Sadly: the Sun didn't Shine as forecast

The Forecast suggested it might be Sunny so we decided to walk down to the Lesnes Abbey Woods via Bostall Heath (the Royal Borough of Greenwich). However, after the Clouds rolled in it actually became quite Chilly so we decided not to go down to the Woods and turned for Home.

Wild Flowers seen whilst walking towards Bostall Heath:

Four-Leaved Allseed
Jersey Cudweed
Lesser Swine-Cress (actually flowering)
and Shining Crane's-Bill 

Wild Flowers seen on Bostall Heath and the Surrounding area included:

Balkan Spurge
Bluebell (both the native and non-native Bluebell)
Bush Vetch viz.

Broad-Leaved Dock
Caper Spurge (just two Plants so far this year: lots more last year)
Common Mallow
Common Ragwort
Coral Spurge viz.

Cow Parsley
Dandelion
Gorse
Green Alkanet
Honesty viz.

Ivy-Leaved Speedwell
Lesser Celandine
Red Dead-Nettle
Sowbread
Stinking Iris
Thale Cress 
and Wood Sage

A Bee, a Fly and a Hoverfly in the Garden (at Home)

But no pictures of a Hairy-Footed Flower-Bee.

Another Day, Another Hairy-Footed Flower-Bee in the Garden (at Home)

A male Hairy-Footed Flower-Bee today viz.

One of at least three males.

A female Hairy-Footed Flower-Bee joined us briefly, in the Greenhouse.

And our first Dock Bug, indeed any kind of Bug in the Garden (at Home) viz.

Beside the Upper Bedon Stream

There were lots of Little Crittters out and about viz.

[i] two, possibly three Small White Butterflies, including this Little Guy and Comma Butterflies including this Little Guy:

[ii] a few Bee Flies: including this Little Guy:

[iii] a few 7-Spotter Ladybirds: including this pair and a nearby, Garden Web Spider:

[iv] Hairy-Footed Flower-Bees: including this Little Guy:

[v] Hoverflies: including this Epistrophe eligans:

Whilst walking to the Stream we noticed a single Rue-Leaved Saxifrage (a new location) and unsurprisingly, Ivy-Leaved Speedwell. And whilst beside the Stream, what we think might be a Nomada Type Bee on Green Alkanet viz.

More Action in the Garden (at Home)

Another Hairy-Footed Flower-Bee (a female) in the Garden:

We spend some Time in the Garden (at Home)

No Walk today: but the Grass in the Front Garden is now mown. And tomorrow: we need to finish the Back Garden.

And another Hairy-Footed Flower-Bee (a male today, a female yesterday) and another Peacock Butterfly in the Garden:

We take some Exercise

We walked around Lesnes Abbey Woods and Park via Bostall Heath: essentially looking for Butterflies.

Butterflies seen:

[i] Bostall Heath: one Brimstone Butterfly and six Peacock Butterflies

[ii] Lesnes Abbey Woods/Park: three Comma Butterflies and twelve Peacock Butterflies

Earlier in the the Day we managed a couple of photographs in the Garden (at Home) viz.

A Nuthatch in Lesnes Abbey Woods

We heard someone chattering away at the edge of Lesnes Abbey Wood: looked up and saw this Character. A Nuthatch.

The firsr Nuthatch I have heard or seen in the Woods for thirty or so years. I often used to hear and see them when I went walking with Skipper back in the 1980's. But nothing since, until today:

An Orange-Tip Butterrfly on the Erith Southern Marsh

We saw an Orange-Tip Butterfly on the Erith Southern Marsh. Also a Brimstone Butterfly and a Peacock Butterfly.

According to Butterfly Conservation, 'there were a couple of freakishly early Sightings back in January but your one is likely to represent the start of the proper Flight Season'. *

There were also a few Butterflies viz. two Peacock Butterflies, three Brimstone Butterflies and seven Comma Butterflies, on/beside the Footpath that runs between Bazalgette Way and the Nature Reserve (which is now Closed).

* pipped at the post (by a day) by Butterflies in Nottinghamshire and Surrey.

Back to the Footpath that runs between Church Manor Way and the Thames Path

Presumably due to current difficulties, the Verges haven't been cut yet: meaning the Wild Flowers are growing (and many flowering) in profusion and being visited by Bees &c.

Wild Flower' Species seen flowering:

Common Chickweed
Common Vetch viz.

Cornsalad viz.

Daisy viz.

Dandelion
Groundsel viz.

Hedgerow Crane's-Bill viz.

