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FRIENDS OF THE CRAY AT CRAYFORD - Friday 6th November. Working along By-way 105.Meet 10am where Footpath 106 meets Barnes Cray Road and then going to By-way 105 to work.
We will be cutting up tree branches from where the Council cut down a tree that had fallen across the footpath, with the aim of getting to the sacks of fly tipping and litter that are currently inaccessible & using the branches to build up our dead
hedge.
Wear work clothes and bring any refreshments needed. No special skills required.
Best wishes
Sarah
Lesnes Abbey Woods conservation work session, Sunday 1st November. Ffi: www.friendsoflesnesabbeyandwoods.com/
Can Green Roofs Function as True Ecosystems? FREE ONLINE EVENTWednesday, November 25 • 1 PM - 2 PM GMT
Eva Drukker (Wageningen University) explores the ecology of green roofs. Can they operate as functional ecosystems?
Green roofs, exposed to wind, heat, and drought, might seem like unlikely places for ecological development. But can they become self-sustaining ecosystems? How do they interact with the surrounding flora and fauna? How quickly do they develop, and which insects choose to live there? Crucially, which design choices make these elevated habitats most supportive for biodiversity?
Can Green Roofs Function as True Ecosystems?
www.eventbrite.co.uk
Eva Drukker (Wageningen University) explores the ecology of green roofs. Can they operate as functional ecosystems?
THAMES ROAD WETLAND, INNER CRAYFORD MARSHES. NEXT STAFF SUPPORTED HABITAT MANAGEMENT SESSION IS FRIDAY 13th NOVEMBER 10.00-14.00.To book and ffi:
book.plinth.org.uk/e/0WCJmk9xkzaAmCNTk2TC
Sam Dhedhi will be down with a van full of equipment to support a larger team of volunteers than we can accomodate at our volunteer-only events. These bigger teams are essential if we are to push back the Reedbeds and maintain habitat and thus species diversity while breeding birds such as Reed Warblers are off on their winter 'holiday' in Africa.
No particular skills required. All help welcome even if you can come only once. 40% of the person hours delivered in the last 12 months have been contributed by one-time-only helpers.
At our last staffed session on 16/10 we had nine volunteers - who gave nearly 39 person-hours of labour - and one staff member.
Fortunately the weather followed the forecast, with drizzle giving way to warm sunshine shortly after we started work.
Seven people, led by Ian, dug out another significant amount of Reed rootmat and silt from the 'north-west corner pool' and piled it on the new banking by the main path.
Three of us scythed and sheared Reed opposite the road run-off -trap ditch. Due to a mechanical problem with the brushcutter, and poor servicing back-up fron the manufacturer, we have been without it for the last 6 workdays and this patch has rather got away from us. Unfortunately, we had to do without it again on this occasion. as the person who looks after and transports it was injured and unable to bring it down. Fingers crossed we get some rain-free Fridays and can catch up once we can deploy it again.
After everyone else had left, two of us reduced the height of more of the Blackthorn sucker 'hedging' along the main path and 'weeded' the Bee Orchid strip to favour the Orchids, though there was no sign of any yet. Some of the Lizard basking sites which were
getting too shaded were opened up a bit now we're into more autumnal conditions.
Photos: Sam Dhedhi, Chris Rose.
Chris Rose, Volunteer Site Manager.
RARE BUMBLEBEE SEEN AT LESNESRare bumblebee recorded at historic London site - Bumblebee Conservation Trust
www.bumblebeeconservation.org
In an exciting moment for the capital city, a scarce bumblebee has been recorded at an historic London site this summer by a Bumblebee Conservation Trust volunteer.
Category Archives: Danson Park
Egyptian Goose family a highlight at Danson Park in April
The Egyptian Geese have goslings again this year. John Turner provides us with his monthly sightings list for Danson Park. We are always interested in receiving reports s this is how we can compile data for the protection of sites … Continue reading
Posted in Bird watching, Danson Park
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FotS announces additional events for Shuttle and Danson
Friends of the Shuttle, the environmental/wildlife action group for the River Shuttle, Wyncham Stream and Danson Park (the water from the lake flows into the Shuttle in Bexley Park Woods) has announced a number of additional events for the next … Continue reading
FotS elects to clean up Bexley Park Woods
May 7th event report: As an antidote to the general election there’s nothing better than pulling on a pair of chest waders and heading off into the river and a dozen people did just that last Thursday at Friends of the Shuttle’s … Continue reading
Revised checklist of Dragonflies and Damselflies in Bexley published
As the new Odonata (Dragonfly and Damselfly) season gets underway, the checklist of these species in Bexley, first produced by Chris Rose a year ago, has been revised and updated by the author to include new records, and has been … Continue reading
FoTS @ Danson – Old English Garden event photos and future plans
From our correspondent Mandy Stevens : On Thursday 23rd April, Friends of the Shuttle held their first gardening event in the Old English Garden in Danson Park. Ten volunteers removed dead material and weeds from the formal flowerbeds and trimmed the borders. FoTS … Continue reading
Colt’s-foot flowers 13 days later than a century ago despite warming climate
According to a paper in the latest edition of ‘British Wildlife’ Colt’s-foot (Tussilago farfara) is flowering much later than it did 100 years ago. It is not yet understood why. The trend with other species is usually in the opposite direction. … Continue reading
Posted in Climate, Danson Park, Plants in Bexley
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Large Red takes Danson’s definite Odonata tally to 12 species
The morning of April 23rd started off somewhat overcast with a cool breeze, which looked like it would hamper my ability to conduct a deliberate search for Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) at Danson Park. Whilst a widespread species, I … Continue reading
‘Under new management’ – big FotS turnout for first Danson Old English Garden maintenance session
There was an impressively large turnout of Friends of the Shuttle members for the inaugural working party in the garden yesterday morning (April 23rd). The group has taken over management of the pollinator-friendly flower beds which the Council was threatening … Continue reading
Danson Bird Records for March 2015
Whinchat an unusual visitor to Danson Park last month. Our regular update from John Turner from his weekly visits to Danson Park. We are always interested in receiving bird (and other wildlife) reports. 04/03/2015 12/03/2015 20/03/2015 27/03/2015 a.m. a.m. … Continue reading
Posted in Bird watching, Danson Park, Recording
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FoTS launches expanded programme of events: group to fill environment/wildlife action void at Danson and take on maintenance of the Old English Garden
Committee member Mandy Stevens writes: Following our successful litter picks in and around Danson Park lake (which drains into the River Shuttle) earlier this year and last summer, we have been discussing with Bexley Council whether we could run other conservation … Continue reading