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If the council said it was going to concrete/tarmac/pave over Danson Park, there would be uproar. But vastly more greenspace/wildlife habitat in the Borough has been lost to cars in recent years.Why the loss of front gardens matters - to cut flood risk, reduce health-harming heat, restore our depleted nature, and raise resilience.
Lunchtime online discussion on Thurs 14 Nov. FREE.
Front gardens on the frontline - CPRE London - Tickets
cpre-london.eventcube.io
Front gardens on the frontline at Tickets and Information
Bexley RSPB autumn/Christmas fair this Saturday.This content isn't available at the moment
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it, or it's been deleted.
CROSSNESS NATURE RESERVE WORKS AND FUNDRAISER (tickets still available)From Site Manager, Karen Sutton.
Contractor activity over the next couple of weeks:
I wanted to make you aware that there is work going on this week on both Crossness sites, but access remains open as usual.
28/10 saw the start of remedial work on the Crossness Southern Marsh to assist (non-public) safe access across the fields, so you will see work going on in the distance, but nothing impeding access. And 29/10 sees the start of a phased fencing project beginning with replacement of fencing in the grazing paddocks at the east of
the reserve. There are a further two fencing projects to come later, involving fence replacement down Public Footpath 2 as it runs from the Protected Area south to Eastern Way, and then a more extensive replacement project in the paddocks on Crossness Southern Marsh.
Fundraiser this Saturday (2/11):
I look forward to seeing those of you that are attending the Save Crossness Nature Reserve (SCNR) fundraiser this Saturday at Lesnes Abbey Lodge.
**** Three tickets left as of 31/10 if you'd like to come along to hear the Wild Bexley presentation by Ralph and Brenda Todd (founder of Bexley RSPB); a presentation from me about what Crossness Nature Reserve special, and from Laurence Pinturault from the SCNR campaign about the threat from Cory and the public inquiry process (hearings begin next week) and ultimately the reason the group is raising funds and running this event. There will be an opportunity to purchase raffle tickets, JD Swann's signed Best Beaks, and to purchase some wildlife-themed items (including artwork from the artist that created the RSPB logo) and non-wildlife items that are collectable and/or would make great Christmas presents. All monies raised help SCNR fight the development threat.
Buy your tickets here and I look forward to seeing you on Saturday: Wild Bexley at Lesnes Abbey Lodge event tickets from
TicketSource
<https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/scnr/wild-bexley/e-bvjgkq>
BBC launch 'Your Voice, Your BBC News'
The BBC has launched 'Your Voice, Your BBC News' asking for people to suggest issues that they'd like to see the BBC reporting on. This was brought to my attention by a member who has taken the opportunity to submit something on the Cory threat to Crossness Nature Reserve, and suggested that others might like to do the same in an effort to get a bit of news coverage about the issue. If this sounds of interest, please see details here: Your Voice, Your BBC News: Tell us what issues matter to
you - BBC news:
<https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd0z0y2z3mjo>
THAMES21 VOLUNTEERS DONATE WELL OVER 400 HOURS OF TIME FOR BEXLEY COUNClL-OWNED THAMES ROAD WETLAND IN THE LAST SIX MONTHSThe numbers have now been added up for our accounting period of 1st April to 30th September 2024.
The Site Manager and two other regular volunteers put in 293 hours at the site, with 23 other people contributing a total of a further 102 hours. In addition, the Site Manager put in almost 48 hours of admin time on planning, writing reports, managing the site photograph collection, research and social media work/event promotion.
Whilst this is down on the 563h 49m for 1/10/23-31/3/24, it is significantly higher than for previous corresponding period of 1/4/2023-30/9/2023 when it was 213h 3m. We usually do less work in the summer period, but this year have been battling to push back stands of Reed, which left to their own devices will reduce the diversity of species at the site, as well as speed up its drying out. This has meant continued cutting, taking care to avoid disturbing nesting birds.
I thank everyone who has helped during the last 6 months, whether once, a few times or (semi-)regularly. It all helps, both with the practical work and with Thames21 funding bids.
We're already given just over 100 hours for October, but more assistance is always welcome given the amount of work that needs to be done over the winter. To book for our next staff-supported event on November 8th, when we will have a van full of equipment and are therefore able to cater for more attendees, please go to:
book.plinth.org.uk/e/jyHfDWO68FBjh72gDdBv
A few of us are also at the wetland most other Fridays. Check with "Ray Hudson" <rayhudson28@gmail.com> as providing sufficient tools can be an issue given that we have no nearby/on-site storage.
Chris Rose.
Volunteer Site Manager.
Free indoor monthly eco-market. Saturday November 2nd.11.00-15.00
Freemantle Hall, 51-75 Bexley High Street, Bexley Village DA5 1AA
Run by tghe not-for-profit Wasteless Market company. Shop from a range of eco-friendly makers and suppliers.
