An ornithological highlight in Ukraine was seeing cranes nesting beside the road. My Polish and German election observer partners weren’t impressed as they see plenty at home. I said I’d only seen one pair nesting in England and they are made of stainless steel.
The Friends of Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens are a small organisation (628 members) founded in 1991 “to promote the peace and beauty of the parks”. The Friends are in favour of the annual, garish Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, not because it promotes peace and beauty but, pragmatically, because it makes money for the Royal Parks. Digression: did you know there are some 5,000 acres of historic parkland in the heart of London? This must include Richmond Park. I have already visited two exhibitions at Kensington Palace and the Fitzrovia Chapel under their wing. Next week they have a two hour walk in Hyde Park – ‘History Through Trees’. This is right up my street and I hope there will be a room for me.
Their Spring Newsletter also mentions a most remarkable daily blog. I am not only a newcomer to daily blogging but a flibbertigibbet. Ralph Hancock has written his blog since 2012 and there’s a clue about his subject in the name of his website. He does not choose a boastful ralphhancock.com he labels the tin with its content: kensingtongardensandhydeparkbirds.blogspot.com
It is a remarkable record of the bird life in KG and HP. He is an expert observer and photographer and offers help to amateurs. Take this entry in April 2012:
The Tawny Owls’ nest tree is at 51.507991,-0.17994
URL for Google street view of nest tree: http://g.co/maps/kst69
To find it without using electronic aids, go to the path that runs north-south between the Speke obelisk and the statue of Physical Energy. Exactly halfway between these landmarks there is a bench on the west side of the path. Stand on the path in front of the bench, at the right end of the bench as you face it. Look west at right angles to the path. Very slightly to the right of this line is a big horse chestnut tree with a broken top that is visible through the branches. This is the owls’ nest tree. Between the path and the nest tree, slightly to the south of the bench, is a crooked line of four horse chestnut trees roughly parallel to the path. The owls and owlets are likely to be in either the nest tree or on the middle two of the line of four trees. But they are quite hard to see now, and you have to walk round and round these trees at various distances, looking carefully. Good luck!
He does not run out of steam – he observes and records every day – it is Tweet of the Day on steroids. I don’t want to lose you as a reader but try Ralph’s website and you may be hooked. No need to go to Ukraine to see birds – they are on my doorstep.
