17th July

Richmond Park

Another day locating and extracting OPM nests. As the day had dawned bright and sunny I popped down to Pen Ponds briefly to see what was making the most of these conditions. A few photos tell you something of what was present in the area.

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Several Red Deer swam from one side to the other, one was feeding on the island.

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Swifts were busy catching insects and there low level approach made them at times really difficult to photograph.

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Up to 3 adult terns were fishing on the lakes, though one wasn’t welcomed by the pair who were catching food for their 2 chicks.

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Male Mandarin in eclipse plumage

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Talking to Jan at lunchtime he said how bad this year had been for waterfowl productivity. This is the first Pochard brood, which is 50% Pochard and 50% Mallard.

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Oak Processionary Moth

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Black Arches Moth and possibly caterpillar

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Comments

linda ashken said…
Good to see caterpillars other than POMs. I too have seen deer swimming rather to my surprise.
Lovely photos as usual.
Linda Ashken
Thank you Linda.
I couldn't resist the early morning sunshine.
stuart said…
Nice looking moth there Tony. Is any trapping done there? Must be a good range of species.
To be quite honest Stuart I am not sure. They have a really good Wildlife Group so I would have thought that someone possibly does.
birdman_euston said…
19 Jul:

Black-headed Gull (1 juvenile - the first I've seen this summer - feeding with two adults in Open Spaces near area 35 at 10:35). App. 30 adults in total in the Park.

Common Tern 1 (fishing off area 1 at 10:15).

Reed Warbler 1 (male singing in area-2 reed bed at 10:10).

Chiffchaff 1 (male singing in grounds of The Holme near Inner Circle at 11:35).