Two fairly comprehensive visits this weekend, a solo mission on Saturday and with David and Gary on Sunday. The nagging south-westerly which seems to have been in situ for most of the summer dominated again this weekend, a female Mallard with seven newly hatched ducklings was at the basin on Saturday, almost certainly the last brood of what has been a very good breeding season for this species at the Lower Lea; on Sunday all seven ducklings had been washed through the grilles in the lock gate and into the Thames on a falling tide and only two remained when I left the site late morning. Common Teal numbers are rising daily now, on Saturday I counted 31 and on Sunday 49; Tufted Duck remain scarce with just three present on both days; a pair of Mute Swans were at Bow Creek on both days and a pair of Canada Geese were on the basin with another seven flying east on Sunday. Two Common Sandpipers were at Bow Creek on both days, a Stock Dove was at the Pura Foods peninsula on Saturday and a female Peregrine spent most of the morning on the Millennium Dome on Sunday. Movement on the Thames was slow, with nothing of note on Saturday and just two Common Terns moving east on Sunday. The only warblers I could find on Saturday were two Chiffchaffs, Sunday was better with at least two Reed Warblers, two Common Whitethroats and a Chiffchaff seen by me and Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat and Willow Warbler noted by David and Gary. Other passerines included a party of five Long-tailed Tits at the basin on Saturday and a Jay hoarding acorns on Sunday. It has not been a very good season for butterflies at the Lower Lea so a Painted Lady at the basin on Saturday was a welcome addition to the yearlist.
No comments:
Post a Comment