12/1/10: River Cray and Thames Rd wetland/Dartford Marshes

The Cray Riverkeeper Volunteers are taking over the man-made wetland between the River Cray, Thames Rd, railway and Sewer Pipe embankment. More on this sometime in the future.

Having done a basic botanical survey in the summer, I thought the snow would increase the possibility of some interesting bird life using the water. But it was almost entirely frozen over. A couple of things I couldn't identify flew up and disappeared back into the dead reed/bulrush stems, but that was it.

Up on the embankment there was a small party of Chaffinches (I think) and 2 Redwings.

Before I checked the wetland there had been 3 Mute Swans just upstream of the Thames Rd bridge, and when I came back out there were 2 Cormorants on the river, giving a close view as they took flight in a hurry.

Mute Swans on the Cray near Thames Road

Man-made wetland area next to where Thames Rd crosses the River Cray. This former field was excavated to below the already high water table, and planted with Reemace and other species. The raised strips of ground with channels between are designed to attract Water Voles.

Numerous animal tracks in the snow leading up to the Sewer Embankment - it's not just Thames Rd that has heavy traffic!

There was a Redwing in a tree in the canalized 'gulley' on the downstream side of Thames Rd. A Heron flew over just as I came under the railway line.

Just before it got too dark to see what was going on, 2 female Shoveler duck, a probable male in flight and a male Pochard were seen on a ditch on Dartford Marshes. 3 Lapwing were spotted, one flying within a few feet of me on the inside the Council compound's fence as I made my way back to the main road.

Around 54 Starlings were in the air behind the 'Jolly Farmers' pub.

25 House Sparrows were seen (and judging by the sound there were more) in low hedging by the 'Imagination' company building on Thames Rd, and more were heard in the bushes in the centre of the Perry St roundabout.

12/1/10: Snow Patrol, Barnehurst to Crayford yields Fieldfares

On leaving the house I had a very good close-up view of the local Wren, hopping along a branch in a gap in my Holly 'Golden King' cultivar in the front garden.

A Collared Dove was sitting on a lamp post down the hill from my home.

6 Redwings and a female Blackbird were feeding on large ornamental Hawthorn type fruits in a street tree opposite the bottom of my road.

Another Collared Dove on a lamp post was seen in Beverley Rd.

30+ Starlings took flight over Barnehurst Golf Course. Large numbers of Wood Pigeons were twice spooked into flight. There must have been at least 60 birds along the western, English Elm-lined boundary of the site alone.

A large Thrush was sitting at the top of a tree in an exposed location and I couldn't get too close, but size-wise, and from its quite heavy markings and this behaviour, I judged it to be a Mistle Thrush.

5 Redwing were seen. The Green Woodpecker was feeding on the ground in the wildlife 'rough' again.

Attractive bark on a pine tree, Barnehurst Golf Course

Another shot of Gorse in flower, Barnehurst Golf Course

There was quite a lot of bird activity in the 'horse field' bounded by Mayplace Rd East, Manor Rd, Perry St and the church graveyard. 2 Lapwings were on the ground. Great Tit, Blue Tit and a Long-tailed Tit were seen. 6 Redwing were foraging on clear ground under trees and shrubs, along with a Chaffinch.

I was delighted to see my first Fieldfares - three of them - sitting aloof in a smaller tree in a hedge line bisecting the field.

11/1/10: Snow Patrol, North Heath

If it's going to be cold, I rather like the snow - makes urban areas look a lot more natural, or at least covers up a multitude of ugly sins perpetrated by the human species, including my pet hate of 'car-parked-over' front gardens.

As is often the case, I took a rather round-about route to the local shops and back, including Northumberland Way, Birling Rd, Ramsden Rd, Buxton Rd, Elm Grove, Lesney Park, Park Crescent, top of Birch Walk, Carlton Rd, Cavendish Av, the alleyway behind Brantwood Av and Brook St. After which I made a circuit of Bursted Woods.

There were good numbers of House Sparrows in Northumberland Way, where a number of properties have older style eaves, also 3 Blackbirds. 3 Collared Doves were seen in this road, and 2 more up to Lesney Park.

