Regent’s Park
Common Shelduck: the pair are hanging out on the bank in area 38 and still have all 9 ducklings. On one occasion during the morning he pursued a Heron high above the lake.
Common Sandpiper: yesterdays bird is still present spending much of the time on Heron Island, area 8.
House Martin: 2 birds were over the lake mid morning.
Sedge Warbler: 3 singing males in or near the reed beds in areas 1 Hanover Bridges and area 5 the Boat House reed bed. Normally birds on migration are found in shrubberies away from the water bodies.
Reed Warbler: one in the Hanover reed bed, area 1.
Lesser Whitethroat: one singing in area 17.
Willow Warbler: one singing from a Willow tree by Long Bridge, area 38.
Linnet: 4 birds headed north mid-morning.
This duck made the hazardous crossing of the lake at 6.30am with her brood of 17 ducklings, fortunately the large gulls hadn’t yet arrived on the lake.
The male arrives to take over nest duties while the female goes off in search of food.
These drakes take the opportunity to preen on the grass by the bandstand without fear of being disturbed by sun worshippers.
This is part of a flock of 8 drakes that I picked up a long way to the north of the park and at a very high altitude. It always surprises me that there are so few reports of birds north of the park. We have as many as 50 wintering birds but most depart in late winter.
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