Friday 28 April 2006

Close to boating lake: probable swift going over my head. Right size and shape. No tail streamers so I don't think it was a swallow.
Area 31: chiffchaff singing.
Long Bridge area: dabchicks whinnying; great crested grebes quite active.
No birds have discovered my window feeder yet. Give it time...
Off to Lea Valley tomorrow for RSPB local outing. Hoping for nightingale.

Thursday 27 April 2006

Black-necked swan cygnets riding on adult's backs.
Area 31: chiffchaff singing.
This morning I attached my new window feeder to the lounge window. Put in a fat ball and an old pear. Hope the birds discover it soon.

Wednesday 26 April 2006

The black-necked swans have two cygnets. They were very popular with people on the second blue bridge.
Area 29: a pair of blackcaps; chiffchaff singing, song thrush. In the corner a warbler singing which I could not identify.
Area 31: chiffchaff singing.

Tuesday 25 April 2006

Area 29: blackcap (M), chiffchaff high up in tree, song thrush. The blackcap sang before flying away. It did stir a memory of listening to it on my CD but I'm not sure if I would have identified it as a blackcap if I had not seen the bird singing.

Monday 24 April 2006

Mallard chicks near Long Bridge, and moorhen chicks on island (area 26). First chicks I've seen in 2006: reassuring that nature is getting along with things totally regardless of what we are doing or thinking.

Sunday 23 April 2006

Early morning guided walk in Regent's Park. Drizzly rain: not the best conditions and we did not see much. I found a warbler in bush on island (area 26). Dave (walk leader) identified it as a garden warbler. My first garden warbler was yesterday, and my second today!
Discovered that the bird I thought was an Argentine ruddy duck was just that. It escaped from the collection when they were replacing a fence.
Spent afternoon learning more bird songs from my CD collection. Some songs are very distinctive and I should recognise the birds, if they are around e.g. wood warbler, black redstart. Still struggling to learn the blackcap.

Saturday 22 April 2006

MBS coach trip to New Forest. Warmest day of the year so far. I caught the sun.
Beaulieu Road. Four new birds! House martin, cuckoo, redstart and garden warbler. Cuckoo was heard when we were eating our sandwiches, then seen. Another seen later on coach. Someone thought it was a sparrowhawk at first, but as it came closer it was identified due to its wings going beneath the level of its body when flying.
Heard several willow warblers: I think I have learnt this song now.
Bolderwood. Did not see the firecrest (others did). Got a good look at another male redstart: it was furiously wagging its tail up and down. Also mandarin duck and stock dove.

Friday 21 April 2006

Did not hear any chiffchaffs today.
Area 29: song thrush singing loudly again. (It probably sings no louder than the average song thrush, it just seems loud to my ears).

Regent's Park wish-list.
10 birds I would love to see in the wildfowl collection:
Harlequin duck
Baikal teal
King eider
Laysan teal
Indian spotbill
New Zealand shoveler
African pygmy goose
Musk duck
Spectacled eider
Pink-eared duck

Regent's Park identification board.
7 birds I have seen in the wildfowl collection but which are not shown on the Long Bridge identification board:
White-faced whistling duck
Fulvous whistling duck
Plumed whistling duck
Long-tailed duck
Puna teal (I think: could have been a northern or southern versicolour teal).
Lesser Brazilian teal
Peruvian ruddy duck (I think: could have been an Argentine ruddy duck. The head was all-black).

Regent's Park favourites.
My 15 favourite birds in the wildfowl collection, in order.
Hooded merganser
Ringed teal
Long-tailed duck
Argentine red shoveler
Falcated teal
Wood duck
Sharp-winged teal
Bufflehead
European goldeneye
Blue-winged teal
Mandarin duck
Fulvous whistling duck
Cinnamon teal
Red-breasted goose
African yellowbill

Thursday 20 April 2006

Area 29: much singing in the corner area nearest to the road. Loud song thrush, blackbird, great tit. Others I did not recognise. Sensory overload!
Two probable chiffchaffs (dark legs).

Wednesday 19 April 2006

Area 28: swallow flew close by. First one I've seen in Regent's Park in 2006.
Area 24: either chiffchaff or willow warbler. Not singing, and hidden by buds.
Started work on my Summer 2006 Quiz for the Northwood website Natural History section. I have 14 questions so far.
My new article called 'How to attract birds to your garden' has now been added to the Natural History section. No-one has contacted me yet with any sightings or questions. Give it time...

Tuesday 18 April 2006

Area 31: chiffchaff singing.
Area 29: chiffchaff in same tree as previously.
One mistle thrush on a football pitch.
Tony asked me if I wanted to go into Leaf Yard Wood (area 29) to take a closer look at the tawny owls! We saw the male and female but neither of the chicks. Excellent views through the scope.
Thanks again to Tony for giving me the opportunity to get a much closer look than is possible from inside the park. I am very lucky!

Monday 17 April 2006

Isle of Wight.
Walk along Western Yar estuary, using leaflet from tourist info I have had for ages and never got round to using.
Shelduck, redshank, mute swans (two in flight).

Sunday 16 April 2006

Isle of Wight
Early morning walk through Medham to River Medina.
Blackcap, chiffchaff, coal tit, great spotted woodpecker, kestrel, mistle thrush, herring gull. Heron flying over.
Stopped by lady walking dog who asked me if I had seen the owl! Did not know there was an owl in this area, although suspected there might be. She told me it is in the area around Medham Farm, although she did not know which type of owl.
Afternoon walk along west bank of Medina Valley.
Large flock of linnets: 40 at least. Skylark displaying with song: very high up.
Little egret, cormorant, oystercatcher, canada geese, lapwing.
Kestrel, chiffchaff, green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker.

