Croydon

The view above Croydon

The next city to fall under my urban birding gaze will be............Croydon.

For those not familiar with this major commercial settlement in south London, it is the birthplace of non other than Kate Moss and a few other notable Croydonians - who's names currently escape me. Interestingly, I never knew that Croydon was a settlement in 1086 and was only amalgamated with London as recently as 1965. Ignorantly, I thought that they built Croydon and its high rise cityscape in the 60's. Clearly not.

The great thing about Croydon is that it is much derided by practically everyone outside it's city limits and that is what's great. It's an overlooked jewel (at least I hope). Thinking about it, I saw my first ever Pied-billed Grebe in South Norwood Country Park, Croydon in 1987.

Anyway, aside from dreaming of discovering a major birding oasis on a Croydon street corner, this evening was spent revelling at the brilliance of Paul Scholes' performance in last night's Manchester United game whilst trying to think up ideas for The One Show.

It's a hard life.....