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Thursday 11 February 2021

Beckton Sewage Works

 



Feb Cold Weather



I count myself a very lucky man in the current lockdown to be able to still be able to carry on as an ecologist, still undertaking regular winter surveys, monitoring of wildlife and of course all the peregrine monitoring at a number of sites. All my work involves just me so very fortunate to say the least.

With the arrival of the cold weather and snow at Beckton, numbers of wildfowl have really increased all over the site especially Teal, Shoveler and Gadwall, I would expect even more before the weekend with the overnight temperatures.

The Kestrels are around but as the nest box faces east, not in it as much in this weather with a biting wind straight in your face, they have wisely tucked up to roost/rest out of the bad weather.

The pale Common Buzzard is still on site; this is the male but haven’t seen the female for a little while.














Redshank continue to come ‘inland’ from the foreshore visiting the tanks, it coincides with high tide but they are now actively feeding on them similar to the regular Common and Green Sandpipers. Another species adapting it seems or possibly linked to the cold.

2 Dunlin on the foreshore were new for the year and very likely a cold weather related movement, there not regular at Beckton.

Rugby again this weekend, hopefully we can play better after last week’s poor showing, full credit to Scotland though for out muscling us, especially at the breakdown.

 

 

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