Afternoon stroll near the beach and on Ham Common at Rockley Park on 9th October 2026

I arrived at Rockley Park, near Poole, in the afternoon and went for a stroll down to the small beach as my accommodation was not ready.  

It was very windy and there were no birds around - only some youngsters learning how to sailboard

When I checked into my mobile home, I found that it was already occupied!

After posing for a photography, the Crane Fly flew out through the open door

The Wareham Channel with an island in the centre and the Arne Peninsular in the background.  This was the view from the doorway of my mobile home.  I was on the second row, so I could only see the water on either side of another mobile home from the lounge.

After a short downpour, I went back to the little beach.  The tide was going out and two Little Egrets were feeding in the low water.

A dog ran onto the beach and disturbed them!

The weather brightened up later in the afternoon so I went for a walk on Ham Common

This is the view with Brownsea Island in the distance

Lovely Rowan berries on a tree near the viewpoint on Ham Common - but still no birds!

Later on I went back to the little beach where the sun was setting in the distance

The path to the beach went through some pines at the end of Pine Grove

My home for the week.  For the first time there was an outside table - but I doubt if the weather will be good enough to use it!

 

Great White Pelicans and their four chicks in St. James's Park - 20th September 2026

As I entered the park, I came across a couple of patches of Autumn Crocus

Mauve

and white

Five adult Great White Pelicans and their four chicks were gathered together under a tree by the lake

Resting adult Pelican

Preening chick

Two of the chicks were sitting on the ground

Two chicks opened their large beaks while a smaller adult walked along the edge of the lake near them

One of the chicks stretched its wing while balancing on one leg

The adults decided it was time to leave the family and departed one-by-one

The five adults were joined on the water by one of the large chicks

The adults and chick swam in formation along the lake while following a much smaller Black Swan

Closer view of the chick with one of the adult Pelicans

Spot the odd one out!  A Great Crested Grebe was floating nearby

The adults Pelicans and chick carried on along the lake with me trying to keep up with them!

The group eventually reached land near the little house on Duck Island where the adults are normally fed - by this time they had been joined by the sixth adult pelican that lives in the park

The chick was striding about in front of the reeds

The adult Pelicans came onto land, one by one

The chick began making loud noises and was fed by one of the adults

which is not a pretty sight as the chick sticks its long beak right down the throat of the adult!

One of the other adults was watching this revolting event!

then there was an audience of two adults!

The chick wanted more - but the adult did not oblige and ended up running away and hiding in reeds

One of the other adults patiently waiting near the cottage garden

while another adult preened its feathers near the fence at the edge of the cottage allotment and garden

All six adult Great White Pelicans and the large chick on the other side of Duck Cottage garden

The wildlife officer did not turn up with any fish while I was by the Pelicans, so I left

A small white butterfly briefly visited white flowers in the flower bed near Horseguards Parade

Wonderful coloured leaves and flowers in the flowerbed

I just managed to grab a photo of a Jay that had landed behind a shrub in the flowerbed

before it flew up into a tree

I wandered back along the lake and found the four Pelican chicks standing together - still under a tree

The hungry chick had obviously decided that it wasn't going to get fed again and had left the adults

Then it was time for me to leave the park after an interesting pelican-watching afternoon

 

Walk round the lake and visit to the Old English Garden in Battersea Park - 3rd September 2026

I began my walk by the lake where I came across these two grey/white pigeons - I don't normally take photographs of pigeons, but I had not seen any in this colourway before

There were not many ducks on the lake, apart from the usual Mallards and Coots, but this female Common Pochard was amongst them

There were some lovely berries on this shrub at the edge of the lake

A Jay was perching on a tree branch - unfortunately in a dark area so I had to lighten the picture

Pampas Grass in the sunlight near the lake

I saw a Willow Emerald damselfly perching on a stem

and a Speckled Wood butterfly on a leaf

and also a Common Darter dragonfly resting on railings

There were still some beautiful pink Roses in the Rose Garden

and some purple Verbena

Huge Cardoon plant with lots of seed heads in the Old English Garden

Waterlilies in the pond in the Old English Garden

I sat on a bench under the Wisteria and relaxed for a while looking at the pond and fountain

There were still a few flowers on the Wisteria

There was a fringed curtain of green algae hanging all round the fountain bowl

Huge seed head in the Old English Garden

Lemon Hollyhock flower

Another pretty Waterlily

and another view of the pond and fountain with the Cardoon plant in the background

Beautiful dark pink Hollyhock flower

Back in the main part of the park, I came across flowering Yucca plants

and some lovely orange berries

Back at the lake, there were two female Mallards - one blonde and one in normal colouring

A dog had entered the lake and disturbed the water birds - the Mute Swan hissed loudly at it!