A Pheasant surprise!

A limping male Pheasant in Kensington Gardens (Collin Flapper)

It's been a couple days of nose to the grindstone with various deadlines reached and words wrenched from my tired mind. I was particularly pleased to have finished my RSPB 'Birds' piece on RSPB Groups. I found writing that especially difficult. I was beginning to worry that I had lost my mojo.

The Scrubs has been particularly uninspiring recently with only the established birds on view. It was pleasing to still see our male Reed Bunting still on territory with his partner no doubt sitting tight on some eggs nearby. I learnt yesterday about the intriguing record of a Nightjar that a couple evenings ago was flying around the open theatre at nearby Regents Park. It really goes to show that anything can turn up anywhere.

Take for example last night. I was strolling through Kensington Park with good friend and confidant, Collin Flapper, when a Pheasant ran across the path around 20 feet in front of me. It scurried past some surprisingly oblivious walkers (who probably thought that it was a pigeon) and pathetically tried to conceal itself in a daffodil bed!

How this essentially rustic bird finds itself in central London beats me!