ED Nature Watch

[RichH]

There's an insomniac Blackbird round here. He starts singing solo at about 9-10pm and carries on right through until 3-4am when the others wake up and form a chorus.

[Sue]

BrandNewGuy Wrote:

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> They start singing in earnest once the days start

> getting longer. It's all about marking out

> territories and finding mates ? a bird needs both

> sorted out well before spring, otherwise it's

> another year of being single :)

Crikey but the days have only just started getting longer. They must be very sensitive!

[TheTruthisOut]

It would not be surprising if it is related to the light pollution referred to in another thread. In Friern Road where there is a street lamp throwing out a large amount of light, the birds are singing away. I can't sleep when my bedroom is lit up and other creatures would surely be similarly affected. May there should be a mass email campaign to our councillors to have the lights dimmed?

[Sue]

My post up the thread wasn't related to birds singing at night, it was more about the general increase in birdsong during the day.

But when we used to run music gigs at DHFC we sometimes didn't leave till around 3am after clearing everything away, and it was amazing to hear the birds (I think robins?) singing loudly away in the dark. Well, dark apart from streetlights.

[BrandNewGuy]

Even without the light pollution, some species start singing through the night as the days grow longer ? robins and blackbirds particularly. The theory is that their ability to stay awake and sing heartily is a sign of their suitability as a healthy and fit mate. Much like the singaround at the Ivy House ;)

[Sue]

:))

[malumbu]

Brown bird, using a nearby branch to perch on to lean across to feed from a feeder. What is it? Can't be a robin, and surprised if a dunnock or sparrow as they also feed on the ground. Too small for a starling. Not green enough for a green finch. To difficult to make out in the hedge. Help! RSPB bird finder didn't help

[Sue]

Too big to be a wren?

[exdulwicher]

Sue Wrote:

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> Too big to be a wren?

Baby green parakeet. If found, please return it to this thread:

https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,2088535

😂

[Nigello]

Apart from owls, is there a nocturnal bird that makes hooting noises? I have heard twit-twoo sounds from around Dunstan's Rd/Daswon's Hill as have others (and written about it on here) but this was less stereotypically owlish! Any ideas? (PS Jays and long-tailed tits relative newcomers in my garden.)

[Penguin68]

To-whit and to-who are 'call and answer' - to hear both requires two birds.

[Nigello]

Maybe I heard one of them a while back and the other the other day but it seemed not very owlish. Anyway, glad there is at least one owl near Dawson's Hill.

[Sue]

I was up at my allotment quite late the other day (due to a delivery) and a bat started swooping around me :)

I've never seen one so close in this country.

[victorialucy]

I live on East Dulwich Grove and have been hearing what sounds a bit like a female Tawny owl (but not 100%) for the last week or so. It seems to have taken up residence in the gardens that run between Glengarry and Thorncombe Road.

Has anyone else heard or know what it might be?

[Nigello]

- a variety of tawny owl calls for reference

[monkeyspanner]

Nigello, are you sure it's not one of the many weird and wonderful noises in the foxes' repertoire? They do have a hooting call and seem very busy at the moment.

[Nigello]

Hmm, maybe it is. I get foxes nearby and they screech but it is more high-pitched.

[TheTruthisOut]

malumbu Wrote:

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> Brown bird, using a nearby branch to perch on to

> lean across to feed from a feeder. What is it?

> Can't be a robin, and surprised if a dunnock or

> sparrow as they also feed on the ground. Too

> small for a starling. Not green enough for a

> green finch. To difficult to make out in the

> hedge. Help! RSPB bird finder didn't help.

Birds are very adaptable and most so-called ground-feeders will happily use feeders (blackbirds being the exception). I suspect that the bird you saw was a sparrow. I have a hedge from which sparrows flit to the feeder all day long.

[Sue]

I have lots of sparrows using a hanging feeder in my garden.

[malumbu]

It's probably a dunnock - sparrars are more obvious. But it has a very languid style almost being horizontal when it feeds. I think we also get groups of coal tits at time, which get inside the squirrel proof feeder.

[wolis]

For many years we had Great Tits and Blue Tits on our feeders but much fewer these days, replaced by lots of Sparrows - House and Hedge or as a friend of ours call them LBJ's - Little Brown Jobs. The Parakeets spot the feeders and come in two and threes and manage to hang upside down to feed.

[malumbu]

Got a clear siting, a blackcap (this was the female who's cap is brown) - starting to overwinter here https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/gardening-blog/2013/jan/10/blackcap-winter-migratory-bird

Blue and great tits the most common. Green sqwaky things yet to fully invade.

[Asset]

I've seen a blackcap in my garden recently, only the once.

I get long-tailed tits, blue tits, great tits, goldfinches, robins, wrens, parakeets, blackbirds regularly, dunnocks and even a goldcrest occasionally.

Never a sparrow though.

[Sue]

Asset Wrote:

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> I've seen a blackcap in my garden recently, only

> the once.

> I get long-tailed tits, blue tits, great tits,

> goldfinches, robins, wrens, parakeets, blackbirds

> regularly, dunnocks and even a goldcrest

> occasionally.

> Never a sparrow though.

How weird, my visitors are almost all sparrows.

I'd love to see some long-tailed tits in my garden. They are my favourite birds!

Do you live near the woods?

[SebsC]

This weekend coming, 25-27th, is the RSPB?s annual Big Harden Watch. By taking part (dedicating an hour to watching and recording the feathered visitors to your garden) you can help to monitor bird numbers and identify which species are in decline. You can find out more here...

https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/birdwatch/everything-you-need-to-know-about-big-garden-birdwatch/