London Wild Birdwatch, London Wetland Centre (20th – 22nd April 2012).

I had volunteered to help out with this weekend event, acting as one of the ‘Guides in the Hides’ to help show visitors the birds, help with identification, and provide some information.

This Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust reserve, which has been developed with wildlife in mind on the site of the Barn Elms Reservoirs, is another one of the ‘gems’ found within the urban sprawl of Greater London. The various shallow pools provide ideal habitat for a variety of waders and waterbirds, and the extensive vegetation around them is good habitat for a number of different warbler species as well as other wildlife.

The above view was taken from the Tower Hide which gives good views over much of the reserve including an artificial nesting bank designed for, and used by, Sand Martins. The building to the right in the photo is Charing Cross Hospital which is used by one of Londons breeding pairs of Peregrine Falcons. A web camera was set up to view the nest this year (check the WWT's London Wetland Centre website for details).

Over the course of the weekend I saw a wide variety of different wildlife, including Peregrine Falcon, Sparrowhawk, Yellow-legged Gulls, Cetti’s Warbler, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Little Ringed Plovers,  a late Jack Snipe, Ring-necked Parakeets, Wheatears (including one bright male showing characteristics of the Greenland race), Water Voles, Common Lizards, Orange Tip and other butterflies, and various flowers. A selection is shown below:

A male Sparrowhawk which spent a while sat on a fence near the Tower Hide.
What was presumed to be the same bird was later seen
taking a Sand Martin near the nesting bank.

Ring-necked Parakeets - among Londons noisiest new residents!
The pink and black neck ring is seen on adult males only.

Two very different plants with bright yellow flowers were in bloom, Marsh Marigolds (top),
at the edge of wet areas, and Cowslips in grassy areas by the paths around the reserve.

Common Lizards could be found basking in undisturbed sunny spots
from which they could quickly disappear into cover if any danger threatened 
(log piles were ideal). 

Regents Park (10th April 2012).

A day spend in central London gave me the opportunity to pay an evening visit to Regents Park. Like some of the other central London Parks there can be a surprising amount of wildlife present, despite the number of people (and today, despite the frequent showers!).

Water-birds around the lake were the most obvious species, particularly the Grey Herons which can be ridiculously tame. Several pairs nest in a heronry on one of the islands in the lake, and the birds from this heronry can sometimes be seen competing with various ducks and Feral Pigeons for scraps of bread thrown, or dropped, by visitors.

Other species can also be very approachable in the park, mainly common species such as this Woodpigeon, which was feeding unconcerned only feet away from a busy path:

‘Wild’ corners provide suitable habitat for a few breeding pairs of warblers, such as Blackcap, as well as feeding sites for passage migrants.

Both Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff were singing near this area.

Introduced species are also very noticeable in the park, including Ring-necked Parakeets, Red-crested Pochard and Mandarin Duck, all of which have self sustaining naturalised populations in London. There is a collection of captive wildfowl species in the park as well, so not all of the wildfowl that can be seen are free living!

A pair of Red-crested Pochard flying over the lake, and a Mandarin drake at the lakes edge.