Brian's birding blog: January 2020

Thursday 30 January 2020

Garden Blackcap

With the recent cold spell further north I thought I was about due a Blackcap in the garden so yesterday morning I pinned a few apples up and low and behold this morning I found a male Blackcap sitting in the willow at the bottom of the garden so how's that for timing.

Blackcap

Year list now 167

I hope it finds the garden acceptable and enjoys the offerings I've put out for it.

Wednesday 29 January 2020

Return to Beckton for more of the Iceland Gull

I took Dad over to Beckton today as he wasn't able to make the trip yesterday with us and the Iceland Gull put in a stunning performance for us.

Iceland Gull

Just a few of the images taken today.

On the walk back I picked up what looked like the reported Siberian Chiffchaff among a small group feeding by the conifers but the sighting was brief so not confirmed but we enjoyed watching them feed all the same. A single Common Sandpiper the only other bird of note.

We also visited Wanstead today and enjoyed some great views of the pest we know as Ring-necked Parakeet. They seem to be taking over although we did see a couple of Stock Dove, a couple of Green Woodpeckers and a few Great Spotted Woodpeckers plus some Starlings all prospecting in the copse. Sadly we didn't manage to find any Little Owl on this occasion.

Ring-necked Parakeet

Tuesday 28 January 2020

Iceland Gull at Beckton Sewage works

We've been watching news of the Beckton Iceland Gull recently and Jim managed to get a little help with directions from Shaun H a couple of days ago so today we made the short drive down the north circular to Beckton. We parked as per the local advise at the Showcase Cinema and quickly found the track to the rear although we did take the wrong path marked riverside walk which took us back to Jenkins Lane but a quick U turn and we were back at the junction and took the North Lagoons path which was a pleasant walk past Beckton Creekside Nature Reserve to the very end of the river Roding where it meets the Thames.

The End of the Roding (or is it the start)

The gulls food source

We found the Iceland Gull in no time and managed a few record shots through the wire fence. A scan of the other gulls present revealed nothing out of the ordinary but we did get a bonus year tick with two Common Sandpipers on the river bank. We couldn't find the reported Siberian Chiffchaff and in fact didn't see many Chiffchaff at all.

Iceland Gull

Loving life at the sewage works

chilling by the Tanks

gave nice views through the fence

Iceland Gull

A nice local find

Year list now 166

A little more Cormorant

Old Green Eyes

One of my many favourite birds

A right poser

Got an itch

Fab birds

nice to find a relaxed Cormorant happy to pose for a few images

Great bird

a good stretch

Mind the gape

What's not to like

And a bit closer

Monday 27 January 2020

Wintering Turtle Dove at Valentine's Park Ilford

An organised birding party found a wintering Turtle Dove at Valentine's Park Ilford on Saturday and I watched yesterday as a couple of local guys connected so this morning I took the Jims down to Ilford to see if we could find the bird. We got to the park at 8.05am after an eight mile drive and walked down to the lake but on arrival the large flock of Collared Doves started to disperse and our search for the Turtle started. We walked the park a couple of times but I kept saying "it'll come back when the Collared Doves return" and sure enough at around 10.45am the Collared Doves did start to return and with them came the Turtle giving brief views before vanishing into the foliage on the island. I managed to grab a couple of record shots at distance and in the grey gloomy weather. Only a handful looking for the Dove today including a few familiar local faces and a couple more that had come a bit further for a London tick.