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Highgate-Waterlow Park (1 Viewer)

I was enjoying the sunshine in the park this morning, and so was a bit surprised to see a male Siskin at the top of the hill near the conservation pond. There's usually a couple of Greenfinches around here so it needed a second glance. Presumably an unusual record for London at this time of year, I'll have to get the old reports out.

Otherwise nothing out of the ordinary over the last week or so.

Has anybody noticed a slight increase in Swifts from recent years? There's a few areas around here where I'm seeing small groups or odd pairs where in previous years there hasn't been a sniff of a bird. I was surprised by three shooting past me on my own estate at weekend, for the first time in five years.
 
Very little of note to the world wide web recently. Lots of young birds as expected though I'm still awaiting the Tufted Ducks to produce their broods. I'm fairly sure the Nuthatch have bred having watched one from a few feet busy hunting for food on a Yew tree, fairly unconcerned about me.

This morning a Meadow Pipit was notable, especially as this one was only a few metres away on the slope. It was still there when I left along with up to 20 Blackbirds and a couple of Thrushes.

Another mindblowing morning in Waterlow Park.
 
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This morning I watched a fine Common Buzzard spiralling over the park towards the North.

No sign of Tufted Duck broods yet, a Lesser Black Backed Gull flying up from the lower pond was a bit ominous. Hopefully after the bread!

Last week I was in Turkey watching Krupers Nuthatch and Long Legged Buzzards so thankfully the glorious sunshine mitigates the drop in bird variety for me, and it's good to see reasonable numbers of Swifts and House Sparrows locally.

Also a Tawny Owl calling at 9pm outside my Muswell Hill flat was welcome.
 
Yesterday I watched a pristine male Black Redstart in one of the small wooded areas in front of Alexandra Palace. There was a horrendous racket from the other side of the park where a go-kart rally hosted by a revolting tasting energy drink was being held, but it was actually quite pleasant and secluded at the spot I was able to get close up views of the bird. In the couple of hours me and the missus were there (reading in the shade) there were good numbers of Swift, a few local House Martins and 2 Swallows over.
 
There are now two broods of Tufted duck, one newly hatched and what looks like one remaining partly grown duckling, unless the other two were out of sight. Every morning I've been quietly watching the puddle formed by a spring flowing onto the middle pond path. This morning there was one Chiffchaff, and over the week there have been Dunnocks, Blackbirds, Woodpigeons , Song Thrush, a Mistle Thrush, Green Woodpecker, Stock Dove, Robins, Moorhen, Chaffinch and one Greenfinch. Plus a bloody big rat.

Yesterday there was a male Siskin which I suspect has been around for a while as I saw one a few weeks back and have heard the odd distant song. I've been having my lunch in the park and heard a Tawny Owl calling as it moved along a stretch of trees for 5 minutes or so. There's also a bird regularly outside my flat which usually calls from 9 pm but occasionally lets rip as early as 7.30 pm.
 
A good record for the park around 07.40 this morning was a Skylark flying up from the slope, giving a partial song. I lost it against the trees so no idea if it returned but as the park is busy during the day I doubt it will linger.

Also a Treecreeper on a tree next to the wooden climbing frame, on Tuesday.

I've managed to work out the Tufted duck broods. There are currently at least 3 and one which has either all been predated or the remaining duckling is skulking around the reedbed island. 2 of the broods are still small, and there is 1 remaining quarter grown duckling from another clutch. So 4 broods plus plenty of successful Mallard, Moorhen and Coot (not too keen on the Canada Geese) isn't bad for this site.
 
1 Garden Warbler, 3 Blackcaps and 3 Chiffchaffs this morning. Also 5 Goldcrests by the Highgate village entrance.

1 Common Buzzard over Muswell Hill on Sunday.
 
1 Spotted Flycatcher in trees by the Conservation pond. A couple of Chiffchaffs with a tit flock.

Also I've recently had a C.Buzzard over Archway and Hobby over Hampstead Heath on 2 separate days.
 
I flushed a Woodcock from beside the path at around 07.45, which headed off in a vaguely SW direction. I flushed 2 a couple of years back again from close to the path, which makes me wonder how many are disturbed before I get into the park, by dogs, joggers and early risers.

A bit out of the area but last week I watched a Siskin in a conifer from a garden in the Southgate area. I suspect there was another bird around too.
 
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A good foggy morning in the park, started with a Snipe put up from the boggy slope. Also a Nuthatch by the middle pond and two singing Chiffchaffs from the bottom pond. I had a brief Fieldfare type call above but no chance of seeing it.
 
A swift march through the park this morning brought 3 Goldcrests, 3 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaff and a flyover Cormorant. A Sparrowhawk over Highgate wood yesterday afternoon and a Buzzard over Wood Green also notable , all things being relative.
 
Yesterday morning a female Wigeon flew into the bottom pond with a few Mallard, only for it to quickly fly off alone when a lady with Labrador chucked a slice of bread at (to) it. Her duck feeding technique is the bane of my morning birding in the park as it involves clapping, plastic bag rattling and a lot of shouting. I try and get in before but suspect she climbs over the 8 ft high spiked railings, hoisting dog behind her, as she almost always beats me.
This morning a fair number (35 +) of Song Thrushes and 5 Mistle Thrushes passed through.
 
A fair bit of vis-mig this morning. 1 Meadow Pipit low over the slopes, and a Skylark 10 minutes later. Also 40 + Woodpigeons feeding on the slope, with another 100 or so over in the half hour I was there.
 
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