ED Nature Watch

[Katherty]

I gave this squirrel in Dulwich Park an almond. I was impressed at how it could munch it when clinging upside down on a tree. How can the nut go down (or up) its throat into its stomach? 

 

 

 

[malumbu]

Sorry, they are vermin.  Please don't feed them or the feral pigeons. 

On a more positive note please see a couple of lesser redpolls in my garden feeding with a goldfinch.  They must be closely related as no aggro between the two.

Sorry not a better picture, this was through a closed window, I doubt if they would pose if you get closer.

 

 

 

 

[malumbu]

Where are the twitchers in SE23.  Just been told more likely to be a common rather than lesser redpoll.  Well I never

[Sue]

39 minutes ago, malumbu said:

Where are the twitchers in SE23.  Just been told more likely to be a common rather than lesser redpoll.  Well I never

😂😂😂  

Lucky you, whatever it is!

Edited March 14, 2024 by Sue

[RichH]

Easter Sunday lunch.  Excellent... unless you're on the menu!

Sparrow Hawk tucking into a delicious, plump-breasted pigeon.

[Nigello]

Where? 

[malumbu]

Lucky you.  I just find the feathers 

[RichH]

13 hours ago, Nigello said:

Where? 

South of Peckham Rye Park and North of Brenchley Gardens.

11 hours ago, malumbu said:

Lucky you.  I just find the feathers 

Yes, they have shocking table manners!  I was amazed that the hawk took a full 90 minutes to consume almost the entire pigeon.  Only feathers and a couple of tiny bits of intestine remained.  The hawk then stalked (i.e on foot) around the back garden, crawling under bushes and peering up into shrubbery, presumably looking for dessert, before flying off.  Suprised it could take off after such a huge lunch!  I guess it perhaps hadn't had a decent meal for a few days.

[elloriac]

Worried as only two Egyptian goslings at the pond this evening. Both parents in attendance. 

The three of them were looking very healthy this morning. Did anyone see anything? 

[Nigello]

A raptor shot into my back garden for a wood pigeon, which managed to get away before it was grabbed. It was very fast and the hawk was smaller than I’d thought it would be, with mid- and dark-brown feathers. Kite? 

[malumbu]

Birds have large broods as it is unlikely all their offspring will make it through to adulthood.  Nature.  Important to reduce unnatural predation such as rats.

[elloriac]

Yes, I'm aware of that. I believe the brood was five to begin with. However they are almost adult size now so not the prey of rats any longer. 

[Lynne]

Kites are very big, Nigello

[RichH]

20 hours ago, Nigello said:

A raptor shot into my back garden for a wood pigeon, which managed to get away before it was grabbed. It was very fast and the hawk was smaller than I’d thought it would be, with mid- and dark-brown feathers. Kite? 

Were you perhaps thinking of a Kestrel, rather than a Kite?

[Nigello]

Maybe - or a sparrowhawk or buzzard? V fast 

[dresswaves]

On 23/04/2024 at 19:01, elloriac said:

Worried as only two Egyptian goslings at the pond this evening. Both parents in attendance. 

The three of them were looking very healthy this morning. Did anyone see anything? 

Saw all 3 yesterday. Plus young moorhens & some very young ducklings still on the nest. Wisteria also looking beautiful.

[MrsR]

Heard a song thrush yesterday evening in Peckham Rye Park (courtesy of my Merlin Bird id App)

[Guest]

Apart from swooping birds of prey, the Fox, Cat's Heron's, Pike, Gull's, Crow's etc will all take chicks of various sizes if the opportunity arises.

[GinSpark]

A song thrush visited my back garden today. I watched as it smashed open a snail by whacking it against the patio.

[Guest]

59 minutes ago, GinSpark said:

A song thrush visited my back garden today. I watched as it smashed open a snail by whacking it against the patio.

Ahh!! Poor snail, isn't nature cruel!

[Jenny1]

Swifts ahoy! Heard them for the first time this year wheeling over East Dulwich at lunch time.

 

[malumbu]

I look out for them tomorrow over Horniman Gardens.  Separately our garden has been invaded by large birds, magpies, a jay or two, starlings, a couple of wood pigeons and less great and blue tits than usual, virtually no long tailed tits and only the occasional dunnock.  No blue tit nesting this year either.....

Here's a lovely picture when the common redpolls visited a few weeks ago, feeding on sunflower chips with the goldfinches.  Note the home made anti-parakeet cage (from a squirrel proof feeder)

 

Edited May 7, 2024 by malumbu

[Sue]

Wood pigeons strut about in my garden as if they own the place.  

It's amusing watching them try to work out how to access the bird feeder ports.

They usually end up walking about underneath the feeders  hoping for bits to drop down 😂

This has  however wrecked the bed which my bird feeder pole is in, which now has virtually no plants in it, including some which I had had for decades 😭

Edited May 8, 2024 by Sue

[BrandNewGuy]

On 07/05/2024 at 13:56, Jenny1 said:

Swifts ahoy! Heard them for the first time this year wheeling over East Dulwich at lunch time.

 

Here's my updated list of the dates when swifts were first spotted in ED:
2011 – May 9
2012 – May 1
2013 – May 17
2014 – May 8
2015 – May 9
2016 – May 4
2017 – May 6
2018 – May 7
2019 – May 8
2020 – May 6
2021 – May 9
2022 – May 9
2023 – May 4
2024 – May 7
That 2013 date is rather an anomaly. I checked the weather records for that period and we had a very cold early May with northerly winds for several weeks, so the swifts didn't risk flying north from Europe to be faced with a lack of food, namely flies, moths etc.

Edited May 18, 2024 by BrandNewGuy

[Mabaker]

There was quite a lot of noisy crows above Dawson's Heights this morning. Magpies were flying all over the place, all clearly agitated about something. Then I saw a large bird souring above but couldn't make out what it was