ED Nature Watch

[ianr]

Speasking of which, no signs this year of the sparrowhawks that perched on Dulwich Hospital last year. http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,141521,145498#msg-145498

[ianr]

I spoke too soon. Just seen three ?youngish sparrowhawks in the DH grounds. There's also a young fox that seems to have made it its patch. Regularly just sits in the open, washing and preening itself, or just observing, in between spells of sniffing around and investigating the place.

[louisiana]

When I was walking back from a screening of The Age of Stupid at the Dog on Thursday evening, a fox almost ran into me (coming out of a front garden on Court Lane south side). It was pretty flustered, and did an immediate 180 degree turn.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I think some naughty person has been emptying the contents of their pond in the lake. As well as the carp, there are several rather large goldfish swimming happily about.

[SteveT]

More heron fodder or perhaps kingfisher sustenance.

[pearcesa]

Great to see two new sets of fluffy ducklings bobbing about on the lake tonight! :)) I think we counted 5 in the one brood and 4 in the other - fingers crossed the number don't decrease over the coming days!

[red devil]

I thought it was strange that I hadn't had any recent sightings of Britain's smallest bird, the Goldcrest, but this article explains why...

Goldcrest...

[Dodo1]

For some reason we seem to be getting alot of Stag Beetles (well three). Any reason why?

[Jeremy]

There was a dead mouse on teh station platform the other day, does that count?

[louisiana]

Dodo1 Wrote:

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> For some reason we seem to be getting alot of Stag

> Beetles (well three). Any reason why?

They're really common around these parts. SE London is known as a stag beetle area. In a hot summer I have them running around on the pavement outside my house in dozens.

[louisiana]

I've had an onslaught of Jersey Tiger moths trying to get into the kitchen. Very difficult to get them out again without damage (with a colander and some persistence!)

When they're not flying in through the window, they're resting on the glass outside.

These day-flying moths are apparently found in Channel Islands, Isle of Wight, Devon, Dorset...and South London!

A very attractive creature:

http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=2067

http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=824

[Nero]

I noticed the moths, too. THere are plenty of them at the top end of Goodrich, near the school, and on Dunstan's, Friern in the area. Lovely creatures.There was one trapped on the P13 (poor thing indeed!), which had all its windows shut, bar one - naturally.

[louisiana]

Nero, I currently have three, no four of them sitting on the outside of my window/frame, basking. They just seem to love it here. I'm wondering if it's the new Osmo paint...

[red devil]

Lots of Tiger Moths in The Gardens area too. Amazing orange colour when they open their wings, think they might be responsible for a load of baby catapillars on my plants though...for now, as they look so nice, I'll give them the benefit of doubt...

[EvilLaugh]

Yeah we've got some of those tiger moths and this particularly cool bright turquoise moth. No idea what it is, just a plain flat colour, no markings, came a sat with a few of us for a while the other night.

[EvilLaugh]

Maybe this one - http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=1275

Or this one - http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=497

Who knows, it was pretty though.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Anyone know why the lakes in Peckham Park have been particularly green in the last few days?

I noticed that some of the minnows (or whatever they are) have what I think is an egg on their tail. Anyone know their breeding habits?

Tried a blackberry today - too tart still. Another couple of weeks and they should be ready. There are lots of elderberries ripening and a mulberry tree that looks promising.

[SteveT]

I have two peanut feeders which get dominated by a blue tit family to the most part, until the sparrow family muscle them out of the way, they hang around for a few minutes, then the great tits move in on the sparrows, and take over for the next few minutes and then disappear. The blue tits are back in minutes to take back their rightful place.

This pattern repeats itself so I was wondering if the great tits follow the sparrows throughout their lives, feeding almost parasitically on the sparrows. I have no evidence to support this theory, merely observation and speculation.

[SimonM]

We get something similar here, but have more feeders up - seeds and nuts - so it all gets complicated. The bluetits turn up mobhanded - sometimes as many as 12 - but don't longer long. Great tits, finches and sparrows all take turns but there seems little obvious bullying...

[Sue]

Spiders.

Lots of spiders.

That time of year, innit.

[ruthmct]

SimonM Wrote:

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> We get something similar here, but have more

> feeders up - seeds and nuts - so it all gets

> complicated. The bluetits turn up mobhanded -

> sometimes as many as 12 - but don't longer long.

> Great tits, finches and sparrows all take turns

> but there seems little obvious bullying...

Except for the nuthatch that turned up on Sunday and proceeded to chase all the tits off the big feeder!

RuthM

[Andystar]

I suffered a relentless attack from a butterfly today, outside my house. I think it was a Red Admiral, but i could be mistaken as i was in shock. It was probably after my jar of nectar or perhaps it just wanted to suck out my brains with its freaky proboscis.

[Moos]

Attack Of The Brain Sucking Butterflies, Andystar? You could be onto something.

[Sue]

He's taking the piss, innit :)

[Andystar]

Sue Wrote:

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> He's taking the piss, innit :)

seriously, it was going for me....

( the jar of nectar was a lie tho, it was a bottle )