Personal best Linnet count

Orchard Wharf, a disused gravel processing works lies immediately east of the basin; it was decommissioned in late 1997 and the following spring a pair of Little Ringed Plovers took up territory on a small patch of gravel and made three breeding attempts, all of which failed; the site continued to hold at least one pair for the next five years until weed growth made the habitat unsuitable. Black Redstarts also found this place to their liking and a pair are suspected of breeding most years although 2011 is the worst year I can remember for this species at the lower Lea. As it stands at the moment, partially overgrown with seeding weeds, it has become attractive to a roving Linnet flock numbering some 40 individuals, easily my best count here. These seemingly eco unfriendly pockets of habitat add variety to the mosaic of the patch and can produce some of the best birds to be found here and are not to be ignored. Six more species were added to the fledgling yearlist today: a Kingfisher at the basin, and what was almost certainly a different bird at Bow Creek, heralding an encouraging return to form for a species that was unaccountably AWOL for most of last year; a few Goldfinches in with the aforementioned Linnet flock; two Shelduck at Bow Creek and a third on the basin; a singing Song Thrush in the ecology park; three Reed Buntings feeding on phragmites at the basin and the female Pintail dabbling with Common Teal and Mallard at Bow Creek, the latter requiring a second visit late in the day after refusing to play ball early on. Common Sandpipers continue a strong winter presence, four were counted today, an excellent showing for January, at least 11 Redshank were also counted, all the waders were feeding on an ebbing tide at Bow Creek. There was a small movement of Woodpigeon mid morning, a flock of 29 moving high north-west; the Tufted Duck flock flock was up to 15 birds but it looks like both of December's Little Grebes have cleared out, this could be a tricky one to pull back unless something is done about the silt in the basin and that seems unlikely in the present economic climate.