Tell us your Springwatch wildlife questions........
- 4 Jun 07, 04:50 PM
........ and we'll answer as many as we can in a special live Springwatch edition of Nature on Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 4 at 9 p.m. on Monday, June 11, immediately after that evening's TV show. (repeated Tuesday 12th, 11 a.m.) Whether it's something you've seen on Springwatch or in the world around you this spring, tell us your question by adding a comment below.
Comments Post your comment
We were lucky enough to have a pair of Blue tits nesting in the same box as last year, and just before that a great tit pair who decided to nest in the Sparrow terrace we had put up last year.
We did have sparrows interested in the terrace, but the great tits chased them away, we were pleased that the great tits were around 2 weeks ahead of the Blue tits, although we did see a blue tit and a great tit having a fight! at least it meant that both families were not in competition for food for the babies.
Both families have fledged, sadly the great tit lost one, it was on the floor and did not make it, a blue tit also had trouble but eventually after being in the garden all day,made it.
We feel very lucky to have had 2 families nesting, and finally sparrows are looking at the terrace again.
Complain about this post
Loved this programme, particuarly the nightingales. Would it be possible to play a little of the 1923 Â鶹ԼÅÄ recording of Beatrice Harrison playing 'cello in her garden, accompanied by nightingales? (I have it on tape, but the quality is awful). Good wishes, D.S.
Complain about this post
That's a lovely idea, Dolores. I'll see if we can find room amongst the questions. A kind of birdsong equivalent of Poetry Please!
Complain about this post
hello everyone i would like to see a second showing of the ladybirds from the last show i missed out on watching it . just ask bill to play it again thank you . Ive enjoyed watching the owls especilly the tawny i like all the presenters they all do a good job.keep up the good work its all interesting stuff.ps is it alright putting bread out for birds. yours hopfully mrs k mitchell from south wales in cwmbran
Complain about this post
My question is - how are our native butterflies faring this year so far? I read that the very warm weather earlier this spring caused various butterfly species to emerge very early. How did the very wet period at the end of May affect them? Are wet, cold periods like last week’s a serious problem for them – or can they ‘weather’ such periods without much setback?
I was on holiday in Purbeck last week, keeping my fingers crossed for a butterfly bonanza (and perhaps a first ever encounter with an Adonis Blue) – but, sadly, the weather was against my chances. When blue skies returned, the Speckled Woods did their wonderful trick of seeming to scatter the sunshine amongst the scrub and hedgerows, but very few other butterflies seemed to be on the wing on the heaths and grassland we visited, even when temperatures rose quite high (we saw plenty of dragonflies and damselflies). Maybe the butterflies were there – but we were just not in the right spot at the right moment! We did see so much other wildlife magic though – Arne RSPB reserve and Studland NNR are like heaven on Earth!
Oh – and another (related) question – if patterns of butterfly emergence change radically due to climate change – can it be predicted how this might affect birds? And how adaptable are the birds likely to be to these changes?
Many thanks! I’m loving your wonderful Nature programmes. I love Dolores’ idea about the cello/nightingale recording. I too would love to hear it if you could fit it in please, Grant. I’ve read about (and seen the photo) of Beatrice Harrison’s duet with a nightingale in Richard Mabey’s Book of Nightingales. It would be wonderful to have the chance to hear the recording!
Complain about this post
Hunstanton, Norfolk. Found on the rocky beach - an 'anvil', i.e. a large stone with smashed and opened shells on top (cockle, slipper limpet, mussel, razorshell). Which sea bird uses such an anvil? Gull? Wader?
Thanks! Ann.
Complain about this post
hey
im trying to become
a person like kate that enjoys nature and works with all types of animals.
can you please give me some advise or tips on how i could be like kate on spring watch and work with all of the beautiful animals and nature?
i would be very gratefull.
yours faithfully
catherine
Complain about this post
I have hand reared a baby sparrow and it is now at the stage where it is ready to leave the nest. I am hoping a sparrow mother will adopt it otherwise how will it survive. Any suggestions? Will it learn from other sparrows if on its own.
I have been feeding it on a mixture of ground up bird seed and dried meal worm mixed with water
Complain about this post
Another question regarding this year's weird weather... The ash trees this year have been very late in leafing up...or has this just been because other trees leafed up early due to the warm April? In my neck of the woods (SCambs/ NHerts) some ashes still are not in full leaf. The worst affected seem to be the one still laden with last year's keys. Are the trees likely to be affected long term?
Complain about this post
My Mummy Would Like To Say Our House Back Onto A River, We Have Plenty Of Wildlife, Including A Pair Of Moorhens One Which As Taken To Climbing A Large Y=Tree At the Bottom Of Our Garden. Have You Even Seen This Kind Of Behaviour With Moorhens Before?
Christine Standen Asking!
Bonnie Coleman Imformation!
Complain about this post
We saw a Jay like bird in the coniferous woods behind our house near Romsey in Hampshire. The bird though was grey brown with a speckled breast and with a call and flight very like a Jay. It displayed a patch of white on its tale, rather like a Jay, but had no blue wing feathers, crest, nor pink colouration. The bird appeared mature, without traces of a gape, but in any case, I believe that young Jays have their coloured plumage. Could we have seen a Nutcracker(Nucifraga caryocatactes) and have there been other sitings? The bird was too large to be a Mistle Thrush and having referred to our bird books the Nutcracker appears to be the only possibilty.
