Birds: Our 2021 'Year' and 'Patch' Lists

[i] our 2021 Year List (generally including where first seen)...

Blackbird

Blackcap (Lesnes Abbey Woods)

Black-Headed Gull (the Roof of St Andrew's Church)

Black-Tailed Godwit (Thames Foreshore)

Blue Tit

Buzzard

Canada Goose (Southmere Lake)

Carrion Crow

Cetti's Warbler (heard only: Crossness Nature Reserve) 

Chaffinch (beside the Thames Path)

Collared Dove (Garden at Home)

Common Gull (Thames Foreshore)

Common Sandpiper (Thames Foreshore)

Common Snipe (Thames Foreshore)

Common Tern (close to the Outfall of the Crossness Sewage Works) viz.

Coot (Southmere Lake)

Cormorant (Thames Foreshore)

Curlew (Thames Foreshore)

Dunlin (Thames Foreshore)

Dunnock 

Egyptian Goose (on a disused Jetty/Wharf in the Woolwich area) viz.

Gadwall (Southmere Lake)

Goldfinch (Crossness Nature Reserve)

Grey Heron (Crossness Nature Reserve)

Greylag Goose (Crossness Nature Reserve)

Great Black-Backed Gull (Thames Foreshore)

Great Crested Grebe (Southmere Lake)

Great Spotted Woodpecker (Plumstead Cemetery) viz.

Great Tit

Green Woodpecker (New Woolwich Cemetery)

Grey Heron (Crossness Nature Reserve)

Grey Wagtail (Thames Foreshore)

Greylag Goose (Crosness Nature Reserve)

Herring Gull (Thames Foreshore)

House Sparrow (the Garden at Home: the first Birds seen/heard during 2021)

Jackdaw (Hall Place North)

Jay (Grounds of St Nicholas, Plumstead)

Kestrel (Bostall Heath) 

Lapwing (Thames Foreshore)

Lesser Black-Backed Gull (Thames Foreshore)

Linnet (Erith Docks area)

Little Egret (close to the Outfall of the Crossness Sewage Works) 

Little Grebe (Southmere Lake) viz.

Little Ringed Plover (Crossness Nature Reserve) viz.

Long-Tailed Tit

Magpie

Mallard (Southmere Lake)

Meadow Pipit (Crossness Nature Reserve) 

Moorhen (Southmere Lake)

Oystercatcher (Thames Foreshore)

Mute Swan (Southmere Lake)

Peregrine Falcon (on the side of the Belvedere' Waste Incinerator)

Pied Wagtail (Thames Foreshore)

Pochard (Southmere Lake) viz.

Red-Legged Partridge (Betsham, Kent)

Redshank (Thames Foreshore)

Redwing (Bostall Heath)

Ring-Necked Parakeet

Ringed Plover (Thames Foreshore)

Robin

Rock Pipit (Thames Foreshore)

Shelduck (Thames Foreshore)

Shoveler (Southmere Lake)

Song Thrush (Crossness Nature Reserve and Surrounding area)

Starling viz.

Stonechat (Crossness Nature Reserve)

Swallow

Swift

Teal (Thames Foreshore)

Tufted Duck (Southmere Lake)

Wheatear (Crossness Nature Reserve) viz.

Whinchat (Crossness Nature Reserve) 

Whitethroat (Woolwich Common)

Wigeon (swimming in the Thames)

Wood Pigeon

Wren (beside the Upper Bedon Stream)

Yellow-Legged Gull (Thames' Foreshore, Woolwich area)

[ii] our 2021 'Patch List': as with 2020, Birds seen on the 'Patch' will include Birds seen from the Footpath which runs up to the Thames from Crabtree Manorway North (in Belvedere) and thence downstream from the Thames Path, to just beyond Corinthian Manorway, in Erith...

Black-Headed Gull

Black-Tailed Godwit

Chaffinch

Collared Dove

Common Gull

Common Sandpiper

Coot

Cormorant

Curlew

Dunlin

Dunnock

Egyptian Goose

Gadwall

Great Black-Backed Gull

Great Tit

Grey Wagtail

Herring Gull

House Sparrow

Lapwing

Lesser Black-Backed Gull

Linnet

Magpie

Mallard

Moorhen

Oystercatcher

Pied Wagtail

Redshank

Ringed Plover viz.

