This week has been a very quiet one, I am sorry that I have had nothing interesting
to report. You can blame the birds, or more to the point the overcast skies that have reduced the chance of much diurnal bird movement.
Good news on the Woodcock, it flew off during the hours of darkness.
Just to let you know that I have added more photos to the 2008 park bird gallery in www.regentsparkbirds.co.uk
Species recorded have been:
Redwings: small numbers most days.
Fieldfare: one on Monday, two today.
Starling: Small flocks seen heading westwards on most days.
Goldcrest: There are still good numbers around the park. Though I have not tracked down any Firecrests yet, but there probably is at least one present.
Waterfowl numbers are increasing gradually, with Tufted and Pochard from as far away as Russia now arriving. There are a few Shoveler and Gadwall on the main lake around area 5. Common Teal also roost here, but tend to feed in area 1 with the collection birds.
Rose-ringed Parakeet: These pesky bird are beginning to get on my nerves, with their horrid calls. We have a group of seven that are seen almost daily, they will have an effect on our whole nesting species in years to come. Due to the slow movement of Defra in culling this species when they had first began to establish themselves.
Egyptian Goose: This bird falls in to the sam category as the above speceis, our 19 will increse rapidly.
Comments
Good news on the woodcock. As for the parakeets, from what Ive read they havent had any effect on native species, so far at least, but I agree there calls start to grate after a while. Lets hope they dont infest Regents as bad as Richmond. Luckily they havent reach here in Essex in any numbers, and there are near me - touch wood!