RSPB GARDEN BIRDWATCH

28^TH January 2017.

 Today, I aimed to complete the latest record for the SDBWS Winter Bird Count and, at the same time, take part in the annual RSPB Garden Birdwatch. Two birds with one stone, so to speak! I had to do it today (Saturday) as Fulham were playing tomorrow in the FA Cup.

Ewell Road Entrance

Photo: Reg Norman

 

I didn’t bother getting up too early as I knew that there would be lots of traffic noise and many dogwalkers whatever time I got there! As I set off (well wrapped) the sun came out and it was to be a lovely morning.

 

                                                        A lovely, sunny, start to the day!

Photo: Reg Norman

 

 





What a surprise! The park was, for the most part, devoid of any other people and the traffic noise was only just audible! Unfortunately, there were no birds or their sounds in the North Green either! In fact, everywhere seemed to be quite quiet.

 

Towards the Quarry (left) and Small Pond.

Photo: Reg Norman

 

Moving to the Quarry area, I was met by a small Tit flock and a very noisy Wren. The Small Pond next to it was devoid of any waterfowl or Moorhens. I was alerted by the call of a Nuthatch and could watch a pair of them, for quite some time, as they went about their business searching all the cracks on a tree. I noted that they seemed to be quite ‘plump’. There were quite a few flying insects about (due to the sun being out?) and hoped that there were, likewise, insects moving about on the branches for them.

 

Waterfall between Small Pond and Long Pond.

Photo: Reg Norman

 

A Little Egret passed overhead, heading off to the West. I noticed, in the corner of my eye, some rather quick movements in the direction of the Big Pond. It was a Pied Wagtail; I have often hoped to see one here, the last one being over a year ago! A great little bird, not frightened to get in amongst the Black Backed Gulls!

I was able to observe, for quite some time, a Wren as it foraged up and down the bank of the Long Pond. It was just a shame that I didn’t take any photo’s as it was at times quite close to me.

 

New life on Long Pond

Photo: Reg Norman

 



There was absolutely nothing at Cottage Corner, perhaps due to the fact that there were quite a few squirrels in the area, some of which were hurtling around in a ‘harum-scarum’ sort of way.

Walking up Dell Hill, I came across a chap who was feeding a Robin. I took this bird to be the one that I photographed on Christmas morning. He was very tame and drove away other birds that came for the food! There were several Wood Pigeons here and also a couple of Dunnocks who also seemed quite confiding. Notable absentees were the usual Tit flock and the Goldcrests.

 

Dunnock, Dell Hill.

Photo: Reg Norman

 

I moved down the road from Nuthatch Corner to visit The Dell in the hope that the Tits and Goldcrests might have been there trying the, relatively, warm area. It can usually be quite chilly here as the sun does not penetrate too well. Today was different though, the sun streamed in. No birds though!

The Dell up to the feeder area.

Photo: Reg Norman





 

Back up the road I went, to visit the West Wood area. It was very quiet here; I had hoped to see Long Tailed Tits as they can usually be found here, but, had no luck. Even the Robins, usually very much in evidence, were nowhere to be seen although I did hear a couple.

 

Black Headed Gull on Big Pond.

Photo: Reg Norman

 

Arriving at the Big Pond I saw the usual flock of Mallards and quite a few Moorhens. There were also about fifteen Black Backed Gulls taking full advantage of the food that was on offer from a young lady. There was no sign of the Canada Geese this time. I think that, as the pond has been partially frozen for some time, they have given up on coming here.

 Most of the thrushes, Mistle, Song, Redwing and Fieldfare were absent again for this visit.

 BIRDS SEEN: Robin, Carrion Crow, Wood Pigeon, Feral Pigeon, Blue Tit, Ring Necked Parakeet, Moorhen, Nuthatch, LITTLE EGRET, Magpie, PIED WAGTAIL, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Stock Dove, Blackbird, Wren, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Starling, Mallard, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull.



 





 



 

 



 





 

 

 

 



 

DISCOVERING ‘THE DELL’.

7^th January 2017.

 The main reason for visiting Fishponds today was to complete yet another survey for the SDBWS Winter Bird Count. I cannot believe that I am already half way through the season!

 

Getting up nice and early, I was pleased to see that the really cold and frosty weather had been replaced by a relatively warmer, if overcast and grey, day. It had been raining overnight but had now stopped and it was quite pleasant outside. The first thing that I noticed was the traffic noise; being a Saturday morning traffic was quite heavy on the Ewell Road and I was to be able to hear this (and from other adjacent roads) clearly throughout the morning.





Dandelions and other plants were in flower.

Photo: Reg Norman

 

 

The North Green and its’ boundary were strangely quiet with just the one Robin to be seen or heard. This was not to last as there was a sudden influx of Ring Necked Parakeets. They even drowned out the noise of the traffic and seemed hell bent on waking all the residents of the surrounding blocks of flats!

 Moving along to the Quarry and Small Pond area I was greeted by a small mixed flock of Tits, a single Wren and two Goldfinches who appeared to be playing a game of ‘tag’.  A few Woodpigeons were high in the trees but there was no sign of any of the Thrush species. I got a bit of a shock here as a young lady dogwalker had come up behind me; she got quite a shock herself as she hadn’t seen me until I had moved. It turned out that she had a visual impairment and my ‘cammo’ had obviously rendered me almost invisible!

I continued along the Brunswick Lodge Boundary towards the Long Pond as I had seen some Mallard walking across the grass towards the cover by the pond. As I approached, a large dog ran into this cover and the ducks flew out in all directions; the owners seemed to find this immensely funny.

 

I found out by chance that I was able to follow the Long Pond all the way round. I had always thought that it finished at the park boundary found that the was in fact a little path that I could follow. This would save me some time in future as I have always retraced my steps, back by the ‘Redwoods’, crossing the pond via one of the, dry, waterfalls.

 



From the North end of Long Pond.

Photo: Reg Norman

 

There was a solitary Blackbird in the trees by Cottage Corner and nothing on the feeders there. So I moved up Dell Hill. I was glad to note that there was quite a large mixed flock of Tits moving around area; they were pleasantly vocal and were joined by a small group of three Robins who rolled along with them.

The feeders had obviously been replenished recently although the only customer was a, rather fat, squirrel! This may be because there was now an almost constant stream of unhealthy people jogging past.

I had thought that it would be somewhat quieter up in this area (being furthest from the traffic) but I could now hear what appeared to be a fleet of dustbin lorries in the surrounding streets. I will try to stick to Sunday mornings in future!

 

In the last blog I said that I would find out where the road went from Nuthatch Corner; nothing surprising, it was, of course, the continuing service road (which I will call Fishponds Hill at this point) that runs through the park to Fishponds House! The real discovery was to come at the bottom of the hill. What I had previously taken to be a tiny garden was in fact quite a large area; a cultivated Dell!

 

Terraces in the Dell.

Photo: Reg Norman



 

This area must be quite impressive when in bloom; the whole area is terraced and there is evidence of some quite good plants. It forms a naturally windproof area and there were quite a few small birds taking advantage of this.

 

I walked back up the hill to Nuthatch Corner and on to the West Wood. It was very quiet here and apart from a few Robins being heard nothing seemed to be about. I followed the path round to the Big Pond which was covered to about fifty per cent with ice. The usual Mallard and Moorhens were here but there was no sign of the Canada Geese.

Fishponds House from the Big Pond.

Photo: Reg Norman

 

Both North and South Greens and their boundaries were also quite empty of birds; I believe that this was due to the amount of noise and the, now, very evident dogwalkers!

 

BIRDS SEEN: Robin, Ring Necked Parakeet, Jackdaw, Herring Gull, Black Headed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Goldfinch, Wren, Blue Tit, Moorhen, Great Tit, Blackbird, Long Tailed Tit, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Collared Dove, Song Thrush, Dunnock, Nuthatch, Starling, Feral Pigeon.