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.