Complain about this post
when we moved to our current address, the garden was derelict, but there was evidence of 2 ponds the smaller of which we have retained as a wildlife pond. Every year we have frogs, toads and newts there. The mystery is that the tadpoles never develop into frogs. They become larger and are still in the pond in September/October as tadpoles. Then suddenly, almost overnight, they disappear on mass. Any ideas?
Complain about this post
Why do birds like catfood? because we have 3 cats and we leave catfood out when we go to school and the birds sit in the catfood and eat it.
if we leave it out for the birds should we wet it or just leave it?
from Babybuzzard
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Complain about this post
two years ago we had 1 housemartin nest under our eaves, last year they built another, this year we have 4 nests and what looks like perches, will they keep expanding there group, do we need to build a bigger roof!!!
Complain about this post
I've got a male Blackbird in my garden engaging in a behaviour I've never seen before. He's spread himself on the path with his wings outstretched, head tilted to one side with his beak open and motionless. Is he trying to cool down? Wouldn't he be better in the shade rather than in full sun? I have a photo but can't see anywhere to post it.
Complain about this post
A family of badgers has lived in the wild strip of our garden for several years. Each night they come and press their noses to the patio doors for dog biscuits (the cat goes potty and hurls herself at the glass!). At night, when I call our cat, the badgers come dashing across the lawn - they associate me with dog biscuits! We rather take them for granted but friends seem to think this is unusual. What do you think?
Ann Johnson, Eastbourne
Complain about this post
Feeding the owls.
Why is there even a question as to whether the single mother should be helped to feed her off-spring? We are encouraged to help nature all the time, including leaving food for birds in our gardens, so why single out the owl for discrimination? Don't owls deserve the right to life as much as blue tits or sparrows?
Please feed the owls.
Thanks,
Richard
Complain about this post
hi people
i have a question how do you
recanise a stote from a weisle?
thanks
Complain about this post
Every year our garden pond plays host to thousands of tadpoles and those that survive the fish predation ensure that the garden remains stocked with new generations of frogs. This year the local heron got the fish and the tadpoles, although they have lost their gills, show no signs of developing legs. Some years ago this happened and I was advised to add some iodine to the pond water and, lo and behold, we acquired some baby frogs. This year I have added three lots of iodine over the last month but the tadpoles are still sans legs. Any ideas why and is there anything else I can do to ensure that the tadpoles develope properly?
Complain about this post
tis a really lovely show i really enjoy it but why the devil does it finish every thursday, I would like it to be continuous for three weeks after all we dont get anything else like it afterwards, until of course autumnwatch so come on katie and bill
lets see you there friday saturday and sunday you can have a rest when its over?. but still its a lovely show and up in scotland its greaty admired too
yours jack
Complain about this post
Hi, got a shock while looking in my pond due to a HUGE orange wasp landing for a drink! I've searched and searched and can only compare it with giant asian hornet. Is it possible for them to visit Britain? Thanks....
Complain about this post
My Dad and I have just been in the garden where we are lucky enough to have a Long Tailed Tit nest. We have seen one baby out of the nest looking very well. One parent came to feed it - then about five minutes later a female sparrow landed in the same bush and surprisingly also fed the long tailed tit baby - Is this unusual ??
Thanks - John Harvey
Complain about this post
Dear Spring watchI have taken an amusing picture of youg blue tits how can I email it to you?
Complain about this post
How important is it when putting up a nesting box, the way it faces ie N.S.E.W. and the height from the ground.Mainly for Blue,Great Tits,Sparrows,Blackbirds.Thanks.
Complain about this post
We found a light brown Beetle yesterday which I believe is a Scaraaeidae (from searching on a Yahoo using 'Christmas Beetle' there is a very good picture of it).
Is this a common beetle fo Kent or is this an imigrant?
Lesley
Complain about this post
Hello
we are having our own Springwatch up here in Cumbria.
I have spotted a pure white starling in my garden and over the fence in the farmers field. Could you tell me if they are rare?
I have a lovely set of photos of it with it's mate, alone in the tree and flying, if you would like to see them, and/or share them with the rest of the country send an address and I will email to you (the show not the country).
Complain about this post
Have seen large flying insect in garden and wondered what it could be.About 3/4cms and looks like hornet or wasp.Was quick and agile and seemed to be looking for potential nesting place!
Complain about this post
I have lots of swallows around the neighbouring gardens, nesting under
the eves.
There are lots of chicks who seen to be fed regularly by other swallows as well as the parent birds.
Is this normal & if so hy do they do this?
Also can you tell me the difference between swallows & house nartins.
Thanks
Alan Young
Complain about this post
HELLO, EVERY NIGHT FOR ABOUT A WEEK A PAIR OF BIG HEDGEHOGS HAVE BEEN ACTING VERY STRANGELY IN MY GARDEN.
