An afternoon walk

Back to Painshill for an amble this afternoon - I'd had other things to do today, so going further afield wasn't an option.

Just a bit of info. about Painshill.
It's an 18th century park which was created by the Hon. Charles Hamilton who built up the area to some 250 acres. Hamilton owned the park until 1773 when he sold it as he had run out of money! It was then owned by a succession of private owners until the outbreak of WW2. Then in 1948 the decay of the park started when the Baroness de Veauce (one of the new owners), split the estate from the mansion and sold the park in several lots. The Trust was formed in 1981 to start the long process of restoration. Some of the original features remained although hardly recognisable from the years of neglect.


I tried to find the (reported) second Great Crested Grebe nest but couldn't find it at all in the spot where it's supposed to be. However, the other one is still active with the egg(s) still being incubated. Saw both of the pair this afternoon which is good!

As I started off, I decided to walk clockwise around the lake (14 acres) thereby keeping the lake on my right. One of the first birding moments was this family of Egyptian Geese. Sadly only one Gosling.


I'm not sure if this Mallard has been injured going by the feathers on the right-hand side of his head.

Here he was rubbing his head against his shoulder

and then went on to have a more general preen.

When you first start your journey around the lake (in the direction I took today) you first come to a small inlet before walking around it to the right. And this is where I found the Egyptian Geese trio. I know that at least two of the families have lost some young already due to predation.

Now having gone around a right-hand curve, looking back to the end we've just left.

Walking further along the view back gets bigger until

and a bit further along, looking back from whence we came

Turning around to face where we are going now, as we walk over on the opposite south facing bank, the vine is clearly visible.

and looking forward, but further into the distance, the vine is still on the right-hand bank

Now the Ruined Abbey comes into view.

The bank on which the Ruined Abbey stands, is NOT the other side of the lake as such, but one of the sides of the peninsular. This starts at the end where we first joined the lake and finishes are the far end. The Ruined Abbey, as with all the other structures in the Park, are follies and if you go around to the back of the Abbey this becomes evident. But I won't spoil the illusion!

Walking along the lakeside with the peninsular bank still on the opposite side

And near a curve in the lake, we look back to where we started!

Here the "Chinese Bridge" bridges the gap between the Peninsular and Grotto Island.

So, we continue towards the far end of the lake, but on the way get very distracted by a family of two adult and five goslings of Canada Geese. So now I've seen (not all here) Egyptian Geese Goslings; Mallard ducklings, and Coot young.






And this is where, for the moment, I have to pause in my guided tour. More will come over the next few days.........

A quick end of day visit

I cut the remaining bit of grass today - and the mower wouldn't switch off. So I had to unplug it to stop it - then I plugged it back in again - and it started - all by itself! A quick trip back to the repairers fixed it and all is now well.

I then ascertained that my spare pair of (non self-darkening) glasses, that had the lens replaced as the original lens were wrong (!) were ready for collection. Duly collected these, did some essential food shopping and, on the way home at the end of the afternoon, treated myself to a quick trip around Bushey Park.

I bumped into a fellow photographer Mark (who's succumbed and upgraded his Canon 400D to the 50D), and he and I passed several enjoyable minutes photographing the birds in the boating pond.

And here we have the results. The sun was sinking in the sky although the light was strange!
Tufted Ducks

Posing Crow


and Magpie

The Mallard Family


And some Tufties going off to roost
"Please wait for me"....


A Red-crested Pochard in flight

Red Crested Pochard - male

Tufted Duck - female

Posing Mallard

Egyptian Goose in flight

Mallard enjoying an end of day rest

then joined by her partner

and one of the three Mandarin Ducks


I'd not taken any sort of jacket and by now I was getting very cold - temperatures have dropped a bit since yesterday.

Mark and I decided this was a good time of day for flying birds, the light and pictures, so - I might go back again late tomorrow afternoon so I can spend some more time.

Thanks for your company again Mark.

Another Grebe update

Today has been a gloriously sunny day again and hard to believe that it's only April!

I headed off for a quick nip around Painshill Park. No sign of one of the Great Crested Grebes although the other one was on the nest. She stayed put for quite some time so I wasn't able to ascertain whether any more eggs have been laid.

The area hadn't been "cordoned off" in anyway, but more of that later.

She was looking about her most of the time; she might have been looking for her partner who I did not see at all throughout my visit there.

After a while, a coot dared to approach - and got hissed at in no uncertain terms

As I walked on from the reeds and irises, a Grey Heron landed on the pathway. In a shortwhile it flew off again and I noticed possible nesting material in its beak.


I followed it through and sure enough it fly up high into a tree..

where it soon became apparent that there were two of them

As I walked around the bend in the lake I came across a third one!

"Any fish down there?"

He eventually flew off.

Shortly followed by this Canada Goose

Wandering back with the purpose of leaving, a damselfly flew out of the lake and conveniently landed in an emerging fern.
I believe this is a Large Red Damselfly but if anyone can confirm - or otherwise - I'd be delighted!

Walking back, I came across a small area that I'd not discovered before. More formal planting, as this blooming Peony gave evidence to.

On the way back, I collected my newly repaired and cabled lawnmower; how much????

I'd also sent an email to Mark Ebdon yesterday, (who is the Estate Manager of Painshill) asking if the immediate area around the nesting Grebes could be cordoned off.

I'd had a response very quickly. In his response, whilst Mark was empathic, he felt that the danger was not too great (from the public) and could advertise the nest too much if attention was drawn to it by any netting/fencing. He anticipates that when the water Irises grow they will provide more cover than there is currently. He may have a point.

He also advised that there is a 2nd nest in the same place as one last year. Regrettably last year's fledglings (from this nest) were all predated. I'm now aware of the whereabouts of the 2nd nest so I shall visit that bit again when I'm next there. Mark also mentioned that whilst it's great that many wildfowl nest in the park, it's also heartbreaking when so many young are predated. I'm in total agreement there!

So tomorrow? I shall be cutting the remaining grass and hoping to leave the cable well alone!

And now the camera on my mobile phone has packed up and they need the phone for about 21 days to repair it - under warranty! I shall take it back in due course.

I wonder what's going to be third thing to go wrong????