A Winters Day - 22 Jan 17

One of my favourite things to do when visiting London is a walk through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. The bird life here is really special, so after having an amazing day on Saturday with magnificent views of London from the Shard, followed by an excellent meal at Marcus White's Steakhouse in Middlesex Street, Dawn I decided that after a late breakfast in the Hotel Plaza, we would set off to Hyde Park Corner via Waterloo Underground.

Our walk started off at the Rose Gardens in the south-east corner of the park at midday and then it was diagonal route along the Serpentine and Long Water up to the Italian Gardens in Kensington Gardens. The plan was, that once we had finished our walk we would jump on the tube train at Lancaster Gate. However that part of the plan didn't quite work out, as the Tube Station was closed. So our walk was extended a bit as we headed east, back into Hyde Park and up as far as Marble Arch.

The weather was freezing, as it has been for a few days now, but the sun was out and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Perfect conditions for taking a few images along our 2 hour walk..

I also had a quest on this walk and that was to find a Little Owl and a Kingfisher. The latter I missed out on but I did catch a fleeting glimpse of a Little Owl sticking his head out of a hole in a Lime Tree by the Henry Moore Sculpture. Unfortunately he never reappeared again for a photo or for Dawn to see, which was a real shame.

Here are a few images from the Parks and also a link to the top birding Blog in London run by Ralph Hancock, who can be seen below feeding the birds in his hand. Here is his excellent Blog Here

Ralph feeding the birds. A Blue Tit on his finger tips and a Great Tit above his hand.

One of many Ringed-necked Parakeets to be found, not just in Hyde Park and Kensington, but almost the whole of London.

They do strike a lovely pose.

That is quite a formidable beak.

Here in the Rose Garden it was squabbles, arguments and squawking.

A Jay with what looks like a Black Cherry!

One of a pair of Egyptian Geese in the gardens of the Queen Caroline Memorial

The weir at the east end of the Serpentine flowing into the Queen Caroline Memorial gardens.

A Black-headed Gull almost in summer plumage

Here we have a 1st-winter Black-headed Gull feeding in amongst the feral pigeons

Quite a friendly gull, especially for a youngster. Note the straw-coloured legs which will turn red in the Summer.

A friendly looking face. This Grey Squirrel is an opportunist as............

..........as this young lady found out!

Spring is nearly here. Well in London it is as these Snowdrops burst into bloom.

Here along the banks of the Serpentine, the water birds manage to find open water.

Being so close its a wonderful opportunity to see the Swans, Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, Tufted Ducks, Coots and Moorhens. Plus the gulls......

Here we have a Common Gull, a 1st-winter.

And here an adult seems to be looking at his reflection.

An awkward stance if you ask me, but he managed to stay upright despite the crossed feet.

Here another adult Common Gull comes into land...

Brakes on and a slide......

Another in flight.......

I don't know why but this Herring Gull just looks odd. It looks quite small, perhaps a female.

Two Greylag Geese take the air.........

And decide that the grass on the park is more appealing than the frozen Serpentine.

A beautiful iridescent Starling. Those colours are amazing in the sunlight. 

And he was enjoying the Winter Sun, singing his heart out in a tree overhanging the Serpentine

My first Little Grebe of the year. He was up for a few seconds and then disappeared under the water.

Two drake Pochard were just off the island close to the boathouse. It was very dark in this area, so I've just lightened the image slightly. The duck in front is a female Tufted Duck.

Dawn attempts to win over an Egyptian Goose.

Must be friendliest Grey Wagtail I've ever come across. Apparently its the only one in the Park.

A short video of it feeding along the bank.

Another bird that strikes a good pose, Cormorant. Most were very hungry......

......and this one was just feet away from me, feeding on small fry that were inside submerged metal cages. I guess the fish thought they were safe, but that beak managed to find plenty to eat.

A Grey Heron enjoying the sun alongside Long Water.

...........whilst 5 others were "forced" to hunt in the long grass opposite the Henry Moore Sculpture.

Here is another........

.......one in flight......

.....and a juvenile.

It was hard going on the icy surface......

.....and tentative steps were in order.

Another Cormorant which to my astonishment.....

..........flew in and landed in one of the Fountain Pools in the Italian Garden.

The Moorhens were not impressed as it dived around inches from where they perched.

Another Moorhen took refuge under the fountain........

.....before deciding to risk a dip.

Birds Recorded were: 1 Little Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, Egyptian Geese, Mallard, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Little Owl, Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, Chaffinch and Goldfinch. 39 species

Also dozens of Grey Squirrels

Down on the Farm

A quick visit to Lotmead Farm this lunchtime, though unfortunately I didn't manage to take in the pool. A good start nevertheless for my patch list, which has started off with 23 species.

Main highlight today was a second Mute Swan. Last year there was a juvenile and now there are two on the Farm Pond. Also about were dozens of Fieldfare and Redwings in the trees, as was a Buzzard high up in a neighbouring Oak tree.

Birds recorded were: 2 Mute Swan, 1 Mallard, 1 Buzzard, Pheasant, Wood Pigeon, Feral Pigeon, Collared Dove, 6 Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Redwing, Blue Tit, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Greenfinch.

Fieldfares and Redwings

Coate Water - 4 Dec 16

With the news that Nick Goddard had found 4 Bewick's Swans at Coate Water this morning, I just had to see these beautiful Arctic Swans. My last encounter were the ones at Slimbridge last December and at Eysey back November 2013 when there were 4 adults and a juvenile.

Anyway here are a few images of the Bewick's plus other birds seen here this afternoon.