Rock Pipit

Shelduck

Starling

Teal

Note: All Birds seen locally except for the Red-Legged Partridge...

We bicycled along the Thames Path from Erith to Woolwich and back again

Bird species seen (in no particular order): 

Black-Headed Gull
Lesser Black-Backed Gull

Herring Gull

Dunlin

Ringed Plover

Lapwing

Great Black-Backed Gull

Cormorant

Redshank

Carrion Crow

Mallard

Gadwall

Linnet 

House Sparrow

Moorhen

Teal

Shelduck

Magpie

Peregrine Falcon

Shoveller

Black-Tailed Godwit

Grey Heron

Common Snipe

Starling

Mute Swan

and Wood Pigeon

viz. twenty-seven species in total

The Wild Flower Society', Autumn Plant Hunt (for Plants found in flower during the last seven days of October viz. the 25th to 31st October inclusive)

We managed forty-nine (49) species: just two less than last year!

Creeping Thistle

Ivy-Leaved Toadflax

Jersey Cudweed

Smooth Sow-Thistle

Groundsel

Oxford Ragwort

Annual Mercury

Dandelion

Black Nightshade

Herb Robert

Red Dead-Nettle

White Dead-Nettle

Dwarf Mallow

White Clover

Common Field-Speedwell

Yarrow 

Black Horehound

Lesser Calamint

Wild Clary

Common Mallow

Perennial Sow-Thistle

Red Campion

Bristly Oxtongue

Hedge Bedstraw

Rough Hawkweed

Hoary Mustard

Perennial Wall-Rocket

Narrow-Leaved Ragwort

Nipplewort

Common Toadflax

Red Clover viz.

Daisy

Bramble

Hogweed

Lucerne

Round-Leaved Crane's-Bill

Buddleia

White Campion

White-Ramping Fumitory

Black Medick

Golden Samphire

Dove's-Foot Crane's-Bill

Shepherd's-Purse

Broad-Leaved Everlasting-Pea

Skullcap

Green Alkanet

Pot Marigold

Gorse

and Sowbread

We will not be submitting Records to the Wild Flower Society...

Wild Flowers in the Gardens (at Home)

We are currently re-organising the Gardens so we can focus on Sedums, Stonecrops &c.: removing many of the Wild Flowers, introduced to attract Wildlife but subsequently becoming essentially un-manageable.

Nevertheless, we will be keeping some Wild Flowers, including:

Bird's-Foot Trefoil (introduced and self-seeded)

Biting Stonecrop (introduced)

Black Horehound (introduced and self-seeded)

Black Medick (introduced)

Bladder Campion (introduced and self-seeded)

Brooklime (introduced)

Common Ragwort (introduced and self-seeded)

Creeping Thistle (self-seeded)

Feverfew (introduced and self-seeded)

Green Alkanet (self-seeded)

Hop Trefoil (introduced and self-seeded)

Ivy-Leaved Toadflax (introduced and self-seeded)

Narrow-Leaved Bird's-Foot Trefoil (introduced)

Navelwort (introduced)

Oxeye Daisy (introduced)

Red Valerian (self-seeded)

Reflexed Stonecrop (introduced)

Sand Lucerne/Medick (introduced and self-seeded)

White Clover (self-seeded)

White Stonecrop (introduced)

Wild Basil (introduced and self-seeded)

The Craneflies are back

We photographed this character on the Crossness Nature Reserve:

The Cranefly Recording Scheme (UK) suggest it to be either Tipula paludosa (fourteen antennal segments) or Tipula oleracea (thirteen antennal segments) viz.

We think we can count fourteen segments so seemingly Tipula paludosa:

Our first Ivy Bees of 2021

Two of four or so Bees on Ivy flowering beside Bourne Road (in Bexley) where it crosses the A2 (the sightings have been submitted to iRecord):

Wild Flowers in the Waterside Garden, Crayford (beside the River Cray)

After finding ourselves in the Garden, we looked around for Wild Flowers: 

Wild Flower' Species seen included:

Bucks-Horn Plantain

Cock's-Foot viz.

