We visit the East Wickham Open Space to check on the White Bryony

White Bryony = (hopefully) Bryony Mining Bee (Andrena florea). And Yes: the White Bryony is still there, growing close to the Entrance where Fanny-on-the-Hill used to stand. Hopefully a few Bees will turn up.

We also saw our first Common Blue Butterfly of the Year viz.

and a Small Copper Butterfly viz.

Wild Flower ' Species seen included lots of flowering Germander Speedwell.

A Honey Bee was visiting a Rose viz.

and there were a few Crane Flies present viz.

Crane Flies on Bostall Heath (the Royal Borough of Greenwich)

We think these are different Species: one pair has Turquoise Eyes and the other pair, Brown Eyes viz.

Assuming we have identified the Eyes correctly.

Small Heath Butterflies on the Upper College Farm

Off to Foots Cray Meadows and the Upper College Farm in search of Butterflies: particularly Small Heath Butterflies. We wondered if we might be a little early but found three on the Upper College Farm (the earliest we have found them locally) viz.

Still no Common Blue Butterfly yet though.

We have submitted some Bee-Fly Records to iRecord

Well: why not!

We understand Bee-Flies may generally be seen out and about during March, April, May and June. And it really helps that they are so distinctive.

The following Sightings have been submitted to iRecord:

11 March 2020 ~ seen on the Erith Southern Marsh
21 March 2020 ~ seen in Lesnes Abbey Park
26 March 2020 ~ seen beside the Upper Bedon Stream
09 April 2020 ~ seen in Lesnes Abbey Woods
10 April 2020 ~ seen in the Garden (at Home)
11 April 2020 ~ seen on Bostall Heath (the Royal Borough of Greenwich)
12 April 2020 ~ seen in Lesnes Abbey Woods viz.

14 April 2020 ~ seen in the Garden (at Home)
15 April 2020 ~ seen on Bostall Heath (the Royal Borough of Greenwich) and Lesnes Abbey Woods
17 April 2020 ~ seen on Bostall Heath (the Royal Borough of Greenwich)
19 April 2020 ~ seen in Lesnes Abbey Woods
20 April 2020 ~ seen in the Bexleyheath area
21 April 2020 ~ seen on Bostall Heath (the Royal Borough of Greenwich)
22 April 2020 ~ seen in Lesnes Abbey Park and Lesnes Abbey Woods

23 April 2020 ~ seen on Bostall Heath (the Royal Borough of Greenwich)
26 April 2020 ~ seen on the Erith Southern Marsh
2 May 2020 ~ seen on Bostall Heath (the Royal Borough of Greenwich), in Lesnes Abbey Woods, beside a Disused Track in the Thamesmead area and beside a Public Footpath in the Belvedere area

Although all Bombylius major (the Dark-Edged Bee-Fly) we are ever hopeful that we might see a Bombylius discolor (the Dotted Bee-Fly) before June is out.

It is important to note that the Sightings submitted to iRecord (for thirty-seven plus individuals) represent just a handful of the Bee-Flies seen by us during 2020.

See also ... https://www.brc.ac.uk/soldierflies-and-allies/bee-fly-watch …

Footnote: two Bee-Flies seen 9  May 2020 on Bostall Heath (the Royal Borough of Greenwich), but no Photographs so no Records submitted.

Butterflies, Crane Flies, Shield Bugs &c. on Bostall Heath (the Royal Borough of Greenwich)

We had intended to go to Lesnes Abbey Woods as well but never made it.

We saw our first Small Copper Butterfly and Burnet Companion Moth (no picture alas) of the year: also at least one, or possibly two, Brown Argus Butterflies viz.

There were quite a few Crane Flies our and about. It's really strange watching them fly when joined together: they invariably Crash-Land, sometimes seemingly quite Violently!

We also saw what we think is our first Hairy Shield Bug on the Heath viz.

There were also twenty-one Dock Bugs in the usual place.

