The morning started with a visit to the London Wetland Centre at Barnes.
There was plenty of migrant activity with Willow warbler; Reed warbler and Chifchaff singing. the tresident Cetti’s warblers were also in full voice. A large party of Sand martins flew overhead catching insects.
There were also a good number of Robins and wrens singing from the bushes. The Lake was busy and 3 Common Terns were the first I have seen this year.
Common Tern photographed by Sergey Yeliseev ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/yeliseev/ )
Also distant view of Common Sandpiper.
Common Sandpiper photographed by Lip Kee ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/lipkee/ )
A single Comma was the only butterfly seen.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gidzy/7853405056/
Comma photographed by Gidzy ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/gidzy/ )
It is amazing how the number of species grows and after 4 hours I realised that I had seen 50 different species, the first time I have done this for a site within Greater London, just proving that even within our cities there is still a wealth of wildlife to be seen,
In the afternoon went to see the new butterfly exhibit at the Natural History Museum. It was quite spectacular and I have taken lots of phots which once I have identified the butterflies I will post, but here is a couple to wet the appetite.
The Common Morpho or Emperor butterfly which comes from Central and Southern America.
The magnificent 50
Greylag Goose [sp] (Anser anser)
Canada Goose [sp] (Branta canadensis)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Gadwall (Anas strepera)
Mallard [sp] (Anas platyrhynchos)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Eurasian Teal [sp] (Anas crecca)
Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Little Grebe [sp] (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Great Crested Grebe [sp] (Podiceps cristatus)
Grey Heron [sp] (Ardea cinerea)
Little Egret [sp] (Egretta garzetta)
Great Cormorant [sp] (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Common Moorhen [sp] (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Coot [sp] (Fulica atra)
Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Little Ringed Plover [sp] (Charadrius dubius)
Common Redshank [sp] (Tringa totanus)
Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Common Gull (Larus canus canus)
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)
European Herring Gull [sp] (Larus argentatus)
Lesser Black-backed Gull [sp] (Larus fuscus)
Common Tern [sp] (Sterna hirundo)
Common Pigeon [sp] (Columba livia)
Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)
Rose-ringed Parakeet [sp] (Psittacula krameri)
Great Spotted Woodpecker [sp] (Dendrocopos major)
Eurasian Magpie [sp] (Pica pica)
Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone)
Great Tit [sp] (Parus major)
Eurasian Blue Tit [sp] (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Sand Martin [sp] (Riparia riparia)
Cetti’s Warbler [sp] (Cettia cetti)
Long-tailed Tit [sp] (Aegithalos caudatus)
Willow Warbler [sp] (Phylloscopus trochilus)
Common Chiffchaff [sp] (Phylloscopus collybita)
Eurasian Reed Warbler [sp] (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
Eurasian Blackcap [sp] (Sylvia atricapilla)
Common Whitethroat [sp] (Sylvia communis)
Eurasian Wren [sp] (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Common Starling [sp] (Sturnus vulgaris)
Common Blackbird [sp] (Turdus merula)
European Robin [sp] (Erithacus rubecula)
Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii)
European Greenfinch [sp] (Carduelis chloris)
European Goldfinch [sp] (Carduelis carduelis)
Common Reed Bunting [sp] (Emberiza schoeniclus)
Pete's Favourite Things 