@harrowncf.bsky.social
Volunteers from Sainsburys raking cut bramble at Bentley Priory today to help preserve the species-rich grasslands. Thanks guys!
November 20, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Volunteers from Sainsburys raking cut bramble at Bentley Priory today to help preserve the species-rich grasslands. Thanks guys!
Volunteers from William Hill at Bentley Priory today - thanks guys! They raked up cut bramble then moved it to piles off the grassland; we hope this will reduce the bramble growth next year and encourage the growth of grassland flowers. The sky was blue and the sun shone!
November 17, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Volunteers from William Hill at Bentley Priory today - thanks guys! They raked up cut bramble then moved it to piles off the grassland; we hope this will reduce the bramble growth next year and encourage the growth of grassland flowers. The sky was blue and the sun shone!
The lovely ball of mistletoe in Furze Heath, Bentley Priory, photographed on a soggy misty morning today. This plant has been growing on that branch for at least ten years. Kissing under it would likely result in lots of scratches!
November 7, 2025 at 9:08 PM
The lovely ball of mistletoe in Furze Heath, Bentley Priory, photographed on a soggy misty morning today. This plant has been growing on that branch for at least ten years. Kissing under it would likely result in lots of scratches!
Lovely colours at Stanmore Country Park this morning as we used battery brush cutters to cut back the bramble along the edges of the grassy glades.
November 5, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Lovely colours at Stanmore Country Park this morning as we used battery brush cutters to cut back the bramble along the edges of the grassy glades.
Volunteers from the Building Research Establishment today at Bentley Priory moving one of the many piles of cut bramble that they had raked up. Removing the bramble will help restore the species-rich grassland. Thanks guys!
October 30, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Volunteers from the Building Research Establishment today at Bentley Priory moving one of the many piles of cut bramble that they had raked up. Removing the bramble will help restore the species-rich grassland. Thanks guys!
Guelder Rose berries and foliage at Bentley Priory this afternoon.
October 21, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Guelder Rose berries and foliage at Bentley Priory this afternoon.
Nice autumn colours at Bentley Priory today as volunteers from the Conservation Volunteers @tcvnational.bsky.social raked cut bramble to protect the species-rich grasslands.
October 20, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Nice autumn colours at Bentley Priory today as volunteers from the Conservation Volunteers @tcvnational.bsky.social raked cut bramble to protect the species-rich grasslands.
Volunteers from @tcvnational.bsky.social raked cut bramble at Bentley Priory today to preserve the species-rich grasslands. Thanks guys! The cattle spent the morning eating acorns; then the one closest here investigated our arisings pile and had fun tossing it about and having a good neck scratch.
October 13, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Volunteers from @tcvnational.bsky.social raked cut bramble at Bentley Priory today to preserve the species-rich grasslands. Thanks guys! The cattle spent the morning eating acorns; then the one closest here investigated our arisings pile and had fun tossing it about and having a good neck scratch.
A misty Middle Dragonfly Pond this morning at Bentley Priory. Shows the wonderful mix of habitats at this location: pond, bramble, young willow, grassy meadow, trees. One man, Peter Peretti, was responsible for creating the dragonfly ponds which so enhance the site.
October 12, 2025 at 10:39 AM
A misty Middle Dragonfly Pond this morning at Bentley Priory. Shows the wonderful mix of habitats at this location: pond, bramble, young willow, grassy meadow, trees. One man, Peter Peretti, was responsible for creating the dragonfly ponds which so enhance the site.
Like a natural Christmas wreath: lichens on a branch of hawthorn at Bentley Priory yesterday
October 10, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Like a natural Christmas wreath: lichens on a branch of hawthorn at Bentley Priory yesterday
Gadwall looking trim beside three Mallards at Summerhouse Lake, Bentley Priory today. There were quite a lot of gadwall all having a good conversation
October 9, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Gadwall looking trim beside three Mallards at Summerhouse Lake, Bentley Priory today. There were quite a lot of gadwall all having a good conversation
Volunteers from @tcvnational.bsky.social raking up cut bramble to preserve the species-rich grassland at Bentley Priory SSSI today. Absolutely gorgeous day, sunny, blue sky. Thanks everyone!
October 6, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Volunteers from @tcvnational.bsky.social raking up cut bramble to preserve the species-rich grassland at Bentley Priory SSSI today. Absolutely gorgeous day, sunny, blue sky. Thanks everyone!
Look at all those holes! Something has been nibbling holes in these hornbeam leaves at Bentley Priory. Taken this morning while we were clearing invasive rhododendron from around the trees - mainly to help forest floor plants, but the hornbeams will appreciate it too.
September 27, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Look at all those holes! Something has been nibbling holes in these hornbeam leaves at Bentley Priory. Taken this morning while we were clearing invasive rhododendron from around the trees - mainly to help forest floor plants, but the hornbeams will appreciate it too.
Volunteers from Sainsburys clearing invasive holly at Stanmore Country Park yesterday. Holly is OK in parts but tends to invade the whole wood, shading out the forest floor and preventing growth of woodland flowers. Image shows two yellow Tree Poppers in action - these are great tools!
September 26, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Volunteers from Sainsburys clearing invasive holly at Stanmore Country Park yesterday. Holly is OK in parts but tends to invade the whole wood, shading out the forest floor and preventing growth of woodland flowers. Image shows two yellow Tree Poppers in action - these are great tools!
