Very changeable weather this February and March: the water was 2.5 deg warmer with no ice on the lake so no log clearing was required this year (some people throw branches on to the ice). But then we had Storm Eunice which caused three major trees to fall, including the top of a cedar, and necessitated debris clearing from the lake.

Early to middle March was very warm causing the terrapins to come out of hibernation and bask in the sun, while it was very cold in late March. Up to 50 jackdaws, 20 Canada geese and many parakeets are pairing up. The Canada geese are being hassled by our pair of male swans who have made their usual nest on the lake bank by the ‘dog free’ picnic area. Still no Egyptian geese young since 2018. There are five occupied coot nests in the coppiced willows, one of which has three eggs at the time of writing. As the swampy area of willows was coppiced by the Goosefoot volunteers, we are hopeful that the tufted ducks will have a good breeding season: their nesting site was not disturbed. The kingfisher has not been seen since last September. We still have our two disabled birds, namely ‘Limpy Female Mallard’ and ‘Angel Wing Canada Goose', both at the Park Road end of the lake.

Our winter-visiting little grebes and shovellers have left and only one coy carp has been noticed. In February, we had a two day visit of ‘red crested’ pochard (not the common pochard) – presumably from Kew Gardens. A red-tailed kite was seen way overhead in late March - please let me know of any other sightings. Lastly, I read that at the ‘Hammersmith High Rise' (Charing Cross Hospital) peregrine falcons are catching parakeets as well as the usual pigeons!

Early Spring Update from Richard Sales