England – London Wetland Centre [4]

Sutton, 01 Jan 2011

Unusually for me, I have so far only had one birding day during the 2 weeks my wife and I are spending with the family in the UK. So, after finishing off 2010 with that trip to the RSPB reserve at Dungeness, I decided to start off the New Year with a visit to the London Wetland Centre, where conditions were not as frosty and frozen as this time last year.

Some of the native species seen included European Robin (appropriately for the time of year), Mallard, Northern Shoveler and Eurasian Teal, as well as Eurasian Wigeon and Gadwall, which although resident in other parts of the UK are winter migrants to the London area. Also seen was one of the burgeoning population of Rose-ringed Parakeet, which has been declared as ‘an invasive non-native species’ in the UK.

This time last year there were several Eurasian Bittern present at the Wetland Centre, but none to be seen this year. Almost as good a sighting from my point of view, though, was a very clear view of a Water Rail, as it broke cover and dashed from one pond to another allowing me to get some good photos.

As for the captive species, the best photos were of Black Swan, Nene, Brant Goose, Maned Duck, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Australasian Shoveler, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, White-winged Duck, White-headed Duck, Wood Duck, Auckland Teal and Ringed Teal.