More New Arrivals!

There are babies galore at Beckton Lake. This week alone has seen 22 Canadian Geese hatch, and a pair of Coots.

The Coot chicks have bright red heads when they first hatch, which turn grey after a few days and gradually all their feathers get darker and the white 'shield' starts to develop at around 3-4 months.
Coots are particularly aggressive at mating and nesting times, and will be seen chasing off rivals and sometimes even trying to drown them.

New Arrivals

At this time of year, many animals are giving birth, or laying eggs, and babies are everywhere!
At Beckton Lake, the first clutch of Canadian Goose chicks have hatched with 17 chicks! Mum and Dad are taking them around the park and dont seem to mind having the odd family photo.

The female Canada goose lays her eggs between March and June. She will lay between four to ten whitish eggs in a nest made of grass, reeds and moss and lined with down. The nests are usually on the ground near water. The female hatches the eggs and turns them over often to evenly heat them.

The male will guard the female and the nest and will call out a warning if danger approaches. It takes about a month for the eggs to hatch. The chicks break out of the shell with an egg tooth on the top of their bills. It may take them one to two days to completely break out of the shell. The chicks will fly when they are between 40 and 70 days old. Most Canada geese will mate for life.

Butterflies!!!

Everywhere you look this month, butterflies are coming out and enjoying the spring air.
The most common species found in Newham are the Large White (Pieris brassica), the Speckled wood (Parage algaria) and the beautifully colourful Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta).

Large White (Pieris brassica)

 

Most common around vegetable gardens and allotments and feeds on Brassica species (Cabbages, Brussel Sprouts etc). Caterpillars are a mottled grey-green with black spots and short hairs.

 

Speckled wood (Parage algaria)

Photography by Kathleen Maddams

 

Ususally found in woodlands and shady hedgerows, and likes damp places. They feed on aphid honeydew and lay their eggs on Cocksfoot and Couch grasses. The caterpillar is yellow-green with light and dark stripes.

 

 Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

Photography by John Denton

 

Can be seen in gardens and other flowery places. It lays green eggs on nettle leaves. the caterpillar is dark, spiky and white speckled with yellow spots on its side.

 

 

Have you seen any other butterflies? Send in your pictures!

Smooth Newts Breeding at Beckton Pond

Head over to Beckton Pond with your net and your sure to see some of the resident newts. The males are in full breeding mode, showing off their fantastic colours and can be seen sitting on the bottom of the pond or swimming up to the surface for air (look out for bubbles!)

During the breeding season, the males change colour from a dull brown to beautiful brown, orange and reds with black spots on their bellies. They perform a tail display to attract the females. Newt eggs are laid on the leaves of water plants and and neatly folded over.

Male

Female (left) and Male (right)

Diagram showing breeding season colours

Breeding Frogs at Cundy Park

Spring seems to have sprung early this year, with the daffodils starting to bloom and the wildlife getting frisky!

At Cundy Park, in Custom House, the frogs can  be seen both in and around the pond pairing up.
The Common Frog (Rana temporia) returns to the water to breed, and relies on vocalization to find a mate. The male will hold onto the female and fertilize the eggs as she lays them.
She will lay up to 4000 eggs in a clump of spawn in shallow water.


Have you seen any frogs this year? Send in your pics and get them posted on the page!

February Snows - Photos

Squirrel prints

Daffodils

Robin

Wood Pigeon

Frozen Lake

Cracke in the Ice

Blackbird

Skating coot

Beckton District Park

Blackbird at Beckton Pond

panorama of Beckton Lake

Chilly Magpie

Beckton District Path

Canadian Geese

Canadian Geese

Species File: Coral Spot Fungus

Coral Spot Fungus
Nectria cinnabarina

This bright orange fungus can be seen all over Britain, and is found on branches, twigs, old logs, and even park benches.

Magnificent Manure!

Compost heaps are fantastic habitats for invertebrates and the animals that feed on them.  Worms, beetles, slugs and snails will all make their homes in the rotting waste attracting a variety of animals including hedgehogs, foxes and birds.


Ground Beetle larvae

In Beckton District Park, there is a fantastic spot that the Newham City Farm uses to compost manure. Blackbirds, Magpies and Wood Pigeons are often seen foraging for worms and last year a family of foxes even burrowed into the huge pile and made a cosy home for the winter.

This is also one of the best spots in the park to find mushrooms.

Blistered Cup

for more information on compost and its benefits check out this article from BBC Wildllife
http://www.discoverwildlife.com/wildlife-gardens/how-make-most-compost

Big Garden Birdwatch 2012

Why not take part in the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend?
Spend just one hour watching the birds in your garden, and help the RSPB gather valuable information on the numbers and distribution of our bird species.

Its a great activity to get the kids involved in too!



For more information on how to get involved, visit the RSPB website:
http://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/

Happy New Year!

Well guys its a brand new year, and hopefully a great one for wildlife!

Have you made your resolutions this year? If, like me you've resolved to help the environment and get active there are loads of volunteering opportunities coming up and some really big projects starting in 2012 for you to get involved with.

The London Wildlife Trust are running a variety of events around London in preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games, including the Greenway Project, Old Ford Island Nature Reserve and Trees for the Hosts to name a few. Check out their website for event listings and more information.

Thames 21 are also adding a lot more projects to their busy schedule, and will be back at Beckton District Park soon.