Regent’s Park
I didn’t spend much time in the park yesterday and today there seemed to be the same species present as there has been over the past few days.
Meadow Pipit: 11 birds flew north in one’s and two’s.
Blackcap: three males were singing, from areas 14, 34 and 41.
Chiffchaff: I heard and saw at least 9 birds.
Reed Bunting: the male is still singing from within the Wetland Pen and I may have seen the back end of a female flying into the Cricket Pen.
Yesterday and today I spent the hours up to 10.00am at other sites one in Newport and then today watching one of my favourite birds. You may guess what it is from the photos below.
Common Yellowthroat
A crappy Red Kite photo
This shot gives the impression of a stubby winged short tailed bird
Did you guess what my favourite was? I think they are so graceful.
Comments
I wonder when their expansion will reach Kent?
Blackcap singing from thick ornamental shrubbery in area 42 near the open spaces, and another in area 10 (The Holme).
Chiffchaffs in areas 1 (near the boathouse this time - his current territory probably includes area 2 as well), 17 (the St Mary's Garden pond hillside near the singing Goldcrest), 31 and 40.
The last of the Gadwalls seem to have departed within the past week; several Shovelers still remain around Heron Island, area 8.
It is good to know the numbers of the less common waterfowl. Has the Smew definitely gone?
I suspect the first-year male Smew has *probably* departed *but* I've only identified it when *outside* the Long Bridge sanctuary. The last time I saw it in its (former, apparently) roosting location on the N side of Heron Island (area 8) was almost *two weeks ago* and it's been spotted by others many times since, so you can understand why I'm hedging my bets with my answer! I'll have a good look for it outside *and* inside the sanctuary tomorrow morning; I know you won't be reading this reply before then but for the record, how many female Smews are in the collection?