Beckton

December



All looking good as we fast approach the New Year and yet another breeding season, the pair of Common Buzzards in particular, are very active and also showing how versatile they are in looking for food.

There is a particular area where waste, for want of a better word, is stored ready to be moved, recently over the last couple of months I have noticed a couple of Grey Herons and numerous Feral Pigeons foraging in the containers. Obviously a good food source, it appears that the male Common Buzzard has found it also, in fact it is his go to place at dawn from roost.

It just shows how adaptable they are, he is obviously making the Ferals very nervous but the interaction between him and the Grey Herons seems amicable. It provides a good photo opportunity and I intend to secret myself away to record what goes on.

The pair,smaller male in front

Grey Heron about to jump up to the Container

I also recently had 3 of them on site, so can only presume that this is the juvenile still hanging around, like juvenile peregrines they may be tolerated for longer? 

The Kestrels are roosting at the box on the main building and the male in particular has started to hang around near the box far more becoming more territorial to the nest box.

The Sparrowhawks are present, well at least the female anyway as I keep getting fleeting views of her hunting. 

It looks like I am going to finish the year on 107 species, my highest total so far, some good birds along the way like Brambling, Ring Ouzel, Little Gull and Black Tern so looking forward to seeing if I can top that for 2020.

Lastly I would just like to wish one and all a very Happy and prosperous New Year and thanks for reading the blog.

Cooling Cattle Egrets

December 14th



Out on the Marsh again on Saturday, when it blows out there it’s a pretty wild place and this survey will probably go down as the windiest we have ever undertaken.

Having looked at the weather beforehand it was not predicted to be this strong, easily up there on the Beaufort scale as a 7, by the end of the survey both myself and Paul were pretty knackered.

However the birding, not surprisingly a lack of small passerines other than a couple of big flocks of Skylark/Starling, proved pretty rewarding with our first site tick of Cattle Egret, 3 no less which were no doubt the 3 that had been in the area east of us for the last month or so. 

We watched them for a while and got a few shots around the Cattle, pretty wind resistant unlike us as they moved around the Cows, a good tick and showing a sign of the times that we now have had all 3 Egrets on site. 

Wouldn’t have entertained that idea 10 years ago.

Battersea Power Station

Cranes



Having been involved with the iconic Power Station and its peregrines now for touching 20 years, I have been a very fortunate man to have witnessed the colossal change from an empty structure to a modern major construction site.

Obviously with the construction and due to the sheer size of the Power Station Estate, a number of Luffer Cranes were needed from the beginning; the total is probably around 21 at the peak of all the various phases.

When I saw all these Cranes going up a good few years back now, it did cross my mind that peregrines have always been a bird of open sky needing clear and open flight lines which suited there prowess and power flying style, would the density of the Cranes inhibit behaviour/flight, in short would they stay?

Tiercel

What I had not allowed for in those early days, was the sheer tenacity, adaptability and resilience of this remarkable species to adjust and above all how strong the connection and bond is to the ‘core ‘nesting site. 

Watching them recently from aloft and in the past shows that all Cranes are used, whether working or not, yes both adults have mastered the art of ‘riding’ the Crane whilst working.

I have seen it before in London, they obviously know where to sit and rest working or not, if working they simply adjust or turn as the Crane turns/drops the jib down, to watch for Feral Pigeons leaving or passing the Power Station.

Falcon feeding on one of the new chimneys

Tiercel

Tiercel

Quite amusing at times when hunting, to see them holding position and readjusting as the crane turns to face the right way for prey activity. As I said they are an incredible species and it shows why they have colonised the UK’s Urban Cities and Towns in such a big way, there are so many strings to their bow.