ED Nature Watch

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Saw what I think was a Brimstone Butterfly gaily flying down Rye Lane.

And from the fact that my cats have brought home six baby mice in the last week (leaving the choice bit of tail and back legs and little bits of bloody entrails for me to enjoy), I'd say it's nesting time.

[OliviaDee]

yes pinkhalf thank-you! that's exactly it. (now i won't look so stupid in front of my kids)

[Muley]

From 'aaah' to 'aaargh'-

Digging in the garden yesterday evening when a tiny fox cub came under the fence from the den in the adjoining garden (which his Dad had obligingly tunnelled under, ripping up a good chunk of my lawn) and bounded up, letting me stroke him and tickle behind his ears. He stayed for about 30 minutes, playing and getting under my feet- utterly enchanting.

Now of course it's 3.15am and he and his whole sodding family have woken me up with all their noise and I can't get back to sleep. Bastards!

[Sue]

And hence the dilemma (as per the fox thread).

Pros and cons, eh?

[Muley]

Yes, but did I mention the robin? I also had a robin hop right up to my feet, bold as brass, helping himself to a worm from the newly dug soil. Equally enchanting, but without the need to return in the early hours with his extended family and cause a riot.

Bloody foxes, may as well wear hoodies and have done with it.

[Sue]

:))

[Sue]

I have frog tadpoles in my tub! Hooray!

Toad ones haven't hatched yet.

I'm so excited :)

[trinity]

Just spotted a weird looking bee in the garden with a 'spike' on its face. Turned out it's a hairy footed flower bee. The 'spike' is actually its long tongue which hangs out whilst it flies around.

[lousmith]

Hooray for taddies! The Anuran revolution is here.

[computedshorty]

The albino Starling with its other young ones feeding in the garden last summer.

[Sue]

Great picture, Computed Shorty!

Just had to look up Anuran (in case anybody else didn't get to do biology, I now know that Anura is an order of animals in the class Amphibia that includes frogs and toads!)

Does anybody know whether I should top up my tub with water, as it hasn't rained?

I'm worried that if the level falls too low the froglets (when they are older) won't be able to hop onto the pile of stones I have in it.

Also, I've been told I should have a solar powered fountain in the tub to stop the water becoming stagnant - any advice?

[lousmith]

There's nothing to stop you doing either of the above, the fountain will keep the stones wet too and provide a cool shelter for the emergent froglets.They only work in direct bright sunshine I think. Some oxygenating and shade-giving weeds would help with the stagnancy. Most small ponds will need a top-up or several throughout the year as there is no additional catchment to drain into it unless you can rig a cunning system from your guttering.

[Sue]

Thanks lousmith, the tub is in shade as it's the only suitable place in the garden at the mo, I thought I might be able to get a fountain powered by a separate solar panel connected to it, but maybe they're not available. I will google now!

[bonniebird]

Does anyone know who it was that put the floating plant things in Peckham Rye pond? I think there was a group of volunteers. There is still green fencing around these and a coot/moorhen has nested smack bang in the middle of one, she is ok because her husband is bringing her food and I presume she can fly up and over, but when those chicks are born they are going to be stuck there :( so if anyone knows who can go in and take the fences off? I told a regular gardener on my morning walk and he said he would pass it on, but I am worried about them.

[reetpetite]

They are fine bonniebird as soon as they are big enough the babes clamber up the netting. The moorhens and coots like to nest on these floating islands as they are safe from predators ,also the wire is there for a reason to protect the plants from the geese.

[computedshorty]

I have been waiting for Herbie the hedgehog with some expectation,

for him to come out from his pampas grass plant root hibernation.

The pampas plant growing in the front garden, I have to state,

to get to the back he squeezes flat under the side garden gate.

The concrete path there is worn and very uneven for me to walk,

so on a fine day I cement repaired it, not giving Herbie a thought,

In the evening I went into the back garden with a torch light,

the beam showed a strange thing that appeared there in my sight.

Herbie was sitting on the grass, surrounded with new baby frogs,

Herbie?s spikes were each covered with wet cement knobs.

he had borrowed under the gate through the wet cement path,

I admit the sight that gave me good cause to have a laugh.

If you surprise an animal in the dark, and catch it in the light,

it will remain motionless as it is caught there as in fright.

Turn off the light and it has gone, just vanished in a flash,

search for it for long as you can, wont find where he dashed.

I searched for him, and found him hiding behind a flower pot,

washed him down with the garden hose, but he did not like a lot.

He is cleaned now of cement, but he did look in a sorry state,

he wont have to go through it again, I cut the bottom of the gate.

[bonniebird]

Thanks for that reetpetite (tu) I bumped into 2 women in the park this morning and they said the same, amazing isn't it :)) all I can say is PHEW! I can stop worrying now ;-)

[Sue]

computedshorty, poor Herbie, afraid it did make me laugh though :)

[civilservant]

a hedgehog in ED - hooray!

I hope Herbie meets a nice girl hedgehog and has lots of babies this year

[Sue]

This is probably a very stupid question, but what happens if there is a rainstorm and my tub overflows?

Will all the taddies get washed away?

My solar fountain has arrived this morning, and has a back-up battery, hooray!

[computedshorty]

I am known locally to care for a few injured and recovering pets,

people have come to look on me as some sort of convalescent Vets.

I never know what is going to brought to me next, its hard to say,

just wonder what will come here to me during the following day.

There was the injured Duck that had a broken wing and it was so frail,

I put it on our pond, it sailed about the wing that stood up like a sail.

He got called Ragamuffin, because he looked so old and scraggy,

the name was too long, so after a while it got shortened to Raggy.

A pink Pigeon that trailed its severed broken wing behind on the ground,

it was caught in a towel, so was the next bird that was brought around.

As it could not fly or hope to hide, or find any food or seeds,

it now resides in the Chicken shed on a bale of straw where it sleeps.

He is named Winkle now, he cant fly but climbs about has a ramble,

I have made him a narrow ladder the rungs from an old broom handle.

He can climbs up it, out of the window into the tree on the outside,

as the wind blows the branches they sway about, he enjoys his ride.

A woman has just brought to me a very large black Carrion Crow,

its wing is hanging down now beyond repair broken at the elbow.

Examining it he grabbed my fingers with its strong talons wont let go,

its beak used to pick dead rabbits from the road, a hole in my hand show.

I don't like to see any bird caged up in a small pen and not to be free,

but for its own temporary safety it must be, I think you will agree.

If I can find the material to make one large enough for him to live,

or ask ?For Sale & Items Offered in ED? for an unused free one to give.

[aspidistra]

Thinking about making a home for mason bees and similar solitary bees? Here's a bit of inspired construction at Roots & Shoots. Trellick Tower for bees!

[Osita]

Only solitary bees deserve a home and no others I can tell this. To find out more about them you can go to local library asked the lady more about Roots and Shoots.

Believe me.

[Sue]

aspidistra Wrote:

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

> Thinking about making a home for mason bees and

> similar solitary bees? Here's a bit of inspired

> construction at Roots & Shoots. Trellick Tower for

> bees!

xxxxx

Blimey! That's amazing!

I now feel inspired to construct a Bee Hotel :) though one this size would take up most of my garden!

[maxxi]

Any budding lepidopterists out there tell me what butterfly this is? Probably very common but not seen it before. (see photo)