Sheila and I decided to have a stroll down to Roundhay Park to stretch our legs and hopefully burn of some of the Xmas pounds...lol. It snowed again last night so the paths were decidedly dodgy to walk on, no mishaps though.
I took the bins as you never know what you'll see at Roundhay Park, sadly I could have left them at home today.
We saw jackdaws and starlings on the way down to the park, but the small area of woodland we went through on entering the park was totally devoid of birds, not even a snatch of subsong. Indeed the first bird we saw in the park was the moorhen I managed to get a picture of before some oafs dog sent it flying for cover.
The small lake was almost all frozen over, but for a patch in the centre that was being kept clear by the fountains, around this patch were a few dozen black-headed gulls, with about 10 common gulls with them, loads of coot but only one or two mute swans.
The waterfall outlet to the small lake was flowing but there was some icicles at the sides, it hasn't been cold enough to freeze it fully... the winter of 1967/68 was definitely colder as I can remember the waterfall being frozen completely. Couldn't find the grey wagtail that usually hangs about the base of the waterfall, I expect it has fled the snow and found warmer habitat. The stream down to Waterloo Lake (the big one in the park) looked glorious in the snow so I couldn't stop myself taking a picture. It was by here that we heard a nuthatch, he was choo chooing away like billy-ho but try as we might we couldn't find him. The path down to the lake passed by the Park's folly, 'The Castle', I was surprised to find how this area was clear of snow in places due to being in direct sunlight for most of the day.
Waterloo Lake was almost completely frozen over with ice that looked to be quite thick, not that I was planning on walking on it this year, (I did in 1967/68 - yes I was an idiot in those days). There were very few birds as we walked the lakeside path, just another nuthatch as we neared the dam wall at the end of the lake, again an invisible one but vocal all the same.
As we walked across the dam wall, the breeze which we had been sheltered from by the lakeside trees really started to bite, so we quickened our pace to reach the boathouse and a welcome cup of coffee. The water in front of the boathouse was relatively ice free and there were more birds here than on the small lake, mallard, more coot, swans and Canada geese along with the gulls. Along with blackbirds on the walk back home we saw around a dozen species of birds, nowhere near what we'd normally find.
Things were brightened though as we reached home and were treated to a flyover by one of the local red kites.
Not an action packed excursion but a nice quiet walk in the snow.
I took the bins as you never know what you'll see at Roundhay Park, sadly I could have left them at home today.
We saw jackdaws and starlings on the way down to the park, but the small area of woodland we went through on entering the park was totally devoid of birds, not even a snatch of subsong. Indeed the first bird we saw in the park was the moorhen I managed to get a picture of before some oafs dog sent it flying for cover.
The small lake was almost all frozen over, but for a patch in the centre that was being kept clear by the fountains, around this patch were a few dozen black-headed gulls, with about 10 common gulls with them, loads of coot but only one or two mute swans.
The waterfall outlet to the small lake was flowing but there was some icicles at the sides, it hasn't been cold enough to freeze it fully... the winter of 1967/68 was definitely colder as I can remember the waterfall being frozen completely. Couldn't find the grey wagtail that usually hangs about the base of the waterfall, I expect it has fled the snow and found warmer habitat. The stream down to Waterloo Lake (the big one in the park) looked glorious in the snow so I couldn't stop myself taking a picture. It was by here that we heard a nuthatch, he was choo chooing away like billy-ho but try as we might we couldn't find him. The path down to the lake passed by the Park's folly, 'The Castle', I was surprised to find how this area was clear of snow in places due to being in direct sunlight for most of the day.
Waterloo Lake was almost completely frozen over with ice that looked to be quite thick, not that I was planning on walking on it this year, (I did in 1967/68 - yes I was an idiot in those days). There were very few birds as we walked the lakeside path, just another nuthatch as we neared the dam wall at the end of the lake, again an invisible one but vocal all the same.
As we walked across the dam wall, the breeze which we had been sheltered from by the lakeside trees really started to bite, so we quickened our pace to reach the boathouse and a welcome cup of coffee. The water in front of the boathouse was relatively ice free and there were more birds here than on the small lake, mallard, more coot, swans and Canada geese along with the gulls. Along with blackbirds on the walk back home we saw around a dozen species of birds, nowhere near what we'd normally find.
Things were brightened though as we reached home and were treated to a flyover by one of the local red kites.
Not an action packed excursion but a nice quiet walk in the snow.
