ED Nature Watch

[SteveT]

Spent the day at RHS Wisley with my brother in law, last time we were there we watched a tree creeper but this time the most exotic birds were a jay and a heron.

The plan was to purchase a new plum tree (Opal) as the Victoria in the garden is well past her best.

I have tried the Opal plums and they have a better flavour and are juicier than the Vics.

Victoria tended to deliver in three year cycles but latterly it had become less reliable and as I had pruned it, limed it, fed it, and watered it regularly, it still would not produce the goods, so it was time to go.

?40 lighter in pocket I left with my new plum tree, to be planted at the earliest, but as I have back trouble again, I must hire someone who can handle a spade.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Thanks to Saturday's Daily Telegraph crossword, I learnt about a type of finch called a Siskin. Never heard of it before. It is native to UK - anyone heard of it/seen one?

[sheilarose]

"Re the ducklings at Peckham Rye, there was no sign of them on Sunday afternoon - are they still there?"

Sadly, no. The day after I first saw them, there was one left. It survived for a couple of days, and then there were none -- a bit like a rather gruesome child's nursery rhyme.

[The Minkey]

I've heard of a Siskin and know what it looks like but I've never seen one. Here's a pic:

http://garden-birds.co.uk/birds/images/siskin1.jpg

Sue: It's the one with orangey red berries. Down the road, someone has a pyrancantha hedge out front with the yellowy orange berries. It doesn't seem to get raided so I figured that might be a less popular colour, having said that, the birds seem to spurn them both.

[Sue]

sheilarose Wrote:

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

> "Re the ducklings at Peckham Rye, there was no

> sign of them on Sunday afternoon - are they still

> there?"

>

> Sadly, no. The day after I first saw them, there

> was one left. It survived for a couple of days,

> and then there were none -- a bit like a rather

> gruesome child's nursery rhyme.

xxxxxxxx

Oh dear. But maybe that's why ducks have (usually) relatively big broods - to ensure a couple still left to grow up :-S

[Alec John Moore]

Watched a blackbird have a bath in our birdbath at the weekend. First time I've seen it used.

[Moos]

I have an orange-berried pyracantha and hardly ever see birds on it - it could be to do with the cats, of which there are plenty locally but I don't think any of them is enterprising enough to scale a tall pyracantha in search of birdlife.

[Sue]

Just found this by Googling - I didn't even know you could get red pyrancantha berries!

3. WILDLIFE LOVE IT

Birds especially appreciate Pyracantha shrubs. To them, the red berries are a delicacy, especially in winter, when the ground is frozen, and other food is hard to come by.

Note, however, that gourmet birds are picky and have their favourites. Most prefer red pyracantha berries. They'll eat the orange ones next, and the yellow ones only when they're really hungry.

You may want to consider this when choosing your firethorn variety.

[SteveT]

They only eat pyrocantha berries early in the year December Jan and Feb if mine is anything to go by.

[Sue]

Yeh that would make sense, guess there's plenty of other food about before that?

[SteveT]

The pair of blackbirds have not visited the garden for several months now, but I still put the odd pear out for them which disappear overnight before they get pecked at, so a fox is taking them.

[The Minkey]

Or hedgehog perhaps, Steve - though, yeh, fox more likely. Anything L leave out which doesn't get polished off by the feathered ones, gets polished off by the furred. A hedgehog was spotted in the garden a couple of years ago by a friend, but I never saw it and haven't since. Be lovely to think they were around.

Mine is the red pyracantha. I chose it because it was supposed to be a good wildlife plant, it's just failed to attract any attention so far. Then again, this is the first year it's produced. Interesting point about it being popular later on. It's quite possible a bit of frost changes the texture and flavour somewhat too, making them more tasty.

[The Minkey]

I woke up this morning to find my butternut squash lying in the middle of the lawn - it had been picked and used as a football by Mr Fox during the night.

[cate]

I've had shoes stolen and chewed up and left in the garden. Also fox poop left in the conservatory. They got in through the cat flap.

[The Minkey]

The Aquarius foxes are very timid, luckily, so they don't try and enter through the catflap. I did have someone else's tea towel and a kiddies ball on the lawn one morning. I left them there and each morning they'd moved to a different part of the garden. Foxes are very playful. Didn't expect them to go for the veg though.

[The Minkey]

Greater Spotted Woodpecker turned up for some home-made fat cake today :-) First bird to show an interest so far this season.

[bonniebird]

Has anyone seen the wall they are building on the stream in the park near the rangers hut? Its gonna be a nesting bank for Kingfishers apparently (tu)

[The Minkey]

Not seen it, but what a good idea. I've only ever seen a kingfisher once in this country, down by Beverley Brook in Richmond Park.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Am I imagining it, or are the holly berries particularly abundant this year? Don't know what that portends - probably six foot snowdrifts.

[MissDumpling]

We saw a kingfisher in Peckham Rye Park a couple of years ago, darting back and forth up the brook and finally settling on a tree for a good ten minutes. We just stood and stared, spellbound, while passersby walked on oblivious. Wonderful to see one so close to home!

The Minkey Wrote:

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

> Not seen it, but what a good idea. I've only ever

> seen a kingfisher once in this country, down by

> Beverley Brook in Richmond Park.

[Penguin68]

It is highly unscientific, but my impression of ED autumn colour this year (vide the comment on the plethora of berries) is that it is more vivid and vibrant, particularly the reds, than I can recently recall. This may be because more acers etc. are now planted in roads and front gardens but even then I can remember these being quite disappointing in the past. Some roads have an almost New England air about them, particularly when the sun catches the leaves.

[Sue]

I have noticed the apparently brighter Autumn leaf colours as well, and not sure whether it is because of different varieties being planted or something to do with climate change.

[ianr]

Penguin68 Wrote:

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

> It is highly unscientific, but my impression of ED autumn colour this year (vide the comment on the

> plethora of berries) is that it is more vivid and vibrant, particularly the reds, than I can recently recall.

I know what you mean. I'd also say that recording a detailed observation of an impression, along with any reservations, is itself a quintessentially scientific act.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Well, in that case, I conducted a rigorous experiment at Peckham Rye today.

Reds are definitely this season's colours: crab apples, yew berries, rosehips were in abundance. Poor Hatty will just have to be unfashionable this autumn.

BTW, why are yew berries so seductive? I always want to cram a handful into my mouth.

[bonniebird]

Does anyone know why the holes in the new kingfisher bank have been filled in?