Avocet chicks of different ages above and below
Whimbrel and Wheatear at Horsey gap
This cock Pheasant joined us for lunch outside the Titchwell snack shop
Two of the Kestrel chicks in area 25 peer over the edge of the box.
This juvenile Great spotted Woodpecker left the nest for the first time as I watched.
The male then enticed it away, but other birds were still in the nest.
These Painted Lady Butterflies are just a couple ofat least half a dozen that were feeding in the Wetland Pen, area 25. There was also a steady passage of others heading northwards.
Common Blue Butterfly in the Wetland PenI am back after spending four quite enjoyable days up in Norfolk, with the weather only braking down on the Tuesday morning. In terms of unusual migrants there weren't any. However the regular Norfolk goodies made up for that with Golden Orioles, Stone Curlews, Montagu's Harriers, Marsh Harriers (to many to count), Honey Buzzard, Cranes, Bitterns and a sprinkling of others.
The park has been fairly quiet as has much of the London area.
Garganey: The drake is still present.
Tawny Owl: The family have been fairly active in the area around the Parks Office, as dusk approaches.
Common Tern: One was over the lake before 7.00am.
Reed Warbler: Five males and at least two females are present.
Comments
I've seen millions of painted ladies all flying north this last day or two - do you know what the reason is for this pattern of flight?
Piers
I am not that sure, but I believe they breed as they move up from Southern Europe. Even though on the whole there has been an absence of common migrants in the UK, possibly due to the fact that there has been rain in Northern Spain and France. There has however been a few more easterly winds that appear to have skirted these low pressure systems. The Painted Ladies could have been pushed along by these winds. We do have invasions some years but not normally on a scale like this. This might be the reason, I am not sure if Springwatch mentioned how it came about
The wild gargeney was copulating with one of the collection females this morning/lunchtime
Pete