18th July

Spotted Flycatcher, the first record of the year for this declining species.

Spotted Flycatcher: This bird is a good 20 days early than the average arrival date for birds on their way south. It could be a failed breeder. It was showing very well in the coppiced Elms in the corner of area 24.
Cuckoo: A juvenile was seen for over 7 minutes perched in several trees in area 29.
Common Tern: Still three birds on the lake.

Comments

Debbie Pledge said…
Uncanny. I was only thinking at lunchtime that it was time to start looking out for the spotted fly. I had some really good views in Area 29 last year.
I forgot to tell you about it when you went past at lunchtime. Just as well or you might have missed the Cuckoo.
Piers Aitman said…
Hi Tony,

Speaking of peculiar looking juvenile birds, I was just in the park for the first time in ages and saw 2 birds in the top of the ash tree area 25, looked like blackbirds, but with light-edged wings, lighter belly, and a very distinctive speckly black and white squarish patch on the hip. Is this just 2 funny looking blackbirds?

All the best,

Piers
Piers Aitman said…
Or very young starlings?
Hi Piers.

They sound like young blackbirds, I too have noticed some lighter than usual ones in my garden. Maybe the all this rain has washed some colour out