The Wren Conservation and Wildlife Group

Below are reports on the events that took place during 2002...

Sunday 6th January - Practical Work in Wanstead Park
We worked on path and woodland clearance in the corner of Warren Wood at the bottom of the Glade. In the spring, this area has a variety of wildflowers to be appreciated from the paths. These include some Bluebells, nicely supplemented with Ground Ivy, as well as Red Campion, Mercury and clumps of Fern.

Sunday 20th January - Barnes Wetland Centre
Our latest visit to this extensive Wetlands & Wildlife Trust nature reserve took place on a day whose wet-weather forecast was only too accurate. In spite of this ten members, the largest number so far for this outing, turned up to face the expected rain and high winds. The journey, as usual, took about an hour. Paul was delayed and asked us to start without him, which meant that only nine of us arrived at the Centre instead of the ten which would have enabled us to claim a party discount on the admission charge of £1 each. However, by dangling the prospect of cheap entry before two strangers we persuaded them to join us so everybody was happy. In view of the size of the reserve (some 104 acres) it was decided that having taken the clockwise route last time we would now go round the other way; these two routes are separate from each other and do not meet. We soon found ourselves in a hut devoted to pond life which had among other things a number of small tanks which could be swivelled under a microscope to reveal various live mini-beasts. Unfortunately, the only moving creatures we could see were a couple of water fleas which demonstrated all the nasty things which were likely to prevent a frog from achieving its full life span, which I regret to say caused much hilarity among us conservationists.

We continued, with Jim explaining how beautiful the flowers would have been if they hadn't all been dead. There were no birds to speak of on the smaller ponds, so we went into a hide (to hide from the wind and rain) which gave us a good view over the largest lake. There were plenty of birds, especially Shovellers and Lapwings, but the main discussion centred around a duck which nobody could identify. It was about as big as a Shoveller and fed like one; its body was brown but its head bore the unmistakable black and white markings of a Goldeneye, though without the actual golden eye. Reluctantly, because this tends to be regarded as a cop-out, we concluded that it must be a hybrid. Later we learned that it had been there for about a month and nobody else knew what it was either. This made us feel better.

From there we made our way directly to the Peacock Hide, three stories high and the pride of the Centre. From the top floor we had a 'birds-eye' view of almost the whole of the reserve and the birds in it. The sightings chalked up on the wall of the room included Snipe, Jack Snipe, Water Rail and of course not one but two Bitterns. Needless to say every piece of optical glass in the room was searching the ground inch by inch for this El Dorado of birds, and needless to say nobody could find one. There was, however, a good variety of other birds, including plentiful numbers of Shovellers and Lapwings, together with Gadwall, Widgeon, Teal, Heron and other birds included in the list below. We also spotted three Snipe, though their camouflage was so effective that even though they were out in the open a background of dead reeds and their complete stillness made them all too easy to miss.

By this time the wind was so fierce that it was impractical to open the windows on that side so some of us returned to the central buildings while the rest made their way round to a hide on the other side of the reserve in the hope of seeing a Bittern. Les was so traumatised by the weather that he needed two dinners to set himself up again, and when the rest of the party returned from their search for the Bittern (which proved as elusive as ever) Jennifer told us that a goose had begun an attack on her camera bag but had revealed its true motive when it made a grab for her mobile phone, which was sticking out of it, and succeeded in pulling out the aerial before it was beaten off. These phone muggers get everywhere!

List of Birds on 20 January - Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Shoveller, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Greenfinch.

Sunday 3rd February - Practical Work in Wanstead Park
We opened up an overgrown woodland path between the Plain and the Glade at the west end of The Grove and cleared woodland of fallen branches and the like for the spring show of bluebells.

Sunday 17th February - Fishers Green
Norman Olley led this trip to part of the Lea Valley Regional Park - and an area of rivers, canals and lakes. The early morning ip until we met at 10am was foggy and cold, but by the time we reched Fishers Green it had cleared and warmed considerably. After the sun appeared, the weather was lovely for a February day.

