Not posted in a few days as not done alot in a few days.

 

The Common Sand of the 6th was seen by another observer on the 10th in the same area, hard to know if it was the same bird or not, it was in the same place but that doesn't tell me much as there isn't a whole lot of places that will accomodate one here, probably best considered as a seperate individual merely because the holding capacity for one is so limited.

 

Nipped down on the 11th and discovered (drum roll) two Common Sands, what was probably yesterdays bird and a second dodging around near a Grey Heron on the opposite bank of the Longwater  … quite nice really. Also had four Blackcap which included three singers and a tacker before turning my jaded eye to insecta, or in my case, insectacide.

 

Odonata wise the Round Pond gave up upward of 20 Black-tailed Skimmer and a fair number of Common Blue Damsels plus two Common Darter (surprisingly scarce throughout) whilst out over the rough grassland at Buck Hill (east side of Longwater) there were 4-5 Emperor and trillions of what I later identified, with some help, as Silver-Y moths (sorry, I'm appalling at moths, never really bothered with them unless steaming around the flat after one with a rolled up copy of BB), mildly embarrising really as they are apparently pretty darn common.

 

Moths aside but also on the Lepidoptera front there were good numbers of Meadow Brown and marginally less Small Skipper at Hyde Park Meadow, also managed to clock a single Essex Skipper here as well as Large and Small Whites and a Comma.

 

Back down on the 12th for a couple of hours but the only things that made the notebook were a fem Mandarin accompanied by a duckling (probably won't last) which was good in itself, a bloody massive Red-eared Terrapin (the reason the bubah Mandarin probably won't last) and, whoopie, one Small Tortoishell bombing across the Longwater like a bat out of hell.

 

Probably worth mentiong that my visit of the 12th was my 100th visit of the year.

 

cya,

 

Des

——

Visited the site twice today in the hope of relocating the Med' Gull, no sign of it and it's presumably buggered off with the vast majority of BHG's which were knocking around … still no luck locating any Reed Warbler (yet) again and I'm beginning to doubt my sanity .. well it's either that or I seriously need to hire out the bloody Hubble telescope to find the bleeders!

 

However, not a bad couple of sessions … a fem Grey Wag trying to land on the 'pond scum' so obvious at the Italian Gardens gave nice views as did four juv Pied Wag dotted around the area. Was pleased to confirm successful breeding of Treecreeper with a brood of two accompanied by parents near The Leafyard (a pretty scarce species in central London these days and just about maintaining a presence).

 

Hit my 100th species for the year here today in the shape of a Common Sandpiper foraging along the edge of the rabbit paddock in Kensington Gardens (a usual spot). None went through during spring passage that I'm aware of, so nice to clock this one. Incidently it was being harrased by a Coot at one point (thought I'd sneak that in for all you Fulica fans ~ I'm sure you are legion).

 

Anyways, time for a shower and a quick squint at the Reed Warbler page in my well-thumbed Birdspotting for Eejits.

 

As Shaw Taylor used to say (to the point where I wanted to knock him out) 'Keep 'em peeled' people …

 

oh for a Digicam ..

 

Des

—–

Well, well well, it's taken a while but today I am pleased to announce the addition of Mediterranean Gull to the patch-list (duly added).

 

Got on site at 08.30hrs and did the obligatory looking for breeding Reed Warbler, not a sniff … first 'autumn' double-figure count of Black-headed Gull however, 130 birds (two juvs) on The Serps, so I went through these, as you do, then WALLOP .. I'm greeted with a face full of Med', swimming on the Serps at about 30ft range and clearly colour-ringed (white on left, metal on right) … tried in vain to read the inscription which appeared to have been engraved by an alien with Mr. Magoo envy .. just looked like a bunch of squiggles (!) and seeing as I only had bins with me, I kinda gave up …

 

Anyway, the beauty eventually got up with a few BHG's and relocated to the posts around the island, still couldn't read the bloody ring but oh what an absolute stonker.

 

I've been birding the arse off this site for a little while now and a couple of people know how much I wanted to score this one locally, however didn't really expect a July occurance.

 

All my efforts to find a Med' here to date have been utterly fruitless as have everyone else's in the past, this bird is a site first! In fact I found the first Ring-billed for the site some three years ago and twitched a Little Gull found by another observer, so Med' is long overdue, and oh so welcome.

