ED Nature Watch

[Nigello]

I saw a yellow butterfly just around midday. 

[Lynne]

Peacock butterfly this afternoon and frog spawn in the pond

[BrandNewGuy]

1 hour ago, Nigello said:

I saw a yellow butterfly just around midday. 

That'll be a brimstone – always one of the first butterflies of spring.

[Ryelander]

Good to see a Blue Tit investigating my camera bird box for a potential family plot this season. 

[malumbu]

Hope you are all leaving nesting material out.

[dillmeadow]

On 01/03/2026 at 20:24, Sue said:

Do you mean they are chopping branches from trees in your garden?

I would definitely get advice on that eg from the neighbourhood police.

I'm not familiar with the law, but that sounds like trespass to me, even if they are not actually standing in your garden.

People are entitled to chop off branches etc which are overhanging their own garden, but I am pretty sure they are  not allowed to lean over and chop off anything in yours, whether they dislike it or not.

These neighbours dislike trees period. They refused to have lost trees replaced by the Estate on our communal green. They don’t like the leaf and seed droppings. These make the grass look ‘messy’. Similarly, they don’t like my policy of leaving the tree leaves where they lie on the grass verge - hence chopping the overhanging branches. It’s like living in the 1950s. My neighbours have three gardeners with leaf blowers who come twice weekly to remove every leaf from their front lawns. Their grass is cut weekly and all the  cuttings put in multiple brown bins. It’s an outdated mindset of the moneyed classes in my view. But sadly, I’m very much in the minority.

[Jenijenjen]

7 hours ago, malumbu said:

Hope you are all leaving nesting material out.

I am, nothing to do with laziness on my part, honest

Edited 11 hours ago by Jenijenjen

[Sue]

10 hours ago, malumbu said:

Hope you are all leaving nesting material out.

Yes! 

8 hours ago, dillmeadow said:

These neighbours dislike trees period. They refused to have lost trees replaced by the Estate on our communal green. They don’t like the leaf and seed droppings. These make the grass look ‘messy’. Similarly, they don’t like my policy of leaving the tree leaves where they lie on the grass verge - hence chopping the overhanging branches. It’s like living in the 1950s. My neighbours have three gardeners with leaf blowers who come twice weekly to remove every leaf from their front lawns. Their grass is cut weekly and all the  cuttings put in multiple brown bins. It’s an outdated mindset of the moneyed classes in my view. But sadly, I’m very much in the minority.

Oh dear.

I guess all you can do is feel sorry for them and be glad you are not like that.

[vladi]

We've got a pair of Dunnocks busy nest building in our bay tree.

[Lynne]

Those neighbours remind me of a couple we overheard in the Bishop's Garden in Wells. A lovely garden with the far end deliberately kept wild. We heard this couple say "You'd think they could tidy this part up"

[malumbu]

I've planted a meadow out front, it needs a lot of work.  It's lovely until August and then grotty until the next spring as once the flowers have died back it doesn't have a lot going for it.  Clover is the last one to flower.  It will get admiring looks when in bloom.

I laugh quite loud when I pass one neighbour with plastic grass, not only is it dead to nature it is not even laid well,   I should be crying.  

[Angelina]

8 hours ago, vladi said:

We've got a pair of Dunnocks busy nest building in our bay tree.

That's very special ♥️