London Birding. (1 Viewer)

[dbradnum]

I could/should be goiing up to rainham to marshes next saturday.
Am i likely to see much in the way of short eared owls, dark legged pipits or winter grebes?
thanks in advance.

(Scandinavian) Rock and Water Pipits should both be OK along the seawall; there's been one particularly smart pale Water about in the last month or so. If you don't get any luck along the seawall from the visitor centre, try driving back west along the A13 for one junction, and turn off onto Ferry Lane then Coldharbour Lane. Just before a security barrier, turn right down to a carpark by the river, overlooking the famous stone barges - pipits are often present here. Best to visit on a fairly high tide.

Short-eared Owls are also best from this end of the site in late afternoon, viewing north over the silt lagoons just before the security barrier. Be sure to park sensibly here, since there's a fair amount of heavy traffic in this industrial area.

Pretty much no chance of winter grebes; they tend to be on the reservoirs rather than by/on the Thames. There's a few BNGs on Staines in West London at the moment, I think.

In general, check out the following sites for up-to-date birding news:
East London incl Rainham: http://www.elbf.co.uk/birdsightings.htm
All of London: http://editthis.info/londonbirders/LatestNews

Hope this helps

 

[On-Firecrest]

thanks for that david, i dont think there's any problem with my parking unsensibly as i'm only 15 . Rock or water pipit would both be lifers for me so thanks again.

 

[SPF]

London Wetlands- 10am
It was cold, very cold.

Just a complete list: Piedwagtail, blackbird, song thrush, carrion crow, ring-necked parakeet, mallard, collared dove, coot, grey heron, moorhen, tufted duck, magpie, siskin, blue tit, great tit, green woodpecker, corn bunting, little grebe, great-creasted grebe, shoveler, cormorant, teal, ruddy duck, lapwing, black-headed gull, jackdaw, robin, chaffinch, gadwell, wigeon, pochard (one had a really pale blue beak), peregrine falcon, bittern, wren, long-tailed tit, great spotted woodpecker, canada geese, kestrel, dunnock and starling.

Highlights- a juvenille kestrel sat about 10 feet from a path just sat watching the world, close up viewing of grey herons and, even though it was only a few seconds, the peregrine flying around the peacock hide. Unfortunately the bittern wasn't the greatest view.

All in all a good day out, even with the cold weather.

 

[On-Firecrest]

I managed a trip out to rainham marshes today and i saw the barnacles and the rock and water pipits. Trip report on my blog...eventually...

 

[On-Firecrest]

link to the trip report... cant believe i forgot to stick it in...D'oh http://youngbirders.blogspot.com/2007/12/3-ticks-and-dip.html

 

[aythya_hybrid]

Jack Snipe and Water Pipit both showing well from the Peacock Tower around 3pm yesterday at the Wetland Centre. Garganey was present early but had vacated the premises before my arrival.

 

[SPF]

I went to the Welsh Harp this morning and someone has smashed, not only the door, but one of the walls from the hide overlooking the Waterfowl part. This hide is normally locked. I’ve emailed, hopefully, the relevant people.

As I walked this morning for an hour or so and saw my first Goldcrest among a flock of long-tailed tits. The normal diverse collection of waterfowl was about (Gadwell, Teal, Shoveller, Tufted duck, Great-crested grebe, Canada geese, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen and Mute swan) with high numbers Grey Heron (>6) but only one cormorant (there is normally ~100, will they have just moved on to another inland site?). There was also a duck I could not identify; I’ve been trough Collins, Sterry, RSPB book and even November’s issue of Birdwatcher for it’s female duck ID insights but nothing 100%; the bird was sleeping and had a white face patch on the side and the rest of it’s head was black and the body itself was a reddy grey pattern on a white background (I hope that makes sense!). Among the woodland and scrub there was the usual suspects of finches and tits (Gold, Chaff, Great and Blue), 2 green woodpeckers, dunnocks, wrens, robins and a redwing amongst the song thrushes and blackbirds and a female kestrel hunting .

Hopefully, I’m off to either Rainham or Richmond Park tomorrow. I also keep meaning to head over to Wormwood Scrubs. Has anyone been recently?

 

[TomSmith]

There was also a duck I could not identify; I’ve been trough Collins, Sterry, RSPB book and even November’s issue of Birdwatcher for it’s female duck ID insights but nothing 100%; the bird was sleeping and had a white face patch on the side and the rest of it’s head was black and the body itself was a reddy grey pattern on a white background (I hope that makes sense!).

A winter-plumaged Ruddy Duck? (p69 in my Collins)

 

[SPF]

That's the closest I got as well espicially with the face patch but the tail was more like a tufted/pochard, i.e horizontal (probably should have aded that from my notes); i thought a possible hybrid since I've seen a few of the tufted/pochard/ferruginous mixes. Even the ducks stump me at times, even considering that they ae normally just sitting on the water!

