Battersea December 14th 2025

A great weekend of weather, with plenty of sunshine at long last. Although it was cold in the mornings, Sunday delivered a lovely sunrise.

The first bird I encountered was the female Peregrine. With no male present since May to bring in prey, she is now entirely reliant on her own hunting skills. Her roosting spot remains unchanged: well sheltered from the wind and benefiting from residual warmth from the brickwork, allowing her to stay fluffed up and warm throughout the night. Sadly, her breeding days are now behind her.

Due to her age, her last brood was in 2021, when she successfully fledged three juveniles. Nevertheless, since her arrival at the Power Station in 2012, she has been an exceptional female, raising and fledging an impressive total of 26 juveniles.

After seeing off a Crow from her territory, she made a direct line towards the crane across the river and began hunting. A flock of Ring-necked Parakeets was targeted, but unfortunately the attempt was unsuccessful. On bright days hunting can be more challenging, as prey tends to spot her earlier and evade more easily. In this instance, the parakeets dived into the trees across the river.

Whether loved or loathed, Ring-necked Parakeets are a non-native species that were accidentally introduced and here to stay. They can cause significant damage to trees and shrubs, particularly during the budding season. Their size and aggressive behaviour also mean that native hole-nesting species—such as Great, Blue and Coal Tits, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Robin, Wren and Nuthatches—are often displaced, which is far from ideal. Peregrines, however, are particularly fond of them.

Leaving her to continue hunting, I moved on to survey the wider area, starting at the Coaling Jetty. Grey and Pied Wagtails were present, roosting in the riverside Buddleia, all quickly dispersed to forage as they usually do. I then visited the roof gardens, where the female Black Redstart was present, along with Goldfinch, Blue and Great Tits, Wren, and a good number of Robins dotted around.

I also spent time looking for the Kestrel. I am fairly confident I would have seen him if he were present, it’s possible that he has moved on.

Moving on to the pre-construction area again produced the highest number of sightings, unsurprising given the complete lack of disturbance. The pair of Black Redstarts were present as usual, and nest boxes will soon be installed for them.

I finished the morning with 28 species recorded, a good result considering the habitat loss resulting from the Ice Rink footprint. The year list now stands at 47 species seen or heard, while the life list sits at 98—tantalisingly close to the target of 100.

Next month, I will be cleaning out all existing nest boxes and relocating a few where necessary. With uptake increasing year on year, I am hopeful that this season will be no different.

Happy New Year to everyone.

 

Beckton Sewage Works - December 2025

I was fortunate with the weather once again on my final two visits of the year, on December 13th and 20th. Both days brought some welcome sunshine to round off the year nicely.

December 13th

On the way to the Outfall, I came across the pair of Common Buzzards on the Thames Water side. As you may recall, they lost their single juvenile back in October, possibly to predation by Crows.

At the Barrier, the tide was high but falling. A lone Common Sandpiper showed briefly on the mud, though most of the birds present were Black-headed Gulls.

I then checked the usual Redshank roost and was pleasantly surprised to find a large gathering using the jetty roost instead. Scanning through with bins, I initially estimated around 140 birds. However, after reviewing the photos a couple of times, the count came out closer to 167, give or take a few hidden behind others. Also present within the roost was a single Dunlin, which provided a welcome year tick and took my total to 98 species for the year — just two short of the target.

It was a very encouraging count and once again highlighted the importance of the upriver mudflats as a winter-feeding resource.

Kestrels were unusually hard to locate. Eventually, I found the male at the back of the Sewage Works, engaged in a brief dispute with a Jay.

A well-fed Sparrowhawk was also seen, its large crop suggesting a recent successful hunt. This is yet another raptor species breeding on site at the Sewage Works.



December 20th

With the tide rising, I focused my attention on the Outfall mud. A light easterly breeze gave me hope that I might add a couple of quality birds and reach the magic 100.

