Was in London for two days this week and as usual I booked a later flight to make a short trip to the WWT reserve at Barnes Elms near Hammersmith/Putney. I have been calling in here for about 7 years on a bi- monthly basis and I think I can truly say I have never been disappointed. My list has always at least one good bird. It may only be a green woodpecker, but for someone from Northern Ireland that is a rare bird indeed. This week was no exception as I had peregrine, bittern and cetti's warbler before I ticked blackbird. I added nine species to the 2015 list: bittern, cetti's warbler,  greylag, egyptian and canada goose, pochard, green woodpecker, ring necked parakeet and stonechat.Total was 42 (the best is 48 in March 2013).As you can see there was a light snow fall which gave the place a wintry look. Hopefully I will be there later in the year and you can see what the seasons do to the vegetation.

Coot

Wader scrape looking to Charing Cross Hospital which has breeding peregrines

The bittern was sitting on the point at the end of the reedbed

I left a trifle early as I was heading for London City Airport, so I broke my journey in Central London to have a look for the owls in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. Unfortunately I was too early for the owls as they tend to appear in the late afternoon and I was away by 2.30. I did however see nuthatch and parakeets coming to be hand fed.

I know where the little and tawny owls are to be found and with luck I will see them later in the year.There is an excellent blog about birds in the Park which can be accessed here.

http://kensingtongardensandhydeparkbirds.blogspot.co.uk/