Spotted: An owl watching the birdwatchers watching him..

The Macaw that stole the show

Birdwatching at Pen Ponds

Birdwatching 

Last weekend saw a total of 15 families join the Discoverers team for a spot of Birdwatching in and around Pen Ponds. The sun was shining, the sky was blue and the birds were out!

Just as a session was about to start and the leader announced “Welcome Everyone” a Macaw, one of the rarest Parrots in the world, flew by and sat on a tree right next to them, giving everyone an amazing opportunity to get a closer look.

We had a go at identifying all the water birds (coot, moorhen, mallard, Egyptian geese) and we even got to see a beautiful Mandarin duck that also made a special appearance. On Sunday, we were visited by a snipe who flew close to us over the pond and a treecreeper was in full view up in an oak tree nearby. A nuthatch was also spotted as well as all the usual suspects jackdaws, parakeets, water birds and a buzzard circled near the Ballet School to finish off!

We would like to thank Park Ranger Andy T who kindly donated binoculars to the Discoverers Team that the children were able to use on the day.  In support of RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch the event was a great success where children of all ages enjoyed learning about the Birds of Richmond Park who were guided by an excellent team of volunteers! Thank you also to Paula Redmond for all the wonderful pictures.