-- Edited by Charles Farrell on Saturday 5th of December 2020 03:39:45 PM
-- Edited by Charles Farrell on Saturday 5th of December 2020 03:40:52 PM
Adam Jones said
Tue Jun 9 11:21 AM, 2015
Sunday 7th June Connaught Waters (Epping Forest) 2 Common Terns 1 Chiffchaff 1 Green Woodpecker 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 Mandarin ducks 5 Blackcaps 1 Sparrowhawk 4 Great Crested Grebes (2 well grown juveniles) 1 Red Crested Pochard 8 Tufted Ducks 4 Moorhens 1 Grey Heron Lots of Coots on the islands plus lots of the usuals
Joe Wynn said
Mon Feb 18 7:40 PM, 2013
Charles Farrell wrote:
NB: theBearded Tits appear to have re-located to the boating lake in Regent's Park as of yesterday (Sun).
Don't know whether that's good or bad but thanks for the heads up! Sent you a PM too.
Charles Farrell said
Mon Feb 18 6:07 PM, 2013
NB: theBearded Tits appear to have re-located to the boating lake in Regent's Park as of yesterday (Sun).
Joe Wynn said
Mon Feb 18 3:08 AM, 2013
I've never birded London before but am down this week and am quite keen to try and see the Beardies at Hyde, can anyone give good directions as to where they are?
Also, is there anything/ anything else worth looking for/at? Was going to have a look at Regents Park for Herons but other than that I'm a bit clueless!
Many thanks,
Joe
Sorry about the multiple posts, computer playing up.
Joe Wynn said
Mon Feb 18 3:05 AM, 2013
I've never birded London before but am down this week and am quite keen to try and see the Beardies at Hyde
Joe Wynn said
Mon Feb 18 3:04 AM, 2013
I've never birded London before but am down this week and am quite keen to try and see the Beardies at Hyde
Charles Farrell said
Mon Feb 18 12:01 AM, 2013
The best starting point for sightings is the London Wiki
http://londonbirders.wikia.com/wiki/LatestNews
This is updated throughout the day and (if the sightings have been added correctly) contains links to pages giving a good description of most of the popular and well birded sites.
The info here is well supplement by blogs which give you photos and usually more detailled info. There is also an email group and a twitter feed (for those into that sort of thing). Run by Dominic Mitchell of Birdwatch magazine
https://mobile.twitter.com/birdingetc
It is still worth referring to the Wiki for details on the locations of sites etc.
The blog for Hyde Park has been discontinued, but there is an excellent site for Regents Park, run by Tony Duckett who used to be responsible for birds in the park. Check the sightings blog and the detailled site map (essential) http://www.regentsparkbirds.co.uk/
The water bodies at this time of year can hold Mandarin, Red-crested Pochard, Shelduck and R***y Duck. There is a 'rail ditch', with at least one wintering Water Rail by the main (boating) lake. Sparrowhawk and Kestrel nest in the park and nearby Peregrines drop by. Tawny and Little Owl also nest and there have been regular sightings of Firecrest over the Winter.
Hyde Park also has a number of pairs of Little and Tawny Owl and the nest of one of the pairs of Tawnys is very well known by regular users of the park. There are good numbers of Egyptian, Greylag and Canada Geese, the common ducks and Grebes etc, but there has also been Mandarin and Red-crested Pochard recently, a Scaup during January and a dodgy Barnacle Goose. In the quieter areas (near the Police House), there can be Siskin, Goldcrest, nuthatch, treecreeper, Coal Tit etc and there are plenty of Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker about at the moment. There has also been a wintering Blackcap, though I have dipped on that. Sparrowhawk is fairly regular and the Westminster-based Peregrines drop by from time to time.
The Bearded Tits have become a bit more mobile of late, commuting between the reed bed near the Diana Memorial Fountain,which is on the south (Kensington) side of the serpentine, to the west of the cafe, between the cafe and the bridge over the Serpentine. It is no more than 2m from the path and no more than 2m in depth. Alternatively, they are in the reed bed at the Eastern End of the Serpentine (towards Westminster and the West End), known as the 'fishermans keep' reed bed.
