rare birds in London today

[wellies101]

can anyone help? I am a ranger in a country park called Bedfont Lakes and a couple came in today saying they thought they had seen a Wryneck in our reserve. They saw it on the floor feeding, said it was a touch larger than a sparrow, perhaps a bit smaller than a blackbird. It had the stature of a woodpecker and I checked it wasn't a juv. green woodpecker.

I went onto the london birders site to see if any Wryneck had been reported nearby recently and nothing. It is about the right time of year for them to start moving south so it could be on passage, but they are so rare I can't help be doubtful.

There was a female re-backed shrike reported today in Richmond which is only a few miles from where our park is and apparently they can be confused with Wryneck.

Any other ideas or help on this?

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by wellies101

can anyone help? I am a ranger in a country park called Bedfont Lakes and a couple came in today saying they thought they had seen a Wryneck in our reserve. They saw it on the floor feeding, said it was a touch larger than a sparrow, perhaps a bit smaller than a blackbird. It had the stature of a woodpecker and I checked it wasn't a juv. green woodpecker.

I went onto the london birders site to see if any Wryneck had been reported nearby recently and nothing. It is about the right time of year for them to start moving south so it could be on passage, but they are so rare I can't help be doubtful.

There was a female re-backed shrike reported today in Richmond which is only a few miles from where our park is and apparently they can be confused with Wryneck.

Any other ideas or help on this?

The Red-backed Shrike shown in other link for Richmond Park was an adult male, not a female. As you say there have been no reports of a London Wryneck, but these birds can be very elusive, so not impossible, but I'd treat with a degree of caution.

They certainly start turning up this time of year, though more commonly in coatal locations. I would have thought the winds have been in the wrong direction in last few days.