In the Garden (at Home) on the Last Day of Summer

We didn't spend too long in the Garden but there were lots of Visitors (and thankfully, Flowers to attract them) viz.

Hoverflies seen beside the Upper Bedon Stream on 31 August: the Last Day of Summer

We went out to look for Butterflies but became distracted…

Episyrphus balteatus viz.

Eristalis sp. viz.

Eristalis sp. viz.

Helophilus pendulus (three Hoverflies) viz.

Sphaerophoria sp. viz.

Back to the Allotment

A first visit to the Allotment for a couple of Weeks or so.

Wild flowers seen included:

Annual Mercury (springing up in masses on our own Allotment)
Black Horehound
Black Nightshade
Charlock
Common Field-Speedwell
Common Fumitory
Common Mallow
Common Ragwort
Creeping Thistle
Dandelion
Dove's-Foot Crane's-Bill
Fat Hen
Field Bindweed
Gallant/Shaggy Soldier
Hedge Bedstraw
Henbit Dead-Nettle
Knotgrass
Red Dead-Nettle
Redshank
Scarlet Pimpernel
Sow-Thistle
Spear-Leaved Orache
Sun Spurge
Valerian (white flowers)
Wall Barley
White Clover
Yarrow

Little Critters seen included:

Wild Flowers in St Nicholas' Garden, Plumstead (the RB of Greenwich) whilst waiting for a Bus

With a few minutes to waste whilst waiting for a Bus to take us down to the River to look for Black-Tailed Godwits, Ringed Plovers &c. we took a look around the nearby St Nicholas' Garden (Grid Reference: TQ 4578).

Plant Species seen included:

Black Medick
Common Mallow
Daisy
Dandelion
Dove's-Foot Crane's-Bill viz.

Dwarf Mallow viz.

Fat Hen
Greater Plantain viz.

Groundsel
Knotgrass
Lesser Swine-Cress
Redshank viz.

Ribwort Plantain
Sow-Thistle
Wall Barley
White Clover
and Yarrow

And pleasingly: we noticed a Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) visiting a Dandelion viz.

Walking back to the Bus Stop we saw our Bus departing! So back to the Garden.

A pleasant way to while a few minutes away.

The Black-Tailed Godwits are back on the Thames' Foreshore in the Erith area

Just sixteen Black-Tailed Godwits today to be both seen and heard with hopefully lots more to come: and the Dunlins and Redshanks too:

We go to look for Little Critters in the Formal Garden area at Hall Place

Some of the Critters seen:

We are not sure whether this is the same individual (see above) or two different Flies (both Tachina fera). The faces look slightly different but that may be due to variable Light Conditions &c.

Strawberry Clover flowers on a Grassed area close to the former Thamesmead Golf Course

We are aware of Strawberry Clover growing on a Grassed area close to the former Thamesmead Golf Course. However, the Council Mowers and Strimmers have been particularly active this year so we were greatly surprised to find some flowering viz.

We think the Visitor might be a Common Carder Bee.

We look for Wild Flowers &c. beside the Thames in the Woolwich area

Initially intending to pass the time of day with the local Ringed Plovers &c. we decided instead to pop into Woolwich (in the neighbouring Royal Borough of Greenwich) to see what we could find growing beside the Thames Path. And more particularly: to look for the Skullcap we saw last year and earlier this year (late-June) viz.

And we are pretty sure we saw the Skullcap again viz.

although it wasn't flowering.

Plants seen included:

American Willowherb
Annual Meadow Grass
Bird's-Foot Trefoil
Black Bindweed
Black Medick
Black Nightshade
Bristly Oxtongue
Buck's-Horn Plantain
Buddleia (aka the Butterfly Bush) viz.

Common Bramble
Common Chickweed
Common Sow-Thistle
Common Toadflax viz.

Creeping Thistle
Dandelion
Fat Hen
Gallant/Shaggy Soldier
Gipsywort viz.

Goat's-Rue
Greater Plantain
Greater Willlowherb
Groundsel
Jersey Cudweed viz.

Knotgrass
Lesser Swine-Cress
Marsh Woundwort viz.

Melilot (Yellow)
Mugwort
Narrow-Leaved Ragwort
Pellitory-of-the-Wall
Pineappleweed
Procumbent Pearlwort
Redshank
Sea Aster viz.

Sea Beet
Shepherd's-Purse
Skullcap
Spear-Leaved Orache
Trifid Bur-Marigold viz.

Water Bent
White Clover
Wild Carrot viz.

Yarrow
and Yellow Bristle Grass viz.

Sadly, there were no Ships moored beside Tate & Lyle on the North side of the River viz. Thames Refinery Inner and Outer, but we did see a Sailing Ship, Albatros heading upstream viz.

A single Woolwich Ferry was operational: not long now before the existing Fleet is decommissioned and two brand-new Ferries come into service.

There was minimal activity at London City Airport (either in-coming or out-going) although arrivals included:

And looking across to North Greenwich we can see that the old North Greenwich Railway Station Building (opened in 1847 and closed in 2006) is still standing viz.

It is a Grade II Listed Building, although from the looks of things, much neglected.

In front of the Station and stretching out into the River is the now derelict, North Woolwich Pier.

Birds seen on and around the River included: Black-Headed Gulls, a Coot, a Cormorant, a Herring Gull, Mallards, a Moorhen and Mute Swans.