Saturday, 25 February 2012
Peregrine
Here is a fine photo from David Cottridge of one of our, hopefully, resident peregrines. Taken on Thursday from atop the gasometer.
DMC
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Sunday, 12 February 2012
Peregrine on gas holder
Sunday morning 12 Feb. Sorry it's a little soft was right at the end of the lens and on top of the gasholder.
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
Goosander?
Having managed to scare off most of the marshes birds by dropping my step down rings onto the metal grid of the green bridge (I was trying to spot the red breasted merganser that Pete had mentioned) I managed to get a shot of what I take to be a Goosander which has been north of the green bridge for a while. Also got sight of a water rail further down river towards the moorings. On the Sunday after the snow a startling thing happened! Because there was no traffic noise I found out that the birds visiting my feeder actually make quite a lot of wing noise! It was really amazing to 'hear' Great tits and Blue tits fly in and out! Dermot
Monday, 30 January 2012
Peregrine
Pete Lambert wrote today:
Over the last few days there have been daily sightings of an adult peregrine perched on the top of the gasometer at the NW of the West Marsh. Now Michael has sent me a text saying there were two peregrines there today This raises the possibility once again of peregrines trying to breed locally. Please do keep a lookout for peregrine on the gasometer. If people want to send me details of their sightings, I'm happy to collate them and circulate. This is the gasometer on which a pair of kestrels fledged young in 2011 and 2010, so maybe competition!
Does anyone know who owns the gasometer? Centrica? LB of Enfield or Haringey?
DMC
Over the last few days there have been daily sightings of an adult peregrine perched on the top of the gasometer at the NW of the West Marsh. Now Michael has sent me a text saying there were two peregrines there today This raises the possibility once again of peregrines trying to breed locally. Please do keep a lookout for peregrine on the gasometer. If people want to send me details of their sightings, I'm happy to collate them and circulate. This is the gasometer on which a pair of kestrels fledged young in 2011 and 2010, so maybe competition!
Does anyone know who owns the gasometer? Centrica? LB of Enfield or Haringey?
DMC
Wednesday, 25 January 2012
Latest Sightings
Pete Lambert wrote today:
Started well with a single Redwing calling in the trees at the north of East Marsh which was my first record in 2012 here, as well as four Fieldfare calling from these trees. Possibly all these had been roosting overnight, as I didn't see them as I returned through the area going home. 2 Greylag Geese west over here too. Goosander briefly over NE from Lockwood Reservoir plus a second bird that might have been a Merganser or Goosander. Met Terry here and both saw little Egret fly NW from Res. Terry also saw Reed Bunting here which I missed. Little Grebe in channel north of Green Bridge plus Teal and Tufted Ducks. Rest of Marshes generally quiet, male Reed Bunting at Stinebridge Wood, just one Grey Wagtail in Pymmes Brook from Cetti Bridge and Chiffchaff plus Goldcrest near Gasometer. Female Goosander in channel by Banbury Res (just east of East Bridge). On Banbury Res (no access to public) Red-breasted Merganser, four Goosander. Counted 15 different Song Thrushes singing as I walked round Marshes between 8am and 10.15.
DMC
Started well with a single Redwing calling in the trees at the north of East Marsh which was my first record in 2012 here, as well as four Fieldfare calling from these trees. Possibly all these had been roosting overnight, as I didn't see them as I returned through the area going home. 2 Greylag Geese west over here too. Goosander briefly over NE from Lockwood Reservoir plus a second bird that might have been a Merganser or Goosander. Met Terry here and both saw little Egret fly NW from Res. Terry also saw Reed Bunting here which I missed. Little Grebe in channel north of Green Bridge plus Teal and Tufted Ducks. Rest of Marshes generally quiet, male Reed Bunting at Stinebridge Wood, just one Grey Wagtail in Pymmes Brook from Cetti Bridge and Chiffchaff plus Goldcrest near Gasometer. Female Goosander in channel by Banbury Res (just east of East Bridge). On Banbury Res (no access to public) Red-breasted Merganser, four Goosander. Counted 15 different Song Thrushes singing as I walked round Marshes between 8am and 10.15.
DMC
Thursday, 19 January 2012
Latest Sightings -Tuesday, 17th January
Pete Lambert wrote on Tuesday.
A very cold morning when I started out at 7.40am. Started well when I caught up with the female Red-breasted Merganser that Terry and Kevin have both seen recently. It flew up (with 2 male Goosander) from the channel that runs west of the Banbury Res but was south of the path there, so inside Walthamstow Res. Didn't see it close but from Terry and Kevin's description it does have the distinctive dark patches round the eyes so is the "usual" bird. This has been returning every winter since at least 24 Dec 2005. But it may have been coming here longer than that.
Very cold with most of the Lee Navigation frozen, so not many birds on that, but Teal and Tufted Duck in the channels. Probably two Water Rails, as I saw one just east of Stonebridge Lock at 8.30 and then one at the Green Bridge at 10am (thanks to Terry who had seen this one earlier). As I walked on to Stonebridge Wood, a large falcon flew NW over my head. When I got to the NW of the West Marsh there was an adult Peregrine sitting on the Gasometer, which I presume was this bird. it flew off NE.
Had a shouting conversation across the Lee Navigation with Terry - he'd seen a couple of groups of Fieldfare that I didn't see (27 in total?).
When I left at 10.30, the Red-breasted Merganser was asleep on the west edge of the Banbury Res with four Goosander. A Lapwing flew south over Banbury and then Walthamstow Res as I left.
DMC
A very cold morning when I started out at 7.40am. Started well when I caught up with the female Red-breasted Merganser that Terry and Kevin have both seen recently. It flew up (with 2 male Goosander) from the channel that runs west of the Banbury Res but was south of the path there, so inside Walthamstow Res. Didn't see it close but from Terry and Kevin's description it does have the distinctive dark patches round the eyes so is the "usual" bird. This has been returning every winter since at least 24 Dec 2005. But it may have been coming here longer than that.
Very cold with most of the Lee Navigation frozen, so not many birds on that, but Teal and Tufted Duck in the channels. Probably two Water Rails, as I saw one just east of Stonebridge Lock at 8.30 and then one at the Green Bridge at 10am (thanks to Terry who had seen this one earlier). As I walked on to Stonebridge Wood, a large falcon flew NW over my head. When I got to the NW of the West Marsh there was an adult Peregrine sitting on the Gasometer, which I presume was this bird. it flew off NE.
Had a shouting conversation across the Lee Navigation with Terry - he'd seen a couple of groups of Fieldfare that I didn't see (27 in total?).
When I left at 10.30, the Red-breasted Merganser was asleep on the west edge of the Banbury Res with four Goosander. A Lapwing flew south over Banbury and then Walthamstow Res as I left.
DMC
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