Mr Poppy
Member
Teaching assistant and now your elected PM
Posts: 3,774
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Post by Mr Poppy on Jan 3, 2023 23:28:56 GMT
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Post by mandolinist on Jan 3, 2023 23:37:19 GMT
I am very sad to report that my birdfeeders have all had to come down, we have a mini-plague of rats. Whilst I am reasonably content to let them be at the other end of the garden, spotting them on a daily basis shinning up the bird feeders is too much. So feeding has ceased and in a couple of weeks we shall try to block the hole in the wall where they seem to have set up home. With luck we shall avoid having to poison them, but just in case this doesn't work does anyone have any advice?
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Post by leftieliberal on Jan 4, 2023 23:18:29 GMT
I am very sad to report that my birdfeeders have all had to come down, we have a mini-plague of rats. Whilst I am reasonably content to let them be at the other end of the garden, spotting them on a daily basis shinning up the bird feeders is too much. So feeding has ceased and in a couple of weeks we shall try to block the hole in the wall where they seem to have set up home. With luck we shall avoid having to poison them, but just in case this doesn't work does anyone have any advice? Have you tried putting Vaseline on the poles of the bird feeders? I find it deters grey squirrels from trying to climb them. |
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Post by moby on Jan 11, 2023 6:58:26 GMT
I am very sad to report that my birdfeeders have all had to come down, we have a mini-plague of rats. Whilst I am reasonably content to let them be at the other end of the garden, spotting them on a daily basis shinning up the bird feeders is too much. So feeding has ceased and in a couple of weeks we shall try to block the hole in the wall where they seem to have set up home. With luck we shall avoid having to poison them, but just in case this doesn't work does anyone have any advice? You can get peppermint based sprays which can be effective even outside if you can concentrate the spray in particular rat runs or holes. They hate the smell of it. |
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Post by davwel on Jan 15, 2023 21:21:56 GMT
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Post by shevii on Jan 29, 2023 13:46:10 GMT
Is anyone else doing the RSPB bird count this weekend? We just did ours but I can't help but feel this is more of a publicity thing for bird awareness and getting people interested than anything scientific.
The rules are pretty imprecise (assuming they really have any as I couldn't find the small print) and restricted to birds that "land" in your garden, but of course a lot of birds will come and go during the hour and while it might be obvious not to include a sparrow that comes and goes from the bird feeder in short succession there is surely good reason to assume that a sparrow coming from the same bush 20 minutes later after a gap might be the same sparrow? With the similar butterfly count at least they insist on only taking the maximum number of butterflies you see at any one given time.
Also presumably the count is going to be affected by the weather at the time you do your count. This is also true with butterflies where they can have different hatching times from year to year so a type of butterfly that is around in July one year and August in another might miss the August count one year and then be in it the following year and be used as the basis for their population massively declining or expanding.
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Post by davwel on Jan 29, 2023 16:52:05 GMT
@ shevii
You highlight some of the bird-count problems, and correctly spotlight the gains from attracting more people and hence a stronger voice for conservation.
But on balance the c. 30 years of this operation have shown up some key trends, a major one being the decline of the song thrush.
These "stunts" like the plant hunt at New Year have slightly more gains than problems, I believe. But they do need a lot of "professional" time to organise and interpret. And they throw up observations that need to be checked: was the observer capable of identifying what he/she saw. So I am pleased when I see, as has happened just recently for me, that the recorder was Hampshire`s county ecologist up here on holiday, but bothered when I and my other colleague recorders cannot refind what has been reported by an unknown person.
A big problem calling for interpretation is the great variation in people population across the UK. For example, c 10-15 years ago, the "conclusion" was sparrows are declining whereas we in NE Scotland had increased numbers. Now in this year`s hour my maximum was 3 but back in the 2000s the number was often c.20.
