Natural Selection

adult Egyptian Goose

I’m not sure whether I’ve mentioned eBird streaks in a blog before. Basically it’s doing some birding every day and putting some records on the eBird platform. I’ve kept a streak going for 700 days, just because I think birding every day is good for my wellbeing. But sometimes it’s a challenge to fit it in.

I wasn’t really up for counting a feral pigeon on the building around Gatwick terminal as ‘birding’, so as we had time we walked round to a likely place on the map within a reasonable distance. This turned out to be Riverside Park, and turned out to be a good decision.

As well as a profusion of water lilies the lake held Moorhen, Mallard and three species of geese*. As well as Canada and Greylag there were a pair of Egyptian Geese with eight goslings, which was a new species for Jane (in fact she’d never heard of them).

As well as the birds on the lake there were a few other bits of interest. A Grey Heron was feeding on the stream on the approach. A Chiffchaff was singing intermittently and there were also Nuthatches calling. Not forgetting the likes of Robins and Wrens singing in the undergrowth.

So if you’re every at Gatwick Airport north terminal with a bit of time on your hands I recommend Riverside Park, whether you’re streaking or not.

juvenile Greylag Goose

juvenile Egyptian Goose

* Disclaimer – despite the name Egyptian Geese are not considered to be true geese, but I’m on holiday and haven’t got time for all that. Or how they came to be in Britain…