Trip reports
New Years Day walk in Bushy Park
Wednesday, 3 January 2007
Gathering at the Diana Fountain car-park, we admired a pair of Egyptian Goose near their traditional breeding site ( there is at least 3 pairs now in the park ). Moving on around the boating pond, a Common Gull was spotted amongst the Black-headed Gulls. A very pale Greylag consorted with the Canada Geese , and while we pondered on it's parentage, a large flotilla of male & female/juvenile Red-Crested Pochard made us hope for the day when we could truly tick them off as wild.
Reaching the tree famous for it's winter roost of Tawny Owl , we were disappointed that it was not visible, probably it had moved down into the hole to sleep, although the racket just outside the hole from a pair of Jackdaws squabbling with Ring-necked Parakeets, would, surely have kept him awake.
This mild winter has had a impact on Winter Thrushes and the usual flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare have not appearedand the only thrushes seen were Mistle and Blackbird.
Entering the Woodland Gardens we were treated to lively flocks of Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits, but not the regular wintering flock of Siskins. A Greater- Spotted Woodpecker was seen feeding, followed by the stars of the day, a pair of Lesser-Spotted Woodpecker flitted above our heads giving fantastic views.
All in all, an excellent start to the year.