pduxon
Quacked up Member
Barnes was a means to an end, the end being to tick a Ring Necked Parakeet.
After the usual horrid tube journey, “London Transport apologize for the fact that half the underground is shut and that you will have to get a bus” (Actually central line to holborn and then the picadilly line to Hammersmith) I arrive at Hammersmith and get the 283 Duck Bus (its free if you’ve got a travel card).
Now what is it about reserves? 2 minutes ago I was in the middle of a big city and now I’m in an oasis of calm? The bus driver seems concerned by the fact that I don bins and head away from the reserve but a little patience in the car park sees my Ring Neck Parakeet arrive.
Now my experience of WWT reserves is restricted to the wonderful Welney. Welney does not have a waterbird exhibit (or zoo) and I’m always dismayed by these things. It’s particularly galling from the WWT who caused the whole Ruddy Duck fiasco and lets be honest Smew and Goldeneye are not endangered! And the White Headed Duck they had weren’t being bothered by the many wild Ruddy Duck that were about.
Anyway mini rant over because once you pass through these you get to the reserve proper and very nice it is too. My first thought is coot, moorhen, Mallard and loads of Ferral Pigeons (ooh who is a little sour puss this morning!) but the main lake has lots of the common ducks (and male Tufties in breeding plumage are adorable).
The walk to the hide overlooking the reservoir lagoon sees the tamest Heron I’ve ever seen and I enter the hide to see a group of birders scouring the reeds ah methinks a bittern. A very helpful lady tells me where said bird is but can I see it? I must be going blind! She chuckles because she couldn’t see until it first moved. Am I looking in the right place well no I’m not! Behind that female Tufty, uh no oh hang on yes the head moved I can see it now thanks very much. From the other end of a hide “no still can’t see it”. Now in the middle of London there are Bittern! that must be good news and I’ll forgive the WWT its zoo (ok be fair the kids love it and it brings in the money).
Well heading on back to the other half of the reserve I ignore the observatory and somehow the birds seem to perk up Lapwing, a rather nice Great Crested Grebe and as I get to the Peacock Tower a rather nice Green Woodpecker. The peacock tower gives good views over the grazing marsh, wader scrape and main lake. Ok so nothing “special” there’s teal, shoveler and a pair of little grebe. The walk by the wader hide (no waders!) brings in a 3 Green Woodpeckers (one flies about 4 foot over my head and then perches behind me the obliging fellow), Chaffy, Siskin and 4 Meadow Pipits. As I decide to wander off for lunch a blackbird starts singing and a Great Spotted Woodpecker pops its head up.
The food in café is quite good toasted Brie, Ham and French Onion Pantsomethingorother. There’s a gift shop and an optics shop.
So that was Barnes and very enjoyable it was too. I won’t be heading back every week, the odd visit maybe to meet up with a friend or two. I can get to Minsmere in the same time BUT in the middle of London this is an oasis and for local birders this must be heaven. I applaud the WWT for it and I wonder what it’ll be like in 10 years when it’ll be more mature?
Birds Seen
Greylag
Canada Goose
Black Headed Gull
Feral Pigeon (loads of them)
Wood Pigeon
Lapwing
Mallard
Tufted Duck
Teal
Shoveler
Wigeon
Pochard
Rook
Crow
Magpie
Ring Necked Parakeet
Great Crested Grebe
Little Grebe
Moorhen
Coot
Blackbird
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Wren
Meadow Pipit
Robin
Chaffinch
Siskin
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Green Woodpecker
Bittern
Mute Swan
Cormorant
Pied Wagtail
Starling
After the usual horrid tube journey, “London Transport apologize for the fact that half the underground is shut and that you will have to get a bus” (Actually central line to holborn and then the picadilly line to Hammersmith) I arrive at Hammersmith and get the 283 Duck Bus (its free if you’ve got a travel card).
Now what is it about reserves? 2 minutes ago I was in the middle of a big city and now I’m in an oasis of calm? The bus driver seems concerned by the fact that I don bins and head away from the reserve but a little patience in the car park sees my Ring Neck Parakeet arrive.
Now my experience of WWT reserves is restricted to the wonderful Welney. Welney does not have a waterbird exhibit (or zoo) and I’m always dismayed by these things. It’s particularly galling from the WWT who caused the whole Ruddy Duck fiasco and lets be honest Smew and Goldeneye are not endangered! And the White Headed Duck they had weren’t being bothered by the many wild Ruddy Duck that were about.
Anyway mini rant over because once you pass through these you get to the reserve proper and very nice it is too. My first thought is coot, moorhen, Mallard and loads of Ferral Pigeons (ooh who is a little sour puss this morning!) but the main lake has lots of the common ducks (and male Tufties in breeding plumage are adorable).
The walk to the hide overlooking the reservoir lagoon sees the tamest Heron I’ve ever seen and I enter the hide to see a group of birders scouring the reeds ah methinks a bittern. A very helpful lady tells me where said bird is but can I see it? I must be going blind! She chuckles because she couldn’t see until it first moved. Am I looking in the right place well no I’m not! Behind that female Tufty, uh no oh hang on yes the head moved I can see it now thanks very much. From the other end of a hide “no still can’t see it”. Now in the middle of London there are Bittern! that must be good news and I’ll forgive the WWT its zoo (ok be fair the kids love it and it brings in the money).
Well heading on back to the other half of the reserve I ignore the observatory and somehow the birds seem to perk up Lapwing, a rather nice Great Crested Grebe and as I get to the Peacock Tower a rather nice Green Woodpecker. The peacock tower gives good views over the grazing marsh, wader scrape and main lake. Ok so nothing “special” there’s teal, shoveler and a pair of little grebe. The walk by the wader hide (no waders!) brings in a 3 Green Woodpeckers (one flies about 4 foot over my head and then perches behind me the obliging fellow), Chaffy, Siskin and 4 Meadow Pipits. As I decide to wander off for lunch a blackbird starts singing and a Great Spotted Woodpecker pops its head up.
The food in café is quite good toasted Brie, Ham and French Onion Pantsomethingorother. There’s a gift shop and an optics shop.
So that was Barnes and very enjoyable it was too. I won’t be heading back every week, the odd visit maybe to meet up with a friend or two. I can get to Minsmere in the same time BUT in the middle of London this is an oasis and for local birders this must be heaven. I applaud the WWT for it and I wonder what it’ll be like in 10 years when it’ll be more mature?
Birds Seen
Greylag
Canada Goose
Black Headed Gull
Feral Pigeon (loads of them)
Wood Pigeon
Lapwing
Mallard
Tufted Duck
Teal
Shoveler
Wigeon
Pochard
Rook
Crow
Magpie
Ring Necked Parakeet
Great Crested Grebe
Little Grebe
Moorhen
Coot
Blackbird
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Wren
Meadow Pipit
Robin
Chaffinch
Siskin
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Green Woodpecker
Bittern
Mute Swan
Cormorant
Pied Wagtail
Starling
