Naturelog: Thursday 4th December

A free morning and although it was damp, misty and cold I decided to go off to Danson Park in Welling to see if there were any winter Thrushes present. Danson Park much like my own local patch is the remnants of an old country house. Unlike my patch it has remained intact as a public park consisting of woodland and grassland surrounding a large lake.

My route was to follow the lake edge starting on the southern side. Very soon I had good views of both Little and Great Crested Grebes.

At the western end a cormorant was drying its wings in classical pose and a Grey Heron was standing sentinel like on the bank.

In the western woodland a Magpie posed on the fence post

Coming back along the northern edge of the lake there was a large flock of Canada Geese with a few Egyptian Geese.

And what about those thrushes. I had almost reached my starting point again when I spotted two feeding thrushes on the ground. I moved closer and identified them as a Redwing and a Mistle Thrush. I moved closer to get a picture and then a dog rushed out of the trees and they were gone. Ah well that’s what happens in public parks. Maybe next time.

Canada Goose [sp] (Branta canadensis)
Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)
Mallard [sp] (Anas platyrhynchos)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Little Grebe [sp] (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Great Crested Grebe [sp] (Podiceps cristatus)
Grey Heron [sp] (Ardea cinerea)
Great Cormorant [sp] (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Common Moorhen [sp] (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Coot [sp] (Fulica atra)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Common Gull (Larus canus canus)
European Herring Gull [sp] (Larus argentatus)
Common Pigeon [sp] (Columba livia)
Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)
Rose-ringed Parakeet [sp] (Psittacula krameri)
Eurasian Jay [sp] (Garrulus glandarius)
Eurasian Magpie [sp] (Pica pica)
Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone)
Great Tit [sp] (Parus major)
Eurasian Blue Tit [sp] (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Eurasian Wren [sp] (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Common Starling [sp] (Sturnus vulgaris)
Common Blackbird [sp] (Turdus merula)
Redwing [sp] (Turdus iliacus)
Mistle Thrush [sp] (Turdus viscivorus)
European Robin [sp] (Erithacus rubecula)
Common Chaffinch [sp] (Fringilla coelebs)
European Goldfinch [sp] (Carduelis carduelis)