Saturday 26 September 2020

London Wildlife Trust - here's your London wildlife update 🍂

 

With uncertainty over what’s to come over the next six months with local lockdowns and ever-changing restrictions, it’s certainly a challenging time for us heading into autumn and winter. I know I’m feeling anxious about what’s to come and am trying to just deal with what’s immediately ahead and speculate less – which is hard!

I recently went to Cumbria to see my dad, so I thought I would share a photo with you of some very special garden guests that you’ll never spot in London – red squirrels! My parents’ garden benefits from having previously been part of the wood next door, and they kept it almost exactly as it was. As far as I can tell we have four regular squirrel visitors who come for the hazelnuts and monkey nuts that my dad lavishes upon them.
There are plenty of birds to be found in this garden too – blue tits, coal tits, great tits, chaffinches, wood pigeons and robins all graced me with their presence – but as people often think of these parts of the country as far more nature-rich than London I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that all of these species can be seen in London’s green spaces too!
London Wildlife Trust News
Walthamstow Photography Competition winners

View all the winners from the Walthamstow Wetlands photography competition by clicking here

I love this photo from Dave Hallett, winner of the Wildlife from your Window/Self Isolated Snaps (smartphone) category!
 
Great North Wood Photography Competition

We are looking for beautiful, inspiring, funny, surprising photos of the Great North Wood. The best thirteen images will be chosen for the Great North Wood 2021 Calendar. The winners will receive a free calendar and the overall winner will get a meal for two at The Great North Wood pub.

The above photo of an oak weevil was the May winner for 2019's calendar. 

Submissions will be accepted until October 31st 2020. Click the link below to find out more and check the guidelines for submissions.

To submit your entry, post on twitter with the hashtag #GNWphotocomp and tag @greatnorthwood or alternatively, email your photos to greatnorthwood@wildlondon.org.uk
 
Find out more
Brilliant Butterflies News

So far our Brilliant Butterflies project has restored 12.88 hectares chalk grassland, logged 1017 volunteer hours, and engaged with 1035 people in the New Addington area. They have developed a citizen science training course and done eDNA surveys on sites and created 5 new butterfly banks! Thanks to everyone who has participated in this project so far – we couldn’t do it without you.