And so the week continues. Today I have been in London accompanying my Mum to an eye appointment at St Thomas Hospital in Westminster. What a great location for a hospital, on the banks of the Thames opposite the Houses of Parliament. After the hospital we walked along the embankment to the Garden museum in Lambeth which is in the restored church St Mary of Lambeth which adjoins Lambeth Palace for a spot of lunch. This was eaten in the walled garden which used to be the graveyard, a magical enclave near to the heart of a great city. Birdwise it was a few gull, Feral pigeons and a Robin but hey you can’t have it all. Back at my Mums house later on there were six Magpies squabbling in the neighbours ash tree along with a noisy Charm of Goldfinches. All were trying to drown out the sound of overflying aircraft and Parakeets. Also seen was my first Cinnabar Moth of the year. After our meal I headed out for a stroll along the Thames Path from Richmond Lock. At the lock were a number of Eygptian Geese who were noisily chasing each other around. A gull spent ages attacking a tennis ball, seemingly unable to realise that it wasn’t food. Walking along the Thames Path a number of Herons were seen, feeding on the river margins and in the wet ditch on the other side of the path. A bird alighted in a tree and I saw that it was a Mandarin which obligingly perched for pictures. Plenty of other things to see with rowers on the river and the planes passing overhead. The turning point of my walk was opposite one of my favourite pubs the London Apprentice at Isleworth, a great shame that I was on the wrong side of the river. However I stopped at an off-licence on my drive back and purchased a couple of bottles of Fullers Chiswick Bitter to drink whilst watching Masterchef.
wiltshirebirder 