London Wetland

Unusually there was Sunday birdwatching this week as I was very kindly taken, by my birding mentor and his family, to the London Wetland Centre.

This was a day full of delights from start to finish with the sight and sound of the Ring-Necked Parakeet to start with and beautiful views of all kinds of birds both captive and wild from an assortment of well-designed hides and viewing areas including one, unusually several stories high.

As well as enjoying unusually close views of some of my favourite ducks, geese and herons I also saw my first Water Rail of the year, my second Snipe and many other things from Egyptian Geese and American Black Ducks to Foxes and a sadly now rare Water Vole. There were smaller birds competing with the fat Grey Squirrels and the pushy Parakeets around the feeders and these included Stonechat and Long-tailed Tits in addition to the usual Bluetit, Great Tit, Robin etc.

I was able eat my lunch (of rather splendid cold roast beef and horseradish jam sandwiches, fruit and tea) while watching Little Grebes just in front of me having their own meal of rather stubborn sticklebacks.

The venue has been cleverly constructed to give natural views of genuinely wild birds along with artificial versions of various types of habitat with an idea of the type of wildlife to be expected there. In addition there is a very useful shop for birding books, binoculars and 'scopes unfortunately a bit out of my league, and a warm indoor observation area complete with 'scopes available for the use of anybody.

It was a splendid way to spend a Sunday and I'm still enjoying it as I run over the sights and sounds in my mind today.