The Week

More boxes



Quite a full week for myself and Paul, plenty to do with a good number of nest boxes placed, mainly of the smaller type but also including a Little Owl Box.

First up was 6 small boxes – 4-hole boxes and 2 open fronted boxes, the hole boxes easy enough to place on trees anywhere as they are more or less predator proof.

The open fronted boxes are a different matter, they needed to be tucked away from the attentions of Magpies and Crows, so these 2 were consequently placed well into cover.

I see this quite a lot in London, open fronted nest boxes placed on the side of buildings/trees, wide open to predators with no thought but to tick the boxes, sadly they have very little chance of acceptance and take up.

After these were fitted, we moved on to 2 Black Redstart boxes, the Woodcrete Brick boxes chosen were of a type that are predator proof with a small entrance slot. Specifically chosen, we placed these in areas where there had been Black Redstart activity in the Spring/Summer.

These as I see it, are the next best thing to a Schwegler Brick Box (£75.98) but quite a bit cheaper at £34.00.

                                                            Woodcrete to last longer

                                                       Battersea 2014 - Black Redstart nest site

A notoriously hard species to get into a nest box, hopefully these will do the trick, if BR’s are not keen on them, Pied/Grey Wagtail and Robin may well use them hopefully.

Last up was a Little Owl Box, a little bit of history behind this, as it’s a replacement nest box of one already in situ. Used successfully in 2023, Grey Squirrels nailed it this year early on, I turfed them out 3 times, they gave up, only for Honeybees to move in!
Naturally left the Bees to presumably hibernate in the old box, hence the new one!

                                                                      Little Owl Box

Fingers crossed on them all.

Battersea Power Station - October 24th

 

I had been waiting for a good day weatherwise and it finally arrived on the 24th with some good sunshine.
Cousin Jess was with me, all the way Australia, he last saw the derelict Power Station in 2000, when I first arrived. Needless to say, he was astounded at the transformation and absolutely loved it.

First up was the Peregrines and on checking the northern brickwork, the only one we could find roosting was the Falcon.
As the light grew the Tiercel was located in a regular hunting area, the usual Cranes at Vauxhall, obviously hunting, as he soon disappeared.
Eventually he came in with a Feral Pigeon from the west, landed and began to feed, not missing a trick being dominant over him, the Falcon then landed around 600mm from him.

We still have the same female as the head markings are the same and the BTO ring is clearly visible, she then started putting the pressure on by edging closer and calling loudly.
He flew and there then began a very noisy chase all over the Northern Park with the Falcon pursuing him relentlessly. Quite spectacular and quite a few people watching, eventually she nailed him from underneath and got talons into the prey and he gave up on it.

Quite a spectacular sight, just a pity I couldn't do it justice with the camera, some shots attached but not sharp, autofocus can't keep up, early morning light and Peregrines simply too fast!

She is holding on well despite the density of Peregrines in London and the outer counties, at around 14+, her days of producing an egg have now gone and the last successful breeding by her was 2021. Paired for life, she will eventually be replaced by a stronger Falcon, then breeding and noisy juveniles will again grace the Power Station.

Elsewhere whilst watching from the Coaling Jetty early a.m, Grey Wagtails were present in the Buddleia on the River Wall.
This has now become a winter roost for the species, no less than 12 Grey Wagtails left the bushes to forage elsewhere, I will keep an eye on this going forward, a fantastic number and a high count.

                                                          Grub after in the Power Station

Nothing out of the ordinary in other species, some overhead movement, however we still recorded 27 species on the day.

Goldfinches were a little thin on the ground, this could be due to the milder weather, we will see how many nests this year when the trees eventually drop their leaves, if I recall correctly, last year’s total was 12 nests around the Power Station.

Season Review 2024

 

Season Review 2024



Peregrines



A very good year when most pairs succeeded and definitely up on 2023 figures,2024 saw most pairings fledging young.

Of the sites that I monitored in 2024, they produced an excellent 34 fledged juveniles from 14 sites, this is in contrast to 23 fledged juveniles from 15 sites in 2023, so definitely an improvement.

Of the 14 sites this year, 3 failed so the ratio works out to 34 juveniles from 11 sites, an average of 3 juveniles per site so a very good return this year from the various Boxes and Trays.

Of the 11 successful sites – 6 were in Nestboxes, 3 were in Trays and 2 were ‘natural’ laying on pigeon guano, 1 of these was a new site, making a box for these for 2025 which will give them an easier time of it.

Of the 2 publicised sites, Battersea Power Station pairing didn’t lay an egg due to her age, she is now 14+, she is also BTO ringed. Due to the density nowadays of singles waiting in the wings to challenge pairings, I thought she would be replaced earlier by another Falcon, but she must still be too strong.

The Parliament pair got it together fledging 4 juveniles, these have never been consistent breeders over the years, failing in 2019,20 and 2021 but the last few years have seen them succeeding thankfully.

Of the 11 successful sites, Paul and Shaun ringed chicks at 7 of them using the relatively new white colour rings, so a very good result on this, hopefully they will be relocated in the future, and we will get some returns.



