22nd April 2007.
LEG O’ MUTTON, THE SPARROWHAWK.
What a fabulous start to the morning; clear blue skies and quite warm! We had decided to start our day with a trip to the Lonsdale Road Local Nature Reserve, a place we knew fairly well and usually in the wet! We had not been here for several months and didn’t know quite what to expect.
LEG O’ MUTTON, THE SPARROWHAWK.
What a fabulous start to the morning; clear blue skies and quite warm! We had decided to start our day with a trip to the Lonsdale Road Local Nature Reserve, a place we knew fairly well and usually in the wet! We had not been here for several months and didn’t know quite what to expect.
LEONS' FIRST SWEEP OF THE SITEPhoto: Reg Norman
SWANS NEST FROM ATOP THE BANK
Leon, as usual, was the first to see a raptor; a Sparrowhawk sitting in a tree. I saw it just in time to see it ‘stoop’ into the trees on the other side of the reservoir. It had obviously missed whatever it had gone for as it soon returned to its’ perch. It was then that Leon spotted the nest; although out in the open it was fairly well concealed! We watched the bird for quite some time as it continued to ‘stoop’ every now and then; although it never returned to the nest with anything. Except once when it brought back a twig to replace one that it had dislodged. We carried on walking around the reservoir, stopping to have a quick look at the Thames which was so high we saw nothing of note, until w e came upon some Heron nests. The birds were actually nesting on the small rafts provided by the people who run the site. Both Leon and I were not a little surprised as we thought that Herons only nested in trees; obviously not the case! It was good to see so many birds nesting; we had had some lovely views of a Swans’ nest from the bank a little earlier on.
FINAL LOOK BACK ALONG THE RESERVOIR
We just missed a ’bus and made a mental note to leave at ten-to the hour next time as we used to do. We walked down Roehampton Lane to wait for the next ‘bus at Barnes Railway station; you get more choice from there. We did not have to wait for long and were soon on our way. I thought that we had been joined by a super-hero, all lycra and a flowing red cape. Leon said that there were a bunch of fools RUNNING FOR FUN at a marathon in London somewhere! Tchh! The things people do! “It’ll be on the telly later” ventured my companion, “No it won’t!” thought I.
Most of the trees in the reserve were, by now, covered in there first light green leaves. This would make seeing the smaller birds a little harder but who cares; it was such a lovely day.
The joggers were starting to come out as were the dog-walkers; all very pleasant with lots of friendly greetings.
We did not see that many birds but we could hear them all about us. There must have been more Wrens per square foot than anywhere else in Britain; their song really dominated the air. Apart from the parakeets of course.
Most of the trees in the reserve were, by now, covered in there first light green leaves. This would make seeing the smaller birds a little harder but who cares; it was such a lovely day.
The joggers were starting to come out as were the dog-walkers; all very pleasant with lots of friendly greetings.
We did not see that many birds but we could hear them all about us. There must have been more Wrens per square foot than anywhere else in Britain; their song really dominated the air. Apart from the parakeets of course.
SWANS NEST FROM ATOP THE BANKPhoto: Reg Norman
Leon, as usual, was the first to see a raptor; a Sparrowhawk sitting in a tree. I saw it just in time to see it ‘stoop’ into the trees on the other side of the reservoir. It had obviously missed whatever it had gone for as it soon returned to its’ perch. It was then that Leon spotted the nest; although out in the open it was fairly well concealed! We watched the bird for quite some time as it continued to ‘stoop’ every now and then; although it never returned to the nest with anything. Except once when it brought back a twig to replace one that it had dislodged. We carried on walking around the reservoir, stopping to have a quick look at the Thames which was so high we saw nothing of note, until w e came upon some Heron nests. The birds were actually nesting on the small rafts provided by the people who run the site. Both Leon and I were not a little surprised as we thought that Herons only nested in trees; obviously not the case! It was good to see so many birds nesting; we had had some lovely views of a Swans’ nest from the bank a little earlier on.
FINAL LOOK BACK ALONG THE RESERVOIR Photo: Reg Norman
We made up our minds to come back again very shortly to see the progress made by the different birds; next week most probably!
We left the site to make our way to the London Wetland Centre for the second part of our day!
We made up our minds to come back again very shortly to see the progress made by the different birds; next week most probably!
We left the site to make our way to the London Wetland Centre for the second part of our day!
BIRDS SEEN: Goldfinch, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Wood Pigeon, Ring Necked Parakeet, Blackbird, Wren, Carrion Crow, Starling, Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Canada Goose, Heron, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Little Grebe, Mute Swan, Chaffinch, Blackcap, Swift, Robin, Sparrowhawk, Coal Tit, Jay, Tufted Duck.
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