14 Starlings were feeding on the grass embankment next to the school on Colyer's Lane, and there were significant numbers along my route. 4 Black-headed Gulls were on roofs in Ramsden Rd. A Great Tit, House Sparrows and a Robin were at the junction of Ramsden Rd and Avenue Rd.

2 Magpies were seen in Park Crescent.

Very large numbers of Wood Pigeons were seen, usually sitting in the crowns of larger trees.

There was a Redwing, 2 Blackbirds and a couple of Grey Squirrels at the top end of Birch Walk. A Fox was seen foraging on the north side of the path.

2 more Redwings (possibly 4 in total) were seen around Brantwood Avenue.

A Pied Wagtail was on the roof of the Nat West bank on the corner of Limewood Rd/Bexley Rd. Another, or possibly the same individual, was later seen foraging on the ground outside a fast food outlet at the junction of Brook St and Mill Rd. There were also 8 Feral Pigeons here.

4 Redwings were in a tree in a garden behind Sussex Rd. They too could have been the same ones seen earlier.

There were several Magpies in Bursted Woods. A couple of Brown Rats were seen, and squabbled briefly. A Wren was foraging on the ground in patches kept free from snow cover by brambles. At the west end of the wood 2 Ring-necked Parakeets were seen, and more than 30 Wood Pigeons took to the air.

A Dunnock was later seen in my back garden.

10/1/10: Heron and Hop Trefoil

A Heron flew over the top end of my north Barnehurst garden today - possibly the same one as seen flying low over a nearby road yesterday. Couldn't help wondering whether it had located an artificially ice-free fish pond ....

There were two Grey Squirrels and the Fox.

I was very surprised to see some heads of Hop Trefoil flowers poking out of the snow. This species appeared in the garden, for the first time ever, last year. I haven't seen it anywhere else in the vicinity yet. I transplanted the resulting seedlings elsewhere because the site is now occupied by my large greenhouse. These are presumably precocious seedlings that ought to flower later on, or transplants that struggled to get going in the dry summer.

6 - 9/1/10: Redwings come closer as Fox gets bolder

On the 8th one, possibly two Redwings were in a Sycamore in the next garden west of mine. A Dunnock was in the Forsythia at the top of the garden. The Collared Doves have been conspicuous by their unusually low profile of late, but today one was sat in the large Horse Chestnut just down the hill. Rather worryingly, the binocular view revealed a number of long splits in the bark, which at some points was peeling away very badly in large sections. I wonder if it's the dreaded canker. My ultimate concern is that when big trees like this are taken down around here, they are replaced only with small species, if at all. There is a tall Eucalyptus beyond, and a number of others in the area, but I've looked a few times and the birds don't seem to use them for some reason - even just for perching in.

I heard what I thought might be a Chiff-chaff a little way away, but couldn't see it and am not competent on birdsong yet.

On the 9th 9 Redwings were in a Willow in a back garden of a house on the grassed square off Colyers Lane, near to Erith School's playing field. All of a sudden these and approximately 14 other birds took to the air from more hidden shrubbery, and I'm assuming they were all members of this species.

A Heron flew very low over my head on Northumberland Way, giving an excellent binocular view.

There always seem to be a number of Gulls riding the wind in the vicinity, if for no other reason than they enjoy flying. If I could get my head around identifying them I might be able to add a couple more species to my local list .......

The latest Fox to 'adopt' the back garden has got bolder as it's got colder, and has been out and about in daylight a lot. On the 6th it came round the far end of the compost heap without realising I was there. It stopped in its tracks, but was more intent on watching something in the lower part of the garden than running off, although it eventually thought better of it and retreated. On the 8th it came up the steps past the Holly before noticing I was working by my big greenhouse. This time it stopped momentarily, then decided I was no threat and climbed up behind the cordon fruit trees, snuffling the ground only 6 feet from me before nonchalantly carrying on with its perambulations. I could be wrong, but as far as I've seen, whichever individual has come in over the years has tended to stick to pretty much the same route round the garden at this sort of time of day. This one looks very healthy, although the latest close view did reveal a dark horse-shoe shape on the left flank, which could be down to fighting I guess.

