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Monday 10th August - mini-beasts and plants at Lesnes.Minibeast Hunting (1 1/4 hour family workshop)
£3 per child (accompanying adults come free!)
Come join us at Lesnes Abbey as we explore the vegetation and flowers around the park looking for minibeasts. Learn how to use a sweep net along with other equipment such as 2 way microscopes and discover the amazing insects, spiders and other smaller creatures that call Lesnes home.
Times: 10-11:15, 11:30-12:45, 1:00-2:15
These workshops have been subsidised by a grant from National Lottery Heritage Fund
Meet outside the lodge by the chestnut kiosk (booking is essential)
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HALL PLACE DUSK BAT WALK 26/8.Bat walks in the Borough are very popular, and advance booking is essential - www.hallplace.org.uk/event/family-bat-walk/
[20/8 - adults only - SOLD OUT]
26/8 - family
Adults £15.50
Children (10-16 years) £10.50
Followed by tea and cake.
Hall Place and Gardens - One of the South East’s best-kept secrets
www.hallplace.org.uk
Welcome to Hall Place and Gardens One of the South East's best-kept secrets. This historic house and garden, rich in fascinating history, welcomes visitors all year round with a range of exhibitions a...
Not seen this many Aphid (Eriosoma lanuginosum)-induced bladder-like galls on Elm before. Nor has the London Natural History Society gall recorder Tommy Root. The aphids cause these distorted leaf growths, which they then live inside. WhitehallLane, Slade Green, near railway station footbridge. 19th June.
Chris Rose.
BEXLEY RSPB LOCAL BUTTERFLY WALK - EAST WICKHAM OPEN SPACE. 18/7/2026.Prior booking essential. Contact Ralph Todd - by email (preferable) Ralph on rbtodd@btinternet.com or phone/text on 07838 352393 and please give a contact phone number in case of late changes to arrangements. Please also advise if you have booked and need to cancel as there may be a waiting list. Ralph will usually send out
a reminder to those booked two or three days prior to the date to confirm arrangements and any changes.
Time: 10:30-12:30
Meet at the entrance to the Open Space in Camdale Road SE18 2DR. Our annual visit for this popular butterfly walk. We are returning to our original July date which seems to be the prime month for butterflies. As always, we hope to find a variety of skippers, Marbled White and Brown Argus and other more common species. No facilities. Leader Nicky Wilson.
HOW ABOUT SIGNING UP FOR THE BIG BUTTERFLY COUNT 2026 ?Butterfly Conservation's important annual citizen science project, helping measure the status of butterfly populations, gets underway on 1st July, with counting due to take place between 17th of July and 9th of August.
Simply count butterflies for 15 minutes during bright (preferably sunny) weather during the Big Butterfly Count. We have chosen this time of year because most butterflies are at the adult stage of their lifecycle, so more likely to be seen. Records are welcome from anywhere: from parks, school grounds and gardens, to fields and forests.
You can do more than one count - different dates and/or different places if you want to.
ID guide available for less experienced observers.
Ffi and registration go to:
bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org
Be part of this nationwide survey and help take the pulse of nature. Butterfly declines reveal the poor health of the environment. We need your sightings.
Category Archives: Rivers
Joanne Bradley’s back ….. back again – this time working on the T21 Thames River Watch project
After spells as River Shuttle Co-ordinator and then general Education Officer, Bexleyheath resident Joanne is back on the staff of the Thames21 waterways charity again, this time delivering training and education for the Thames River Watch project. Joanne left a … Continue reading
Posted in Education, Environment, River Thames, Rivers
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Seals take shine to Bexley foreshore
Repeated observations hint at rise in numbers on our ‘coast’. Ralph Todd writes: Occasional sightings of seals are reported from the Thames, though I haven’t seen much sign until recently. One of my local birding walks is Crayford Marshes and … Continue reading
Posted in Crayford Marshes, Mammals, Recording, River Thames, Rivers
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Dealing with Himalyan Balsam
Himalayan Balsam is an invasive introduced plant that needs to be removed from our waterways. It has explosive seed pods so unfortunately, even removing it can help it spread. Locally, groups such as Friends of The Shuttle do extensive work to remove … Continue reading
Posted in Invasive species, River Cray, River Shuttle, River Wansunt, Rivers
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Birder gets on his bike to study other species
Plants, Odonata and fish photographed. From Bexley Bird Report author, Ralph Todd. Mid June-Mid July are relatively quiet times for active birdwatchers so I often pursue other avenues of natural history but keep with the flying beasties as much as possible but … Continue reading
Some Shuttle wildlife observations, June 4th – another Hairy Dragonfly range expansion?
Call it a bit mercenary, but I helped out on the BETHs stretch clean-up so I could cover a part of the river I’d not done before for the Water Vole survey I’m leading, without having to make special arrangements … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley, Bexley Woods, Bird watching, Butterflies, Crossness, Dragonflies and Damselflies, Friends of the Shuttle, Hollyoak Wood Park, Lamorbey, Marlborough Park, Parish Wood Park, Parks, Plants in Bexley, Raptors, Recording, Reptiles and Amphibians, River Shuttle, Rivers, Sidcup Golf Course, Uncategorized, vegetation management
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Are dogs now more under control in Foots Cray meadows?
Back in February, North Cray resident, Jacky Cook, raised concerns about dog attacks on the Swans. “At Five Arches Bridge, Foots Cray Meadows, there have been an increasing number of incidents of attacks by dogs not on leads and, therefore, uncontrolled … Continue reading
Posted in Foots Cray Meadows, Parks, Rivers
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SINCs fly-tipping shame
Fly-tipping anywhere is lamentable, but here are some current examples from Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation in Bexley …. All photos by Chris Rose.
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
Don’t feed the ducks bread!
According to the Canal and River Trust, we’ve been feeding ducks junk food for decades. They estimate that each year six million loaves – equal to the size of 20 double decker buses – are thrown into canals and rivers in … Continue reading
Posted in Hall Place, Lamorbey, Parks, Rivers
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