Metro-land and other London extremeties

I continued my quest to visit 100 locations in Greater London this year. I fancied another short trip to a NW London site on Sunday but my initial plans were scuppered by the Met Line being out due to weekend engineering works but luckily I had a list of alternative places.

Site 26: Pinner Park Farm, February 5th

I took the London Overground train from Wembley Central to the charmingly named Headstone Lane. From there it was literally across the road and along a lane to the start of the bridleway. I had been here once before, after work to see a Wryneck.

The bridleway cuts through the farm and is only a kilometre or so long. You can then exit at the Pinner end but I retraced my steps. There's a surprisingly good number of birds along this short walk, even in the depths of winter. Needless to say I encountered yet another pair of Egyptian Geese here along with the inevitable 'Pesky Parrots'.

Redwing

Ring-necked Parakeet

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Great Tit

Little Owls are sometimes seen here but I couldn't find them today. Around the farm there were plenty of Jackdaws and House Sparrows. Once back at the end of the track I chose another footpath which took me over the railway line and then to the Uxbridge Road where I got the 182 bus home.

I thought it was about time I ventured south of the river again so on Monday morning I joined the rush hour commuters heading towards London Bridge. The next train to Belvedere should have left a minute before I arrived but luckily for me it was running late and was just pulling into the station as I reached the platform.

Site 27: Crossness, February 6th

From far out North West London over to South East London today. This is a site I visit regularly although it was my first visit this year. It's less than a 10 minute walk from Belvedere station to the entrance gate into the paddocks.

Looking from the paddocks north to the Thames

Looking west along the river

There's always a lot of birds in the nature reserve area of Crossness and I took a slow amble up towards the Thames. I followed the riverwall east for a bit as I wanted to check the reedbed for the Beardies that have been there recently but they weren't showing today.

I then followed the riverwall back west to the outflow. It was mid-tide so there were were lots of ducks and waders around. The regular wintering Common Sandpiper (which I've now named Cindy) was by the outflow and shoals of Dunlin flew along the foreshore. These are presumably the ones which are often at Rainham and would explain why I've not seen any there this year.

A tiny part of the 900-strong Dunlin flock

Teal

Wigeon

I carried on past the water treatment works and the old pumping engines which are now a museum before turning inland down the Ridgeway.

Pumping station museum

From here I headed SW across the middle to join the footpath which runs behind the houses. This goes under the main road and over towards Southmere. The paths are well marked if you get lost.

More paddocks just to the east of Southmere

Southmere - setting for A Clockwork Orange

I walked up the bank to view the notoriously ugly Southmere although the wildfowl don't seem to care. I followed the footpath to the southern end of the lake and along the Green Chain Walk to Abbeywood. The only negative part of the walk came right at the end when I couldn't get my usual Cappuccino at the shop at the station as it was having its coffee machine overhauled! I travelled back home via the Lizzie Line.

My next day out was two days later to Cheshunt, just outside of Greater London. I met John & Janet at Liverpool St station and we took the train up a foggy Lea Valley. We headed straight over to Seventy Acres Lake which was still enshrouded in fog. We walked anti-clockwise in case the Smew was close enough to see. 

We stopped at the Bittern hide, luckily the reedbed was viewable but anything beyond was still shrouded in fog. We gave it a couple of hours but the Bittern was a no-show and we need to go for a walk to warm up so headed towards Holyfield Hall Farm. At Fishers Green the Snowdrops were out, although they hadn't all flowered yet. 

Snowdrops

The goose flock began to emerge as the fog dissipated and among the Canadas were 14 Barnacle Geese and some sort of hybrid. We returned for another stint in the hide but only saw a couple of Water Rails as we ate lunch. We then headed back to Cheshunt, completing a full loop of the lake.

The next day I was back in the outer reaches of NW London. From Wembley Park I took the first Met Line up to Harrow-on-the-Hill and then the fast train to Rickmansworth station. From there it was a 15 minute walk to Stockers Lake. As this is also outside of Greater London, it doesn't count in my 100 site quest. I used to come here most winters and have in the past seen some good birds like Bittern and Ferruginous Duck but it's been a long time since my last visit.

I walked down to the causeway which runs along the western edge of the lake then did a clockwise loop. It didn't take long to find the resident flock of Red-crested Pochard and a few Goldeneye but there was no sign of yesterday's Smew. 

I stopped and scanned at every viewpoint until I reached Tern Hide. Right at the back in front of the reeds was a small diving duck, seemingly covered in white icing with black highlights - a drake Smew. It's always been my favourite duck and one I make an effort to see every winter.

Smew

Stockers Lake

Goldeneye and Smew

Red-crested Pochard and Smew

The loop path around the lake is quite wooded and I came across several large groups of Siskin, probably numbering over 90 in total.

I headed east the following day for another Rainham visit. It was another misty start but soon cleared as I walked through Rainham West, past the Serin Mound and onto the riverwall. The Avocet flock had swelled since my last visit and I counted 57 but there may have been a few more as they were well spread out in Aveley Bay. I managed to see one Dunlin, my first here this year, presumably the rest were along the river at Crossness along with the Black-tailed Godwits as there were none on view here.

I went into the reserve where a pair of Egyptian Geese were making themselves at home on Purfleet scrape. It will be interesting to see how many sites I visit this year that don't have any of these exotics.

Egyptian Geese

I went clockwise around the path as I wanted to look for the Dartford Warbler around the turnstile. There seems to be more chance of finding a sewing implement in multiple bundles of dried grass than this bird. I went as far as the platform by the Target Pools and stopped for a scan. There were a few Pintail among the usual ducks but no waders. I retraced my steps and left via the turnstile in case the Dartford was lurking just outside. It wasn't so I chose the long walk back along the river via the barges.

After a few days spent locally at Brent Reservoir, I ventured out on the Met Line again to another location in NW London. As I looked out of the tube windows at the thick fog I began to question the wisdom of going anywhere today.

Site 28, Ruislip Woods & Lido, February 14th

From Northward Hills station it's possible to take a bus to the Lido but I elected for a 15 minute walk to the start of the woods (left out of the station then along Norwich Road). The fog penetrated the woods and it was eerily quiet apart from bird calls. Despite the poor light my birding wasn't really hampered as I find at least 90% of birds in woods by call anyway. It did mean photography was going to be a real challenge though!

A foggy Ruislip Woods

Poors Field

I walked down to the mini-railway line then followed it northwards to the edge of the golf course. From here there's a path that goes past a pond and comes out into Poors Field. This is a little strip of common surrounded by the woods. I have seen Bullfinch here recently but not sure if they are still about as they are fast disappearing from Greater London.

I walked to the north end of Poors Field and into Copse Wood which I'd not explored before. I treat this whole area as one site rather than separate locations as they all adjoin and you end up criss-crossing into them several times while walking around. 

I then walked down the entire length of Poors Field and emerged by the Lido. It was still thick enough to prevent me from seeing anything in the middle of the lake as I walked around the southern edge to the beach. Yes, there's a sandy beach in NW London although today wasn't the day for sunbathing.

The Lido beach and fog.

I managed to see a few waterbirds that were close but it was obvious that the fog wasn't going to clear anytime soon. I cut into Park Wood and made my way back to Northwood Hills station. It was still foggy when I got back to Wembley Park but had just started to clear. I arrived home in time for lunch with the sun out and clear blue skies.

With the month now half gone, I've managed to visit 28 sites, still well on course to reach 100 by the end of the year. With most sites in NW London now visited I might have to venture south of the river again!