Upgrade to cycle/footpath through the Exchange Lands

 Work has begun on an upgrade to the access route that crosses the Aldersbrook Exchange Lands (the old Sewage Works site) from east to west. This is part of the National Cycle Network and the work is to bring it up to the accepted standard for this network.

The resurfacing is from the entrance to the site which is adjacent to Aldersbrook Riding School and continues across what we knew as Redbridge Field (no longer a field and not belonging to Redbridge!). It ends at the hedge which separates much of the old field from the Wilderness area of the Exchange Lands as there is already a hard-surfaced track from this point, which crosses the Redbridge/Barking Link Road (A406) and finishes at Wanstead Park Road, Ilford.

Track resurfacing work on 20th March 2011

As I have been particularly interested in this area of land since before even it became part of Epping Forest, I was consulted by the City of London Corporation in anticipation of the work, and visited the site with Assistant Ecologist for Epping Forest Andy Froud (see here) to establish where the materials for the work would be laid and what particular areas required special attention to avoid damage.

I visited the site today at the request of Epping Forest to check whether things appeared to be complying with our requests, and am happy to report that they seem to be. Surfacing material has been stored for use in the two areas that I suggested would do least harm, and so far I can see no significant damage to plant life or other ecological issues. It is a shame that the track needs to be as wide as it is - it seems to even be exceeding the usual three-metre width, but it is anticipated that horses will be using this route for access to the Roding Valley Way. The edges do eventually blend in anyway, as can be seen from the work done on the Roding Valley Way between the south end of the Exchange Lands and Little Ilford.

My concern continues to be that the final link in the RVW in this area looks almost certain to be across the Wilderness area of the old sewage works when - as I've said so many times before - a perfectly adequate alternative could exist. Ah, well - cycles reign supreme!

Whilst I was in the Exchange Lands, I had a look at the recent work done by the Wren Conservation Group in opening up the access to the path along the bund which separates the northern section of the site from the Roding. This has taken two of their practical work sessions, and although I wasn't available to lend a hand, I was asked for any hints that I could give before they started. I can say that they seem to have done a fine job, and with use the access point from near where the fresh-water outfall into the Roding is may provide a good footpath. Let's hope that it remains that - a footpath. My only slight niggle with the way the work was carried out was that an amount of cut bramble was chucked on the Dewberry plant that had suffered from machine-cutting not long ago. It wouldn't have done any harm, and would soon have got swallowed anyway, but it looked unnecessarily untidy so I cleared it away. That's the second time recently that I'd gone unprepared for practical work and ended up getting brambled. The last was a similar circumstance relating to the clearing work done in the Grotto!

Paul Ferris, 20th March 2011

Practical Work in Aldersbrook Wood, 12th April 2011

On 3rd February I wrote an article relating to Aldersbrook Wood, mentioning that the London Borough of Redbridge have at last shown an interest in helping to manage this small area of woodland as a public facility, and something of a little reserve for nature. (see here)

Following a site visit with Redbridge Senior Conservation Ranger Francis Castro, it has been decided that a practical work day will take place on Tuesday 12th April. This will be between 11am and 3pm, and the meeting place will be at the eastern end of Northumberland Avenue, Aldersbrook, E12, by the small gate into Wanstead Park opposite Perry Lodge.

Litter-picking and understory management will be undertaken, so there should be something to do whatever your capabilities or experience.

It was good to see recently that - perhaps in anticipation of this - some fly-tipped masonry had been removed. Let's hope that some means can be found to stop this happening in future. Simple re-instatement of the gate would help a lot; I believe this is now left open (whether officially or not, I don't know) to facilitate parking at the back of Perry Lodge. It has been reported to me that apart from the fly-tipping, other nefarious activities often take place there - particularly relating to couples in cars.

Paul Ferris, 20th March 2011

Bombus hypnorum - a recently recognised bumble-bee in the area

On 27th February I noticed a large-ish bumble-bee on the white-painted surround of my kitchen window overlooking Manor Park cemetery. It was absolutely still - somewhat comatose in the cold, dreary weather that day, and an ideal candidate - albeit through the double-glazing - of a photograph.