Barn Owls



Of the nest boxes placed, both pole and tree, 4 of these produced 14 Owlets, these were all ringed by Paul and Shaun and it proved to be another good year for them.

As you know, I like to place Barnie nestboxes in pairs, always placing a 2nd box within 100 metres of each other. This gives the male somewhere to roost and also when young are big, and the female leaves them to roost during the day, she can use the 2nd box also.

However, on one site this year, 2 respective pairs had a box apiece nesting around 100 metres from each other. Obviously, no doubt aware of each other visually, with unseen territorial boundaries, or are there, it could be that they are using the same foraging and like say, Lesser Kestrels, are ok to nest communally?

It’s a new one on me and reading up on it, it shows that pairs nest even closer, sometimes down to as little as 20 metres from each other. Something to consider for the future – more boxes!





Kestrels



The best year so far for me for the little mouse hawk, to quote the old country name, 17 juveniles fledged from 4 sites.

1. Pole nest box for the 2nd year running – 5 juveniles

2. Tree nest box for the first time – 4 juveniles

3. Nest box on building at Beckton – 5 juveniles

4. Cliff face natural nest (hole) for 4th year – 3 juveniles



A good result and hopefully this can be surpassed in 2025 with 3 more Kestrel boxes going in.

Little Owls

Unfortunately, after successful breeding last year in the same nest box, Grey Squirrels nailed the nestbox and took it over.

However, the Owls, not to be outdone nested on the ground and fledged no less than 5 juveniles, the nest site being under a small container. Again, another first for me, nesting on the ground, never came across it before but again, reading up on it, it does occur.

Another first for me this year, one of my Little Owl boxes has been taken over by Honeybees, to date they are still in it so will have to see what the winter brings, presumably they will die off? Not up on my Bee’s, so never really considered what happens to them in Winter.



To sum up an excellent year, from the 4 species a total of 70 juveniles fledged, there will be mortality but hopefully a good number will make it.

As ever a massive thanks to my Amigo’s – Paul, Shaun, Lee and Mart for all their invaluable help, also Jake and Ben, without them I couldn’t do half what I do.

Finished!

 

The last 2 nest boxes on the project, a Barn and Little Owl box earmarked for trees were installed on Wednesday. With Paul tied up with work, my cousin Jess, who was staying with us from Aus, stepped up.

Fantastic to have him back again and just like old times as the years dropped away, my old buddy was back, fantastic to see him.



Boxes – both went up to their respective trees very well, Jess doing most of the work naturally – age has its advantages.

First up was the Little Owl box, I had ordered this from the Barn Owl Trust, very well made and with Little Owls known to be in the vicinity, hopes are high for this. I am hoping that Grey Squirrels will not be a problem, we placed it a on a singular tree with bramble and reeds either side. 

With no tree connection either side to access it easily, hopefully the Squirrels will give it a miss.

Next up was Barnie tree box, the 2nd of the Barn Owl boxes, this was positioned to compliment last week’s pole box, around 100 metres from each other. The pole Barn Owl box already has an external occupant daily it seems, a male Kestrel is already using it to hunt and watch the ground below. There is a new Kestrel pole box around 300 metres away, so hopefully the Kessie can sort himself out and bond with the correct box!

Installation of the box was straightforward, prior to this, getting under an electric fence and across a flooded ditch was interesting but good fun.

                                                   Little Owl Box - very well made

                                                     Challenging getting to the tree

                            Both of us at Battersea Power Station laterin the week - more to come

With all the 6 boxes now erected, 2 Barn - 1 Little Owl and 3 Kestrel boxes, myself and Paul will be watching them as much as possible – “If you build it………………………………

Another 2.......

 

Paul and myself delivered and installed a Barn Owl and Kestrel box yesterday, the latest 2 pole boxes to go up as part of the ongoing project.

As you no doubt know, the weather on Saturday morning was awful, with a fairly strong wind as well, it made fixing,strutting and plumbing them a little challenging.

However very satisfying to see both up, despite a thorough soaking, as the weather eventually cleared a Kestrel starting hunting nearby so good signs already.

Just a Barn and Little Owl nestbox to finish off now, the remaining 2 are going in trees, hopefully placed during the week.

2 up - 4 to go.....

Following on from the previous post – New Project, Sunday saw myself, Paul and Mart, who had kindly offered to help, installing the 2 Kestrel boxes. Having 3 of us definitely made it a lot easier, still fairly hard work but a far lighter load with Mart aboard.

In 3 hours, we stood and postcreted both pole boxes in – 18 bags postcrete apiece, substrate added, finished digging a hole, the results look very inviting hopefully.

When I took the struts off on both Monday morning, a female Kestrel was present on both occasions in the vicinity, due to the distance from each other, I like to think separate birds.

However, time will tell and hopefully they will also provide hunting perches which in turn may lead to a connection to each box.

It may be that Stock Doves or even Jackdaws may take a shine to the boxes but hopefully the Kessie’s will get there first and bond to the nest box.