25th March

Bushy Park

Red crested Pochard: 7 drakes were vying for the attention of 2 ducks on Heron Pond this morning.

Mandarin: a flock of 8 flew over the Woodland Gardens.

Red Kite: one showed very well at 9.30am below tree top height as it was mobbed by a crow over the paddock by Lime Avenue.

Lapwing: one was in the gymkhana field at 8.00am.

Fieldfare: 22 landed in trees along Dukes Head Passage.

Redwing: still present in good numbers.

Siskin: 40+ in the Woodland Gardens near the Longford River.

There was no sign of last Fridays Firecrest or Siberian Chiffchaff.

DSC_1114 

The view I had this morning were this good but I had no camera and the light was atrocious. The bird looking more like this as it headed of to the south-east on exactly the same line as last weeks bird. Could it be that there is a bird present locally?

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This photo was taken last year in the Chilterns

Comments

birdman_euston said…
25 Mar:
1 Raven (2nd Park record) S 07:55, 7 Redwing & 1 Fieldfare both at SE corner of Hill playing field just after dawn.

The Raven showed its relatively long, narrow, wedge-shaped tail well while circling on fixed wings like a Buteo at medium height over the Park playing fields (area 37) briefly before continuing swiftly S on a similar flight path to the one Dave had on 15 April last year. While viewing its classic 'double-pointed' flight profile I felt a pang of nostalgia for the Olde Countrye (Canada) but it soon passed. :)

Black-headed and Common Gull numbers have slightly increased lately (400+ and 40+ respectively over the past two days).
With other locations in London also recording Ravens in recent years, it won't be long before they breed in the capital. Someone mentioned that you had recorded a sight 1st before the partridge. It seems to have slipped mind what that was. I am sure it won't be long before the migrants head our way.
birdman_euston said…
No, I'm still chasing that elusive 'Park 1st'. 'Someone' was misinterpreting a comment I made on the London Bird Club Wiki as fact rather than the wishful thinking it was; I've since calmed his nerves. :)
In that case you will have to pull your finger out . A spring White-winged Black Term that lingers long enough for me to see. If not that one a Yellow-browed Warbler would do.
birdman_euston said…
Thanks, Tony - I'll add them to my wish-list!