A Riverside Walk

We decided to walk along the Thames Path: upstream from Erith Pier to the Footpath that runs down to Norman Road North.

Bird' Species seen:

Blackbird
Black-Headed Gull
Black-Tailed Godwit
Common Gull
Cormorant
Dunlin
Gadwall viz.

Great Tit
Herring Gull
Lapwing
Lesser Black-Backed Gull
Linnet
Mallard viz.

Redshank viz.

Shelduck
and Wood Pigeon

Wild Flower' Species (in flower) included:

Dandelion
Groundsel
Hogweed viz.

Red Campion
Red Dead-Nettle
Stinking Hellebore
White Dead-Nettle viz.

Winter Heliotrope
and Yarrow

Thameslink Trains on the Bexleyheath Line?

We think they were diverted: the Woolwich Line being closed for Weekend' Engineering Works:

A few more Buses

With time to spare before our Train left (London) Victoria we popped out of the Station and added the following: No's. 2, 13, 16, 24 (see below), 52, 211, 507 and C1.

Cumulative Lists at 26 January 2020:

Nos. 2, 5, 6, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16, 19, 22, 24, 25, 26, 29, 35, 38, 51, 52, 53, 54, 69, 87, 88, 89, 96, 99, 100, 115, 122, 132, 133, 138, 147, 159, 161, 169, 176, 177, 180, 211, 229, 244, 269, 291, 300, 301, 309, 323, 330, 380, 388, 401, 422, 453, 469, 472, 474, 486 and 507...

Nos. B11, B12, B13, B14, B15 and B16…

No. C1...

Nos. D3, D6, D7 and D8...

To Worthing (by the Sea)

In Worthing (by the Sea) for a Lunch Appointment, we managed a quick visit to the Pier.

And, Joy of Joys, there were a couple of Turnstones on the Pier:

Wild Flower Species seen included (alas, no Jersey Cudweed):

Black Spleenwort
Ivy-Leaved Toadflax
Pellitory-of-the-Wall
Trailing Bellflower
Wall-Rue
Yarrow

And whilst waiting at Bexleyheath for the Victoria bound Train, we spotted our first Collared Doves of the year: also a Blue Tit, House Sparrows, Ring-Necked Parakeets, Starlings and Wood Pigeons.

Back to the City of London

Up to the City of London for a Meeting of the New Zealand Society of Great Britain. Arriving early we looked for Wild Flowers in the Garden of St Mary Aldermanbury and on the Wall beside All-Hallows-on-the-Wall.

Plant' Species seen included:

Black Spleenwort
Groundsel
Maidenhair Spleenwort
Mexican Fleabane
Pellitory-of-the-Wall
Petty Spurge
Pink-Headed Persicaria
(assumed) Purple Toadflax viz.

Red Dead-Nettle
Rue-Leaved Saxifrage
Rusty-Back Fern viz.

Wall-Rue

We have been neglecting the Buses of late

We have been neglecting the Buses of late: but during a visit to the City of London we added the following: No's. 25, 26, 35, 100, 133 (see below: turning from Wormwood Street into Old Broad Street) and 388.

Cumulative Lists at 25 January 2020:

Nos. 5, 6, 9, 11, 15, 19, 22, 25, 26, 29, 35, 38, 51, 53, 54, 69, 87, 88, 89, 96, 99, 100, 115, 122, 132, 133, 138, 147, 159, 161, 169, 176, 177, 180, 229, 244, 269, 291, 300, 301, 309, 323, 330, 380, 388, 401, 422, 453, 469, 472, 474 and 486...

Nos. B11, B12, B13, B14, B15 and B16...

Nos. D3, D6, D7 and D8...

Some Wild Flower' Species seen whilst Out and About locally

Wild Flower' Species seen whilst Out and About, firstly to attend an Appointment in Upper Belvedere and then to the Post Office' Sorting Office (close to Bexleyheath), included:

Cow Parsley (flowering)
Field Forget-me-Not
Greater Celandine
Green Alkanet
Hart's-Tongue Fern
Ivy-Leaved Toadflax
Jersey Cudweed 
Lesser Celandine
Lesser Swine-Cress
Mouse-Ear Hawkweed
Pellitory-of-the-Wall
Sun Spurge
Sweet Violet
Trailing Bellflower  
White-Ramping Fumitory

To Hall Place in search of Bees, Birds and Hoverflies

Alas: no Hoverflies. But Birds and Bees.

Bird' Species seen:

Blackbird
Black-Headed Gull
Blue Tit
Carrion Crow
Egyptian Goose
Great Tit
Green Woodpecker
Grey Heron
Grey Wagtail
Greylag Goose
Jackdaw
Jay
Magpie
Mallard
Moorhen
Ring-Necked Parakeet viz.

Robin
Song Thrush
Starling
and Wood Pigeon

And a few (assumed) Buff-Tailed Bumblebees.

To Woolwich (the Royal Borough of Greenwich) for an Appointment

After visiting the Dentist (for the Appointment was with the Dentist) we took a turn around General Gordon Square and the grassed area in front of Tesco's: looking for Wild Flowers.

Buck's-Horn Plantain
Common Chickweed
Common Mallow
Daisy
Dandelion
Groundsel
Mugwort
Pineapple Weed viz.

