To Central London in Search of Sheep &c.

Becoming aware that Sheep would be taking up residence in Central London's, Green Park, if just for a single Week, we decided to visit the Park to make their acquaintance.

According to The Royal Parks (of which Green Park is one), Rare Breed Sheep will graze the Wildflower Meadow in the middle of the Park for a Week to help the Invertebrate Community to thrive and prevent the Sheep from becoming Extinct (not sure how a Week's grazing affects that though). For this, The Royal Parks are teaming up with the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and Mudchute Farm. We understand the grazing will help prevent Coarse Grasses dominating the Meadow &c.

So: we took a Bus up to the Greenwich Peninsula to catch the Underground Railway Train to Green Park. Before catching the Train, we took a peep around some Wildish looking areas, seeing a few Wildflowers (most we imagine Introduced) and a Bee-Type Critter, visiting Red Clover viz.

After arriving at the Green Park Underground Railway Station we made our way to the nearby Green Park and chanced upon the Sheep almost immediately viz.

There were six of them. The Wildflower Meadow itself seemed very Small although there were a couple of (much, much smaller) surrounding areas covered in Creeping Thistles &c.

We wonder if its Worth might be limited?

Most of the Thistles were flowered-out but a few flowers remained, one attracting a Little Critter viz.

Mission Accomplished, what to do next? We decided to toddle across to the nearby Hyde Park. Whilst en-route, we came across a few Wildish areas and noticed a number of Plants &c. viz.

In the Wildflower Meadow and in the Wildish Ground nearby, we noticed some Chicory: we assume introduced.

But just as we were about the leave Green Park, we noticed some Chicory growing in a Mown area viz.

We assume it is Self-Seeded.

Walking across from Green Park to Hyde Park we noticed a couple of rather splendid looking Gentlemen on their Horses (one sadly with a broken sword): part of a Wall Mural, commemorating the Battle of Waterloo viz.

Why the Dispute at Waterloo? Well: the Duke of Wellington's, Apsley House, is located at Hyde Park Corner, the House once being known as, Number One London viz.

On arrival in Hyde Park, we walked beside Rotten Row (no Horses about) en-route to the Serpentine. Amongst Plants spotted, were quite a few Shagggy Soldiers or Gallant Soldiers viz.

Walking beside The Serpentine, we noticed Skullcap and Gipsywort viz.

Also Water Mint.

Other Plants &c. seen in the Park included:

We returned Home, via the Hyde Park Corner, Underground Railway Station. The Station Walls are covered in some very pretty Murals: some commemorating the Battle of Waterloo, some general pre-C19 Scenes and at least two commemorating the Great Exhibition of 1851, held in Hyde Park viz.

And then it was time to start the Journey Home viz.

A Gentle stroll by the River &c.

We read that a Wheatear and a Whinchat had been seen on the Crossness Nature Reserve and Surrounding area: also a Spotted Flycatcher. So we thought we would go and take a look.

We started out walking across the Norman Road Field, up past the Great Breach Lagoon and up to the River. We didn't see many Birds although we did see a distant Kingfisher whilst walking up to the Stables area.

We were pleased to see a Bee-Type Critter visiting Strawberry Clover (on the Kent RPR) viz.

An assumed Red-Tailed Bumblebee (well, he/she has a Red Tail!) viz.

And an assumed Common Darter viz.

The Tide was coming in when we arrived at the River and some Redshanks were gathered at the Water's Edge, waiting for the Signal to fly off to their High Tide Roost viz.

Other Birds present included at least three Black-Tailed Godwits, a Common Sandpiper and quite a few Teals.

Walking downstream along the Thames Path we saw a number of flowering Plants, including Broad-Leaved Everlasting-Pea, Common Toadflax, Meadow Vetchling and Wild Carrot.

Beside the Footpath connecting the Thames Path to Norman Road North, we noticed that the Spanish Stonecrop is still flowering, just viz.

and a Bee-Type Critter was visiting Goat's-Rue viz.

Walking down Norman Road North we were super-pleased to see some Hoary Plantain (on the Kent RPR) in flower viz.

And a Green-Veined White Butterfly on a Creeping Thistle viz.

Unsurprisingly, we didn't see a Spotted Flycatcher, a Wheatear or a Whinchat. That being said we have never knowingly seen a Spotted Flycatcher!

We Go in Search of Harebells

We bicycled over to the Bexleyheath Cemetery (Grid Reference TQ4875) to see if we could find any Harebells (we have seen them there in previous years).

And Yippee: we found a few Patches viz.

The Patches were on the actual Graves. The Graves throughout the Cemetery appear to have been left generally undisturbed (hopefully we don't tempt fate by saying that) while the areas around them are Strimmed/Tidied.

Other flowering Plants seen during a somewhat fleeting visit included:

Common Bird's-Foot-Trefoil viz.

Common Mallow viz.

(assumed) Dragon's-Blood/Caucasian Stonecrop viz.

Herb Robert (including the White Flowered Variety) viz.

(assumed) Reflex Stonecrop viz.

White Stonecrop viz.

and Yarrow viz.