Dove's-Foot Crane's-Bill

Gipsywort viz.

Greater Plantain

Great Willowherb

Ivy-Leaved Toadflax

Knotgrass

Narrow-Leaved Ragwort

Pellitory-of-the-Wall

Prickly Lettuce

Purple Loosestrife viz.

Ribwort Plantain

White Clover

Wild Clary viz.

Woody Nightshade

and Yarrow

There is also lots of Himalyan Balsam (an invasive species) present: as may be seen here:

Harebells in the Grounds of St Nicholas, Chislehurst (the LB of Bromley)

We decided to look for Harebells in the Grounds of St Nicholas, Chislehurst viz.

and Yippee, we found some viz.

Other Wild Flower' Species seen included:

Bird's-Foot Trefoil

Black Spleenwort (on the Church' Wall)

Caucasian Stonecrop

Creeping Cinquefoil 

Lesser Trefoil

Mouse-Ear Hawkweed

Lady's Bedstraw

Reflexed Stonecrop

Ribwort Plantain

Selfheal

White Clover

and Yarrow

We had earlier walked round Prickend Pond, on Chislehurst Common viz.

where Wild Flower' Species (some we think probably introduced) included:

Black Horehound

Cock's-Foot

Common Knapweed

Common Mallow

Cow Parsley

Creeping Thistle

Dwarf Mallow

Gipsywort

Great Willowherb

Groundsel

Hoary Mustard

Mugwort

Purple Loosestrife

Redshank

Ribwort Plantain

Teasel

Water Mint

White Dead-Nettle

Wild Carrot

and Yarrow

Golden Samphire on the Thames Foreshore in the Erith area

After bicycling from Woolwich to the Thames Barrier to look at the Dittander growing just west of the Barrier, Marsh Woundwort, Sea Aster and Sea Milkwort were also present, we returned home via Erith where much to our surprise we saw Golden Samphire flowering on the Thames Foreshore viz.

A Wild Flower Ramble on the Crossness Nature Reserve

We managed fifty plus species, including:

Black Horehound

Blue-Water (or Pink-Water) Speedwell

Bramble

Bristly Oxtongue

Buttercup sp. (possible Creeping)

Celery-Leaved Buttercup

Cock’s-Foot

Common Sorrel

Common Toadflax

Creeping Cinquefoil

Creeping Thistle

Dandelion

Dove’s-Foot Crane’s-Bill

Fennel

Field Bindweed

Gipsywort

Goat's-Rue

Greater Plantain

Hawthorn

Hoary Cress

Hoary Mustard

Lady’s Bedstraw

Lesser Burdock

Lesser Sea-Spurrey

Lucerne aka Alfalfa (or possibly Sand Lucerne: depending on seed formation)

Mugwort

Many-Stalked Spike-Rush

Mare’s-Tail

Marsh Sow-Thistle

Mayweed (assumed Scentless)

Narrow-Leaved Bird’s-Foot Trefoil

Nettle 

Oxeye Daisy

Pendulous Sedge

Phragmites

Purple Loosestrife

Red Bartsia

Red Clover

Redshank

Reedmace

Ribwort Plantain

St John’s-Wort sp. 

Sea Beet

Sea Clubrush

Selfheal

Spear-Leaved Orache

Strawberry Clover

Teasel

Trifid Bur-Marigold

Tufted Vetch

White Clover

White Dead-Nettle

Wild Carrot

and Yarrow 

Our First Butterfly Sightings in the London Borough of Bexley: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021

Our First Sightings are Identified for 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 viz.

