Birds seen on the Common in 2020 during the pandemic
A YouGov survey commissioned by the RSPB in January 2021 revealed that the Covid-19 pandemic is making the public more aware of nature in their local area, with 41% seeing wildlife near their homes that they had never noticed before.
63% of the 2,071 adults surveyed also said that watching birds and hearing their song had added to their enjoyment of life since the onset of the pandemic.
Have you ever wondered how many different bird species you might see if you went birding on the Common? Phil Brown of East Barnet took the opportunity of lockdown to do just that, and in 2020 he recorded sightings of no fewer than 51 !
Perhaps the most “exotic” birds on Phil's list are the ring-necked (or rose-ringed) parakeet and the Egyptian goose.
Ring-necked Parakeet (aka Rose-ringed Parakeet) Photo by Charles James Sharp (Licensed under CC BY 4.0)
The ring-necked parakeet is the UK's most abundant naturalised parrot. It became established in the wild in the 1970s after captive birds escaped or were released, and the flocks are now a very common sight indeed, wheeling as they do above the Common and all around the area. Their native range is a broad belt of arid tropical countryside stretching from west Africa across lowland India south of the Himalayas, where it is common. Despite their tropical origin, parakeets are able to cope with the cold British winters, especially in suburban parks, large gardens, and orchards, where food supplyRing-necked parakeets feed on a wide variety of fruit, berries, nuts, seeds, grain and household scraps, and are colourful and frequent visitors to bird tables and garden feeders, particularly during the winter months. is more reliable.
Egyptian Goose Photo taken by Andreas Trepte (Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5)
A native of sub-tropical Africa, the Egyptian goose was brought to Britain in the late 17th century as an ornamental bird for the lakes of country gentlemen, and after struggling to survive Britain's cold winters for more than 300 years it is undergoing a population explosion especially in south east England.
Egyptian geese are regarded as pests in their native environment, and some are shot because they munch crops, but being grass eaters they are not good to eat. Since 2019 this goose has been classed as an “invasive non-native species” in England & Wales, and their import, keeping, breeding, purchase, release etc are now all illegal.
Stunning photographs of the birds involved in Phil Brown’s 51 sightings during 2020 (plus five more he made in 2021) are reproduced on this page, all but five with the kind permission of the Scottish photographer, Lang Stewart, a retired telecoms engineer who has has travelled around the world capturing photos of all kinds of rare birds. As Lang himself says, watching wildlife in lockdown is an excellent way to relieve the stress of the current pandemic!
Here are pictures of the rest of the species that Phil Brown saw on the Common during 2020 and 2021 (except where otherwise indicated all photos on this page are Copyright Lang Stewart):
Latest News
Although the Trust does not have a 'News' section on our website we aim to provide occasional updates of recent activity and future plans.
'Bund'
Users of the Common may have seen notices placed by Enfield Council regarding the planned introduction of a drainage 'bund' on the Common to the south east of Parkgate Avenue. The Trust supports the project as it will improve a very wet and therefore inaccessible part of the Common and hopefully stop homes being flooded after extreme rainfall. The ‘bund’ will be a relatively small area with raised sides into which excess rainfall will flow and then gradually drain through the usual system. It is expected that work will start in the next few months and be complete in the spring. It should not take long to construct but exact dates are not yet known.
Paths
As regular users of the Common will doubtless have noticed, brambles are spreading across many of the smaller and less used paths. Our Volunteers (see ‘Vacancies Corner’ on the website if you are interested in volunteering) try to keep the paths clear however the wet summer has meant the brambles are winning just now. Please feel free to join us on a Tuesday or Thursday morning to keep trimming.
Bakers Hill & carpark
The surface of the car park at Bakers Hill has deteriorated over recent years, particularly the entrance. Tarmac has recently been laid at the entrance and hollows filled elsewhere in the carpark. This has been done in an effort to increase use of the car park and reduce parking on Bakers Hill. Parking on Bakers Hill narrows the road inappropriately (large trucks need access to the railway and utilities running across the Common) and damages the Common. In due course, now the carpark surface has been improved, bollards will be placed at the unofficial lay-bys along Bakers Hill to stop parking.
Tree work
We have recently undertaken a review with our arboriculture advisor and noted trees which need or may need attention in the future. Trees have been marked accordingly to help future identification. We will only reduce or remove trees if or when safety becomes an issue for users of the Common.
Funds
As users of the Common will realise, it costs a substantial amount annually to maintain the Common as a safe and pleasant environment which is open to all. Work, as outlined above, costs a great deal. The Trust urges those who use and enjoy the Common to contribute whatever they can in an effort to support the Trust. Membership is open to all - see the Membership tab on the website, and as a registered charity the Trust welcomes donations, small and large!
Vacancies corner
- Woodlands volunteer - we are looking for someone with expertise on woodlands in general to join either as a volunteer or, possibly, as a trustee. Please contact treasurer@mhctrust.org.uk for more details.