Richmond Park Evening Walk (29 June 2026)

27 people joined Sandra and I for the postponed evening stroll around the centre of Richmond Park. No extreme heat warning this time, just a pleasant temperature. People came from our RSPB group and the RP Friday Birders plus others who had seen the walk advertised on our social media pages.

Those of us walking in from Robin Hood Gate saw Purple Hairstreak butterflies competing for territory high up in the Oak trees along the road and Marbled White butterflies. Most people joined us at the Pen Ponds car park from where we wandered down to Upper Pen Ponds past the black and yellow striped caterpillars of Cinnabar moths on yellow Ragwort.

Sand Martins were still hawking for insects over the still water. The nests of a pair of Great Crested Grebes and a Coot proved popular when viewed through the scope. 3 Common Terns obligingly gave us a fly past. Reed Warblers could be heard singing in the scrap of reedbed as we crossed the Causeway. Those less familiar with the park were amazed to learn that the huge group of Canada Geese who were almost blocking the far end of the Causeway were all moulting and flightless. Heading up Sidmouth Slope a Kestrel flew into the edge of an Oak tree and a Whitethroat sat up on brambles long enough for most people to see it.

Crossing over towards Sawpit Plantation we were willing the Little Owls to start calling but the bright evening seemed to be delaying them. There was a burst of song and calling from 2 or 3 birds at the top of the plantation but otherwise they remained silent. Luckily Sandra had located a Kestrel nest earlier in the day and 2 almost fledged youngsters peered down at us from their hole high up in an Oak tree – cute! Another owl called briefly but then silence returned as we headed along the edge of Duchess Wood. 

Finally, once we neared the Ballet School, the owls became more active. Just glimpses in the dark wood, then one shot round a stump and landed on a thin branch. Looking back across Lawn Field another was spotted on the edge a tree surround. Just past the Ballet School out most obliging owl lingered around the pollarded trees. One fork like stump seemed to be its preferred hunting spot and it returned several times until it became too dark to see it.

Several people had peeled off before this point but later reported other Little Owls, seen as they left through other park gates. Those of us who finished the walk at Pen Ponds kiosk were treated to the magical sight of the ‘Strawberry’ full moon rising behind the tree silhouettes of Spanker’s Wood.

by Rebecca Dunne

Species list

Blue Tit, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Common Tern, Coot, Egyptian Goose, Great Crested Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Jackdaw, Jay, Kestrel, Little Owl, Magpie, Mallard, Mute Swan, Reed Warbler, Ring-necked Parakeet, Sand Martin, Swift, Tufted Duck, Whitethroat, Woodpigeon.