A group of 62 Black-tailed Godwits was a good start, along with a Curlew, a Common Sandpiper and 14 Redshank making up the rest of the waders. Despite spending a couple of hours carefully scanning the river, no further additions were found — even after scrutinising every bird in the hope it might turn into something special.

Pied and Grey Wagtails seemed to be everywhere, but I also caught up with a Goldcrest. Surprisingly, they can be quite tricky to find at times on the Sewage Works.

Both Common Buzzard and Kestrel pairs were present. The Kestrels are fairly approachable, unlike the Buzzards which remain extremely camera-shy. The Kestrels’ tolerance, combined with using the car as a ‘natural’ hide, allows for some close photographic opportunities.

I finished the year on 98 species seen or heard — just short of three figures — nothing earth shattering in terms of ‘Rares’ but enjoyable as ever.

New Years Day will again see me starting off the year, just haven’t decided where yet.

A very Happy Christmas to everyone, and best wishes for 2026.

                                                                 Redshank a roosting

                                                   So many of these on the Sewage Works

                                                                             Kestrel

                                                                           Goldcrest

                                                      Female Sparrowhawk and Kestrel

                                                                   Common Sandpiper

                                                                Black Tailed Godwit

                         Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas and the very best for 2026

                                                                   Have a great day!

Parliament

 

November 21st 2025



Sunny mornings are getting hard to come by, not surprisingly as its winter, but with a good morning forecast I opted for the Friday.

Arriving at dawn, it was 7.10a.m before I connected with the male landing at the Riverside Tower Nest site in the early morning gloom. Calling persistently, to attract the female, it was obvious that she was nearby on Central Spire as I could hear her as well.

Eventually she showed and headed off South with the male disappearing northwest.

The female quickly reappeared, arriving heavily laden down with a fresh Feral Pigeon over Victoria Gardens Park.
It’s now fairly common knowledge that Peregrines hunt nocturnally, but many Peregrines often select a perch in low light near Feral Pigeon roosts before dawn.

Around 8.10a.m she exited Victoria Tower, quite obviously well stuffed and commenced flying around Victoria Tower looking for a cache spot, eventually stashing the prey remains.

As if by magic, he then appeared and then started to search around looking for it, totally normal but in this case unable to find it.
Presently he then headed off north and that was that, she was resting up and despite giving it another hour, he did not return.


Remarkably another breeding season is now fast approaching, February 1st, 2026, will again see the start of the breeding process.
As yet, no news of this year’s single juvenile female ABZ, or indeed ABB, the long staying juvenile male from 2024, if you recall he was stealing prey from the four 2025 chicks before he was driven off by the adults.

I finished the morning on 21 species seen in or over the Park, good to catch up with a couple of winter thrushes, Fieldfare and Redwing together.



In terms of the life list, the Fieldfare was the 62nd species for Victoria Gardens/Parliament.

 

Beckton Sewage Works

November 20th



With good weather and sunshine promised, albeit absolutely freezing at dawn, (-1) I headed straight down to the Barrier on arrival.

Checking out the mudflats showed the first wintering Redshank flock present, 18 birds, no doubt colder weather has pushed them upriver to the Barrier for the winter.
No Black Tailed Godwit present anywhere, but 2 Curlew were on the mudflats, Duck numbers have also increased no end with the cold stuff.

Elsewhere wintering Chiffchaff numbers are building with double figures present now, the sewage works as we know a major wintering ground for this species.

In regard to Raptors, Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard and Kestrel were all seen, just a fleeting glance of Sparrowhawk which is usually the norm of this ambush hunter, unless aloft.
I managed to get a relatively close view of the Common Buzzard hunting from a bush, certainly one of the best views I have had at the Sewage Works, they are usually unapproachable.

The male Kestrel was hunting the Pied Wagtails also on the Sewage Works, however no sign of the female.

I finished the morning on 46 species, the year list stands at 95 so just 5 more needed to reach the annual target.