London Wetland Centre,Barnes. (1 Viewer)

[Grousemore]

The London Wetland Centre is another good place to visit in Central London.
It is situated in Barnes,to the south of the River Thames,near Putney.
There have been several trip reports posted,which can be found by using the 'search' function.

Full details of the Reserve,how to get there,admission hours and prices,can be found by using the link to the WWT website below;

http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit/wetlandcentre/

 

[dennis]

Good suggestion Grousemore. I visited the Centre last March and found it wonderful for first timers in London.

dennis

 

[Grousemore]

Hi Dennis,glad you enjoyed it.

I see you're from Pennsylvania;anywhere near the famous Hawk Mountain area I've heard so much about?

 

[birdman]

Have we ever had a BF meet down in London?

As I don't know the Big City too well, I don't know if LWC would be suitable, but I would imagine there are some places that would be easy to reach by Train and Tube.

Trouble with most of the "South Bashes" is they seem to be best part of a day's drive away for us Noortherners... but something down the East Coast Mainline...???

 

[dennis]

Hi Grousemore.

I can be sitting on the north lookout of Hawk Mountain in about 30 minutes from my home. This is the optimal time of year for sheer numbers of raptors. In mid-September, after a weather front has just passed, 10-15,000 Sharp-shinned Hawks seen in one day is possible. Since you sit on the mountain top many times you feel you must duck when they speed by.

 

[Grousemore]

Dennis, sounds fantastic! A place I must visit one day;I've seen the website and its been on my list for some time.
For some reason,it was in my mind that October was the best time,but seems like I may have been a month late!

 

[Grousemore]

Hi Birdman, I don't think there has been a BF meet in London and to be honest,it wouldn't compare with the other 'bash' venues.
Its more a case of making the best of being in a large city,than visiting specially for a birding trip.

The postings I've done for London might interest Noortherners who were here anyway,for other reasons (perhaps on a Jarrow march or to see their Monarch...!)and had a bit of spare time for birding.

Somewhere more convenient would perhaps be Rye Meads at Hoddesdon (RSPB)which is easily accessible by train and road and may attract enough interest.

 

[dennis]

Grousemore,

October will get you the largest species list(more Eagles for one thing). September has quantity of individuals, particularly Sharp-shinned Hawks.

 

[Larry Lade]

Dennis, a friend of mine and I have been going up to "Hitchcock Nature Center Hawkwatch" for the past three years. It is north of here in Iowa (near Cresent, Iowa). We want to "sharpen" our skills at identifing raptors before we take the "big plunge" and head for Duluth, Minnesota or even the premier place in North American, Hawk Mountain. Perhaps you have seen some of the numbers that they have posted over the years, if you have gone to the Hawk Watch Web Site. If you have not visited this website it is: www.hawkcount.org

The above is the site of HMANA (Hawk Migration Association of North American). Some of you guys on the other side of the pond might want to take a look at this website also.

Larry :t:

 

[Larry Lade]

Steve Kinder (a fellow avian observer) and I are planning a trip to Kenya in February, 2004. (It is an Elderhostel sponsered trip, February 11 to February 26). We will have a twelve hour lay over in London. We arrive at Heathrow at 10:30 AM (on the 12th and depart Heathrow at 10:05 PM. I am hoping to be able to persuade some willing party (a Birdforum member) to perhaps be our guide to some local birding area/s. We can't pay too much as it is taking most of "our life's savings" to make this trip to Africa. We would like to perhaps treat our guide to lunch/dinner as token of our appreciation.

Any birds we would see there would be "life" birds for both of us. We are really looking forward to seeing British Birds and the African Birds and Mammals.

I will probably be making other pleas for assistance as "zero hour" approaches.

Larry

 

[Grousemore]

Larry, let me know if I can be of any help.

Assuming I am in London on the 12 February,I would be pleased to show you some birds and of course would not require any payment.

 

[Larry Lade]

Hi Grousemore,

I appreciate your reply. Having a native with us as we look for new birds in new areas is an exciting prospect. Just being able to get around/through London is a little intimitating for me to contemplate. We have gone to New York City a few times and it is so different from the somewhat "laid back" feeling here in the Midwest that it has made me feel a little uncomfortable at times. Everything is so "rush rush" in New York City, so many people and so many languages. I am used to talking to people whom I have never met before and just being friendly. If you do that in New York you are generally viewed with suspicion. :t:

Larry