Bushy Park
Again not an abundance of birds but the one bird I did see but all to briefly wasn’t expected.
I was sitting in my car around 6.45am trying to count the singing Skylarks in the protected area in the SE section of the park near Hampton Wick Cricket Club. The blustery conditions were not helping matters. I then became aware of a song ( “wet my lips” ) from a bird I wasn’t expecting to hear in Bushy Pk. It was a Quail, a bird that I have only seen and heard in Norfolk. It took me some time to workout exactly where the sound was coming from, I then approached slowly. I got within 50 metres of the bird who’s head suddenly appeared behind one of the many thousands of ant hills in the area. It then hurried away making taking a photo impossible. A few minutes later he began singing again. I was able to get slightly closer before he again popped his head up before running off again. I heard him intermittently for almost 20 minutes before he stopped singing. I came back a couple of hours later and although it wasn’t that busy with dog walkers, I didn’t hear him again.
Looking east towards Hampton Wick
Regent’s Park
I brief stop off on the way home produced:
Reed Warbler: 3m in area 32 and 34.
Chiffchaff: 3 birds were seen carrying food.
Common Tern: a male was hawking fry from the surface of the water.
Great crested Grebe: the female sitting on the NE corner of area 7 appear to have 2 young on her back.
The chicks kept well hidden, only being seen when the wind picked up and ruffled her feathers.
This Heron chick must have a thing about cleanliness, it is always bathing. Well on the 2 occasions that I have visited the area
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