Visits Week Ending April 24th!

Hi All,

I hope everyone has had a great weekend!

This is a politically-free Post 8-)

Firstly, I realise that a lot of my visits are not RSPB reserves so please let me know if I am too off-topic.

Tuesday 20th = Rye Meads
I left around 10:15 to get the 10:22. Found out timetable had changed, missed the 10:18. Brrr, a cold breeze and only a shirt and jacket. Nipped back for my winter warmers. I Caught the 10:32 - which was late. Missed connection at Broxbourne. Got to Reserve around 11:30. (saw Fox on way on train).
Visited all the Hides and saw: 2xKestrels; 1xCettis Warbler (my first); 1xGrey Heron; several Chiffchaffs; lots of Blueys, Greats and Long-Tails; lots of Tufties, Shovellers, Coots, Moorhens, Mallards, Canadas, Pochard, Gadwall; several Robins; the odd Dunnock; 4xOrangeTip Butterflys; 1xPeacock butterfly; 1xfemale Peacock; 1xSnipe; 3xShelduck; 4xLapwings; lots of Black-Headed Gulls; 1xfemale Greater Spotted Woodpecker and 1xSedge Warbler. Left around 4:40 to get the 4:51. Just made it to find it cancelled and had to wait 40 minutes. Then had to wait 10 minutes for connection. Got home at 6.

Thursday 22nd = London Zoo
Left home around 9 and arrived at Regent's Park to find a long walk to the Zoo. A really long walk! Spent the whole day - took over 500 photos! There didn't seem to be too many people around - bad for the Zoo but good for me! Broke for lunch and was delighted to find they had Carrot Cake! I'm a sucker for Carrot Cake.
It has been around 50 years since my last visit - noted a few changes.
I dragged my exhaused body back home by 7. This time no problems with Transport.

Saturday 24th = Natural History Museum
Arrived at the NHM around lunchtime and went straight to the Butterfly House. Better than the last time I was there but not as good as the LZ exhibit. It was hotter in there as well so couldn't manage to stay too long. In fact, it was so dehydrating I had to visit the nearby pub for lunch - alas no Carrot Cake, so made up for it by consuming a few pints of London Pride. Followed up by seeing the Blue Whale exhibit (enormous!) and the Koh-i-Noor diamond. Thank God my ex-girlfriends didn't see this one!

Time spent since sorting out all the photos and trying to ID them.

Here are a few photos of the week - tough choice! I'm aware that they are not UK species but it was the Zoo! I've limited them to birds and a few butterflies...not too sure of the IDs which gave me many headaches. I am going to try and upload all the photos from this week to my Photobox site: http://www.photoboxgallery.com/gcanny

A bit busy next week and may only make one visit - WWT Barnes.

               African Jacana                                                                             Bali Starling
 
                       Black-faced Ibis                                                              Hooded Pitta

                     Sun Bittern                                                                    Superb Starling

                      Blue Morpho

                        Tree Nymph                                                                   Glass Wing

                      Orange Tip - upper                                                           Orange Tip - lower

Best wishes, Graham