We are seeing a few more Ladybirds now

Like this one seen on the East Wickham Open Space viz.

An assumed 7-Spotter: like all the other ones seen so far this Year.

But very much a 'few' more: not 'many' more.

Our first 'Bug' of the Year

We wonder whether this Little Guy, seen on Bostall Heath (the Royal Borough of Greenwich) settling on Gorse, might perhaps be a Gorse Shield Bug: or perhaps not?

Of Grape Hyacinths, Red Dead-Nettles &c.

Whilst visiting our local Sainsbury's, we took a short detour to look at some Grape Hyacinths, Red Dead-Nettles &c. flowering nearby viz.

A very small area but quite a few Wild Flower' Species to be seen viz.

Annual Mercury 
Bittercress
Bristly Oxtongue

Buddleia

Cleavers

Common Chickweed

Common Field-Speedwell

Common Mallow

Common Nettle

Dandelion

Forget-me-Not

Grape Hyacinth (despite a general lack of Sunshine, seen here being visited by a Bee Fly) viz.

Oxford Ragwort

Red Dead-Nettle (despite a general lack of Sunshine, seen here being visited by a Hairy-Footed Flower Bee) viz.

Shepherd's-Purse
and Sowthistle

We find some Four-Leaved Allseed in a new location for us

Leaving Lesnes Abbey Park (in the Abbey Wood area) and en-route for Abbey Wood Railway Station, we were surprised and pleased to find some Four-Leaved Allseed in a new location for us (beside New Road: Grid Reference: TQ4778):

And whilst on the final leg of the Walk Home and not far from Home, we found some Jersey Cudweed growing in a Roadside Gutter viz.

A First Safari for a couple of Weeks or so (whilst visiting the local Sainsbury's)

We decided to visit the local Sainsbury's to get some Shopping. En-Route we passed the massed ranks of Sweet Violets still flowering beside a Public Footpath (sadly, the Council Strimmers will doubtless be along sooner rather than later to raze them to the Ground: flowering 'Weeds' look so untidy!).

And the Sun shone!

It was good to be out again: lots to see, including:

California Poppy
Common Chickweed viz.

Common Field-Speedwell
Common Mallow
Common Whitlowgrass viz.

Dandelions viz.

Dove's-Foot Crane's-Bill
Four-Leaved Allseed viz.

Green Alkanet
Grape Hyacinths viz.

Groundsel
(assumed) Henbit Dead-Nettle
Ivy-Leaved Speedwell viz.

Jersey Cudweed
Lesser Celandine (assumed not planted and growing in two Front Gardens)
Lesser Swine-Cress viz.

Pellitory-of-the-Wall
Red Dead-Nettle
Rue-Leaved Saxifrage
Shining-Leaved Crane's-Bill
Sweet Violets (and visiting Hairy-Footed Flower Bees) viz.

We also spotted our first Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) for almost a couple of weeks viz.

Springbeauty is starting to flower locally

Springbeauty is starting to flower locally on a Grass Verge in the Upper Abbey Wood area (Grid Reference: TQ4777) viz.

We first saw it last year but feared that the Council' Strimmers might have razed it to the Ground (as they did last year). A few (planted) Daffodils and Crocuses also grow on the Verges and we wonder whether the Mowers and Strimmers are holding off until they have had time to flower &c.

We are not aware of any other Springbeauty growing locally so we reckon it's important that this population is given a chance to survive. Sadly though and based on recent experience, it is probably fair to say that no-one connected to the local Council will have the slightest interest in its survival, or otherwise. Indeed, the Council seem to have minimal, if any, interest in local Wildlife &c.

Also flowering on the Verge is Common Chickweed, Groundsel, Lesser Celandine, Musk Stork's-Bill (we were previously aware of Common Stork's-Bill growing in the area: but not Musk Stork's-Bill) viz.

Red Dead-Nettle and Shepherd's-Purse.

Do we Believe in Fairies?

We are quite prepared to think that anything is possible: Fairies and all.

And when we saw this (seeming) Fly crouching on Gorse viz.

we wondered, 'a Fairy in Disguise?'

'When Gorse is out of blossom,'
(Its prickles bare of gold)
'Then kissing’s out of fashion,'
Said Country-Folk of old.
Now Gorse is in its glory
In May when Skies are blue,
But when its time is over,
Whatever shall we do?

O dreary would the World be,
With everyone grown cold—
Forlorn as prickly bushes
Without their Fairy Gold!
But this will never happen:
At every time of year
You’ll find one bit of blossom—
A kiss from someone dear!

Yippee: Some Unexpected Sunshine

We had not intended to venture forth but a Burst of Sunshine prompted us to hoof it to Bostall Heath (the Royal Borough of Greenwich) in the hopes of a Bee or something: well, anything really. And Wow: we weren't expecting a Butterfly so were super-pleased to see a Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly visiting Red Dead-Nettle viz.

A few Bees were busying themselves viz. a Buff-Tailed Bumblebee, a few Hairy-Footed Flower Bees and a Red-Tailed Bumblebee viz.

Also, a few Honey Bees.

Bee' Records have been submitted to iRecord viz. … https://www.brc.ac.uk/irecord/ …

We saw a couple of Hoverflies: one evaded being identified but another, an Episyrphus balteatus, posed for the Camera on Groundsel viz.

It is still of course a little early for Wild Flowers but we spotted a favourite of ours viz. Ivy-Leaved Speedwell:

The recent Rain seems to have done the flowering Red Dead-Nettles a power of Good.

Also flowering: Common Chickweed, Common Whitlowgrass, Coral Spurge (a small but growing population mentioned in Kent Botany 2016), a few Dandelions, Groundsel, and assumed Wavy Bittercress.

Lots of Gorse flowering, some Broom flowering and some pretty Spring Blossom too.

We also noticed Bluebells (not of course flowering but if memory serves, the Hybrid Version), Common Ragwort, Lesser Celandine and Wood Sage.

We didn't look for the Balkan Spurge, Bush Vetch or Caper Spurge but when last seen all three were doing well. That being said, the Balkan Spurge is getting covered by Brambles (we must go back to do some clearing).