Last Tuesday I went up to central London and spent the morning in Regents Park looking for birds on migration. Central London may not seem the most likely place to find migrant birds, but only a few days before my visit Regents Park had recorded a Common Redstart and 5 Spotted Flycatchers in an area in the NW of the park. Neither of these species is found in London other than on migration. So I set off starting at the Lake and visiting each of the likely areas to the north of the lake.
The usual residents were on the lake but there were few migrants visible, just a few Common Chiffchaffs. One odd thing I did see was a Grey Heron lying on the bank at the water’s edge. As I got closer it appeared to be sitting on, what looks like a nest. I have had a quick look on the internet and Herons have been recorded as ground-nesting, although usually, they nest in trees. But in these cases, it is usually in reed beds, not out in the open. So this is most strange behavior.
I then moved on to another area just adjacent to London Zoo in the NW of the park. here again the only migrants I could find were Common Chiffchaff.
As I was leaving the park I came across this unusual piece of sculpture
Well, not many migrants today but a lovely walk through the park.
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