Tuesday 10 June 2008

Where is the wildlife?


ladywell fields river
Originally uploaded by
londonlens

The changes made late last year in Ladywell Fields were impressive, and I've really enjoyed walking and running and cycling by the new arm of the river.

Speaking as someone who spent a lot of his childhood messing around by the edge of or on rafts on top of rivers and ponds (and a lot of time in them too), one thing disappoints me.

I have been enthusiastically awaiting the growth of water plants and the consequent arrival of dragonflies, whirligig beetles, and maybe the odd heron.

So far, nothing.

I wonder why? The old course of the Ravensbourne seems fine, so it can't be the water. I saw a shoal of small fish in there for the first time on Sunday, and there's always a wagtail or two to show it's clean enough.

Still, it's a nice place to be, and is refreshingly free of litter.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

perhaps it's a bit soon to expect anything yet, it's not quite a year since the changes have taken place. I would expect it to take a bit more time, (although I'm no naturalist!)

kate said...

I walk through ladywell fields everyday taking my children to school most days have been litter free, but the other morning it looked like someone had had a party andleft everything behind
:-(
As for plant life in the river i did wonder about that but as your other commenter says maybe its too soon.
Im enjoying the wild plants like poppies that have been planted, they look lovely and havent been picked to death yet.
;-)

kate said...

Thought you may be interested to hear that there were park keeper type people planting water plants and river weeds ..er in the river...exactly the section where you took your picture of. ;0)