Category Archives: Wildlife Area

Bird Count Results

Environment, Open Spaces, Queen's Park Gardens, Rose Garden, Well Being, Wildlife Area
  • Covid-19: Our park is still open at the moment but no community gardening is taking place. If you use the Wildlife Area, please respect those who are seeking a quiet area, free from joggers and dogs. Read our notes here.

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At the end of January, we joined in the nation’s Garden Birdwatch, counting the birds in our park with Andrew from the RSPB.

You can read more here.

The data has been crunched and once again, the sparrow has come out on top. Read more at the RSPB website.

How do these results compare to our count?

UK Bird QPG
1st House Sparrow 3rd
2nd Starling none
3rd Blue Tit Joint 5th
4th Woodpigeon 2nd
5th Blackbird 4th
6th Goldfinch Joint 6th
7th Great Tit Joint 5th
8th Robin Joint 5th
9th Long-tailed Tit none
10th Magpie Joint 6th
15th Feral Pigeon 1st
19th Wren Joint 6th
52nd ! Mistle Thrush Joint 6th

Covid-19 Update

Wildlife Area

In line with the most recent government directives regarding the Coronavirus, our group can no longer work in the gardens, regrettably.

Coal Tit on the coconut in the Rose Garden @CairdCrafts

Whilst our activities could be regarded as the allowed ‘once-a-day exercise’, we cannot risk endangering the health of our wonderful, dedicated band of long-standing volunteers and we must protect the lives of the NHS carers upon whom we depend by promoting, encouraging and exercising social-distancing.

We are doing what we can to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and we hope you will join us.

For the time being, the park will remain open for solitary exercise but all group activities must cease and small groups will be dispersed. Do not attempt to use the outdoor gym.

Combine dog walking with your once-a-day exercise.

Stay safe. Go out if you must, but be careful and mindful of others.

We are so grateful to the many people who have joined us in the past and sincerely hope to resume our sessions at a safe point in the future.

More information is available from Queen’s Park Community Council’s webpage. You may have witnessed the most recent council meeting in the park, exercising strict social distancing. This was held at 6pm, before the Prime Minister’s latest announcement.

Westminster City Council’s email newsletters are a great way to stay up-to-date with the latest news, offers and events.For more regular updates on our services and activities, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Resident newsletter (subscribe here) These updates have been daily for over a week now.

More options are here.

Nature awakens

Wildlife Area

We are lucky to be able to watch the changes in our park. So many happy neighbours send photos to us, so we’re sharing a few today.

We’re gardening over the next couple of weekends, weather permitting, so please check our sessions page for dates, times and more info.

Thank you to Jill, Claire, Susanna, Ulla and Sue.

Winter Planting

Wildlife Area

We planted two projects during our last session.

         

The willow dome has been persistently vandalised over the years. It reduced to an arch and more recently to one small wall of whips.  We hope that our new planting with be left alone long enough to establish itself and are grateful for the kind donation.

Our other planting addition was a crab apple tree, which should be delightful in the spring.

2020 Bird Count

Environment, Learning, Local Community, Queen's Park Gardens, Rose Garden, Well Being, Wildlife Area


We would like to thank Andrew Peel for his expert guidance during our count again this year. His knowledge and observational skills were invaluable.

Thank you to all the Friends who came along to help, too.

3 Blackbirds
2 Blue tits
1 Goldfinch
2 Great tit
7 House sparrows
2 Robin
10 Wood pigeons
37 Feral pigeons
1 Magpie
1 Wren
1 Mistle Thrush

The national count will be published in April.

We were also visited by a squirrel and saw a cormorant flying overhead.

Responsible Disposal after Christmas

Wildlife Area

photo IMG_5032_zpsim13eqq5.jpgThere are several things to remember when you take your tree down.
If you have an artificial tree, undress it carefully and store it so it can be used next year and for several years to come.

If you had a living tree, once again remove all the decorations then take it to one of the many collection points. We have one by the entrance near Fourth Avenue, in Ilbert Street.  There is also an area at St Luke’s Church on Fernhead Road. Don’t just put it out with your general waste. Those trucks are not designed to take trees. More information and other locations here. You have until 12th January to use these collection points so please be kind to your neighbourhood. Carelessly discarded trees are a menace to disabled path users and mothers with buggies..

Winter Festival 2019

Wildlife Area

Now in its sixth year, local community bodies have joined forces for a wintery festival in the Rose Garden/Community Orchard where you can enjoy music, animals to pet, food and crafts on Saturday, 14th December between 2pm and 4pm.

This year the Over 50’s party will be held on the previous Wednesday, 11th December between 1pm and 4pm in St Jude’s Hall.

Engine Idling is damaging our community

Wildlife Area

Westminster suffers from the worst air pollution in the country. With 9.9 million drivers in the capital and 370 million miles driven in Westminster each year, road transport contributes to more than half of the most deadly emissions. You may have noticed the new banner by the entrance to our park.

Our local Councillor Ray Lancashire has been a passionate campaigner for several years and we are also lucky to have had his invaluable help in our gardening sessions, as a founder member of the Friends group.

When you renew your road tax, you are invited to pledge to turn your engine off when you stop your car but Westminster Council are also encouraging you to sign their pledge too.  Please take a few moments to read this page and talk to your neighbours and friends. So many people don’t realise the harm they are doing to themselves and others.