Richmond Park is an ancient parkland with an area of almost 2,500 acres comprising diverse habitats such as ancient trees and decaying wood, grasslands, bracken, wetlands and waterbodies (including the Pen Ponds). Consequently it attracts a wide variety of birds, both resident and migrating.
The populations of some species resident in the Park, namely skylark, little owl, jackdaw, all 3 woodpeckers, reed bunting and stonechat, are significant in the London context.
As the records collected by the Bird Group show, some species are in decline locally, as well as nationally, but the Park can often reward the alert observer, ocasionally with a species never before or rarely seen within its confines or airspace.
The Birds of Richmond Park 2008 – 2017
The records have been compiled for the Richmond Park Bird Group by Jan Wilczur and Nigel Jackman.
Photo: Grey Herons on Lower Pen Ponds.