I am popping up to Norfolk for a couple of days and will be back in London on Wednesday, if you see something interesting in Regent’s Park or the outer parks please leave a note.
Cool (12C), clearing after 06:30 with light E breeze. The emerging sun this morning seemed to encourage more families of summer residents to show themselves than yesterday but still no obvious land migrants, although Reed Warblers and Chiffchaffs are starting to appear in unusual places.
Pied Wagtail 2 (male feeding juvenile in Open Spaces near Winter Gardens, area 42 at 08:30).
Great Crested Grebe 3 (as yesterday, adult incubating eggs with mate on guard nearby at NE tip of Heron Island; another asleep off E shore of Bandstand Island).
Reed Warbler 2 (male singing from shrubbery between tennis courts and Inner Circle, area 14 at 07:15; another singing in area-34 reed bed just NE of lookout at 08:00).
Chiffchaff 5+ (male singing and 2+ birds with tit flock in area 19 at 06:55, bird calling in area 1 at 08:30 and another at N end of English Gardens, area 22 at 09:15).
Common Tern 1.
No sign of the male Common Whitethroat in the area-40 field for a few days - not surprising, because for the past week an off-road vehicle has been employed to clear undergrowth nearby, in the fenced-off nature reserve at the S and W sides of the Old Golf School, area 39. The timing could have been better...
Finally, a morning fit for high summer: clear, 15C and the lightest of southerly zephyrs. (However, unsettled weather from France is expected by Friday, 27 July - not good news for the London Olympics Opening Ceremony but it could drive to ground the first migrant passerine, so I can't lose!)
Tawny Owl 1ad (active in Leaf Yard Wood, area 40 at 09:00).
Sparrowhawk 1m (carrying small bird - probably a young tit - from NE arm of Boating Lake toward area 1 at 07:30).
Black-headed Gull 120 (roosting on rowing boats at 07:35).
Common Tern 1.
Reed Warbler 2m (one singing from reed bed at SE side of the sanctuary island nearest Longbridge at 06:55, and the other sang briefly while feeding in area-5 willow at 07:45).
Chiffchaff 5 (male sang briefly at SE perimeter of Wetland Pen, area 32 at 07:00 and later chased another bird that flew in from Cricket Pen, area 31 at 07:10; male singing in area 1 at 07:40; bird feeding in area-5 willow at 07:45; bird feeding with tit flock at E corner of Leaf Yard Wood, area 40 at 08:30).
Great Crested Grebe 2ad (areas 7 and 8, the latter on nest).
Little Grebe 3ad (single birds in areas 6, 7, and 8).
Comments
Cool (12C), clearing after 06:30 with light E breeze. The emerging sun this morning seemed to encourage more families of summer residents to show themselves than yesterday but still no obvious land migrants, although Reed Warblers and Chiffchaffs are starting to appear in unusual places.
Pied Wagtail 2 (male feeding juvenile in Open Spaces near Winter Gardens, area 42 at 08:30).
Great Crested Grebe 3 (as yesterday, adult incubating eggs with mate on guard nearby at NE tip of Heron Island; another asleep off E shore of Bandstand Island).
Reed Warbler 2 (male singing from shrubbery between tennis courts and Inner Circle, area 14 at 07:15; another singing in area-34 reed bed just NE of lookout at 08:00).
Chiffchaff 5+ (male singing and 2+ birds with tit flock in area 19 at 06:55, bird calling in area 1 at 08:30 and another at N end of English Gardens, area 22 at 09:15).
Common Tern 1.
No sign of the male Common Whitethroat in the area-40 field for a few days - not surprising, because for the past week an off-road vehicle has been employed to clear undergrowth nearby, in the fenced-off nature reserve at the S and W sides of the Old Golf School, area 39. The timing could have been better...
Finally, a morning fit for high summer: clear, 15C and the lightest of southerly zephyrs. (However, unsettled weather from France is expected by Friday, 27 July - not good news for the London Olympics Opening Ceremony but it could drive to ground the first migrant passerine, so I can't lose!)
Tawny Owl 1ad (active in Leaf Yard Wood, area 40 at 09:00).
Sparrowhawk 1m (carrying small bird - probably a young tit - from NE arm of Boating Lake toward area 1 at 07:30).
Black-headed Gull 120 (roosting on rowing boats at 07:35).
Common Tern 1.
Reed Warbler 2m (one singing from reed bed at SE side of the sanctuary island nearest Longbridge at 06:55, and the other sang briefly while feeding in area-5 willow at 07:45).
Chiffchaff 5 (male sang briefly at SE perimeter of Wetland Pen, area 32 at 07:00 and later chased another bird that flew in from Cricket Pen, area 31 at 07:10; male singing in area 1 at 07:40; bird feeding in area-5 willow at 07:45; bird feeding with tit flock at E corner of Leaf Yard Wood, area 40 at 08:30).
Great Crested Grebe 2ad (areas 7 and 8, the latter on nest).
Little Grebe 3ad (single birds in areas 6, 7, and 8).