ONE, MY RESIDENT HOG IS EATING ITS SUPPER AND ANOTHER ONE COMES INTO THE GARDEN. THEN MY RESIDENT STARTS MAKING REGULAR HUFFING NOISES A BIT LIKE A STEAMTRAIN AND DOES A BACKWARD WALK WITH AN ODD JERKY MOVEMENT. ITS HEAD GOES FROM SIDE TO SIDE DURING ALL THIS HUFFING. THE OTHER ONE (THE VISITOR) WALKS AROUND WATCHING AND WHEN IT GETS A BIT CLOSE TO THE HUFFER, THEY BOTH DO A LITTLE JUMP AND THE VISITOR RUNS AWAY A FEW FEET, AND THEN IT ALL STARTS AGAIN. IT CAN GO ON FOR HOURS.
DO YOU THINK THIS IS A MATING DANCE, OR COULD IT BE TWO OF THE SAME SEX COMPETING FOR SPACE?
THANKS, SUSAN.
Complain about this post
is it just that i am more aware of wildlife in my doteage? or are there more magpies around this year? we have several visiting our garden and i see countless on my way to work too.
Complain about this post
While out walking NW of Winchester, Hampshire today, about 11.30 am, we were watched for many minutes from a high vantage point in woodland by a tawny owl. Eventually he soared off presumably to his nest? On looking him up, my bird book confirmed that tawney owls are nocturnal. Is it unusual to see them out nad about during the day?
NAB
Complain about this post
My Grandmother has an albino squirrel visiting her garden!! Its fur and tail are completely white, though she cannot see it closely enough to tell if its eyes are pink... How common are they?
Complain about this post
BEE NESTS
Bill Oddy and Kate Humble suggested that Japanese Knotweed stems might be used for artificial bee nests. This seems most unwise as this weed spreads by growing from even the smallest fragment of plant maerial.
Surely any of the non poisonous umbelliferous species such as cow parsley, or hollowed twigs from elder would be much better.
I would welcome advice on eradicating knotweed: the Japanese eat it. Would a drive to make it a popular sweet dish help?
Complain about this post
my husband and i live in spain and we have been watching a pair of house martins building their nest about 4 ft away from our patio doors, they now have 4 chicks, what happens to them when they fledge ? do they stay with the parents or are they on their own after that , and will they come back next year.
Complain about this post
In our garden which is organic, We have a largish pond were Frogs and Newts breed along with fish . We have a new visiter now , A hedgehog is running all over the place day and night, He/she likes Sardines, The trouble is it as Ticks over its head . How can we help it?.
Complain about this post
Is there any chance of the 2 Derby Peregrine Falcon chicks being featured on this year's Springwatch? Their nest is behind Derby Cathedral and is featured on
If so can you please let us know when?
Thank you
John
Complain about this post
are magpies birds of prey because last year we had a magpie kill and eat a blue tit
Complain about this post
We are due to take our caravan on holiday in two weeks time but a pair of blackbirds have just hatched 5 chicks on the tow bar of the caravan. Will they have fledged by two weeks or should we delay our holiday??
Complain about this post
Would it be possible to have a personal reply please:-
We live West Sussex, close to Pulborough Wild Brooks. Swallows have just hatched (10 June)a brood in an out-house. The weather forcast is poor for w/c Mon 11/6. Is there anything we can do to help the parents feed the brood?
Many thanks,
Leslie Berman
Complain about this post
We have many species of birds visiting our garden and we really enjoy watching them but im currious to know why they seem to be forever wipeing their beaks on the tree branches?
Complain about this post
I recently had to purchase some new insecticide to protect garden crops from blackfly. I was shccked to discover that in my town I could not find any insecticides which were not extremely dangerous to bees. I eventually found some at a local garden centre. In view of the plight of our bee population highlighted by Bill Oddie on Springwatch, I wonder whether he might feel it worthwhile to mention on air that people should read the small print on insecticides to ensure they are not purchasing something that is harmful to bees. If enough people only bought bee friendly products, perhaps the manufacturers would get the message and stop making the harmful varieties.
Complain about this post
Got a pair of Robins in our shed with app 4 youngsters.
One chick keeps appearing on our lawn
We keep putting it back in the shed,the parents continue to come and go bringing food.
we need to know if we should keep putting it back in the shed or do we let nature take it's course.
Have since blocked the escape route !
Complain about this post
We decided to check up on the “bio-controls†for the slugs and snails in our garden this weekend(ie, our lovely population of frogs which have been nurturing over the past 4-5 years). We have seen neither hide nor hare of these for some weeks. The mystery was solved today, however, when we spotted a 1 metre long grass snake cooling off from the sun in our 3 metre garden pond – rearing up out of the water lilies like a mini Loch Ness monster!. A beautiful specimen and judging by the shape of her, it looks as though she had recently enjoyed a frog lunch. The pond fish were looking extremely nervous! In deference to our fish, we have now liberated the snake near a pond in the wild. The year before last, we were also ‘adopted’ by an adder in the same garden – this we also ‘moved on’ for safety reasons. We thought that snakes avoided areas of human habitation. Are we just lucky in this?
