London/Cardiff holiday birding (1 Viewer)

Finbirder

Well-known member

• Jun 28, 2010

• #1

Hi folks

I'm travelling to London and Cardiff for a short holiday in July and I'm interested in seeing these birds that I'm still missing:

Egyptian Goose
Golden Pheasant
Lady Amherst’s Pheasant
Mediterranean Gull
Barn Owl
Little Owl
Red Kite
(Dartford Warbler)
(Stone Curlew)

Any ideas and locations will be highly appreciated. Unfortunately I don't have much spare time to go birdwatching outside the city areas.

Cheers and thanks

-Finbirder

 

Last edited: Jun 29, 2010

delia todd

If I said the wrong thing it was a Senior Moment

Staff member

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Jun 29, 2010

• #2

Mediterranean Gull
Tawny Owl
Little Owl
Red Kite

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Hi Finbirder

I fear you'd be struggling for most of those species though you might hit lucky with feral/escapes in the London parks and you could see some owls there too. But for the ones I've quoted, Red Kite should be possible in Wales, though perhaps not in Cardiff.

I suggest you ask the Welsh boys, who you can find in this thread. They may be able to help you out with the Owls etc.

D

 

Finbirder

Well-known member

• Jun 29, 2010

• #3

Thank you Delia. That's what I thought, it might be hard to see those species on a short visit but I'll try the big parks and look for some Red Kite locations in Wales.

 

Jos Stratford

Eastern Exile

Staff member

• Jun 29, 2010

• #4

If driving from London to Cardiff, take the M40 route and you can not miss Red Kite in the area between London and Oxford if the weather is good. Tawny Owl is in some of the London parks, but if someone doesn't point you to a roost tree, I fear you will struggle.

 

S

StarainBoy

Well-known member

• Jun 29, 2010

• #5

Jos Stratford said:

If driving from London to Cardiff, take the M40 route and you can not miss Red Kite in the area between London and Oxford

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The direct M4 is almost certain these days too, from about Reading out to the A34 junction.

 

Vespa

Tom Hines

• Jun 29, 2010

• #6

You should get Egyptian Goose at London WWT, both in and out of the captive areas.
If you are interested you also get Mandarin Duck that fly into the enclosures from nearby areas (eg Richmond Park) to 'associate' with the captive birds, so that could be a sneaky tick for you!

 

Finbirder

Well-known member

• Jun 29, 2010

• #7

Thanks for advice. It's nice to hear that Red Kite is quite numerous there, in Finland it's a very rare visitor. I've seen few "wild" Mandarins in Finland though.

 

P

pondhammer

Member

• Jun 29, 2010

• #8

Egyptian geese - Richmond Park / Ham Common / Thames between Kingston and Teddington.

 

P

pondhammer

Member

• Jun 29, 2010

• #9

Ham Common also has:
Mandarins (male and female, and juveniles) - all the time at the moment
Red headed pochard (male - quite regular, female irregular)

 

Finbirder

Well-known member

• Jul 17, 2010

• #10

Thanks for answers! I did see Red Kites on M4 between Reading and Swindon, 2-3 individuals both ways, also a few Buzzards and Kestrels between London and Cardiff. Egyptian Geese were present in London's Regent's Park, Hyde Park and St.James Park. Also saw 2 Little Grebes (in Regent's and St.James parks).

There was a huge selection of ducks at St.James Park, London. I am not sure whether they were wild or captive. What do you think about for example species like Barnacle Goose, Red-crested Pochard, Shelduck, Eider, Ruddy Duck...captive or not? Red-breasted Geese, Bar-headed Geese etc. most probably considered as captive?

 

S

StarainBoy

Well-known member

• Jul 17, 2010

• #11

Finbirder said:

What do you think about for example species like Barnacle Goose, Red-crested Pochard, Shelduck, Eider, Ruddy Duck...captive or not? Red-breasted Geese, Bar-headed Geese etc. most probably considered as captive?

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I'd go: Barnacle Goose - no, Red-crested Pochard - yes, Shelduck - probably, Eider - no, Ruddy Duck - yes before it gets shot off the UK list!