Talk:Osterley Park

From Londonbirders

Tom Smith's PatchList 2008

The list (38 species so far):

Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Egyptian Goose, Mallard, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Black Headed Gull, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Robin, Stonechat, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Redwing, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Starling, Chaffinch, Greenfinch.

The trips:

2/1/08

A quick morning stomp round the Middle Lake yielded a reasonable 32 species, none of which were terribly exciting. For the first 15 minutes I had nothing but magpies and woodpigeons, so I guess I should be grateful to have seen anything at all. The highlight was probably the nuthatch, only the second one I've seen in the park. Also notable were the little grebe I found skulking round the island, and a rather high number of shoveler. The other birds were mute swan, canada goose, egyptian goose (only 2 of the usual 4), mallard, tufted duck, great crested grebe, cormorant, grey heron, coot, moorhen, black headed gull, feral pigeon, ring-necked parakeet, wren, robin, blackbird, fieldfare, redwing, long-tailed tit, coal tit, blue tit, great tit, jay, jackdaw, carrion crow, starling, chaffinch.

Unfortunately a 9.30 appointment with the dentist meant I didn't have time to explore the hinterlands of the park, nor to hunt down a few park regulars (pied wag, green woodpecker, goldcrest). I should have time for at least one more trip before university calls, though - hopefully I'll get something decent then.

7/1/08

30 species across two hours in the evening. Highlights were a very close-up kestrel; two rather exhibitionist goldcrests in a tit flock; and a stonechat in the horse paddocks to the east, which was both a patch tick and a total surprise to me. More mundane year ticks were greenfinch, pied wagtail, and the greylag goose that was with the Canada geese all last year. The weather was unpleasantly wet and windy to begin with but cleared into a beautiful golden sunset.

Perhaps one more trip before I leave for university!