New Project

A couple of weekends Paul and myself started another new venture, on various Farms, targeting Barn and Little Owls.

Some of the Farms already had existing Barn Owl boxes that just needed a bit of attention on them, but on some of the others we placed new boxes.

In total we positioned 2 new Barn Owl boxes, 1 new Little Owl box and also cleaned out, put new hatches in, with fresh substrate, on 3 other boxes already in situ.

The boxes that needed addressing had an accumulation of pellets and prey debris, some quite full up but very interesting/satisfying giving them a fresh overhaul and placing fresh substrate.

3 more additional boxes, already in situ, we could not access, so the plan will be to address these nearer Christmas when Barnie breeding is complete.

A very enjoyable day and thoughts now turn to the upcoming breeding season, if it all comes together, going to be a busy time with all the other boxes.

                                                                        Full up

                                                              Marking the hatch out

                                                                        New Hatch

                                                                   Little Owl Box

                                                                    Pretty full up

                                               

Beckton Sewage Works

 

January 11th



With sub zero temperatures, -5 no less showing in the car, I headed to the Sewage Works early a.m, hopefully to catch up with some cold weather movement.

Not surprisingly lots more activity, both Common Buzzards seen together and then a male and female Sparrowhawk seen independently.

Quite a surprise was seeing around 15 Chiffchaff, feeding on the round tanks, exactly the same as the Pied/Grey Wagtails do. No doubt the cold bringing this on, had a good look through them for a Sibe but nothing doing.

En route to the Thames provided another flock of Chiffchaff, another 15+ birds, around half a mile from the 1st flock so different birds. I again went through these for a good while, again negative but there was so much activity here and elsewhere, saying 30+ was very likely a good bit lower than the true figure.

                                                                     10 Chiffies!

It was high tide, Redshank were present, but most had gone to roost, 2 Common Sandpipers were seen and then nailed a Wigeon in amongst the hordes of Gadwall, Teal and Shoveler.

Wigeon for some reason are hard here so a good result, I was hoping for a Snipe, recalling the cold spell of 2012 when Snipe were everywhere, even a Jack.

Also recorded my 1st calling Oystercatcher down river, very early, the earliest I have had one before is the end of Feb so would presume this is cold weather movement.

Moving on I headed back, just before I came to the Nature Reserve gate, surprise of the day turned up, remarkably it turned out to be a wintering Common Whitethroat. I have never seen this before, or even heard about it at this time of year, as you can imagine a bit of a shock.

Tried to turn it into something else more exotic, as you do, but very happy with this little chap.

Moving back onto the Sewage works finally produced a Black Redstart, I know there are up to 3 on Beckton, just took a little while to find one.

A good morning.

2024 - Done and Dusted

Yet another year with us and already looking forward to another Raptor breeding season, beit Peregrines, Kestrels, Barn or Little Owls.

2024 marked the best breeding season so far, hopefully this can be surpassed in 2025 with more boxes, especially on the Barn Owl front.

More existing Barn Owl boxes have been adopted elsewhere in an exciting new project, so it is looking very promising.


In regard to the year lists at Ingrebourne Valley and Barking Outfall, I finished on 103 and 98 respectively, close to the 100 at Barking but no newbies were seen just before Christmas so just falling short.

Making the most of the fairly decent weather, although very cold, I was out with the Lark on the 2nd and the 3rd of Jan, the Valley on the 2nd with Barking on the 3rd.

I got both off to a nice start with 54 for the Valley and 46 for Barking, nothing earth shattering seen in terms of rarish birds but a few birds of note below.

Valley – Grey Wagtail, 26 Fieldfare, Wigeon and Barn Owl.

Barking – 36 Black Tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper, Pair Common Buzzards and Rock Pipit.

I would suspect that with this cold spell there may be some movement, I will have a look over the weekend also.

Happy New Year!

                                    Grey Heron with an Eel that wrapped itself around its beak

                                                            Eventually it succumbed

                                                               Black Tailed Godwit

Beckton - December 15th

 

With only 9 days left now to the arrival of 2025, I am on 98 species for the year, I have surpassed the 2023 total of 95 so have improved there, however unless 2 newbies appear on my last visit next week, it could be the total for 2024,as you know I always try to reach “the ton”.

As per previous, it’s not too bad for a small urban site with around 2 visits per month, with more visits, I could no doubt challenge my best total achieved in 2019 0f 109 for the Sewage Works and Outfall.


The mudflats held around 14 Black Tailed Godwit, 70 Redshank and a good number of Ducks as well dominated by Teal, but also numbers of Shelduck, Shoveler and Gadwall present.

The usual Common Buzzards were seen along with the usual Kestrel pairing, Pied/Grey Wagtails and Chiffchaff were all present sitewide also in good numbers.


Unusual sight of the morning will go down to an immature Mute Swan that tagged onto 6 Egyptian Geese and then landed very clumsily on the grass sward with them. The Egyptians are quite agile/mobile and don't require a run up as such to get airborne, the Swan however needs a good and longish run up, preferably on water to get airborne.

Immediate thoughts were to get it in the air to clear the sea wall and back onto the Thames.

Knowing their mobility limitations, the concern then was predation by Foxes if it stayed overnight on the green sward. If pushing it along to get it aloft didn't work, I was going to catch it and put it onto the Thames.

Herding it towards the westerly wind, so it was facing in the right direction for uplift, I then chased it as fast as my 67 old little legs would go, thankfully it worked a treat, it gained lift and height from the wind and it cleared the sea wall and flew out onto the Thames, a good result.

                                                                           Airborne!

                                                              Not the brightest Swan

 

Wells - Norfolk

 

We headed down for our annual November visit, staying overnight on the 20th/21st, as per previous visits, staying in Wells itself.

Leaving home on the 20th at 6.00a.m for the planned Seal Trip, although cold, gave no insight in the weather that was to arrive in Norfolk.

In short, the Seal Trip was cancelled in the morning, strong winds, very cold and snow showers from mid-morning made it hard, but we still thoroughly enjoyed it as ever.

The 21st thankfully, although cold was a glorious day.

On the birding front, I had a look round as per usual around the Quay but also visited Wells Harbour while Chris shopped.

A nice walk out to the beach by the huts on an incoming tide gave up Gannet, 4 Red Throated Divers, 6 Common Scoters,60 odd Pinkies and Red Kite amongst others.

The following morning at dawn we both went to our usual spot outside Wells to await the arrival from roost of vast skeins of Pink Footed Geese, last year we had thousands.

In the semi darkness on arrival, 3 Woodcock were seen lifting off the fields heading to roost and as the light advanced, we started to see plenty of other birds but alas only a handful of Pinkies.

We presumed that they had not roosted out on the Salting’s as per usual, and possibly had used another roost, or were numbers greatly reduced?

Moving on to Holkham later in the morning gave decent numbers, so hopefully numbers not in yet, or just feeding/roosting elsewhere?

                                                               Lots of Snow Wednesday

                                                                      Dawn Thursday

As ever a very enjoyable couple of days, despite the weather on Wednesday, back again in January so already looking forward to it.

Fish and Chips again at Frenchies never dissapoints.