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May Bexley RSPB events that still have places available.This content isn't available at the moment
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EARLIEST RECORDED RETURN DATE FOR BARNEHURST SWIFT NESTING ZONE.There were 3 Swifts circling over the northern half of Hillingdon Road this evening (29/4), the same place as the first ones I saw in this area in 2024. This was my first check of the year, so they could have got back even earlier.
Previous 'first dates' for this 'site' are as follows:
2024 - 1/5. None seen in an hour of circuits on 30/4
2023 - 2/5. My first check of the year so they may have arrived earlier. One reported at Crossness 28/4
2022 -8/5 (checked from 28/4)
2021 - 6/5 (had last checked 3/5)
2020 - 2/5 (first date checked)
2019 - didn't monitor
2018 - 7/5 (had checked every evening starting 1/5)
2017 - 4/5 (no prior daily checks)
2016 - 4/5 (no prior daily checks)
2015 - 6/5 (no prior daily checks)
The earliest Swifts in London this year were one at Rainham on April 14th, and another on the same date at Staines Reservoir.
Chris Rose
HELP CLEAN UP THE LOWER RIVER CRAY !Join FRIENDS OF THE CRAY AT CRAYFORD on FRIDAY 2nd May
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).
The plan is to go downriver along By-way 105 this week before the undergrowth gets too dense.
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.
Best wishes
Sarah
CROSSNESS LATEST - PROTECTED AREA WILL REMAIN CLOSED OVER EASTER WEEKENDA brief update to advise that the Protected Area will remain closed over the Easter period - really sorry about this. As hard as we've tried, we can't get a new locking mechanism on the gate before next week, so it is currently padlocked shut so as to not leave us vulnerable over Easter.
I am taking advantage of the upcoming bank holidays to squeeze in some annual leave, so you will not get a notification from me about re-opening, however please assume that the Protected Area is likely to be re-opened by the following weekend.
Karen Sutton
Crossness Nature Reserve Manager
Free webinar on improving Bee 'hotel' design with Prof Dave Gouslon.Tuesday, April 22 · 1 - 2pm
Improving Bee Hotel Design: The Big Bee Hotel Experiment
www.eventbrite.co.uk
Join Prof Dave Gouslon to hear about how the Buzz Club are investigating the effectiveness of different bee hotels for UK bees.
Category Archives: Gardening for wildlife
FotS features in ‘Bexley Magazine’
A photo of FotS volunteers hard at work in Danson Park’s Old English Garden features on page 16 of the Council’s own magazine for local residents. The associated article extols the opportunities of getting involved with such initiatives, but could … Continue reading
Helping Turtle Doves
Conservation advice for Turtle Doves. Turtle Doves are occasionally reported in the borough and from nearby Swanley. On June 1st a Turtle Dove was seen in flight over Thamesmead near Morrisons, not far from the Bexley border, by George Kalli. … Continue reading
Posted in Bird watching, Gardening for wildlife
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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 @ 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
Bexley in Bloom 2015
No Best Wildlife Garden award this year, but Bexley in Bloom makes a welcome return.
Posted in Allotments, Gardening for wildlife, Gardens
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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
The value of urban gardens. Royal Horticultural Society advice.
Advice from the RHS on how urban gardens can contribute to wildlife diversity.
Posted in Gardening for wildlife, Gardens
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Bexley allotment sites now registered as ‘assets of community value’
Bexley is the first Council area to have all of its allotment sites registered as ‘assets of community value’ under the Localism Act 2011, thanks to Bexley Federation of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners (BFALG). This does not prevent them being … Continue reading
Autumn wildflower gardening
Tips from the National Wildflower Centre for autumn activities for your wildflower garden. Collect Your Own Seed Look for the seed in your wildflowers going brown and dry (dessicated). Simply collect this ripe seed and either drop it straight back … Continue reading
Posted in Gardening for wildlife
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