We join a Bird Walk on the Crossness Nature Reserve

As is the way of these things, we were distracted almost from the word, Go. That being said we saw a few Birds including: a Blackcap, Black-Tailed Godwits, a Gadwall, a Grey Heron, a couple of Peregrine Falcons, a Redshank and Teals. We had been particularly hoping to see a Stonechat: sadly, nothing doing. But next time perhaps?

We were mainly on the look-out for Bees, Butterflies, Dragonflies, Hoverflies and Wild Flowers.

Wild Flower' Species seen included:

Bird's-Foot Trefoil 
Black Horehound
Black Medick
Bristly Oxtongue viz.

Common Ragwort viz.

Common Stork's-Bill
Common Toadflax viz.

Creeping Cinquefoil 
Creeping Thistle
Goat's-Rue
Lady's Bedstraw
Red Clover
Sand Medick (assumed)
Scentless Mayweed
Sea Beet
Strawberry Clover
Twiggy Spurge
White Dead-Nettle
and Yarrow

Some Wild Flowers seen whilst on 'Fridge Duties

Wild Flowers &c. seen whilst on our daily Pilgrimage to collect Food for the local Community 'Fridge included:

Black Horehound viz.

Buddleia
Common Mallow
Creeping Thistle (in the Garden (at Home))
Dog Violet (in the Garden (at Home))
Four-Leaved Allseed
Green Alkanet
Groundsel
Ivy-Leaved Toadflax
Jersey Cudweed viz.

Pellitory-of-the-Wall
Red Valerian (in the Garden (at Home))
and Water Bent

And the Moon was looking really Bright and Shiny viz.

From Blackfriars Railway Station to London Bridge Railway Station (along the South Bank of the Thames)

Up to St Pancras International and King's Cross Railway Stations to photograph Trains. Then back to Blackfriars (via Thameslink) to photograph more Trains: we then walked along the South Bank of the Thames, to London Bridge.

Wild Flowers seen between Blackfriars and London Bridge, included:

Annual Meadow-Grass
Black Nightshade
Bristly Oxtongue
Buddleia viz.

Common Chickweed
Common Mallow
Common Nettle
Common Ragwort
Common Sow-Thistle
Creeping Cinquefoil
Daisy
Dandelion
Fat Hen
Greater Plantain
Groundsel
Hart's-Tongue Fern
Many-Seeded Goosefoot viz.

Mexican Fleabane (Self-Seeded)
Oxford Ragwort
Pellitory-of-the-Wall
Petty Spurge
Prickly Sow-Thistle
Procumbent Pearlwort viz.

Red Dead-Nettle 
Spotted Medick
Sun Spurge viz.

Wall Barley
Wall Lettuce
Water Bent
and Yarrow

To the Upper Bedon Stream and around the Holly Hill Open Space

We walked down to the Upper Bedon Stream and then did a circuit of the Holly Hill Open Space before returning Home.

Wild Flowers seen during the Walk included:

Barnyard Grass viz.

Biting Stonecrop (assumed)
Black Bindweed
Black Horehound
Broad-Leaved Everlasting-Pea
Buck's-Horn Plantain
California Poppy (Self-Seeded) 
Cleavers
Common Chickweed viz.

Common Knotgrass
Common Mallow
Common Ragwort
Common Stork's-Bill
Cow Parsley 
Creeping Cinquefoil
Creeping Thistle viz.

Dandelion
Dove's-Foot Crane's-Bill
Dwarf Mallow
Field Bindweed
Field Madder
Four-Leaved Allseed
Great Willowherb viz.

Greater Plantain
Green Alkanet
Groundsel
Hare's-Foot Clover
Herb Robert
Ivy Broomrape
Ivy-Leaved Toadflax
Jersey Cudweed
Lady's Bedstraw
Mouse-Ear Hawkweed
Pellitory-of-the-Wall
Petty Spurge
Procumbent Pearlwort
Purple-Leaved Procumbent Yellow-Sorrel
Red Dead-Nettle
Red Valerian
Ribwort Plantain
Scarlet Pimpernel viz.

Sow-Thistle
Spear Thistle
Spotted Spurge
Sweet Alyssum (Self-Seeded)
Weld viz.