The Bittern was the one bird we all hoped to see and we were not disappointed. While a some of us watched one as it flew, others had an excellent close up view from the Bittern Hide of another as it stalked through the reeds, pausing in the open foreground for us to take photographs. Later, some of us were treated to a beautiful evening view of a group of three male and three female Smew. There is usually a good selection of water birds to be seen here, and we were very pleased with our list:

Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Bittern, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, white Domestic Goose, Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Smew, Gadwall, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Robin, Chaffinch, Redwing, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Pied Wagtail, Sparrowhawk

Sunday 3rd March - Practical Work in Wanstead Park
Only five people turned out for this practical work session - a surprise really, because it was ideal weather for the path clearence that we did in the Grove. However, we got a lot done just before the bluebells start to flower and the birds begin to nest.

Sunday 17th March - Regents Canal
Continuing our walk of last April along the Regents Canal only four turned up this time - and the proposed leader was unable to attend. Without a map the group managed to find their way from Highbury and Islington Station to the end of the Islington Tunnel (no mean feat or feet) and then walked the somewhat easier-to- follow towpath route as far as Regents Park.

Sunday 24th March - Kew Gardens
Ten members of the Group and friends visited Kew Gardens on a pleasant spring day. Apart from the displays of daffodills, Comma and Brimstone butterflies were spotted, lots of Goldcrests in the trees and Lady Amhurst Pheasants running after each other. Visits to the Palm House (almost obligatory) were made as well as to the Temperate House, but it seemed more of a day to be out enjoying the sunshine.

Sunday 31st March - Lesnes Abbey Woods
Accompanied all of the time by the sound of Chiffchaffs - this was really a flower walk. We'd missed the full glory of the masses of daffodils, but there were still plenty to be seen - the smaller wild ones rather than the more usual garden types. On a day just a little less sunny than previous ones, the weather didn't account for the fact that much of the woodland slopes looked as though the snow was just melting - wood anemones, thousands of them in great sheets, with the daffodils just adding to their beauty. At the edges of the pathways were patches of violets, sweet ones, purple ones and white ones, and in one spot a small patch of Forsters woodrush just in flower. A few bluebells were also just beginning to flower, and in a few weeks this whole area should be transformed in colour. We visited the remains of the abbey, and also the site where fossil remains of long-extinct mammals can be found. Easy to see are the remains of gravel pits - now a wonderland of trees and shrubs - but less easy to spot are the filled-in dene holes which are almost unique to this area and Essex across the river. The great disappointment was that only two of us went on this walk.

Sunday 7th April - Practical Work in Wanstead Park

Saturday 27th April - Birds and Bluebells in Wanstead Park
Jennifer Charter led the walk in Wanstead Park primarily to see the bluebells, but also to look at other plants and birds. Fifteen people turned up for the visit, and we began by pointing out the Little Grebes (Dabchick) on Heronry Pond. One or two of the Group hadn't realised that these very small water-birds were not chicks but were the adult birds of a species.

Leaving the lake we walked across the Plain, admiring the Broom, which was well in flower. At the edge of the Grove was a particularly attractive white-flowered variety of Rhododendron, flowering earlier than some of the more-typical coloured varieties. Our first real views of the Bluebells were in the Grove, which we walked through to cross the Glade into Warren Wood. Some of the group took note of the amount of Annual Mercury in the wood hereabouts, before discussing the rows of Yews that were planted snaking through the wood - now (we thought) too strongly grown to be clipped for the intended hedge. The Bluebells here are extensive, though long views are not often possible because of the amount of trees - many dead and fallen. The Wood Anemones on Florries Hill were all but over, but those at the edge of Chalet Wood were still in flower and very attractive. Entering Chalet Wood, the Bluebells here were lovely; with less dead wood around you can appreciate the sweep of them across the woodland floor.

