Each day, the Earth turns on its axis bringing the sunrise to every part of the globe in an endless sequence. The daily miracle of nature’s response to that event, we call the dawn chorus and it has a unique sound in every part of our world. International Dawn Chorus Day (1 May 2016) is [...]
Local produce and people Galleywall Nature Reserve is a small patch of ground on the corner of Lynton Road and Galleywall Road SE16. It is a living, breathing part of the urban environment in which we live. It has been looked after since 2004 by The Friends of Galleywall Nature Reserve - a [...]
We all know that bees make honey! But the truth is that their life style and product remain a mystery to most who live in SE16. That is until you meet Sharon Bassey who looks after the hives at Southwark Park, Stave Hill Ecological Park and Galleywall Nature Reserve. Sharon was voted London Beekeeper of [...]
For many people the Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is the best known duck in SE16. Partly because they are so numerous, partly because they are so noisy and also because the male (or drake) has such a showy plumage: the glossy green head, white collar, purple-tinged brown breast, black rump with white borders and a curled centre [...]
The Ring-necked Parakeet (or Rose-ringed Parakeet) is the only parrot naturalised in the British Isles, resident throughout the year. It is a large, long-tailed bird which is characteristically emerald green with a rose-red beak and a pink and black ring around its face and neck. In flight, it has pointed wings and a very steady, direct flight. [...]
Do you stand with those who see squirrels as bright-eyed, bushy-tailed characters or are they better consigned to the mincer and the pot? Once again, like the urban fox, the Grey Squirrel divides opinion for the people of SE16. A recent food festival in Gloucestershire staged a competition to create a healthy squirrel burger recipe, so [...]
People take a range of views of the red fox, especially when it is seen or heard in their neighbourhood. Some regard them as vermin and seek to destroy any evidence of their presence whilst others regard them as though pets and feed them frequently. For most people, foxes in SE16 are tolerated as a usual sight [...]
A family of mute swans have been raised on Canada Water this year. Originally six in number, the young - known as cygnets - have now reduced to four but they all seem to be flourishing. The photos below are of 'our' swans all taken between late May and early July 2014 The mute swan [...]
Many people get turtles, terrapins and tortoises mixed up. It's not helped by the American habit of calling all turtles and terrapins by one name: turtles. The differences are important: tortoises are land creatures, seldom if ever seen in water whilst turtles and terrapins are aquatic reptiles that live in fresh or brackish water and [...]
Lavender Pond by garyknight CC Flickr Andie Byrnes provides a great service to the area by regular blog posts about her reseach into Rotherhithe's history at A Rotherhithe Blog. In this recent post, Andie has given us the background to one of the most attractive and valuable parts of the area's rich ecosystem: [...]
