Regent’s Park
Not much to report;
Teal: 6 in the Wetland Pen was a pleasant surprise for Dave this morning.
Siskin: the small flock was again in areas 32 & 33.
Reed Bunting: the male was again present.
Bushy Park
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get out and enjoy this mornings glorious weather apart from a few minutes between appointments.
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker: I watched the female in the Canal Plantation early this morning, to distant for a photo. The worrying thing is the lack of the male, not seen by me or possibly anyone else for several weeks.
2 Fieldfares, 28 Redwings and plenty of very vocal Siskins were feeding in the plantation.
Some recent sunrises from my office window
It must be a real challenge flying with a long twig dangling.
Comments
Favourable S wind but bad weather made for frustrating morning - most of the observations below were made during the one hour it wasn't raining.
5 Shelduck (incl. pr N 06:45), 1 Water Rail (at area-2 feeder 08:20), 6 Common Gull (down from 23 two days ago), 1 Tawny Owl (flushed N fr grd inside Leaf Yard Wood fence a.40 at 07:10 just after rainstorm - presumably catching earthworms), Great Spotted Woodpeckers drumming a.1N & 42, Magpie building nest near top of 'bird-feeder pine' in Cricket Pen a.31, Goldcrest singing a.43SW, Coal Tits singing a.3 & 43, 1 Redwing a.38 nr Park gate again, 32 Chaffinch on floor again a.43NE, 2 Siskin.
I started the morning with visions of Med Gulls, St'nechats and singing Chiffchaffs dancing in my head but instead I got:
1 Red-legged Partridge (1st Park record; body-colour a medium sandy-brown with sides striped but not noticeably greyer) feeding NW corner Hanover Green area 4 next to Winfield House fence 08:30 - seen by Park staff 08:40 but not relocated 11:20, 1♂ Blackcap singing nr Hill gate a.47 - the first full-on sound of spring migration, loud and proud at top of small tree with crest raised, so prob 1st summer-resident arrival of yr rather than a skulking Continental winterer, 5 Siskin a.31/32.
Hawthorn hedge on Hill next to Barrow Hill Reservoir a.48 is just starting to leaf out.