We returned by way of a walk around part of Heronry Pond - using the opportunity to explain to one or two of our members the difference between Coots and Moorhens (using the mnemonics of Bald as a Coot - as per its white forehead and of Moo(red)hen as per its red forehead!). Near Northumberland Avenue we saw a group of Bluebells that were all shades of colour between pink and blue, being a hybrid swarm between the Garden (Spanish) Bluebell and the genuine wild one. Mention was made of the threat to the wild British bluebell posed by this hybridisation with the more vigorous Spanish bluebell. What with Looper Caterpillars and various Galls on the Oaks, we saw more than Bluebells!

Sunday 5th May - Practical Work in Wanstead Park
Concern about the non-renewal of insurance of local groups (including our own) by BTCV means that we are not covered at present as far as practical work is concerned. As it happened, only Les and Paul turned up anyway, so we abandoned it this month.

Sunday 5th May - Woods and Warblers. Wanstead Flats and Park
This annual walk, led by Richard Baker, looked for the warblers and other birds and plants of Wanstead Flats and Park. We began by seeing Common Whitethroats in the hawthorns near Alexandra Lake, and saw one of the Ruddy Ducks that have been appearing recently on the lake itself, as well as Dabchicks, Greylag Geese and a single Swift. We looked at one of the Flats' specialities - a patch of Creeping Willow, then noted a nearby smaller patch on the very edge of the playing field area - very much in danger of being mowed. After looking at the plaque commemorating the Queen's Coronation in 1953, we looked at another plant speciality - Petty Whin, got a better view of a Whitethroat and heard the songs of Willow Warbler and Blackcap. In Reservoir Wood we again heard Blackcaps, as well as Chiff-chaff - so we experienced (even though we didn't see) all four of the expected Warblers. The Bluebells in Chalet Wood were beginning to look a bit drab, but there were still some Wood Anemones in flower - and some baby bunnies. Lastly we had a look at the crop marks of the chalet from which the wood gets its name.

Sunday 19th May - Barnes Wetland Centre
Members of the group and friends made a spring visit to this extensive nature reserve. Between us we visited all of the hides, as well as some of the other attractions. There was a good show of spring flowers as well as a variety of birds to be seen, including Redshank and Little Ringed Plover with chicks.Other birds were:

Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Mallard, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet, Wren, Sedge Warbler, Carrion Crow, Starling, Reed Bunting, Swift, House Martin.

Sunday 16th June - Rye House Marsh Nature Reserve
Only six people came on this trip, but the Kingfishers that we almost guaranteed made an appearance, and gave an excellent view perching on a post. Plenty of terns and good views of sedge warblers. Some nice bee orchids too.

Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Mallard, Gadwall, Ruddy Duck, Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Coot, Common Tern, Wood Pigeon, Wren, Dunnock, Sedge Warbler, Blackcap, Carrion Crow, Reed Bunting, Swift, Kingfisher. Kestrel, Magpie, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Pied Wagtail

Friday 21st June - Wanstead Park - Bat Walk
More than twenty people turned up for this walk, requested and advertised by Alex of the Hornbeam Environmental Centre in Walthamstow. After a fairly good day, it started to rain as we met at 9.45pm. We managed to see numbers of Pipistrelles, and to identify by means of the bat detectors a Noctule flying over the Perch Pond. The rain certainly didn't help, and after an hour we called it the longest day.

Saturday 29th June - Syon Park
Syon Park has many attractions but this time we visited the London Butterfly House - reputed to be the largest in the world. We walked amongst and photographed free-flying butterflies from all over the world before going on to the adjacent facility where we saw Crocodiles, Giant Tortoises, a variety of Snakes and Insects amongst other creatures.

Saturday 17 August: Bat Walk in Wanstead Park.
Two bat walks took place this evening - at 8.30 and at 9.30. About 15 people arrived for the earlier walk, and about 30 for the later. Most of the bats encountered were Pipistrelles, though there were soundings at least one other species as well.

