We've had quite a quiet Easter weekend, but it seems that we've actually been quite busy looking at birds and making the most of our RSPB membership.
On Saturday we headed into the centre of St Albans to Verulam Park where there are currently a large number of herons nesting on the island in the centre of the lake there. We read in the local paper about how the RSPB had set up a viewing facility there for the public to get a better view of the nests and chicks. Unfortunately the day that we went along this didn't seem to be operating. Still, with the binoculars that I got for Christmas and Mr C's big camera lens we get a pretty good view.
You obviously can't take pictures with binoculars though so you'll have to rely on Mr C's photographic evidence.
On bank holiday Monday we went along to the Rye Meads reserve over by the River Lee. The reserve is jointly run by the RSPB and Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust and has a total of ten hides across the wetlands reserve to allow visitors to get a good sight of the local wildlife. Once again, photographic evidence is provided by Mr C.
One thing the visit did make me realise is how few birds I actually recognise. The photographs at least allow us to come back and in our own time compare the photos with what is in the bird books. It'd be much more useful though if I could actually recognise them in real time. A trick I'm still to master!
Mara says
Hello 🙂
Lovely pics, I got quite distracted by them! I think it would be very handy if birds would stay still long enough for me to leaf through the bird book… 😀
Mrs C says
Totally agree with you Mara – it’d be even better if their names somehow appeared when you looked at them through the binoculars!