counting coots

You might think from my scribbles and rants, dear reader, that there is little other than coots here. However, yesterday lunchtime I clocked up 24 mainly resident species, which is a good enough opportunity to run down what is hot, and what is not. This listing follows the system recommended by Voous (1977), but when he was a bit pissed up, yeah?



Mute Swan. 1 pair, on a nest for a couple of weeks now.



Tufted Duck. 11 pairs kicking about on the wandle, maybe more by the barges. Unlikely to breed.



Grey Heron. 2 regular with occasional others. Breeding not suspected.



Coot. 4 pairs. 1 pair more than last year. The extra pair have been forced onto the Thames. Successful breeding unlikely.



Herring Gull. Mainly non-breeding birds with the occasional adult. If they are nesting, I don't know where.



Wood Pigeon. I know of one nest being built - I suspect there are a couple more, and would be surprised if there are five or more.



Grey Wagtail. Not so prominent over the last few weeks, but did find a male yesterday in good habitat so hopefully the female was on a nest. Good prospects.



Wren. 3 or 4 singers - nesting suspected and likely.



Robin. Half a dozen singing throughout the patch. Likely breeder.



Carrion Crow. One nest known. At least 30 birds in the wider area. Will succeed in breeding.



Greenfinch. Common overwinter, but don't know if the noisy sites they liked then will be good for breeding. Tentative on their success.

Canada Goose. They fly up the river, they fly down the river.

Cormorant. Autumn numbers peaked at 93, but there are a few around but they don't much look like breeding adults to me.

Moorhen. 3 pairs. Have nested, but may have failed.

Lesser Black Backed Gull. 3 or more adults knocking around. Possible breeders but they need to hurry it up a bit.

Feral Pigeon. Don't care.

Ring-necked Parakeet. A few around - probably got a hole in Wandsworth Park somewhere.

Pied Wagtail. Occasionally seen, but wouldn't be surprised if they are tucked up in a corner.

Dunnock. 3 territories? Gawd knows how many birds, but should succeed.

Blackbird. At least 4 males around, almost guaranteed success.

Magpie. At least one pair, likely to nest but don't know if they will succeed.

House Sparrow. One nest known, same as last year - likely to succeed. There seems to be many more birds than nests.

Goldfinch. Present, but fuck knows what they are up to.

Others regulars but not suspected of breeding - Great Crested Grebe, Gadwall pair last week, GBB and the occasional fly by Black Headed Gull. Swifts have been seen in Wandsworth over the weekend so they should be around soon, followed by not bloody much else.


So here is a Heron, a chair, a fence post and a stone.