Keep up the wonderful work
Complain about this post
On a lake near where we live there is always a pair of swans they have been on the lake about eight years.And for the past four years they have had about eight baby cygnets every year. They other day the male swan got attacked by a dog that ran into the lake and jumped on it. The RSPCA could'nt reach it until they obtained a boat yesterday.But the swan died in the lake the day before.The swan was taken off the lake by somebody whilst the female swan was with the babies around the corner and never saw him being taken away.She has eight babies and when she got back in the water, she was calling for him, she didnt know where he was. Will she cope on her own? As she is the only adult swan on the lake now? How can can we help the cygnets as they are only about about seven weeks old?
Complain about this post
Springwatch has been such an inspiration to many people, including myself.
I have spent many years monitering wildlife and helping where i can but it was finaaly this years springwatch that inspired me to set up a community website for both bird and wildlife lovers. It is free to join and has forum, chat room, artlicles and more.
Ill understand if you can not but was wondering if you could mention the site during your programme. I am putting a directory of wildlife hospitals and charities together which is free for people to use and list on, so it would be nice to let other listeners, know about this directory and for people to list on it.
Thanks if you can.
Steve
Complain about this post
I live in the Forest of Dean and the last month or so have been hearing a cuckoo at my fiances parents house. This is a lovely thing to hear in itself but something more unusual has been happening. We noticed that the cuckoo has been calling out on the hour most hours and even more weirdly it does it 2 times for 2 o'clock 3 for three o'clock and so on until it gets dark around 10 o'clock!!! I promise this is no joke and I couldnt quite believe it myself at first when I was told!! My fiance and his mum have seen the cuckoo and sometimes it sounds further away so we have ruled out a mishevious neighbour with a loud cuckoo clock!! Has anyone ever heard of anything similar as we are amazed by this and all rush out every hour to see if it happens again!!
Complain about this post
My question is - I have frogs in my pond in the back garden. Whens the best time to see them? and where in my back garden?
Complain about this post
After the programme last week when Bill told us that the chicks get water from live mealworms and dried ones of course do not contain water I decided to put the dried mealworms I had been using in water overnight. Hey, presto, in the morning they were quite plump to put on my ground feeder. I am sure my birds appreciated this.
What other things that are put out for the birds are not really suitable at this time of the year. What about bacon rind? Is the salt in this OK?
Complain about this post
I was watching a female blackbird sitting by my pond (wildlife only, no fish) and thought she was catching worms for her young. She suddenly leaped onto a lily pad and catch something, which I thought was probably a water snail. I realized she had taken a newt and before I could get to it she had flown away with it. Is this normal for blackbirds to do as I have never seen this before.
Ray
Complain about this post
Hi, I have had a pair of Great Tits nesting in my garden since February. The day after the 5 chicks had fledged the nest box I checked the box for any dead chicks and found 3 eggs. I decided not to empty the nest in case the mother would come back and have a 2nd brood. Now 2-3 weeks later the Mother is back and has laid ANOTHER 2 EGGS and is now sitting on the eggs. It is the same pair as the father is still with the chicks and is feeding the mother in the nest box too.
I Spoke to a BTO person yesterday and he said that is very rare and to let him know if these chicks hatch and fledge. I told him that I feed the birds alot in my garden and that when the first lot of chicks hatched after 2-3 days the pair were feeding them meal worms that I had soaked, to soften and moisten them.
The BTO man said that Blue tits and Great tits especially rely on a small green catapillar to feed their newborn chicks with and that it would be a very rare case of them starting a second brood so late, and that it seems that the birds might have started again because they know they have a great supply of different food sources in my garden.
As I have not had much response from the message board I wonder if you will be able to tell me if it is at all that rare!
Regards
Dennis
Complain about this post
Bill tells us about the swallows in Devon. I live in Thetford not a stones throw from the BTO. Maybe Bill or a contact of his at BTO could tell me where all our house martins have gone this year? Usually by now the sky is alive with their constant lovely peeping.
Complain about this post
Will the springwatch webcams be left running until all our little families have left? We have become so attached to them, especially the birds, both the small garden birds and the beautiful birds of prey that we would never normally be able to see.
We live in a town centre and don't have a garden. We have been just thrilled to be able to watch family life in the nest. We haven't watched any tv since the webcams started, we just can't tear ourselves away from the screen in case we miss something.
Thank you everyone for the incredibly hard work you have all gone to in order to bring such a huge project into our homes.
Complain about this post
My Mother feeds a badger who comes to her garden every evening. He mainly gets peanuts and some bought badger food, and bits but I wonder if she should leave out a drink too. As she hasn't in the past and, he, plus family sometimes,have been visiting her garden for almost 5 years that she has known about she feels he doesn't need it. Your Badgers dont seem to drink from puddles so question is do they get enough moisture from the squidgely worms they eat and as she gives them a healthy dry feed should she add a dish of water too?
so enjoy your programm many thanks....
Complain about this post
Hi. sorry i forgot to mention the site is www.bird-mania.co.uk/ if you are able to mention it.
Thanks
Steve
Complain about this post
Recently we have noticed some blue tits, possibly fledglings in the garden with no head feathers.We have also seen a great tit with the same problem. Do you know why this might be happening?
Complain about this post
We have a busy community of house sparrows, accompanied by a slightly smaller pale grey bird with yellow-ish beak, who is definitely part of the family. Does anyone have an idea what it is? Are there such thinks as albino sparrows? Good photos if anyone's interested...
