Beckton Sewage Works

August 16th



With the site under major works I have not been giving it much attention; there is simply too much disturbance so I have given it a miss concentrating on the Creek and the Outfall.

The day had already started brilliantly with a Bearded Tit down in the Creek in the massive reed bed, exactly the same spot I had a male a few years so I thought I would give the Sewage Works a go, it seemed not as busy as usual.
I stayed in the car and just drove round the tanks looking for the odd migrant, it was quite busy with Pied Wagtail numbers probably up in the hundred mark, I know this as they all did there bit in mobbing the local Sparrowhawk.

The mobbers of Sparrowhawks

The whole site seemed to erupt with Wagtails coming up from the tanks everywhere when it passed, if anything the estimate is probably a bit conservative. However in amongst the hordes of Pied I distinctly heard a Yellow, when they settled I found one, a bit distant but they all count, I ended up with 4 in the end.

Distant Yellow Wagtail

Moving on, next up was a Wheatear in company with a Common Sandpiper, an odd combination both sitting on the side of the road, the one I was looking for was Black Redstart, Beckton has always been a favourite wintering area.

Grey Wagtails were also present to round off all the commoner British Wagtails, not often that you get all 3 together.

Grey Wagtail

Wheatear and Common Sandpiper

6 Sand Martins also put in an appearance over the tanks and the first of the returning Teal showed in one of them to round off the visit, made me feel cold just looking at them, Winters coming.