Anthony

Gilbert - the first image is stunning, and gives a wonderful impression of the scope of the layout. The only drawback is that it makes me incredibly jealous - but I will cope somehow. Anthony

As far as Cetti's Warblers are concerned, the Common has had a new lake for the last few months, which may explain it! I find the whole thing such a delight when all of these are heard from my back garden. Oh yes, and a Chiffchaff.

I posted my question earlier, as I live in Streatham, London, close to Tooting Bec Common. Merlin has identified all the usual suspects, but also a few that I was not expecting, including these:- Black Redstart Goldcrest Blackcap Stonechat Cetti's Warbler Redstart I appreciate that the Common is quite a magnet, and all of these are not impossible, but I was wondering if the app might be being a little optimistic? Any thoughts? Incidentally, it did also identify via an image, a Whimbrel in Sal, Cape Verde! Image is poor, taken from a distance, sadly. Anthony

Does anyone have any views on the accuracy of Merlin in the UK? MTIA Anthony

This is such a perfect image, composition, lighting, depth and so on - what a joy! Never mind restricted light photographs, so reminiscent of those days of my youth by the level crossing at Offord! Anthony

So difficult at this time of year, I realise, but I have to agree the first one is a bit empty. Never mind, always so grateful for all the images you spoil us with. Anthony

Congratulations on 1,500 pages!

My Merlin birdsong app identified a Black Redstart earlier this week. Not that rare it would seem, but I certainly haven't seen one around here in London SW16, nor had anyone else I contacted. Always good to add a new name to the bird world here on Tooting Bec Common.

For me, any image including a J6 is a winner. It has to be one of, if not the, best-looking 0-6-0s. Puts to shame the utilitarian designs of today.

J6 always a winner for me! Anthony

Love that ropey old Gresley!

Yet more wonderful images, especially with your crisping machine - I feel that a single thumbs up doesn't do them justice. I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that we really should write comments every time, but where does the time go these days? It seems to me that the more technical gizmos there are, the more time they consume - exactly the opposite of the time-saving we fondly imagine they will create. Anthony

I find they spend their time on the ground under the feeders making a fairly poor effort at tidying up all the bits that the small birds spit out, but a cracking job of trampling on my plants......

Building Regs come to the fore here They state that the soil level should be 6" (i.e. 2 brick courses) below the damp proof course (you would be amazed at the number of architects that make that impossible these days) Back in the day the dpc would have been slate. So no problem with soil touching the house as long as the rules were obeyed, and I suspect that in the good old days the buildings inspector would have been very rigid in interpretation, and would have certainly inspected. How about gravel paths with a simple edging? Probably by your timing not in great shape! Front gardens full of old mangles etc.? I slightly question the fence, which is using the type of fencing that is very temporary and usually with wire joins between the uprights and supplied in rolls. I think that at your date there would be a picket-type fencing made probably of 2" or 3" x 1" with pointed tops and a similar cross-rail, posts every 6', probably looking pretty ropey by now. If it were perfect, I would expect to see some sort of gardening effort, probably roses in keeping with what would be a better quality of resident!!!! One or two of the other gardens might have made some effort, but I doubt whether many would have. Do ask any other questions - much of this is inevitably an educated guess, as I am not quite old enough, but I did live not far away. I remember the difference even then between urban lack of effort and village and countryside pride. However, above all, it is coming together quite wonderfully.

I would have thought that, if they had pavements, they would probably have been laid with plain concrete paving stones, and laid close-butt jointed, i.e. without any mortar pointing, so nothing like the plasticard sheets with the deep grooves. To scale, the joints would appear no thicker than a fine pencil line, and the paving was generally laid pretty level, and remained more or less so unless lifted by tree roots. I think the stones were generally 3' x 2', and laid with offset joints along the pavement. Don't forget a very gentle drainage fall towards the kerb. They did get quite dirty here and there, so plenty of weathering opportunities. Also manhole covers! I imagine that the paths up to the houses might have been in probably fake terra-cotta tiles, or, being close to the brick-making industry, the beigey-grey-yellow tiles used a lot a little all around the area (mind you, we had them in our kitchen when we moved near to Huntingdon in 1952). Either 6" or 9" square, usually. Those trying to keep up with, or surpass, the Joneses, might have had red and black, and even in diamond pattern! Sorry to sound a bit bossy, but I was a landscape gardener in an earlier life! Anthony