Mainly Wildfowl

During July there are subtle changes to the birdlife of this area. Gulls start to return, some passage of waders and later in the month, Terns. Also wildfowl numbers start to increase. This latter event was obvious today with over 120 ducks on the basin. Over 100 of these were Mallards, including quite a number of near full grown youngsters. Six Teal were also present, this is unusual, birds don't usually start returning until August, in fact I am not sure if they have been recorded in any previous July. Also at large was the escaped Chestnut Teal, Australian in origin. This is quite an aggressive individual who was evicting Mallards from the slipway and taking over the area of the nearby Tern Rafts. Considering his origin, maybe he should be called Rupert.
There was very little else, just one Common Tern on the Thames, a very meagre return. Sand Martins are still breeding, presumably second broods and three Swifts flew north.

Second quarter: April to June 2011 summary

At least two pairs of Shelduck were present throughout and showed signs of breeding but as in previous years no conclusive evidence was found. The last wintering Common Teal lingered into early April with nine on the 10th, a small spring passage was then noted from the end of April with a pair on the 25th and a male on the 29th and two males on May 7th with one still present next day. A Gadwall on May 1st was the only record of the period and a male Pochard was noted at East India Dock Basin on April 24th & 27th and June 13th. Tufted Duck numbers peaked at 63 on April 20th and a male marked with a red saddle of Portuguese origin was present on April 17th and, remarkably, it was joined by a female on May 1st with both birds then seen intermittently until May 9th. Single Sparrowhawks were noted on May 1st & 30th with two on June 1st, Common Buzzards were logged flying south-west on April 27th and north on May 7th, there were only two records of Kestrel, singles on April 30th and June 19th and two of Peregrine, on April 10th and June 1st. The first Oystercatcher of the spring was noted on April 2nd with two seen on many dates from April 17th and a peak count of four on May 6th. Two pairs of Little Ringed Plover were holding territory with song flighting observed on several dates. Common Sandpiper passage commenced with a single on April 5th then two on April 10th, four on April 17th & 24th, three on April 25th and a single flock of six down the Thames on May 1st. A 2nd-summer Mediterranean Gull was found on June 1st with a 1st-summer bird noted on June 3rd & 4th; non-breeding mainly 1st-summer Black-headed Gulls began to build up during June with a peak count of circa 190 on the 19th. The only Arctic Tern of the period was on the Thames on April 17th along with five Common Terns, the first of the year; the peak spring count was just seven on May 7th, whilst two pairs attempted to breed but were both unsuccessful. A pair of Stock Doves was noted on several dates until May 7th and a Collared Dove passed through on April 2nd with a Ring-necked Parakeet on May 30th. Common Swifts were elusive with singles noted on May 14th & 30th and June 4th and then a good local count of 42 heading south during inclement weather on June 12th. The first Sand Martins of the year were two on April 10th, numbers peaked at nine on April 17th and two pairs bred successfully. Swallow passage was very poor with just two west on April 24th, five on April 27th and one north on May 1st. It was a very good period for House Martins with the first of the year on April 17th followed by two on April 24th, one on April 25th, five on April 27th, two on May 1st, four on May 14th, one on May 19th, two on May 30th, four on June 1st, two on June 3rd and two on June 19th, such a continuous series of sightings suggest that breeding has taken place locally. The only Meadow Pipit passed through on April 17th, Northern Wheatears enjoyed a good spring passage with singles on April 2nd, 6th, 20th & 19th and May 1st with a site record count of four on April 5th whilst a Whinchat on May 8th constituted the first spring record of this migrant at the Lower Lea. The first singing Reed Warbler was logged on April 10th and numbers gradually built up to a minimum of 16 singing on May 8th with at least six pairs staying on to breed. A Sedge Warbler was singing in the northern scrub on April 17th followed by single singers nearby on April 25th & 29th. The first probable migrant Blackcap was noted on April 5th with at least six singing by April 10th, one pair definately bred in the copse and at least two other pairs probably bred, the only Garden Warbler of the period was a showy non-singer in the copse on May 12th. The first Common Whitethroats appeared on April 17th with five present by April 24th, Two Lesser Whitethroats appeared on April 23rd and one or two were noted singing until May 8th. The first singing Chiffchaffs were noted on April 2nd and passage continued throughout the month but there was no evidence of breeding; the first singing Willow Warbler was also on April 2nd with singles on April 5th & 6th and two on April 17th the only other records in a poor spring for this species. An elusive Spotted Flycatcher was in the copse from May 12th to 17th, a species usually associated with autumn passage in the Lower Lea and the second site record of Rook involved a singleton flying east at the ecology park on April 17th. After a good showing last year the only record of House Sparrow was a singleton in the ecology park on May 6th. A singing Chaffinch was noted on May 1st but not thereafter and a singing Reed Bunting on April 10th with a pair seen on May 19th. Finally an escaped male Chestnut Teal, an Australian species, was noted intermittently from June 13th and a Common Seal was in the Thames off the basin on May 6th.