Complain about this post
Whilst gardening and clearing weeds from around our pond my daughter spotted an orange/copper coloured snake. We caught the snake, which is about 4/5 inches in length and took it to a reptile shop. The owner of the shop had not seen one before. We have tried without success to look on the internet to find out what kind of snake it is. Can you help?, Is it a Slow Worm or a Snake? We have put Carlos Tevez, as my daughter has named him/her in a tank as we are worried that he/she is not a native. Please help so that we can give Carlos his/her freedom or set up a proper home.
Complain about this post
We have tits, sparrows, thrushes, starlings and blackbirds, finches and robins visiting our garden but would love to know which bird ends its call sounding like a telephone ringing, it has recently had my neighbour running to her phone! Could it be a Greenfinch?
Complain about this post
When are you two going to do a full stint on springwatch, this thursday finishing will have to stop, please for everyones sake stay over the weekend and continue the programs we all love to see, some of the rubbish on the weekend shouldnt be there anyway. Its a fantastic program although I live in cornwall and dont see an awful lot in my garden although when I put my watered down porrige there the blackbirds love it.
One more thing death to all cats, the recipe for seeing more birds...
Complain about this post
When are you two going to do a full stint on springwatch, this thursday finishing will have to stop, please for everyones sake stay over the weekend and continue the programs we all love to see, some of the rubbish on the weekend shouldnt be there anyway. Its a fantastic program although I live in cornwall and dont see an awful lot in my garden although when I put my watered down porrige there the blackbirds love it.
One more thing death to all cats, the recipe for seeing more birds...
Complain about this post
We have a Chaffinch who sings all day from dawn to dusk.
Is this unusual, aswe can't remeber this happening in previous years?
Any thoughts on why this happens?
Complain about this post
I saw a woodpecker in my garden it had red on its head and as it flew away and opened its wings it had yellow on its back could you tell me what type of woodpecker it is thankyou
Complain about this post
We have slow worms living in our small garden, they can often be seen about 2 feet off the ground up a coniferous shrub. I have never heard of slow worms climbing trees. Is this common or do we have some crazy slow worms living in our garden?
Complain about this post
I was fishing at the weekend, on Friday a family of swans were on the lke by Sat am the parent birds had abandoned thre chicks a few weeks old by the looks of them. Are they likely to survive on their own
Complain about this post
Please help. I've had a pair of blackbirds that I've tamed and unfortunately the male seems to have died (he's been in my garden now for two years). I've been feeding the female with currants, and mealy worms to keep her young going (I could hear them in the hedge) but for the last day and a bit, have seen nothing of her. If it was too much for her, would she abandon them? It's horrible not knowing.
Complain about this post
I remember Bill Oddie last year saying what wonderful birds magpies are and how he hates cats as they catch and eat birds. The latter may be the case, but all I am seeing at the moment is the magpies coming in from the fields and destroying nests. More people should have Larson traps as these handsome birds are actually quite evil and are killing hundreds of smaller birds!
Complain about this post
I have found a moth that is not in any of my books. It is a very beautiful species. It is orange-bown with some sort of darker shade of oange-bown lines. I have never seen this one before. But I have only been living here in Derry, Northern Ireland, just over ten years. I may have found the casing that another or even that one had emerged from..I did find another but it may not make it since the wings were not fully filled out...I simply moved it like the other to my back yard and placed it on the top of one of my wildflowers/ weeds to most folks. it took photos but they may not come out as sharp/clear as i wanted... oh, sorry, the casing found was a light and dark brown in colour, and was still movable...I watch springwatch and would like to have someone say what it is, or might be during the tv show..my young neighbourhood friends want to know as well, I have sort of got them into bug watching in a very big way....thank you for your help.
Complain about this post
We live on the top of a 100 foot cliff at the mouth of an estuary in Cornwall. Last night, in a part of the garden that we have left to go "wild", we discovered in the long grass a mother duck on a nest of seven eggs.
We are quite a distance away from access to fresh (not salt) water and there is no pond in our garden, which is surrounded by a 5 foot high stone wall.
What can we do to help mum duck with her brood whilst not interfering too much?
Daniel
Complain about this post
Why are there so few martins, swallows and swifts, compared with years ago? When we moved into our North Abingdon (Oxfordshire) house 35 years ago, the summer skies were full of them and many houses had nests under the eaves. Is it the food supply? The ubiquitous plastic soffits? Is the African population so much reduced? What is current thinking, please? I miss them.
Complain about this post
i have found small ridged backed insects that are blue in colour with 2 orange stripes either side of its body ive also seen them in black with the same stripes they are about the size of a woodlouse
Complain about this post
How far have red kites spread throughout Britain?. I live near Bishops Stortford and spotted one flying directly over my garden last week, I wasn't aware they had made it to the essex/herts border. Beautiful birds!.
Complain about this post
As a boy in the 1970's I remember seeing flycatchers in the road side oaks in the Berkshire village I grew up in. I have not seen a flycatcher since. Are they in decline and are they still seen in Berkshire or have they nearly been priced out as well?
