Dave Dawson's natural history notes for 15th May 2017:- With bird breeding in full swing there was little song, but some early breeding species were singing between breeding attempts: Robin, Great Tit, House Sparrow and Woodpigeon. A few migrants were still singing: Blackcap and Chiffchaff. Two seed-eating residents that breed late were also singing: Chaffinch [...]
Dave Dawson's natural history notes for 12th April 2017:- A few of the Mute Swans are defending territory, an uphill struggle as they are greatly outnumbered by the 35 odd sub-adult birds. Less song was heard as many birds were busy with nesting. The Wild Cherries in Horse Close Wood were in flower. Hawthorns had [...]
Dave Dawson's natural history notes for 25th March 2017:- Many resident bird species were in song: Blackbird, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Song Thrush, Woodpigeon, Wren and Stock Dove. Stock Doves have increased greatly in the park since their return as a breeding species in 2004. They are rather [...]
Dave Dawson's natural history notes for 27th January 2017:- Much of the lake was covered in thin ice, but it could be that more significant freezing elsewhere brought in the 21 Shovellers seen on the lake, the highest January count since 2012. However, the 9 Gadwall on the lake seems to continue the great recent [...]
Dave Dawson's natural history notes for 28th December 2016:- Little of note this time. White dead nettle in flower in the hedgerow beside the tube line. There were still over 30 Mute swans. Coot numbers were also above average, at 85 birds, but fewer than in the last two years. After a recent apparent decline, [...]
Dave Dawson's natural history notes for 17th November 2016:- This morning at 07:55, some 30 Greylag Geese flew off from the lake to the grassland of the public park to join the 65 birds there already. Then these, the 120 Canada Geese and 16 Egyptian Geese returned to the lake at 08:40, as usual when [...]
Dave Dawson's natural history notes for 9th September 2016:- Waterbirds gave much the same story as the previous two months, geese, swan and coot numbers remain high, with 100 Canada, 30 Greylag and 26 Egyptian Geese, 35 Mute Swans and 80 Coots. The latter two species have now been seen in greater numbers than usual [...]
Dave Dawson's natural history notes for 22nd August 2016:- Canada Geese, at 110 birds, were seen in high numbers for August, again suggesting no effect of the various attempted control methods. The other two species of goose also continue to be found in high numbers; many Greylags move out by August, so the 30 birds [...]
On Saturday 13 August civic and sporting dignitaries joined more than a hundred local residents at Wimbledon Park to celebrate a hero of the English landscape. As part of a nationwide festival of events marking 300 years since the birth of famous designer, Lancelot “Capability” Brown, the Friends of Wimbledon Park organised a guided walk [...]
Merton Council’s public consultation on a masterplan for Wimbledon Park is fatally flawed. FOWP is calling for an extension of the consultation period, currently set to end on 22 August, which is peak holiday time. And we want the council to hold a public meeting, where concerned residents and park users can have the different [...]