 

Anyways, I continued to enjoy the beast till 13.00hrs in exponentially rising heat (32 degrees predicted for today) when I buggered off (having informed a few people of its presence) … may get down for another look later.

 

Other than that, still a pair of eclipsed-up Gadwall knocking around, had a nice view of a male Sparrowhawk, 18 Herring Gull (16 of which were 2cy) on the Serps, and a real sign that 'autumn' is effectively underway when a lone Sand Martin shot SW over the Round Pond at 10.49hrs.

 

Minor numbers of Swift and House Martin and intermittently singing Blackcap.

 

Now dear reader, before I let you go I shall tell you of some rather interesting Coot behaviour (told you I would) … watching an obvious 'pair' just picking away at the surface of The Serps when one bird (weird this) actually lay its head on the mantle of the other. It stayed like this for a few seconds whilst the other continued feeding. The feeding bird then started to 'groom' the birds head which remained resting on the 'groom-ies' mantle …. repeated three times in about a minute and a bit …

 

well I thought it was interesting!

 

Sayonara,

 

Des (Medded-Up) 

—–

Nipped along this a.m. but didn't really bird the site, instead I concentrated on the small reedbeds in the hope of connecting with Reed Warbler which is purported to be breeding … spent a full two hours without any sign of any Acro anywhere. Whilst there a fem Kestrel went off toward Notting Hill. That aside plenty of Black-tailed Skmmer, lots of Blue-tailed and Common Blue Damsel's, a few Large White's and singles of Small Tortoiseshell, Comma and Holly Blue provided a lush distraction (in fact they probably made me miss the Reed Warblers).

 

They should post a police officer at each of the various gates who could dispense a curt 'nothing to see here, move along please' …

 

Weekend promises to be hot, the birding less likely to be so.

 

Adieu ..

 

Des

—–

Couldn't get out over the weekend, nor yesterday, because of 'other stuff', so went along today to see how the site was fairing water quality wise and check if there was anything about (anything not dead or dying that is). Managed two hours, an hour of which was spent trying to confirm a report of successful Reed Warbler breeding … despite viewing the reeds from every conceivable position (including The Lotus) I had not a sniff, not even of a single miserable flight view.

 

I next did a circuit of the Longwater and The Serps. The horrible smell of late seemed non-existent at The Longwater and had certainly calmed down by a magnitude or two at The Serps. Where I could still detect it was in the vicinity of The Serps Island and at the eastern end, but nothing too overpowering.

 

No moribund birds/fish were found, though an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was watched feeding on a crayfish near The Lido (apparently a number of which, the crayfish not the LBBG's, had been reported as being found dead over the last couple of days by another observer).

 

That aside,  I was chuffed to connect with my 98th patch bird of the year in the shape of an unsexed Peregrine circling high above the Princess of Wales' old pad, Kensington Palace, at 09.20hrs. Three adsumm Black-headed Gull on the Longwater were the first of the 'autumn' and at The Round Pond there were c.40 Swift and c.20 House Martin.

 

Apart from the martins, other passerines which made the notebook were a couple of Pied Wagtail including a juv feeding on a hatch of midges and both singing Blackcap and, more surprisingly for here in late June, a singing Chiffchaff from The Leafyard.

 

Also counted about 15 Black-tailed Skimmer in The Round Pond area plus a couple of Emperor's near the reeds.

 

Will, hopefully, get along again in the morning to search out the bloody Reed Warbler.

 

Toodle-pip …

 

Des

—–

Not much chance of me getting out birding today (like I'm gonna miss anything!) as I'm off to buy a bike and purchase some classical recordings for my far too overtly foppish brother, plus I really can't be arsed and will probably do it both Saturday and Sunday mornings …

 

So, dear reader, I've decided to present you with the definitive list of the birds seen on my patch over the years … many, many years that is … nevertheless, not bad for a site smack bang in the centre of the UK's most built up area eh!

 

The emboldened species represent my personal list (all bought and paid for), but do bear in mind I've only really been working the site with any real regularity since 2003, so plenty of scope to add more. The species marked with a * are those which I've so far seen in 2006 … enjoy.

