Local Bully Boys

Hope that everyone that reads this has had a decent Christmas. Having got back from Toronto late on 23rd, I spent a few hours on Christmas Eve doing the neglected patch before getting amongst it with wrapping the presents. Anyway, I'd promised some of my Canadian friends a few 1st-winter (European) Herring Gull shots so that they'd provide a decent like-for-like on the smithsonianus we saw together at Niagara a couple of days previously. All these shots taken on 24th December.

A particularly advanced pale individual; note the frosting of the greater-coverts straight to the bases. Lacks the often dark bases that you see in smithsonianus

A fairly dark, relatively immature individual perhaps emanating from a more northerly latitude. But plumage wise, a typical bird - note the shelling on the tertials protruding well towards the base.

 

Dark underwing coverts, but argenteus and argentatus generally lack that velvet smooth texture to the underparts that smithsonianus show. Also note the distinct lack of an all dark tail and palish undertail-coverts.

A near-adult, though the head streaking is just that - it's not blotching. Those legs just don't get close to that bubblegum pink I saw in all the Niagara smithsonianus. In flight, dark area on primary-coverts suggested a 4cy.

Other than these gulls, the patch was really quiet with the lack of cold weather. Just the usual suspects around, and even the Mediterranean Gull did a no show in a brief look on the lake at Burgess Park.

Two great results

Ok, I've not mentioned this before on here. But, as you know by the name of this blog, my patch is Rotherhithe - even though it's pretty dire most of the time, at least I'm fortunate to live on my patch. And I live on an area of water called Greenland Dock...

aythya flock on Greenland Dock

So with 2012 and the dreaded Olympics only just around the corner, there was a proposed application to put 225 extra moorings on Greenland Dock for the Olympics next summer. I, along with loads of other local residents, had written with concern for this development (thinking that the extra moorings would become permanent rather than temporary). Thankfully, today, I heard that the planning committee refused it by majority vote because due to environmental concerns and loss of amenity for both disabled and able-bodied sailors using Tideway Sailability. We're still a little worried that the Council will try other means to get these moorings installed, as it'll be a decent money spinner for them. But the first battle, at least, is won.

Great Crested Grebe and co., Greenland Dock

Oystercatcher, Greenland Dock - graced the place for a few days in early spring a couple of years ago

Scaup - one of four present on Greenland Dock last winter

And the second massive result is that God has spoken - the Long-toed Stint at Weirwood Reservoir was one (seemingly an adult). For all those people who were doubting any video material, then suffice to say it just about did what it needed to do regarding proving the bird's identification.

Rotherhithe regulars

Between the 50 or so books that I had to mark today, I did manage to squeeze in a bit of local larid action. It wasn't as if I was targetting this genus, it's just the way it goes around here. It's basically gulls or bust, except when there's a freeze up, and especially on a day like today when there was little point looking for passers in Russia Dock Woodland due to the wind.

Black-headed Gull, Greenland Dock

Herring Gull, Greenland Dock

Basically, I saw very little - and even went to King George V dock on the other side of the river for a quick look. Had a pleasant time in the blustery conditions, taking shots of the commoner species, and got frustrated with a red-ringed 1cy Herring that just wouldn't play ball for detailed ring reading (presumably a Rainham/Pitsea bird). The aythya flock up to c.50 now, though still pretty poor given it's almost December but a sign of the mild conditions to date. All pretty mundane stuff, especially with the news of Gary Speed. Had a nice McFlurry on the way home to round things off.

Common Gull, Greenland Dock

Wish you were here? Yep, I do... but a shame it was just one of the many sails on the boats on Greenland Dock just outside my flat this a'noon.

Rotherhithe tickage

I decided to give Rotherhithe a bit of a running over this morning - dull, grey conditions made it feel like early autumn alright. I have a pretty much set routine, checking the River Thames only at low tide unless conditions for stuff passing through are on the cards. Today wasn't one of those days and 'the beach' by the Hilton Hotel just held the usual gulls.

