30th March

Regent’s Park

Collared Dove: at least one present in area 14.

Blackcap: 10 singing males.

Chiffchaff: 8 birds singing.

Linnet: the first of the year, flew through.

Lesser Redpoll: two flew over.

Reed Bunting: one male in area 2, and another male with possibly a female in area 32.

Bushy Park:

Little Egret: one flew high west at 8.00am.

Common Buzzard: the regular bird went up really high, I hoped he would attract another raptor, no such luck.

Fieldfare: three were feeding in the paddocks close to Dukes Head Passage.

Redwing: eleven flew north-east.

Blackcap: five males singing in the western side of the park.

Chiffchaff: eight birds singing.

Siskin: one flew west.

Linnet: one was having a drink near Bartons Cottage.

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Little Egret

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Getting close to Herons is really difficult here, they are so flighty.

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Common Buzzard with an escort

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Fieldfares in the Paddocks

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Blackcap in full flow

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Chiffchaff doing likewise

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Incoming Chiffchaff

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Reed Bunting female

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Comments

Pete Woodruff said…
Ten singing male Blackcaps....is that an average record for the park Tony?
morg and rose said…
Hi Tony. A male and female blackcap were feeding together amongst the blossom near Ready Money Fountain in area 25. They would have made a lovely picture in the evening sunshine ....if only I'd taken my camera ! Cheers. Morg.
Hi Pete
Blackcap was a bird that had been increasing and up until 2009 had gradually increased to over 14 pairs.
However the last two winters have seen numbers drop back a little, so we will have to wait and see what 2012 brings.
Hi Morg

When will you learn. It is so frustrating when an opportunity is missed. However good things come to those who wait.
birdman_euston said…
30 Mar: Clouding over at dawn with the breeze picking up from the NE, so it's bound to be a much cooler day than yesterday.

Alas, Fright Jacket and the K9 Patrol currently play the Fields (area 37) every morning from 06.00 (when it's still practically dark) till 07.00, to an unreceptive avian audience and me. Therefore, I'm unlikely to find overnight migrants resting there at first light to report to you, peeps - but I'll keep trying!

Gadwall 3 (2m, 1f)
Shelduck 3 (2m, 1f)

Blackcap 3: areas 1, 11 and 32
Chiffchaff 4: areas 1, 19, 31 and 40.

[If no one finds yesterday's male Reed Bunting in the Wetland Pen (area 32) today, I probably witnessed its departure: at 07.40 this morning, what may have been this bird sang from the top of a tall poplar (at an unusual height, I know) before flying off SW around the Inner Circle via the treetops.)
birdman_euston said…
(I meant *31* Mar re the above observations - sorry.)
birdman_euston said…
Just to add, Tony, in case you hadn't seen it, B. Powell reported to the London Bird Club Wiki a pair of Bullfinches seen on 30 Mar "around 6PM, in the trees opposite the inner circle by the goose grazing pen" (area 33).
That is very interesting. I think that there was a larger number than normal arrive in th uk last year. We haven't had a pair breed in the park since the early 1970's
birdman_euston said…
Just another heads up, Tony, that Helen Speak left a query for you in the Comments section for 29 March.