Nice little oasis of epiphytic fern and bramble in the fork of an ash tree at Bentley Priory this morning.
September 20, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Nice little oasis of epiphytic fern and bramble in the fork of an ash tree at Bentley Priory this morning.
Images taken today: Bolton's Pande in Roxbourne Rough, that we cleared of excessive vegetation on August 10th and 15th, is filling nicely. This male Common Darter has spotted this good site and chosen it as his territory - he was taking advantage of a sunny period between the showers.
September 15, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Images taken today: Bolton's Pande in Roxbourne Rough, that we cleared of excessive vegetation on August 10th and 15th, is filling nicely. This male Common Darter has spotted this good site and chosen it as his territory - he was taking advantage of a sunny period between the showers.
Main picture is the wild pear tree at Bentley Priory in bloom in April with people at the bottom for scale - it's a big tree! Inset shows three windfall pears from this morning. They are small but clearly pearshaped.
September 13, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Main picture is the wild pear tree at Bentley Priory in bloom in April with people at the bottom for scale - it's a big tree! Inset shows three windfall pears from this morning. They are small but clearly pearshaped.
One of the many Yellow Meadow Ant ant hills at Stanmore Country Park. Mouse Ear Hawkweed grows around the entrance to a rabbit hole. The hawkweed likes to grow on the dry warm soil of the ant hills, it does not grow on the ground around the ant hills.
September 9, 2025 at 4:33 PM
One of the many Yellow Meadow Ant ant hills at Stanmore Country Park. Mouse Ear Hawkweed grows around the entrance to a rabbit hole. The hawkweed likes to grow on the dry warm soil of the ant hills, it does not grow on the ground around the ant hills.
Photo taken Tuesday.. gorgeous large Rowan laden with berries on Grims Dyke in Pear Wood. Lovely heather blossom in the foreground, but on the left you can see the edge of the (deliberate) burn that got some heather but, thank goodness and thanks to the London Fire Brigade, did not cross the path.
August 29, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Photo taken Tuesday.. gorgeous large Rowan laden with berries on Grims Dyke in Pear Wood. Lovely heather blossom in the foreground, but on the left you can see the edge of the (deliberate) burn that got some heather but, thank goodness and thanks to the London Fire Brigade, did not cross the path.
Edge of a large burn at Pear Wood yesterday; ran quite a way into the trees in the leaf litter. Fire brigade have visited 3 days running to soak the ground, now we are dousing small outbreaks with buckets. Some heather burned but still in bloom on the right. Fire set was pure malice, not a mistake.
August 27, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Edge of a large burn at Pear Wood yesterday; ran quite a way into the trees in the leaf litter. Fire brigade have visited 3 days running to soak the ground, now we are dousing small outbreaks with buckets. Some heather burned but still in bloom on the right. Fire set was pure malice, not a mistake.
There are still flowers to see on the nature reserves - here Devils Bit Scabious and Ragwort at Bentley Priory this morning.
August 20, 2025 at 12:49 PM
There are still flowers to see on the nature reserves - here Devils Bit Scabious and Ragwort at Bentley Priory this morning.
Before and after images of clearance at Bolton's Pande in Roxbourne Rough. It looks drastic but now there will be areas of open water when it refills. A female Emperor dragonfly was busy laying eggs in the gaps between the slats of the boardwalk so she has confidence that the pond will refill!
August 16, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Before and after images of clearance at Bolton's Pande in Roxbourne Rough. It looks drastic but now there will be areas of open water when it refills. A female Emperor dragonfly was busy laying eggs in the gaps between the slats of the boardwalk so she has confidence that the pond will refill!
Yesterday volunteers began the work of clearing vegetation and mud from Bolton's Pande, a lovely rain fed pond at Roxbourne Rough that is now almost completely dry - but not so dry we did not get muddy! It was full of aquatic life this year but if we did not act it would be dry scrub in a few years.
August 11, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Yesterday volunteers began the work of clearing vegetation and mud from Bolton's Pande, a lovely rain fed pond at Roxbourne Rough that is now almost completely dry - but not so dry we did not get muddy! It was full of aquatic life this year but if we did not act it would be dry scrub in a few years.
Taken Monday July 28 - Coppiced aspen clumps create a wonderful complex edge to Summerhouse Lake at Bentley Priory. We found lots of tiny froglets in the woodland behin; this sort of waters edge is great for metamorphosing tadpoles to hop out then hide from all the birds that would like to eat them.
July 30, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Taken Monday July 28 - Coppiced aspen clumps create a wonderful complex edge to Summerhouse Lake at Bentley Priory. We found lots of tiny froglets in the woodland behin; this sort of waters edge is great for metamorphosing tadpoles to hop out then hide from all the birds that would like to eat them.
Volunteers from The Conservation Volunteers cleared holly from around Summerhouse Lake in Bentley Priory today. Letting more light in to the lake edge will allow the growth of more emergent vegetation (reed, iris etc) which in turn will provide homes for aquatic invertebrates and small fish.
July 28, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Volunteers from The Conservation Volunteers cleared holly from around Summerhouse Lake in Bentley Priory today. Letting more light in to the lake edge will allow the growth of more emergent vegetation (reed, iris etc) which in turn will provide homes for aquatic invertebrates and small fish.