November 23, 2013: Dulwich Park and Riverside Country Park

Conveniently my first visits, both yesterday, were to both places.  First Dulwich Park, where the lake has, in addition to the usual collection of mallards, coots, tufties and moorhens, been hosting two pairs of shovelers (photo below), for the past two days.  They were practicing their curious circling-to-feed motions like a couple of whirligigs.  One pair, particularly the drake, was bold enough to approach the bridge (where people feed ducks)  for a few nibbles before swimming rapidly off, hence I was able to get some close shots.

Also seen in the park that day: robin, dunnock, black-headed gull, woodpigeon, feral pigeon.  At various times the park is also good for grey heron, cormorant, Canada goose, song thrush, mistle thrush, and redwing in the winter thanks to the many berry-producing trees; jays; the occasional little grebe; goldcrest; siskin; chiffchaff; green woodpecker; plus the usual crows, blackbirds, magpies, ring-necked parakeets and tits.  Strangely, I don’t see many finches at Dulwich.

Then on to Riverside Country Park for my second visit there.  We arrived in the afternoon about 2 p.m., or 1.45 hours before high tide – really too late to catch the waders coming in ahead of the tide; the last time I came was much earlier when the tide was out so far I couldn’t see it – then I could see (albeit at a distance) on the mudflats wigeon, redshank, brent geese, curlew, and oystercatcher amongst other things.  This time I clocked 18 species, including: black-headed gull; common gull; ruddy turnstone (flocks thereof); redshank; brent geese; mallard; wigeon; teal; grey plover, shelduck, curlew (heard), crows, pigeons; goldfinch.  There were probably other species but I was too busy taking pictures of turnstone, which were the most interesting for me. There were large flocks feeding amongst the seaweed and flying showing off their beautiful patterned backs.  At dusk they went to roost on the many abandoned boats, buoys etc. around the reserve.  Next time we have a sunny day with high tide in the afternoon I will aim arrive about 2.5-3 hrs ahead of the high tide.  The sun at that point is behind you pretty much behind you wherever you walk on the reserve – which has three completely different sections with habitats including wooded areas, seaweed beaches, mudflats, and reedbeds.  There aren’t any hides, but you don’t need them because the birds are all there along the coast and pretty easy to see.