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THAMES ROAD WETLAND (Inner Crayford Marshes) - THE WORK GOES ON.Our last report was way back on 12th April. We're usually out every Friday, but tiredness and a loss of motivation from yours truly, plus some rainy days, have reduced our levels of activity over the last quarter.
Repeat summer cutting of areas of Reed we are trying to supress has continued. Where this has got taller than we'd hoped, we have watched and listened first to ensure no Reed Warbler usage. We have been able to cut some patches often enough for there to be no danger of nesting birds using them.
Dates, work done and selected wildlife sightings have been as follows:
19/4 - Re-pollarded small Sallows. Dug out road run-off muck from 'crap-trap'. Path work. Slender Thistles outside fenceline in flower. Bur-chervil in flower. Red Admiral, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Small White. Large Red Damselfly, Reed Warblers back.
17/5 - Re-packed Bug Hotels with dead hollow plant stems. Re-cutting main path. Litter removal. In flower: swathe of Wild Clary (Salvia verbenaca), Bee Orchid, Brookweed, Flag Iris, Early Forget-me-Not, Hound's-tongue. Adult Cinnabar Moth, Ashy Mining Bee. 1 x Painted Lady, Peacock, Red Admiral, 2 Holly Blue, single Small Heath. Lizards. 1 Greenfinch heard. Chiffchaff.
14/6 - Re-cutting area of Reed at foot of Thames Road bank with brushcutter, and Reed at west end by scythe. Raking and stacking silt and cut material. Cutting off Giant Hogweed flower heads. Re-cutting sections of main path. Selective cutting back of vegetation where now shading reptile basking sites. Pyramidal Orchids in flower. 18 plants with 23 flower spikes (vz 7 with 12 on 17/6/23). Lots of Hemlock Water Dropwort in flower and one Monkey Flower (Mimulus guttatus). Banded Demoiselle and Azure Damselfly.
28/6 - Reed cutting. Path work. Wild Carrots and Hop Sedges in flower. Small Tortoiseshell, 1st Gatekeeper of season. A few Lizards. Water Rail heard, suggesting possible breeding.
12/7 - Re-cut Reed at west end with brushcutter and by hand with scythes. Some path and Lizard basking site work. More Giant Hogweed beheaded (The fire of 2022 caused a few new ones to come up. Since all the Cray area plants appear to flower once and die, they usually think their job is done if you cut off the flowerhead even though the seeds haven't ripened, and they therefore die without reproducing). First Marsh Sow-thistle flowers of season out. Marsh Woundwort in flower. Red Admiral, Peacock, Comma, a few Gatekeepers. 3 or 4 Blue-tailed Damselflies. A few Lizards out.
A complaint has been submitted to the Council about the large amount of litter / fragmented plastics along the Thames Road site fence that never seem to get cleared up, and that fact that a strimmer gang recently went over it all, unhelpfully chopping up the material into even smaller pieces.
For assistance during this period I thank fellow volunteers Ray, Pamela, Clare, Elio, Ian, Alex, Sarah, Lee, Verity and Rory. There was Thames21 staff support from Michael O'Neill on 14/6 and 12/7.
Chris Rose. Volunteer Site Manager.
WOODLANDS FARM (SHOOTERS HILL) BAT SURVEY DATE CONFIRMED.Thank you to everyone who got back to me to confirm which date they could do for the Bat Survey. I can confirm that we shall be sticking with the original date of Thursday 25th July. Meeting in the yard at 9.15pm. So hope to see you there, please bring a bat detector if you have one, and a torch.
