear a couple carousing in the wee hours last week, though. they woke up my daughter - she was petrified!

[DulwichFox]

I am seriously concerned we may have someone harming Foxes or puting down poison.

I hope my concerns are not founded.. But with the Cat harming going on. ??

DulwichFox

[Sue]

I think we would see some dead foxes about if that was the case?

Like CivilServant, I have heard some fox activity at night lately.

[BrandNewGuy]

Foxes have young cubs at this time of year, so are much more cautious when out and about - until the cubs get a bit more streetwise :-)

[DulwichFox]

BrandNewGuy Wrote:

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> Foxes have young cubs at this time of year, so are

> much more cautious when out and about - until the

> cubs get a bit more streetwise :-)

That makes sense .. probably see more of them in the Autumn..

I'm a bit cautious when I'm out and about.. I will probably be ok when I get a bit more streetwise :)

Foxy

[titch juicy]

I've seen a couple in Crystal Palace Road in the last week- a young one too.

[Pickle]

I've seen lots of foxes when I run early morning (6:30ish), and passed quite a few on my walk from the library area to home about an hour ago. We had cubs under our decking, they've moved out now but we still see them in our garden every couple of days.

[dimples]

There all on Belvoir road and Nutfield road !

[Peachpie]

.

[jaywalker]

They've moved west of the Lane. More than I can remember - and friendlier.

[Sue]

Peachpie Wrote:

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> I used see foxes weekly. I now only see them every

> month or so. I think mainly because all of the

> gardens are getting cleared and I suppose they

> have moved on elsewhere.

Yes, unfortunately the (what seems to be) increasing trend round here to rip up grass and most of the plants and put down artificial grass, decking or paving and a few low maintenance plants in pots has removed food and habitats for birds and other living things, maybe including foxes?

At least we still have woods and parks.

And my partner saw a Gatekeeper butterfly up on Grove Allotments on Saturday, so some things are still hanging on in there :)

[Sue]

Peachpie Wrote:

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> I used see foxes weekly. I now only see them every

> month or so. I think mainly because all of the

> gardens are getting cleared and I suppose they

> have moved on elsewhere. Though I did see one at

> the bottom of the garden last week and there is

> often strange bits of food rubbish, which I can

> only assume is foxes.

A healthy looking, young (ish) fox strolled past me as I was working on my allotment this afternoon :)

[Jenny1]

For the first time since I moved in in '98 wrens have raised a family in my garden. V pleased. The garden is small and haunted by cats - so I can see why it would have been rejected in the past. A bit of light googling suggests that the mild winter might have encouraged them to branch out and use different nesting areas. Also the spindly hazel twig I planted five years ago in a corner where nothing would grow is now a fine specimen providing a lot of cover - so that might have attracted them. Fascinated and delighted to read that male wrens are obliged to build five or six nests. The female then gets to decide which is best!

[titch juicy]

Wren pecked

[red devil]

Jenny1 Wrote:

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> Fascinated and delighted to read

> that male wrens are obliged to build five or six

> nests. The female then gets to decide which is

> best!

I learnt that this Spring too Jenny. I also noticed for the first time in my catfest garden that a Wren was building a nest, but I was puzzled why it would only do so in short bursts and then disappear for a day or two. Sadly 'my' nest wasn't chosen, women can be so fickle ;-)...

[Abe_froeman]

The foxes have probably had enough of all the gentrification.

[Jenny1]

Good spot titch juicy!

I'm sorry your garden didn't come up to female wrenly expectations, red devil. Apparently 'up north' there's none of this messing around. Males build one nest and the females just have to put up with it. The assumption is that this is due to the shorter breeding season.

[BrandNewGuy]

titch juicy Wrote:

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> Wren pecked

Weeell, you'll find that the male usually has more than one special lady, so none of them has the moral high ground :-)

[Jenny1]

Walking up Townley Road yesterday I saw a jay fly into the Alleyn's memorial gardens. I'm always amazed how colourful they are. I don't see jays very often - but then I seem to remember them being few and far between during my childhood as well. Not sure how well they're doing these days.

[Nigello]

Saw a very small bird - about the size of a champagne cork - at ground level on Choumert Road. It disappeared into a hedge. It was dun coloured and very fast. Was it a wren?

As for jays, I saw one about seven years ago in my back garden and none has been there since. I think I saw one last weekend on Court Lane in the gardens near the private road.

[Jenny1]

I was reading that jays are often more 'visible' in the autumn as they go in search of acorns.

I like the idea of a 'champagne cork' bird. I expect it was a wren, given your description. Though I've also seen a gold crest this year in the hedge outside the house. They're even smaller, but do, unlike the wren, have some colour to them.

[mancity68]

Maybe a fun nock, nigello?. They like hedges.

[Sue]

mancity68 Wrote:

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> Maybe a fun nock, nigello?. They like hedges.

Dunnock?!

[mancity68]

Oh dear!! Autocorrect and no glasses. Bad combination...! Yes. Dunnock.