ED Nature Watch

[BrandNewGuy]

JMB2012 Wrote:

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> Has anyone else seen a pheasant in the local area

> recently? Just spotted a beautiful one near Ruskin

> Park, and clearly heard one in Beckenham Place

> Park last weekend. I've never seen one in London

> before. Guessing they are easy prey to foxes so

> doubt it will last long.

Yes, they pop up from time to time but alas don't survive very long. They tend to use the undergrowth along railway embankments as a 'corridor' to get deep into the city. But once they're here, it's tough for them.

[Nigello]

My jay (well, not mine and likely a different one from before) visited again for peanuts on the wall top, around 7-30. Are they early feeders?

[tiddles]

Saw the teeniest tiniest bird on the path next to the bowling green in peckham - def not a wren or long tailed tit. Most of the teeny birds are quite round but this was like a tiny scaled down version - it had a bit of yellow and other non sparrow colours - and idea? Made the mistake of googling small tits..... not helpful...

[kiera]

A goldcrest or firecrest?

[Sue]

tiddles Wrote:

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Made the mistake of googling

> small tits..... not helpful...

:)) :)) :))

[Sue]

Anyone got ways which work to keep cats (a particular cat) out of my garden?

Yesterday I rigged up an Emett (sp?) like contraption of string and canes at the corner it usually comes in, but I've just chased it out again.

It sits and waits for birds and mice, and probably frogs as well 😡

It's been worse since I had to cut back a climbing rose in that corner 😭

[IlonaM]

Not out and about, but a new discovery at the Horniman!:

New species of shrimp found after ?hitchhiking? on ocean rock to south London museum

The tiny crustacean, never seen elsewhere, has been ?breeding like mad? at the Horniman by the South Circular road

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/21/new-species-of-shrimp-found-after-hitchhiking-on-ocean-rock-to-south-london-museum

[legalalien]

Heteromysis hornimani. Love it.

[sue k harding]

Yes Ive seen two, one in Dulwich College grounds and the other on the Lordship Lane Estate

[legalalien]

Yes that works for me, where do I need to get to?

[Iloveeastdulwich]

I also saw a tiny one which sounds similar to what you've seen on a path near Firemans Alley/Dulwich Park.

tiddles Wrote:

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> Saw the teeniest tiniest bird on the path next to

> the bowling green in peckham - def not a wren or

> long tailed tit. Most of the teeny birds are quite

> round but this was like a tiny scaled down version

> - it had a bit of yellow and other non sparrow

> colours - and idea? Made the mistake of googling

> small tits..... not helpful...

[KidKruger]

I can bring my dog round for a bit, that will end the cat problem fairly sharpish.

Sue Wrote:

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> Anyone got ways which work to keep cats (a

> particular cat) out of my garden?

>

> Yesterday I rigged up an Emett (sp?) like

> contraption of string and canes at the corner it

> usually comes in, but I've just chased it out

> again.

>

> It sits and waits for birds and mice, and probably

> frogs as well 😡

>

> It's been worse since I had to cut back a climbing

> rose in that corner 😭

[Hamletter]

Sue Wrote:

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> Anyone got ways which work to keep cats (a

> particular cat) out of my garden?

>

Urine! Yes, it works because animals such as cats, foxes etc etc are territorial and mark their territory in the way they are accustomed.

Mark your own territory (suggest after dark) in a manner that is akin to that used by the animals.

[malumbu]

You can also wee on the compost heap whilst you are at it! I think we have had this conversation before Sue....

[LizzyHy]

Very excitingly just saw a red kite (the bird that is!) over our house (we?re just off Cheltenham Road near the rye). Beautiful day for it too!

[Sue]

Hamletter Wrote:

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> Sue Wrote:

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

> -----

> > Anyone got ways which work to keep cats (a

> > particular cat) out of my garden?

> >

>

> Urine! Yes, it works because animals such as cats,

> foxes etc etc are territorial and mark their

> territory in the way they are accustomed.

>

> Mark your own territory (suggest after dark) in a

> manner that is akin to that used by the animals.

Hmmm, I'm not sure it's that easy!

Surely I would need to use the urine of another cat?

[Sue]

malumbu Wrote:

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> You can also wee on the compost heap whilst you

> are at it! I think we have had this conversation

> before Sue....

That's different!

Male urine acts as a compost activator (female urine doesn't).

To the best of my knowledge it doesn't deter cats!

I have googled and have put some citrus peel nearby. I am going to try netting, however I don't want to do anything which the cat may get caught up in and hurt itself.

I may have to resort to one of those ultrasonic things, but they are quite expensive :(

[heartblock]

🐘💩

[Sue]

heartblock Wrote:

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> 🐘💩

If that's lion dung, does it actually work?!

Oh, I took my glasses off and now see it's a tiny elephant 🐘🙂

[IlonaM]

Sue Wrote:

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> heartblock Wrote:

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

> -----

> > 🐘💩

>

>

> If that's lion dung, does it actually work?!

There's something called Silent Roar which is supposed to deter cats - scent of lions' dung!! I use something called 'Get Off' which seems to work.

[Hamletter]

https://catsbanned.co.uk/does-human-urine-repel-cats/

[BrandNewGuy]

Very busy spring birds in Peckham Rye Park and Common earlier this morning ? on my 45-minute walk I clocked carrion crow, magpie, jay, wood pigeon, feral pigeon, blackbird, song thrush, mistle thrush, robin, wren, dunnock, greenfinch, chaffinch, great tit, blue tit, coal tit, long-tailed tit, starling, house sparrow, black-headed gull, greater spotted woodpecker, ring-necked parakeet, mallard, tufted duck, coot, moorhen, Canada goose and Egyptian goose. Binoculars not needed and all on our own doorstep.

[Sue]

Crikey!

No sign of the heron, then?

[heartblock]

Apparently Bill Oddie tried to find elephants dung...but yes I have heard of Lion poo too...

[Sue]

heartblock Wrote:

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> Apparently Bill Oddie tried to find elephants

> dung...but yes I have heard of Lion poo too...

Forgive my stupidity, but surely to find elephants' dung you just go where there are elephants?

eg (in this country) - a zoo???

I met Bill Oddie once (useless piece of information. It wasn't in Sainsbury's, so it probably doesn't belong on this forum).