Good News, Bad News, Sad News

The good news is that the Lewisham Rivers and People Project is coming to Hilly Fields. "The Hill Is Alive! Birds, Beasts and Wildflowers in an Urban Park" is the title of a walk taking place on Thursday 28 March starting at 10.30. Meet on the corner of Adelaide Avenue and Eastern Road. The walk will be led by Nick Bertrand, the legendary Deptford botanist, which means that expert and entertaining commentary about flowers and trees in the park is guaranteed. There will also be input on bird life from the Bird Champions group. We might see a Blackcap like the one in this photo by Keith Ward taken in his back garden which adjoins Hilly Fields:

Or the Great Spotted Woodpecker (below) 'spotted' by Mike Keogh near the lower Vicars Hill entrance on 5 March:

Not sure what "beasts" we'll encounter other than dogs and squirrels, but you never know. Perhaps some bees and butterflies will have appeared by then. I saw my first bumble bee of 2013 last week in Kelsey Park, Bromley.

The bad news is that these are the last months of the Rivers and People Project. After holding regular nature events in Lewisham since April 2010, funding is running out and the project comes to an end in July. Before then, however,there is a packed programme of walks, wades, river dippings - even an introduction to "Pressing and Mounting Wildflowers". The next event is this Saturday (23 March) at Oxleas Wood, starting at 2pm - "a walk around this magnificent ancient woodland". See the Lewisham Nature Conservation website for more details - http://natureconservationlewisham.co.uk/rivers-people/ - or take a look at the programme pinned up outside the cafe.

The sad news is that our ex-parkie, Keith Seabrook, passed away on 28 February after a long illness. Many park users will remember Keith who can be seen in the background of this photo from our RSPB Big Birdwatch event in January 2012.

Always friendly and helpful, Keith kept the park in good order and was very supportive of both the Friends of Hilly Fields and the Bird Champion project. He would often fill up the bird feeder for us if we couldn't get to it and then complain when the parakeets descended on it! The funeral is on Monday March 25 at 9.30 am at Hither Green Crematorium.