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.

New Project

This has been in the pipeline for a few months, a number of nest boxes aimed at 3 species, Barn and Little Owl along with Kestrel.

In total

3 Kestrel Pole Boxes

1 Barn Owl Tree Box

1 Barn Owl Pole Box

1 Little Owl Tree Box



First up was 2 of the Kestrel Pole Boxes.

Paul/ myself and our Van driver Rowan, have started making inroads into getting everything ready, on Thursday we picked the timbers/postcrete up and located it to their respective fields.Not easy distributing it with the distance involved and the ground underfoot.

I had ordered 2 of the RSPB Kestrel boxes previously and these were connected up to their respective timbers.

Doubled up on treated 6x3’s with joining screws/bolts for posts, the plan now is to concrete them in on Sunday – more to come.

 

 

Beckton Latest - October

A good visit last weekend, it looks like the Common Buzzards on the Sewage Works have bred with 3 birds seen together interacting, I would say the 3rd bird was a juvenile. All 3 were given a torrid time by the local Crows and Magpies as you can see from the photos.

In amongst the Crows also, I came across a Rook, common in rural areas but a bit of a mega for the Sewage Works. It bought the year list up to 98, I try to make 100 every year, I have surpassed last years total of 95 so hopefully achievable this year.

The first returning Redshank was also seen last weekend,winter is on its way, no Black Tailed Godwits as yet.

Pied and Grey Wagtail numbers have gone through the roof on the Sewage Works with a count of 24 Greys recently, Pied’s are easily 40+.

 

Spain - Sea watching in the Med

Having had a good look at E Bird previously, I had discovered a sea watching venue not far down the coast, basically at La Cala, it was a hotspot as well so decided to give it a go.

Less than 10 minutes down the A7 saw me arriving Punta y Observatorio de Calaburras, a headland with a lighthouse nearby. Easy and accessible, with parking right next to where you watch from, I got in position and started a sea watch.

Winds were not ideal and not many species came to close, but all in all I thoroughly enjoyed it, beginning at 8.45a.m, I watched until 10.30a.m and recorded 18 species, highlights below.


Cory’s Shearwater – 31 – one or 2 relatively close but most far out.

Balearic Shearwater – 12 – again none close.

Sandwich Tern – 6

Whimbrel – 2

Audouins Gull – 1

Gannet – 6


I also recorded 2 Ringed and Kentish Plover on the beach, along with 6 Sanderlings, these gave very good views.
Lots more crossing further out but too far out to ID confidently.

                                                                Very distant Cory's

                                                                      Grey Herons

                                                 Kentish, Ringed Plover and Sanderlings

A good site and judging by some of the checklist totals on Ebird, fantastic numbers going through in the right conditions, another site to go to next year.