We also noticed a small population of Wood Dock (not previously noticed) and a single Nipplewort in flower. Plus this assumed Honey Bee:

The Moon (6 and 7 May)

6 May: … … … … …

7 May: … … … … 

Sanderlings, a Turnstone and a Ringed Plover on the Thames' Foreshore in the Belvedere area

Totally amazed to see them (the first time we have seen a Sanderling locally) viz.

plus a lone Ringed Plover viz.

We also saw an Oystercatcher flying upstream or downstream: can't remember which!

To Bursted Woods and its Environs

Our visits to Bursted Woods have been few and far between but we needed a change of scene and wanted to see if we could find the Pignut that is present there: which we did (the first time we have knowingly seen it although we only found a handful of Plants).

Wild Flower' Species seen included:

Bluebell
Bulbous Buttercup
Burdock
Climbing Corydalis viz.

Cock's-Foot
Cow Parsley
Hawk's-Beard 
Hedgerow Crane's-Bill
Pignut viz.

Sheep's Sorrel
and Wood Dock viz.

To Bostall Heath (the Royal Borough of Greenwich)

Where we saw a Green Hairstreak Butterfly on the Balkan Spurge viz.

Plus a couple of Bee-Flies although we were unable to photograph either.

We have take a fancy to Crane Flies viz.

Wild Flower' Species seen flowering:

Balkan Spurge
Bluebell
Broom
Buck's-Horn Plantain
Bulbous Buttercup
Bush Vetch
Common Chickweed
Common Mouse-Ear
Common Vetch
Cow Parsley
Cut-Leaved Crane's-Bill
Daisy
Dandelion
Dock (Broad-Leaved Dock we think) viz.

Dove's-Foot Crane's-Bill
Germander Speedwell
Goat's-Beard
Gorse
Green Alkanet
Hawk's-Beard
Hedge Mustard
Herb Robert
Honesty
Meadow Foxtail
Mouse-Ear Hawkweed
Red Dead-Nettle
Ribwort Plantain
Shepherd's-Purse
Sow-Thistle
Spotted Medick
Wild Garlic
Wintercress viz.

Wood Avens
and Yarrow

We visit a Disused Track running below The Ridgeway in the Thamesead area

Not quite what we had hoped for and if we are to be honest: slightly Creepy. Although it doesn't look it viz.

But there are deep tyre tracks and we were hoping not to meet anyone driving along to/from the Horses we had seen when we first noticed the Track. We turned round after encountering a strange and rather sickly smell.

Butterflies seen:

Comma x2
Green-Veined White 
Orange-Tip x2 including this Butterfly visiting Garlic Mustard:

Peacock x2
Small Tortoiseshell 
Speckled Wood x3
Unidentified White x7

We also saw our first Damselflies of the year: including this Guy:

and a couple of Hairy Shield Bugs viz.

There was nothing unusual Wild Flower-Wise.

And, whilst en-route Home we spotted a Green Hairstreak Butterfly beside the Footpath that runs from Bazalgette Road to the Crossness Nature Reserve alongside the Crossness Sewage Works viz.

The Ditch in Southmere Park

The Ditch was dug out a few years ago. I don't think we ever found out why but it has been left to grow Wild (hopefully we don't tempt Fate) and a variety of Wild Flowers have set up Home.

We have previously seen Sneezewort growing there which makes us wonder whether it was introduced: there is also Red Campion and White Campion present.

Other Wild Flowers include Common Sorrel, Common Vetch, Creeping Thistle, Docks, Mugwort and White Dead-Nettle. And we vaguely remember seeing Bird's-Foot Trefoil.

Somewhere to keep an eye on...

White Bryony and Bryony Mining Bees (Andrena florea)

Update from 24 April: the Bees attracted by the White Bryony growing in the Garden (at Home) have been confirmed as Bryony Mining Bees (Andrena florea) viz.

The Sightings have been submitted to iRecord.

We first saw them in the Garden, last year. We had previously removed the White Bryony but left it last year (don't know why) and super-pleased we did.

The Bryony Mining Bee is described by the Bees, Wasps and Ants Recording Society (BWARS) as Rare but from our experience (also seeing them beside the Upper Bedon Stream last year), we are inclined to think it is probably Under-Recorded.