Leucistic Eurasian Nuthatch

For today's woodland walk, I attempted to get some better veiws of the Waxwing flock that have been present in the area since I located them a week ago. The birds have attracted some attention of county birders, having been the first county Waxwings of the year to stick around long enough to be twitched and photographed. The numbers have slowly risen over the week, and the highest weekly count of fifteen birds were present this morning. Today they were again seen in the large oak on Finsbury Close, which is visible from the Ludgate Close entrance to the park.

Aside from the Waxwings, Siskin were heard calling at the Three Ponds, two juvenile Herring Gull were flying over the field opposite the Adventure Playground, a male Great Spotted Woodpecker was calling and seen above the Wildlife Garden, where a few Coal Tit were visiting the feeders. Waxwings were arguably the most significant species seen today. However, perhaps of more significance was a Nuthatch visiting the Wildlife Garden feeders due to it lacking a black eyestripe. The significance of this detail is that it indicates a leucistic bird, and only one other record of a leucistic Eurasian Nuthatch has been found - a bird found in Norway in October 2008. Aside from this find, a further Nuthatch and several Goldcrest were in the yews along Woodman's Path.