11 Jan - mod - blusterly NW, 8C, feeling cooler, sunny intervals pm

I had a meeting in London today, so I was able to get of the underground one side of Hyde Park and walk through it to my meeting, giving me a chance to see a few 'inner city' birds.  It was less windy here and felt much warmer too.

As expected Ring-necked Parakeets were flying around noisily, a pair was inspecting a hole, may be for nesting very soon.

By the Serpentine a small flock of Black-headed Gulls stood on the ground, one had a white colour ring, 28P1, I have reported it, so let's hope I get the ringing details back.  One Common Gull sat on the lake post with BHGs.  Larger Gulls seemed to be absent at this time.

On the lake wildfowl numbers seemed low with only a few Tufted Duck, Pochard and three Shovelers. Plenty of Canada and Greylag Geese though and several Egyptian Geese.  A single Great crested Grebe was seen too. Several Egyptian geese were around the park and lakes.

Only a few passerines were seen, Blue, Great and a single Coal Tit, a small party of Long-tailed Tits were in the bushes near the bridge, Blackbirds and a single Starling singing atop a tree, otherwise fairly quite.  During my walk I spotted 28 species of bird.

Two guys were ringing Coot by the Serpentine, they told me this was a fairly new adventure.  However, they had spotted both the regular Little Owl and a singing Treecreeper towards the Kensington Gardens end this morning.  So, if in London with time to waste, visit a royal park, who knows what you could see.