A male House Sparrow was seen on the feeder at Kensington Palace on Friday. This may sound terribly ordinary, but House Sparrows disappeared from Central London in 2000, and only one has been seen in the park since then, last year. Sparrows have also been seen in Fulham recently. Until now you had to go westwards the whole way to St Mary's Churchyard, on the west edge of Kensal Green Cemetery, to see one.
Also, a Water Rail was seen yesterday in the triangular bit of trees and scrub at the southwest corner of the bridge, near where the Cetti's Warbler has been. This is a very difficult place to see into, either from the path or the bridge.
I couldn't hear the Cetti's Warbler today. Nor could I find the Scaup, but when I went for the second time to the reed bed where he has been seen recently there was an unruly mob of Mallard drakes jostling around on the path. Two of them were wrestling.
When female Mallards are nesting and the males have nothing to do, they get very badly behaved.
The two Mute Swans on the Long Water were exploring a very poor nest site between the Italian Garden and the dead willow tree.
They have been almost everywhere except for the island which has been built for their convenience, which remains settled by Mallards and surrounded by Shovellers.
The Grey Herons' nests on the Serpentine island have been unoccupied for three days. I think these birds have given up, for the third year running.
A Great Crested Grebe was looking very ornamental at the east end of the Serpentine.
The people laying turf on the Parade Ground had come south again, so there were no Redwings where I heard them yesterday. There was only a lone female Pied Wagtail, sprinting around on the grass with a high-legged stride to avoid tripping over the blades.
A small flock of Goldfinches was visiting the feeder at Kensington Palace.
The male Little Owl remains in his hole in the chestnut tree near the leaf yard. Occasionally he looks over the parapet for a few seconds.
The male Tawny Owl came out late again today. I didn't see him till 4.30.
I'm so thrilled to hear that a Sparrow has been spotted in Kensington Gardens. I hope it is the first of many. I miss their cheery chirups. Sue.
ReplyDeleteI'm old enough to remember mobs of sparrows in South Kensington chasing the milkman's horse to pick up the spilt food from its nosebag.
ReplyDeleteI, too, am very pleased to hear about the sparrow. I only came to London in 1980, but even then (no more horses with nosebags, more's the pity) sparrows were everywhere- I remember well sitting at outside Café tables in parks, and sparrows coming for your cake crumbs. Would like to see that again.
ReplyDeleteNot sure of the geography but I saw and heard sparrows in Fawe Park Road, Putney close to the B&B I use when I am in London.
ReplyDeleteYes, they are in better shape south of the river, which marks the southern edge of the empty zone. This is bordered on the west by St Mary's Churchyard, on the north by the Westway, and on the east by Tower Hill.
DeleteI don't think we're quite done with the herons although, as you say, it's not looking promising. I saw one of them on the smaller higher nest today around midday, re-arranging the twigs.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's mildly encouraging. But they have failed in the two previous years, and I'm not hopeful.
DeleteI've known one of those mallard drake wrestling bouts go on for at least 10 minutes. Maybe there is quite a lot riding on them i.e. order of precedence in a 'rape gang', a sort of mallardian droit de seigneur. Jim n.L.
ReplyDeleteSounds all too dreadfully likely.
DeleteJust so you know, the House Sparrows seem to be doing fine here in Silicon Valley. I have no idea why. I will try to get some photos for you. ~Johanna
ReplyDeleteThanks. Maybe the reason is much lower housing density.
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