 

* Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens Definitive Bird List*.

Red-throated Diver.

Little Grebe.*

Great Crested Grebe.*

Red-necked Grebe.

Slavonian Grebe.

Black-necked Grebe.

Storm Petrel.

Leach's Petrel.

Gannet.

Cormorant.*

Shag.

Grey Heron.*

Mute Swan.*

Bewick's Swan.

Whooper Swan.

White-fronted Goose.

Greylag Goose.*

Canada Goose.*

Brent Goose.

Egyptian Goose.*

Shelduck.*

Mandarin.*

Wigeon.

Gadwall.*

Teal.*

Mallard.*

Pintail.

Garganey.

Shoveler.*

Pochard.*

Tufted Duck.*

Scaup.

Long-tailed Duck.

Common Scoter.

Goldeneye.

Smew.

Red-breasted Merganser.

Goosander.

Ruddy Duck.*

Red Kite.

Harrier sp.

Sparrowhawk.*

Common Buzzard.*

Osprey.

Kestrel.*

Merlin.

Hobby.*

Peregrine.*

Red-legged Partridge.

Grey Partridge.

Pheasant.

Water Rail.

Corncrake.

Moorhen.*

Coot.*

Oystercatcher.

Avocet.

Ringed Plover.

Golden Plover.

Lapwing.*

Sanderling.

Little Stint.

Dunlin.

Common Snipe.

Woodcock.*

Bar-tailed Godwit.

Whimbrel.

Curlew.*

Redshank.

Greenshank.

Green Sandpiper.

Common Sandpiper.*

Arctic Skua.

Mediterranean Gull.*

Little Gull.

Black-headed Gull.*

Ring-billed Gull.

Common Gull.*

Lesser Black-backed Gull.*

Yellow-legged Gull.*

Herring Gull.*

Iceland Gull.

Glaucous Gull.

Great Black-backed Gull.*

Kittiwake.

Sandwich Tern.

Common Tern.*

Little Tern.

Black Tern.

Guillemot.

Razorbill.

Little Auk.

Feral Rock Dove.*

Stock Dove.*

Woodpigeon.*

Collared Dove.*

Turtle Dove.

Ring-necked Parakeet.*

Cuckoo.*

Barn Owl.

Little Owl.

Tawny Owl.*

Short-eared Owl.

Nightjar.

Swift.*

Kingfisher.

Hoopoe.

Wryneck.

Green Woodpecker.*

Great Spotted Woodpecker.*

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

Woodlark.

Skylark.*

Shore Lark.

Sand Martin.*

Swallow.*

House Martin.*

Tree Pipit.*

Meadow Pipit.*

Rock Pipit.

Yellow/Blue-headed Wagtail.*

Grey Wagtail.*

Pied/White Wagtail.*

Waxwing.

Wren.*

Dunnock.*

Robin.*

Nightingale.

Black Redstart.

Common Redstart.*

Whinchat.

Stonechat.

Northern Wheatear.*

Ring Ouzel.*

Blackbird.*

Fieldfare.*

Song Thrush.*

Redwing.*

Mistle Thrush.*

Grasshopper Warbler.

Sedge Warbler.*

Marsh Warbler.

Reed Warbler.*

Lesser Whitethroat.*

Common Whitethroat.*

Garden Warbler.*

Blackcap.*

Wood Warbler.*

Chiffchaff.*

Willow Warbler.*

Goldcrest.*

Firecrest.

Spotted Flycatcher.*

Pied Flycatcher.*

Long-tailed Tit.*

Marsh Tit.

Willow Tit.

Coal Tit.*

Blue Tit.*

Great Tit.*

Nuthatch.*

Treecreeper.*

Red-backed Shrike.

Jay.*

Magpie.*

Jackdaw.*

Rook.*

Carrion Crow.*

Hooded Crow.

Raven.

Starling.*

House Sparrow.*

Tree Sparrow.

Chaffinch.*

Brambling.*

Greenfinch.*

Goldfinch.*

Siskin.*

Linnet.*

Twite.

Lesser Redpoll.*

Common Crossbill.

Bullfinch.*

Hawfinch.

Snow Bunting.

Yellowhammer.