Lower Lea Common Sandpipers

Last winter up to three Common Sandpipers overwintered in the Lower Lea and could reliably be found in the high tide roost on the western side of Bow Creek Ecology Park. It has been known for several years that this is one of the best sites in London to see this species during the winter months but a paper in the latest edition of British Birds magazine reveals that as the Lower Lea holds at least 1% of the UK wintering population (which is estimated to be just 73 individuals) it is of important conservation significance. The full paper entitled Overwinter population estimates of British waterbirds can be found in British Birds, volume 104, pages 364 to 397. It is an interesting and sometimes surprising read and highly recommended.

The Eels Foot

A very quiet visit, with the only noteworthy sighting being five Oystercatchers flying down the Thames. The Common Terns seem to have abandoned their breeding attempts on the basin, this will be the first time that this species has'nt successfully bred at EIDB since the rafts were installed in 1998.
An amusing scenario involved a Cormorant trying catch an Eel in the basin. It managed catch the Eel in shallow water, but let it go. The Eel landed on the mud and started wriggle away with the Cormorant floundering after it. The Eel managed to reach water again and swam off, the Cormorant by this time was completely caked in mud and to make matters worse was crapped on by a Lesser Black-backed Gull which was attracted by the commotion. Thinking of Eels, the band The Eels played Glastonbury and were all beards and flat caps, in fact quite a bit of Glastonbury seemed to be beards and flat caps, so at last after many years I am at the height of fashion, much to the consternation of my teenage children. To have a dad so hip(pie) is somthing of an embarrasment for them. The Eels Foot is a fine pub near Minsmere.

Wild Place Your Space: The Final Countdown

Sunday 5th June saw this venture at EIDB draw to a close. Fifty Four bird species were recorded, with the highlights undoubtably the five records of Mediterranean Gull seen on four different days. Before this there had only been seven records of this species in twelve years. All but one of the records having been during late spring and summer. Another species that was seen more than usual was the Oystercatcher. Usually seen in the area upto early May, there were a number of sigthings suggesting that perhaps a breeding attempt is taking place nearby. The area confirmed its reputation for a lack of Swifts, with just five being recorded in 42 hours of watching!. Overall it was a worthwhile project, during a quiet time for bird sightings. Somewhere around 800 people passed through, who will hopefully now know what an excellent place EIDB is for wildlife, and that can only be good for its future.

Wild Place Your Space Update

Three days into the week of the watchpoint and its producing some interesting sightings. Two Mediterranean Gulls (not sure of the ages) on the 31st May, and a 2nd Summer bird on the 1st June. This could well be the bird thats been reported flying upriver from Crayford. A Litte Egret ( 1st record for 2011) and a House Sparrow (very unusual at the dock). Today aslo saw 2 Oystercatchers, 4 House Martins and a Swift, though the Swift was dead and floating in the river. In 18 hours of watching only one Swift has been recorded, cementing EIDB's reputation as a Swift no fly zone. The 1st Summer Black-headed Gulls have now increased to 80, including one ringed indivual, white ring, black lettering 21C3 on the left leg.
The watchpoint and the RSPB stand are also showing the local residents what a fine place EIDB is for birds and other wildlife, and how watching wildlife can be entertaining and informative. So far 50 bird species have been recordrd.

