A Mini Safari on Boxing Day

A turn around Bostall Heath/Woods (in the Royal Borough of Greenwich) in search of Lichens and Mosses:

A Mini Safari on Christmas Day

With a pressing Engagement requiring our attendance during the early-afternoon, we only had time for a Mini-Safari.

A lack of Sunshine likely precluded the possibility of us finding any Hoverflies, so Lichens and Mosses were our Prey viz.

Of Bees, Birds, Hoverflies, Common Fumitory and Tugs on Christmas Eve

'Twas the Day before Christmas.

The Sun was Shining so we popped over to the Allotments in search of Hoverflies. Annoyingly, Clouds then hid the Sun and there was absolutely nothing to be seen, Bee, Fly or Hoverfly.

So: down to the Thames in the Erith area. By now, the Sun was Shining again. A lot of Mud was still exposed so whilst we waited for the Incoming Tide to bring the Birds in closer, we stood beside some flowering Hebes in The Riverside Gardens, hoping to see a Bee, a Hoverfly: anything really. And we were lucky enough to see a Bee (a possible White-Tailed Bumblebee) viz.

Then back to the River. Birds present on the Foreshore included: Black-Headed Gulls, Black-Tailed Godwits, Mallards, Moorhens, Redshanks, Shelducks, Teals and these Little Guys (viz. a Pied Wagtail and a Rock Pipit):

With the Sun still Shining we hurried back to the Allotments: hopeful of a Hoverfly or two. In the Event, we saw five viz;

[i] Ersitalis tenax (two of 'em):

[ii] Episyrphus balteatus (two of 'em):

and [iii], a single Meliscaeva auricollis.

Last but not least, in addition to the Charlock, we were pleased to see that the Common Fumitory is still flowering viz.

Footnote: all quiet on the River, Shipping-Wise, but we did see four Tugs moored together viz.

Namely, GPS Illyria, GPS Ionia, GPS Cambria and GPS Anglia…

Some Lichens &c. on Winn's Common, Plumstead (the RB of Greenwich)

Grid Reference: TQ4578.

And of course, lots of Xanthoria parietina.

Some Lichens &c. in the West Heath Recreation Ground

Grid Reference: TQ4777.

Some of the Lichens &c. seen on a Group of Stones in a Children's Play Area during a first visit:

Lichens &c. in and around the Grounds of 'The Parish and Ancient Church of St Nicholas, Plumstead, Serving Plumstead Since 960 AD' (the RB of Greenwich)

Grid Reference: TQ4578...

Some Lichens beside the Upper Bedon Stream

We went in Search of Hoverflies and Lichens beside the Upper Bedon Stream.

Not many Lichens were immediately apparent although we did find three/four trees with Xanthoria parietina and Physcia adscendens (and/or Physcia tenella) viz.

Oh: and we also saw a handful of Hoverflies, namely, Episyrphus balteatus and Eupeodes sp.

Footnote: walking up Brook Street on the way Home via Belvedere Village, we noticed additional Lichens viz.

The above Lichens are kindly identified as Physicia caesia (which apparently has much more conspicuous pale patches/flecks/maculae on the lobes and is more silvery grey than Phaeophyscia oericularis). We are told it isn't always easy to separate P. caesia and P. oericularis.

All Lichens were seeen within Grid References: TQ4977 and TQ4978

Some Lichens seen on Trees in Lesnes Abbey Woods

Whilst walking to the Woods we noticed some Lichens growing on a Concrete Post close to the Entrance to the Woods in the Woolwich Road viz.

being Candelariella aurelia (the yellow ones) and Calopiaca oasis (the orange ones).