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Post by alec on Jan 29, 2023 17:25:38 GMT
mandolinist - rats and bird feeders; Any of the following worth a try: 1) Add hot chilli flakes to your bird food. Birds don't sense this but rats do 2) Use 'no mess' bird feed mixes (eg seeds with shells removed). This leave less mess for rats to enjoy. 3) Remove water sources, which are often a prime reason for rats to come into your garden 4) Place the feeders well into the open and away from bushes, cover, walls etc. 5) Keep moving things along the runs where the rats are likely to go (they don't like things changing) 6) If you have a cat or know anyone who has a cat, and you/they use cat litter (the cats, I mean, not you, your friends, obvs) see if you can spread a bit of spent litter around the rat runs. Remove the turds first, again, obvs, but rats don't like cat urine scents. 7) Break the bird feeding for a while, to encourage the rats to go elsewhere 8) If you have any compost heaps, turn those and if you find any evidence of rat activity, think about getting a sealed compost tumbler. [Compost heaps are a classic first entry point for rats in a garden. We've switched to tumblers and they work a treat, no rodents]. 9) Buy an airgun and discover your inner killer. We've done all of the above except 9), and it seems to have worked. Meanwhile: not participating in the RSPB garden birdwatch today, but I did see 10+ redwing feeding in the field behind us. It's a gently south facing meadow and at this time of year we see a lot of mixed thrush flocks, but these tend to mainly be fieldfare at this time of year, with the odd redwing. This is the largest number of redwing I've seen here in a single viewing. Lovely birds, one of my favourites. I once stumbled on a redwing calling in a sparsely wooded gully on the side of a remote glen in Sutherland, miles from anywhere. It was mid May, and it was a territorial call, so I put that down as a probable nesting sight. It still remains as one of my most enjoyable spots in half a century of bird watching.
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Post by davwel on Jan 29, 2023 19:49:56 GMT
On publicity for wildlife/species recording the next big date in March 1st, 4 weeks hence.
Our new plant atlas is being launched then, reporting on 20 years of recording 2000 Jan - 2019 Dec.
In 2002 our last plant atlas was launched, with contributors plus the press and media invited to Kew`s lecture theatre. I had gone down on the sleeper, so checked in early for my credentials to be vetted at the entrance. Then I had gone out into Kew`s wonderful gardens and to make sure that I could quickly enter the herbarium in order to work there in the afternoon. On getting back to the lecture theatre 90 min later there was a big queue, tripods, cameras, and old colleagues from all-across-UK meeting up. With just 10 min time before the announced start, the entrance checkers gave up and waved us all in, security abandoned. In the chaos, like those with tripods having no view, I found myself sitting next to Margaret Beckett. So I must add what a contrast she was/is to Zahawi - humble, caring, dedicated to her government jobs.
Launches of reports are just one aspect of conservation and ecology. It`s the analysis afterwards and the interpretation of the results. Our 2002 atlas had plenty of data in its 910 pages, 3 main authors, and maybe 80 minor ones including myself, so the analysers had much to work on. It took a few years, then there were lists published of habitats, regions, vice-counties, having most declines, biggest gains of aliens, etc, etc. And well-meaning folk joined in, some with axes to grind or key issues to highlight. One list had Middlesex and Banffshire with the biggest declines of flora.
This upset our hard-working talented, Banffshire recorder, and set Martin Ford going, he that later subjected Trump to an hour`s cross-examination at the Golf public enquiry. What was Aberdeenshire doing to have caused this in Banffshire? (which had become part of Aberdeenshire in the 1970s). Papers were then published, and I can just briefly say part of the cause was decline in the weed flora of arable land, and part the interpretation of a good Flora of Banffshire published in 1912 - when had all the species included in it actually been seen, and should its author have made comments on species declines.
And making comparisons between the numerous recorders observing around London with one recorder operating virtually alone is very hazardous, and best to avoid judgements on possible reasons for species lost/missed.
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Post by mandolinist on Jan 30, 2023 18:40:01 GMT
Hi alec. Thank you for the reply, we stpped feeding as soon as we spotted the blighters, we have blocked a hole in the stone wall that they seemed to be using and have stopped chasing the neighbourhood ginger tom out of the garden, he sprays around the place with great abandon. I can't get rid of the pond, but should I empty the birdbath? I haven't spotted any for a while, but Mr mandolinist is very loath to put the feeders back up. Strangely, the blackbirds, robins and blackcaps are still visiting, the mass of house sparrows have vanished. New to the garden is a very confiding song thrush. I am thrilled to see it, and am hoping that it stays and eats plenty of snails. |
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Post by davwel on Feb 13, 2023 17:04:04 GMT
A change to the date of launches of the new plant atlas for the British Isles.
I said above March 1st, but now it seems March 8th is the first date. Instead of one big launch there will be several meetings in the constituent parts of the BI on the 8th and soon after
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Post by shevii on Feb 14, 2023 10:26:38 GMT
I am very sad to report that my birdfeeders have all had to come down, we have a mini-plague of rats. Whilst I am reasonably content to let them be at the other end of the garden, spotting them on a daily basis shinning up the bird feeders is too much. So feeding has ceased and in a couple of weeks we shall try to block the hole in the wall where they seem to have set up home. With luck we shall avoid having to poison them, but just in case this doesn't work does anyone have any advice? A friend of mine just said if I'd been alive during the plague I'd have still been trying to get rats to eat out of my hand! There are humane traps for mice (which definitely work as we've used them very successfully when our cat brought them into the house) and I think for rats as well. With mice, probably best not to put one out overnight as they can have a heart attack from the stress but we just shut the door to the empty room and put the trap near the skirting board with peanut butter and never failed to work in a short space of time. |
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Post by mandolinist on Feb 22, 2023 13:26:33 GMT
It seems the rats have moved on (phew) or at least further away from the house, so the feeders are going back up today.
