How many species of birds and waterfowl would you expect to see on the common?
Based on Peter’s reports for 2017, you can expect to see about a dozen species at almost any time of year you might visit. These are the household names including blackbird, magpie, robin, woodpigeon and carrion crow. The ring-necked parakeet is also now one of the more common birds – descendants of birds escaped or released in the late 1960s and particularly prevalent around London.
On the lake, you can almost always expect to see a pair of mute swans, the Canada goose, mallard, coot, moorhen, tufted duck and Egyptian goose.
All in all, Peter identified around 60 species on the common in 2017.
Relatively easy to spot, if you have binos and are patient, are the great tit, blue tit, long-tail tit, starling, wren (pictured), goldfinch, stock dove, greater spotted woodpecker, mistle thrush and jay, and on the lake, the shoveler, cormorant and grey heron.
However, there are plenty more species, including seasonal visitors such as the black headed gull, common gull and lesser black back gull, as well as the redwing and swift.
Over the last 20 years, over 100 species have been recorded living or passing over the Common
For a complete list, consult Peter’s bird reports and for more details, check out the RSPB website.