Wildlife Circus

Lapwing night-roost 2.1.12 Councillors presided over a packed hall at Dysart School, Surbiton to hear the application 11/16502/FUL for the development of filter beds to provide 64 residential homes on floating pontoons, 92 berth marina and lock gate, restaurant, landscaping and car parking; as enabling development to provide publically accessible nature reserve, riverside walk, heritage and education centre, flood storage and river taxi stop. After a short presentation about the scheme from officers, community voices railed for over an hour, as people spoke passionately about the: ·          wildlife issues, the objections from Natural England and the London Bat Group; ·          the loss of heritage and the failure to recognise the importance of this unique site; ·          the impact on water sports and river safety and the objection from Sport Engla...

Harwich shells exposed during recent rains 8 participants turned out for our December walk in 10 degrees of winter sunshine. The rain had removed the silt from the substrates exposing the Harwich shells  used in the filtration process. Our research group found that these shells were instrumental in locking together to prevent the mixing of the coarse grit and fine sands. Mistletoe  The  fallen leaves exposed the great balls of mistletoe within the trees at Home Park (on the opposite side of the river). A crafty fox was seen creeping along the back wall in his lovely winter coat. 16 bird species were observed, including the little grebes, gadwall duck, grey wagtails and 2 passage green sandpipers (photographed below by one of our participants Susanna Ramsey). There was no sign of the lapwing coming into roost as it probably needs to be much colder before they begin to form their winter flocks 2 green sandpipers Photo S. Ramsey