Our Facebook Posts
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
Some more alien, and less common native street and alleyway ‘weeds’ in Bexley
The hitherto rare Jersey Cudweed (Gnaphalium luteoalbum) continues to be found as a street ‘weed’ at new sites in Bexley, principally by Mike Robinson, who has recently found it in some roads near to Bexleyheath railway station. Elsewhere it has … Continue reading
Criminals perpetrate Thames Road Wetland fly-tipping outrage
Around 37 sacks of rubble, thick-sheet foam insulation board fragments and other rubbish have been fly-tipped very close to a patch of rare plant on Bexley Council-owned land at the far east end of Thames Road Wetland, some time between 11th … Continue reading
Braeburn Park LNHS meeting 17th June finds over 134 invertebrate species. (Belated report….)
The London Natural History Society’s Ecology and Entomology section visit to London Wildlife Trust’s Braeburn Park site, on a hot 17th June 2017, recorded 134 species of invertebrate, with a few more yet to be formally identified, mainly comprising less … Continue reading
Willow Emerald damselfly colonisation of Bexley takes a leap forward
The Willow Emerald damselfly (Chalcolestes viridis), a recent natural colonist of the UK, was first found in Bexley in September 2016. Now into its second known flight season here, it has been found at three more sites in the Borough … Continue reading
Some plants around Perry Street Farm surprisingly include Sea Campion
Perry Street Farm, largely used for horse grazing, is now a Borough Grade 2 Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC). It is private, but viewable from the north and west sides from public roadways and from the east side … Continue reading
Thames21 team tackles two fly-tipping incidents by Thames Road Wetland
Local Thames21 staff and volunteers have recently been tackling two ugly fly-tipping incidents adjacent to Thames Road Wetland, with a third yet to be sorted out. The second, and largest, of these might have been avoided had Bexley Council acted … Continue reading
Contrasting Composites at Thames Road Wetland
Some of the composites (Daisy and Dandelion family – now known as Asteraceae) currently in flower at Thames Road Wetland are pictured below. Contrary to the site’s name, there are a variety of conditions, including reed-swamp and hot, south-facing dry … Continue reading
Crossness Nature Reserve – Kids Go Wild (Round one …)
We ran the first of two family events titled ‘Kids Go Wild’ on Saturday 15th July. Children and grandchildren got to try their hand at pond-dipping, where there was some friendly competition going on as to who could get the … Continue reading
Karen welcomes student visitors to Crossness Nature Reserve
I entertained some very enthusiastic (despite the rain) young naturalists at Crossness Nature Reserve last week. Students from Hertfordshire’s Simon Balle Academy came all the way over to south-east London when they heard about our Slow Worms. Two very clever … Continue reading
Posted in Crossness, Crossness Nature Reserve, Erith Marshes, Reptiles and Amphibians
Tagged Crossness, reptiles, student project
Leave a comment