Brimstone: 7 April 2015 ~ 17 March 2016 ~ 11 March 2017 ~ 26 March 2018 ~ 23 February 2019 ~ 11 March 2020 ~ 9 March 2021

Brown Argus: 4 June 2015 ~ 24 May 2016 ~ 10 May 2017 ~ 18 May 2018 ~ 16 May 2019 ~ 7 May 2020 ~ 28 May 2021

Clouded Yellow: 18 July 2015 ~ 17 August 2016 ~ 31 July 2017 ~ not seen during 2018 ~ 7 September 2019 ~ 3 August 2020 ~ 26 June 2021

Comma: 9 April 2015 ~ 17 March 2016 ~ 11 March 2017 ~ 14 March 2018 ~ 25 February 2019 ~ 23 March 2020 ~ 22 March 2021

Common Blue: 11 May 2015 ~ 22 May 2016 ~ 2 May 2017 ~ 22 May 2018 ~ 16 May 2019 ~ 10 May 2020 ~ 5 June 2021

Essex Skipper: 25 June 2015 ~ 25 June 2016 ~ 16 June 2017 ~ 29 June 2018 ~ 20 June 2019 ~ 13 June 2020 ~ 24 June 2021

Gatekeeper: 3 July 2015 ~ 6 July 2016 ~ 30 June 2017 ~ 29 June 2018 ~ 6 July 2019 ~ 11 July 2020 ~ 16 July 2021

Green Hairstreak: 28 April 2015 ~ 3 May 2016 ~ 6 April 2017 ~ 19 April 2018 ~ 19 April 2019 ~ 26 April 2020 ~ 19 April 2021

Green-Veined White: 30 March 2015 ~ 2 April 2016 ~ 27 March 2017 ~ 14 April 2018 ~ 28 March 2019 ~ 5 April 2020 ~ 4 April 2021

Holly Blue: 22 April 2015 ~ 4 May 2016 ~ 8 April 2017 ~ 22 April 2018 ~ 14 April 2019 ~ 16 April 2020 ~ 7 May 2021

Large Skipper: 5 June 2015 ~ 8 June 2016 ~ 1 June 2017 ~ 2 June 2018 ~ 2 June 2019 ~ 26 May 2020 ~ 26 June 2021

Large White: 1 May 2015 ~ 30 April 2016 ~ 10 July 2017 ~ 4 April 2018 ~ 1 June 2019 ~ 19 April 2020 ~ 26 June 2021

Long-Tailed Blue: not seen during 2015 ~ not seen during 2016 ~ not seen during 2017 ~ 29 October 2018 ~ not seen during 2019 ~ not seen during 2020 ~ 2021?

Marbled White: 24 June 2015 ~ 17 July 2016 ~ 16 June 2017 ~ 20 June 2018 ~ 22 June 2019 ~ 15 June 2020 ~ 24 June 2021

Meadow Brown: 18 June 2015 ~ 18 June 2016 ~ 7 June 2017 ~ 8 June 2018 ~ 1 June 2019 ~ 13 June 2020 ~ 15 June 2021

Orange-Tip: 7 April 2015 ~ 12 April 2016 ~ 28 March 2017 ~ 14 April 2018 ~ 28 March 2019 ~ 23 March 2020 ~ 4 April 2021

Painted Lady: 7 June 2015 ~ 5 June 2016 ~ 20 May 2017 ~ 15 June 2018 ~ 24 June 2019 ~ not seen during 2020 ~ 23 April 2021

Peacock: 30 March 2015 ~ 30 March 2016 ~ 9 March 2017 ~ 21 March 2018 ~ 25 February 2019 ~ 6 March 2020 ~ 26 February 2021

Purple Hairstreak: 5 August 2015 ~ 18 July 2016 ~ not seen during 2017 ~ not seen during 2018 ~ not seen during 2019 ~ not seen during 2020 ~ 2021?

Red Admiral: 7 March 2015 ~ 28 March 2016 ~ 28 February 2017 ~ 19 May 2018 ~ 19 February 2019 ~ 6 March 2020 ~ 22 June 2021

Ringlet: 25 June 2015 ~ 24 June 2016 ~ 14 June 2017 ~ 20 June 2018 ~ 22 June 2019 ~ 20 June 2020 ~ 24 June 2021

Silver-Washed Fritillary: not seen during 2015 ~ 23 July 2016 ~ not seen during 2017 ~ not seen during 2018 ~ not seen during 2019 ~ not seen during 2020 ~ 2021?

