27th July

The Swallows took second place as the Olympic Torch came to Bushy Park. Luckily for us though they soon buzzed off.

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Comments

birdman_euston said…
27 Jul [sic]:

Mainly cloudy, muggy (20C and 80% humidity) and calm at dawn; a half hour-shower (the first in a week) at 10:15, which dampened the noisy pre-Olympics party nearby in the grounds of the US Ambassador's Residence, attended by the First Lady, MIchelle Obama. (The Wanted, Katy B and the University of Florida Marching Band performed for an audience of 1,000 American and British kids - plus the host of Park users within earshot.)

Willow Warbler (1 juvenile calling and then seen in silver birch at E end of Cricket Pen, area 31 at 09:15).
This is the first Willow Warbler I have ever heard calling (later identified by Dave from my whistled imitation).
It turns out that Dave heard a Willow Warbler calling in Leaf Yard Wood, area 41 on both 24 and 26 July, the first of which takes precedence over my Garden Warbler of 25 July as the first passerine migrant of this year's autumn migration.

Whitethroat (1 juvenile or female seen in dying elm thicket in centre of Cricket Pen at 08:30).
I'm now reasonably certain I saw the rust-coloured back of one two days ago (25 July) here, accompanying the Garden Warbler.

Reed Warbler 2m (singing from bamboo thicket at SE end of Hanover Island, area 1 at 07:15 and area-5 reed bed at 07:20).

Chiffchaff 4 (1 calling in area 1 at 07:05, 1 singing from The Holme near Longbridge at 07:20, 1 calling from the Regent's College perimeter near area 9 at 7:25, 1 calling from weeping willow at lakeshore near bandstand in area 9 at 07:30).

(Park gardeners were taking advantage of the calm conditions this morning to spray insecticide on the roses in Queen Mary's Garden - a necessity I suppose but it threatens the health of the local Chiffchaffs and other breeding birds, which regularly glean insects from the roses there.)

(The exotic teal recently arrived off Longbridge near area 36 is a Silver Teal, not a Puna Teal as I commented under a previous post. Dave says it's an escapee from the Park collection - as is the drake Argentine Blue-bill that's been steaming up and down the main lake all summer.)
morg and rose said…
Hi Tony,

A late afternoon walk around the Holford House site gave us a pristine Painted Lady butterfly, our first of 2012. Other species seen included Small and Large Skippers,Comma,Small Tortoiseshell,Holly Blue, Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns. Plenty of other insects on the wing with the brightest moth being a 6 spot Burnet.judiog
birdman_euston said…
28 Jul:

Our one week of summer has disappeared over the last 48 hours: today dawned cool, cloudy and breezy as the jetstream moved back south towards us once again - cool and often showery weather is forecast for the next week at least.

With the weather more inclement, far fewer passerines were evident - I encountered only one small tit flock this morning, and the 100+ Swifts that Dave saw over the Park before 07:00am yesterday were completely absent today - do Swifts take their migration cues from such major, long-term movements of the jetstream?

Kestrel 1f (flew from area 38 and perched on boundary sign at N side of Cricket Squares, area 37 at 05:50).

Mistle Thrush 1 (gathering a billfull of invertebrates from the rugby pitch near area 41, then flying S over area 1, Winfield House garden and perhaps beyond at 06:25).

House Martin 5 (from local colony, feeding 50-100m above Boating Lake near area 1 at 07:20).

Two juvenile Black-headed Gulls were roosting with the 100+ adults on the lake today.
birdman_euston said…
29 Jul:

Clear and unseasonably cool with light SW breeze at dawn. A small number of passerine migrants arrived in the Park over the last 24 hours, centred around the feeder in the Cricket Pen, area 31.

Reed Bunting 1f (at Cricket Pen feeder at 07:00).

Willow Warbler 4 (one singing) + 1 Garden Warbler in Cricket Pen at 06:30.

Chiffchaff 2 (one calling from The Holme perimeter near area 10 at 06:15, one in the Cricket Pen at 06:30) - half as many individuals as I heard calling in the park yesterday.

Reed Warbler 1 (sang briefly from area-5 reed bed at 07:30).

Scream of 14 Swifts + 1 House Martin over Boating Lake at 06:05.

Little Grebe 8 (including second family group of two adults and three newly-hatched young off SE shore of Bandstand Island, area 7 at 06:00).

Common Tern 2 (perched separately off area 2 at 07:15).

Black-headed Gull 100+ (two juveniles).
birdman_euston said…
30 Jul:

Clear and cool (11C) with fresh SW breeze at dawn, after heavy afternoon showers yesterday.

Willow Warbler 1 juv (Leaf Yard Wood, area 41).

Common Whitethroat 1 fem/juv (Cricket Pen, area 31) - this bird has been frequenting the E half of the Pen for several days at least.

Common Tern 2 (including the first juvenile seen this summer, roosting on a fencepost in Boating Lake off area 9 at 06:40).

Chiffchaff 3 (2 calling together in Queen Mary's Gardens, area 19 at 06:35 - and then following me to The Holme perimeter at area 9, as if they didn't trust my intentions(!) When I backtracked toward them, they started calling again. Another bird calling at The Holme perimeter near Longbridge - but not singing as on previous mornings).

(No Reed Warblers singing either.)
Alex said…
Summer job finished and have left London, and regents park :-(
Up until last week the little owls were still showing as late at 10.30am, though we only saw a juvenile we heard at least 2 others hissing from trees in the area.
Going to miss early morning walks around the park!
Good birding all.
Birman_euston
Thanks for the recent information. If it were not for you and Dave then I would really struggle to keep the Regent's Park sightings to a standard that would make it worth carrying on. If possible however could you please keep the info as brief as possible. If it really needs a description, fair enough, otherwise areas would be good enough.

Cheers Tony
Alex

I hope that you enjoyed the brief time Regent's Park was your local patch. I am glad the owls showed for you, a visitor from Australia was unfortunately out of luck.

Cheers
Tony