Sow-Thistle
Shepherd's-Purse
Spotted Medick
White Clover
Yarrow

Plus: Wild Flowers seen on the Journey Home included:

Common Whitlow-Grass
(assumed) Henbit Dead-Nettle
Green Alkanet
Ivy-Leaved Toadflax
Jersey Cudweed
Lesser Swinecress viz.

Pellitory-of-the-Wall
Rue-Leaved Saxifrage viz.

Sweet Violet
Water Bent

Whilst looking around, we noticed a Herring Gull eating what was left of a Feral Pigeon viz.

Bees and Hoverflies

A lovely Blue Sky and Sunny Day with a few Bees and Hoverflies out and about.

[i] on Bostall Heath (the Royal Borough of Greenwich): a few Buff-Tailed Bumblebees including this Guy were visiting the Gorse:

[ii] in Lesnes Abbey Park: a few Buff-Tailed Bumblebees and Hoverflies (Episyrphus balteatus) including these Guys were attracted by the Rosemary:

and [iii] close to Abbey Wood Station: there was a Honey Bee viz.

Back to the City of London

Up to the City of London for a Meeting of the Rhodesia Study Circle (at the Royal Philatelic Society in Abchurch Lane) we walked from Tower Gateway Station (the Docklands Light Railway) via the Thames' Embankment.

Bird' Species seen:

Black-Headed Gull
Blue Tit
Coot
Pied Wagtail viz.

Wood Pigeon

Wild Flowers seen included:

Annual Meadow-Grass
Black Nightshade
Common Chickweed
Fat Hen
Groundsel
Nipplewort viz.

Pellitory-of-the-Wall
Red Dead-Nettle

No Bees alas but a Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) viz.

Birds seen on/over Bostall Heath (the Royal Borough of Greenwich)

Bird Species seen:

Blue Tit
Carrion Crow
Chaffinch
Common Gull
Great Tit
Herring Gull
Magpie
Ring-Necked Parakeet
Wood Pigeon

A Pleasant Outing looking for Birds, Lichens and Wild Flowers (the New Year' Plant Hunt)

After popping over to Bostall Heath (the Royal Borough of Greenwich) to see the flowering Gorse, we set forth for Erith Pier (Jersey Cudweed) seeing some Nipplewort on the way, before walking upstream beside the Thames to the Footpath that leads to Norman Road North and where we hoped to see some flowering Winter Heliotropes (we did).

We also kept an eye out for Birds, seeing Black-Headed Gulls, Black-Tailed Godwits, a Chiffchaff, a Common Gull, Dunlins, a Dunnock, House Sparrows, Lapwings, Lesser Black-Backed Gulls, Linnets, Mallards, Pied Wagtails, Redshanks, Ringed Plovers, a Robin, Shelducks and Teals.

Wild Flowers seen in flower for the New Year' Plant Hunt (details have been submitted to the BSBI):

Annual Mercury
Black Nightshade
Bristly Oxtongue
Common Chickweed
Common Field-Speedwell
Common Sow-Thistle
Daisy
Dandelion
Gorse
Groundsel
Hedgerow Crane's-Bill viz.

Hogweed
Jersey Cudweed viz.

Narrow-Leaved Ragwort
Nipplewort
Oxeye Daisy
Oxford Ragwort
Pot Marigold
Red Campion viz.

Red Clover
Red Dead-Nettle
Scentless Mayweed
Shepherd's-Purse
Spanish Stonecrop viz.

Sweet Violet
White Dead-Nettle
Wild Carrot
Winter Heliotrope viz.

and Yarrow

Whilst walking down Norman Road North en-route Home we heard and then saw, a number of Pied Wagtails in the East Paddock (the Crossness Nature Reserve) and saw a distant but unmistakeable Stonechat.

And we mustn't forget Lichens and Mosses viz.

We finally find some Wall Lettuce

En-route from Green Park to the London Library (in St James's Square) we spotted this single Plant eking out a living in St James's Place:

We had previously heard of Wall Lettuce being found in Central London and wondered if this might be a Wall Lettuce. And Yes: it was confirmed as such. We are really pleased to have found it.  Ivy-Leaved Toadflax is growing nearby.

Grid Reference: TQ2980

Before popping into the Library we wandered round the Garden in St James's Square: Birds seen included a couple of Goldfinches (more heard we think) and a Song Thrush.

Back to Victoria Park (the London Borough of Tower Hamlets) to look for Red Crested Pochards again

Before catching the Bus to Woolwich we spotted the following Bird Species:

Black-Headed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-Backed Gull
Magpie
and Ring-Necked Parakeet

Sadly, there were no Red Crested Pochards to be seen on/beside the Lake in Victoria Park.

But it was far from a Wasted Journey: Bird species seen:

Blackbird
Black-Headed Gull
Blue Tit
Canada Goose
Carrion Crow 
Coot
Cormorant 
Egyptian Goose
Gadwall
(a possible) Goldcrest
Great Crested Grebe
Greylag Goose
Herring Gull
Magpie
Moorhen
Mute Swan
Pochard
Robin
Shoveler
Tufted Duck
and Wood Pigeon

And whilst en-route to Victoria Park we found some Jersey Cudweed growing beside Grove Road, close to the Hertford Regent Canal. Yippee.