Small Copper: 4 May 2015 ~ 4 June 2016 ~ 10 May 2017 ~ 20 May 2018 ~ 21 April 2019 ~ 10 May 2020 ~ 7 June 2021

Small Heath: not seen during 2015 ~ 26 May 2016 ~ 20 May 2017 ~ 20 May 2018 ~ 16 May 2019 ~ 9 May 2020 ~ 28 May 2021

Small Skipper: 16 June 2015 ~ 24 June 2016 ~ 10 June 2017 ~ 15 June 2018 ~ 20 June 2019 ~ 9 June 2020 ~ 24 June 2021

Small Tortoiseshell: 7 March 2015 ~ 28 January 2016 ~ 11 March 2017 ~ 22 March 2018 ~ 22 February 2019 ~ 21 March 2020 ~ 9 March 2021

Small White: 7 April 2015 ~ 25 March 2016 ~ 11 March 2017 ~ 5 April 2018 ~ 28 March 2019 ~ 26 March 2020 ~ 22 March 2021

Speckled Wood: 9 April 2015 ~ 6 March 2016 ~ 28 March 2017 ~ 19 April 2018 ~ 28 March 2019 ~ 9 April 2020 ~ 9 April 2021

White Admiral: not seen during 2015 ~ 21 July 2016 ~ 24 June 2017 ~ 23 June 2018 ~ not seen during 2019 ~ not seen during 2020 ~ 2021?

White Letter Hairstreak: 22 July 2015 ~ not seen during 2016 ~ not seen during 2017 ~ not seen during 2018 ~ not seen during 2019 ~ not seen during 2020 ~ 2021?

Lichens in the Grounds of St John the Baptist, Erith

The British Lichen Society (BLS) has Seventeen (17) Species' Records for St John the Baptist, Erith (collected during 1995) viz. 

Amandinea punctata

Caloplaca sp.

Caloplaca flavescens

Candelariella aurelia

Candelariella medians

Candelariella vitellina

Lecania erysibe

Lecanora campestris

Lecanora conizaeoides

Lecanora dispersa

Lecanora stigmatea

Phaeophyscia orbicularis

Physcia adscendens

Physcia caesia

Verrucaria hochstettera

and Verrucaria macrostoma f. furfuracea  

We have been invited to provide an Introduction to Lichens growing in the Church' Grounds to a Conservation Group! 

And rightly or wrongly, we have accepted the Invitation! 

So we need to do some preparatory work. 

To the List above we can add: Lecidella elaeochroma, Lecanora muralis and Xanthoria parietina.

A Wild Flower &c. Walk along the North Bank of the Thames from Tower Bridge to Charing Cross

Wild Flower Species seen included:

Annual Mercury

Biting Stonecrop

Black Medick

Buck's-Horn Plantain

Creeping Thistle

Creeping Cinquefoil

Dove's-Foot Crane's-Bill

Gipsywort

Greater Plantain

Groundsel

Hemlock Water-Dropwort (close to Westminster Bridge: the Plants growing between Tower Bridge and London Bridge had flowered out)

Ivy-Leaved Speedwell

Jersey Cudweed

Knotted Hedge-Parsley (the first time we have knowingly seen it)

Nipplewort

Pellitory-of-the-Wall

Ribwort Plantain

Sow-Thistle

Sun Spurge

Wall Barley

Wall Speedwell

and Willowherb species

Our Bee-Fly Sightings during 2021

[i] our first of 2021 (19 March 2021), a Dark-Edged Bee Fly, beside the Footpath running between Bazalgette Way and the Crossness Nature Reserve viz.

[ii] and a second (19 March 2021), a Dark-Edged Bee Fly on the Erith Southern Marsh viz.

The Sightings have been submitted to and accepted by, iRecord... 

22 March 2021: five Dark-Edged Bee Flies beside the Footpath running between Bazalgette Way and the Crossness Nature Reserve (the Sightings have been submitted to and accepted by, iRecord)...

