Birds and flowers in Battersea Park on hot sunny 8th April 2026

Lovely patch of Bluebells on the path at the beginning of my walk in the park

Egyptian parent and three goslings were startled by a sudden heavy flow of water from a nearby pipe

Close-up of gosling searching for snacks in the grass

Four military helicopters flew in formation over the park

Grey Heron pretending to be a statue in the Old English Garden

Beautiful white/yellow Irises

There were many fancy-shaped Tulips in the Old English Garden

The Grey Heron had moved round to the other side of the pond and posed in front of some flowers

Back at the lake, the Egyptian parents were standing with four of their six goslings

Oregon Grape at the edge of the footpath round the lake

Rather handsome Gadwall drake

and pretty female Gadwall

Common Pochard having a splashing time!

Coots doing what Coots love - fighting!!!

Recently I have seen none or just a few Mandarins - today one was swimming around on the lake

A Grey Heron flew overhead with what looks like a large fish in its beak

Two differently-coloured Mallard drakes swam across the lake

Back almost where I started, I was happy to see several Mandarin drakes - and just one female!

 I counted six male Mandarins altogether, but they refused to all be photographed together

Short birding walk round one side of Walthamstow Wetlands on 9th November 2025

I went for a short walk on a sunny afternoon in Walthamstow Wetlands where the first bird I spotted was a lovely Egyptian goose

Gaggle of Canada geese swimming across a reservoir

Two Great Crested Grebes floating on the water

Looking across a bird-less reservoir - the people in those flats must have a great view of the wetlands

Lots of red rose hips in the afternoon sunshine

Four synchronised Cormorants

Cormorants standing at the edge of Cormorant island

Little Egret and two Black-headed gulls hoping to find some fish

Crazy Black-headed gulls flying above the Little Egret and a Cormorant

Little Egret and Grey Heron - both hoping to find some fish

 

Mandarin ducks and Autumn foliage in Battersea Park - mid November 2024

I went for a walk in Battersea Park on 11th November, which began with seeing a group of Mandarins standing at the edge of the lake.  The pair of Mute Swans that live in the park serenely sailed past them.

This drake was lucky enough to have a partner

There were more drakes than females on the path at the edge of the lake

I couldn't resist taking a photograph of this magnificent Larch

There were lots of lovely Autumn coloured leaves on the trees along the path on the way to the other side of the park

The Old English Garden was looking very autumnal

There were still a few brightly-coloured flowers in the Old English Garden

plus a Grey Squirrel that was eating a piece of lettuce!

Carrion Crows were perching on bare branches near another lovely tree

Further round the lake I came across a Grey Heron perching on railings

It suddenly flew off towards the sunny side of the lake

Beautiful Autumn colouring on the trees round the lake

Later on, back where I began my walk, the Mandarins were now in the water