Complain about this post
We put up an owl box in an old oak tree that was not used for several years at all - now it has a family of kestrels. We thought there were only 2 but this morning, although there are still 2 heads in the box, there is another more mature kestrel clinging to the branch next to the box and another higher up the tree between two branches. I have seen an adult come and drop food into the nestbox but the two outside kestrels (who reacted as babies) seem to be ignored - my question to those out there is do baby kestrels branch like owls and secondly, will they now be totally ignored because they are no longer in the nest. Thanks
Complain about this post
Does anyone know why birds sing? Are they communicating apart from as part of their mating rituals?
We hear them singing all year round, perhaps they are just happy!!
Complain about this post
This is more of a ??? than a complaint, When Kate starts to talk why oh why does Bill start talking? I know he is excitable but he should try to control himself he tends to overpower her and Kate does explain things nicely as well.
Also you mentioned about a cage to keep the starlings and such off the bird feeders what size mesh would be suitable for this? Or an idea where to purchase the same.
Complain about this post
Hi
I discovered two hedgehogs on my front door mat on Saturday night making the most awful rasping sound - bit like a hissing cat but louder! Neither was moving and as I was concerned they were going to attack each other I held a large piece of cardboard between them so they couldn't see each other. It seemed to work and the one who had been making the noise ran off. Once it had gone I moved the board and the other left also, but then it started making the noise! Why were they doing this? Were they about to fight, or have I just spoilt a night of passion?!
Complain about this post
My parents birdbook had Great tits in it and they fleged about 2-3 weeks ago. The mother and father have started going into the box again, will they nest again?
Complain about this post
Hello team
Many thanks for the wonderful programmes so far, especially enjoying Simon and his Golden Eagles.
My question is, we have recently moved and in our garden is an established pond with a good population of newts and frogs, there are also many 1-2 inch invertebrates which I cannot identify. The only thing that I have found on the web that comes close is the leech. Would this be the case? and if so how are all the other inhabitants surviving? Any thoughts??
Trisha
Complain about this post
I recently saw 2 pairs of canada geese flanking 38 goslings. I've never seen anything like it! 2 adults at the front and 2 at the rear. At first they were in a river, then left the river to graze on grass. I've got photos. Is it usual for adults to work together in this way and have they gained goslings from other pairs to have such a large group?
Complain about this post
We have a sqirrel in the garden that dismantles nests. The lastest was a House Martin nest built approximately 25 feet up on the eaves of the house. Is this normal behaviour for a squirrell
Complain about this post
I put seed etc in the garden to encourage the wild birds but in turn this seems to encourage our neighbours' cats who lie in ambush for the birds. Thus I feel that although I am trying to help the birds, ultimately I am only helping the cats to get an extra 'snack'. What can I do to discourage the cats?
Complain about this post
There is a lone female blackbird nesting in a tree directly below our blood-thirsty cat's favourite sleeping spot. When the eggs hatch, our cat will surely become aware of the nest and eat the chicks. Is there any way we could prevent this from happening, short of keeping our cat in a cage?
Complain about this post
Last Wednesday, early in the morning, a chaffinch flew against the glass of the bedroom window - and then repeatedly did so until I approached the window - then it flew off.
I thought that this was nothing more than a case of a bird flying into glass - as can happen from time to time.
However, this chaffinch (assuming it is one and the same) has now repeated this 'act' each and every morning since (since when I have noted the time and it is always around the 05:30hrs!).
I have never witnessed such behaviour - has anyone else? and does anyone have an explanation for such behaviour?
Thank you
Marie
Complain about this post
Last week while I was out in my back garden (which is in a housing estste)a sparrowhawk swooped down and attacked a baby blackbird, the mother blackbird attacked the sparrowhawk and he dropped the fledgeling, the sparrowhawk flew off and the baby hopped away, mother in tow. Then I went looking for the fledgeling and found him dazed in our hedge. His tail feathers were ripped out and he couldn't fly properly, because of loss of balance. I let him in the hedge with his mother, and I am keeping watch on him in the garden every day. I was wondering will his tail feathers grow back?
Thank you,
Adam Mulcahy (age13)
Complain about this post
Inspired by past Springwatch series, I fitted one of my garden Nest Boxes with a video camera this year.
As a result we have had a fascinating, entertaining and educational few weeks watching the progress from nest building, to egg laying, to hatching, to fledging.
The Nest box was occupied by Blue tits, for which Birds of the Western Palaearctic says the time from incubation to hatching should be 13-14 days, and from hatching to fledging a further 13-14.
My pair laid the first egg on Monday 16th April, and the last (No 11) on Thursday 26th April, at which point the female commenced brooding. On this basis I calculated that the brood should hatch about Wednesday 9th May.
In actual fact the first eggs (2) hatched on Sunday 6th May, only 10 days after the last egg was laid. 5 more hatched on Monday 7th, and over the next few days the others also hatched, however, these late hatchlings perished quickly as they were too small to compete with their older, larger siblings.
In the end only 4 chicks survived to fledging, which took place on Saturday 26th May (2) and Monday 28th May (2), some 3 weeks after the chicks hatched.
Apologies for this long introduction, but this leads to my question, relating to the short incubation period (10 days), and protracted hatching period (3 to 4 days).
April was, we are told, the warmest on record, could it be that temperatures in the nest box rose high enough to incubate the eggs even though the female was not brooding them?
