14th June

Bushy Park

When I left my home this morning to go to work in Bushy Park the sun was out. I was looking forward to good conditions in my quest to track down OPM caterpillars. So far we have only managed to find 4 clusters, the last one’s yesterday by the Canal Plantation.

                DSC_6011

As I pulled in to the yard a blanket of cloud followed me, remaining all morning before breaking up around lunchtime. Most of the birds that I saw while scanning the trees were the summer residents. A few more broods could be found but as yet no Stonechats have turned up, well not where I have looked. Giving my neck a rest I turned to watch a large group of Swifts feeding over the Skylark breeding area on the south side by the Royal Paddocks.

I thought I would try and get a few low level Swift photos. I then had the shock of my life, Alpine Swift and it was gone. I kept looking for it and eventually relocacted, it was an aberrant Common Swift.

DSC_6016 

DSC_6043

DSC_6050

DSC_6019

DSC_6026

DSC_6055

Also in the area was this male Kestrel, though not as obliging as the one in Regent’s Park.

DSC_6112

DSC_6121

I managed to pop down and see how a Peregrine family that I have been monitoring was doing. I was a little disappointed to find that the male couldn’t tell the difference between a bad green bird and a good one.

DSC_5749

DSC_5814

 

 

Comments