Beckton Sewage Works

At last



After summering and wintering for a few years now, I can confirm that the Common Buzzards have bred on the Sewage Works site with a fledged juvenile seen last week, only 1 seen but it’s possible that there could be more.

It is a little Raptor hotspot without a doubt; I can also confirm that the Sparrowhawks have also fledged 3 juveniles after seeing them chasing the adult female carrying prey. Very likely the condensing of Birds of Prey is down to not only lots of stuff to eat but also a no disturbance green area in an urban oasis.

There are a large number of Rabbits on site and obviously little Rabbits, lots of Common Buzzard prey but as yet I can’t recall them being taken but no doubt they are.

Common Buzzards are incredibly thick skinned to put up with this constant mobbing.

Female Sparrowhawk was flying round with prey remains teaching the juveniles to hunt

Good news all round is that I now have my lens back, didn’t get nowhere with my countless e mails to various organisations stating my case. Even sending evidence from Forums where the same thing had happened to others didn’t help so have had to swallow it.

Very frustrating knowing I have never dropped it and then to be told impact damage, you live and learn.

In the past few months I have been using the Sigma F2.8 70-200mm that Luke kindly gave to me in Aus, must say very impressed with it, pretty sharp and faster focusing, all the photos in this post were taken with it.

Viking Jupiter coming up the Thames at Beckton 

To celebrate getting the 200-500 back I went to Cooling Marshes, Kent the day after, will post shortly, caught up with Hobby, a Peregrine taking a Lapwing and a couple of Marsh Harriers.