5th January

Last year was not my most productive year due to the fact that my wife and I spent much our time popping up to Norfolk finalising details on our future retirement home.

When given the chance to add to my UK list I tend not to travel much further than an 1.5 hours from where I happen to be when news of bird I need comes out. For that reason my UK list is still only 414 species. This years 4 lifers are below followed by some of my favourites from Norfolk, the west country and then the Royal Parks.

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This Red-flanked Blue-tail was 2 hours from home

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The origins of waterfowl can sometimes be tricky, it is often your down to you tom make that decision.

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I enjoyed this cracking little bird with just a handful of birders.

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I am normally holidaying at the other end of the country when the peak time for this little gem arrives in the UK.

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The identification of some of the birds in this picture is being decided by the BBRC.

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I had never made the effort to see a Glossy Ibis, but I bumped into 3 birds in just over a month, these 2 were within 10 minutes of my base in Norfolk.

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The next batch of photos are from The Royal Parks

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Numbers of Northern Wheatears were disappointing during the autumn, on the other hand it was the best year in a long-time for the other chats.

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Never recorded in Regent’s Park before, this autumn saw 2 individuals turn up.

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There are good numbers of Little Owl and Tawny Owls in Richmond and Bushy Parks but only a pair each in the Regent’s and Kensington Gardens.

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The pair of Kestrels in area 32 in Regent’s Park successfully fledged 5 young.

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The first breeding record for Common Buzzard in a Royal Park occurred in Bushy Park this year.

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Eurasian Hobby bred in 3 parks

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When I first started working in Regent’s Park large shoals of Roach and Perch were a common sight, this is the 1st Roach that I have seen since the mid 1990’s.

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Great crested Grebes had the best breeding season for several years but most young failed to fully fledge.

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Last autumns gales meant that the number of pairs of Herons dropped by 6 pairs due to nests being destroyed.

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Comments

Wonderful.....
Those are just a few of some wonderful memories I had last year.