Wild place Your Space

For the next seven days at EIDB, the RSPB are running the above event. It is fairly low key, just a few tents and guided walks and wildlife trails. There is also a watchpoint which will be expertly run by the East London Birders Forum. This watchpoint will be manned from 10.00am to 4pm every day until Sunday. It will be interesting to see if anything unusual is recorded, as this will be the most intensive birding this site has ever received. Also importantly this event should re-establish EIDB as a Nature Reserve, something which seems to have been forgotten in recent years.
Well what of this mornings sightings, for a quiet time of year there was a few things for the notebook. Forty 1st summer Black-headed Gulls were on the Basin and two Common Gulls, unusual at this time of year. A single Swift flew over, always one for the notebook. Two House Martins were collecting mud and a Sparrowhawk drifted over. I even managed to record a first for the year when a Ring-necked Parakeet flew into the copse. So quite a good morning, and the nest six days should hopefully produce something.

Spot On

Back to basics after my trip to Cornwall which had loads of birds and a few people. EIDB is usually the other way round. Nick had a couple of good birds (Spotted Flycatcher and Garden Warbler) on Thursday evening in the copse, so I checked here first, though with clear skies I did'nt expect anything. After about 10 minutes of scouring the copse the Spotted Flycatcher flew into view on top of a tall tree, and then it flew into the depth of the copse. The copse at this time of the morning (07.30) was lively. A pair of Chaffinches, Blackcaps, Greenfinches and a male Reed Bunting and a Jay were present, but at about 09.30 it all went quiet. The Spotted Flycatcher could not be relocated. The Thames was again dead even though the tide was flowing. The weather started to change as the wind veered to the NW and cloud replaced clear skies. A Common Swift flew over, the first sighting this year, and I breathed a sigh of relief, this can be a hard bird at EIDB. One worrying sign was that the dock had the lowest ammount of water I have ever seen here, a combination of low tides, a lack of rain and leaky lock-gates were probably to blame, though water began to flow in as I was leaving

Dock Leave

An early morning visit before I head off for Cornwall for a few days, hopefully to see a few good birds and recharge the batteries. Its still very quiet on the river, the Thames in this area has so far failed to produce, though just a few miles down river at Barking and Creekmouth there have been plenty of good birds. Maybe the "Spanish Plume" will bring some stuff in. The most interesting sighting today on the Thames was a Common Seal hauled out on the 02 mudflats. Four Oystercatchers flew down the river and that was about it. A female House Sparrow was at the Ecology Park, a unusual sight here, though May is the best time to see this species here, and a Lesser Whitethroat was singing at Bow Creek. The Common Swift was as usual elusive, this must be one of the few places where Swifts can be absent from a year list (it has happened).

From Portugal to Poplar

The two Tufted Duck wearing nasal saddles at East India Dock Basin on May 1st, have been traced to Portugal, around 1375 kilometres from the patch! Both birds were saddled at São Jacinto Dunes Nature Reserve, Portugal; the male on December 16th 2007 and the female on January 14th 2011. Both birds were noted in the São Jacinto area until February 28th this year and were then refound in France at the Reserve de la Graude Noé, Val de Reuil, Normandie, where they remained from March 26th to April 8th. The next sighting, of the male only, was at East India Dock Basin on April 17th and again on April 27th. Unfortunately no details of the saddle could be made out so it was not until the female turned up on May 1st that a positive identification could be made. The above photographs were taken in Portugal and I am grateful to David Rodrigues for giving me permission to reproduce them here. Anyone who may be interested in the work being done in Portugal can find out more here: http://www.pt-ducks.com below are the details for both birds:

Male, saddle: U1 red: ring number: L68769, juvenile male (euring code 3)

marked at São Jacinto Dunes NR, Portugal on 16/12/2007 and seen locally until 3/3/2008

returned on 29/12/2008 and seen locally until 22/2/2009

returned on 5/12/2009 and seen locally until 8/3/2010

returned on 14/1/2011 and seen locally until 28/2/2011

Female, saddle: 1 red: ring number: LV1732, juvenile female (euring code 5)

marked at São Jacinto Dunes NR, Portugal on 14/1/2011 and seen locally until 28/2/2011

both birds were then seen at Reserve de la Graude, Noé, Val de Reuil, Normandie, France from 26/3/2011 to 8/4/2011, about 1232 kilometres from Säo Jacinto before the male turned up at East India Dock Basin on 17/4/2011 followed by the female on 1/5/2011, about 1375 Kilometres from São Jacinto.

