11/7/09: Barnehurst allotments + Lewisham

Barnehurst: On the allotments, the pregnant Common Lizard, previously seen on the old tyre to the right of the steps from the main path, was now basking a few feet away on a tyre - re-positioned from further down the plot -to the left of the steps. She stayed put even while I spread some compost 18" away.

There were three small-sized Skippers flitting about around the top of the plot feeding on Lavender and Red Clover. Two were positively identified as Essex Skippers.

Two small Black Bindweed plants were noted, along with several Scarlet Pimpernel seedlings. A White Campion was in flower.

Bexleyheath railway line: Two Wild Carrot plants were in flower behind the Bexleyheath 'down' platform. Having caught a fleeting glimpse of what I thought were Caper Spurges (Euphorbia lathyris) on the low bank north of the line between Welling and Falconwood, I was able to concentrate harder today and got a positive ID - despite the speed of the train. There were about half a dozen plants close together, and another couple further along.

There was a large clump of non-native Chrysanthemum maximum in flower on the bank between Charlton junction and Blackheath station. I hadn't notice dthis before. (At least one of the two plants of this species that were behind the 'down' platform at Barnehurst is still there, though these might have been planted a long time ago).

Lewisham: In the Cornmill Gardens area by the River Ravensbourne were a couple of Goat's-rue (Galega officinalis). In a 'wild' zone at the foot of Hilly Fields, by Adelaide Avenue, there were, besides the usual Creeping and Spear Thistles, and Red and White Clovers, several clumps of Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), which I've previously only seen under cultivation in gardens. Ladywell Fields, to the east of Ladywell station, is taking on a more naturalistic aspect around a new, artificially re-created, meandering river channel - part of a scheme to free the river from the 'straight jacket' it had previously been put into.

See the London Rivers Action Plan:

http://www.therrc.co.uk/lrap.php

10/07/09: Plants, Small Tortoiseshell + Swallowtail

Checked out an alley off Belmont Rd., Northumberland Heath, where I hadn't been since the early 70s - when I made go-karts out of scrap wood and old pram wheels with a kid who lived next to it.

The flora is typical of other alleys in the area, including Black Horehound, Common Mallow, White Clover, Mugwort, Hoary Plantain, Bramble, Japanese Knotweed, Herb Bennett, Knotgrass, Hedge Mustard, Smooth Sow Thistle, Nipplewort, Creeping Cinquefoil, Stinging Nettle, the grasses Hordeum murinum, Lolium sp. and so on. There was also a stand of Bracken.

Whilst I was photographing this unusual alleyway denizen - Himlayan Balsam - an Essex Skipper butterfly landed on a tall grass stem next to me and I was able to see the diagnostic black undersides to the antennae.

Himalayan Balsam

Then came the highlight - this Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae), now a very rare sight, especially in the South East.

Small Tortoiseshell - you'll be lucky to see one hereabouts these days

I did see another a couple of weeks ago at Lesnes Abbey. And, from memory, only one in each of the last couple of years in Bristol. The severe decline may be due to climate change, exacerbating a parasitoid fly problem.

There were two Sun Spurges, a species that tends to be found fairly infrequently and usually only a very few plants together at any particular location. Here they were amongst a load of Annual Mercury by a small electricity sub-station.

Sun Spurge (Euphorbia helioscopia)

The flora of short-mown grass outside the Hovis Bakery on Belmont Road included Red and White Clovers, Buck's-horn Plantain and Knotted Hedge Parsley.

This Field Madder was in a crack in paving on York Terrace.


There was a good show of Common Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) and Opium Poppies (P. somniferum) around the electricity sub-station on St. Paul's Rd, as there has been for at least a couple of years now. My suspicion is that someone threw some seeds in there to brighten up the bare ground, but I could be wrong. At least they're relatively safe from the strimmer brigade!

Another new record for my garden (found at the lounge window after dark) was this Swallowtail Moth (Ourapteryx sambucaria), still fairly yellow, and thus a freshly-emerged individual. There was also a Silver-Y moth.