ED Nature Watch

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Thought it might be interesting to share observations as Spring gets underway.

 

I go to Peckham Rye most days and in the last week have seen nature at its worst and sweetest:

 

a) Witnessed the gang rape of a duck by 8 drakes. Really horrid - they hemmed her in and took turns.

 

b) This morning watched a male pigeon patiently collect twigs one by one and take them to his missus building a nest in the corner of the pagoda.

[PeckhamRose]

As Spring gets underway my eyes itch, my lungs tighten, I sneeze.

But

in the mornings specially when it is sunny and bright, the view across London and across the park from my flat fills me with delight and indeed the birds around my birdfeeder even seem happier.

And it's great biking weather!

Now to get some antihistamines and stock up on inhalers!

[SteveT]

A pair of great tits have moved into one of the bird boxes, they look so smart in their plumage looks like they wear little suits.

I have to keep an eye out for moggies they, 3 or 4 of them, tend to come around and see if there is a free meal anywhere.

The buds on the hawthorn are ready to burst on the scene, all fat and bloated. There's a pair of blackbirds that have

colonised the garden as I put out the odd pear for them to peck at, but they have never nested here, due I suspect to the

amount of feline activity.

[Clinker]

I saw a lovely pair of tits this morning...

[Moos]

The trees have started to get that magical shimmer as the leaf-buds thicken and swell, but haven't quite burst. A few have already broken into leaf and are clad in that wonderful fresh green that epitomises spring. Happy, happy season.

[Ted Max]

Indeed Moos, as I remarked only this morning, upon being bidden a good morning on the top deck of the 185:

This spring as it comes bursts up in bonfires green,

Wild puffing of emerald trees, and flame-filled bushes,

Thorn-blossom lifting in wreaths of smoke between

Where the wood fumes up and the watery, flickering rushes.

I am amazed at this spring, this conflagration

Of green fires lit on the soil of the earth, this blaze

Of growing, and sparks that puff in wild gyration,

Faces of people streaming across my gaze.

And I, what fountain of fire am I among

This leaping combustion of spring? My spirit is tossed

About like a shadow buffeted in the throng

Of flames, a shadow that?s gone astray, and is lost.

Also, I seen a blackbird with a worm in its mouth.

[ratty]

A fox sh1t on my patio this morning!

But on a lighter note, I saw a Green Woodpecker in my mums garden 4 weeks ago. It was rather beautiful!

My mum lives in Pompey though!

[Applespider]

I have blue tits (fnar fnar) living in the space behind my boiler. They've moved in for a few weeks each year for the past 5 years since I replaced my boiler and left the space.

[louisiana]

My local jay as been here all winter, often perching briefly in the upper branches of the robinia in the back garden. It never hangs around for long though, and I've yet to see a mate.

[SaveShambo]

talking of nature bursting forth, can you get into dulwich park early morning for a pre-work walk, or do you have to wait for the gates to open?

[TheePope]

SaveShambo Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> talking of nature bursting forth, can you get into

> dulwich park early morning for a pre-work walk, or

> do you have to wait for the gates to open?

I envy you your Jay! Only seen one Jay in the garden here. But have sat here today and enjoyed watching robins, blackbirds, blue tits and sparrows (a rare sight sparrows). Less pleased to see the big fat ring necked pigeon currently in the garden but at least it hoovers up all the remaining bits of bird seed.

[francine]

I live in Forest Hill, have done for five years..and my favourite bird is back!! a blackbird i call Jess...she sings so sweetly from her/my favourite tree..which by the way is on a main road!!

Hey spring is here !!!!

[louisiana]

Oh, the fat pigeons. I wonder whether the pigeons and squirrels (and magpies) kind of dominate the terrain and discourage the others.

A starling has now arrived and perched at the very top of the robinia, looking a little wobbly as the tiny branches sway. (My office is about a third of the way up from the base of the tree, so a good view of the middle and upper section.)

[Michael Palaeologus]

The Green Parakeets have started squawking even louder around Goose Green, Peckham Rye and Dulwich Woods. Antipodean sap is rising it would seem.

[TheePope]

The squirrels are a pain but they don't seem to bother the birds that much. The most aggressive littel fella is the robin which chases off any other robins on his patch!

[pearl1]

I saw a greenfinch just 3 days ago...

[Sue]

ratty Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I saw a Green Woodpecker in

> my mums garden 4 weeks ago. It was rather

> beautiful!

>

> My mum lives in Pompey though!

xxxxxx

Nyge and I saw a Green Woodpecker in Peckham Rye park on Sunday !!!!

When I lived in Oundle, I used to get a family of Greater Spotted Woodpeckers coming to my birdfeeder (Mum, Dad and Baby) which was brilliant. Never seen one in ED however ....

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I'm jealous. I've been hearing the woodpecker for weeks but not caught a glimpse of it. Mind you, I did see a crow imitating the sound which was very funny.

[????]

What abour presenters?.......Snorky = Bill Oddie methinks

[Sue]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'm jealous. I've been hearing the woodpecker for

> weeks but not caught a glimpse of it. Mind you, I

> did see a crow imitating the sound which was very

> funny.

xxxxxx

Didn't hear it at all, just saw it making its way quite slowly up a tree trunk :)

[Louisa]

I dont know if I have bad eyesight or whether this was just a very rare experience, but at the beginning of the month I was walking around Dulwich Park and was just heading over towards the Gallery Gate entrance and I saw a red, yes red squirrel, rather small and fluffy eared running a good 3 or 4 yards in front of me heading towards a tree. I so wished I had a camera at the time but sadly did not. I am no wildlife expert but I was under the impression red squirrels were extinct in this part of the country. Anyone?

Louisa.

(edited for yards not years!)

[SimonM]

Red squirrels are extinct in the UK except for a few areas the grey monster has not invaded. So your sighting is a puzzle indeed.

I think we get your jay here too from time to time. He/she or his ancestors have been making sporadic visits for at least a dozen years. We also get a robin and his missus, various kinds of tits and finches, mr and mrs blackbird, sparrows and the occasional woodpecker down from Sydenham woods presumably. The magpies and pigeons which also visit cannot get into the birdfeeders, as they are too big, but as the smaller birds are messy eaters they clean up the ground beneath. The parakeets also stop by still...

[Asset]

I see Jays quite often over my way, spotted woodpecker too

[Ted Max]

Ghost squirrel.

[Sue]

Louisa Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I dont know if I have bad eyesight or whether this

> was just a very rare experience, but at the

> beginning of the month I was walking around

> Dulwich Park and was just heading over towards the

> Gallery Gate entrance and I saw a red, yes red

> squirrel, rather small and fluffy eared running a

> good 3 or 4 yards in front of me heading towards a

> tree. I so wished I had a camera at the time but

> sadly did not. I am no wildlife expert but I was

> under the impression red squirrels were extinct in

> this part of the country. Anyone?

>

> Louisa.

>

> (edited for yards not years!)

xxxxxx

Sometimes grey squirrels seem to get a reddish tinge.

I think red squirrels actually have quite distinct tufts on their ears, but I'm not an expert .... but would be very surprised (and delighted!) if it was a proppa red squirrel.