Also a reminder that the Big Butterfly Count season has started until beginning of August. So why not pop down to the farm on a sunny day (if we have any!) and record what butterflies you see for 15 minutes. Then either write in the Bird Book in Mess or send me the info. All the information and ID sheets are available from the
Butterfly Conservation Trust bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/
Hannah Ricketts
Education Officer
The Woodlands Farm Trust
331 Shooters Hill
Welling
Kent
DA16 3RP
Tel: 0208 3198900
Website: www.thewoodlandsfarmtrust.org
NORTH AMERICAN VAGRANT SPOTTED AT CROSSNESS.A Franklin's Gull was found at Crossness yesterday (13/7/2024) by Conrad Ellam, a member of the Friends Group. Thanks to @stormcabbirds for permission to reproduce his 'X' post with photos here.
This is an uncommon species from Canada and the northern USA, which migrates to South America, occasionally showing up in western Europe.
There is currently some debate as to whether it's the third, or possibly second record for London. It is certainly the second for Crossness, since one was also seen here in April 2000.
State of the UK's Invertebrates Virtual SymposiumHugely important subject.
Online event.
Friday, July 19 · 10am - 1pm
Non-professional attendees asked to pay what you can afford (minimum fee of £1, recommended donation £10)
State of the UK's Invertebrates Virtual Symposium
www.eventbrite.co.uk
Join us for a knowledge-sharing event about the state of the UK's invertebrate populations.
Author Archives: jonathanrooks1@outlook.com
938 Seals in the Thames
The Zoological Society of London’s annual seal count has found 489 Harbour (Common) Seals and 449 Grey Seals in the Thames Estuary. A survey is done every August to monitor seal populations. A short film on this year’s survey is … Continue reading
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August records from Danson Park
Augusts’s records of wildlife sightings in Danson Park from John Turner. We are always pleased to receive records of observations. Email to JonathanRooks@virginmedia.com. We keep copies of reports in a cloud folder at https://app.box.com/s/b9fbraryiqo4h4wblbf6 Danson Park August 2014 01/08/2014 07/08/2014 18/08/2014 … Continue reading
Posted in Bird watching, Dragonflies and Damselflies
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Norman Road planning decision.
Recently received the letter from the Council confirming the decision to allow the development at the former site in Norman Road, Belvedere. A number of us made objections to the planning application (see previous posts) and were disapointed that the … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley Council, Planning
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Boris Island airport rejection
Local birdwatchers and RSPB members are delighted at the rejection of the ‘Boris Island’ Airport proposals by the Airports Commission. Welcoming the rejection of the Thames Estuary Airport at Cliffe, the RSPB have said. “Common sense has prevailed as the … Continue reading
Posted in Planning, RSPB, Sustainability
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How to respond to Bexley Council’s Budget proposals.
Bexley Council are running a consultation until Sunday 14th September on residents’ views of their further budget cuts. This gives us one more week to make our views known on potential impacts on parks, open spaces and wildlife … and … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley Council, Consultations, Planning
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Crossness reserve reopens as Travellers move on.
Crossness Nature Reserve had to close over the Bank Holiday weekend because of tresspassers. Karen Sutton, Reserve Manager writes on the aftermath. I am pleased to report that the travellers have now been moved on and access to the Protected … Continue reading
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Weather report June 2014
World’s hottest May followed by world’s hottest June. Latest Prime Meridian newsletter covering weather and climate, globally and locally, for June 2014. Prime Meridian is published as part the outreach programme of the Ecospheres Project – Earth Campaign. It may be copied … Continue reading
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Canal clearing in Thamesmead 30th August
An opportunity to help with litter picking around the canals of Thamesmead. In response to resident consultation in Thamesmead regarding litter in the waterways Brick Box are including canal clearing in their event on August 30th. The event will take place at The … Continue reading
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Support the London National Park
An interesting campaign to turn London into a National Park. A plan that would give the sites of importance for nature in London greater protection. Perhaps that would make Bexley Council take more account of the importance of sites for wildlife … Continue reading
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London Wildlife Trust comments on the London Infrastructure Plan
Interesting comments from the London Wildlife Trust on the Mayor’s London Infrastructure Plan. It would be good if it does mean more protection for green spaces, yet at the moment Bexley Council is planning to build on a large Site … Continue reading
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