WWT London
I like to visit this site at least once a year looking for bitterns and jack snipe. Last week, whilst at Arundel with Mark and Elizabeth they expressed an interest in going as they had never been before. Thankfully it was dry and mild but the strong breeze would prove problematic.
- As we entered the centre we were greeted with the sound, then the sight, of ring-necked parakeets flying around. I stopped counting when I reached 20.
- 2 water pipits had been reported regularly recently and after a thorough search of the grazing marsh, Mark spotted one of the to the left of our position in the Peacock Tower hide about 75 metres away. It was near some rocks on the edge of the pool and showing well as it moved around.
- Mark also picked out an Iceland gull on a nearby island on the main lake and we were able to tick off all the pertinent ID features as it preened away. What a terrific bonus!
- Bitterns did not show today - not for us, nor for any of the many other birders who were looking. The feeling was that they stayed deep in the reed bed to keep out of the strong breeze that was blowing through the reserve all day.
We also took in a couple of talks as we wandered round.
- One was on the plight of Bewick swans, the iconic bird for WWT - in front of 2 very obliging captive birds!
- The other was on short-clawed otters where Todd and Honey, the captive species, entertained us at feeding time.
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| courtesy of WWT London |
Just the job!
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