29 March 2021: [i] one Dark-Edged Bee-Fly beside the Upper Bedon Stream viz.

[ii] one Dark-Edged Bee-Fly in the vicinity of the Hailey Road Industrial Area, [iii] two Dark-Edged Bee-Flies on the Erith Southern Marsh, [iv] twelve Dark-Edged Bee Flies beside the Footpath running between Bazalgette Way and the Crossness Nature Reserve, [v] one Dark-Edged Bee-Fly on the Crossness Nature Reserve and [vi] two Dark-Edged Bee-Flies in the vicinity of Thamesmead Football Club (all submitted to and accepted by, iRecord)...

30 March 2021: three Dark-Edged Bee Flies in Frank's Park (submitted to and accepted by iRecord)...

1 April 2021: [i] one Dark-Edged Bee-Fly in the Garden (at Home) and [ii] two Dark Edged Bee-Flies on Bostall Heath (submitted to and accepted by iRecord)...

4 April 2021:  [i] one Dark-Edged Bee-Fly beside the Upper Bedon Stream and [ii] one Dark-Edged Bee-Fly in Lesnes Abbey Woods (submitted to and accepted by iRecord)... 

5 April 2021: one Dark-Edged Bee-Fly on Bostall Heath (submitted to and accepted by iRecord)...

6 April 2021: two Dark-Edged Bee-Flies beside the Upper Bedon Stream (submitted to and accepted by iRecord)... 

8 April 2021: two Dark-Edged Bee-Flies on Bostall Heath (submitted to and accepted by iRecord)...

9 April 2021: fifteen Dark-Edged Bee Flies beside the Footpath running between Bazalgette Way and the Crossness Nature Reserve (submitted to and accepted by iRecord)...

11 April 2021: two Dark-Edged Bee-Flies in Lesnes Abbey Woods (submitted to and accepted by iRecord)... 

14 April 2021: [i] two Dark-Edged Bee-Flies on the Erith Southern Marsh and [ii] five Dark-Edged Bee Flies beside the Footpath running between Bazalgette Way and the Crossness Nature Reserve (submitted to and accepted by iRecord)...

15 April 2021: one Dark-Edged Bee-Fly on Bostall Heath (submitted to and accepted by iRecord)...

16 April 2021: five Dark-Edged Bee Flies beside the Footpath running between Bazalgette Way and the Crossness Nature Reserve (submitted to and accepted by iRecord)...

17 April 2021: two Dark-Edged Bee Flies in Frank's Park (submitted to and accepted by iRecord)...

19 April 2021: two Dark-Edged Bee-Flies in Lesnes Abbey Woods (submitted to and accepted by iRecord)... 

22 April 2021: one Dark-Edged Bee-Fly beside the Upper Bedon Stream (submitted to and accepted by iRecord)... 

5 May 2021: one Dark-Edged Bee-Fly on Bostall Heath (no picture so not submitted to iRecord)...

9 May 2021: two Dark-Edged Bee-Flies on Bostall Heath (no pictures so not submitted to iRecord)...

12 June 2021: one Dark-Edged Bee-Fly on Hutchinson's Bank (submitted to and accepted by iRecord)...

Footnote: we understand that there are no Records for the Dotted Bee-Fly within the area enclosed by the M25 Motorway so super-unlikely we will see one locally...

Banded Demoiselles

We are slightly confused. We spotted our first Banded Demoiselles of the year on the Hall Place' Flood Plain beside the River Cray. It is our understanding that the males are blue, the females green.

We decided to submit the sightings to iRecord: noting our understanding re. the colours. We were told: 'males can be identified in the field with care and experience. Female identification. only accepted from known Recorders or else needs confirmation from Vice County Recorder'. 

Fair enough we thought. Anyway: the Records have now been accepted without qualification! If we submit any more Records we will leave Sex as 'not recorded' with a note under the Comments.

Pictures show male (blue) and female (green): 

Update (7 June 2021): we have submitted and have had accepted, another three Records, for Demoiselles seen on the Upper College Farm, Landfill Site:

 

A Blue-Tailed Damselfly

Submitted to iRecord and had accepted, this (female) Blue-Tailed Damselfly, seen on the Upper College Farm, Landfill area:

Our first ever, Damselfly' Record.

Yippee: the Andrena florea (Bryony Mining Bees) are back in the Garden (at Home)

 Seen during 2019, 2020 and now 2021 viz.