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CROSSNESS LATEST - PROTECTED AREA WILL REMAIN CLOSED OVER EASTER WEEKENDA brief update to advise that the Protected Area will remain closed over the Easter period - really sorry about this. As hard as we've tried, we can't get a new locking mechanism on the gate before next week, so it is currently padlocked shut so as to not leave us vulnerable over Easter.
I am taking advantage of the upcoming bank holidays to squeeze in some annual leave, so you will not get a notification from me about re-opening, however please assume that the Protected Area is likely to be re-opened by the following weekend.
Karen Sutton
Crossness Nature Reserve Manager
Free webinar on improving Bee 'hotel' design with Prof Dave Gouslon.Tuesday, April 22 · 1 - 2pm
Improving Bee Hotel Design: The Big Bee Hotel Experiment
www.eventbrite.co.uk
Join Prof Dave Gouslon to hear about how the Buzz Club are investigating the effectiveness of different bee hotels for UK bees.
CROSSNESS NATURE RESERVE - PROTECTED AREA CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE DUE TO BREAK-INApologies for the inconvenience that this may cause, but we have experienced another break-in to the Protected Area of the nature reserve and the area is subsequently closed until repairs are made and we are able to open again.
Best wishes
Karen Sutton
Crossness Nature Reserve Manager
HALL PLACE WEIR AND EEL PASS WORK WITH THE NORTH WEST KENT COUNTRYSIDE PARTNERSHIPWednesday 14th May – Hall Place and Gardens, Bourne Road, Bexley, DA5 1PQ
We will be replacing the stop plank in the weir at Hall Place (River Cray) to help prevent flooding. We will also be managing the vegetation on the walls of the structure to prevent damage to the historic brickwork and improve flows through the eel pass.
Led by: Mark Gallant (07740185228)
Meeting Time and Place: 10am in the yard at Hall Place.
Just a quick reminder that any volunteers who plan to meet us on site should let the member of staff leading the task know as soon as possible so that they can pack the correct number of tools and inform them of any task changes/delays that may occur.
If there are any updates or changes with the programme, we will update it regularly on the volunteer page on our website (www.nwkcp.org ). We will also contact the regular volunteers by phone if any last-minute changes to the location of the task happen.
Please remember to bring with you; suitable clothes for the weather conditions, a packed lunch and suitable footwear (we insist working boots with steel toecap and mid sole are worn at all times to comply with health and safety and insurance considerations). We will supply all other equipment, gloves and safety equipment and also hot drinks and biscuits throughout the day.
Each project will be led by a NWKCP member of staff who will be more than happy to answer any questions that you have throughout the day. A health and safety talk will also be given at the beginning of each project. If you are planning to come out on a project for the first time this month then please let us know beforehand which day that will be.
We write a risk assessment for each task day, and a copy of this will be brought to the site and available for you to read if you wish.
SOMETHING EVERYONE IN BEXLEY CAN DO TO HELP SWIFTSPlease write to your MP and ask them to sign Early Day Motion 1065, calling on the government to make Swift nest bricks a legal requirement in new domestic buildings.
Daniel Francis - MP for Bexleyheath and Crayford
Email daniel.francis.mp@parliament.uk
Abena Oppong Asare - MP for Erith and Thamesmead
Email Abena.oppongasare.mp@parliament.uk
Mr Louie French - MP for Old Bexley & Sidcup
Email louie.french.mp@parliament.uk
An EDM is a sort of petition for MPs, designed to generate debate and get things higher up the agenda.
The breeding population of Swifts in the UK has dropped by 60% since 1995. and the species is now red-listed. Loss of nesting sites through building 'modernisation' is thought to be a factor. The number of Swift nesting areas and number of birds in Bexley appears to be stable, but some only have a couple of pairs of birds and it would be good to increase their numbers.
So far the government has only talked about making changes to the planning process. This is likely to be ineffective as companies often fail to act on the conditions attached to planning permissions, and local councils struggle to check compliance and achieve enforcement when this happens.
Key points to make are:
i) Swifts are in serious decline in the UK. Swift nest bricks would help tackle one of the likely reasons for this. Some nesting areas in Bexley only have a couple of pairs of birds, so are at risk of being lost. A number of new buildings have gone up near existing nesting zones in the Borough in recent years, but they lack this key, simple, feature.
ii) The cost would be so small as to be irrelevant.
iii) Making them a straightforward legal requirement will be more effective than relying on the wider planning process, where local authorities already struggle to enforce 'add-on' conditions.
iv) Swifts are an iconic feature of the Bristish summer that everyone should be able to enjoy seeing and hearing, increasing engagement with nature, including in urban areas.
v) Such bricks can be used by other cavity-nesting species..