4 Bewick's Swans and behind are Mute Swans

Drake Goosander

Two Common Gulls and Black-headed Gull in foreground

Another Common Gull

Herring Gull

Female Blackbird

Mistle Thrush

Mistle Thrush

Mistle Thrush

Icy Morning

On a very cold and frosty morning with temperatures dropping to -3.6°C, it wasn't that much of a surprise to see the reserve pool at Lotmead Farm, completely frozen over. The only birds on the pool were singles of Moorhen and Water Rail.

The main highlights of my 3 hours there (7:00am - 10:00am) were 4 large flocks of Redwing (21, 33, 45 and 36) and my first Kestrels here with a pair which flew over the hide.

On the farm itself there were 8 Meadow Pipit in the field next to the car park, along with House Sparrows, Starlings, Chaffinches, Pied Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail, Collared Doves and 5 Robins.

As I was leaving there were 4 Greenfinches and 3 Fieldfare feeding in the Hawthorn Trees down the lane towards the main road .

Birds Recorded: 1 Mute Swan, 1 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 12 Pheasant, 3 "black" Pheasants, 2 Red-Legged Partridge, 1 Water Rail, 1 Moorhen, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, 8 Collared Dove, 9 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 5 Fieldfare, 135 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Goldcrest, 3 Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, 2 Jay, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 12 Starling, 20+ House Sparrow, 8 Chaffinch, 5 Goldfinch, 5 Greenfinch, 7 Bullfinch and 1 Reed Bunting.

Also 4 Roe Deer and 2 Grey Squirrels

The sun is just coming up 7:15am. Sunrise today was 7:55am

There were around 130+ Redwings here this morning in 4 different parties, with these 2 stopping off quite close to the hide.

When I arrived the rookery was empty and then about 20 Rooks turned up around 8:00am. They "chatted" and then by 8:40am they all left.

One of the 4 Roe Deer seen here today. Shame about the branch, but had I moved she would have vanished within seconds.

One of the "black" Pheasants on the Reserve

The usual shot of two male Bullfinches, hidden by the branches.

A chirpy male House Sparrow

And another

A Grey Wagtail joins the farm birds.

A Buzzard has two Jackdaws escorting it away from the farm.

"Jenny" Wren

It was only when a tractor went past that I realised there were 8 Meadow Pipits in the field and not 3.

As I was leaving there were 3 Fieldfare in the lane.

An unsurprisingly as I stopped the car they flew off.

New Arrivals

Highlights from an hour at Lotmead Farm this morning were my first Shoveler here on the pool, a Tawny Owl calling and a Water Rail showing really well on the far bank. There was also a good passage of Wood Pigeons, with three large flocks passing overhead with 200+, 100+ and 100+. Not to be outdone there were also 200+ Fieldfare & Redwing which were heading west.

Below are a few record shots and video from this morning. Apologies for the background noise on the video. One it was windy and secondly the very low-light conditions causes the camera to continually track the subject and consequently you get a constant clicking.

Dawn and the sun isn't quite up yet at 6:57am.

A Water Rail showed well this morning on the far bank.

The Water Rail feeding along the waters edge.

Three of the five Shoveler on the pool. My first here.

A Grey Heron in the Paddock Area.

One of five "black" Pheasants around the pool. Close-up more a dark red than black.

A Common Buzzard struggles to keep his balance in the strong wind

Birds Recorded: 1 Little Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Mute Swan, 11 Mallard, 5 Wigeon, 6 Teal, 5 Shoveler, 1 Buzzard, 30 Pheasant, 1 Water Rail, 11 Moorhen, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Stock Dove, 400+ Wood Pigeon, 1 Tawny Owl heard, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 200+ Fieldfare & Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 50+ Starling, House Sparrow, 5 Chaffinch, 6 Goldfinch, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Yellowhammer and 1 Reed Bunting.

Also 2 Roe Deer

(Martin Adlam)

A Midday Visit to the Farm

Most of my trips to the Reserve Pool at Lotmead have been early morning visits, so it made a change to visit during the middle of the day. The biggest difference was the lack of ducks with just 7 Wigeon and 2 Teal. Noticeably there were no Mallard at all.

Main highlight here today was my first on the patch, a very vocal Tawny Owl at the back of the pool, that seemed to be quite stressed out about something! Other highlights were dozens Redwing and Fieldfares, flying backwards and forwards over the pool and 5 "black" Pheasants. Not seen that many before.

Here are a few images from today and a short video of the Tawny Owl calling.

A Fieldfare and Redwing (right) in a Hawthorn

Is it safe to come out......

.....4 of the 5 "black" Pheasants on the Reserve.

A straggler.

Here are two of the 7 Wigeon here today. I suspect the other 40+ will be back this evening.

In the middle of this Spindle-tree (Euonymus europaeus), with its vivid pink fruits and orange seeds is a Long-tailed Tit.

Sat in an old Oak tree are 8 Collared Doves, a Carrion Crow and 2 Starlings.

Tawny Owl calling at the back of Lotmead Farm Nature Reserve Pool

Birds Recorded: 1 Mute Swan, 7 Wigeon, 2 Teal, 1 Sparrowhawk, 18 Pheasant, 7 Moorhen, 1 Black-headed Gull, 2 Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, 8 Collared Dove, 1 Tawny Owl, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, 5 Blackbird, 15+ Fieldfare, 80+ Redwing, 1 Mistle Thrush, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 30+ Starling, 15+ House Sparrow, 20+ Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Bullfinch.

Also 5 Black Pheasants