If this is the case is this likely to be one more of the undesirable effects of Global Warming that our small birds are going to have to contend with?
Peter Rollin
Chair Tamworth Branch West Midland Bird Club
Complain about this post
Frogs
I have a small pond (1m deep around 1 sq.metre surface area)in the garden which is home to 5 gold fish. There have always been one or two frogs. Last February we had frog spawn for the first time. The frogs have been extremely successful and the pond is now absolutely inundated. Will the population re-adjust as it seems unsustainable? There are 3-4 large frogs, about 15 juveniles, a huge number of babies just developed and still an enormous population of tadpoles.
Complain about this post
My mum has a robin's nest with chicks in her bird box and wondered if robins actually have more than one nest as these pair don't seem to stay all the time.
Complain about this post
We love Magpies and fortunately have quite a few where we live. We're curious to know how to tell the difference between male and female? With the likes of blackbirds, the females brown and males black, but there's nothing significant with the magpie, so how do you tell?
thanks
Complain about this post
hello,
we tend to get deers in our garden and they eat all the plants do you haveany advice on how to get them to stop coming in the garden?
Complain about this post
Can anyone give me advice? I have a crow knocking on my windows from 4 a.m. It's noisy, messy and although I know what it is now, as I live in a bungalow, it still disturbs my sleep. I accept that he is fighting his mirror image, but will this cease after the breeding season? The RSPB advised putting cling film on the windows - unsuccessful, but I have now had to resort to black bin bags, which does have some effect, but he is pecking them to shreds.
Complain about this post
I was recently on hol in S Dorset and saw house sparrows pecking at old bricks in a house. There were no insects there. Are they getting some sort of minerals from the bricks?
Complain about this post
We live in Hammersmith and amongst the numerous bird visitors to our small garden we have a nesting pair of Wrens. We've been watching them from building the nest to feeding the young. At the weekend we had a visit from a Falcon (at least I think that's what it was)and he has been visiting daily taking a chick when ever it could.
We are really in turmoil, obviously we've built an attachment to the wrens but seeing a Falcon daily, wow!
Complain about this post
I've since found out that the 'Falcon' that I said was raiding our wrens nest of it's chicks is in fact a Kestral. Are these rare in London?
Complain about this post
more a question than comment.my neighbour just gave me a young crow that has been in her garden for 3 days.Its parents wouldnt come down to feed it and eventually abandoned it.it is very dehydrated and very thin.I dont give much for its chances even though i have managed to get it to drink and got a small amount of scrambled egg and cat food down it.advise please.
Complain about this post
We've just returned from 2 weeks in Spain.
While there we witnessed a Jay breaking down a House Martin's nest to get at the eggs. We saw the Jay fly off with an egg in it's beak. The Jay didn't bother with the adjacent nest and later those eggs hatched and the parents were feeding the young continually. I have a photo of the nests.
Is this common practice for Jays?
We have House Martins under our eaves at home and there are Jays in the village but I've never seen them try to attack our nests.
Complain about this post
Following the earlier "scare" about harlequin ladybirds, I have found several in nearby fields and parks, and now have found some in my garden. They are very varied in appearance but conform to the pictures I've seen on several websites. Should we try to kill them? what with? There are still some ordinary 7 spot and 2 spot ladybirds in the garden but I can't imagine how to protect them as species, if the harlequins are as prolific and voracious as we have been told. On the other hand the harlequin is a delightful looking insect with super colouring....why is it so varied, when other species of ladybird are distinguished precisely by their singular pattern of colour and spots??
Complain about this post
The story of the blackbirds nesting on the towbar reminds me of a story told to me by my mother many years ago in the south of England. A pair of robins built their nest in my father's car, which meant that the car was out of action for 6 weeks.
Hornets are certainly heading north. I have seen them here on the Gruinard Peninsula on the NW coast of Scotland during the last few years, though not yet this year.
There has been a noticeable reduction in bumble bees, which seem to be a much bigger type that those I used to see in England and Wales.
Complain about this post
The story of the blackbirds nesting on the towbar reminds me of a story told to me by my mother many years ago in the south of England. A pair of robins built their nest in my father's car, which meant that the car was out of action for 6 weeks.
Hornets are certainly heading north. I have seen them here on the Gruinard Peninsula on the NW coast of Scotland during the last few years, though not yet this year.
There has been a noticeable reduction in bumble bees, which seem to be a much bigger type that those I used to see in England and Wales.
Complain about this post
I have had a similar experience to Susan, post # 29. Heard a strange huffing noise in the garden next door. Went to investigate and saw two full grown hedgehogs facing each other and "huffing". When I approached with a flashlght they stood still with their noses in the air. When I retreated they continued their -What? Can anyone explan this behaviour.Never heard it before.Thanks.First sighting of a hedgehog in nature and I get two WOW!
Complain about this post
My question is about slow worms. I have read that they are only really native to the South West, is this true and why? Will the recent increase in temperatures affect their population? It does not seems to so far.
On my allotment here in Bristol we have an abundance of them. I know that they live in the compost bin and like to shade under bricks and other things I leave lying around. Is there any other way of encouraging them? I have also just put in a pond to attract frogs and toads, can slow worms live side by side with amphibians?
