ED Nature Watch

[Sue]

I had lots of really huge bees in my garden today.

Three came into the kitchen. That was fun :))

Anybody else seen them?

[Nigello]

The pond at Goodrich School on Dunstans Road has been refilled and revamped. It looks good, if a little bit bloomy from algae (I think). I hope it will attract frogs, toads and even newts.

[Passiflora]

Growing up in the late 1960s and living near the Greendale area I always remember the stag beetles. They seemed to especially love flying around during early evening/dusk during the hot weather. Now and again we used to find one in the garden the next day seemingly lifeless and my Mum would get a stick and help it back into the Greendale lane.

Some of them seemed gigantic to me but my Mum would pick them up etc. and not be worried.

Living not far from the Greendale now and I had stag beetles living at the bottom of my garden up until around 7/8 years ago on some old logs but they have since disappeared.

Good to know they're still surviving!

[Mystic Mog]

Assume this impressive critter is a stag beetle, he was clinging to my garden wall earlier.

[louisemurray]

It certainly is.

[AylwardS]

Just had a stroll round Peckham Rye Park and saw 5 painted lady butterflies. I'd been getting jealous of friends facebook posts from elsewhere in the country who'd already seen some of the migration

[Nigello]

There have been jersey tiger moths around these past two weeks, which I would say is very early. Also, spiders - usually linked to autumn in my book (and others') - are plentiful. Could the extra-hot weather have somehow pushed everything forward a bit? (Apples on neighbours' trees look ripe also.)

[BrandNewGuy]

I think the swifts are now on their way back to Africa. It's extraordinary that they only spend about three months here, coming all this way to breed and then return. Amazing birds.

[Sue]

BrandNewGuy Wrote:

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> I think the swifts are now on their way back to

> Africa.

:(

Already?

[BrandNewGuy]

Yes, they only come here to breed. Extraordinary birds...

"Youngsters are independent as soon as they leave the nest, and set out immediately on migration.

Swifts start their return journey in mid July, before nights become too cool. They can?t roost overnight during the journey, like swallows do, so they travel quickly. One young swift that left its UK nest on 31 July, was found in Madrid (Spain) on 3 August."

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/natures-home-magazine/birds-and-wildlife-articles/migration/migratory-bird-stories/swift-migration/

[ianr]

Just spotted this one basking in the back garden. Looking up tells me it's a red admiral, which are said to be common, but it was unusual enough here to grab my attention. There are some whites fluttering around too. When I was young they all got called cabbage whites, though I see that there's a whole family Pieridae that includes several white types. They don't oblige by sitting still for long, and my lens is only 4x, so little prospect of getting a distinct view.

[Sue]

Yes, Red Admiral.

Used to see loads when I was a kid, hardly ever see them now :(

The cabbage whites are so called because they lay eggs on cabbages (and other brassicas) and the resultant zillions of caterpillars then proceed to devour all the cabbages. Very quickly :(

Unless you net them ..... the cabbages, not the butterflies ....

[Nigello]

The insect may have been a moth - a plume moth https://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.asp?identification=Plume-Moth .

[AC1964]

I noticed a few waves of martins flying in a roughly southerly direction this morning. The latest - about 5 minutes ago - must have had upwards of 50 birds. Presumably they're off to their winter homes...

[staplemeg]

Has anyone seen the young Egyptian geese who were living in Peckham park? There were five of them I think, haven't seen them in a few weeks. Wonder if they've moved off somewhere else.

[Sue]

staplemeg Wrote:

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> Has anyone seen the young Egyptian geese who were

> living in Peckham park? There were five of them I

> think, haven't seen them in a few weeks. Wonder if

> they've moved off somewhere else.

Oh no, hope they haven't been eaten by the heron :(

But last time I saw them they were quite large, so hopefully too large for the heron :)

[seenbeen]

I have seen lots of red admirals this year but only AFTER the Butterfly Count was finished. They like buddleia

[malumbu]

I've got about 10 Gold Finches on the niger seed feeder. Where else do they get food? They are eating so much of the stuff I'll have to start charging them. Get my bird food from pound land - unless you do serious bulk buying it is the cheapest and they eat the stuff. Where else to buy?

The finches spread the niger seed everywhere, it starts sprouting on the grass. Any views about trying to catch it off the feeder?

Birds, mainly finches, feed of the suet pellets and balls. The seed feeder isn't touched and wasn't planning to branch out et peanuts. Again any views?

[Sue]

Lucky you.

My partner once saw a goldfinch in my garden. One.

I've never seen one, despite putting out Niger seed :(

[Lynne]

Haven't seen a fox for ages, but saw 7 a couple of nights ago when driving back from Beckenham

[nxjen]

Foxes were out at 6am this morning making whoopee

[Zig-Zag]

Re the question about niger seed being scattered everywhere...not sure if you are using a genuine niger seed feeder which has tiny holes so the seeds don't drop out as so easily. Also, depending on the type of feeder being used, you can buy a circular tray/dish which attaches to the underside of the feeder and catches the spilled seeds.

I get masses of goldfinches (W Dulich)...last year counted over 20 in the garden at one point! Now buy bird food in bulk online from Garden Wildlife Direct as best price I've found.

[BrandNewGuy]

Some amazing field mushrooms on Peckham Rye just over the road from Harris Boys'. Also quite a few clumps of 'liberty cap' magic mushrooms in the grass near Homestall Road. Having the former for lunch and leaving the latter alone :)

[Sue]

Yeh yeh, we believe you :))

[DulwichFox]

Lynne Wrote:

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> Haven't seen a fox for ages, but saw 7 a couple of

> nights ago when driving back from Beckenham

There are Foxes on Northcross, Fellbrigg, Ulverscroft, Whateley roads

most nights between 21.00 and 23.30 and that's just the ones I see.

They sit outside my gate from about 23.00 each night waiting for their supper.

They are very friendly and recognise me. They also follow me if I'm late and run ahead

and sit outside my house. Occasionally I have no food for them and hold out my hands

and have to tell them I do not have anything. They come right up to me and sit down.

I am then forced to cook some sausages. They usually get 4 Hot wings from the Chicken shop

if the P13 is due in more than 5-6 mins.

Foxy.