The Wandle Telegraph

A Wren - one of many - singing loud and proud along The River Wandle

The Wandle Telegraph

Leaving the house at 10am. 11 degrees. Light breeze. Sunny intervals threatened. As the front door closes behind me, I hear a Great Spotted Woodpecker hammering, somewhere over the farm tracks.

Heading down the road, a Song Thrush sings, then I see

• House Sparrows

• Robin

• Jackdaw

• 3 Parakeets

• 4 Redwings

• Wood Pigeon

• Magpie

• Great tit

• Starling

A Goldfinch flashes by, red and golden yellow less than a metre away.

• Black Headed Gull

I pick up the Wandle Trail in The Grove

• Feral Pigeons

• Mallard

• Robin

• Crow

Camera and binoculars out

The river rushes, fast flowing down Mill Lane

• Dunnock

• Great Tit

• Wrens out in force

• Redwing

• Blue Tit

• Moorhen

Kingfisher at Hackbridge! Flashes of blue as the bird darts around - hitting the water in search of a meal. I briefly have it in my camera sights, just as an approaching dog walker and his two loudly barking accomplices arrive on the scene. As quickly as it appears - the bird is gone. Meanwhile the Grey Wagtail lives up to its name, and a friendly conversation with a passer by ensues.

• Chaffinch

Watermead Way towards Bennett’s Hole - the water rushes on, and I stop for another chat. ‘Seen anything interesting?’

Continuing. Wrens telegraphing news of my walk along the trail. I don’t recall seeing and hearing this many in one day before now.

• Blackbird

• Dunnock

• Goldcrest - incessant clockwork movements

• Coot

Chiffchaffs on Watermeads Nature Reserve - and a third conversation about this enchanting green and blue trail, snaking its way gradually towards Old Father Thames.

Arriving into Morden Hall Park

• Coal Tit

• Egyptian Goose

• Canada Goose

And finally, on the water, a Cormorant. The bird turns away and with a mighty thrash of its statuesque wings, it’s up, out of the water, and gone.