21 (including two new) members joined Brenda and I for the latest Bexley Royal Society for the Protection of Birds local walk. First port of call the Old English Garden, now being carefully restored by Friends of the Shuttle (volunteers welcome) – just wren and blue tit showed themselves.
Bexley RSPB Members Danson Park October 2015 (Photo Brenda Todd)
Out into the park, to the woodland behind the children’s play area – an obliging nuthatch perched on a dead branch replaced a few minutes later by a pair of chaffinch.
Nuthatch (photo Ralph Todd)
Jays were collecting acorns, carrion crows were being, well, just crows – very noisy but a couple of white winged specimens were of interest. A small flock of 7 fieldfares flew over. Continuing down through the woodland not much birdlife showed itself so we proceeded to the Bog Garden/Local Nature reserve and lake.
Young moorhen Danson Park (photo Ralph Todd)
Great crested grebe Danson Park (photo Ralph Todd)
Black-headed & Common gulls & Cormorant Danson Park (photo Ralph Todd)
We continued our walk enjoying the gorgeous autumn leaf colours, back to the car park where the 3 hour walk came to a close. As always, the walk proved what great places there are in the Borough for wildlife but also how enjoyable they are from a social point of view with everyone enjoying each other’s company and sharing a common interest.
RSPB Bexley walk Danson Park October 2015 (photo Brenda Todd)
Species seen: Little grebe, great crested grebe, cormorant, grey heron, mute swan, greylag goose, Canada goose, Egyptian goose, gadwall, teal, mallard, water rail, moorhen, coot, black-headed gull, common gull, lesser black-backed gull, herring gull, yellow-legged gull, woodpigeon, ring-necked parakeet, kingfisher, green woodpecker*, great spotted woodpecker, grey wagtail, pied wagtail, wren, dunnock, robin, blackbird, fieldfare (flying over), chiffchaff, goldcrest*, long-tailed tit, blue tit, great tit, nuthatch, jay, magpie, jackdaw, carrion crow, starling, chaffinch, greenfinch, goldfinch, lesser redpoll (flying over). 46 species *heard only
I am grateful to attendee Martin Watts for the link to a c1935 short film about Danson Park www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg9o10gtV2I which might be of interest to readers – I was pleased to see a pair of mute swans present and surprised at what appeared to be an Aylesbury duck in attendance – even all those years ago.
More photos from the walk, taken by Richard Spink, including of the resident Water Rail, and autumn leaf colour, can be seen here:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.438955079632223.1073741840.177977672396633&type=3
Ralph Todd
