I last visited Lee Valley Regional Park on 27th January 2023, principally to watch and photograph the wintering Bittern.
In recent weeks, there have been reports of a Bittern again returning to this area for the winter, hence prompting another visit given the success of my last one.
Lee Valley Regional Park is a site that is relatively easy for me to visit by public transport: bus to Basildon, train to West Ham, DLR to Stratford and another train to Cheshunt and then a short walk to the site entrance.
Lee Valley Regional Park is a 10,000-acre and 26 miles long linear park. It is Greater London's largest park (more than 4 times the size of Richmond Park) and extends beyond Greater London's borders into the neighbouring counties of Hertfordshire and Essex.
Lee Valley Regional Park follows the course of the River Lea (Lee) along the Lea Valley from Ware in Hertfordshire through Essex and the north east of Greater London, through the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to East India Docks Basin on the River Thames. It is managed by Lee Valley Regional Park Authority and is made up of a diverse mix of countryside areas, urban green spaces, heritage sites, country parks, nature reserves, lakes and riverside trails as well as leading sports centres.
The focus of my visit was again the Wildlife Discovery Centre in Fishers Green, on the Hertfordshire and Essex border. The centre offers 360 degree views of the area from a 5 metre viewing tower overlooking Seventy Acres Lake and adjacent reedbed, wetland and grassland habitats plus a two-tier viewing hide.
My main target species was obviously Bittern (this is one of the best sites in the UK for this species during the winter) but unfortunately on this occasion, despite a patient and very long wait, I did not see it.
Therefore, I missed the amazing sighting that I had on my last visit on 27th January 2023 ....
Photo: Bittern
The main highlight from my visit was a single Water Rail, initially “squealing” several times from the reedbed in front of the hide and eventually followed by a brief sighting of a bird running across a gap between one section of the reedbed to another.
The most notable sightings from my visit were as follows:
En-route to the Wildlife Discovery Centre via the River Lee Navigation Canal and Seventy Acres Lake: Mallard (c.25), Gadwall (2), Shoveler (7), Coot (c.25), Moorhen (5), Great Crested Grebe (4), Mute Swan (2), Canada Goose (2), Cormorant (3), Chiffchaff (1 heard calling)
Wildlife Discovery Centre: Water Rail (1), Grey Heron (2), Mallard (5), Tufted Duck (4), Common Pochard (2), Gadwall (1), Shoveler (8), Coot (c.20), Moorhen (2), Great Crested Grebe (2), Mute Swan (4), Canada Goose (1), Cormorant (c.20), Black-headed Gull (c.20), Lesser Black-backed Gull (2), Ring-necked Parakeet (1)
Photography opportunities were limited, primarily due to the exceptionally bright sunshine, but I did manage to get some photos of both a Grey Heron standing on top of the Kingfisher nesting bank and a Ring-necked Parakeet on the bird feeders, both at the Wildlife Discovery Centre.
Photo: Grey Heron
Photo: Grey Heron
Photo: Grey Heron
Photo: Grey Heron
Photo: Grey Heron
Photo: Grey Heron
Photo: Grey Heron
Photo: Ring-necked Parakeet
No comments:
Post a Comment
If you feel like commenting on my blog, you can contact me by completing the comment form below. I will respond to all comments and enquiries and constructive criticism will always be welcomed.