Early December birdie walk in St. James's Park, London

On a sunny day in early December my camera and I went for another wonderful birding walk round the lake in London's St. James's Park.  It is very easy for me to get there - I either walk from where I live or just travel for a few stops on the Underground.

Although the sun was shining, it was a very cold day and I had frozen fingers after a few hours in the park.  Here are some of the waterbirds I saw that day.

A couple of white Ross's geese on the bank stand out from the mega-crowd of Coots on the lake.

 A Rosybill fascinated me with it's black head and, obviously, it's rosy bill.

Here two Shelducks stand on the bank with a pigeon ball (it was washing) and Moorhen in the background.

This is another view of a Shelduck.

 Black-and-white Smew drake in the background and Red-crested Pochard in the foreground.

  The sunlight shows up this Red-crested Pochard's red crest.

Here a Red-crested Pochard is liaising with a female Tufted duck.

The sun shone brightly on this Ruddy Shelduck, showing off it's white and green secondary feathers and black tail. 

This Ruddy Shelduck was marching along the small stones at the edge of the lake.

A Barnacle goose was hoping for some food from the park's visitors.

 I don't actually know the name of this breed of duck.  It was much smaller than the other ducks on the lake.

These two Bahama Pintails were preening and cosying-up together.

 I loved this female Hooded Merganser with her scary hair-do.

This photograph shows the amazing difference in size between the tiny Hooded Merganser and a huge Greylag goose.

For me, no walk in the park would be complete without a sighting of at least a few of the eight black swans that now live there.  I think that this is one of the original residents.

These three black swans are definitely part of the five that flew in from Hyde Park some time ago and have made St. James's Park their home.  Note: the swan on the right is trying to bite the neck of the central swan - what a bad bird!