 

[TomSmith]

That's the closest I got as well espicially with the face patch but the tail was more like a tufted/pochard, i.e horizontal (probably should have aded that from my notes); i thought a possible hybrid since I've seen a few of the tufted/pochard/ferruginous mixes. Even the ducks stump me at times, even considering that they ae normally just sitting on the water!

Ruddy ducks can hold their tails down just as much as up, and vice versa for tufted ducks; it's probably best to assume you've seen a proper species rather than a hybrid unless you're very convinced otherwise... (Especially with ferruginous ducks which are rare vagrants in this country anyway!) In any case this certainly sounds like a RD.

 

[SPF]

(Scandinavian) Rock and Water Pipits should both be OK along the seawall; there's been one particularly smart pale Water about in the last month or so. If you don't get any luck along the seawall from the visitor centre, try driving back west along the A13 for one junction, and turn off onto Ferry Lane then Coldharbour Lane. Just before a security barrier, turn right down to a carpark by the river, overlooking the famous stone barges - pipits are often present here. Best to visit on a fairly high tide.

Cheers for the info; I saw the pipits this afternoon. It some how took us nearly 4 hours to walk aross the sea wall and back; I didn't get the chance to see the barnacle geese but hopefully next weekend.

 

[SPF]

Ruddy ducks can hold their tails down just as much as up, and vice versa for tufted ducks; it's probably best to assume you've seen a proper species rather than a hybrid unless you're very convinced otherwise... (Especially with ferruginous ducks which are rare vagrants in this country anyway!) In any case this certainly sounds like a RD.

Yeah, your probably right. I'll try to get up again soon and see if I can see it again.

 

[dbradnum]

Cheers for the info; I saw the pipits this afternoon. It some how took us nearly 4 hours to walk aross the sea wall and back; I didn't get the chance to see the barnacle geese but hopefully next weekend.

Good stuff, SPF - glad the details proved to be useful. Hopefully the Barnies will stay a while longer, cracking birds.

 

[level seven]

London Wetland Centre

I plan to visit the London Wetland Centre next week. Has anyone been recently? The website mentions Bitterns. I should be so lucky I suppose! I'll be more than happy to see the usual suspects, not having been before, but if there's anything out of the ordinary around at the minute that would be a bonus.

Thanks.

 

[Dryocopus]

I plan to visit the London Wetland Centre next week. Has anyone been recently? The website mentions Bitterns. I should be so lucky I suppose! I'll be more than happy to see the usual suspects, not having been before, but if there's anything out of the ordinary around at the minute that would be a bonus.

Thanks.

Have a look here
http://www.wwt.org.uk/news/173/sightings.html

Reports the recent sightings.
Bittern has been showing well on some days! Even flying across the main lake!

Variety of passerines...and gulls...and ducks....!!

 

[esmondb]

I've been twice in the last couple of weeks - both times had great views of a peregrine hunting over the main lake - both times between 2.30 pm and 3pm.

 

[JohnnyH]

Hi Graham,

I popped up to the London Wet this morning, had nice views of 3 Lesser Redpolls, no sign of the Mealies reported earlier this week. Ditto with the Bittern, had 2 possible fly over Water Pipits from the Peacock Tower along with a Snipe & all the usual suspects. Nice place to visit, particularly during the week when it's quiet!, even if nothing rare shows.

Cheers,

John.

 

[mekon]

Hi Graham,

Also, you're pretty much guaranteed to see and hear Ring-Necked Parakeets around the main entrance and feeders, in case you havent been around these parts for some years!

You should definately visit the Peacock Tower. Commanding views, and there are always people in there to fill you in on the day's sightings

M

 

[paulwfromtheden]

Hi Graham,

I popped up to the London Wet this morning, had nice views of 3 Lesser Redpolls, no sign of the Mealies reported earlier this week. Ditto with the Bittern, had 2 possible fly over Water Pipits from the Peacock Tower along with a Snipe & all the usual suspects. Nice place to visit, particularly during the week when it's quiet!, even if nothing rare shows.

Cheers,

John.

Hi Johnny,
Was there on Sunday (along with 5 million other people). The locals reckon the Bittern has gone. There were a pair a Water Pipits visible from the Peacock Tower as well, so quite likely that was what you saw.

 

[aythya_hybrid]

wetland centre today

Decent day at the LWC today.

A fairly scraggy eclipse drake garganey was showing well on the wader scrape and latterly the reservoir lagoon until mid afternoon. Was hanging out with some teal and calling and displaying at times.

Bittern also showing from Headley Hide. 2 Water Pipit, Water Rail etc.