Stag beetles

Stag beetles can be found in broad-leaved woodland, parks and in many gardens in the Borough. The larvae live in the decaying wood of trees, often in roots and stumps, and even in rotting timber fence posts. They take at least three and a half years to become fully grown beetles. A large male can be up to 70mm in length and their most conspicuous feature is the large jaws, which resemble the antlers of a stag deer. Their size makes them easily recognisable and people unnecessarily wary; stag beetles are harmless, attacking neither people nor boring into furniture.  The adults feed on tree sap and fruit and are most often seen flying during summer evenings while they are searching for a mate. The flight is often clumsy, crashing into windows and sometimes coming indoors.

Song thrushes

These are one of the most popular and familiar of our birds, equally at home in the town as in the country. They are approximately 20cm long, their upper parts are brown and underside creamy white with black spots. Males and females look identical and both sing. Flight is fast and purposeful and their song loud, clear and vigorous, distinguished by the repetition of simple musical phrases.

The song thrush can be found where there are trees and bushes with associated grassland, leaf litter or moist ground.  Hedgerows, gardens, thickets and woodlands are therefore particularly important as cover, though song thrushes regularly forage in the open on a wide range of invertebrates and fruit. Song thrushes most commonly nest in bushes, trees and climbing vegetation and sometimes in buildings, banks or on the ground. They breed from Mid-March to the end of August. The period from laying of eggs to fledging lasts 34 days. 

Skylarks

The skylark is widespread in the rural areas of the country but has declined by more than 50% over the last 25 years. Skylarks are most commonly associated with farmland.  They are renowned for their beautiful song as they climb vertically into the sky, fluttering their wings.   Skylarks are approximately 18cm long, pale brown in colour, with dark streaking above and buff white below and have a slight crest on the head. Skylarks are omnivorous; their diet varies in different crops at different times of year. They  feed on a wide range of invertebrates (eg. beetles, ants and grasshoppers), seeds and leaves (eg. nettles, grasses and knotgrass).

Skylarks nest on the ground amongst crops and grass between 20-50cm high.  They breed from April to early August, and timing of breeding is dependant on the crop type. on arable land.   Laying to fledging lasts a period of 31 days.  Insects are an especially important food source for chicks up to a week old.

Bats

Bats are the only mammals that have evolved powered flight. They are long-lived intelligent animals with a complex social life. Bats are active at night, finding their way around and catching their food using an ultrasonic method of navigation known as echolocation. British bats are insectivorous, taking a huge variety and number of different prey items - thus they are important pest controllers. Bats need safe summer roost sites for rearing their young, good feeding areas with plenty of insect food, and safe undisturbed sites for hibernation in winter. They rely to a greater or lesser extent on trees but some bats prefer to roost in buildings including houses, churches and barns.  The complex life style of British bats and their insectivourous diet means that their presence in an area is indicative  of a healthy and diverse environment.

12 of the sixteen species of British Bat occur in London, at least 8 are known to be breeding in Greater London.  10 species occur in Bromley, but only the Pipistrelle can be considered relatively common:

• Daubenton’s bat (Myotis daubentonii).
• Whiskered and Brandt’s bats (Myotis mystacinus and M. brandtii). 
• Natterer’s bat (Myotis nattereri).
• Pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus pipistrellus and P. pygmaeus)  
• Serotine bat (Eptesicus serotinus).
• Brown long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus). 
• Noctule bat (Nyctalus noctula). 
• Leisler’s bat (Nyctalus leisleri).

Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus)

A hedgehog is a characteristic mammal of suburban gardens, woodland edges, hedgerows and similar habitats.  Its strange appearance has inspired many myths and ensured its popularity in modern times.   The hedgehog has suffered from the impact of pesticides upon its prey - molluscs, worms, beetles, and other invertebrates - and loss and fragmentation of preferred areas.  It is still common, however, throughout mainland Britain. Research suggests that the population density of hedgehogs is between 3-7 per hectare, and that an average individual’s range is 20 hectares. 

Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius)
The 'common' or 'hazel' dormouse is one of our most attractive small mammals and is familiar to most of us as a sleepy character in 'Alice In Wonderland'.  The species has declined by 50% during the past 100 years due to loss and fragmentation of habitat.  They are mainly associated with woodlands and hedgerows.

Dormice are nocturnal and live at low densities, requiring 20ha of suitable woodland habitat, such as hazel coppice, to support a viable  population.  They build a nest of shredded honeysuckle bark and leaves in hollow trees, bramble or coppice stools.  They are highly adapted to searching for food at the tips of branches and rarely venture on to the ground.  Dormice require a diverse range of food plants to provide pollen, fruits and insects throughout the summer.    Their complex food requirements mean that the species’ presence can be indicative of a diverse woodland habitat.  They are unusually long-lived for rodents (up to 5 years) but only produce one small litter of young per year, which depend on their mother for 6-8 weeks.  In late autumn they hibernate for up to 7 months but can also become torpid in summer during poor weather or food shortages.

• Small skipper, Essex skipper ,Large skipper, Dingy skipper, Grizzled Skipper
• Clouded Yellow, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange-tip
• Green Hairstreak, Purple Hairstreak, White-letter hairstreak, Small Copper
• Small Blue, Brown Argus, Common Blue, Chalkhill Blue, Holly Blue
• White Admiral, Red Admiral, Painted Lady ,Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma
• Dark-Green Fritillary, Silver-washed Fritillary
• Speckled Wood, Wall Brown, Marbled White, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Ringlet.