Another red-saddled Tufted Duck

I photographed this female Tufted Duck at the basin this morning, the red saddled male was here and I was trying to attract him (unsuccessfully) with some (wholemeal) bread when Gary spotted this one, hopefully the cryptic pattern on the saddle will mean something to somebody There was some passage today including seven Mute Swans east, a group of six Common Sandpiper east, a Swallow north, two House Martins and a male Wheatear on Orchard Wharf. Most of the recent warblers have moved through with just three Reed Warblers, two Common Whitethroats and three Blackcaps present. Other notables included a pair of Greylag Geese, Sparrowhawk, two or three Oystercatchers, the 1st-winter Common Gull still hanging on, seven Common Terns and a singing Chaffinch.

I should have gone to the Wedding

I thought this morning might be quiet with most of the country seemingly occupied with a couple of rich kids in Westminster. How wrong i was, EIDB was full of people early on. The keep fitters were thronging the dock and the woodland, and there was a full scale dog-fight on the meadow. This small nature reserve will not be able tolerate this ammount of disturbance, which is sadly increasing. With most of the area heavily disturbed I decided to concentrate on the Thames, which so far this year has been moribund. The conditions did look a little hopeful, rising tide, cloudy and a northerly wind, though a bit of rain is usually helpful. Thirteen Shelducks flew upriver and a male Gadwall flew into the dock, but thats as good as it got. There was hardly any birdsong apart from Reed Warblers and a couple of Blackcaps, but that could pick up as it warms up, and it was a visit to file under forgetable.

Seventy Up

Its taken some time and it has been a struggle, and I am still well down on my total at this time in 2010, but I have finally reached 70 for the patch this year. Things were very quiet early this morning. The Thames again was very quiet, when is it going to spring into life?. Then about 9 O'clock the site woke up, as often happens at this time of day. A lesser Whitethroat was singing in the Eastern scrub, though was elusive, and was'nt seen. Three Swallows flew north and a male Pochard flew into the Basin, my first record this year. This was followed by a male Teal, this species has usually departed by now. Thirty Tufted Ducks were on the Dock, including red saddle. A stroll along Bow Creek revealed three Common Sandpipers and five House Martins flying low over the water. House Martins can be tricky birds at this site, but last year and again this yaer birds have been present in the Bow Creek area. Two more Swallows flew over and just as I was leaving and putting the bins away, I saw a Crow buzzing another bird overhead. A mad scramble ensued to retrieve the bins and I was rewarded with a fine Common Buzzard which leisurely flew SW. It saw off the Crow and drifted down lower giving excellant views, a good bird for number seventy.

Pochard at East India Dock Basin

Common Tern at East India Dock Basin, April 2011

Pochard at East India Dock Basin, April 2011

Apart from attracting Common Terns back to East India Dock Basin, the stable high water level pulled in another species today which almost certainly would not have turned up if the silt had prevailed, the male Pochard in the photograph was found on a final sweep of the basin early this afternoon just as I was about to give up adding anything new to my yearlist. Other interest today included two House Martins feeding with Sand Martins over Bow Creek and two vocal Swallows flying west at the basin; four Common Sandpipers were feeding together at Bow Creek on the falling tide and three Little Ringed Plovers were on the Pura Foods peninsula. At least six Reed Warblers were singing throughout the site along with five Common Whitethroats and at least five Blackcaps, although the actual count of this species is probably much higher as several of the birds were very mobile making an accurate count impossible.

Senses Working Overtime

A clear blue sky, little wind and the heat already beginning to rise, and a mighty haze on the Thames. This was early morning at EIDB. There were half a dozen Common Terns on the Thames and four of these started to prospect the rafts on the Dock, an encouraging sign. Apart from this there was little on the river. Two Oystercatchers were on the Dock, an unusual occurance. EIDB can be a noisy sort of place and you need your ears plugged in and your eyes alert to detect sounds or movements from the scrub, A busy road passes behind the Northern scrub, and the Docklands Light Railway shuffles along above it, and the Dock is on the flightpath of the London City Airport. So hearing birds can be difficult particularly if the song is soft. But I thought I heard a Lesser Whitethroat in the Eastern Scrub, it was rattling very softly and also doing some sub-song. It appeared at the top of a small tree before moving to the Northern Scrub. I later heard another along Bow Creek. I was pleased to get this species (first for the year) as they can be difficult here. By 10.00am the Dock was boiling hot and it was time to leave.