Swifts will be returning to Bexley from Africa in just over 2 weeks' time. Let's help make sure this continues for years to come .....
Full EDM text here:
edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/63437
At the time of writing (14/4/25) none of the Bexley MPs have signed it.
Chris Rose
edm.parliament.uk
This House notes with concern the dramatic decline in the breeding population of swifts whose numbers have dropped by 60% since 1995; recognises that the loss of natural nesting habitat for swifts and...
Author Archives: Chris Rose
RSPB Bexley Group Field Trip – River Shuttle/Bexley Park Woods – Tuesday 16th May 2017
Report from Ralph and Brenda Todd on the RSPB Bexley Group’s walk along the River Shuttle and into Bexley Park Woods on Tuesday 16th May 2017: Download the PDF file .
Posted in Bexley Woods, Bird watching, River Shuttle
Tagged Bexley Park Woods, Bexley RSPB, Blackcap, Nuthatch, River Shuttle, Sparrowhawk, Stock Dove, Whitethroat
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Bexley butterfly recording – Mike Robinson provides first dates and a sightings log for early 2017. Transect count volunteers sought.
Local butterfly recorders are beginning to work together to build a better picture of the distribution, flight period and numbers of Bexley’s butterflies. Mike Robinson has been collating available data to produce a list of first sightings for the year … Continue reading
Bexley RSPB walk at Foots Cray Meadows, April 25th – report
Ralph and Brenda Todd report on a chilly April bird walk at Foots Cray Meadows. Download the PDF file .
Posted in Bird watching, Foots Cray Meadows
Tagged Bexley RSPB, Blackcap, Five Arches, Foots Cray Meadows, River Cray, Swallow
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Reed Warblers back at Thames Road Wetland as Green Hairstreak shows up for 2nd year and first Damselfly seen.
As reported from other sites, Reed Warbler is back in Bexley from its African wintering grounds, and a few could be heard chuntering from out in the reedswamp at Thames Road Wetland on April 12th. A Cetti’s Warbler was present … Continue reading
Bexley Natural Environment Forum submission on Old Farm Park housing and ‘landscaping’ proposals
Conservation group (full submission below) reiterates its objection to the Old Farm Park sell-off and sham consultations, highlights the need for new developments to be zero carbon, criticises the fact that one sixth of the land being taken over will … Continue reading
New survey shows 80% of public support less grass cutting as Bexley set to spend £90K on more frequent mowing and hedge-trimming
More than 80% of the public support the idea of councils cutting grass areas less frequently to protect the nation’s bees, according to a survey by Friends of the Earth and Buglife. http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2017/04/councils-urged-save-bees-not-cutting-grass Meanwhile the Bexley Conservative administration is set … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley, Bexley Council, Trees, vegetation management
Tagged Bees, Bexley Council, Buglife, Cutting grass, Friends of the Earth, hedges, parks and open spaces, pollinators
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How Bexley Council voted yes to concreting Crayford Marshes Green Belt and yet another designated wildlife site
Back on February 16th a majority of Bexley Council’s Planning Committee voted with the chief planning officer’s recommendation to approve the Roxhill ‘Strategic Railfreight Interchange’ scheme on the southern part of Crayford Marshes, termed the landfill and agricultural area. This … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley, Bexley Council, BNEF, Crayford Marshes, development threat, Environment, London Wildlife Trust, Open spaces, Planning, Uncategorized
Tagged Alan Deadman, Alan Downing, Ben Thomas, Bexley Council planning committee, Corn Bunting, Crayford Landfill and Agricultural SINC, Crayford Marshes, June Slaughter, Roxhill, SINC, Skylark, Slade Green Community Forum, SRFI, Stef Borella, Strategic Railfreight Interchange, Susan Clark
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Lizards and butterflies herald spring at Thames Road Wetland
So warm and sunny was it on March 15th at Thames Road Wetland that although it felt like the kind of day the Lizards would start to come out in force, they didn’t begin to show on the old tyre … Continue reading
Posted in Butterflies, Reptiles and Amphibians, Thames Road Wetland
Tagged Comma, Lizard, Small Tortoiseshell, Snipe, Thames Road Wetland, Water Rail
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Thames21 and St. Paul’s Academy make Great British Spring Clean impact
Thames Road Wetland, the River Wansunt and the Cray along By-way 105 benefitted from the efforts of Thames21 and St. Paul’s Academy in Greenwich on March 5th, as 19 bags of rubbish (including separated recyclables), wooden pallets, items of clothing, electrical equipment … Continue reading