Saturday 15 April 2006

Isle of Wight
Tried to help two ladies in Ottakars who were looking at field guides to try to identify a bird. Not sure if I helped much but they seemed pleased and thanked me!

Friday 14 April 2006

Isle of Wight.
Morning walk through Medham to River Medina.
Buzzard, green woodpecker, kestrel, little egret, shelduck. Heard chiffchaff. Excellent view of red squirrel along cycle path.
Afternoon walk around Northwood.
Buzzard (in distance). Heard chiffchaff, song thrush, green woodpecker.

Thursday 13 April 2006

Area 24: reed bunting (M) pecking around in the feeder on the ground.
Area 29: chiffchaff heard again.
Off to the IOW later for Easter with Anna.

Wednesday 12 April 2006

Took Beti in an attempt to see the tawny owls.
Area 29: Tawny owl (M) showing: same place as last two sightings. Could not see owlets. Two blackcaps (M) singing in full view, then chasing and disputing territory.
Areas 29 and 31: chiffchaffs singing.
Area 29 (feeders): jay on large peanut feeder.

Tuesday 11 April 2006

Area 26: reed bunting (F) making its way along the edges of the reeds.
Two song thrushes singing. No chiffchaffs singing today (something to do with the rain??).
Tawny owls not showing.
Male long-tailed duck moulting into summer plumage.

Monday 10 April 2006

Area 24: goldfinch on feeder.
Area 29 (feeders): great spotted woodpecker, coal tit.
Area 29: chiffchaff singing. Tawny owl (M) showing: same place as last Monday. Could not see owlets. Glad to have seen the male as I was begining to think my sighting last Monday might have been a one-off.
Booked a place on a guided birdwalk around Regent's Park on 23 April.

Sunday 9 April 2006

Woke up early and decided to go to Regent's Park. Spent a pleasant three hours wandering around.
Area 29: two blackcaps (M), one singing. A whitethroat (my first) flying out of the undergrowth. Probable willow warbler in bushes: eye-stripe stood out more. Chiffchaff singing.
Tawny owls not showing.

Saturday 8 April 2006

Coach trip to Minsmere with RSPB Central London local group. Good weather, five hours at the reserve. Six new birds: common scoter, marsh tit, mediterranean gull, ring ouzel, shore lark, water pipit. Heard bittern booming twice (my first experience of this sound) and got excellent views of one from the Bittern Hide. Other notable birds: many avocets, bearded tits, several marsh harriers, ruff. Overall, a good day's birding!
Sadly the shop did not sell window feeders. I shall have to order one online.

Friday 7 April 2006

8.30am: three blue tits feeding in tall shrub outside living room window of flat. Might buy a perspex window feeder so that I can get them to come closer. I really wish we had a garden, even just a small one: I would put out lots of food every day (including live worms if I could persuade Anna to let me keep them in the fridge).
Heard two chiffchaffs singing again (area 31, then area 29) but did not see one today.
Area 29: great spotted woodpecker (M), goldfinch, coal tit.
Tawny owls not showing.
Discovered another IOW birdwatching site:
http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/wightvogels/news.html
Off to Minsmere tomorrow. Will check out the reserve shop for window feeders.

Thursday 6 April 2006

Two chiffchaffs singing again (area 31, then area 29). Area 29: same time, same tree, same bird? Got longer look today, alhough it took me a while to get my binoculars on it. Bit of a neck-cruncher, but worth it.
Great spotted woodpecker, two dunnocks, chaffinch singing.
Tawny owls not showing.

Wednesday 5 April 2006

Two male robins chasing and fighting.
Two mistle thrush on football pitch (again).
Heard two chiffchaffs singing (area 31, then area 29). Second bird flew into tree next to me: got a good look.
Tawny owls not showing.
Succumbed to the temptation and bought Collins Bird Guide for £9.99. Now have four bird guides: my shelves are creaking. Looked at it last night: don't think I will regret purchasing it.
7.45pm: blackbird singing in tree nearest to flat: the first of 2006! I'm sure they started earlier last spring. Sang beautifully for about 25 minutes.

Tuesday 4 April 2006

No tawny owls today. Saw a great spotted woodpecker (M) on my way back.
Two mistle thrush on football pitch (again). They seem to like that area.
Robin singing beautifully near first blue bridge. The blossom is making it harder to see small birds.

There is a hoopoe at Sandown golf course (IOW)! This picture was taken by Derek Hale. His website is excellent:
http://dbhale.members.beeb.net/IOW.htm

I would love to be on the IOW now looking at this bird.

Monday 3 April 2006

Tony, Regent's Park warden, asked me if I wanted to see tawny owls on my lunchtime walk! Of course I did. We drove to area 29. Saw both adults plus two chicks. Excellent views. Thanks Tony! Will go again tomorrow.
Heard first chiff-chaff of 2006.
Two mistle thrush on usual football pitch, plus one other near Long Bridge.

Pete has given the Natural History section a big mention on village website homepage. Hope this will get more visitors to the NH section. Started work on article about attracting birds to the garden.

Sunday 2 April 2006

Saw hardback copy of Collins Bird Guide for £9.99 in British Bookshops on Oxford Street. Shall I buy it? Already have three fieldguides!

Saturday 1 April 2006

Visit to Dungeness with Marylebone Birdwatching Society.
Saw my first wheater, common tern and yellow wagtail.
Excellent views of a bittern from one of the hides.
Good view of ringed plover and red-legged partridge.
Saw first swallow of 2006.
Lots of new-born lambs.