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.