Camley Street

Camley Street Natural Park, King's Cross

MAP:

LOCATION & ACCESS

This is a unique green space in the heart of urban London, lying behind one of the city's busiest transport hubs. Less than ten minutes walk from King's Cross-St. Pancras station, Camley Street Natural Park contains several habitats on a miniature scale. Managed by London Wildlife Trust, the pond, marsh, grassland, and mixed woodland are squeezed into two acres of land created on former industrial land and sandwiched between Regent's Canal and the railway line complex. I occasionaly visit on my lunch break but now plan to visit more regularly.

HABITAT

The token patches of woodland, meadow, fen, pond and scrub surrounded by concrete and canal, harbour a surprising amount of biodiversity.

SPECIES CALENDAR

Spring/Summer: Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler, Swift.

Breeding: Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Canada Goose.

Winter: Chiffchaff, Siskin, Redpoll.

Occasional: Peregrine (o/h), Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay & Black Redstart.

BUTTERFLIES

Small, Essex and Large Skippers, Brimstone, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Gatekeeper & Speckled Wood as well as the more common species.

DRAGONFLIES

Emperor, Brown Hawker, Migrant Hawker, & Ruddy Darter among the more common species.

PATCH LIST 2006

1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 24/01, 2 Goldfinch 24/01, 3 Long-tailed Tit 24/01, 4 Feral Pigeon 24/01, 5 Blue Tit 24/01, 6 Great Tit 24/01, 7 Chaffinch 24/01, 8 Coal Tit 24/01, 9 Robin 07/01, 10 Wren 07/01, 11 Pied Wagtail 07/01, 12 Mallard 07/01, 13 Coot 07/01, 14 Blackbird 07/01, 15 Black-headed Gull 07/01, 16 Wood Pigeon 07/01, 17 Herring Gull 07/01, 18 Lesser Black-backed Gull 07/01, 19 Cormorant 07/01, 20 Common Gull 07/01, 21 Carrion Crow 07/01, 22 Dunnock 07/01, 23 Reed Warbler 04/05, 24 Grey Wagtail 04/05, 25 Canada Goose 04/05 26 Blackcap 04/05, 27 Magpie 04/05, 28 Greenfinch 04/05, 29 Moorhen 04/05.

http://www.wildlondon.org.uk/reserve.php?reserve_id=70

Fraser Simpson http://www.fssbirding.org.uk