As to what else is on offer, it very much depends upon where you are staying and working. Peregrines have colonised much of the Thames, from Greenwich (The O2) down to Hamersmith and Kew, Parakeets are everywhere and if the weather gets colder there is always the chance of something out of the ordinary. The parks are open from just before dawn, for the joggers and dog-walkers more than birders but an early walk can produce 40 species and oh ... Bring wellies - we've had loads of rain and off the paths, the ground is very muddy.
If you have any further questions, I'm happy to help
-- Edited by Charles Farrell on Monday 18th of February 2013 12:06:49 AM
Charles Farrell said
Thu Jan 24 7:52 PM, 2013
James Walsh wrote:
2 Bearded Tits still present this morning at Hyde Park -- Edited by James Walsh on Thursday 24th of January 2013 05:17:28 PM
Which apparently were ringed at Rye Meads in Herts. Fabulous to see them at such close range, isn't it.
If you are sticking around in London for a another day or so, its always worth checking the London Wiki for sightings http://londonbirders.wikia.com/wiki/LatestNews
-- Edited by Charles Farrell on Thursday 24th of January 2013 07:52:41 PM
James Walsh said
Thu Jan 24 5:15 PM, 2013
2 Bearded Tits still present this morning at Hyde Park
-- Edited by James Walsh on Thursday 24th of January 2013 05:17:28 PM
Charles Farrell said
Mon Jan 14 1:23 AM, 2013
A pair of rinnged Bearded Tits were putting on a great show for assorted Birders and the tourists from a tiny reed bed on the southern side of the Serpentine in Hyde Park once again today. Undisturbed by the long camera lenses pointed at them from just a few metres away. Even so I found it impossible to get any decent shots withmy compact camera, so its probably better to point you towards Dominic Mitchell's blog for photos and the back ground story. I overheard Lee G Evans telling a member of the public that they were Dutch birds, so maybe they have managed to read the rings.
http://www.birdingetc.com/?m=0
Having dipped on the park's usually showy Tawny Owls last weekend, I tried again today, but after searching the trees in the area for a half an hour or so I gave up. Other birders reported no luck with these or the resident Little Owls which are now showing up in most of London's larger parks (there are several pairs in Hyde Park, at least one in Regent's Park and a reputed 30 pairs in Richmond Park).
Elsewhere in the park there were - 100+ Canada Geese with good numbers of Greylag and Egyptian Geese - a 'plastic' Barnacle Goose which has been present for a few weeks - small numbers of Red-Crested Pochard, Teal and Mandarin Duck - larger numbers of Tufted Duck, Shoveler, Pochard and Mallard - 200+ Black-heade Gull, with good numbers of Herring Gull - small numbers of Common and Lesser-black Backed Gull
- good numbers of the common tits, Woodpigeons and Parakeets - 3+ Great spotted Woodpecker - 2+ Goldcrest - 3 Siskin
couldn't find Nuthatch or Treecreeper, which I've seen very few of during the last 12 months. Will try Hampstead Heath next.
Steven Nelson said
Fri Apr 6 4:57 PM, 2012
A Peregrine was sat on the London Eye as I was queing up to go on it then flew off towards north side of river on Wed 5th April
Monday 3rd January 2022
Drake Hooded Merganser
Drake Pochard
Drake Shoveler
35 Tufted Ducks
6 Mandarins
2 Egyptian Geese
-- Edited by Charles Farrell on Saturday 5th of December 2020 03:39:45 PM
-- Edited by Charles Farrell on Saturday 5th of December 2020 03:40:52 PM
Connaught Waters (Epping Forest)
2 Common Terns
1 Chiffchaff
1 Green Woodpecker
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Mandarin ducks
5 Blackcaps
1 Sparrowhawk
4 Great Crested Grebes (2 well grown juveniles)
1 Red Crested Pochard
8 Tufted Ducks
4 Moorhens
1 Grey Heron
Lots of Coots on the islands
plus lots of the usuals
Don't know whether that's good or bad but thanks for the heads up! Sent you a PM too.
http://londonbirders.wikia.com/wiki/LatestNews
This is updated throughout the day and (if the sightings have been added correctly) contains links to pages giving a good description of most of the popular and well birded sites.