White Bryony
White Dead-Nettle
and Yarrow

Butterflies seen included [i] a Brown Argus Butterfly beside the Upper Bedon Stream and [ii] a Common Blue Butterfly, three Small Copper Butterflies and a Small Heath Butterfly on the Holly Hill Open Space:

To Bostall Heath (the Royal Borough of Greenwich) and Back Home

Some of the Wild Flowers seen whilst walking to/from (and on) Bostall Heath: we had decided to look for Hoverflies &c. (of which we found quite a few). Also our first Fly, Tachina fera, for quite a while:

Agrimony
Annual Mercury
Black Bindweed
Black Horehound
Black Medick
Broad-Leaved Everlasting-Pea
Buck's-Horn Plantain
Buddleia
Caper Spurge (dried remnants)
Cat's-Ear
Common Chickweed
Common Knotgrass
Common Mallow
Common Ragwort
Common Stork's-Bill
Coral Spurge
Creeping Thistle viz.

Dove's-Foot Crane's-Bill
Dwarf Mallow
Fat Hen
Four-Leaved Allseed
Gorse
Greater Plantain
Green Alkanet
Groundsel
Guernsey Fleabane
Hare's-Foot Clover viz.

Hawkweed Oxtongue
Ivy-Leaved Toadflax
Jersey Cudweed
Lavender (Self-Seeded and growing in a Roadside Gutter)
Mouse-Ear Hawkweed
Mugwort
Pellitory-of-the-Wall
Petty Spurge
Prickly Lettuce
Purple-Leaved Procumbent Yellow-Sorrel
Red Clover
Red Dead-Nettle
Red Valerian viz.

Redshank
Ribwort Plantain
Rosebay Willowherb
Shepherd's-Purse
Sow-Thistle
Sweet Alyssum (Self-Seeded)
Sweet Violet
Wood Avens
Wood Sage
and Yarrow

Birds seen beside/on &c. the Thames in the Belvedere and Erith areas (aka the 'Patch')

Black Headed Gulls
Cormorants
Lesser Black-Backed Gulls
Mallards
Ringed Plovers viz.

An Ivy Bee on the Crayford Marshes

The Ivy is starting to come into flower and there were quite a few Ivy Bees present (the Sightings have been submitted to iRecord):

The Sightings have been submitted to iRecord and Confirmed as OK.

Wild Flower' Species seen during a Nature Walk included:

Black Horehound
Common Ragwort
Common Restharrow viz.

Crown Vetch
Hawkweed Oxtongue
Narrow-Leaved Ragwort
Red Clover
Sand Medick
Sea Aster
Sea Beet
Soapwort
Twiggy Spurge
White Campion
Wild Carrot
Yarrow

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

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

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

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

Clouded Yellow: 18 July 2015 ~ 17 August 2016 ~ 31 July 2017 ~ not seen during 2018 ~ 7 September 2019

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

Common Blue: 11 May 2015 ~ 22 May 2016 ~ 2 May 2017 ~ 22 May 2018 ~ 16 May 2019

Essex Skipper: 25 June 2015 ~ 25 June 2016 ~ 16 June 2017 ~ 29 June 2018 ~ 20 June 2019

Gatekeeper: 3 July 2015 ~ 6 July 2016 ~ 30 June 2017 ~ 29 June 2018 ~ 6 July 2019

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

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

Holly Blue: 22 April 2015 ~ 4 May 2016 ~ 8 April 2017 ~ 22 April 2018 ~ 14 April 2019

Large Skipper: 5 June 2015 ~ 8 June 2016 ~ 1 June 2017 ~ 2 June 2018 ~ 2 June 2019

Large White: 1 May 2015, 30 April 2016 ~ 10 July 2017 ~ 4 April 2018 ~ 1 June 2019

Long-Tailed Blue: not seen during 2015 ~ not seen during 2016 ~ not seen during 2017 ~ 29 October 2018

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

Meadow Brown: 18 June 2015 ~ 18 June 2016 ~ 7 June 2017 ~ 8 June 2018 ~ 1 June 2019

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

Painted Lady: 7 June 2015 ~ 5 June 2016 ~ 20 May 2017 ~ 15 June 2018 ~ 24 June 2019

Peacock: 30 March 2015 ~ 30 March 2016 ~ 9 March 2017 ~ 21 March 2018 ~ 25 February 2019:

Purple Hairstreak: 5 August 2015 ~ 18 July 2016 ~ not seen during 2017 ~ not seen during 2018

Red Admiral: 7 March 2015 ~ 28 March 2016 ~ 28 February 2017 ~ 19 May 2018 ~ 19 February 2019

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

Silver-Washed Fritillary: not seen during 2015 ~ 23 July 2016 ~ not seen during 2017 ~ not seen during 2018

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

White Letter Hairstreak: 22 July 2015 ~ not seen during 2016 ~ not seen during 2017 ~ not seen during 2018

Some Wild Flowers &c. seen during a Walk Home from Bexleyheath Railway Station

After checking on some Railway Tickets, we decided to walk Home. Wild Flowers seen included:

Bird's-Foot Trefoil viz.

