10 minutes drive from Drimnagh is a park that's more than double the size of New York's Central Park, is bigger than all of London's parks put together and has a history dating as far back as 3000bc (burial site near St.Mary's hospital in the park).
With 1,750 acres of land, Phoenix Park isn't a bad spot to have 10 mins away (15 mins cycle).
I've been up there quite a bit lately, trying to get some walks in and taking the binocs with me.
Tonight I feel I got to grips with telling a Jackdaw, Hooded Crow and Rook apart from just hearing their call.
At the weekend I took my lens with me.
Treecreeper, Oldtown wood, Phoenix Park
Coal Tit with food, oldtown wood, phoenix park. You can see the yellowy cheek of the Irish Coal Tit compared to the bright white cheek of the British Coal Tit.
When I saw this, it struck me how unfamiliar I've become with seeing birds using actual holes in trees instead of nest boxes as nests! Y'know, like the ol' days when there were trees everywhere. For those in the visually challenged gang, there's a little Coal tit in the right hand corner of the tree hole.
A different Treecreeper, Oldtown wood, phoenix park (looks like treecreeper chick).
Over the last few weeks Magpies seem to be having a certain love in with the bark at the bottom of trees, not sure if it's a thing particular to juv Magpies or if there's a particular insect/sap around the bark of a tree at this time of year.
Mallard, down at the dodgy Furry Glen, Phoenix Park
Another Mallard, hiding away so we can't see he's in moult. Or just hiding away from the dodgy people down at the dodgy Furry Glen.
Little Grebe in stunning summer plumage, Furry Glen, Phoenix park
Little Grebe with fish, Furry Glen, Phoenix Park
Dabchickchick. Juvenile Little Grebe, Furry Glen, Phoenix Park
Some of the 400ish Fallow deer in Fifteen Acres (actually about 300 acres), Phoenix Park. I guess one thing I'm not too mad on in Phoenix Park, is that I always feel like someone's watching me. (who had that song in the 80's?!) No matter where I am in the park, there's a feeling that there's an underworld at large and they're keeping an eye on me as I move as quietly as I can through the sunlit woods, the fields, the walkways, the dodgy Furry Glen.
And if it's not human eyes, or deer eyes, or bird eyes, or squirrel eyes, then it's the eyes in the treeeeeesss.
