A new short film celebrating Richmond Park's many bird species has been released by a leading conservation charity.

The film, Richmond Park's Birds: Marvellous Migrants & Remarkable Residents, was produced by The Friends of Richmond Park and is narrated by trustee Richard Gray.

Gray said: "With so many marvellous migratory birds arriving in the last month the bird life of the Park is gloriously enriched, and our film celebrates their arrival and the remarkable resident birds that also live in the Park.

"I had thought for a while we should have a film focusing on the Park's fabulous birds and the timing to coincide with the influx of migrants was quite deliberate."

Richmond Park has over 60 resident bird species, and double that when you include migratory species.

The film covers a huge number of these, including how to spot them, where they migrate from, and what their call sounds like.

It covers (to name a few) chiffchaffs, common whitethroat, blackcaps, swallows, sandmartins, Northern wheatears (or white arses!), and hobbys.

The film was first aired at a recent Zoom webinar Gray organised on the Park's birds. The webinar focused on migrant birds and featured guest speaker David Lindo, aka The Urban Birder, a broadcaster, writer, columnist and speaker.

This was one of a series of webinars Gray has run on the Park's wildlife over the last few months, including Remarkable Trees and Fungi Safari, both of which were also accompanied by short films.

Gray said: "The films and webinars are about education and a sheer appreciation of what great wildlife is behind the 8 mile wall of Richmond Park."

The latest film ends with a message on protecting the park's birds, Gray saying: "All the birds' sensitive habitats need respect and careful protection.

"Please remember to give all wildlife space, keep dogs on leads, stick to main footpaths and always tread lightly in Richmond Park."

The Friends of Richmond Park was founded in 1961, and is a charity dedicated to: "The conservation and protection ...of Richmond Park and its peace and natural beauty for the benefit of the public and future generations" and to "advance public education about the Park".

In April it also released a new film: Richmond Park-National Nature Reserve, featuring Sir David Attenborough, which explains how we can all help to protect it now and for future generations.

For more info on the work of the Friends visit its website here.