Trent Park, Cockfosters.

Trent Park lies is North East London Borough of Enfield. You take the Piccadilly line to Cockfosters tube station. From the station, you turn on the right hand and walk along the Cockfosters Road. You will pass the cemetery and the gate to the park is on the right hand side. The habitat in the park is wooded with open grassland and ponds.

In the woodlands, you get to see 2 species of Woodpeckers ( Green & Great Spotted ), 4 species of Tits ( Great, Blue, Coal & Long-tailed ), Nuthatch and Treecreeper. In the ponds, you get to see Mallard, Mandarine Duck, Moorhen, Coot and many more.

On the 25th of Feb 2012, i was with the London bird club and we saw about 35+ different species and the highlight of the day was 3 Goosander.

Big Garden Birdwatch 28-28 January 2012 at Canons Park.

This big garden birdwatch is a Rspb event which ahppens every year in the moth of January.

This year's event I was at Canons park with a group of birders. At Canons park, you get to see woodlands birds. The direction to Canons park is drop at Canons Park tube station, turn left onto Donnefield Avenue. Then walk along Donnefield Avenue and end of the road is the park.

I saw o total of 26 different bird species which includes 3 species of Gulls (Black-headed/Common and Herring), 3 species of Woodpeckers(Green/Great spotted and Lesser spotted - lifer. Please see photo below), 5 species of Thrushs( Blackbird, Song and Mistle. 2 winter thrushs Redwings/Fieldfares), 4 species of Tits(Great/Coal/Blue and Long-tailed) and a Nuthatch.


To know more about Canons Park and walks visit their website which is http://www.friendsofcanonspark.org.uk/.




Below is a photo of a Lesser spotted Woodpecker.

Bedfont Lakes Country Park.

This was my new birding site in Greater London area. I went to this country park with the London Bird Club group. The meeting point for the group was at Hatton Cross station and that's where i met them. From the station, we went by bus to the park. You take bus H26 which goes to Feltham(Sparrow Farm) and you drop at Bedfont Lakes bus stop. The park is just opposite of the bus stop, so you need to cross the road to go to the park.


I saw a total of 33 different bird species included a single Male Goldeneye, a flock of 8 Lapwings and 2 Snipes.

Staines Reservoir. 1.1.2012

What a way to start with the new year 2012, after getting a lifer Female Smew at the reservoir. I was birding alone at the Staines and met a group of birders whom i joined them.

I saw a total of 24 different bird species which includeds Great Northern Loon/Shag/ flock of Goldeneyes/Black-necked Grebes (those 4 species i have seen before at the reservoir in 2011), a pair of Scape(Scape are difficult to see or spot them as they like to be with a flock of Tufted Ducks), single Male Ruddy Duck and 25+ Lapwings.

Autumn Birdwalk part 2 at Brent Reservoir.

This was my second autumn birdwalk for 2011 held on the 16th of October at Brent Reservoir. The first autumn birdwalk was held on the 11th of September

A total of 30 different bird species were seen. The following is the list of birds seen at the reservoir.

Little Grebe.
Cormorant.
Grey Heron.
Mute Swan.
Canada Geese.
Mallard.
Gadwall.
Shoveler.
Wigeon.
Teal.
Tufted Duck.
Ruddy Duck.
Moorhen.
Coot.
Lapwing.
Black-headed Gull.
Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Feral Pigeon.
Wood Pigeon.
Rose-ringed Parakeet.
Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Robin.
Blackbird.
Blue Tit.
Magpie.
Jay.
Carrion Crow.
Chaffinch.
Goldfinch.
Greenfinch.

Autumn birdwalk part 1 at Brent Reservoir.

My first autumn birdwalk for 2011 was on the 11th of September which was held at Brent Reservoir. All the young birds born during the summer are now juveniles. Bird species like Common Terns as well as most of the Warblers have left and are on their way to Africa.

A total of 32 different bird species were seen included a single Spotted Flycatcher and a Swift. The following is the list of birds seen at the reservoir.

Little Grebe.
Great Crested Grebe.
Cormorant.
Grey Heron.
Mute Swan.
Canada Geese.
Mallard.
Gadwall.
Tufted Duck.
Ruddy Duck.
Kestrel.
Moorhen.
Coot.
Lapwing.
Green Sandpiper.
Common Sandpiper.
Black-headed Gulls.
Herring Gull.
Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Feral Pigeon.
Wood Pigeon.
Swift.
Kingfisher.
Green Woodpecker.
House Martin.
Barn Swallows.
Robin.
Spotted Flycatcher.
Magpie.
Carrion Crow.
Starling.
Goldfinch.


The next autumn part 2 is to be held on the 16th of October.

Birtish Birdwatching Fair 19 - 21 August 2011.

Kenya Birding stand at the 23rd Birdfair.


This was the 23rd Birdfair this year. My first birdfair was way back in 2007. It is held every year in the month of August at Anglian Water Birdwatching Centre, Egleton Nature Reserve, Rutland Water. This was my 4th visit at the fair helping my colleagues from Kenya at the Kenya Birding stand.

There is a courtesy bus service between the Birdfair and Oakham railway station. I went by train to Oakham via Peterborough from London Kings Cross. From London Kings Cross, take the East Coast train which takes about 45 mins journey to Peterborough. From Peterborough, take the Cross Country train which takes about 30 mins journey to Oakham.

At the Oakham railway station is where I met my colleagues from Kenya. We were staying at a hotel in Cottingham. Cottingham lies in a quiet and peaceful countryside in Leicestershire.

Beside Kenya Birding stand, there were other stands from RSPB, African Bird Club, Birdlife International, British Trust of Ornithology (BTO), Oriental Birdclub and Tour Companies. There was also a ringing demonstrate done by the Rutland Ringing Group.

At the birdfair, I saw bird species like Barn Swallows, Greenfinchs, Blue Tits and Great Tits. On the last of the fair, we went to Eyebrook Reservoir for birding. We recorded 13 different bird species.

The following is the list of birds that we saw at the Eyebrook Reservoir.

Little Grebe.
Great Crested Grebe.
Cormorant.
Little Egret.
Grey Heron.
Mute Swan.
Greylag Goose.
Canada Goose.
Mallard.
Sandpiper.
Black-headed Gull.
Lapwing.
Coot.

Next year’s birdfair is on 17 – 19 August 2012. To know more about the birdfair, go to www.birdfair.org.uk.