Regent's Park Lockdown April 2020

Regent's Park Lockdown April

Almost as soon as the lockdown was announced the skies turned blue. The winds weren't often very favourable and on days with winds from a southerly direction there was no rain to ground any migrants overnight. On the odd exception that a migrant landed they seldom stayed longer than a day. The grass loving species; Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail and Meadow Pipit. that occasionally drop in, haven't this year. The Northern Wheatear is another grassland bird that is seen annually in spring and autumn in small numbers. This year 9 have been seen on the ground but apart from 3 birds that were seen on the 20th and 21st March that stayed for several hours, the female staying overnight. The birds that have been since have all been forced to leave because of the numbers of of people social distancing across the whole of the Open Spaces and keeping off the pathways. These action have also caused the rough grassland areas to be dissected by numerous paths. This will have an affect on low nesting birds in particular 2prs of Common Whitethroat that are nest building outside our enclosures.
On the diurnal passage front sightings of Ring Ouzel 9th & 2 on 29th, Shelduck pr 9th, Yellow Wagtail 2 on 17th, 2 on 20th, Green Sandpiper 1 flew west 23rd. Swallow passage has been very slow with only the odd day with more than 10 being seen. Sand Martins a bird we normally rely on a heavy shower to bring down birds on the lake have been seen 3 times all singles. House Martins have been very few with no double figure counts and as the month moved on the odd pairs have been seen over the lake that maybe birds returning to nearby small colonies. They haven't often been seen the following day, so we are undecided as to where there home lies. Swifts have been seen almost daily from the 23rd. The parks Wildlife Officer who lives in the park has spent hours skywatching home for an Osprey. That didn't happen but a Marsh Harrier made up for it. During the course of the month he managed to see 75 Common Buzzards, 19 Red Kites, at l east 4 different Peregrine Falcons, 3 Hobby plus Sparrowhawks and Kestrels. He also picked up 2ad Mediterranean Gulls. The reed beds in area 2 and 5 already had singing Cetti's but from the 6th the first Sedge turned up followed a week later by the first Reed Warbler, the area also has a pr of Reed Buntings feeding and hopefully breeding here.

This nest may be to small when the chicks want to branch. While the bird below is on his maiden

flight.

Common Shelduck a pair heading east early morning.

Redwings were around into April with a migrant heading north on 17th.

Willow Warbler passage was short, with very few being seen, the maximum day count was 6. The mainly sang from high in the crown but one bird came low enough for a reasonable photo.