My newts have reappeared in the pond today. Friends elsewhere in Bristol tell me their frogs and toads have reappeared within the last week, amphibian week here in the city. I am guessing that those of you further north have a few more weeks to wait for what I consider one of the first real signs of spring.
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Post by davwel on Mar 16, 2023 22:46:07 GMT
I have said nothing here about the launch of the new 2020 Plant Atlas, having had internet problems, snowfall and health drives to Aberdeen ARI to cope with, but I am now pleased to have got the summary report on what has been achieved in the last 20 years and the conclusions about trends: bsbi.org/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/2023/02/BSBI-Plant-Atlas-2020-summary-report-Britain-in-English-WEB.pdfThe link has 32 pages and some will find it a hard intense read. For all but the keenest, I suggest just the Summary on pp 2 and 3, plus simply looking at the excellent photos. Certainly there have been downward trends, worse in some agricultural habitats than our uplands, but our conservation works have successfully slowed the decline. And more of the public have become enthusiastically mobilised. |
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Post by thylacine on Apr 18, 2023 6:07:29 GMT
Hi, just a few questions for the hive mind. We have a young vixen who has been visiting for a couple of years. She started coming as a cub back in lockdown.She now seems to be lactating . Wondering when we might see the cubs ? She seems to be spending a lot of time away from them looking for food. Is that normal? She has always been unusual in that she is out in broad daylight in the afternoon and has limited fear of us and approaches quite close.
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2023 22:34:25 GMT
I noticed swifts whizzing around here last Tuesday, 2nd May, early evening. Seems a bit earlier in the year than usually.
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Post by shevii on Jun 26, 2023 15:04:59 GMT
Yay- we have a second hedgehog in our garden now (not that I told anyone on here about our first). In fact we might have had two for a while and not realised as we had mentioned to each other how sometimes the hedgehog looked bigger and sometimes smaller depending on the angle. The smaller hedgehog seems a bit more nervous so rushes into the bush if it sees the other one but for a moment at least they were both snuffling their hoggie food on the lawn not far from each other. Either way at least one of the hedgehogs is regular as clockwork for weeks, coming out at dusk every night. I think putting a water bowl out in this weather may have encouraged them to stay and it's quite amusing to see it getting tipped up like a 5 year old would do with their cornflakes.
I know that hedgehogs tend to be solitary so I'm not sure if I am getting my hopes up that there could be a mating and we can look forward to babies later in the year? Maybe not a good sign if one tries to avoid the other one?
We've had a good year generally with what was presumably a successful blue tit fledging in our bird box and spotted adolescent Blackbirds, robins, grey squirrels and, unfortunately, magpies as well. Even saw an adolescent wood pigeon even if there are to many of them already and constantly flapping at each other.
The thing I am most worried about is how few butterflies we have seen this year even when in the Lake district in good weather and what you'd think were perfect for them (country gardens with lots of flowers).
