Friday, August 13, 2010
So I've been discussing with much erudition waffling on about how there are a couple of Sparrowhawks in Fulham and that I reckon that they are juveniles but they are never very close so I can't be certain that there is breeding in the patch and that I was waiting or looking for a third bird right so that I could confidently state that there was breeding, yeah?
[pauses for breath]
Well yesterday lunchtime I was going through the exact same routine as the previous days (standing, watching, waiting). And I was watching one Sparrowhawk, which was calling a lot, and I could hear another which also was calling a lot. So far, so the same, so fine - I'm not complaining. After a while there was some man made disturbance at the bottom of the tree that they had been sitting in. I cynically hoped that perhaps this would make them fly, perhaps revealing the toid boid. It didn't produce da toid boid.
It produced FOUR! Four bloody Sparrowhawks!
Patch gold, no doubt about it. Four Sparrowhawks circling above me and proof of breeding (as far as I am concerned). Nice.
Have some pictures (It was a bit dingy, so if I say that I was trying to do arty farty silhouette pictures I might get away with the distinct lack of quality).
Three Sparrowhawks
Three Sparrowhawks
A Sparrowhawk
A Sparrowhawk
A Sparrowhawk
Yes, I know I said that there were four, but they don't exactly understand how to pose for a family photo you know.
Friday, May 08, 2009
Proof indeed that birds can hatch eggs on my patch, rather than just watch them float off or sink. And I take back my condescending comments about Canada Geese just flying up and down the river, some of them sit still long enough to produce offspring. Like what they are supposed to yeah? I managed to see three little yellow heads over the boards, but would expect there to be a few more, and they are not that old by the look of them.
The birds are on the barges moored off Wandsworth Park. I ventured over there today with the intention of checking out whether or not there is any GBB action, as there was last year – but that particular barge was full of idle cormorants and loafing teenage Herring Gulls which are no doubt right up for a bit of gosling for their tea.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
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.
