ED Nature Watch

[Jenijenjen]

47 minutes ago, HeadNun said:

I noticed more butterflies than ever this year - lots of red admirals and white ones. Couldn't understand why, then found this. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jul/18/big-butterfly-count-uk-numbers-recovery

I've noticed the same, thankfully they're too fluttery for my cat to catch. I've noticed the white ones always seem to travel in pairs?

[IlonaM]

9 minutes ago, Nigello said:

Jersey Moths are about and have been for the last fortnight or so. 

Yes, I saw my first of the season a few days ago and now I'm seeing lots of them!

[IlonaM]

'Public urged to look out for exotic Jersey Tiger moths in parks and gardens
As numbers surge this year, Butterfly Conservation said sightings in unexpected places tell an important story about climate change.'

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/environment/butterfly-conservation-big-butterfly-count-england-fox-wales-b1241258.html

[Sue]

1 hour ago, IlonaM said:

'Public urged to look out for exotic Jersey Tiger moths in parks and gardens
As numbers surge this year, Butterfly Conservation said sightings in unexpected places tell an important story about climate change.'

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/environment/butterfly-conservation-big-butterfly-count-england-fox-wales-b1241258.html

Not sure they are "exotic"?

They've always been around in ED in the Summer!

[Sue]

Has anyone else seen enormous numbers of green parakeets flying over ED this evening?

I've never seen so many flying  in one place at once!

Edited August 16 by Sue

[Nigello]

Humming bird moth seen today. 

[Sue]

13 hours ago, Nigello said:

Humming bird moth seen today. 

Oh, lucky you!

I've only ever seen one once, and that wasn't even in England!

Just looked it up. This is interesting:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummingbird_hawk-moth

Edited August 18 by Sue

[malumbu]

14 hours ago, Nigello said:

Humming bird moth seen today. 

Spectacular.  I've seen them in NW France but not here.  All a bit quiet on the garden front this summer.  

Edited, I'm told they have also been spotted in SE23.  There are some reports that due to climate change they may become resident in Britain.

Edited August 18 by malumbu

[vladi]

15 hours ago, Nigello said:

Humming bird moth seen today. 

Is this one?  It was in our garden 10 days ago.

[Angelina]

They are spectacular! We have been inundated with butterflies this year but I'll now keep a proper lookout.

[Dulwichway]

1 hour ago, vladi said:

Is this one?  It was in our garden 10 days ago.

 

Yes it is! but they look much more spectacular in flight, I've only ever seen them in Kent and Sussex, but I know a few sightings have shown up in S E London this summer.

[Nigello]

This is the species. It was hovering around a privet hedge (no flowers). 

[Brian up the hill]

I have had them every year since 2020. Unfortunately they tend to visit only once or twice during a summer. I had one visit in June but I’ve not seen one since. They like the phlox,  flitting around and hovering whilst feeding on nectar. They are amazing and you would swear you have seen a humming bird. Apologies for the photo not being great as I took it during the first sighting in 2020. The wings are beating so fast, they couldn’t be picked up by the iPhone SE I had back then 

Edited August 18 by Brian up the hill

[Penguin68]

I have noticed this year that those plants of mine that 'berry' have berry-ed up excessively this year, particularly the mahonia. Old wives tales suggest this would suggest a harsh winter is in the offing - it will be interesting to see if this saying bears fruit (see what I've done there?). 

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Me too.

 

It has been an abundant year for apples, grapes, rosehips and hawthorn berries.

Edited September 22 by Peckhamgatecrasher
grammar

[joseph holly]

On 24/03/2009 at 22:25, red devil said:

I was amazed when I recently saw about 4/5 Goldcrests in the garden, they're even smaller than a Wren...

 

http://www.garden-birds.co.uk/birds/images/goldcrest3.jpg

I saw this sparrowhawk bring down a pigeon in Upland Rd today, a few houses short of Eric's bakery. Nature red in tooth and claw in East Dulwich!

[malumbu]

Wow!  Is this the remnants of a wood pigeon?  We occasionally see the feathers following a kill but only once have I seen the hawk in the garden and certainly not like your experience.

[Sue]

Years ago I had a sparrowhawk in my very small  garden.

I heard a terrible noise, looked out of the window  and saw a starling being held down.

I went out, and the sparrowhawk flew off with the starling 😥

I used to get loads of starlings in my garden, and after that incident not one of them ever came back.