Lichens growing close to Home

We have identified eleven Lichen' Species, growing close to Home viz.

Physcia adscendens and Xanthoria parietina (yellow) growing on one of the Apple Trees in the Back Garden viz.

Lecidella elaeochroma growing on the Judas Tree in the Back Garden:

Parmelia sulcata and Phaeophyscia orbicularis growing on one of the Apple Trees in the Back Garden viz.

Lecanora albescens growing on the Garage Wall viz.

Physcia caesia growing on a Road-Side Kerb Stone in front of the Bungalow viz.

Lecanora muralis growing on a Road-Side Kerb Stone in front of the Bungalow viz.

Lecanora carpinea growing on one of the Apple Trees in the Back Garden viz.

Arthonia radiata growing on one of the Apple Trees in the Back Garden viz.

Lecanora chlarotera or Lecanora hybocarpa (indistinguishable except by microscopy) growing on one of the Apple Trees in the Back Garden viz.

[picture to be included]

Footnote: these are growing on the Roof of the Bungalow: the first picture shows Lichens on the Ridge Tilea, the second picture Lichens on the Chimney:

Wild Flower Records

We need to collect records for a couple of local Monads viz. TQ4775 and TQ4776: especially Spring records such as Lesser Celandine...

A Bird Walk

It has been a while since we have done a Bird Walk: we tend to be too easily side-tracked (we had intended to look for Birds on New Year's Day but got sidetracked by Hoverflies and Wild Flowers). But despite being occasionally side-tracked by Lichens we managed to generally remain focused on Birds. 

We started out by walking through the Norman Road Field: then across the Crossness Nature Reserve up to the Thames Path and then along the Thames Path to Erith. 

We hoped to see Stonechats in the Norman Road Field and Ringed Plovers on the Thames' Foreshore. And we saw both viz.

Bird' Species recorded:

Magpie

Stonechat (first of the year)

Grey Heron

Wood Pigeon

Coot

Moorhen

Shoveler

Shelduck

Black-Headed Gull

Ringed Plover (first of the year)

Dunlin

Cormorant

Teal

Mallard

Gadwall

Dunnock (first of the year)

Linnet

Curlew

Redshank

Black-Tailed Godwit (first of the year)

Black Redstart (first of the year: seen briefly before being frightened off by a bicyclist)

Avocet (first of the year) viz.

Rock Pipit

Ring-Necked Parakeet (heard only)

Pied Wagtail

and Grey Wagtail (first of the year)

A very respectable total (for us) of twenty-six Bird' Species...

The New Year's Plant Hunt (sponsored by The Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland)

Our last ever Hunt?

Wild Flower' Species seen in flower on 1 January 2022:

Common Chickweed (TQ5078) viz.

Common Field-Speedwell (TQ4980)

Daisy (TQ4980)

Dandelion (TQ5078) viz. 

Green Alkanet (TQ5078)

Groundsel (TQ4980)

Hogweed (TQ4980)

Narrow-Leaved Ragwort (TQ4980)

Oxford Ragwort (TQ4980) viz.

Primrose (TQ5078)

Red Dead-Nettle (TQ4980)

Smooth Sow-Thistle (TQ4980)

White Dead-Nettle (TQ4980)

Wild Carrot (TQ4980)
Winter Heliotrope (TQ4980) viz.

and Yarrow (TQ4980)

The Records have been submitted...

Footnote: we hadn't actually intended to do the Plant Hunt, initially intending to focus on Birds. We decided to do the Plant Hunt after seeing Hoverflies on Dandelions and Common Chickweed beside the Grounds of St John the Baptist, Erith.

Bird' Species seen in the Thamesmead and Erith areas (in order of sighting):

Black-Headed Gull

Mallard

Coot 

Little Grebe

Cormorant

Grey Heron

Tufted Duck

Pochard

Great Crested Grebe

Robin

Common Gull

Carrion Crow

Teal

Ring-Necked Parakeet

Magpie

Mute Swan

Starling

Canada Goose

Wood Pigeon

Lesser Black-Backed Gull

House Sparrow

Great Black-Backed Gull

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Chaffinch

Goldfinch

Shelduck

Shoveler

Wigeon

Curlew

Moorhen 

Gadwall 

and Little Egret

Clovers

One of the Wild Flowers we are hoping, God Willing, to make acquaintance with during 2022, is Woolly Clover: on nearby Blackheath viz. ... https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59f5e6278dd0415634a5d915/t/5afc02ff0e2e72d2d8a67577/1526465415794/An+Introduction+to+Blackheaths+Clovers+and+Allies+Joe+Beale.pdf

Recommended areas for Clovers on Blackheath: TQ 39008 76437,  TQ39907 76820 and TQ39062 76500

During 2021 we saw Clustered Clover, Hare's-Foot Clover, Knotted Clover, Red Clover, Strawberry Clover and White Clover growing locally...