Battersea Power Station

 

September 20th



The Saturday was earmarked to be a decent morning, usual early a.m arrival, however it soon turned very grey with very poor light.

However, for the first time, I recorded 32 species on or over the Power Station.

Highlights were Kingfisher, a little blue flash heading upriver, 3 Meadow Pipits over south, Goldcrest, and the Kestrel was seen again.
The Kingfisher was only the 3rd site record in 25 years, just a pity it didn't land so I could try and get a photo.

The Kestrel, given that it has now been present for a few months, looks to have become territorial, what it also means is that the enhanced new habitat everywhere is also providing prey species like Mice/Small Birds which is fantastic.

Once a site breeder in an old vent preconstruction when the site was derelict, I am now wondering if we can take it a stage further and give it a chance of attracting a mate by installing a nest box. Obviously as a prey species for Peregrines, it has to keep an eye out for the Peregrine, however, I monitor 3 sites where they co-exist and breed near each other.

Black Redstarts were again prominent with the established pair active and feeding for themselves, no sign of any juveniles so I would suspect these have now gone their own way.

However, we did have a 3rd male singing over beyond the Refuse Centre, it's possible that it could have been one of the dispersing juveniles trying its voice out, however it is very interesting given that we are in September.

With 2 broods this year, it is no coincidence that the increased foraging/habitat, with more sedum/green roofs available, has played its part in breeding success.


In regard to our Peregrine female, she took a Feral Pigeon from the Refuse Centre as I walked out into the Northern Park, it was just after 6.10a.m, too dark for a photo.
The question remains is how long can she hang on? with the male gone since May and given the density of single birds looking to challenge for territory, it is surprising that she has held on for this long.

The last successful breeding by her was 2021, since then she has failed to produce eggs.

On other Peregrine sites, the pressure from singles, has led to changeovers, either male or female, this is the norm, peregrines will fight for prime sites. I am just a bit surprised that it has not happened at the Power Station, a prime site, even at around 15 years of age, possibly even older, she must still be too strong.

Hats off to her.

                                                                            Falcon

                                                                   Black Redstart

                                              Old Kestrel nest site pre construction 2011

                                                                 Male Black Redstart

                                           Old girl - hanging on well - stuffed as well!

Spain

Mirador de las Aguilas



As you know I am a Raptor man, and rather than the long drive down towards Gibraltar, to the Tarifa Raptor watchpoints from La Cala, I had been looking for somewhere more local to me.

E Bird came up trumps again and I discovered Mirador de las Aguilas, around 25 minutes from me in a mountain range.

I grabbed a couple of hours here on the 11th and 14th, in terms of numbers obviously nothing like the bottleneck at Tarifa over to Africa but saw some good birds although distant.

Bonelli’s Eagle was seen on both dates, a pair no less, distant views but great to see them here and relatively ‘easy’ to see, other trips it has been a hard bird to see.

One of the highlights will no doubt be seeing one of the Bonelli’s going for and chasing a Booted Eagle, whether just mobbing or intended prey hard to say.

Talking to Blaz Lopez, a great chap whom I met up there and helped me no end, the Bonelli’s do target the smaller Booted Eagles as prey as they migrate through, the Bonelli’s are resident as I understand it.

A good variety of birds seen on both days, 3 Eagles – Bonelli’s, Booted and Short Toed, Black Kites, Honey Buzzards, Kestrels, Sparrowhawk and Marsh Harrier amongst others – full list on E Bird.

The one I was really hoping for was Golden Eagle, not seen, next time as I know they do appear here.

Big thanks to Blaz for all his help.

                                                                      Short Toed Eagle

                                             Interesting Kestrel..... but Common I would say

Black Kites

Spain - Fuengirola

 

 

Dunnes




I stumbled on this cracking little river water course, completely by accident at Fuengirola whilst dropping Chris off to do some shopping. Chris was going to have an hour or so in the shops and the plan was for me to then do an hour sea watch a short way down the coast.

However, scanning round as you do with Chris heading for the shops at a rate of knots, I spied part of a water course and then, no less than a Glossy Ibis walked into view!

Plans went out the window and I headed over there, have to say for a river course more or less in the heart of Fuengirola, the birding was superb.

Thereafter,I then actively encouraged Chris to do more shopping at Dunnes in the days that followed, unselfishly, even though it was likely to put a dent in the bank account, in total I/we visited 3 times over the course of a week.

Visits were Sept 10th, 13th and 15th and to give the site, on Ebird as a hotspot its full name, it is called Parque Fluvial, Dunnes is a shopping venue similar to our Dunelms.

In total from roughly 3 hour or so long visits, I clocked up some good birds, best of which are below.



Glossy Ibis - 1

Little Egret – 4 (probably the sun but these all appeared taller)

Cattle Egret - 1

Squacco Heron - 1

Night Heron – 2

Kingfisher – 2

Melodious Warbler – 1

Iberian Chiffchaff – 1

Booted Eagle – 2

Red Rumped Swallow – 2

Spotted Flycatcher – 2

Green Sandpiper – 1


Probably the hardest bird to catch up with came in on the 15th, everything went up, flocks of Monk Parakeets and Feral Pigeons all flushed as a superb Purple Heron flew along the water course and over my head.

A superb end to the last visit, I only covered the Dunnes end, would suspect more species to be seen further up towards the Sea.

Battersea - August

 

A good visit on the 23rd when I again hit 30 species either seen or heard, the increased and more mature habitat is now bringing in more species.

Song Thrush was a good bird to get here; I would presume a juvenile moving through at this time of year.

The female Peregrine, now on her own at around 15 does spend a good few hours in the nest box at various times of day having a nap, age affects us all.

The Black Redstarts have again bred with 2 fledged juveniles seen in the southern area, both adults were taking food to a corner, and I could just about see 2 youngsters tucked up and hidden in the corner.

This late, I would expect 2nd brood juveniles, it has been a good year for them with young seen earlier in the summer at the Power Station.

The star bird however will go to a Kestrel, now present for over a month, he is quite approachable and very possibly came from a nest in nearby Battersea Park.

                                                    Sun bathing - always watching

                                                                    Female Black Redstart

                                                             Male Black Redstart