ED Nature Watch

[BrandNewGuy]

Only me! Wrote:

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> We have a Wren flitting about & darting in & out

> of some shrubs.

> So tiny ... no bigger than a ?2.00 coin. With a

> beautiful song, out of all proportion to their

> size.

>

> Hope their nest can avoid the attention of the

> Magpies!

Wrens usually make quite a few nests - in fact, it's usually just the male who makes several nests in an attempt to impress the local females... which is why he often ends up with more than one family. The nests are usually really well hidden and very enticing - round and fluffy :-)

[tomo]

We've got a pair of Blackbirds regularly collecting for their nest and picking out quite a few worms too boot. Have also had a pair of Jays stopping through our garden. Beautiful!

[jimbo1964]

Pretty sure I saw a Goldfinch this morning.

[KirstyH]

To mark historic plane-free weekend, I got 'The Cloud Book - How to understand the Skies', Richard Hamblyn - now leapt to top of my new favourite book list. Excellent, produced with met office, lots of photos and explanations (including where 'Cloud 9'comes from). Not yet quite confident enough to say what's up there at the moment, maybe a spot of cirrostratus fibratus? Was worried for a moment there it was going to be cloud-free and sunny forever.

[Dr De Soto]

Just saw a group of four goldfinches in the gardens between Colwell Rd and Lordship Lane. Also saw a great tit. Normally the only birds we see here are blackbirds and the occasional robin (and pigeons of course).

[PeckhamRose]

KirstyH what a great book! MrPR was a flying instructor (gliders) and used to bore me silly with cloud watching till when we were biking round New Zealand I suddenly 'got it' and realised just what different type of clouds meant. Wave clouds are a glider's best friend and there are plenty in NZ but have seen them form over Peckham Rye too!

Meanwhile, saw another Goldcrest.

And six parakeets hassled the new tenant squirrel of the tree-hole yesterday. Dead funny to watch. I think they were hoping to nab that recently vacated tree-hole for themselves, but there is a neighbourhood squirrel watch programme round here all the squirrels have signed up to it and the top one of the list went in pretty quickly.

[Karrie]

[Deleted] Safety reasons

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Anyone noticed the tree in the corner of P.Rye that has pink and white blossom? Would this be from a graft do you think?

I chewed on wild garlic today that is growing down by the River Peck in the boggy section. Quite strong but yummy.

A good place to observe birds is the bridge over the stream just opposite Waverley School. A couple of wood pigeons were having a paddle without a care in the world today, and a mistle thrush was busily collecting soggy grass bits, presumably to bolster his nest.

[ruffers]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

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> Anyone noticed the tree in the corner of P.Rye

> that has pink and white blossom? Would this be

> from a graft do you think?

There's one by the garage on the road down to Forest Hill as well, I was wondering the same thing.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker in Belair Park today - amazing red front.

[SteveT]

The pair of great tits are working flat out at the moment to feed their soon to be fledglings.

A couple of runner beans are through so they have to be relocated next to the canes.

The radishes planted in the guttering are looking healthy and the tomato plants will have to be repotted too.

The green gage purchased last year with a dozen fruits on is laden with baby fruits this year.

The victoria plums are not trying too hard this year, they seem to have a good year and then two ordinary years.

The apple trees the ridiculously named blenheim orange, and bramley, are laden with blossoms at the moment.

My favourite fruit is the japanese wine berry and that is looking set for a bumper crop, goody goody.

I have a williams pear (was here before I arrived) which are very late, and need to be taken inside for a week before they are soft and edible.

Blackcurrants were given a good seeing to by my secateurs and are fruiting like there's no tomorrow, rather surprising as they are now only half the size of last year, but seem to be carrying twice the crop.

I have rhubarb growing like a triffid, so stewed rhubarb is a frequent visitor to the table, you have to skin it to prevent it being too bitter it saves lots of extra sugar and when custard is added to the mix it's yummy.

[reetpetite]

You make me so jealous SteveT I dont even have a garden.Boo hoo..

[cate]

I am jealous of all the fruit you have growing SteveT. I love rhubarb and usually make crisps with it. Like a crumble with oats. Also rhubarb bars. It is also really nice mixed with strawberries. And roasted with vanilla. And soaked in red wine and then roasted. Don't stop at rhubarb and custard.

[SteveT]

cate you sound like a gourmet chef, rhubarb crisps, roasted with vanilla, never heard my mother mention the word vanilla unless it had ice cream hung on the end of it. I'm very impressed.

reetpetite get a suitable size grobag and lie it across a window ledge, puncture it with a small cross where you are going to plant and you suddenly have your own pet garden.

This for some strange reason makes you feel happier and more attached to your living accommodation.

There seems to be more noise coming from the bird box, so I'll be surprised if they are still here after the bank holidays

[The Minkey]

I watched someone buying armfuls of rhubarb down Borough Market some years ago - he was planning to make rhubarb vodka apparantly.

[reetpetite]

SteveT if you mean on the inside I have done this a few years back when I planted tomatoes.They were very successful so much so they took over my whole window ! and its a very big window.I have a balcony but not a private one and have a few plants but unfortunately it is in the shade so I am limited.I have grown herbs though ,maybe I will give the window sill idea another go.

[Karrie]

[Deleted] Safety reasons

[SteveT]

Karrie wrote:- I could do with more wild life that eats slugs and snails, so this year I will focus on attracting these I think.

More toads then, but the blackbirds feed their young fledglings slugs although not enough to keep the garden free of them.

This garden has been mine for 7 years, it looked like a 'piece of set-aside' initially.

The costly thing is all the compost which has been dragged in through the years, and the plants and seeds are not exactly bargains either, but it feels like I have a pet that needs regular attention.

[SteveT]

I had a pair of greenfinches hanging on the peanut feeder today, never had them visit here before this so I feel rather honoured, and dead chuffed.

[TillieTrotter]

A pair of Eurasian Jays in my garden on Sunday. Only the second time I've seen these birds.

[SteveT]

What are the differences Tillie?

So we'll know when we see one or a pair............

[katie1997]

KirstyH Wrote:

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

> To mark historic plane-free weekend, I got 'The

> Cloud Book - How to understand the Skies', Richard

> Hamblyn - now leapt to top of my new favourite

> book list. Excellent, produced with met office,

> lots of photos and explanations (including where

> 'Cloud 9'comes from). Not yet quite confident

> enough to say what's up there at the moment, maybe

> a spot of cirrostratus fibratus? Was worried for

> a moment there it was going to be cloud-free and

> sunny forever.

I have been fascinated by clouds around ED lately too - for some reason.

Its lovely looking at the sky from the hill at the gardens by the Horniman museum. Cannot properly identify them either so I got the cloud collector's handbook (which I think may be for children as there's a page where you write who 'owns' the book??) :))

I want to go walking where the wild garlic grows, sounds lovely. This is absolutely a favourite thread of mine and makes up for moving into London from the countryside.

[SteveT]

I have been watching the clouds lately, they're all coming from the north and it feels more like February.

[SteveT]

The blackbirds are nest building and they have pulled out most of my crop of radishes to help themselves to some component of the compost they're planted in, and to find the bits they want means digging up and casting aside what has already taken root.

Thieving blackbirds should have their fingers chopped off.

[TillieTrotter]

Hey Steve, they look quite a bit like magpies but are a tawny brown colour with a pale blue flash on the wing. Very pretty.