24-05-2018: Black Redstarts and Balsam

Guess who was seen foraging and investigating at Seething Wells

Some great news to start our new Kingston University Biodiversity Action Group (KUBAG) blog.


Surveyors looking at wildlife at our Seething Wells Halls of residence saw this female Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) foraging and exploring our buildings. Maybe she's looking for some new digs and has found a lovely spot in our residences :)

There are fewer then 100 breeding pairs in the UK according to the RSPB, find out more by following this link.

The Himalayan balsam bash season is back up and running.

Balsam bash events (where this invasive plant is pulled up) have been occurring all over the Hogsmill catchment with different groups and local residents doing their best to clear areas near them.

We've had one mini balsam bash at Knights Park and Middle Mill in early May where we were able to clear out all of the tiny plants growing on the banks around our campus.

This year some of the local conservation groups got together to build on our Big Balsam Bash event last year (see the post from our old blog here), we decided to undertake a Balsam Bash Fortnight.

It kicked off with a balsam bash on the 16th of May run by the Environment Trust, we then had a big balsam bash event with three different groups working on three different sites on the 23rd of May:
1. Lower Mole Partnership working on the source of the balsam on the Hogsmill near Chessington,
2. KUBAG and the Kingston University Halls Connectors working at Elmbridge Meadows and
3. The Environment Trust working on the Raeburn Open Space.

Fiona sorting out the balsam from the nettles

Angela getting snacks for the student volunteers

Some of the less camera shy volunteers with familiar faces popping in to help for a bit after they finished with the Lower Mole and the Environment Trust

We'll be ending the fortnight on the 2nd of June (a little over the week) with a whole day balsam bash at Elmbridge Meadows from 10am to 4.30pm. Everyone is welcome (though its not suitable for under 5yrs) and all children must be accompanied by an adult.

If you would like to come along, email me using biodiversity@kingston.ac.uk and I can get you more information after Thursday 31st May.