ED Nature Watch

[PeckhamRose]

3rd floor flat, balcony front and back. Flower troughs and hanging helmets / baskets front and back.

Recent scaffolding gave us the opportunity to go out and put 8 bird boxes around our windows and our neighbours' windows.

And this week the blue tits are checking out their property options, checking for best light options, best positions, comparing notes in the trees. The one closest to our back balcony - they have decided - is not an option. SpaceyCat sits on the window cill licking her lips.

Meanwhile, the squirrels have finally met their match. They would climb up the drainpipes and ruin all my planting. But the crocuses have survived popping their head amongst the red winter berries. Having tried everything to put them off, we have finally discovered motorcycle chain grease sprayed around the drain pipes is preventing them from their aims.

I love reading this thread!

[SteveT]

I purchased a bag of 'gardeners delight' tomato seed and planted them in compost, so in a few weeks from now I shall be offering some tomato plants for sale, watch this space.

[Sue]

Gardeners' Delight - excellent choice!

They actually taste like tomatoes!

[SteveT]

They have the nicest flavour and the thinest of skins, so ideal for the home grower and I have never found them for sale commercially, only as seeds or young plants.

[The Minkey]

"Also, the greater spotted woodpecker appears to have found a mate. He's been hammering on all the TV ariels in the road, broadcasting for company ? Never seen this behaviour before. Has anybody else ?"

Lol..! No, in answer to your question - how strange - though last year we had a heron hanging out with the TV ariel.

Our GSW's spend their time hammering away at the fat feeder.

[Sue]

SteveT Wrote:

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> They have the nicest flavour and the thinest of

> skins, so ideal for the home grower and I have

> never found them for sale commercially, only as

> seeds or young plants.

xxxxxxxx

You can sometimes find them in supermarkets, believe it or not!

[SteveT]

I believe you but I have never noticed them as it's probably for about three days per year at waitrose or somewhere as obscure.

[The Minkey]

There's nothing to beat the pleasure of picking and eating one's own tomatoes. I grew Gardener's Delight last year - wonderfully flavoursome. I also grew a heritage variety, I'll have to look up what they were as the name completely escapes me. They were very large and meaty, excellent cut into steaks and fried - a perfect addition to a plate of bacon & eggs.

[SteveT]

A good time to spray weeds in difficult to get at places, especially those that are brought in via the bags of compost, some of which need two lots as they are so reluctant to die.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Crocus spreads in Peckham Rye are looking stunning at the moment. Also lots of catkins and pussy willow.

In Nunhead Cemetery, drifts of snowdrops, cowslips and primroses are rather lovely.

But - where have all the violets gone? I haven't seen any wild ones for years.

[Sue]

SteveT Wrote:

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> A good time to spray weeds in difficult to get at

> places, especially those that are brought in via

> the bags of compost, some of which need two lots

> as they are so reluctant to die.

xxxxxxx

SPRAY?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

What weeds?!?!?!?!?!

[Sue]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

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>

> But - where have all the violets gone? I haven't

> seen any wild ones for years.

XXXXXXX

I've got loads in my (tiny) garden. They grow like weeds.

Edited to say: Keep away with your spray, SteveT :))

[Sue]

The foxes are extraordinarily loud tonight.

Well I hope it's foxes :))

[SteveT]

Some of the weeds brought in via compost bags are the ones which when you touch them they spring apart showering the place with seed.

Some of the professionals on gardeners question time (Daphne Ledward) has stopped using bags of compost and buys ex-mushroom growing stuff because of the resilient weeds compost brings in.

I cleaned the bird boxes yesterday and hosed them out for the new season.

[red devil]

Steve, do you have much success with your boxes, if so what type of box/bird/position do you recommend?

[Sue]

SteveT Wrote:

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> Some of the weeds brought in via compost bags are

> the ones which when you touch them they spring

> apart showering the place with seed.

>

xxxxxxx

Well there's other ways of dealing with weeds than spraying them.

The ones you mention are presumably annual weeds and hence easily controlled by hoeing etc.?

[SteveT]

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/b/bluetit/index.aspx

This is a useful site to visit for bird box siting etc.

[mcdoto]

My garden pond is currently a hotbed of frog sex and has been for several weeks. I was coming to the conclusion that this was purely recreational sex but the huge pillow of frog spawn that has appeared in the last few days now leads me to believe otherwise.

[The Minkey]

oooh, frogspawn - brings back happy childhood memories. I want a frog pond.

[KirstyH]

HI there, never been on this bit of EDF so good to discover this thread.

FYI - there's a huge cherry tree opposite just at point of blossom opening (27 of march); from my notes, last year it was 3 weeks earlier (March 8th) and the year before that it was 25 February! I saw that they were predicting late arrival of spring.

I'm interested in re-learning birdsong, in case anyone knows of an early morning thing one weekend.

[The Minkey]

Hi KirstyH, you don't live next to me do you - only joking. There's two trees just coming into blossom - one pink, one white - opposite me. I just noticed them this morning.

Last year, there was some kind of dawn bird watch event at One Tree Hill, between Brenchley Gdns and Crofton Park - no idea if it's an annual event but could be worth keeping an eye out for.

My dunnock has been singing its heart out the last few days - tune!

[SteveT]

My dunnock pecks around under the peanut and fatball holders I've never heard it a squeek out of it.

Trust me to get a deaf mute hedge sparrow.

[BrandNewGuy]

Very excited to hear a peregrine falcon as I woke up this morning - we're near Dulwich Hospital. Then I heard it again as I walked past the Hopsital on EDGrove at 8.30 and caught sight of two of them flying around the tallest tower of the hospital. They seemed to be displaying, but I suspect they were youngsters imitating adult activity rather than a pair seriously looking for a nest site...

Passers-by must have been bemused as I peered through the 'building' site gate :-)

[The Minkey]

"Trust me to get a deaf mute hedge sparrow." - ha ha - that's what I thought about mine last year, until they began making a repetitive sonar-like peep - mute is preferable, believe me - so I was amazed when I realised the lovely birdsong was coming from the dunnock.

Wow, peregrines in ED. Well spotted! I work near the Tate and keep an eye out for the peregrines which are supposed to have nested on its chimney but I haven't yet seen them. I shall keep my eyes peeled near the hospital instead.

[Sue]

The Minkey Wrote:

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>>

> Wow, peregrines in ED. Well spotted! I work near

> the Tate and keep an eye out for the peregrines

> which are supposed to have nested on its chimney

> but I haven't yet seen them. I shall keep my eyes

> peeled near the hospital instead.

xxxxxxx

The nesting peregrines at the Tate were a year or so ago, weren't they?

The RSPB had a little stall set up underneath, with binoculars to watch them with. Very heartwarming.

Are they back?