Spain Day 4

 

Friday - September 18th

Parque Fluvial

7.40 - 11.00a.m

A really good morning starting off at the usual dawn, not 1 but 2 Night Herons flying around calling in the murk, again they headed off up river.

After Tuesdays visit, I had decided to give this venue more of a bash and explore upriver, as the light increased 4 Grey Herons and 3 Little Egrets dropped in and flew upriver also, so obviously a good food source further up which I needed to explore.

Again as per the earlier visit, the Yellow Wagtail roost was further evident in the large reed bed, birds leaving in flocks probably totalled around a 100 birds.

Heading up river showed lots more good habitat and scrub, but it was impossible to get close to the river and get a clear view due to the height and density of the Spanish Cane, however I did see the 2 Night Herons again briefly.

Moving on it I saw at least 4 Spotted Flycatchers and I at last caught up with Waxbill, 6 of them seen in the reed bed, I have missed these on every visit.

Heading towards the Sea produced 2 Red Rumped Swallows en route and on the sea, 11 Cory’s Shearwaters moving westwards.



On the walk back I also caught up with a Zitting Cisticola near the main pool, before then looking up as you do and spotted a Raptor. A little high but this turned out to be a light phase juvenile Honey Buzzard, a good bird and not a phase I have come across often and see well enough, another patch tick.

43 species recorded which is the highest count I have recorded here.

To top it off I then had not 1 but 2 Monarch Butterflies, I was told that there is a colony breeding around the province of Malaga so a good result, I last saw these little beauties in New Zealand.

 

Beckton Sewage Works - September

Winter is fast approaching and cold weather birds are just starting to arrive at the Outfall, first up were Black Tailed Godwits, I suspect Redshank will now not be far behind.

5 Black Tailed Godwits were present in partial summer plumage, feeding on the mud initially on a rising tide before being pushed off to roost down river.
A pair of Raven were on the pylon of choice where they bred this and last year, and lucky enough to locate a very distant Red Kite passing.

Both Common Buzzards were seen but no sign of any Kestrels this time, presumably off site hunting. Due to the sheer number of Crows, the Common Buzzards receive major mobbing anywhere near the Refuse Station – McGraths.

In regard to other wildlife, high tide showed a few Teal have now arrived on the Sewage Works, in October these will start arriving in high numbers.

2 Little Egrets were roosting in the Willows with the Grey Herons, again another species which is more of a autumn/winter visitor at the Outfall.

We also had a visit from a Hobby, managed to get a few distant photos of it from a distance. Not a regular annually on the Works.

It is a good bird for the year list which now stands at 93, only 7 needed to make the target for the year!

                                              Common Buzzard getting the Crow treatment

                                                                            Hobby

                                                                              Ravens

Spain - Day 3

 

Thursday - September 17th

Senda Littoral - 7.45 - 9.30a.m

Other than Monk Parakeet and White Wagtail, virtually the first bird seen was no less than a site tick, an Osprey. The time was 07.08a.m in dawns early light, and whilst watching 2 Audouins Gulls, both suddenly cocked their heads skywards. 

Without there action, at that time of morning, I wouldn't have been looking skywards for Raptors, I would have likely missed it, a site tick no less.

Not surprisingly very crap photos at that time of morning, sunrise wasn't even up, I would presume it had roosted fairly locally to be active this time of morning, possibly even on the rocks.

Cory's Shearwater’s were on the move mostly heading west and Audouins Gulls were present in very good numbers,1 flock on the rocks totalled 42 birds. On previous visits here as well there has always been very good numbers, possibly a stop off towards wintering grounds.

Unusually no Sanderlings but a single Whimbrel was on the rocks with the usual Turnstones.

                                                                    Poor photo of Osprey

 

 

Battersea Power Station - 100 up!

Hi, I had been wondering which species it would be to reach the magic site list figure, often imagining something fairly rare in London, like an overhead Osprey or Cattle/Great White Egret but I then located it in one of the Gardens!

A site 1st in the shape of a Coal Tit, was located with a Blue/Great Tit flock moving through, I managed a couple of very poor photos but enough to capture and identify it, initially hearing it call.
Possibly a bird from Battersea Park, they breed there, so good to see that the Power Stations ever maturing habitat of Trees and Bushes, is attracting different species.

Along with this, not 1 but 3 Common Sandpipers made an unscheduled stop over at the Power Station, after flying low upriver, I spotted them from Switch House East Gardens but unfortunately for them, the male peregrine, ringed ABB also spotted them.
He dived on them and then a 2 minute chase over the Thames then ensued as the male repeatedly tried to grab one, the little Sandpipers, at times ditching into the river to evade him, in the end all 3 flew towards the sanctuary of the Coaling Jetty.

I immediately went down to the Northern Park and found all 3 sitting adjacent to the Jetty on a concrete beam, ABB had alighted back on the Power Station, I could see then that he was watching them intently, no doubt waiting for them to fly again.

Eventually after 75 minutes ABB gave up and flew off south, shortly after this the 3 amigos flew again and resumed their journey upriver!

Despite their name, they are not common in Central London, not even annual, this marks the highest count I have had at the Power Station.



Also very pleased to say that I connected with not 1, but 3 Grey Wagtails, if you recall these have been amiss on the previous visits.
They fed on the tideline and also on the now exposed grass, although patchy, still a food source. We now need to get them back breeding again, I have a few ideas.

A single fleeting view was of a Black Redstart, a female/juvenile type, it was a quick view and unusually the first time I have connected with one in the west side gardens.

Our female Peregrine is still going strong, she does seem to sleep a bit, she laid down after feeding on the Thames Water Tower, before then returning, straight into the nest box no doubt for another kip! She has earned it since arriving many years ago.
At her age, if she makes 2027, she will be around 16-17, she arrived in adult plumage in 2011 so it's entirely possible that she could even be older.

If I am ever able to read her metal BTO leg ring numbers, I would know her exact age and where she was ringed and came from.

Good to see also, a Common Darter Dragonfly, quite a rarity on the Estate.

27 species recorded on the day, slightly down, I usually aim for 30 on every monthly visit, however I made it to 100 species, 26 years in the making!

                                                                 Common Darter

                                                                Common Sandpiper

                                                 Heading up river before being intercepted

                                                            Male chasing Sandpipers

                                                        Coal Tit in there somewhere