Belvedere sewage works and South Norwood Country Park may not spring to mind when thinking of international birdwatching paradises. But a local photographer says the area’s birding habitats can be just as rewarding as Borneo or the Serengeti.
South-east London is often unfairly labelled a concrete jungle – barren of any real life outside the hustle and bustle of millions of commuters fighting their way into work.
But the area offers a truly stunning array of wildlife habitats which attract a surprisingly varied number of feathered friends, including some rare species such as the bearded tit, barn owl and peregrine falcon.
Freelance photographer Dan Keel, of Selhurst Road, Penge, has spent the last 18 months exploring what south-east London has to offer.
He said: “In the past I have spent weeks scouring the Scottish countryside and seen very little. In places like Scotland there is so much suitable habitat that the birds are spread out for miles on end. You can go hours without seeing a single bird.
“The beauty of south-east London is that because there is less countryside, all the birds flock to the same places. In some ways it’s a birdwatcher’s paradise with minimum effort involved – yet maximum reward.”
Dan, the creator of the bird photography website www.ilikebird.uk, has given us a rundown of the area’s birdwatching hotspots – along with a selection of stunning pictures, which can be viewed in the gallery above.
SOUTH NORWOOD COUNTRY PARK (BECKENHAM)
Description:
Sandwiched between Elmers End and Beckenham cemetery, this 116-acre park offers more varied bird habitat than anywhere else in London. It contains a lake for ducks, geese and herons along with a variety of trees and shrubs for finches and tits and, most importantly, several treasured reed beds which are ideal for warblers.
Recent sightings:
Osprey, red kite, kestrel, sparrowhawk, buzzard, tawny owl, short-eared owl, five different species of tit, Cetti’s warbler, grey heron, Greylag goose, ring-necked parakeet, green woodpecker and great-spotted woodpecker.
Star bird:
Bearded tit.
BROOKMILL PARK (LEWISHAM)
Description:
Covering nine acres and featuring a litter-strewn river and a grubby looking play area, this Lewisham park in Brookmill Road would not necessarily be your first choice for a relaxing afternoon with the kids. But despite the ghastly sights, smells and sounds this park is hugely appealing to kingfishers which were seen glistening in the cold winter light just last week.
Recent sightings:
Great tit, coal tit, long-tailed tit, blue tit, greenfinch, great-spotted woodpecker, green woodpecker and Mandarin duck.
Star bird:
Kingfisher.
CROSSNESS NATURE RESERVE (BELVEDERE)
Description:
Subtly nestled between a sewage works and a giant incinerator in Norman Road is yet another south London birding paradise. Reed-dwelling birds find natural habitat hard to come by in the capital, so this 300metre x 600metre patch of marshland, reed beds and long grass is a treasure trove of warblers, waders, ducks and even a barn owl which feeds upon the shrews and voles.
Recent sightings:
Wigeon duck, shelduck, shoveler duck, grey wagtail, little-ringed plover, grey heron, Cetti’s warbler, reed warbler and kestrel.
Star bird:
Barn owl.
CRAYFORD MARSHES
Description:
This is an area of stunning marshland alongside the River Darent leading to join the Thames north of Dartford. The footpath from Moat Lane in Slade Green takes you past a farm, through a meadow and up onto a bank looking down onto the Darent and (half a mile later) down onto the Thames. In winter the flooded areas provide high-tide roosts for waders and the river mouth is surrounded by areas of mud, popular with waders, geese and ducks.
Recent sightings:
Kestrel, sparrowhawk, peregrine, little owl, barn owl, ring-neck parakeet, skylark, meadow pipit, reed bunting, little egret, kingfisher and stonechat.
Star bird:
Short-eared owl.
BUY PHOTOS OF LOCAL BIRD LIFE:
To order any of Dan’s pictures in this feature, plus many more, visit www.ilikebird.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ilikebird.uk
Twitter: @ilikebirduk
Email: ilikebird@hotmail.com
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