A new year and a trip up to central London affords me the chance to spend an hour in Hyde Park. Starting at Lancaster Gate, I soon find a Redwing amongst the Blackbirds in the trees. On the Serpentine, there is the usual assortment of water birds whilst in the lakeside vegetation, Grey Squirrels and Ring-necked Parrakeets are taking advantage of the tourists offering food.
Checking the Little Owl tree on the eastern side, there is no one at home. This used to be a reliable site but haven’t seen an owl here on my last 3 visits. Reaching the bridge I cross over to the western side and begin to trace my way north again.
Once again, the Little Owl tree on this side turns up trumps as the owl is sunning itself in the entrance to the hole.
Continuing north I come to the leaf yard. This is a favourite bird feeding place for visitors and amongst the Parakeets, pigeons and squirrels there are a number of Great Tits and Blue Tits.
Also seen are a Coal Tit and a Wren skulking in the undergrowth.
My final point of call is the Italian Garden, where a Red-Crested Pochard has been seen recently. A smart looking bird, this is probably an escapee from one of the central London bird collections.
Then its time to move onto my appointment, but a very good hour with some nice birds.
Canada Goose [sp] (Branta canadensis)
Greylag Goose [sp] (Anser anser)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
Gadwall [sp] (Mareca strepera)
Mallard [sp] (Anas platyrhynchos)
Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)
Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Great Crested Grebe [sp] (Podiceps cristatus)
Grey Heron [sp] (Ardea cinerea)
Great Cormorant [sp] (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Common Moorhen [sp] (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Coot [sp] (Fulica atra)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Mew Gull (Common) [group] (Larus canus canus/heinei)
European Herring Gull [sp] (Larus argentatus)
Lesser Black-backed Gull [sp] (Larus fuscus)
Rock Dove (Feral) (Columba livia ‘feral’)
Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)
Little Owl [sp] (Athene noctua)
Rose-ringed Parakeet [sp] (Psittacula krameri)
Eurasian Jay [sp] (Garrulus glandarius)
Eurasian Magpie [sp] (Pica pica)
Western Jackdaw [sp] (Coloeus monedula)
Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone)
Coal Tit [sp] (Periparus ater)
Eurasian Blue Tit [sp] (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Great Tit [sp] (Parus major)
Eurasian Wren [sp] (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Common Blackbird [sp] (Turdus merula)
Redwing [sp] (Turdus iliacus)
European Robin [sp] (Erithacus rubecula)
Pete's Favourite Things 