FRIENDS OF THE CRAY AT CRAYFORD - litter clearance along Footpath 106 on the lower Cray, Friday 7th August. Meeting point is where Footpath 106 meets Barnes Cray Road, at 10am. Equipment provided. Bring work clothes, hat, sunscreen, refreshments.

Now up to 19 species of Odonata at @thames21.bsky.social volunteer-managed #ThamesRdWetland , London Borough of Bexley, after this pair of copulating Southern Migrant Hawkers was spotted by one of our volunteers on July 22nd. Other recent additions: Scarce Chaser, Norfolk Hawker, Lesser Emperor.

2 nationally scarce Marsh Sow-thistles - 'escaped' from #ThamesRdWetland where specimens from seed of since-destroyed last remaining London individual on Crayford Marshes were planted in 2011 - and since proliferated - just noticed now growing on east bank of adjacent R.Cray. @thames21.bsky.social

Next @thames21.bsky.social staff-supported event at #ThamesRdWetland , Crayford, will be Friday 21/8. Clearing cut Reed to retain open pools, selective vegetation removal to improve ditches for Dragonflies and Water Voles, clearing out road run-off trap. Book: book.plinth.org.uk/e/0WCJmk9xkz...

Odonata list at #ThamesRdWetland - managed by @thames21.bsky.social volunteers - up 4 spp to 18 in last 10 months, following trend across LBofBexley. 2025 addition was Scarce Chaser. 2026 Four-spotted Chaser, Norfolk Hawker (record shot) and Lesser Emperor all seen within site boundary

Not seen this many Aphid (Eriosoma lanuginosum)-induced bladder-like galls on Elm before. The aphids cause these distorted leaf growths, which they then live inside. Whitehall Lane, Slade Green, LB Bexley - near railway station footbridge. 19th June.

Re-upping this key thread on electric vehicles and better cities.

Brent Toderian@brenttoderian.bsky.social · 2y ago

As I put it a few years ago in my blunt advice to Irish cities, “Your goal SHOULDN’T be to replace a million fossil fuel vehicles with a million electric vehicles. It should be to replace a million fossil fuel vehicles with 250,000 electric vehicles. The main answer MUST be FEWER cars driven LESS."

Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) was a new site record for @thames21.bsky.social - managed #ThamesRdWetland , Crayford, on 5th June, with a volunteer getting a confirmatory photo. He also took one of a male Scarce Chaser on 29/5, a species first seen here in autumn 2025.

#ThamesRdWetland 12th June. @thames21.bsky.social staff-supported event, all equipment provided. Refreshments. Help sought with raking out cut Reed regrowth, selective thinning of river/ditch vegetation + digging crud out of road run-off trap. Book: book.plinth.org.uk/e/0XWb4WwTrB...

I feel these two headlines should be shown together more

A new film is sweeping across the UK, and beyond - shown in venues from community halls to cathedrals, schools to workplaces. Find out what climate change and nature loss means for our communities - and the enormous benefits if Gov leads on emergency action. www.nebriefing.org/screening-map #PEBuk

The unregulated and uncontrolled use of insecticides in flea treatments has already caused irreparable damage to nature in rivers, sites of special scientific interest and National Parks like the Norfolk Broads It needs to stop now www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Toxic chemicals in pet flea treatments harming wildlife, UK study warns

Flea treatment chemicals fipronil and imidacloprid also implicated in lower cognitive scores in children with autism

theguardian.com

Sign the petition NOW! www.saveournewts.org Support this campaign and make a stand for nature. London’s largest breeding colony of Great Crested Newts is under threat from development. If this goes ahead ,it sets a dangerous precedent, allowing nature to be brushed aside when it’s inconvenient.

In little over 24 hours, the petition for government to stage a UK-wide briefing on the climate & nature crisis has passed the 10,000 milestone. Please help us get this to 100,000 to secure a parliamentary debate - by sharing widely. #NationalEmergencyBriefing #TimeToStepUp

Petition: Hold a UK-wide briefing on climate and nature risks

The UK faces growing risks from climate and nature breakdown - from extreme weather to economic disruption and national security threats. Yet the public has never been given a clear national briefing ...

petition.parliament.uk

25 @thames21.bsky.social #ThamesRdWetland volunteers (15 never been before) donated 564 person hrs habitat management/wildlife recording/event promo/write-ups etc. time to owner Bexley Council in Oct25-Mar26 reporting period (£6,886.44 at Nat Min Wage rate).

