Early August at EIDB is usually quiet, but can throw up a few good birds. Today was just like that. The first circuit of the site produced just a few Common Terns (only one young was raised this year at EIDB) and a number of juvenile Reed Warblers. A watch of the Thames at high tide also produced very litte, until an adult Mediterranean flew past going west. Late July/early August is good for this species at the dock. The copse contained just a Blackbird. A Garden Warbler was feeding in the NW scrub, the first migrant Warbler of the Autumn. Over 10 juvenile Reed Warblers were in this area, mainly in the reeds, but two birds flew sorties into the scrub to buzz 2 Greenfinches. This went on for a couple of minutes until the Greenfinches had had enough and moved off. Searching through the loafing Mallards on the island produced 2 Teal, the first since April. It was at this point that a female Peregrine swooped over the island, probably after the young Mallards. The Peregrine tried another twice to grab some prey, but failed. Pandemonium broke out amongst the birds present on the dock, Coots and Moorhens made for the reeds, Gulls and Terns on mass attacked the Peregrine, ducks hid in vegetation on the island, and Crows and Magpies just made a lot noise. The Peregrine circled over the dock for about 5 minutes finally flying away west towards Canary Wharf. Life settled down again and all was quiet in the August sunshine.
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