28th September 2006
EARLY CLOSING
The Centre was to close at 1800 hrs today, the late opening and Barbeques finished last week. Leon and I left work and hurried to get changed before setting off. The ‘bus seemed to take forever so we decided to walk the first part of the journey in the hope of picking up one of the other buses available from Barnes Station. We arrived at WWT at four o’clock. We had a quick look in the Observatory, nothing much about. For the next two hours we were dashing about like mad things trying to fit in as many stops at hides and visiting all of our favourite viewing points. The result was that we didn’t see as much as we would have done if we had had a little more time. We resolved to take some days off as the migrant season gets into full swing. It would probably be better to concentrate on, perhaps, two hides for our shorter visits!
Having walked around the ‘Lagoon’ we entered the ‘Wader Scrape’ hide. The water level was well down and there were a good number of birds scattered around the area. In fact there were a lot more birds here than at any other time that we have visited. What was lacking in variety was certainly made up for by the sheer numbers. The maestro made his move. Having undone the catches on the window, Leon let the thing fall! In the silence, the noise of the window crashing down was like a gun going off! The scene following this reminded me of an old ‘Tarzan’ film set in Africa! The part where the huge flocks of Flamingo’s take off in panic. Within just a few seconds there were absolutely no birds to be seen, just the odd feather floating gently down. ”Whoops!” came a muffled whisper after a short pause. Why he was whispering I shall never know. There couldn’t have been a bird in earshot!
We moved on to the ‘Peacock Tower’. My day improved in leaps and bounds. We met a chap who knew EVERYTHING about the Centre and birds. He proceeded to impart his vast knowledge including his sighting of a Caspian Gull by Barnes Bridge!
After buying some stuff for Leons’ bird table, we moved on to the ‘office’ where we discussed the relative importance of approaching birds in a quiet manner and how best to locate and view the ‘Caspian Gull’.
BIRDS SEEN: Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Magpie, Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Robin, Greenfinch, Great Tit, Starling, Shoveller, Little Grebe, Gadwall, Teal, Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Pochard, Carrion Crow, Heron, Herring Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Black Headed Gull, Cormorant, Coal Tit, Willow Warbler, Long Tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Jay, Common Snipe, Ring Necked Parakeet, Stock Dove, Ruddy Duck, Lapwing, Canada Goose, Whooper Swan, Common Gull, Mute Swan.
The Centre was to close at 1800 hrs today, the late opening and Barbeques finished last week. Leon and I left work and hurried to get changed before setting off. The ‘bus seemed to take forever so we decided to walk the first part of the journey in the hope of picking up one of the other buses available from Barnes Station. We arrived at WWT at four o’clock. We had a quick look in the Observatory, nothing much about. For the next two hours we were dashing about like mad things trying to fit in as many stops at hides and visiting all of our favourite viewing points. The result was that we didn’t see as much as we would have done if we had had a little more time. We resolved to take some days off as the migrant season gets into full swing. It would probably be better to concentrate on, perhaps, two hides for our shorter visits!
Having walked around the ‘Lagoon’ we entered the ‘Wader Scrape’ hide. The water level was well down and there were a good number of birds scattered around the area. In fact there were a lot more birds here than at any other time that we have visited. What was lacking in variety was certainly made up for by the sheer numbers. The maestro made his move. Having undone the catches on the window, Leon let the thing fall! In the silence, the noise of the window crashing down was like a gun going off! The scene following this reminded me of an old ‘Tarzan’ film set in Africa! The part where the huge flocks of Flamingo’s take off in panic. Within just a few seconds there were absolutely no birds to be seen, just the odd feather floating gently down. ”Whoops!” came a muffled whisper after a short pause. Why he was whispering I shall never know. There couldn’t have been a bird in earshot!
We moved on to the ‘Peacock Tower’. My day improved in leaps and bounds. We met a chap who knew EVERYTHING about the Centre and birds. He proceeded to impart his vast knowledge including his sighting of a Caspian Gull by Barnes Bridge!
After buying some stuff for Leons’ bird table, we moved on to the ‘office’ where we discussed the relative importance of approaching birds in a quiet manner and how best to locate and view the ‘Caspian Gull’.
BIRDS SEEN: Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Magpie, Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Robin, Greenfinch, Great Tit, Starling, Shoveller, Little Grebe, Gadwall, Teal, Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Pochard, Carrion Crow, Heron, Herring Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Black Headed Gull, Cormorant, Coal Tit, Willow Warbler, Long Tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Jay, Common Snipe, Ring Necked Parakeet, Stock Dove, Ruddy Duck, Lapwing, Canada Goose, Whooper Swan, Common Gull, Mute Swan.
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