My second ever Red Kite in #ThamesRdWetland Crayford airspace this afternoon. Had run out of steam and was lounging on a bank when it went over, or would have missed it. Grey Heron also went over, being very aggressively mobbed by a Carrion Crow. @thames21.bsky.social

4 Swifts over Beverley Rd/Westfield Rd/Hillingdon Rd this eve (30/4) in known nesting zone south of Barnehurst station. First time I'd gone out looking for them this season so could have arrived back a bit earlier. Earliest record here 29/4(25) but again was first date I looked.

Our latest research shows that UK songbirds are routinely exposed to toxic pesticides, covered today in @theguardian.com

Extraordinary dataset of 44 million+ records of UK #butterflies collected by 782,000 volunteers in the past 50 years shows many species are in long-term decline eg Pearl-bordered Fritillary. @ukbms.bsky.social is run by @savebutterflies.bsky.social, UKCEH, @btobirds.bsky.social, and JNCC. 🧪 1/

The management team at #ThamesRdWetland @thames21.bsky.social do not have fires at this important Metropolitan Site of Importance for Nature Conservation. If you're passing by on Thames Rd/River Cray By-way 105 and see a fire, it's ARSON. Please ring Police / Fire Brigade. THANKS.

#ThamesRdWetland @thames21.bsky.social Now been 2nd or 3rd ARSON attack last 3 wks. Large piles cut Reed composting carbon back to soil torched so now in atmos. All life in them incinerated. Nearby v.rare plants damaged. <0 IQ criminals seeking cheap 'laugh' don't care/too thick to understand.

#ThamesRdWetland next @thames21.bsky.social staff-supported workday 10th April. book.plinth.org.uk/.../Dsj81...... No particular skills required. All kit provided. Basic refreshments. Loos available at nearby council depot. Help wildlife. Meet new people.

Meanwhile, on the moon...

Artemis II sent a pic of the beautiful garden planet we are too greedy, lazy, short-sighted, and ungrateful not to destroy:

A new Atlas of Kent's Shieldbugs and Allies is a project being supported by Kent Field Club, and driven by a group of Field Club members. More info on our website - www.kentfieldclub.org.uk/projects/shi.... #KentNature #Bugs #Hemiptera @britishbugs.bsky.social

FRIENDS OF THE CRAY AT CRAYFORD - removing litter from along lower River Cray. Due to Easter, we've moved our usual session forward to Mon 30/3. Meet at 10am where Footpath 106 meets Barnes Cray Road. We'll check grot-spot at junction of Byway 105 and Maiden Lane then move to Footpath 106.

Just been alerted to FREE Bumblebee ID event Thurs 26/3 at Bexley Central Library, then Braeburn Park (Crayford). Apparently only 3 sign-ups so still time to book before you go to bed .... FFI / book: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bumblebee-...

Bumblebee ID Day - Braeburn Park

Join the Bumblebee Conservation Trusts Buzzing in the East End Project at Bexley Library and Braeburn Park for a brilliant bumblebee ID day!

eventbrite.co.uk

The Nathusius' pipistrelle is one UK bat species that is known to migrate long distances across Europe. This makes them vulnerable to habitat loss and other threats across their migration routes.

Convention on Migratory Species (CMS)@cms.int · 5mo ago

Migratory species depend on networks of habitats. When these connections remain intact, they can move freely, ecosystems stay resilient, and natural processes that sustain life continue to flow. Participants at #CMSCOP15 will seek to maintain, restore & strengthen these networks: www.cms.int/cop15

“Sustainable” timber isn’t always safe. Forests are being destroyed, Indigenous communities displaced and critically endangered species like the Malayan tiger are under threat. Demand the UK government takes action @friends-earth.bsky.social action.friendsoftheearth.uk/petition/sto...

Stop tainted timber destroying forests, homes and wildlife

Take action Our investigation has uncovered a disturbing truth: “sustainable” timber from Malaysia can’t be trusted. Certification schemes are failing, so timber linked to forest destruction, wildlife...

action.friendsoftheearth.uk

Next #ThamesRdWetland @thames21.bsky.social staff-supported habitat management session 13/3. Help finish this winter's Reed cutting and remove prev cut material. Kit provided. Basic refreshments. Nearby loos. Sign up: book.plinth.org.uk/e/LFbuahHJmC...