Parliament Latest

 

February



Although I haven’t noted copulation as yet at Parliament this year, breeding signs/behaviour are again looking good, with multiple visits noted last week to the Nest Balcony on Victoria Tower.

An unusual scenario is occurring in the fact that one of the male juveniles from last year is still present, we will see what happens as we get closer to egg laying, will he be a hindrance, or assist in breeding?

Will he be allowed to stay come egg laying?

Male juveniles going into the following year, are usually still present at the discretion of the Falcon, there is absolutely no aggression also shown by the Tiercel – as yet, additionally it also depends on the local food source.

Its an interesting one and we will see how it pans out.

                                                                     Juvenile/ Immature

                                                                           Falcon

                                                       Tiercel above - Juvenile below

I had some good birds over last week, in terms of rares, Rook I would suspect be up there, for Central London a hard bird to connect with.

Kestrel was another, it’s been a few years since I saw one over Parliament and Victoria Gardens Park, once a local breeder in a house in Victoria, they are now long gone from there.

Good also to see a female Sparrowhawk up high, with the ever-present Crow, being mobbed but giving as good as it got.

A 1st winter Black Redstart was also seen on a few occasions, quite interesting to note that this bird was ringed.  

                                                             Black Redstart - ringed

                                                             Sparrowhawk and Crow

                                                                        Rook

The real shock was seeing one of St. James Park Pelicans appear above the buildings, catch the wind and start thermaling up, knowing of them, I had thought none were capable of flight!

This particular Great White/Eastern Pelican, to give it its full name, is the only one that can fly and does not have its wings clipped, as I understand it, it is deemed ‘wild’.

Its name is ‘Gargi’ and it was donated to the Park in 1996 from a Garden in Southend, Essex, how it got there I don’t know.

                                                                        'Gargi'

Dwarfing the local Crows, it came up like some ancient Pterodactyl, quite an incredible sight I must say to see over Central London, it made my day.