Bombus hypnorum in position on the paintworkThe bee wasn't one that I'd been aware of noticing before, having a dark head, an attractive brown thorax, black abdomen and white tail. I took some photographs first, before trying to identify it.

Bombus pascuorum has been the most likely bumble-bee to be seen with a tawny appearance - especially this early in the year - but the colour often extends to the abdomen as well. B.humilis was another gingery candidate, but these are usually almost entirely ginger and tend to appear a bit later. In the case of the bee-by-the-window. the abdomen was very black. Also, neither B. pascuorum or B. humilis have a white tail.

It appeared that what I had there was Bombus hypnorum, sometimes called the Tree Bee or the Tree Bumblebee, a relatively newly-arrived species in Britain, and one that I had not noticed before.

Bombus hypnorum was first found in the UK in 2001 on the border of Hampshire and Wiltshire; in Essex it was first seen during 2007 at Thundersley near Southend and at High Woods Country Park, Colchester. Since then it has extended its range to many parts of the country. It tends to be associated with woodland and gardens in urban areas, which suits the description of my location quite well.

The bee remained in exactly the same position until 2nd March, when some long-awaited sunshine and a slight rise in temperature (to about 8° C.) apparently encouraged it to move off. Coincidentally, when I mentioned it to Jennifer Charter and before I'd described it, she told me that she had a bumblebee in her garden, and described it as the same species. She lives in a wooded garden in the Aldersbrook area.

Thanks to Peter Harvey of the Essex Field Club for some additional information used in this article

An information sheet supplied by Stuart Roberts of the Bees, Wasps and Ants Recording Society (BWARS) is available here as a pdf. file

Paul Ferris, 3rd March 2011

Bombus hypnorum - the white tail can just be made out against the white background

click here for large scale image

Waxwings visit Aldersbrook

I'm not much of a twitcher, really - although I have been known to go over to Wanstead Park to see a Goosander, and Wanstead Flats to see a Wryneck. I even walked the length of the Flats once to see a Dunlin by Jubilee Pond. As I live overlooking Wanstead Flats, you can tell my level of enthusiasm.

Some of the 50 Waxwings in an Alder in Aldersbrook

However, I put myself out today when I got a 'phone call from Tim Harris saying that there was a flock of Waxwings in Westmorland Close, Aldersbrook - right next to Aldersbrook Wood which I have been banging on about recently.They had first been spotted by Natalia Benajeh, who lives nearby and who had let Tim and Epping Forest Keeper Brian Gotts know.

After equipping myself for the great outdoors (i.e. putting my boots, coat and hat on) it was 15 minutes before I arrived to find Tim looking at some 30-40 birds in a tall tree in the back garden of one of the houses directly opposite Westmorland Close. The point is - remarkable though it may seem to some - I have never seen a Waxwing before, so this expedition of about a quarter mile was valid. The light was a bit poor as it was overcast with rain threatening, but from below the tree the exotic colouring was easily discernible. Waxwings obviously like television

Tim explained that this flock had a tendency to feast on a handy Cotoneaster nearby, so when they flew off we awaited their arrival there. They duly arrived, like a flock of starlings, made a swift grab at the berries and were gone! This was all a bit too quick for my reflexes and my camera focus, which meant I had to hang around in increasing rain for another opportunity. Brian Gotts had obviously got the message, for he turned up with his super-camera-plus-lens-and-monopod, and soon had what appeared very acceptable photographs. I was required to keep trying.

Notwithstanding the rain - I did get some photographs!

Meanwhile, I'd let Jennifer Charter - who lives around the corner from the Waxwings - know, and along she came with her noisesome whippet, Tim. They'd never seen Waxwings before, and it is possible that the Waxwings had never seen a Tim before.

Anyway,  as the rain rained harder the birds continued to do feeding forays onto the Cotoneaster, which by now was looking somewhat bare. I was feeling somewhat wet, so after a final count of the flock - now numbering 50 - I went home.

Paul Ferris, 26th February 2011