Terns provide a boost

Things have been generally quiet at EIDB this spring, so an early morning visit to check the Thames for Terns was more in hope than judgement On arrival the basin was very quiet as was the Thames. A Willow Warbler and Blackcap were singing in the copse. Then I heard that familar cry, and two Common Terns flew over the dock and then back to the river, to be joined by two others. Another Tern was heading upriver but was a different shape and flying more bouyantly, surely an Arctic, as it flew past me and headed north, this was confirmed. A Common Whitethroat then appeared in the copse. Met up with Nick who had seen a House Martin on the creek (a tricky species here). A watch of the Thames and the sky revealed just one more Common Tern, a Meadow Pipit and a Peregrine. The high tide roost at Bow Creek held four Common Sandpipers, but by 09.30 things had gone very quiet.

Taking the gloss off

Bouyed up by yesterdays Glossy Ibis sighting over Leytonstone, I arrived at EIDB early to coincide with the rising tide. Clear skies and a keen NW wind are not usually conditions that are productive in this area, and that was the case. The Thames was very quiet with just four Oystercatchers moving downriver the only sighting of note on the river. Overhead was quiet as was the copse (1 Willow Warbler) and the northern scrub. There were three Common Sandpipers on Bow Creek and a singing Linnet at Orchard Wharf. A singing Reed Warbler at the Ecology Park gave brief views and a Blackcap was in song. Wildfowl are gradually decreasing in numbers, with 30 Tufted Ducks and seven Teal. The Thames usually comes to life in the 2nd week of April so things should start moving soon.

First quarter: January to March 2011 summary

Mild weather over the Christmas period meant that the new year got off to a quiet start; the female Pintail from last December was present on January 1st and was seen intermittently until the end of the month, a good January count of 13 Shelduck was also made on the 1st along with 258 Common Teal, four Redshank and a Common Sandpiper in the roost, Single Chiffchaff and Reed Bunting and the only Kingfisher of the month; there was also a small movement of Woodpigeon in two flocks of 23 and eight, all birds going north. Two Gadwall were found on the 2nd and were the vanguard of a small influx that included a record count of six on the 10th and two on the 11th and 15th; a very elusive Water Rail was in the copse on the 2nd, and the western reedbed on the 18th and a 1st-winter type Black Redstart was seen on the 2nd, 9th and 29th; three Redwing were noted on the 2nd with the only other sightings for the month a total of 43 moving south in flocks of 30 and 13. Common Teal numbers had risen to around 275 on the 3rd, five Redshank were in the roost, two Peregrines were on the Millennium Dome and the only Little Grebe of the month was trilling from Bow Creek. A Stock Dove was present on the 9th and the following day a very elusive Chiffchaff was in the copse, it had a contact call identical to the eastern form tristis (Siberian Chiffchaff) but no plumage details could be ascertained so it will have to remain a possible. A good local count of 18 Linnet was made on the 10th with the same number noted on the 19th, wildfowl included a high count of 108 Mallard also on the 10th with the only Blackcap of the month, a female, in the copse the following day. The Greenfinch roost behind the Esso garage was only used sporadically with a peak count of circa 50 on the 17th, a monthly high count of Reed Buntings was made on the 17th when six were in the pylon reedbed at dusk. Two male Peregrines were involved in a low level territorial dispute over the ecology park on the 23rd, the wader roost held 12 Redshank and three Common Sandpipers, both monthly peak counts and an adult Yellow-legged Gull was on the Millennium Dome mudflats, the month came to an end with Common Teal numbers peaking at 300 on the 29th.

February was also very mild and as a consequence the only addition to the yearlist was Great Spotted Woodpecker on the 11th, a good local count of 11 Great Black-backed Gulls was also made on the same day. The female Pintail and the elusive Water Rail were both seen on the 20th, the only February sightings of both species, three Common Sandpipers were in the roost on the same date along with a monthly peak count of 16 Redshank. Peak wildfowl counts included 212 Common Teal on the 20th and 62 Tufted Duck on the 22nd, a good local count of 14 Chaffinch was made on the 22nd and two Herring Gulls of the Scandinavian form argentatus were identified at Bow Creek on the same date.

