Birds and lots of water during my second visit to Leighton Moss nature reserve on 6th November 2025

Northern Shoveler seen from the Causeway hide

and a female and two male Gadwalls - also at the Causeway hide

This is the path leading to the Causeway hide - there had been a lot of rain during the few days I had been staying in the area and, although it was not raining during the day, I could only just manage to go along this path by gingerly walking along the side by the hedge.  I could not go any further towards the Lower hide as I was told there was a lot of 6" deep water further along the path and I was only equipped with waterproof shoes and not wellies!

As I could go no further along that path, I turned round and went to Lilian's hide

A flock of nine Whooper swans had just landed in the lagoon in front of the hide

There was a juvenile Whooper among the group, which had slightly disturbed the Coots

The Whoopers only stayed for a short time and were soon off somewhere else

I accidentally photographed a Marsh Harrier when I was taking pictures of the Whooper exit!

Oh dear - the path to the Grisedale and Tim Jackson hides was covered in really deep water!

and only suitable for people with waterproof boots/wellies or, alternatively, for these three Mallards, which were on their way there!

I back-tracked once again and climbed up the Skytower from where I saw a male Eurasian Teal

and a female - both with feathers blowing around in the wind

I had run out of places that I could reach without getting wet feet, so ended up in the bird feeder area near the Visitor Centre

Coat Tit and female Chaffinch on the feeder

Two Coal Tits

Female Bullfinch on the ground near the feeders

Greenfinch with seed in its beak

A Robin was checking out that its picture was included on the bird identification chart - it was!

I was joined by a very close Robin on the picnic table when I was eating my lunch

I had another look at the bird feeders, where I saw my first Marsh Tit

Back at Lilian's hide, there were three Snipe among the ducks at the edge of a little island

I was staying in the area especially to visit Leighton Moss and was annoyed with myself at not being better equipped for walking through deep water.  I just did not expect there to be so many places on the site that were prone to flooding.  Regardless of that, I did see some interesting birds - especially the Whooper swans and the Bullfinch - and just wish I was able to visit again in drier conditions.

Wildlife walk round Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens - 14th February 2025

Grey Squirrel hiding in Snowdrops

Great Tit on a branch by the Dell

Coat Tit at the Dell

Green Rose-ringed Parakeet inspecting a tree hole at the Dell

Coal Tit perching on a twisted branch

Aeroplane high in the sky above the top of a Larch in the Dell

Lesser Black-backed gull on the Serpentine

Black-headed gull hoping to get a snack while I was sitting on a bench eating my lunch

Gadwall drake in the wind

Female Gadwall

Young Magpie by the Leaf Yard

Close view of a Robin

Song Thrush in Kensington Gardens

and a Wren

Song Thrush in a patch of sunlight

Magpies eating seeds that had been placed on top of the tree trunk

Great Tit on a branch with lots of buds

Aggressive Mute Swan on the Serpentine

Grey Herons on nests that contain chicks

 

Another wildlife walk in St James's Park on 19th December 2024

I began my walk near the shrubbery at the St. James's entrance to the park where I again saw the dark-coloured melanistic Great Tit

Also there was a normal-coloured Great Tit

and a Blue Tit

and another Great Tit

Someone came along with nuts for the small birds, which began queueing up for a snack

Here there are three Great Tits and one Blue Tit

Also in the area was a very shy Coal Tit

A bold fox (sadly with mange) walked across the bridge from the island in the centre of the lake

A Grey Heron and a Cormorant were posing together in front of the island

I caught up with the Red Fox, which was sitting down under a willow tree

Then a flotilla of Great White Pelicans sailed past

Further round the lake, a Chiloe Wigeon (member of the park's waterfowl collection with pinioned wings) was preening its feathers

The Black Swan was swimming along with her Mute Swan companion

The Black Swan sailed at speed past her companion Mute Swan's large cygnet

Another member of the waterfowl collection, a Red-breasted goose, was lit by a short period of sunlight

A Grey Squirrel was trying to keep warm while sitting on a tree branch

Another Grey Squirrel was doing the same in another tree further along the path

One male and two female Northern Shovelers were taking part in a head-bobbing competition

A very light-coloured Egyptian goose was wandering along the footpath

followed by her normal-coloured companion

Just before I left the park, I took a photograph of a white Ross's goose as it stopped feeding on the grass