ED Nature Watch

[kiera]

Some frogs hibernate in the mud in the bottom of a pond. A Butler sink is not deep enough to protect a frog from predators, so I wouldn't recommend removing all of the ice. However, frogs need to be able to breathe. There's usually a layer of air between the surface of the water and the ice, so, making an airhole in the ice will allow the air to circulate enabling a frog to survive when its home is frozen over.

[Penguin68]

Floating a tennis ball in an icy pond, before it freezes of course, will help keep an air pocket.

[alex_b]

Four or five redwings in a tree on Nutbrook St this morning.

[Sue]

Lynne Wrote:

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

> 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"

Poor Cuddles.

R.I.P.

I have a dead spider on my kitchen window, still hanging from a thread. I think that died of cold too (single glazed window :( )

[siousxiesue]

My favourite spider, a false widow I'm told, had a showdown with another spider much larger than her.

I had to leave them to it obviously but was relieved to see her victorious in the morning!

[Sue]

siousxiesue Wrote:

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

> My favourite spider, a false widow I'm told, had a

> showdown with another spider much larger than her.

>

>

> I had to leave them to it obviously but was

> relieved to see her victorious in the morning!

What happened to the other one?!

[diable rouge]

Since when did squirrels start eating Crocuses...fuckers!

[Sue]

diable rouge Wrote:

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

> Since when did squirrels start eating

> Crocuses...@#$%&!

Since forever!

But they don't usually dig up bulbs once they have started sprouting, are your squirrels eating the actual leaves and flowers???

Sparrows (and possibly other birds) eat the yellow flowers .....

[diable rouge]

Yes, it's the actual flowers they're eating, bulbs are protected with mesh...

[LJC56]

Sue Wrote:

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

> diable rouge Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Since when did squirrels start eating

> > Crocuses...@#$%&!

>

>

> Since forever!

>

> But they don't usually dig up bulbs once they have

> started sprouting, are your squirrels eating the

> actual leaves and flowers???

>

> Sparrows (and possibly other birds) eat the yellow

> flowers .....

I have seen squirrels pull crocus flowers off, eat (presumably) the middle and then toss the rest away.

[Sue]

😮

[BrandNewGuy]

Good to hear quite a number of greenfinches calling on Peckham Rye first thing this morning. Their population has suffered a big decline in recent years due to disease, but there are signs of recovery. I say 'calling', because they weren't blessed with the finest singing voices but make a sort of weak wheezy sound.

[legalalien]

Apparently sparrows (and probably squirrels) mainly only eat yellow crocuses, something to do with carotenoids to correct vitamin c deficiency. Have learned something new today! https://www.newscientist.com/lastword/mg23130921-200-crocked-croci/

[BrandNewGuy]

... and talking of crocuses, the origin of the placename Croydon is 'valley of the crocuses', which were grown for their saffron. It's mentioned in passing in an excellent new podcast by Daniel Greenwood, who some of you might remember from his time as the London Wildlife Trust officer overseeing Sydenham Hill Wood. He's since moved to Sussex, but the first episode of his podcast is a fascinating discussion with local author Chris Sch?ler about the Great North Wood. Chris has written a history of the wood which will be published later this year. Well worth a listen:

https://unlockinglandscapes.podbean.com/

[Sue]

BrandNewGuy Wrote:

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

>they weren't

> blessed with the finest singing voices but make a

> sort of weak wheezy sound.

:)) :)) :))

[Sue]

BrandNewGuy Wrote:

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

> ... and talking of crocuses, the origin of the

> placename Croydon is 'valley of the crocuses',

> which were grown for their saffron. It's mentioned

> in passing in an excellent new podcast by Daniel

> Greenwood, who some of you might remember from his

> time as the London Wildlife Trust officer

> overseeing Sydenham Hill Wood. He's since moved to

> Sussex, but the first episode of his podcast is a

> fascinating discussion with local author Chris

> Sch?ler about the Great North Wood. Chris has

> written a history of the wood which will be

> published later this year. Well worth a listen:

> https://unlockinglandscapes.podbean.com/

Thanks for this, BNG.

I'm presuming this is different to the recent Zoom session about the Great North Wood? I can't remember who was hosting that, but it was a very interesting presentation.

Did he change his name to Greenwood? I knew somebody who did :)

[BrandNewGuy]

Sue, no he's actually called Greenwood :) Great bloke, helped the Friends of Green Dale a lot over the years.

Yes, I think it's different from that (shorter) Zoom session. Fascinating stuff.

[alice]

I got frogspawn.

[Lynne]

If you've got too much, Alice, my pond seems empty of frogspawn this year

[louisemurray]

Toads arriving but no spawning yet

[lousmith]

I've got masses of frogspawn which I am happy to safely share.

I take a portion of it to hatch and grow in tanks away from the predation of newts who will eat every last one of the tadpoles I leave in the pond even before they can swim.

Spawn and tadpoles don't carry ranavirus, so it isn't a problem on that score.

My breeding program is so successful I have reached overcapacity.

Happy to share it about. Frogs generally need our help.

This week would be good.

[lousmith]

It's funny that toads never spawn in my pond. One or two males may arrive, but they never meet mates ...

[malumbu]

On frog, dunno where the newts have gone, and no tadpoles. Very sad. Had spawn last year but not fertilised. Usually the newts eat it. Well fingers crossed..... And as there is so much building work going on that may put the birds off nesting.....

[Sue]

malumbu Wrote:

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

> On frog, dunno where the newts have gone, and no

> tadpoles. Very sad. Had spawn last year but not

> fertilised. Usually the newts eat it. Well

> fingers crossed..... And as there is so much

> building work going on that may put the birds off

> nesting.....

Well, that's a cheerful post :))

[malumbu]

Nothing like a good whinge! The new sunflower seed feeder is a revelation - gold finches prefer this to Nyge's and also chase off the tits that try to feed on it. The Aldi fatballs were a disaster but RSPB ones (haven't been to poundland for a long time) from Sainsbury's great. Female black cap back. Three robins together the other day. Just about keeping the rats with furry tails, and green tails away. Aquatic plants hopefully to start to shoot soon, and I expect the amphibians will be back soon. More soon.