Sunday 18 August: Practical Work in Wanstead Park with EFCV.
The Epping Forest Conservation Volunteers worked in Wanstead Park, together with a very small number of Wren Group members, and did a significant amount of work in the Grove. This consisted of clearing around some of the Park's Rhododendrons (which are not invasive here and are enjoyed by many of the visitors) as well as removing many Sycamores in the area (which are a problem). Many thanks to the EFCV for the excellent amount of work done and the tidiness of the area on completion.

Saturday 21st September - Temple Mills and Bully Point Nature Reserve
A walk led by Les Rice from Stratford to Temple Mills, a landscaped area of hills and meadows, and then into the Bully Point Nature Reserve by the River Lea. The walk continued to Old Ford Lock on the Regents Canal.

Sunday 6th October - Practical Work in Wanstead Park
Seven people attended to clear brambles and dead sycamore from the top of Florries Hill. This is continuing work to make the best of the Wood Anemones, Bluebells and Lesser Celandine that flower here in the Spring.

Sunday 13th October - River Wandle
A walk along one of our lesser known streams - the River Wandle in south London. We walked some two or three miles of riverside looking at the parks and meadows, remnants of manors, estates and pleasure grounds, and examples of water-powered industries including an impressive water-mill.

Sunday 3rd November - Practical Work in Wanstead Park
In preparation for the spring, we cleared and extended the Daffodil site on Lincoln Island.

Sunday 10th November - Richmond Park
Several Wren Group members met on Stratford station and travelled on the Underground to Richmond where they met Vivienne, another Wren member. We boarded a 371 bus to Richmond Gate, after having stopped for the 2 minute silence, and alighted at the Lass of Richmond Hill public house, named after the famous song.

Entering the park by the gate opposite the Star & Garter Home for Ex-Servicemen, we branched right along the ridge to Pembroke Lodge where we paused to read the poems by James Thompson, 111e 18th century poet. Proceeding through the John Beer pergola we came to the Henry VIIIth mound where we peered through the keyhole view 10 miles to St. Pauls. This remarkable vista is now protected and no buildings are allowed to obstruct the sightline. Behind us, to the west and below, lay the Thames valley with Windsor Castle on the horizon. In the Pembroke enclosure were numerous Jackdaws. Long-tailed tits and a Nuthatch, and many wild flowers such as Butcher's Broom, Evening Primrose and Crocus. After a coffee stop in the lodge where Bertrand Russell the philosopher once lived, we walked along paths to the Pen Ponds where there were swans and flocks of gulls. We continued along a track (after Jim consulted his map with the aid of my compass) to the Isabella Plantation. Inside were clumps of' Rhododendrons and Azaleas which were, of course, not in bloom. We eventually passed a rotting tree stump with large fungi to find a seat just outside the plantation where we had lunch and admired the herd of deer in the distance. Re-entering the plantation enclosure we came to the duck pond where we saw Mallard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Widgeon, Pochard and Pintail ducks. Outside the enclosure we daringly walked past a herd of deer and Jennifer, to her joy, managed to get some close photographs. On our way back we were fascinated by a dog which was tracking one of the numerous squirrels very carefully. The owner of the dog said that he had been trying for years but has never yet caught one! We sat on the iron poet's seat inscribed with words by James Thompson and then left the park.

Going down Richmond Hill we stopped to admire the views over the Thames from the hillside terrace and the elegant houses together with the interesting antique and art shops. Descending into the main high street we made our to the station and came home after having had an excellent trip.

Sunday 1st December - Practical Work in Wanstead Park
General clearance work Florries Hill for the Wood Anemones

Sunday 8th December - Regents Canal
Continuing our walk of last March along the Regents Canal. We started from near Regents Park for an unusual view of Londontaking in Little Venice and its boats, and finished amongst the industrial complex of Willesden and Old Oak Common.