7/1/10: Lengthening bird list is pain in neck

Spent the afternoon wandering round Martens Grove and Barnehurst Golf Course in the snow, and am beginning to think I'm getting a grip on this birdwatching malarky.

It was all very pretty, but I hadn't expected to get so engrossed, so had no gloves which eventually made focussing the binoculars in a hurry and writing notes a bit difficult, as my fingers kept getting rather numb.

Also, standing in a wood and repeatedly tilting ones head back 45 degrees for extended periods of time, so as to try and see the bird you can hear is up in the tree above, but is somehow remaining out of sight despite the lack of leaves, gets a bit uncomfortable. As opposed, say, to staring at the ground looking for obscure plants .........

On the way, 10 (+?) Redwings had shot out of a Holly in a front garden on Barnehurst Rd as I approached. The plant was narrow and only about 12 feet tall. One bird had stayed behind and carried on eating the berries.

A number of 'usual suspect' species were seen at both sites - Wood Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Ring-necked Parakeet, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Long-tailed Tit. Plus lots of Grey Squirrels.

The highlights in Martens Grove were:

A Treecreeper. This was spotted near the Stephen Rd. entrance, and good views of it were had working its way up the trunks of mature trees next to gardens on that road. If I've seen this species before it was a very long time ago, and I don't remember doing so. If I have, I doubt it was in the Barnehurst/Bexleyheath area.

Also a Nuthatch calling from the top of a big tree. Had a lot of trouble getting a clear view of this one - and I'm no good at identifying birds from their song yet. This is another species I've not seen in these parts before, at least since I picked up my wildlife recording baton again about 5 years ago - so making use of winter conditions to look out for birds properly is starting to pay dividends.

Martens Grove near the Stephen Rd. entrance

A couple of Oaks still had a lot of leaves attached

Footpath along the north side of Martens Grove

The uncommon Butcher's Broom near houses by the above-mentioned footpath. Possibly a garden escape, this is the only specimen I've found on this site, and the only other 'wild' one I know of in Bexley at present is in Lesnes Abbey Woods

The highlight of Barnehurst Golf Course was the Green Woodpecker that flew up from the rough 'wildlife area' on the north side of the site. A Wren was also feeding on the ground here.

The 'classic' view at the Barnehurst Golf Course site, looking north to the Cedar, Taunton Close and the railway line

Wildlife area looking east towards the Thames and Essex

There are two Gorse bushes here, one in a shady spot, and this superbly dome-shaped specimen out in the open and already in full flower

Gorse (one of my favourite native plants) in flower in the snow

Another indicator of the heathland 'heritage' / potential of the area: these are some of a handful of young Broom plants along the tree line at the foot of the bank to one side of the hole 3/12 fairway

Handsome specimen tree at Barnehurst Golf Course

4 + 5/1/10: More Bexleyheath and Barnehurst birds.

4/1/10

There were 5 House Sparrows in the Rhododendron and Juniper in my garden, a species that although still fairly common in the area tends to be seen on house roofs and guttering.

A wander through Bursted Wood en route to Bexleyheath Broadway didn't turn up much, but the low winter sun certainly highlights the subtle colours of the tree trunks at this time of year. Even the Wood Pigeons, sitting high up in the trees, now looked a more exotic pinky buff in the golden glow.

There were 35 Starlings in a tree between St. Audrey Av. and Francis Av, 10 more in a tree behind the garage at the junction of Francis Av. and Long Lane, and 62 in trees along the boundary of the Bexleyheath School field east of Belvedere Rd. and north of Upland Rd.

13 Wood Pigeons were sat in a modest-sized tree 'behind' 'The Yacht' public House, and east of Hyde Rd.

On the way home a young Fox was seen after dark on the raised grass/shrub bed in the centre of Mason Close, Bexleyheath.

5/1/10

There were 3 Redwings (and probably 6 - others were seen flying away from a distance) using the upper branches of a large Beech at the junction of Barnehurst Av., and Barnehurst Close as a base from which to go to and fro.