ED Nature Watch

[ED_moots]

How did he manage to make it a one-way mass evacuation??

Not completely sure! The bait hive comprises a rubber capping for the nest chimney with a hole cut out and a vacuum cleaner type tube attached. The tube runs to the bait hive which has lavae and eggs. The pic attached shows a hatch on top of the bait hive which I presume has a clever one way mechanism.

It's a few days later and it's been a real success. A few bees have come down the chimney but the vast majority left in their new home. He removed the comb and capped the chimney with very fine mesh. Sadly the queen is unlikely to have transferred but they will get a new queen. He said he will bring me some honey if they produce any.

[Asset]

To the person who commented about tree pruning: Found this on t'internet

The Law

The RSPB recommend not cutting hedges and trees between March and August as this is the main breeding season for nesting birds, although some birds may nest outside this period. It is an offence under Section 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 to intentionally take, damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while it is in use or being built, or to intentionally kill, injure or take chicks or adults, or intentionally take or destroy any eggs. It is an intentional act, for example, if you or your neighbour know there is an active nest in the hedge and still cut the hedge, damaging or destroying the nest or contents in the process. If someone is cutting a hedge during this period, speak to them and politely mention the risk to birds? nests, and the laws protecting nests. If they proceed, and you know there is an active nest at risk, contact the police on 101, and ask for a reference number. If you are unsure what to do, contact RSPB Wildlife Enquiries on: 01767 693690

Supposed to carry our a survey prior to any tree work during nesting season.

On another note there are hardly any swifts around, definitely seem much fewer this year. I walked round D park at dusk the other day and normally there would be scads near the pond but none to be seen.

I did see a bat though!

[Asset]

. sorry something odd going on re. posting - duplicated message

[malumbu]

Helpful post on pruning, was planning to do soon but maybe wait a few more weeks.

Just bought a tonne of bird food from one of the on line stores - jeez it's gone up in price. Also use Pets at Home, Poundland and occasionally Sainsbury's.

Have 7 feeders out back and two in the front. The Goldfinches prefer sunflower hearts, and will bully the great tits should they try to have a feed. Occasionally they will feed from the niger feeder, when I first put this up two years ago it was very popular. They do use the niger feeder in the front. A more hidden suet pellet feeder is popular, mainly great tits, occasionally black caps, great spotted woodpecker.

Not seen the following birds recently - long tailed tits, blue tits, dunnocks, blackbirds and thrushes. Always assume that it is because food if plentiful elsewhere.

Five or more frogs in the pond, and maybe ten newts. Was getting double figures on frogs last summer, think they are particularly plentiful during very hot weather. Have to keep cutting back the pond plants. Don't get frogspawn though.....

[Asset]

I built a lockdown pond last year, I have one frog and two newts that arrived naturally, also some tadpoles given to me by a neighbour, I know we're not supposed to do that but I am impatient :-)

I absolutely love my pond and spend ages gazing into it now and watching the beasties.

I got a swift nesting box from RSPB, just got to get it up now...

You can also buy swift bricks so if anyone is planning an extension or loft conversion, do consider installing some.

[malumbu]

Cool, I planned to make a Swift nesting box this year but will leave it till next. I do seem them and similarly encourage others to put in stuff for them.

I visit my pond by night to murder the slugs and snails as well as admire the pond animals - the slugs seem to love my pond plants. Not sure why the frogs don't do the murdering for me. By all means PM me if you want some pond plants. I 'dump' my excess growth in a large pond near me. I use only native plants.

[malumbu]

Wood pigeons and squirrels have an almost coordinated attack on my squirrel proof feeder. The latter tries to remove it from the bush, and open the top. Both are now securely tied. The pigeons seem to try to shake it to get the pellets out. So the squirrels can then pick them up from the grass. Something managed to gnaw away at the wire mesh, and I found the feeder almost devoid of pellets last night with a mouse in it.

Springwatch, Countryfile territory (wish I got a photo of the mouse).

Not bothered by the mouse, I tolerate the wood pigeons, not a fan of squirrels and the green squawky things. That's nature for you.

I've now got blue tits on the sunflower feeder as well. The finches seem to tolerate the blue and great tits more than in the past.

Missed the young fox attacking the pigeon (which got away minus a couple of feathers). Thought that urban foxes couldn't be bothered to hunt live pray.

[legalalien]

There is a horrible giant orange slug in my garden - have seen some big ones but not one like this (pic attached). Should I be worried?

[malumbu]

That's a gorgeous one. I have seen them before. I expect we have a wide variety, I see some quite long ones almost snake like. I try not to use chemicals but I am a bit squeamish in squashing them.

[legalalien]

I was going to move it somewhere but when I went back outside it had gone! I think it sensed my intentions and disappeared into a rotting sleeper (along with all the stag beetle larvae that I think live in there).

ETA slightly better pic. It is quite attractive, for a slug.

[ianr]

I've turned the saturation up a bit. Any more attractive?

[Sue]

Bleurgh!

[sjsl]

I saw two female stag beetles at the weekend, one in the garden and one on the pavement (which I moved to a safer place). Is this a bit late for them? We used to get male stag beetles flying around the garden at the end of May, but didn't see any this year.

[mancity68]

We had both a male and a female about two weeks ago. I?m never sure of the right time to see them.

[legalalien]

Haven?t seen any yet and we usually get a few. Will report if I see any.

[malumbu]

Saw my first ever stag beetle flying in the garden. My word it was enormous. They get plenty just up the road at the Horniman.

[Asset]

I haven't seen any in my garden this year and we usually have several, bit disappointed and hope it's not due to a general decline. I have woodpiles for them!

[Peckhamnearbe]

Amazing sight (for me) this morning. Black cat on my shed roof trying to get at something from under roof and robins buzzing it and twittering furiously. It nearly fell off as almost upside down trying to claw out whatever it was. When I focussed my phone camera on the front of the shed the cat had moved there and was determinedly trying to get at something - something inside the shed: a baby bird. It came to front trying to get it as the baby had now squashed itself against the shed window - all the while robins agitatedly buzzed the cat and tweeted. The bird needed to be rescued so put down my phone, caught it and put it on roof of the shed where it flew off. I never knew robins could be so plucky! Video a bit too large to attach

[malumbu]

Well done!

Robins are far from the loveable bird you think they are.

I'm now starting to stalk those squirrels on my feeders.

Was quite excited to find newts under a bit of slate by the pond. I'm going to build up a small underwater rockery for them to hang around.

[Zig-Zag]

So please do you rescued the poor bird. ❤️

[malumbu]

Saw another stag beetle, becoming a bit too common now.... But also saw my first greenfinches for many many years as their numbers have been devastated

[alex_b]

I saw a Jay in Sydenham Woods yesterday.

[Lynne]

Just trodden on a slug, in bare feet. Not an experience I want to repeat

[DawnSE22]

Bell House is hosting an online talk by Steven Robinson on Swifts in the City this Wednesday July 7 18:30 - 19:30

Sign up for tickets on the link below and find out about the amazing life of this iconic bird and how we can all help to protect them.

https://www.bellhouse.co.uk/events/2021/7/7/swifts-in-the-city

Steven has been involved in swift conservation for 14 years and has a pair of nesting swifts in his house in Crystal Palace Road.

Hope you can join him.

[AylwardS]

Can anyone tell me where the wildflower meadow in Peckham Rye Park is?

I've seen the council has put one in but I've not seen it on my walks in the park. I'm guessing its in the part of the park I don't normally go to as I thought it was grass fields with little of interest unless you wanted to picnic or have somewhere for the children to play.