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Our regular last Saturday of the month Open Days, from 13.00 to 16.00, which we have been running except in the winter for the last few years, depend on one or more of the Friends group being around.  But, a combination of long pre-arranged holidays and sudden family commitments means that this is not going to happen this month.  

We are really sorry about this, and two things we are taking from it:

1. At least one of us will commit to being around for each month – so not assuming someone else will be able to be there, and
2. We need more people in our Friends group – able to help on our Open Days and other work helping the wider community make use of this space.  If you are interested, please get in touch!

This coming Saturday, from 1 pm to 4 pm, is the first opportunity in 2017 for everyone from the community to look round this local nature reserve, with its large pond, incorporating one of the last remnants of the Croydon Canal, and managed now for the benefit of frogs and other amphibians.

It is also used regularly by groups such as the Secret Adventurers, who have left two “Hedgehog trails” for children aged 2 – 4 and 5 – 7 to follow, so this will be a nice visit for families with young children.  Entrance is free, and now better signed, thanks to work just completed on Honeyfield Mews,

off Dacres Road, near the junction with Silverdale.

However, donations to the Friends of Dacres Wood, who support LB Lewisham in its management of this site, aiming to enhance the wider appreciation of the natural environment,

even here in London.  This year we are also setting up moth traps on a regular basis, to start learning what species we have round here, and hope this Saturday to get our first results.

We are currently planning how to enhance the adjoining Field Studies centre, as well as the reserve, and offering opportunities for volunteers to help in our work.  Please ask about these on your visit, and let your friends know about what we are doing!

Just found a photo of that sparrowhawk in Dacres Wood from last year’s walk

The walk will start at 7.30 from Dacres Wood Nature reserve – at the end of Honeyfield Mews, which is off Dacres Road, Forest Hill, just past Catling Close on the right coming from Forest Hill, just before on the left if coming from Sydenham.  It will last between one and two hours, and most of it will be suitable for those with limited mobility – total distance walked will be about 1 km.

Just contacting those people who have left comments

Tim

Update – this year we will also be starting at 7.30

Early Sunday April 9th we’ll be meeting, with Friends of Mayow Park, at the Reserve for a combined bird walk round the reserve and then Mayow Park, coming back to the Field Studies centre for some tea and coffee.  

Last year we did this one very cold March morning, starting at 7.30.  At least we were rewarded with the sight of a chilly looking sparrowhawk, fluffing up its feathers high up in one of the Turkey Oaks, its eloquent body language saying it was too ****** cold to go hunting, and so what if those humans got a good site of me for once?

Seems like it was also too cold for me to get my camera out, so no sparrow hawk pictures, so here instead …

This year, I’m thinking we might start earlier, but I’ve yet to arrange that with Paul, our birding expert, so watch this space.  I’ll be tweeting, so anyone following @dacreswood will get live updates on what we see, and where we are, so can come and join us if you miss an early start.  If you’re not on Twitter, contact me for my mobile number, and I can respond to texts from anyone wanting to join us.

Updates to follow, including a list of the species Paul thinks we’re likely to see.

At 9.30, Caroline, I and maybe a few others, will be at the Reserve from 9.30 doing some conservation work.  There’s an unsightly bonfire site we’re thinking of covering over with some of the reeds we pulled from the pond last year, and still lots of brambles to be dug out from the south end of the pond.  I hope also to get round to measuring some of the tree girths.

Then, at 2.30, I and anyone else who want to will be going round taking photos of what we see growing, rotting, flying, swimming, creeping, crawling, maybe floating in the pond in the case of frogspawn.  Help us make a year round record of the Reserve.

It’s also a chance to learn about what we are doing and thinking of doing at Dacres Wood, and sharing any ideas which occur to you.