Bushy Park
Not much to report, though there is plenty going on amongst the birds the bird life of the park. Woodpeckers have fledged all over the park, though I haven’t yet seen any Lesser Spotted young. Family parties of Nuthatches are also very vocal, in the plantations and Woodland Gardens. Whitethroats are busy taking food to their nests in the denser areas of ground cover, that are away from the deer.
Sparrowhawk: A female was soaring over the wood by the Water Gardens.
Reed Warbler: At least 5 males are holding territories in the Brew House Field area.
Linnet: A pair were feeding in the Brew House Fields.
A pair of Shelduck flew over the Paddock, so it looks as if they have failed to breed.
Linnet female in the Brew House Field
This Reed Warbler male was taking food to a nest
The male Kingfisher alighted briefly, before shooting off having been spooked by the Sparrowhawk.
I thought I would try and get a half decent Swift photo. It was a challenge as they were busy collecting food for their young in nearby nest and weren’t relaxing at all.
Not a sharp photo, but an interesting profile.
Most of the photos below show the birds with their crops full of insects.
Comments
I have done a little patch birding up in Oxford on a place called port meadow but getting towards summer meant that the flooded meadows all dried up and birding got a little tricky - I'm quite looking forward to the change of scenery.
Hopefully I should be able to get out a couple of mornings a week so maybe bump into you soon!
Black-headed Gull 1 (adult moulting into non-breeding plumage, swimming in area 6 near Heron Island at 06:35).
Chiffchaff 2 ('Paul' singing in area 1 at 06:20; 'Jason' singing in area 17 at 07:50).
Reed Warbler 1 (singing from area 13 reed bed at 07:20).
Coal Tit 1 (singing from area 17 conifer at 07:50).
Several Blackcaps still singing around the Park.
I tried to email you but it said there was as error with the address.
Tony
Though not huge numbers, they seem to be all collecting food.
alexmartin64@hotmail.com