Red Campion
Red Dead-Nettle
White Comfrey viz.

White Dead-Nettle
and Yarrow

In addition to the Bees we noticed a Peacock Butterfly and a Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly viz.

A Gentle Stroll round Lesnes Abbey Wood and Lesnes Abbey Park

We wandered through the Woods down to the Park and then back up again before going into Bexleyheath to collect the Bicycle which we had left earlier in the Morning for a Service.

During our Walk we noticed a couple of Butterflies viz. a Peacock Butterfly and a Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly.

And (in the Woods) this Giant Newt, aka a Smooth Newt viz.

Wild Flower' Species seen included:

[i] Grid Ref: TQ4778 (Woods and Park):

Alexanders
Bluebell (nowhere near flowering)
Brooklime
Common Chickweed
Common Field-Speedwell
Common Ragwort
Cow Parsley
Creeping Buttercup
Dog's-Mercury
Early Dog-Violet
Field Wood-Rush
Greater Stitchwort
Ground Ivy
Groundsel
Herb Robert
Ivy-Leaved Speedwell
Lesser Celandine
Lords-and-Ladies (Arum maculatum)
Red Dead-Nettle
Spear Thistle
Sweet Violet (Viola odorata alba viz. with white flowers) 
Water-Starwort (in the Conduit Pond we think) viz.

White Dead-Nettle
Wild Daffodil
Wild Garlic
Wood Anemone
Wood Sage
and Yarrow

[ii] Grid Ref: TQ4878 (Woods only)

Bluebell (coming into flower/flowering) viz.

Dog's-Mercury
Hogweed
Lords-and-Ladies (Arum maculatum)
Sweet Violet (Viola odorata alba viz. with white flowers)
Wild Daffodil
Wood Anemone
and Wood Sage

We pop out to Post a Letter

Having posted the Letter we decided to go for a short Wander locally.

Wild Flower' Species seen included:

Common Chickweed viz.

Common Field-Speedwell
Corn Salad viz.

Cow Parsley (flowering)
Daisy (flowering)
Dandelion (flowering)
Forget-me-Not viz.

Gorse (flowering)
(Garden) Grape Hyacinth (flowering)
Green Alkanet (flowering)
Groundsel (flowering)
Henbit Dead-Nettle (flowering)
Herb Robert viz.

Honesty viz.

Ivy-Leaved Speedwell viz.

Ivy-Leaved Toadflax
Jersey Cudweed
Lesser Celandine (flowering)
Lesser Swine-Cress
Pellitory-of-the-Wall
Petty Spurge
Red Dead-Nettle (flowering)
Round-Leaved Crane's-Bill
Rue-Leaved Saxifrage (flowering)
Shepherd's-Purse (flowering)
Shining Crane's-Bill
Sow-Thistle viz.

Sticky Mouse-Ear
Stinking Iris
Sun Spurge viz.

Sweet Violet (flowering)
Thale Cress viz.

Wavy Bittercress viz.

and Wood Avens viz.

Hoverflies seen during 2020

Hoverfly' Species seen to date:

Cheilosia sp.
Epistrophe eligans
Episyrphus balteatus
Eristalis pertinax (see below)
Eristalis tenax (see below)
Eupeodes sp.
Melanostoma scalare
Melisicaeva auricollis
Platycheirus albimanus
Platycheirus sp.
and Syrphus torvus

One hundred plus Individual Records.

Historically:

2019: One thousand, one hundred and ninety-four (1194) Individual Records

2018: Nine hundred and eighteen (918) individual Records

All the above Records have been submitted to UK Hoverflies:

We take a Gentle Stroll around Bostall Heath

Today was the Day we thought would be our last Day of Freedom before we went under House Arrest. Thankfully: that won't be happening, yet! So: after being told there was nothing for the Community 'Fridge, we set off for Bostall Heath in search of anything really.

We saw a few Bees: a Common Carder Bee, a few Hairy-Footed Flower-Bees and a Honey Bee. Also a Peacock Butterfly.

Wild Flower' Species seen included:

Blue/Siberian Squill (we think) viz.

Caper Spurge (but just a single Plant where there were 100+ last year) viz.

Coral Spurge
Cow Parsley viz.

Daisy viz.

Dandelion
Dog's Mercury
Gorse viz.

Green Alkanet
Groundsel
Herb Robert
Lesser Celandine
Lords-and-Ladies (Arum maculatum) viz.

Red Dead-Nettle viz.

Sowbread
Sweet Violet
and Wild Garlic

Footnote: a No. B11 Bus passing the Heath viz.