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Post by johntel on Oct 13, 2023 21:47:40 GMT
Yay- we have a second hedgehog in our garden now (not that I told anyone on here about our first). In fact we might have had two for a while and not realised as we had mentioned to each other how sometimes the hedgehog looked bigger and sometimes smaller depending on the angle. The smaller hedgehog seems a bit more nervous so rushes into the bush if it sees the other one but for a moment at least they were both snuffling their hoggie food on the lawn not far from each other. Either way at least one of the hedgehogs is regular as clockwork for weeks, coming out at dusk every night. I think putting a water bowl out in this weather may have encouraged them to stay and it's quite amusing to see it getting tipped up like a 5 year old would do with their cornflakes. I know that hedgehogs tend to be solitary so I'm not sure if I am getting my hopes up that there could be a mating and we can look forward to babies later in the year? Maybe not a good sign if one tries to avoid the other one? We've had a good year generally with what was presumably a successful blue tit fledging in our bird box and spotted adolescent Blackbirds, robins, grey squirrels and, unfortunately, magpies as well. Even saw an adolescent wood pigeon even if there are to many of them already and constantly flapping at each other. The thing I am most worried about is how few butterflies we have seen this year even when in the Lake district in good weather and what you'd think were perfect for them (country gardens with lots of flowers). Very envious of your hedgehogs shevii - we've lived here in Surrey for 30 years and never seen a single one - haven't even seen any dead ones on the road locally for years. But it's been a great summer for butterflies - good numbers of Purple Emperors and swarms of red admirals. |
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Post by shevii on Oct 14, 2023 8:19:25 GMT
Very envious of your hedgehogs shevii - we've lived here in Surrey for 30 years and never seen a single one - haven't even seen any dead ones on the road locally for years. But it's been a great summer for butterflies - good numbers of Purple Emperors and swarms of red admirals. Butterflies did pick up a bit round our way later on but still not like we had been seeing during previous years. Never seen an Emperor but maybe don't get as high up as North West? Reading my last post we did indeed get a baby hedgehog! Not so much a baby by the time we saw it but mummy had been around for about 10 minutes and then another hedgehog turned up who was much smaller and snuffled around next to her. That was the only time we saw them together so I think baby was shown where the food is and told to leave home and get a job. It's only baby we've been picking up on the naturecam recently but I think big enough now to have a decent chance of surviving the winter.  |
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Post by johntel on Oct 15, 2023 17:01:41 GMT
shevii Cute photo! I bought a night camera to find out what was digging up our lawn a couple of years ago. Mr Fox was obviously not happy at being filmed... Attachments:
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Post by shevii on Oct 15, 2023 17:27:05 GMT
shevii Cute photo! I bought a night camera to find out what was digging up our lawn a couple of years ago. Mr Fox was obviously not happy at being filmed... We bought the cam just to see if the Hog was still turning up when he stopped coming at dusk and it's a bit of an eye opener for what is going on. I'd never seen a fox in all the 15 years I've lived in Wigan and there one was the first week we put the camera up but probably moved on now. Obviously in London you'll see them all day long. Also quite a few cats we knew nothing about (and believe me I know all the cats and all their names in our hood!) who were passing through. In a week we go to Scotland and this will be the first time for using the cam there- lent it to the in laws and they got some great badger footage at the place they were staying. |
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Post by athena on Nov 29, 2023 16:38:46 GMT
Why aren't birdbaths with inbuilt heating a thing?
In weather like we have at the moment I usually defrost mine twice a day. It's not much of a faff for me and I feel well rewarded when I see the birds happily splashing around on a freezing cold day, but since the demographic of people who feed and water birds skews elderly (therefore more likely to be somewhat infirm and not keen on venturing out into a cold garden, possibly down a slippery path) and relatively well-off, I'd have thought there would be a market.
After all, there is loads of thermostatically controlled heating tech available to the foolhardy enthusiasts who insist on trying to grow tender exotic plants outside in the UK...
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Post by alec on Nov 29, 2023 16:55:15 GMT
johntel & shevii - "Very envious of your hedgehogs shevii - we've lived here in Surrey for 30 years and never seen a single one - haven't even seen any dead ones on the road locally for years." We have them nesting under the shed most years, and see them quite frequently. In a first for us, last year we were kept awake by a pair of them having loud sex. We have a juliet balcony with french doors in our bedroom, and it was a warm night so we left them open. It was around 1am when we heard pretty loud grunting and snorting, and after I worked out what the cause was, we left them to it. Apart from a brief interlude when I shone a torch on the pair of them, all in all they were at it for fifty minutes. I've got to say though, it's not a particularly romance inducing sound. I was actually going to post on this thread something interesting we stumbled on yesterday. Walking in a wooded gorge on the Cumbrian/Northumbrian border, we saw several examples of 'hair ice', with some fantastic wispy strands of hair like ice protruding from a number of dead sticks on the woodland floor. I took some snaps with my phone, but none of them do justice to the formations, but it's the first time I've actually seen this for myself. I checked online, and apparently it occurs when temperatures are between 0 and - 3C and is always found on dead branches. It was apparently postulated that it was caused by a fungus by Alfred Wegener in 1915 (the continental drift guy) and this was proven earlier this century, with the specific fungus Exidiopsis effusa identified by two Germans in 2015. It reminded me of the time we removed a big tree stump from our garden, which was riddled with honey fungus. Later that night, when I went out, the whole pile of rotten wood was glowing with a faint luminescence, which is something honey fungus can do in certain conditions. Fascinating stuff.
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2024 10:17:02 GMT
I noticed swifts whizzing around here last Tuesday, 2nd May, early evening. Seems a bit earlier in the year than usually. Not quite as early as last year, I think, but noted the first swifts around here on 8th May. |
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