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

 

Birds and flowers in Battersea Park - 4th August 2024

I began my walk at the lake where I saw mum Tufted duck with a row of six cute fluffy ducklings

The Mandarin drakes had lost most of their fancy-feathered summer breeding plumage and were resembling the duller-coloured females - apart from still having red beaks

Pair of Egyptian geese with five large fluffy goslings

Male Black-tailed Skimmer dragonfly on the path at the edge of the lake

After walking round part of the lake I made my way to the Old English Garden where a Damselfly was resting on the side of a white Water Lily

There were a few very tall Cardoons

...and this large seed head

There were lots of lovely Water Lilies on the pond in the centre of the Old English Garden

There were also Globe Thistles

...beautiful Agapanthus

...pretty white flowers

...and tall lemon Hollyhocks

A White butterfly with tattered wings landed on a flower

There were lovely pink and white Cosmos in flowerbeds near the river

Back at the lake a Great Crested Grebe was with a juvenile

In the distance, a large female dragonfly was ovipositing into the water

A young Grey Heron was standing at the edge of the lake

The Egyptian geese family that I had seen earlier resting at the edge of the lake were now on the move

A female Common Pochard was with two young ducklings

 

Birds and flowers in Battersea Park - 25th April 2024

Favourite colourful Mandarin drakes seen during another great walk round Battersea Park

Beautiful white Rhododendron near the path at the edge of the lake

Flowering tree - also by the lake

Orange blossom at the edge of the path

Pair of Egyptian geese with their young goslings

Colourful planting in one of the small flowerbeds

Wonderful dark pink and white Rhododendrons near the sub-tropical garden

Young Magpie perching on a railing

Carrion Crow sunning its wings in a small flowerbed

Beautiful Tulips and Pansies in a flowerbed near the riverside part of the park

The Wisteria on the pergola in the Old English Garden was in full flowering mode

I sat down on a bench near the Wisteria and was joined by an inquisitive pair of Mallards

There were lots of pretty flowers in the Old English Garden