ED Nature Watch

[RichH]

I didn't do it this year but in the past rather than do one contiguous hour I've done four sessions of 15 minutes each: Early morning, mid-morning, mid-afternoon, early evening. Not sure if that counts as cheating :)

[malumbu]

It would be great if it could be a little more scientific, hour of day, size and type of garden, weather. Of course today I've seen a magpie, and two jays, next door though. The presence of cats, squirrels and larger birds also affects things. Fortunately not invaded by green squawky things.

[dazeykat]

Just saw a goldcrest in the lime tree at the end of our garden. Redwings still about too.

[SpringTime]

Wotcher, Watchers.

I know it's far too early in the year and very unlikely until April, but if anyone sees locally a grass-snake can they please post on here or PM me and suggest its whereabouts. An image is obviously helpful - just in case it's not a grass-snake (!) but not essential.

A local environment with proper hedges, dense shrubberies, compost areas, sheds and ponds can encourage them.

Thanks.

PS if you do find one please don't pick it up - reptiles can't be underhandled

[malumbu]

Thought grass snakes within M25 was pretty rare, certainly within North and South Circs. I've seen one in Surrey near Dorking, and only seen three of them in the UK in my life. Far more in Brittany with vipers and slow worms (lizards) too. Friend lived in Harold Wood, just inside M25, and his charming cats bring them in half dismembered from the nearby rail lines.

[SpringTime]

Yes they are rarely seen inside the M25 and then rarer the further into town you go. I was lucky to see one in Grovelands Park near Southgate last April. Given the situation in April 2020 you'll likely remember it was suddenly very warm weather, as if Spring had been skipped.

In four decades I've seen just two adders in Britain and of course they were far away from any human hustle and bustle. Do not disturb!

[malumbu]

Grass snakes are so big compared to vipers (sorry use viper as only see adders in France). Last grass snake was about 80cm in a compost heap, beautiful. I expect if you are on heathland in Surrey, New Forest and the like, and you sit still on a warm day you will see dozens of snakes.

[BrandNewGuy]

Adders are vipers, and vice versa :)

[Penguin68]

Adders are vipers

Though plus-adders are early calculators...

[malumbu]

Yes, but the French pronounce 'veepers' much better than 'adders' so that is why I use this term. Vipera berus in old school Latin (common European viper/adder)

[BrandNewGuy]

On a bracing pre-dawn walk around Peckham Rye Common and Park, it was good to hear the usual thrushes, robins, great tits, sparrows, woodpeckers and wrens calling and singing ? but also a chaffinch. Not an uncommon bird in the country as a whole, but not often seen around these parts.

[sunbob]

Lovely, you're inspired me to get up earlier!

[Lynne]

Saw a pied wagtail this morning. I don't remember seeing one around here before

[Nigello]

I have a tree - now about seven foot high and sturdy but still spindly - that is a hazel, I think. It's surprising that a hazelnut could have got to this small area of soil. I don't put them out for birds to feed on so either a jay or a squirrel is the way it got there. I'm pleasantly surprised that it took root and is flourishing all on its own (though, of course, I understand that that is how nature works)!

[Penguin68]

What you have to remember is that there are thousands, possibly tens of thousands of hazelnuts which haven't started to grow. For, probably, everyone that has (unless spefically planted by a horticulturist.

[malumbu]

Wonder if such trees are derived from cuttings, like apple trees.

Had the sense to clean out the mouldy nyger seed feeders this weekend. Summer 2019 the goldfinches were prolific but not so in the last year or so (blame lockdown and all the bally noise of garden equipment, seemed like some were using strimmers for hours).

Wow, maybe it was the snow but getting double figures of gold finches again. They prefer the recently put up sunflower seed feeder, and have a go at the blue tits for using this.

The squirrels have a go at the sunflower feeders too, but not sure if they are successful, and sadly seen green squawky things, anyone got an air riffle?!!

Green woodpecker next door and great spotted on the feeder for the first time since the autumn. I poo poo'd those who talked about ground feeders on the feeders in the hedge but in recent days seen dunnock, robin and thrush doing this.

No wagtails but get them in the car park at Savecenter in Sidnum.

[Nigello]

No blackbirds, jays, sparrows, tits, etc. just pigeons, and mainly bog standard, not even wood! I have seen very few birds apart from pigeons in my garden, though I did have a crow twice last week, which I have never had before.

[Penguin68]

Wonder if such trees are derived from cuttings, like apple trees.

Specific and named varieties will, as cloning is the way to achieve this, and it's also a very quick way to propagate - new varieties will be grown from seed (from specific crosses). Hazels also throw root suckers - and are very easy to strike from cuttings. Twisted (Corkscrew) Hazels are grafted onto normal hazel root stocks. They are of course naturalised by cob nuts being planted by birds and squirrels as food storage.

[Sue]

Sparrows. Pigeons. All the other birds have gawn orf.

[legalalien]

Our neighbour had a grey heron visit a couple of days ago. It sat on the fence for ages in the snow, looking cold, then dropped down to ground level and did an elaborate slow motion performance of sneaking up on their pond. Unfortunately (for me, perhaps not the fish) it was startled and flew off before reaching its destination...

[IlonaM]

Greater spotted woodpecker and long-tail tits are still visiting as well as a couple of robins, a variety of tits etc. Just spotted the blackbird. Lots of squirrels about.

It's a challenge to keep water available, but braving the chill and icy path.

[BrandNewGuy]

Small flock of a dozen or so redwings at the top end of Peckham Rye Park, in the trees along Colyton Road just now. With these freezing north-easterlies, it's worth keeping an eye out for waxwings from Scandinavia.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/waxwing-family/

[Hamletter]

Delighted to have half a dozen goldfinches come to the feeder this morning.

[Lynne]

The very large spider that lived in a tunnel-like web in our shed door was found lying cold and still this morning. I don't know what it was, very large and reddish purple. We called it "Cuddles"

[wolis]

We have a butlers sink pond in our garden, Shortly after filling it a couple of years ago we had a frog move in. It was joined last summer by two more - they have now gone but this morning I broke the thick ice that covered the water completely to find one is still there and very active. I understood that frogs will leave water in the winter to move to cosy logs, bushes etc. Do they not hibernate and can he survive under the ice and should I continue to break it up every day? The local cats are also very interested in it's well being..