Ecofriendly household cleaning and bodycare products. Refill station so you can cut plastic consumption by re-using your own containers.
We will also be running our recycling for charity collection, taking materials not collected by Bexley Council, which are then sold to raise funds for good causes. See wastelessmarket.com/recycling for details of what we can accept for recycling, and the charities we support.
Join in with our toy, book and plant swaps.
Our website also provides details of our other re-fills and recycling collection events in Bexley.
wastelessmarket.com
CHARITABLE RECYCLING STATION Our Recycling Station is a drop off point for your hard to recycle items. We're diverting waste away from the incinerator and raising money for charity Recycling for chari...
Author Archives: Chris Rose
Braeburn Park (LWT) update
Reserve Manager Shaun Marriott reports on developments at London Wildlife Trust’s Braeburn Park site in Crayford, and the sighting of a Red Kite there: We’re continuing the Weds and Thurs workday slots over the next weeks, mainly working on both of … Continue reading
Posted in Braeburn Park, London Wildlife Trust
Tagged acid grassland, Braeburn Park, Broom, butterfly survey, Gorse, habitat management
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Bexley RSPB Joydens Wood visit report, 25th January 2018
Four Buzzards, a Treecreeper and five Siskins in glorious sunshine were the highlights of Bexley RSPB’s Joydens Wood field meeting this week. Joydens straddles the London/Kent border and most of it is on the Dartford side. Judging by reports – … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley, Bird watching, RSPB
Tagged Bexley RSPB, Buzzard, Joydens Woods, Siskin, Treecreeper
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Former Council HQ site scheme: bizarre on biodiversity and conflicted on cars
Bellway has submitted its finalised scheme for housing on the old Council HQ site on the Broadway. There are a number of welcome nods to sustainability but still too many contradictory elements falling short of what should be done. The … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley Council
Tagged Bellway, Bexley Council, Bexley Council HQ, BNEF, car dependency, exotics, living roofs, non-native, planning policy, sterile hard surfacing, zero carbon
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Free public lecture series on fungi
The Birkbeck College, University of London, Free Lecture Series this Spring is on fungi. The college is close to tube stations. The programme may be of interest to some followers of ‘Bexley Wildlife’, so details are provided below: The World … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
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Bexley RSPB Danson Park field trip report, 14th November 2017
Pochard and Little Egret were the highlights of the visit, the report of which was provided to us soon afterwards by the authors but the posting of which has been held up by computer and other issues at ‘BW’ HQ … Continue reading
Posted in Bird watching, Danson Park
Tagged Bexley RSPB, Danson Park, Little Egret, Pochard
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Braeburn Park (LWT) update – more volunteers/wildlife surveyors welcome …..
London Wildlife Trust’s reserve manager Shaun Marriott provides an update on progress and future work plans at the Braeburn Park site, by the railway in Crayford. Besides hands-on habitat management, Shaun is looking for people to monitor birds, do butterfly … Continue reading
In bad weather for birding, rarely recorded Treecreeper is highlight of Bexley RSPB meeting at Lamorbey
Poor visibility hampered viewing at Bexley RSPB’s meeting at Lamorbey Park on 26th October, but Redwing were heard, with one eventually seen. The best sighting was of a Treecreeper, a bird only rarely recorded in the Borough. A pdf of … Continue reading
Posted in Bird watching, Lamorbey
Tagged Bexley RSPB, Lamorbey Park, Redwing, Treecreeper
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Golf course second haven for Heather in Bexley
Bexleyheath Golf Course, running downhill from Mount Road to the A2, is a Borough Grade 1 Site of Importance for Nature Conservation, almost certainly on account of harbouring the only Heather (Calluna vulgaris) in Bexley outside of Lesnes Abbey Woods, … Continue reading
Posted in Bexleyheath, Heathland, Open spaces, Recording, SINC
Tagged Bexleyheath Golf Course, Broom, Green Woodpecker, Harebell, Heather, Wood Sage
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Bexley RSPB’s 19th September Crayford Marshes bird walk report
Avocet, Wheatear and Marsh Harrier were amongst the species seen on this well-attended Crayford Marshes bird walk organised by Bexley RSPB, a report of which appears below, thanks to leader Ralph Todd. http://www.bexleywildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/RSPB-Bexley-Group-Walk-Crayford-Marshes-September-2017.pdf
Posted in Bird watching, Uncategorized
Tagged Avocet, Crayford Marshes, Marsh Harrier, Roxhill railfreight depot, Wheatear
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‘Birds and us’ – free lecture series, Birkbeck, University of London
The following free lectures, organised by the Ecology and Conservation Studies Society, covering bird conservation, research on birds and birds in human culture, may be of interest to ‘Bexley Wildlife’ followers. They are being held at Birkbeck, University of London, across … Continue reading
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