Cheshunt Gravel Pits (17th March 2012).

I was due to lead a walk around part of the River Lee Country Park for the London Natural History Society and, despite overcast conditions and showery rain, seven people turned up at the meeting point to join me. Mid March can be a bit of an 'in between' time, with many winter visitors already beginning to depart for their breeding grounds, and the bulk of the summer migrants yet to arrive
We did manage to find a mix of winter and summer birds, with Common Chiffchaffs singing almost everywhere we went, and a few winter migrants like Goldeneye, and Redwing giving good views. Most of the chiffchaffs will have been newly arrived migrants as few have been present in the area this winter.

Resident species added to the birds seen during the day, and included two Cetti's Warblers, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Egyptian Geese and Water Rails, the later giving some very good views to most of the attendees. Other wildlife included Muntjac Deer (Reeve's Muntjac), and various species of bumblebee, as well as some of the early spring flowers such as Lesser Celandine.

No camera with me today, so here's one I took earlier!

This Water Rail could potentially even have been one of the ones that we did see, 
as it was photographed from the same hide!