Yet another year with us and already looking forward to another Raptor breeding season, beit Peregrines, Kestrels, Barn or Little Owls.
2024 marked the best breeding season so far, hopefully this can be surpassed in 2025 with more boxes, especially on the Barn Owl front.
More existing Barn Owl boxes have been adopted elsewhere in an exciting new project, so it is looking very promising.
In regard to the year lists at Ingrebourne Valley and Barking Outfall, I finished on 103 and 98 respectively, close to the 100 at Barking but no newbies were seen just before Christmas so just falling short.
Making the most of the fairly decent weather, although very cold, I was out with the Lark on the 2nd and the 3rd of Jan, the Valley on the 2nd with Barking on the 3rd.
I got both off to a nice start with 54 for the Valley and 46 for Barking, nothing earth shattering seen in terms of rarish birds but a few birds of note below.
Valley – Grey Wagtail, 26 Fieldfare, Wigeon and Barn Owl.
Barking – 36 Black Tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper, Pair Common Buzzards and Rock Pipit.
I would suspect that with this cold spell there may be some movement, I will have a look over the weekend also.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
Grey Heron with an Eel that wrapped itself around its beak
Eventually it succumbed
Black Tailed Godwit