A record count of 17 Pied Wagtails was made on March 5th but this total was bettered next day when at least 19 were recorded, the overwintering Water Rail was in the western reedbed on the 5th and was last noted on the 15th. The first Oystercatcher of the spring appeared on March 6th with two noted on the 10th and 19th, six Greylag Geese, also on the 6th, were new for the year and on the same date the wader roost held ten Redshank and three Common Sandpipers, both monthly peak counts and two argentatus Herring Gulls were identified. The first Kestrel of the year was seen on the 10th along with the overwintering female Pintail and a monthly peak count of 66 Tufted Duck; Common Teal peaked at 107 on the 13th but thereafter numbers fell steadily with only 34 present on the 29th; two Chiffchaffs in the ecology park on the 13th were probably migrants and the first passage Meadow Pipit flew east on the 15th with two on the 26th and 27th. The last Redshank of the winter was noted on the 19th which was also the last date for the overwintering Pintail, also on the 19th singles of Stock Dove and Collared Dove were noted. The two main harbingers of spring in the Lower Lea, Little Ringed Plover and Sand Martin were over a week late this year with singles of both species appearing on the 25th along with only the second sighting of Kingfisher for the year, Little Ringed Plover numbers rose to four on the 28th along with a monthly peak count of eight Shelduck. The last few days of the month were good for passage with two Jackdaws through on the 26th, a Collared Dove on the 27th, a Common Buzzard flying north on the 28th and a Fieldfare on the 29th. Finally, a Common Seal was in the Thames at the basin on the 13th and 19th.

Water the giver of life

Another early pre-work visit. I had quite a shock when I arrived at EIDB, there was loads of water in the basin. High tide was 3 hours ago, it should have flowed out by now. A check at the lock gates held the answer, the sluices have been raised, Hallelujah. The consequences of this was that there were birds all over the basin. 59 Tufted Ducks, with most on the island (yes it is an island again), 10 Teal, Mute Swans, 3 LRP's and loads of Mallards. I hope that this now will be a temporary solution to the silting problem. A male Northern Wheatear was on the Pura site, a Willow Warbler and Blackcap at the Eco Park. The copse at EIDB held a Blackcap and a very quiet singing Willow Warbler, almost a whisper, must be the Bob Harris of Willow Warblers. Two Oystercathers were on the Thames, but the river was otherwise quiet. It should spring into life in next 7-10 days. Nothing new was added to the year list (birding isn't just about the numbers game) but it was encouraging visit

Wait here

Arrived quite early at EIDB to find that the outdoor gym was already in full swing (i thought that this was supposed to be a Nature Reserve). So decided to head across to view the old Pura Foods site, which seems to have the most scope for interesting birds, probably due to the site's lack of public access. A quick scan revealed at last a Northern Wheatear, standing on top of a pile of stones. It was a female, a bit distant but nonetheless a Wheatear. I have spent many hours searching and waiting for one to crop up, particularly at the Pura site, which looks ideal for this doyen of spring migration. They have been slow this year and other London birders have spent many hours waiting for this species to arrive.
Back at the dock, the gym had quietened down. The copse had a singing Willow Warbler (first of the year) and a Chiffchaff. Four Sand Martins were prospecting the dock walls, and a couple of Oystercatchers flew down the river.There was next to nothing moving overhead and the Thames was quiet. Then the next arrival of keep fitters meant it was time to leave.

Same as it ever was

Another early pre-work visit in a blustery south-west wind which did not look to promising. This turned out to be all to true. No spring migrants were seen or heard, and the handful that have previously arrived, have either moved on or are keeping low.
Teal numbers were below 20 and 4 Shelducks and a Kestrel were the only birds of note. I have been birding for over 30 years and I know the memory can play tricks, but this is the slowest spring migration I can remember for some time. Still it is April tomorrow and things can only get better.

Migrants at last

An early pre-work visit paid off today. Clear skies and surprisingly warm sunshine for the time of day greeted me. A non-singing Chiffchaff was in the copse, but little else was present here. Then the first spring migrant of the year for me appeared, a Sand Martin flying round the dock and around the lock gates, probably one of last years breeding birds. Then in true London Bus fashion a second migrant, a single Little Ringed Plover on the island in the dock. A quick check of Bow Creek, the Ecology Park and Pura Foods site failed to add to the total. Then whilst walking back to EIDB a Kingfiher was found perched on a stick at Bow Creek. not usually seen in Spring, this was a welcome sighting. Kingfishers have been hard to find in the Lower Lea Valley this year and seem to be on the decline. Back at EIDB the LRP was still on the Island and 2 Greylags were wandering about on Orchard Wharf and the gym classes had started in the copse. Keep Fit, keep fat I say.

