ED Nature Watch

[fl0wer]

Topical radio item [Today, BBC news] about the paved paradise-put-up-a-parking-lot problem, Sue. It had a great interview with one Sheffield university professor - recommended.

You can listen again or read =>here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25676973

[tomdhu]

Our local foxes havegone quiet all of a sudden?

After lots of squealing and wailing over the last few days they seem to have gone completely silent. Have they stopped *playing* around or what?

Tom

[steveo]

Hibernation

[Robert Poste's Child]

In my tiny garden there were three robins. Two were doing a little dance and the third looked like it felt left out.

[Sue]

Robert Poste's Child Wrote:

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> In my tiny garden there were three robins. Two

> were doing a little dance and the third looked

> like it felt left out.

xxxxx

That's weird, because robins are territorial, and it's rare to see more than one at a time in Winter ....

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/r/robin/territory.aspx

As regards the foxes, I heard one squealing tonight ....

[Peckhamnearbe]

Reminder that this weekend is the RSPB's Big Garden Bird Watch. You can register and report your sightings on the RSPB website or The Guardian's. My attention has been taken by the way in which one of the pair of robins which visit my garden has managed, after many unsuccessful attempts, to land on the tits' fat ball. Not as agile or dexterously as the beautiful tits (blue and coal) but effective. It's stumpy mate waits below for tit bit. How could I tell whether the one that has learned to do this is male or female - only thing is that it looks a bit smaller and maybe younger.

[Nigello]

Just seen a coffee-coloured bird with a copper breast, about the size and shape of a think turtle dove. It was in a tree in my neighbour's garden. Any ideas what it was?

[fl0wer]

Any chance it was a Waxwing?

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqcTj32TVnU/UMhh9okYJdI/AAAAAAAAACc/Sd2sXLRXkbk/s1600/waxwing4.jpg

Recent strong cold wind brings them in from Scandinavia usually.

[Nigello]

I don't think it was a waxwing. This one had dark brown plumage with a copper/rusty breast and no tuft on the head. It was darker than the image you posted.

[dresswaves]

Fieldfare or Redwing? They appear in the garden in colder weather. Had flocks of them in the cold winter of 2010?

Nigello Wrote:

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> I don't think it was a waxwing. This one had dark

> brown plumage with a copper/rusty breast and no

> tuft on the head. It was darker than the image you

> posted.

[Nigello]

Nope, it was much darker and of a uniform colour and with a very coppery breast. Hmmmm?..

[Medley]

Here's a puzzle for you expert folks.

My dad is mad-keen on bird watching, and has been since he was tiny (his dad was too). I'm less so, but take a background/genial kind of interest.

So when we moved to our first house with a garden, a few streets south and east of Honor Oak Park station, I was excited and thought we'd be feeding many a feathered visitor.

But there must be more birds within the Tube system than there are in our back garden. What are we doing wrong? We've got a water feeder, two seed feeders of different kinds, we've placed all this on a spike as far away from fences as possible. There are so few takers the food in the shed is now going mouldy.

There are a fair number of cats around, as per usual in the 'burbs, and foxes, pigeons etc. Relatively few trees for birds to light on also. Tempting nature reserves nearby I suppose too.

But we have almost no birds. Any ideas?

[Sue]

Many birds don't like feeding in open spaces - they feel more secure where there is cover for them.

Is there somewhere you could hang the feeders near leafy parts of the garden, but where cats can't easily get?

You could try some fat balls and/or peanuts (in a proper holder).

Also, some birds are ground feeders. You could try putting out bits of apple or something as well?

ETA: Also, birds do take a while to get to know that you have put out food.

If the food in your holders has gone manky due to the rain and the time it's been out, you would need to replace it as the birds won't eat it.

[Wiggle]

Female blackcap in our garden (near Peckham Rye) this afternoon. First I've ever seen, but maybe I haven't been looking very hard....

[Medley]

Thanks for the reply.

But:

- There's nowhere leafy and cat free.

- We tried fat balls and peanuts.

- We tried the ground idea, but enormous pigeons then descend to wolf it up.

- We've been at this 2 years!!

Fair point on manky food.

[Sue]

Medley Wrote:

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

> Thanks for the reply.

>

> But:

> - There's nowhere leafy and cat free.

> - We tried fat balls and peanuts.

> - We tried the ground idea, but enormous pigeons

> then descend to wolf it up.

> - We've been at this 2 years!!

>

> Fair point on manky food.

xxxxxxxx

My bird food is also currently manky. They avoid it like the plague :)

You do have to replace it all once it's gone like that. It's a pain, particularly in wet weather because it all goes mouldy and horrible so quickly.

[lousmith]

Spring has sprung!

[Toldyouso]

Just seen a wren with a mouthful of bugs heading into its nest in the ivy - hope we don't have a cold spell now!

[BrandNewGuy]

Re the bird feeding, I think the mild winter has meant there's a lot more natural food out there than usual, so the birds haven't needed to use garden feeders, which they would rather avoid. Several people I know who participated in the Garden Birdwatch this year saw absolutely nothing for the whole hour, whereas in previous years they've had plenty of activity.

[Bes]

Toldyouso Wrote:

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> Just seen a wren with a mouthful of bugs heading into its nest in the ivy - hope we don't have a cold spell now!

I have heard a wren in my back garden. I was hoping to get out there and sort out the ivy before birds start nesting, but now you've said this, I might be too late.

[Robert Poste's Child]

On the walk home from the station tonight I had to stop twice to rescue frogs that were trying to cross the road. Hope they were OK.

[Jenny1]

I haven't seen any frogs out and about yet. That sounds interesting.

But I did spot my first butterfly of the year this morning - a yellow brimstone I think.

[Sue]

Jenny1 Wrote:

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> I haven't seen any frogs out and about yet. That

> sounds interesting.

>

> But I did spot my first butterfly of the year this

> morning - a yellow brimstone I think.

xxxxxxx

I also saw what I think was a yellow brimstone today, in Dulwich Park.

Also saw several brown rats in the reeds near the bridge across the lake, and swimming in the water :)

What lovely weather ....

[fl0wer]

Have been admiring beautiful clumps of violets in Camberwell Old Cemetery this afternoon.

They are food plants for butterflies, so am hoping nobody treats them as 'weeds'.

It is a good time to observe wildflowers where grassland is old, and properly mixed, instead of being commercial stuff.

Here's a page about the wild flora that butterflies need, please share.

http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/foodplants.php

[uncleglen]

2 massive bumble bees this pm