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HELP CLEAN UP THE LOWER RIVER CRAY CORRIDOR !Join FRIENDS OF THE CRAY AT CRAYFORD on FRIDAY 4th APRIL
to tackle litter along the banks of the lower Cray,
Meet 10 a.m. at the junction of Footpath 106 and Barnes Cray Road (see graphic below).
All welcome, no particular skills needed.
Equipment will be provided. Wear appropriate clothing for being out in the open and avoiding stings from Nettles and scratches from Brambles, and bring something to drink.
Photo from last month's session when the group was joined by Bexley Councillor Geraldene Lucia-Hennis
Best wishes
Sarah
THAMES ROAD WETLAND TEAM WELCOMES CHINESE STUDENTSWORK REPORT
Thames21 did its bit for international relations on a sunny 14th March when six Chinese students studying design at Goldsmith's College came down to help out. They have been taking an interest in water pollution issues.
A further nine volunteers turned out, giving a grand total of 15, who delivered 66 and a half person hours of work, mainly clearing all the previously cut and raked up Reed/fragmented debris/silt piles (as well as creating a few new ones).
Suckering shrubs were thinned out in an open area of the Thames Road bank, to benefit reptiles, which was also the objective behind brushcutting Bramble in the south-west corner,. Additional Bramble cutting by the railway will help conserve nice patches of Common Fleabane and Spearmint in a boggy area at the foot of the embankment.
Three of the 'domestic' attendees were new recruits, two of whom said they would come again.
Thanks are due to Thames21 staff member Michael O'Neill brought the van full of waders and other equipment.
Five volunteers were out on 21/3, when the brushcutter again proved invaluable. We were able to significantly reduce the extent of a bramble patch that had spread to the point where there was only a one-horse-width space left between it and the top of the Wansunt riverbank, which was consequently suffering heavy erosion. Four horses were grazing in the Reedmace/Rush beds at the time. They were quick to move in on the fresh grass once we had raked away the cut material.
Reedmace in the east ditch was thinned out with the pole-saw to improve it for Dragonflies and Frogs. Buddleia and Rose by Thames Rd, including stems impinging on the adjacent pedestrian footway, were pruned back.
WILDLIFE
The Blackthorn is now in flower, as are a number of the blue and plum-purple Grape Hyacinths (Muscari neglectum). A volunteer saw a Snipe on a Saturday visit. Our first ever Green Woodpecker within the official boundary of the site was recorded on the 14th.
On the 21st two Chiffchaffs were calling. Coltsfoot was still in flower by the railway end gate. London rarity Hound's-tongue, a biennial, continues to survive in small numbers at the east end, in the same place I first found it in the summer of 2018. It is now re-sprouting and there are also several seedlings. But it doggedly 'refuses' to spread, apart from the odd one that comes up by the nearby roadside fence. I've distributed seeds by hand, and planted out extra plantlets grown from seed at home, but to no avail.
BOOK NOW!
Our next staff-supported event is on Friday April 11th, with Thames21's Michael O'Neill. Book here: book.plinth.org.uk/e/jyHfDWO68FBjh72gDdBv
Chris Rose. Volunteer Site Manager.
LESNES ABBEY WOODS - WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SESSIONSEvery WEDNESDAY 10am to 1pm. Meet at the north side of the Lodge by the yard entrance.
Next Wednesday session will be 26th March.
AND ......
The first SUNDAY of each month 10am to 1pm. Meet outside CHESTNUT'S COFFEE KIOSK at 10:00 am. The group then collects tools and equipment from the yard that is opposite the toilets.
Next Sunday session will be 6th April.
Note: these events tend to involve fairly active work and may require walking with tools to remote parts of the woods, so a reasonable level of fitness is required.
All tools and materials provided.
Ffi see: www.friendsoflesnesabbeyandwoods.com/get-involved/conservation
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Hear about, and get involved with the National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme (NHMP).FREE event. In-person at London Zoo or online attendance.
FFI / to sign up go to:
www.zsl.org
Learn how a national-scale camera trap survey contributes to effective conservation action for hedgehogs and other UK species.
LONDON NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY EVENTS IN MARCH INCLUDE TWO FIELD MEETINGS IN BEXLEYThe LNHS welcomes non-members at events on a 'taster' basis.