Give me something for the weekend. Saturday-Sunday 19th-20th

Pintail at Bow Creek, March 20th 2011

In my last post I mentioned that a bit of sun and few migrants would lift the spirits. Well I got the first. Saturday had its moments, there was about an half an hour of bird movement at about 09.30. 12 Grey Herons flew north, a Collared Dove (never easy) flew east, a Stock Dove was around and a Kestrel (hard to find this year) flew north. Three Common Sandpipers were on Bow Creek with a single Redshank and the female Pintail. About 90 Teal were in the area, a Common Seal was on the Thames at Orchard Wharf and 2 Oystercatchers were on the mud in front of the O2. There were very few birds in song considering the spring conditions.

Sunday: The Oystercatchers were back on the mud, but Sunday was generally birdless and is not worth talking about. Perhaps its time to join the masses at Rainham or Wanstead.

Not a Lot

Sometimes, and particularly so far this year, birding at East India Dock Basin resembles a Ingmar Bergman film, not a lot happens and for a long time. A three hour visit this morning in grey cloudy conditions with a chilly north west wind produced very little for the notebook. Not a sniff of a spring migrant, nothing flying over, and apart from a few Gulls very little along the Thames, and virtually no singing, like a Justin Bieber record. So what birds were seen, the Pintail was in the dock until bullied away by a Coot, 3 Redshanks and 1 Common Sandpiper were at the high tide roost at Bow Creek and about 50 Teal were in the area.

The only real sign of spring was a pair of Long-tailed Tits collecting nesting material. But a bit of sun this weekend and few migrants should lift the spirits.

Common Seal

Common Seal off East India Dock Basin, March 2011

I finally caught up with the Water Rail in the western reedbed at the basin today, apart from that and the first singing Chiffchaff of the year not much was happening on the bird front so a Common Seal in the Thames off the basin was a very welcome diversion, it was seen to catch and eat two flatfish, probably Dabs and had Gary and me comparing our Lower Lea mammal lists. Gary had a Stoat at the basin several years ago when there was a lot more habitat available before the construction spate of the last decade and I've had a species of Pipistrelle, probably Common, apart from that we've both seen the following: Red Fox, Bottle-nosed Dolphin, Grey Squirrel and Brown Rat; the 2006 Northern Bottle-nosed Whale seen as far upstream as Battersea would have made it onto the list had somebody been on hand to see it and there must be various shrews, mice and possibly Bank Vole and Hedgehog present and historically Black Rat and Rabbit must have been recorded, the latter is fairly common a mile to the east at the Royal Docks. Lea Valley Regional Park have somewhat optimistically installed an otter holt in the ecology park but the sobering news that the Lower Lea is the most polluted river in Britain means we might have a bit of a wait until it receives its first tenants. Gary also remembers American Mink being seen with some regularity on the Lea around Middlesex Filter Beds a few years ago but that's one mammal tick I can live without.

East India Rallies. Saturday and Sunday March 5-6th

Saturday: After being in the doldrums for a number of weeks, the area showed signs of life today. Firstly I finally got to see the elusive Water Rail that has been present most of this year. It showed very well for about five minutes in front of the NW reed-bed. EIDB area has a bit of a reputation for early spring migrants, but the weather (cold NE wind) is hardly suitable. Still you never know, so I scanned across the Pura Foods site with a bit more purpose than usual. I picked up a flock of Pied Wagtails, hoping that a White would be with them. Somthing spooked them and they flew towards me, all Pieds, but 17 of them, the largest count for the area. The Pura Foods site is looking very good, and I will be surprised if it does not pull some good birds down this spring. There were some signs of spring, violets were in bloom in the copse, and Wrens were singing heartily.

Sunday 6th: If anything colder than yesterday, the NE wind was stronger. There seems to be a kind of Narnia syndrome going on the moment, always winter but never spring. I arrived on site just as 4 Greylag Geese flew over, then another two followed, the first sightings this year. About 100 Teal and 2 Redshanks were on Bow Creek and 2 argentatus Herring Gulls were present. Back at the Dock there was no sign of the Water Rail and not much sign of anything else. A single Oystercatcher was along the Thames, another first for the year.

