Wildlife in the City

I rarely visit Hampstead Heath, even though its just three stops away on the underground. After watching Bill Oddie’s Hampstead Heath programme on TV last week it got me sufficiently interested to make a trip. While I didn’t arrive particularly early (always recommended) I was instantly reminded why I don’t come here more often… too many people! But today there were even more. A national cross-country championship was getting underway and the place was turning into a mud bath. Of course the wildlife that does exist here is pretty resistant to human disturbance and the Green Woodpecker pictured below was digging in the turf just metres away from hundreds of passing runners (see further down). Add Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Kingfisher and Ring-necked Parakeet and it was really not a bad afternoon.

On your marks... get set...

... Go !

View from Parliament Hill, Hampstead Heath