Complain about this post
Many thanks for answering my question on the show! It was really reassuring to hear how well the butterflies are doing - and that the birds are responding to changes so well. A really good half hour's listening - full of such a wide range of interesting info about all sorts of wildlife! I very much enjoyed the programme. Fascinating stuff! Loved the nightingale recording too!
Thanks again to all involved!
Best Wishes,
Melanie
Complain about this post
From S W France
We were almost reduced to tears by the cellist fronting a nightingale 80 years ago. We were reduced to tears by the nightingale fronting the next presenter, seemlessly taking over, his territory threatened, not by Radio 4, but by the 80 year old nightingale. He took up the melody with no discernable interval.
Complain about this post
SPRINGWATCH.Last night (Tues) you said "where did house martins nest before there were houses,in caves presumably?"
Giving it more thought, we still have caves right across the house martins breeding range, why do they not breed in caves today as well as houses.
If they once bred in caves, one would imagine they would still use such a suitable nest site.
+; ever seen a swallow nest in a hollow tree, where did they nest before barns ? The good old sand martin plods on nesting in sandy cliffs.
Complain about this post
We live on a farm about 8 miles from the Fishleigh Estate Farm, we have had for a few years, Barn Owls, Tawny Owls and Long Eared Owls. We put up a Owl Box in 1 half of our covered yard. This year the Barn Owls haveoccupied it and had young. I don't know how many as I not sure whether you should go near them or not. My question is I would like to put up another Owl box up on the farm, how close or far should it be from the one I have now. All ou farm building are in a close proximity to the farm house. I am surrounded by Hallow Moor, a 400acre triple SS1 protected moor, so the question of food should not be a problem.
Complain about this post
I'm quite happy to feed sparrowhawks and other predators to take he occasional birdie fattened at my table. I can even accept nest raiding and the cuckoo's deceptive parasitism. Most all lifestyles are part of life's rich tapestry, but...
Magpies are bullies. I have on several occasions witnessed them ganging up on fledglings, four or more in a ring around the poor thing shouting at it and darting in to peck at it.
I'm for Larsen traps, shotguns, nest destruction, catapaults, or anything else to discourage them from my playground. Handsome or not, they enter my space at their peril.
ed
14/06/2007 at 12:04:12 GMT
Complain about this post
Thank you for all these questions. We were able to use some of them in the programme the other night, but obviously there is so much more to be asked than we have time to answer. And sadly I don't have the level of knowledge to rattle off some quick answers to you on this blog without putting in a lot of research. It seems to me that it would be lovely to have a forum where we could all ask the questions, answer them if we know the answers, direct people to other sources of information, and where I as a programme maker could get a good idea of what it was that was interesting people. That would help us to make the programs that you want. What do you think is the best Internet format -- blog, message boards etc -- to do that?
Grant
Complain about this post
Grant,
I think we should all thank you for the opportunities afforded by this blog format.
I also think it would probably be the best form to continue, with linkages to the various outputs from the nature/planet sections of the Â鶹ԼÅÄ.
It would, of course, be made more useful with more 'come and go' between users and the programme makers and 'experts'.
The sometimes overlong delay between posting a comment or query and its appearance is an area in which the blog's performance could use some improvement, and I hope the long-promised improvements do eventually emerge.
Thanks again for all the efforts of you and your colleagues
ed
15/06/2007 at 15:17:55 GMT
Complain about this post
I have just been walking in the mountains of Triglav National Park, Lake Bohinj, Slovineia and as I was walking along I heard a Cucuko. The date is 16th June and it was about 3pm. Is this usual or was I hearing things. It hooted about 6-8 times.
Complain about this post
I am not sure where to ask this question could someone on this messaage board help me?: I would like to find out what happened to sparrows in London as they have disappeared? Could it be that they were outbred by pidgeons and seagulls who feed on all the badly managed food waste that is available. I am curious as I live in Paris at present and they seem to be everywhere here. thanks Sandi
Complain about this post
If you have not had answers to your various wildlife questions, can I suggest you try your local (usually county) wildlife trust? Phone numbers will be in your phone book or log on to The Wildlife Trusts website (at www.wildlifetrusts.org.uk ). Ring in office hours.
Complain about this post
hello we are trying to raise awareness to ely pits that are now looking to be developed by a gentleman that wishes to turn them into another mariner. in doing so he will help thousands of people to loose one of the only nesting sites in britain of the bittern, kingfishers etc it is a local beauty spot and a fantastic way to escape from the ever increasing concrete jungle. i am a builder by trade and it disgusts me to the wanten need to cover al green areas in grey or money making matters. i ahve no connection to this gentleman in any way as i work on restration of old buildings
please at least look at the website
thanks
Complain about this post
I live in Bournemouth. I have a couple of Yucca trees in the front garden. The starlings love them and descend upon them in droves to feed on the berries. This morning I noticed that one of the starlings was white. I watched it for a while and it was definitely a starling and interacted with the rest of them. I have never seen a white starling before. Is this rare?
Complain about this post
I live in Spain, and yesterday saw the fattest catterpiller I have ever seen. It was about as thick as my thumb and over two inches long. It had yellow and green alternative chevrons down its back and a round yellow face. Any ideas?
Complain about this post