Mandarin ducks, Coot fight and other birds in Battersea Park - 25th January 2025

I went for another walk in Battersea Park towards the end of January and saw lots of Mandarin ducks

Tufted ducks passed by the island in the centre of the lake

A Cormorant was viewing the lake from the top of a tree

A pair of Northern Shovelers were shovelling together

I was photographing a Magpie that was standing at the base of a tree

...when it suddenly took flight!

As I approached the bridge over the lake, I could hear a loud commotion

A pair of Coots were fighting, egged on by, presumably, a female Coot

The drowning Coot eventually managed to escape and swam away - followed by the other two birds!

I discovered a little Wren in a quiet corner of the park

Grey Squirrel walking along the fence outside the Old English Garden

The first Snowdrops had appeared

Rose-ringed Parakeet on a branch on the path outside the Old English Garden

The chimneys of Battersea Power Station in the distance

Little Grebe on the lake

....with a pair of Gadwalls and two Moorhens

Close-up views of a male Northern Shoveler with blue reflections in the water

...his partner - female Northern Shoveler

The only pair of Mute Swans in Battersea Park with lots of Black-headed gulls and ducks

 

Frosty and foggy birdwatching visit to Abberton Reservoir - mid-January 2025 - with Golden Eyes, Slavonian Grebes and many other birds

I went on a coach trip to Abberton Reservoir in mid-January.  The first stop was at Layer de la Haye causeway where I saw a Black-tailed Godwit searching for food on the frost-covered grass

Misty view from the causeway

Male Pied Wagtail at the edge of the water

Female Golden Eye viewed from the causeway

and a Slavonian Grebe

View of misty reeds from a viewpoint past the LDLH causeway

Row of Lapwings that were barely visible in the fog

Rather attractive rooster sign near the entrance to Billets Farm

and the real thing!

Frost on the wall at the LDLH causeway

Redshank wandering around at the edge of the water

Common Gull with reflection

Goosander in the faint mist

Two male Goosanders and one female

Several Goosanders

Male Golden Eye

Goldeneye and a Common Pochard

Lunchtime was spent sitting outside the visitor centre where I saw a Blue Tit in the reeds

Three Blue Tits were on a bird feeder

and a Goldfinch was perching on a twiggy branch

After lunch we walked along the path round part of Abberton Reservoir 

The mist had cleared and Fieldfares were perching on bare twigs near the water

Gull City was viewed in varying light and heavy mist from one of the bird hides

We convened back at the coach at 15.30 and were then driven to Layer Breton causeway

Mute Swans were standing on ice on one side of the road

There was a small pool of water in the middle of ice and a group of swans had gathered there

The moon was shining above the tranquil unfrozen water on the other side of the road

Male Goldeneye travelling along near the edge of the causeway

The sky was turning pink

and the sun was setting in the distance

Time to leave!!