The week at the George

I've walked the George every day this week and offer this update a) to maintain the diary and b) for the one or two people that read my ramblings with a little interest.

19th... 59 Speices encountered with the highlights being 5 Redshank, a Dunlin, 4 Ostercatchers and 12 Common Sandpipers. My first House Martins for July came in with a large flock of Sand Martins and the Peregrine gave a nice fly by as it hunted north basin. The Common Terns still have one juvenile that they are feeding or teaching to fish for itself.

Peregrine 

20th July...56 Species with the highlights including 2 Teal and a massive flock of hawking Swifts that I estimated at around 600 birds but they are really difficult to count being so mobile and quick. 

The Oysterctachers that bred locally remain almost a fixture at the moment and one of yesterdays Redshank remained with 8 Common Sandpipers. On north basin I found a 2CY Caspian Gull which is my second this year. They need to be pretty obvious for me to get them as gulls are definitely not my strong point. On the rooftop I picked out an adult Yellow legged Gull which I think might be a site tick for me but is definitely a year tick so that was nice. The Common Terns are still tending the single surviving juvenile on north basin.

Yellow legged Gull

Common Tern

Fox

Common Tern

Cormorants

Caspian Gull 2CY

martins and Swallows

The 21st July.....(58 Species ) A single Redshank remained with the Oystercatchers and at least 10 Common Sandpipers (I like to ensure I'm not double counting so my counts if anything are lower than actual numbers present) The Great black backed Gull was again on the bouy first thing but moves off very early. There was no sign of the juvenile Common Tern today and left me thinking it had fallen prey to the Peregrine or Sparrowhawks. I only walked up and down east bank which is still over three miles but seems a lot shorter and allowed me more time focusing on the east side.

Common Tern

Swallow

Swallow

Swallow

Swallows

The 22nd.....61 Species encountered including 2 Redshank, 4 Osytercatchers and 15 Common Sandpipers. I counted the Tufted ducks again after living of the last count of 800 todays count was 920. Coots seem to be remaining stable around the 300 mark all month and just one or two Pochard have returned so far. The Gulls are now opting to stay on site all day I guess where they've finished breeding and numbers today peaked at over 600 Black headed Gulls and include the four ringed birds Ive found so far that have all been ringed as juveniles at Fishers Green between May and June this year. I had 3 Common Gull and picked out the Yellow legged Gull again on the roof top where to my surprise a second bird dropped in with a mixed large gull flock. The juvenile Common Tern reappeared on north basin easing my fears it had been predated and on south basin another pair were busy training their two juveniles. A large flock of Cormorants dropped in and a count revealed there to be exactly 100 birds in the flock. Parakeets flying from their Enfield roost were notable with some 309 counted as they flew east over the causeway. 2 Raven were very vocal at the north west end as they called to each other from the pylons.

Yellow legged Gull

Common Tern

Common Tern

Black headed Gull

The 23rd July...61 species seen as I walked the reservoir with Jim who braved the long walk after giving his foot a rest for a week or so. The Causeway held a Greenshank and 5 Redshank along with the 4 Oystercatchers and at least 13 Common Sandpipers. Overall counts are climbing with over 900 Tufted Ducks, 300 Coots, 66 Mallard and even the Geese are moving with 99 Canada counted today which included two hybrids. We counted 42 Egyptian which I think is my biggest count to date but I imagine that will be beaten pretty quick. There were 6 Common Gull present and the Great black backed was again on it's bouy until about 5.15am. Jimmy put me on a Little Grebe and we had good views of a Raven too. A Green Woodpecker flew up onto the footpath which could well be the first one I've seen this year as they're almost always heard only records here. A single House Martin was picked out of the hirundine flock and 3 of the 5 Mistle Thrush were seen.

Raven

Green Woodpecker

Green Woodpecker

The Greenshank behind the Egyptians...not my greatest record shot

Today I walked alone again giving Jim a rest day.

I encountered 58 Species including my second Hobby of the month and only my fourth for the year at the George and a Peregrine was seen on the pylons too. Two Yellow Wagtails was a nice find in north east corner and I counted at least 16 Common Sandpipers today. For the first time in ages I didn't see the 4 Oystercatchers although one was on south bank at 5am and flew north later on. I did see the Kingfisher again today as it sat on the railing behind the pump house for a while until I pointed the camera at it at least. The Great black backed Gull roosted again but again flew off before 5.15am and I again found two Yellow legged Gulls on the rooftops. Smart adult birds with clear Yellow legs when and if they do make an effort to stand. The mantle colour is somehwere between Heron and LBB and they both have a lot of red running into the top half of the beak. It can take a while to get a good view but worth the effort if they do wonder up from behind the ridge and into view. (I might have a drive round and see if the roof can be viewed from the industrial estate at some point)

Yellow legged Gull

Yellow Legged Gull to the right of the LBB gull

Hobby

Great black backed Gull

Any way it's been a good weeks birding taking my mind off the stress of life.... I'm having a new windscreen fitted today following a stone chip on the way back from the Hudwit, I'm aslo having the exhaust fixed following a split coming back from the LT Shrike. I've just fixed the brake lights and need a new parking sensor and tyre pressure sensor so the car is causing me a little trouble right now. Add to that the camera playing up and the memory card malfuncting along with my walking boots splitting it's been a testing week for the old wallet but onwards and upwards.