Animals and birds at Osterley Park

If by seeing the photograph of the cows above you think I have been out in the country I can fully understand. Instead I've been for a stroll around west London and the National Trust estate of Osterley Park.

Mr JibberJabber decided to forego his usual Saturday Parkrun venue and instead go on some Parkrun tourism. The thought of an early morning run round a very cold and muddy course is not my idea of fun but getting my camera out and enjoying some of the wild and domestic animals and birds is. As you arrive through the main gates you start to get an idea of the uniqueness of Osterley. On one side of the road are rows of residential housing and on the other the start of acres of parkland. Horses graze happily in the paddock and come close enough for a stroke (mind your fingers!)

With a selection of lakes within the park it is only natural for some birds to make their home here. Canada geese patrol the edges of the water. Their aggressive barks and hisses scaring off all those who come too close.

More elegant are the Mute swans gliding through the water. My past experience with swans though made me know that it was time to move on when this one came out of the water to take a closer look at my camera!

Sometimes you don't have to be an expert on birds to be able to name them. Prominent tuft out of the head? Yes, it's a male Tufted duck.

This being London you can't escape some things and in this case pigeons. Perhaps not quite a case of a bird on a wire but this one had plenty of friends about (unfortunately for me in this case as I have a particular dislike of pigeons!)

There are also some far more exotic treats in store as well. Originally a native of China the park is home to a collection of Mandarin ducks. As is the often the case in the bird world the male duck is the splendid brightly coloured one and the female,seen just behind, is the dully coloured grey one.

Since Osterley is in west London and has a lot of trees there's no escaping the now feral Rose-ringed or necked Parakeets. They can be devilishly hard to photograph. You hear their squawk first and then see the flocks of long green feathers fly over. There are many theories as to how they came to these parts. Some say they escaped during the filming of the African Queen at nearby Isleworth Studios in the early 1950s. Tales of Jimi Hendrix releasing a pair in Carnaby Street in the 1960s also do the rounds. All I know is that it is only in the last 15 years that they have become a common feature in the suburban gardens around west and south-west London as they frequent my parents' garden.

Despite all this vast greenery and parkland there is never any escaping that you are not far from the hustle and bustle of London. There is a constant hum from the nearby M4 and if you look up there is a different type of bird making its way to and from Heathrow.

Osterley Park is FREE to enter but if coming by car a £5 parking charge applies to non-National Trust members. Charges apply to visit the house and gardens.

and Wild Bird Wednesday