River Brent

With decent weather forecast for a change, I decided I'd follow the River Brent eastwards and visit a few sites along the way. I started off walking along the south side of Brent Reservoir (Neasden Rec) to Staples Corner. I then crossed over the Edgware Road and followed the footpath to the next site.

Site 46: River Brent at Brent Cross, March 19th

This section of the river runs between the North Circular Road and Brent Cross Shopping Centre. It's been horribly canalised and contains many shopping trollies but even so, is still a productive spot. I often have a look around here when I pop into the shops.

Cormorant waiting for John Lewis to open

Early on Sunday morning was a good time to visit as the birds have the place to themselves before the shopping centre opens. I saw 20 species in just 22 minutes including a surprise Gadwall on the river. This weekend has seen a big influx of Chiffchaffs into the country so hearing one singing in the scrub by the river wasn't so much of a surprise. Today seemed to be the start of the Meadow Pipit migration over London and I saw one fly north.

Cormorant

Little Egret

I actually saw the Little Egret feeding in the river on my way back but have included it here anyway. At the eastern end there's a subway under Hendon Way and then it's a five minute walk to the next site via Shirehall Lane. 

Site 47: Hendon Park

This site, along with all of the following sites, were ones I've never visited before. I entered at the southern tip.

Memo to Barnet Council - your signs need cleaning!

The park's western boundary is the Northern Line

The best habitat is on the western edge

Looking south towards Hampstead Heath

I walked up the western side where another Chiffchaff was singing and then across the park and down to the SE corner. For a smallish park with no water features there were quite a few birds around, I saw 22 species in just under half an hour. Three Meadow Pipits flew over confirming that today was a good 'vismig' day and a Nuthatch called at the top of the park.

Female Blackbird

Woodpigeon

I exited back onto Shirehall Road and then down Brent Street. Just before the junction with the North Circular, there's a path that runs east along the River Brent.

Site 48: Brent Park

The path follows the river and widens out where it then goes around a large pond. There's a lot of mature trees and is a hidden gem, mostly only known to locals. The south side runs along the North Circular so it's probably a bit noisy during the rush hour. It was my favourite new place that I visited today.

At the entrance off Brent Street

There's a lot of non-native flora like this bamboo

Decoy Pond

It took just over half-an-hour to walk around although I could have spent longer here. I saw 26 species, a total boosted by the number of waterbirds present, including the only Egyptian Geese of the day. There was another singing Chiffchaff, this time joined by a Blackcap.

Coot

Gadwall

Mallard

Tufted Duck

Egyptian Geese

Chiffchaff

Ring-necked Parakeet

Back at Brent Street there's a bus stop and I could have taken the 83 home but I checked the map and wasn't far from another park so decided to explore it. I took the footbridge over the North Circular, along Golders Green Road and into Princes Park Avenue.

Site 49: Princes Park (Golders Green)

This is only a little park and took ten minutes to walk around it. 

The building houses a coffee shop but it was closed

A footpath runs all the way around the park

I wasn't expecting much but a Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker showed there was sufficient habitat here. However, there wasn't a lot to photograph.

Crow

I walked the short distance along the North Circular back to Brent Cross Shopping Centre as I knew there was another park there. As I crossed over the River Brent I saw a Little Egret feeding in the river. I went up the Hendon Way to find it but realised later I could have accessed it via the car park at the rear of the shopping centre.

Site 50: Sturgess Park

This is a tiny park that took me all of three minutes to walk round. It doesn't have a lot to offer compared to the river at the front of the shopping centre.

The only decent habitat is the trees on the outer edge

Another Woodpigeon

I only managed nine species, all of which are very common. I walked out of the southern exit, around the shopping centre and got the 182 bus home. My morning's walk across six sites amassed a total of 48 species, quite impressive considering several sites were just small parks.

I've now managed to achieve half of my target already, with 50 sites visited before the end of March. Now that spring has officially started, I expect to be concentrating on visiting my favourite sites rather than lots of new ones so it will take me longer to do the second fifty.