The info here is well supplement by blogs which give you photos and usually more detailled info. There is also an email group and a twitter feed (for those into that sort of thing). Run by Dominic Mitchell of Birdwatch magazine
https://mobile.twitter.com/birdingetc
It is still worth referring to the Wiki for details on the locations of sites etc.
The blog for Hyde Park has been discontinued, but there is an excellent site for Regents Park, run by Tony Duckett who used to be responsible for birds in the park. Check the sightings blog and the detailled site map (essential)
http://www.regentsparkbirds.co.uk/
The water bodies at this time of year can hold Mandarin, Red-crested Pochard, Shelduck and R***y Duck. There is a 'rail ditch', with at least one wintering Water Rail by the main (boating) lake. Sparrowhawk and Kestrel nest in the park and nearby Peregrines drop by. Tawny and Little Owl also nest and there have been regular sightings of Firecrest over the Winter.
Hyde Park also has a number of pairs of Little and Tawny Owl and the nest of one of the pairs of Tawnys is very well known by regular users of the park. There are good numbers of Egyptian, Greylag and Canada Geese, the common ducks and Grebes etc, but there has also been Mandarin and Red-crested Pochard recently, a Scaup during January and a dodgy Barnacle Goose. In the quieter areas (near the Police House), there can be Siskin, Goldcrest, nuthatch, treecreeper, Coal Tit etc and there are plenty of Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker about at the moment. There has also been a wintering Blackcap, though I have dipped on that. Sparrowhawk is fairly regular and the Westminster-based Peregrines drop by from time to time.
The Bearded Tits have become a bit more mobile of late, commuting between the reed bed near the Diana Memorial Fountain,which is on the south (Kensington) side of the serpentine, to the west of the cafe, between the cafe and the bridge over the Serpentine. It is no more than 2m from the path and no more than 2m in depth. Alternatively, they are in the reed bed at the Eastern End of the Serpentine (towards Westminster and the West End), known as the 'fishermans keep' reed bed.
As to what else is on offer, it very much depends upon where you are staying and working. Peregrines have colonised much of the Thames, from Greenwich (The O2) down to Hamersmith and Kew, Parakeets are everywhere and if the weather gets colder there is always the chance of something out of the ordinary. The parks are open from just before dawn, for the joggers and dog-walkers more than birders but an early walk can produce 40 species and oh ... Bring wellies - we've had loads of rain and off the paths, the ground is very muddy.
If you have any further questions, I'm happy to help
-- Edited by Charles Farrell on Monday 18th of February 2013 12:06:49 AM
Which apparently were ringed at Rye Meads in Herts. Fabulous to see them at such close range, isn't it.
If you are sticking around in London for a another day or so, its always worth checking the London Wiki for sightings
http://londonbirders.wikia.com/wiki/LatestNews
-- Edited by Charles Farrell on Thursday 24th of January 2013 07:52:41 PM
-- Edited by James Walsh on Thursday 24th of January 2013 05:17:28 PM
http://www.birdingetc.com/?m=0
Having dipped on the park's usually showy Tawny Owls last weekend, I tried again today, but after searching the trees in the area for a half an hour or so I gave up. Other birders reported no luck with these or the resident Little Owls which are now showing up in most of London's larger parks (there are several pairs in Hyde Park, at least one in Regent's Park and a reputed 30 pairs in Richmond Park).
Elsewhere in the park there were
- 100+ Canada Geese with good numbers of Greylag and Egyptian Geese
- a 'plastic' Barnacle Goose which has been present for a few weeks
- small numbers of Red-Crested Pochard, Teal and Mandarin Duck
- larger numbers of Tufted Duck, Shoveler, Pochard and Mallard
- 200+ Black-heade Gull, with good numbers of Herring Gull
- small numbers of Common and Lesser-black Backed Gull
- good numbers of the common tits, Woodpigeons and Parakeets
- 3+ Great spotted Woodpecker
- 2+ Goldcrest
- 3 Siskin
couldn't find Nuthatch or Treecreeper, which I've seen very few of during the last 12 months. Will try Hampstead Heath next.