Thursday 13/3. 19.00-20.00. Finding London's Ferns. The history, identification and conservation of native ferns of London. FREE. Book at Eventbrite:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/finding-londons-ferns-by-henry-miller-tickets-1071940746629?aff=ebdsoporgp...
Saturday 15/3. 11.00-15.00. FREE. Join Dr. Mark Spencer, one of the capital's foremost botanists, to look at wild Daffodils in Lesnes Abbey Woods and seek out other ancient woodland indicator plant species. Contact Mark at hotfungus.hotmail.com to reserve a space. Note that although no explicit limit has been set on the number of attendees, there may be one in practice if large numbers of people ask to come along.
Sunday 30/3 - FREE. Crossness Nature Reserve with George Kalli. For early migrants and waders. Meet Belvedere railway station at 10.00. Aiming to finish 14.00. Bring lunch.
For more info. about the LNHS, including membership details, please see: lnhs.org.uk/
Finding London’s Ferns by Henry Miller
www.eventbrite.co.uk
Henry Miller will introduce the native ferns of London and guide us through their history, identification, and conservation.
Category Archives: Environment
Home straight for Bexley SINC review?
The deadline for comments on the final draft of the 2013 Bexley Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation review document was about 16 months ago, so Bexley Natural Environment Forum recently wrote to Bexley Council asking when we could expect … Continue reading
Spring into summer at Thames Road Wetland
Things were hotting up at Thames Road Wetland on Tuesday (June 16th). Reed Bunting bred on site in 2013, but last year the male seemed to spend most of the summer singing, with no apparent success. Now he is back … Continue reading
BNEF asks Council: ‘When will 16 month overdue SINC review approval happen?
It is now about 1 year and 4 months since the deadline for comments on what was supposed to be the final draft of Bexley’s Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) review document. Quite apart from the fact that BNEF … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley Council, BNEF, Environment, SINC
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More research shows lighting negatively impacts Bats – BNEF says Bexley’s proposed budget-driven lighting cuts present an opportunity to tackle the problem
New research has shown that the Common Pipistrelle Bat, often found in urban areas, has its foraging and thus feeding activity disrupted and constrained by artificial lighting, especially where there are larger gaps in tree cover: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3111115/Bats-disappearing-cities-Artificial-lights-creating-ecological-dead-zones.html Bexley Natural Environment … Continue reading
Posted in Andersons Group, Bats, Bexley Council, BNEF, Budget, Bursted Woods, Consultations, Environment, Erith Quarry, Light pollution, Mammals, SINC
Tagged wildlife corridors
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Environment Forum submits FOI request on wildlife site management
Request for basic information unanswered after 3 months. Group resorts to FOI request so it can talk to Councillors about ongoing management problems in relation to wildlife. Those readers who have been involved in Bexley Natural Environment Forum, or … Continue reading
Friends of the Shuttle takes another step forward
Friends of the Shuttle was set up on the 9 May 2013 to protect and enhance the ecology and biodiversity of the River Shuttle. This was made possible thanks to very generous financial help from Thames 21 which enabled the group to buy … Continue reading
SINCs fly-tipping shame
Fly-tipping anywhere is lamentable, but here are some current examples from Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation in Bexley …. All photos by Chris Rose.
Swooping Swifts and dancing Damselflies at Crossness
Despite yesterday’s (May 20th) changeable weather, there were some periods of warm sun following the well attended botany meeting (report of that to follow) and 9 Swifts were zooming around over the Southern Marsh wader scrape at just above head … Continue reading
FotS and T21 teams to tackle invasive alien in Sidcup
Friends of the Shuttle have scheduled an extra event on Wednesday 27th May Sidcup Golf Club, Hurst Road, Sidcup, Kent. DA15 9AW. Floating Pennywort – a highly invasive non-native species (see link below for more information) – has been growing in the lakes … Continue reading
SOGS campaign seeks tree info and protection plans for threatened sites
The Save our Green Spaces Campaign group has submitted a Freedom of Information Request to Bexley Council (set out below) , asking for details of the many trees that occur on sites that the Council is considering for sale, and … Continue reading