bits and bobs
Here are a random series of recent observations etc.
The GBB are no longer present on the barges. This may have been in reaction to the big announcement that I made regarding the imminent nuptials. They were there on Tuesday, but haven't been seen since. This may have had something to do with the low tide. Or it may not. I am disappointed as it means that I really will have to pay more attention to the Coots in the Wandle as there is little else to see.
The patch will be hosting another one of the truly wonderful Polo In The Park gigs this weekend, which is er, nice. Don't forget that this is supposed to be helping inner city kids get into polo and horsing (honestly), which was the justification for turfing over the running track. I'm just having difficulty in seeing all that on the website at the moment... In the chaos that ensued last year, a lorry backed up the Thames path, knocked over a concrete bollard, demolished a section of someones garden wall and smashed up a concrete bench. The bench (in the most shady and comfortable part of the path has yet to be replaced one year on. Thanks guys, nice touch.
I reckon that the Goldfinches that were assumed to be nesting on the Fulham side have fledged as it is all very quiet. During the course of the day you were almost guaranteed to hear lots of chattering and singing but it's all gone quiet, which I am taking as a good sign.
I still haven't seen any House Martins in the patch yet. Not that I see many, but that's not the point.
There was a pair of Canada Goose with two goslings on the Thames yesterday. Gawd knows where they came from.
A pair of Gadwall are still on the Wandle! What the... On Tuesday I thought that only the male was there and the female might be on a nest or something. It wasnt, it was hiding behind some mallard.
A Trumpeter Finch was at Cley recently, Mr GREvans issued an email (that anyone can subscribe to- other rare bird alerts are available) saying that it had been flushed enough and that it shouldn't be disturbed - but is this not what is supposed to happen anyway?
With the recent addition of Silvery Y and The Engrailed, my list of self found and identified moths has now broken the 15 mark. No, I didn't miss a digit out. The Engrailed, what a name.
Kate Humble said on telly the other night that the second world war was "fairly appalling". Fairly appalling? Stunning.
On the topic of Mr GREvans, on the Londonbirders group, there is the annual talk (rightly so) of not going public on Schedule 1 species. So how does Mr GREvans get away with his book about where and when to find rare birds? I don't know, but if anyone buys it for me for my birthday later in the year, I won't mind.
That's hypocrisy isn't it?
Doesn't matter, nobody will have read this far down such an enormous post, once they've seen the picture of the gosling, everyone will go 'aaaaah' and go somewhere else. Hypocrisy? I'll probably get away with it...
A gosling doing fluffy.
The green patch in the middle is where there was once facilities for commoners, but is no more.
