Regent’s Park
Collared Dove: at least one present in area 14.
Blackcap: 10 singing males.
Chiffchaff: 8 birds singing.
Linnet: the first of the year, flew through.
Lesser Redpoll: two flew over.
Reed Bunting: one male in area 2, and another male with possibly a female in area 32.
Bushy Park:
Little Egret: one flew high west at 8.00am.
Common Buzzard: the regular bird went up really high, I hoped he would attract another raptor, no such luck.
Fieldfare: three were feeding in the paddocks close to Dukes Head Passage.
Redwing: eleven flew north-east.
Blackcap: five males singing in the western side of the park.
Chiffchaff: eight birds singing.
Siskin: one flew west.
Linnet: one was having a drink near Bartons Cottage.
Little Egret
Getting close to Herons is really difficult here, they are so flighty.
Common Buzzard with an escort
Fieldfares in the Paddocks
Blackcap in full flow
Chiffchaff doing likewise
Incoming Chiffchaff
Reed Bunting female
Comments
Blackcap was a bird that had been increasing and up until 2009 had gradually increased to over 14 pairs.
However the last two winters have seen numbers drop back a little, so we will have to wait and see what 2012 brings.
When will you learn. It is so frustrating when an opportunity is missed. However good things come to those who wait.
Alas, Fright Jacket and the K9 Patrol currently play the Fields (area 37) every morning from 06.00 (when it's still practically dark) till 07.00, to an unreceptive avian audience and me. Therefore, I'm unlikely to find overnight migrants resting there at first light to report to you, peeps - but I'll keep trying!
Gadwall 3 (2m, 1f)
Shelduck 3 (2m, 1f)
Blackcap 3: areas 1, 11 and 32
Chiffchaff 4: areas 1, 19, 31 and 40.
[If no one finds yesterday's male Reed Bunting in the Wetland Pen (area 32) today, I probably witnessed its departure: at 07.40 this morning, what may have been this bird sang from the top of a tall poplar (at an unusual height, I know) before flying off SW around the Inner Circle via the treetops.)