5th March

Richmond Park

Today I had to spend sometime here having arranged to meet up with the contractors in Pen Ponds Plantation at 8.00am. You never know how long the drive from Bushy Park to Richmond is going to take. I left at 7.15am and arrived at Pen Ponds at 7.35am, not bad going. I left Bushy with the sun just breaking and was slightly annoyed that there was fog over the western side, fortunately it was lifting and had almost gone from Pen Ponds. This allowed me to take a few photos while I waited for the others to arrive. The lake was fairly quiet and the only bird of note was a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, heard but not seen somewhere just north of the ponds.

Bushy Park

Teal: still 9 birds on the scrape.

Common Buzzard: yesterdays bird was again pursued by corvids.

Chiffchaff: the first bird of the year was singing at the western end of Dukes Head Passage at 12.30pm.

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Last years cygnets landing as the fog lifts on Pen Ponds

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At least 5 Reed Buntings were south of Pen Ponds with another calling from the opposite bank.

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There was hardly a ripple on the water, which is just as well otherwise this goose might have tripped up.

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This 1st winter Great Crested Grebe showed very well until an adult bird chased him away.

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There seems to be a lot of bills in this photo.

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Common Buzzard in Bushy Park

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With the days drawing out I called in at Regent’s Park on the way home. It was more like a sunny Sunday with people everywhere. The only birds of note were Great Crested and Little Grebes.

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Regent’s Park is the only place where I have seen Herons in these postures. It may be because their diets have affected their bones.

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Comments

linda ashken said…
Is it possible that I saw a little owl quartering over Sheengate car park till seen off by a crow/jackdaw. It looked like a large bat , no head or tail so to speak. If not , any other suggestions as to what it was. No sound heard.
No sign of kestrels nesting yet at Robin Hood Gate.
Thanks Tony.
LindaAshken
Little Owls normally sit on a perch and then drop to the floor. I have only ever seen them flying from A to B. The only bird that has rounded wings and a short tail and might fly on circuits and is in Richmond Park is a Woodcock.
Morg and Rose said…
Hi Tony.

The Water Rail showed well in the evening sunshine enjoying a late meal at its feeding station. At least 6 Goldcrests were busy in the hedges in area 10 and firsts for the year were 2 Pipistrelle bats and a Comma butterfly.
I can't remember when I last saw a Pip in the park.
birdman_euston said…
6 Mar:
Favourable weather but still pining for passerine migrants; no wintering Gadwall seen this morning.
Mute Swan building nest near NE end of Longbridge Island, 3 Shelduck incl. one circling above at 07:15, 8 Shoveler, 5 Little Grebe incl. pr trilling at area-13 reedbed & one 1st-winter, 3 Great Crested Grebe incl. pr opposite bandstand a.7, 4 Sparrowhawk (two same-sex birds SE 07:05 & resident pr 'butterfly' display-flight over Longbridge 10:15), 1 Water Rail, 1 Tawny Owl seen by Dave 'catching' earthworms a.33 nr Inner Circle 06:05, 2 Redwing on Hill playing field a.49 at dawn, 5 Siskin in Wetland Pen a.32.

27 active Song Thrush territories incl. new one in a.2 and eight singers just across Outer Circle nr a.5(2), 12, 15, 24, 43 and 46 plus Clarence Gate. At least 6 Mistle Thrush territories: three on Park playing fields, one on Hill playing field and one each on Gloucester and Marylebone Greens.
birdman_euston said…
7 Mar:
Egyptian Goose on nest in sawn-off ash opposite Leaf Yard Wood at top of Regent's Canal slope in area 43 (a Mistle Thrush was also building a nest in an oak nearby), 12 Redwing on Hill playing field a.49, 3 Siskin at Wetland Pen feeder a.32.
birdman_euston said…
8 Mar:
Shelduck state-of-play is same as last spring except the winged pair are more aggressive, flying in from their overnight roost on Heron Island (area 8) to the area-39 feeding station and promptly chasing across the lake the second winged drake that consorts with the resident pinioned duck, which escapes onto the bank. (Last year the two pairs seemed to peacefully coexist.)