Barking Outfall and Bay

August 12th

Along with many other birders in London I am wondering where all the migrants have gone, I have been reading the London Wiki, it is the same everywhere, no passerines and nothing coming up the river. All we seem to get these days is a westerly, not ideal for migration.

Had intended to stay in, tooth, or lack of it still playing up but the lure was too strong and had to go out.

Little Egret

First port of call was Barking Outfall where I had an impressive 12 Common Sandpipers, for as long as I can remember the Outfall has always pulled them in. Also seen was a Little Egret, a site 1st, they never seem to come this far upriver. Interesting to see also Common Sandpipers walking round its feet, I know they would not do this with a Grey Heron.

3 Yellow Wagtail flyovers were the only migrants seen, other than this there were 7 Common Terns on the river with 6 Oystercatchers on the mud.

Green Veined Whites

Onwards and upwards I pressed on to Barking Bay, again no passerine migrants, must admit this place spoiled me and Paul in the spring with some real good birds seen so cant complain.

4 of the 5 Greenshank, rather distant

Greenshank

The mud did produce 5 Greenshank that dropped in, tide was rising, they stayed for about 10 minutes and then flew back down river. Elsewhere there was a single Dunlin, a Swift and at least 60 Common Terns on the river.

Common Sandpiper

This section of river like the Outfall seems always to produce good numbers of Common Sandpiper, today was no different with 19 bunched up on the rising tide, with the birds seen at the Outfall that’s makes a total of 31 Common Sandpipers. It would be good to find the roost, the figure could be higher.