Reed Bunting.*

 

Total Site List = 187

Personal Site List = 111

Species Seen In 2006 = 100 (at July 6th 2006).

 

(Will keep this updated as and when).

 

A couple of other species which don't seemingly merit inclusion are Red-crested Pochard which is regular and which is always considered dodgy and Ferruginous Duck which occured most recently in 1938 and which was considered an escapee at that time (which is fine as I never saw it).

 

keep squinting …

 

Des

—–

More groovy wader action being reported in London, specifically Little Ringed Plover's (not many but a handful which appear to be moving), so I set forth for my 91st patch visit of the year ~ God loves a trier (and beleive me 91 site visits since Jan 1st is very trying).

 

Nothing much to report at the end of it all apart from the unholy aroma coming off the lake again and the mildly worrying site of a 2s Herring Gull at the northern edge of The Serps laying 'flat' on the surface of the water, wings partially opened, tail mostly spread, and with absolutely no strength whatsoever, basically slowly drowning. 

 

It managed to just about keep it's head raised above the water for the most part but then it would loll forward with the bill (including nostrils) becoming submerged … clearly extremely unwell and unlikely to last a further 30 minutes. It's worrying because combined with yesterdays dead ad Coot and the current smell it could indicate all is not well with water quality.

 

Other than that, I had a repeat performance of the Swift and House Martin flock of yesterday at The Round Pond between 08.30 and 09.00hrs, only this time Swift numbered c.100 and House Martin were up to about 60 (about a 3rd of which appeared to be juvs). A single, silent, Common Tern swept west over The Serps toward The Longwater and it was good to locate two very young Song Thrush from obviously different broods.

 

Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens. Quite liked by Coots.

 

Des

—–

 

Mildly inspired to give the patch a thorough thrashing this morning by a small number of reports of waders on the move, so I set out, hopeful but prepared to be disappointed. I ended up not being disappointed, as there were no waders .. my current personal wader list for the site stands at a monstrous four species; Lapwing, Woodcock, Curlew and Common Sandpiper, though historically a further thirteen species have been seen.

 

On entering the site I was immediately struck by a landscape resembling something from Dr. Who. All the open grassy areas in Hyde Park had been taken over by some enormous, and undoubtedly debauched, event entitled 'The 02 Wireless Festival' (could've fooled me given the amount of cables lying about). It was at this point that I realised my chances of finding an Upland Sand' were greatly reduced and cursed the event organisers (as well as Dave Lee-Travis for good measure) . Tonights headliners on my study-area will include scruffy bastards The Strokes, noisy welsh nutcases The Super Furry Animals and the rather crap Belle & Sebastian.

 

Does anyone elses local avifauna have to suffer such trendy indignities?

 

The whole Dr. Who vibe was further enhanced as I walked toward the lake (it's called The Serpentine, hereafter 'The Serps') and was confronted with hordes of soldiers seemingly on manouvares! Having scanned around for Billie Piper to no avail, I enquired of a military type chappy as to what the f**k was occurring, to which he brusqely responded .. 'The Kelsey Challenge' .. which I later learnt was a worthy medical fundraiser involving grunts (the military sort) and copious amounts of masochism and which I also learnt involved them kayaking a part of The Serps which would have caused social carnage amongst the currently murderous Coot community.

 

Speaking of Coots, today I got an exciting count of 129 birds including a dead ad (told you they're murderous).

 

The Serps ~ supreme Coot habitat..

 

Next thing that struck me was the pungent aroma eminating from The Serps, it wasn't good .. in fact it made me light up a smoke, which isn't good either. I pondered if something was afoot below the surface akin to the outbreak of botulism the site suffered some years back, which definately wasn't good at all and tried to transcribe the smell as best I could … sort of a cross between a reedbed in autumn and Catweasels bedroom. 

 

Birdwise, the highlight was getting amongst about 80 Swift and 40+ House Martin at The Round Pond (the aformentioned large round pond) which were flying within inches of both me and the deck in blustery winds, actually thought one Swift was going to ditch into a grassy area … apart from that, a female Mandarin, a couple of drake Ruddy Duck and a few Ring-necked Parakeet teased me with their Cat C ways whilst a Reed Warbler sang intermittently.

 

Wake me come autumn  ..

 

spot the Stock Dove

 

Des

—–