Passerines aren't a strength of the place, but a bit of bashing over the last 3 years has produced notables including a couple of Firecrest and a Pied Flycatcher. And when I got to the end of Downtown road, by an area of rough ground adjacent to the doctor's surgery (where I've found Hobby and Wheatear in the past), I did my usual pishing and out popped a bit of colour. Nice - a Redstart and a first for me in Rotherhithe!

1st-winter male Redstart - lack of any grey on the greater-coverts ages it as a first-winter

ghosting of male plumage and bright underparts sexes it, albeit a dull male

Other stuff included a nice Sedge Warbler (pretty scarce here) and 3 Whitethroat. A fall by Rotherhithe standards, so pretty chuffed with the morning's haul. Also a couple of proud female Tufted Ducks on Globe Pond with 12 pretty young ducklings.

Going for a duck?

Ok, before I get going on this one I'll give you all the background. A couple of years or so ago, I was fortunate to be given some files by Dominic Mitchell from a deceased guy called Roy Alderton who watched Rotherhithe (a.k.a. Surrey Docks) in the halcyon days on the 1970s. Anyway, to cut a long story short, one sweet September day he stumbled across a pair of American Wigeons (the drake intermittently seen for 11 days) - the only record for London still to this very day. And it looked like this: -

London's only American Wigeon... ever

Confiding, confused but on the London list

Perhaps it's just the timing of the photo, but does the top photo seem to suggest that the bird is squawking for bread from the photographer? And it's tricky to judge colour on black and white photos (now there's a stupid statement if ever I wrote one), but there seems to be a paleness to the mantle and scapulars, and the flanks seem pale. The coverts are well vermiculated too, but within range for American Wigeon and the plumage is worn. Here is what birding's demi-God pre-Mullarney had to say about things in a letter addressed to the observer: -


Peter Grant's letter about the American Wigeons. Rotherhithe was a former patch of this birding trailblazer, before he headed to Kent.


The BBRC have, until at least now, given this bird the benefit of the doubt... but is it time that the London list was decreased by one and we wait for one at Rainham with a feel good factor?

There were more birds back in those days...

Relaxing times

It's been an enjoyable weekend, on the back of a rather hectic week at work. In Rotherhithe, Reed Warblers have successfully bred at Canada Water, the Common Terns are busy feeding young while Black-headed Gulls (including a few juveniles) are back in town and over the next few weeks will hopefully bring the odd scaly juvenile Med Gull with them.

Marbled White

People often go on about the decline of England's wildlife. Anyone been to Hampshire recently? I spent the weekend there, with my parents and at a mate's BBQ, and with the sun shining it was a delight. Just within the confines of my parent's garden I recorded 10 species of butterfly (including Marbled White and Ringlet) as well as a Yellowhammer singing and a juvenile Green Woodpecker calling rather pathetically. Reckon a few Quail could have been found if I'd had the time too...

Meadow Brown

Summer in Rotherhithe

A beautiful day, if not a little quiet on the birding front. Although Black-headed Gulls are now back in town, after the usual few weeks of near-absence - over 200 on the Thames this evening, though no juveniles just yet.

Rotherhithe is the only site in Inner London where Common Terns breed, and they usually settle down a little later than less urban locations. Therefore, it was good to see the first of the year's chicks at Surrey Water yesterday - at least one pair also is still incubating.

Vocal Common Tern

Inner London's first Common Tern chick of 2011

A visit to Burgess Park also produced a pair of Egyptian Geese protecting their nest - it was none other than these two vocal birds, that I photographed in Southwark Park in March, that had settled down and were still just as loud and territorial today as they were three months ago. Although you can't see it on the top photo, the gander bears a metal ring on its right leg.


Egyptian Geese in Southwark Park, March 2011



Egyptian Geese nesting in Burgess Park, June 2011