Butterfly House – London Zoo

[Mike Farley]

As a member I can get one person in as a guest.

I am beginning to wonder if there is any venue where you are NOT a member.

Also confirm that I am good for November 4.

[Mata]

It seems the quickest route from East Croydon is via London Bridge to Camden Town (Northern Line) followed be a brisk walk to Regents Park?

We can meet at East Croydon station around 9.30 or at London Zoo around 10.45?

[Mike Farley]

East Croydon at 9:30 works for me.

[davidb]

I am beginning to wonder if there is any venue where you are NOT a member.

The only other membership where I get someone in for free are the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust reserves. I am a member of a few other places (including the Bluebell Railway) that I can't get anyone in as a guest.

9:30am, East Croydon, Tuesday 4th November - in my diary (if I had one!). EC - LB - CT and a not so brisk walk to Regents Park is generally the best way. I'm hoping the building work at London Bridge won't be a problem.

You might find this link about London Bridge disruptions useful:
http://us6.campaign-archive1.com/?u=54f ... c6cca52c37

See you all then.

[Mike Farley]

I'm hoping the building work at London Bridge won't be a problem.

I have been through London Bridge a few times during the current rebuilding work and apart from the width of some of the platforms being reduced by hoardings, it's generally OK*. The overhead walkway which used to extend across all the platforms has been partially dismantled, which means a longer walk when transferring between platforms 1-6 and some of the further platforms. That's a bit of a nuisance if you don't have much time to make a connection, but we will be coming straight off the platform onto the tube so it will not affect us.

* The only real disruption is when they close the station for an extended period. I commuted through London Bridge for years, so I am grateful that I do not have to contend with that.

[Mike Farley]

I am beginning to wonder if there is any venue where you are NOT a member.

The only other membership where I get someone in for free are the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust reserves.

Sounds like the next outing.

[Mata]

That’s London Zoo sorted.

See you both on Tuesday around 9.30 near the main entrance on the left.

I am sure we will have an interesting day.

[davidb]

Sounds like the next outing

I've found the WWT reserve in Barnes to be a bit dull these days. The West Route, where the birds from regions around the world are usually displayed have been a bit short of birds. It's not completely empty but it's nowhere near it's best. There is also the Wildside where all the birds are visitors. Other animals, including frogs, dragonflies and damselflies, can generally be found here but probably not at this time of year and in conditions like todays.

The South Route consists of lakes available for visiting birds overlooked by a number of hides. I should imagine birds are now (or about to be) flying off to their wintering grounds so there should be some activity in that respect.

http://www.wwt.org.uk/uploads/documents ... mapNEW.pdf

I've enjoyed my visits to Arundel in the past and a few years ago there was a major redevelopment to improve the facilities for visiting birds. Unfortunately, I don't get down there as often as I like (due to the cost). I'd also like to return to Slimbridge (on the River Severn, upstream from Bristol). The only time I've been it was the worst day in November for a very long time and spent more time trying to find shelter from the rain than photographing the residents.

A long lens would be a great advantage here. I have a 100-400 zoom to which I can attach 1.4x extender taking it to a maximum of 560mm. Even so, it can still be lacking for some of those distant shots!

[Mike Farley]

We had a club outing to Barnes a year or so ago and your description matches what we found. At the time the water levels had been increased because of work being undertaken on the supply mains coming from East London which was going to disrupt the flow. That meant that some places were birds might have been spotted were underwater, which could have been a contributory factor albeit not the primary one it seems.

Maybe a trip to Arundel is in order at some point. Is there a good time of year to go?

[davidb]

Maybe a trip to Arundel is in order at some point. Is there a good time of year to go?

Spring is probably a good time; the birds will be returning to their breeding sites in the UK and further north. During the summer period the captive birds will be active and the weather will be more agreeable. Autumn sees the birds returning to their wintering grounds in southern Europe and Africa.

For any of these seasons you really need to be kept up to date by WWT who can report on the activities of the birds.

http://www.wwt.org.uk/

http://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/london/wildlife/
http://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/arundel/wildlife/

click on View full details for more information

There were a couple of reserves close to us when we were in Wales - Slimbridge and Llanelli.