Black Bindweed
Black Medick
Black Horehound
Black Nightshade
Bladder Campion
Bristly Oxtongue viz.

Broad-Leaved Everlasting-Pea viz.

Buddleia
California Poppy (Self-Seeded and growing on a Public Pavement)
Common Chickweed
Common Knotweed
Common Mallow
Common Ragwort
Daisy
Dandelion
Cow Parsley
Fat Hen
Field Bindweed
Four-Leaved Allseed
Greater Plantain
Greater Willowherb
Groundsel
(assumed) Hawkweed sp.
Hedge Mustard
Jersey Cudweed
Mugwort
Pellitory-of-the-Wall
Petty Spurge
Pineapple Weed
Prickly Lettuce
Purple Loosestrife
Red Dead-Nettle
Redshank
Ribwort Plantain
Shepherd's-Purse
(a low-growing) Spear Thistle viz.

Water Bent
Wood Avens
and Yarrow viz.

And we also spotted a couple of assumed Common Field Grasshoppers on a small Strimmed area viz.

Some Wild Flowers &c. seen whilst on our daily Pilgrimage to collect Food for the local Community 'Fridge

Wild Flowers &c. seen whilst on our daily Pilgrimage to collect Food for the local Community 'Fridge included:

Black Horehound
Bristly Oxtongue
Buddleia
Common Chickweed
Common Mallow
California Poppy (Self-Seeded on a Public Pavement)
Fat Hen
Four-Leaved Allseed
Green Alkanet
Henbit Dead-Nettle
Ivy-Leaved Toadflax viz.

Jersey Cudweed
Lavender (growing in a Roadside Gutter) viz.

Mexican Fleabane (Self-Seeded in the Bostall Library Car Park)
Oxford Ragwort
Pellitory-of-the-Wall
Petty Spurge Prickly Lettuce
Red Dead-Nettle
Redshank
Shepherd's-Purse
Sow-Thistle
Verbena Bonariensis (Self-Seeded in the Bostall Library Car Park)
and Water Bent

We reach 1000 Hoverfly Records for 2019

Yippee: despite our somewhat haphazard approach, we have reached 1000 Hoverfly Records for 2019. Probably way below the Number reached by most other people but surely better than nothing.

They will be submitted to UK Hoverflies at year-end by which time, the figure will hopefully have risen to 1100 plus Records:

Pictured: Myathropa florea and Volucella zonaria...

With the advent of Autumn it's time to prepare the Garden (at Home) for next year

We are now winding down looking for Bees, Butterflies, Hoverflies &c.: both in the Garden (at Home) and elsewhere.

And as we become more involved in other activities viz. especially Stamp Collecting/Postal History, with our interest centred on (British) East Africa, New Zealand and Rhodesia, we are thinking that our Wildlife activities will be increasingly focused on the Garden (at Home).

Plans (God Willing) for 2020 in the Garden (at Home) include introducing more Lamb's-Ear (for the Wool Carder Bees) and cutting back on the Common Ragwort (much of which became very straggly this year). Two or three Plants will surely suffice.

Hopefully White Bryony will grow again and again attract the Andrena florea Bees *. Andrena florea are described as 'rare' by BWARS but we are inclined to think they might simply be 'under-recorded' (after also seeing the Bees on White Bryony beside the Upper Bedon Stream).

* all Andrena florea Sightings have been submitted to and accepted by, iRecord (similarly, Wool Carder Bee, Sightings).

Notwithstanding, we'll soon be back beside the River looking locally (on the so-called, 'Patch') for Black-Tailed Godwits, Dunlins, Grey Wagtails, Lapwings, Little Egrets, Redshanks, Ringed Plovers, Rock Pipits &c. And hopefully we might see an Avocet or two.

Bees seen today in the Garden (at Home) included: