30/1/10: Frost, Bittern

Another early start for a London Natural History Society meeting, this time the destination was the Lee Valley Country Park at Cheshunt, a range of flooded pits by the canal and bits of the original river Lee/Lea. The ground was covered with a mix of frost and a thin layer of snow when I left the house, and the final leg was a replacement bus service due to rail engineering work. But it turned out to be very well worth while. I saw 48 species. There were a few more that others saw but I missed.

The leader, Roy Woodward, did an excellent job of trying to make sure everyone saw everything, and gave a good commentary on the key distinguishing features of the species we were observing. Both he and others generously invited participants that didn't have them to take a look through their telescopes for a better view.

Mainly due to other's expertise I got to see several species I'd never seen before, or had only seen rarely a very long time ago. I was impressed by some people's ability to identify a black speck in the sky miles away that I couldn't even see well before thay swung their bins and telescopes into use!

The absolute highlight was a fantastic view of a Bittern, very close to the Bittern Information Point hide on Seventy Acre Lake. For a long time it was lurking in the Phragmites bed where it was extremely well camouflaged, and several folk in the hide just couldn't pick it up however well those that had it in their sights tried to describe where it was in relation to a still-green patch of sedges. When it did move it could be seen turning its head to one side low to water to cut out the effect of ripples and reflections, but it didn't catch anything.

At one point I had what might best be described as a 50% view, with the complete outline visible, but half the bird obscured by reed stems. I expected that to be as good as it would get. But after a patient wait by the assembled throng it finally came out in the open, stood by an old door in the water

[there's a picture part way down this page
http://www.elbf.co.uk/gallery/thumbnails/2010/birdphotos2010h.htm of bird at exactly the same spot a few days previously entitled 'Bittern - Seventy Acres Lake - 28th January - Tony Coombs']

and stood, a golden tan in the low sun, facing the hide, and ruffled its wings. The camera shutters were going like crazy and it felt as if there was about to be a spontaneous round of applause. Someone said out-loud exactly what I was thinking, that they were tempted to clap.

I've never seen a Bittern before - it's very rare but gradually recovering in numbers due to active conservation efforts. Also, according to the 24th January Observer 'This winter's bitter cold has seen record numbers of bitterns fly to Britain from northern Europe and has led ­others to adopt unusual feeding grounds.' Some of the experienced birders in the hide said it was the best view of one they'd ever had.

Neither words, nor probably photographs can adequately convey the subtlety of the darker markings and effectiveness of the camouflage of this bird. Stunning. Fantastic.

The Bittern rather eclipsed the equally good view of 2 Water Rail right up near the hide. Reed Bunting were also active in the Phragmites beds here.


Views from the Bittern Information Point hide. Water Rail were observed crossing the channels cut in the reeds, and the Bittern stood briefly out in the open in the mouth of the channel on the left of the top picture.

Elsewhere I had a telescope view of a Snipe. Several Goldeneye were seen, Wigeon, 2 Little Grebes and male and female or immature (red-headed) Smew.

Water birds were rounded off in style with great views of a flotilla of 8 Goosander, both male and female, in the late evening sun, with others flying in. Around 17 were counted at this first location, with a few more scattered around the area. On the same body of water was a female Red-crested Pochard, not a native species.

1 Barnacle Goose was spotted in a flock of Canada Geese in a field

Several Siskin were observed feeding in Alder. A few Redpoll were seen and I had a very good view of 1 of them. A distant sight of a female Bullfinch was had.

On the raptor front we saw at least 4 different Buzzards, including two circling together, high overhead in the clear blue sky. Also 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Kestrel.

All in all a superb outing.

26/1/10: Closer encounter

Broad daylight. 'Horseshoe' the Fox either wasn't paying attention or wasn't bothered. It came up the steps to the upper part of the garden without noticing that I was at the end of my big greenhouse. Ordinarily it would have stopped to assess the situation, but this time just carried on regardless, sniffing round the base of a fruit tree about 6 feet away. I followed it round the top of the garden, and it paid no attention even when I whistled. The Foxes herabouts tend to stop and at least look round if you do that. It disappeared over the wall into next door, barked, and slipped away.

25/1/10: Today's local 'spots'.

14 Starlings on St. Paul's church roof, Mill Road (yes, there used to be a Windmill here), plus Great Tit, Blue Tit and Blackbird in the grounds.

11 Wood Pigeons in trees lining Barnehurst School Drive.

Noticing from a distance that one of the 'lumps' silhouetted in a garden tree on Barnehurst Avenue, opposite Coniston Rd, didn't look quite like a Wood Pigeon, I whipped out the bins. It was a Mistle Thrush, which flew off to a nearby TV aerial where it took minor offence to being joined by a second Wood Pigeon. 2 Long-tailed Tits arrived in the same garden shortly afterwards.

For the second time in four days I inadvertently disturbed a Wood Mouse in one of my back garden compost bins.

24/1/10: Coppicing in Lesnes Abbey Woods

Re-coppicing Sweet Chestnut stools with Lesnes Abbey Conservation Volunteers this afternoon. Took my own trusty pruning saw, which I rightly surmised would be better than the stock bow saws. The poles will be split at a future event to make fence palings for use elsewhere in the wood .

Sweet Chestnut being re-coppiced

Tree silhouette, Lesnes Abbey Wood

Silver Birch and bracken near the heathland area, looking across a valley through the wood

A fabulous bracket fungus

Oak, Silver Birch and Heather in the heathland area

23/1/10: East Finchley and Cherry Tree Wood

Had a planning meeting that finished at lunchtime, so I decided to go and get a daylight verification of something I'd spotted in the dark some time ago.

It was indeed several Shining Crane's-bill (Geranium lucidum), up against the bottom of the gabions, at the foot of the Northern Line embankment just before it crosses the Great North Rd. and runs into East Finchley station. There is also Geranium pyrenaicum here. There were two Teasel flower stems, a Broom and some Holly.

On the north east side of the line is the small Cherry Tree Wood, which I'd not visited before. Like the woods down in Highgate, it's Oak and Hornbeam.

Nothing out of the ordinary, but 2 Redwing and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were seen, along with a Brown Rat and 1 Stinking Iris (a native plant, though this was very close to gardens, from which the seed may have come).

There were some good patches of fungi on logs lying on the ground

This Grey Squirrel was obviously used to being fed and came close enough that even my mobile phone cam could get a reasonable picture .....

Hornbeam holding its leaves through winter

The absence of much in the way of ground flora was compensated for by the subtleties of the greys and algal greens of some of the tree trunks

Self Heal was in the grass by High Rd flats opposite Bedford Rd, and at Stokes Court, Diploma Avenue. 16 Ring-necked Parakeets flew across the High Rd towards East Finchley station.

23/1/10: Hurrah - some new big street trees

Station Rd., Islington, north of Tufnell Park tube. Narrow pavements, railway line immediatly to the left of the photo. Not the most promising location for a great avenue of trees. But here we have a long line of London Planes on both sides of the road, interspersed every other tree with a smaller species (to be taken out years hence?). OK, maybe the railway and distance from buildings on the other side limit the 'risk', but good for Islington for thinking ahead to the next generation of large street trees, and not just playing safe with the small stuff (not that I've got anything against smaller species and cultivars - indeed there are lots of places where there's way too much concrete and small trees or shrubs could be planted if there was the imagination and political will to really green things up).

17/1/10: Croydon Tramlink is Cortaderia corridor .....

I posted about South American Pampas grass colonisation on 10th December 2009. But here's Cortaderia central - unless someone knows better .....

Finding myself at Mitcham Junction station I decided to have my first ever trip on the Croydon Tram system. I first went west to Wimbledon, then decided to go back the other way, finally getting off at East Croydon.

On the way to Wimbledon there were:

- 4-5 Cortaderia shortly after Mitcham towards Belgrave Walk

- 1 just before the bridge before Morden Road

- 1 just before Merton Park

- 1 just after Dundonald Road

all these on the north side of the line.

On the way back (to East Croydon):

- there were 2 between the main line running lines just outside the south end of Wimbledon station

- 1 on the south side of the line just before Belgrave Road

- 1 on the south side of the line just after Ampere Way

All these records (11 or 12) were of plants inside the tramway fencing. Only one was noted in an adjoining garden. Perhaps the construction of the tramlink (started in 1997) provided ideal conditions for the germination and establishment of this species along the margins of the line.

East of Mitcham junction Silver Birch, Gorse and Clematis vitalba were noted in various lineside locations.