May Weekend

Here's a few highlights from this weekend. Was hoping to go for the Dusky Thrush but I couldn't blow my mate out again after I had to dissappear last weekend when the Red-rumped Swallow turned up at Beddington- which I dipped anyway. All pics Beddington Farmlands except the last two from Richmond Park.

Lapwing on 100 acre. Six to seven pairs this year with the first chicks recently 

Pink-footed Goose- presumably from one of the London collections as the bird was sporting a dark plastic ring 

Pink-footed Goose- looking a bit tattered 

The Mute Swan chicks on the Southern Lake hatched this morning. Here they are getting escorted to the water for the first time 

Ringed Plover flying round 100 acre yesterday- also a Greenshank yesterday but not too many other migrants 

Scorpion Fly Panorpa germanica- see Tim Worfolk's id aid here:  http://thetopshamnaturalist.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/scorpion-flies.html

Sepsidae sp- charcteristically walking around vegetation flashing it's wings 

Isabella Plantation Richmond Park 

Isabella Plantation Richmond Park- Azaleas and Rhododendrons are out during May. Also some interesting bog garden, reed beds and other wildlife habitats being created in the Plantation

Incinerator at Beddington Farmlands

The Incinerator is going to become part of this view

The scale of the local opposition is critical in the consideration from the Mayor of London and if over 1000 emails of objection are recieved to the Mayor's Office then a clear indication of local opposition will be logged and will be considered.

Please log your objection with your name and postal address to:
mayor@london.gov.uk

Account from Local Sustainable Development Company Bioregional:

http://www.bioregional.com/blog/energy-from-waste-let-down-by-the-planning-system/

Local Supremacy

Despite a reasoned, balanced and helpful approach in this recent planning matter regarding the ERF at Beddington Farmlands the local social/environmentalists have been more or less completely and totally ignored. Will see if there is anything real and robust about our local democracy at Stage 2 with the mayor and GLA.

Well there should be enough policies in the planning system to achieve a balance to overcome a supremacy of a biased and weak local council and presumably nobbled planning officers. If the planning system itself cannot achieve a balance then some kind of external input will presumably be necessary. One way or another hopefully we will get there.

ERF approval

The ERF got approval tonight. Lib Dem councillors who are in local power, have a majority on the board and their party commissioned the ERF through the South London Waste Plan all voted for and the two Conservative councillors who were presumably looking to gain local political capital voted agaisnt. The planning report recommendations were compiled by two freelance planning consultants . There never was much hope at this stage for a non-bias decision but the final stage in the application is now with the Mayor and the GLA who should have a more far-reaching view and wider objectives than the locals. At the end of the day this is in the interests of Viridor for the ERF to be percieved in the longer term as an enabling development of social and environmental improvement  so that they can replicate the technology elsewhere. We will see if the Mayor and the GLA will balance some of the conflicts better.

Local paper account: http://www.suttonguardian.co.uk/archive/2013/05/15/News_Croydon+%28news%29/10422261.Incinerator_granted_planning_permission/

Inside Croydon account: http://insidecroydon.com/2013/05/16/ashes-to-ashes-only-boris-can-stop-viridor-incinerator-now/

Recent Restoration

Work to the Northern Lake outlet 

Water control on the Southern Lake

Works have been underway recently on the Lakes and also on the Wet Grassland habitat. Spent some time in the last couple of days on survey work on the habitat in the South-east Corner with Phil and Derek yesterday and green space mapping with Claire from Groundwork today.

Quite a few hirundines about and Lapwings seem to be doing pretty well. Looks like it is going to be an awful year for Tree Sparrows.

Its the DCC meeting tonight to decide on the Beddington Farmlands ERF.

Here a link to some stuff we are doing on the bridge:

http://www.suttonguardian.co.uk/news/10421907.Hackbridge_youngsters_discover_insects_for_a__life_beyond_Playstation_/?ref=rss&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Beddington Farmlands Future

Here's a couple of links to projects similar to Beddington Farmlands which are nearing completion in the UK:

CBBC newsround: Watch David Attenborough opening a wildlife park on a rubbish tip www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/22517416

RSPB new urban nature reserve focused on people and wildlife:
http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/s/staidans/about.aspx

It's a critical week for the farmlands as the decision for the ERF goes back to committee tomorrow night.

Wild Sounds

Playing around with recordings on Sound Cloud. When I need a break from all this blinking nature recording and conservation stuff I mess about making music in my virtual band thee Bryans- an imaginary group of Socioenviron-minstrels. Working very slowly on putting together a CD and book and then hoping to do an exhibition or two. Here's the facebook page : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Thee-Bryans/67571634534
Here's a sample.

Daddy Long Legs (Play track below)

This track is about early experiences with Nature: