Waterlink Way winter dawn chorus walk

Four of us met Chris McGaw at Sainsbury's, Bell Green, today for a winter dawn chorus walk of Waterlink Way. We started at 6:30am feeling surprisingly warmer than we did at 5am last May. On the other hand it was misty and not yet light enough for the binoculars.

Some of the Fieldfare

There were two highlights of the day, the first was the flock of Fieldfare in a tree beside the River Pool approx. 150m north of the Winsford Road/Broadmead footbridge, the second was a pair of Kingfisher in a shrub on the west bank of the river approx. 150m further north.

 

I managed to snatch a couple of photos, but they're poor quality because they were taken with my compact camera with the lens at full zoom, plus digital zoom, plus another order of magnitude enhancement with Photoshop.

Pair of Kingfisher

I took a better photo of a Kingfisher from the Winsford Road/Broadmead footbridge on 24th January.  That photo can be seen here  
We reached the new bridge into Lewisham Hospital around 8:30 by which time the temperature seemed to have dropped a good 5degC, so we stopped there for a very welcome hot drink.

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch

Another successful birdwatch.  The provisional results are:

Black-headed Gull 10
Blackbird 2
Blue Tit 4
Carrion Crow 6
Common Gull 16
Feral Pigeon 4
Goldfinch 25
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Great Tit 3
Greenfinch 1
House Sparrow 16
Jay 2
Long-tailed Tit 2
Magpie 3
Mistle Thrush 3
Redwing 13
Ring-necked Parakeet 5
Robin 2
Starling circa 60
Woodpigeon 10
Wren 2

That's 21 species, beating our 2009 record!

There were activities for younger birdwatchers too, the most popular being birdbox making.

Making birdboxes

The Redwing return

Had a quick recce around the park in preparation for tomorrows Big Garden Birdwatch and found 13 species.  It would be good to double that tomorrow!

High on the list were 7 Redwing foraging near the tennis courts, 4 Mistle Thrush in a nearby tree and a flock of around 120 Starlings.

Year-to-date birds of Hilly Fields

Click on the image below to enlarge.



Birds of Hilly Fields 30 Jan 2010 to 28 Jan 2010



Merry Christmas!

I was in the park on Tuesday (21st) not expecting to spot many birds so I was quite pleased to see 7 species (Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Great Tit, House Sparrow, Magpie, Starling).  Only a couple of most of them, but several Sparrows.

The snow had melted and become a little slushy but the base of it was icy and a little tricky to walk on in places. Keith, the park-keeper, had salted the paths but it hadn't yet made any appreciable effect.

Hilly Fields in melting snow

Over beside the school I spotted a bird box I'd not seen before.  How did I ever miss it?  It's so obvious!

Bird box beside Prendergast

Work had started in ernest at Prendergast and the workers village was being erected by a crane that could be seen, I'm told, a couple of miles away.

Prendergast construction starts

Don't forget, we will once more be taking part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch in Hilly Fields on Saturday 29th January 2011.  I hope to see you there.

With visits to and by family and friends I'm unlikely to be in the park again this year, so
Merry Christmas and
Happy New Year

Autumn views

After rediscovering the House Sparrows, I wandered around the park enjoying the autumnal air.

Cliffview Road side of park

Near the tennis courts I discovered a spot where at least four London landmarks can be seen between the trees - the Shard, the Gherkin (Swis Re), Canary Wharf and the Dome (O2)


Four London landmarks



The Sparrows Return

Great news, the House Sparrows are back.  I counted ten in the hedge behind Cliffview Road last Wednesday (10 Nov), that's my first sighting of them in Hilly Fields for three months.

Male House Sparrow in Cliffview Road hedge

Female House Sparrow in Cliffview Road hedge