Having just returned from the depths of winter in northern Ohio, Wanstead feels spring-like in comparison. I went for a quick walk with the kids to the Tea Hut of Happiness, and along the way at least three Song Thrush and a Robin were singing. When I left a week ago, all the ponds were still mostly frozen, and nothing was doing anything. A week later and it's all change.
Not a great deal to report other than the change in weather, but three female Teal and two drakes were feeding under the overhanging trees at the west end of Shoulder of Mutton Pond. Tim reported three drakes and two females only a short time earlier, so there are at least six birds there, a pretty good count. They were also my first in Wanstead this year, so nice to get my list rolling again.
We carried on along the Heronry Pond, not much to report, though two Egyptian Geese were present once again. I've not seen any sign of prospecting, so who knows what will happen later in the year? Egyptian Geese may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I quite like them. Three bits of cake cost £1.30, what a magnificent institution the Tea Hut is. Tim had reported Siskin around the place, but I had no time to check the Dell, and there were none present near the Heronry when I was there.
Got back just before it started to rain, and in an hour had logged 29 species. Probably could have got more if I had paid less attention to the kids but I'd rather the stats read 29/3 rather than 50/2. Hopefully I'll get out there in earnest next week.
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