An aerial view

East India Dock Basin: Dave Morrison

Dave Morrison took this photograph from a local tower block. it's an interesting perspective on the patch and shows quite well what a compact site it is; the largest area of woodland to the left is the copse at East India Dock Basin, the smaller area to the right on the other side of the dock is the eastern scrub, the green area above this is the meadow where I found a March 1st Wheatear in 2009. The eastern reedbed can be seen immediately to the right of the copse and just behind this the northern scrub where London's eighth Barred Warbler was found in September 2006. The building in the centre is the mothballed housing development on the Pura Foods peninsula, to the left of this a small section of Bow Creek is just visible; the flyover in the distance is the A13 road which marks the northern boundary of the patch. Many thanks to Dave for allowing me to use his image here.

Sunny

Not a cloud in sight and bright sunshine, the dock put on a new coat today, unfortunately it was'nt one of many colours. February continued to be mundane as far as birds were concerned. The only species of note were a Stock Dove flying south and a male Reed Bunting flying over the road. A few birds were singing in the copse, including a Chaffinch, and still no sign of the elusive Water Rail.

Redshanks: Slight Return

Another grey day, and another day of few birds. EIDB was very quiet, just 1 Teal and 20 Tufted Ducks. The copse was empty apart from a single flowering Daffodil (hardly Wordsworth). A Grey Wagtail was feeding on a pool on Orchard Wharf. There was 130 Teal on Bow Creek and 15 Redshanks were in the roost with a Common Sandpiper. This is the highest Redshank count this year, but still way below what is usually present at this time of year. Met up with Nick, and we watched the Thames for awhile and talked about Gull identification, though this did not induce any interesting Gulls to pass by.

What a Brown and Grey day

Another gloomy dank morning on the River Thames. Water,mud and sky all merged into one (like a ECM Records cover). Tufted Duck count was 30, but no Teal were present on the Basin, and only about 50 on Bow Creek. The dock area was very quiet, and the Copse had just a few Chaffinch and Blue Tits.

A circuit of Bow Creek and the Ecology Park fared little better, with just 2 Redshank, continuing the very quiet start to 2011. Five Great Black-backed Gulls ( 2 adults, 1 2nd win and 1 1st win) were also on Bow Creek, with six adults on the Thames. Another stroll around the Dock revealed a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the Copse, the first of the year, and number 50 for me in 2011, though its been a hard slog to reach that total. I know you should'nt wish your life away, but I will be glad when March arrives and the expectation increases, with perhaps a little colour to brighten up the place.

2010, an outstanding year

Just a short post to tie things up for 2010. The site total for the year was 104 species, amazingly Gary managed to see all of them whilst I finished on 88, still my best year ever on the patch. Severe weather at either end of the year and some fine clear days during the spring passage period were undoubtedly contributing factors to the high total, that and lots of hours spent in the field gazing expectantly at (more often than not) raptorless skies. Below is a full list of the species recorded in 2010, those in bold type are first records for the patch:

Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Egyptian Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, Gadwall, Common Teal, Mallard, Pintail, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Scaup, Common Scoter, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Spoonbill, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Osprey, Kestrel, Merlin, Hobby, Peregrine, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Dunlin, Jack Snipe, Common Snipe, Woodcock, Curlew, Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Mediterranean Gull, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Black Tern, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, (feral) Rock Dove, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Ring-necked Parakeet, Common Swift, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Black Redstart, Northern Wheatear, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Firecrest, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, Reed Bunting.

Fireworks and crackers: November and December 2010 summaries

Great Crested Grebe at East India Dock Basin, December 2010

November got off to a good start with a female type Black Redstart at East India Dock Basin on the 4th, but it proved to be very elusive, not being seen again until the 28th; a very good monthly maxima of 230 Common Teal was also made on the 4th along with a good local count of six Pied Wagtails. The 7th was a good day for passage with the following species logged: 570 Woodpigeon south-west, a record count of 325 Starling, 97 Redwing, ten Chaffinch, two each of Ring-necked Parakeet and Skylark and single Lapwing and Mistle Thrush flying south and west respectively; also noted on the 7th were single Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Kingfisher, the latter being unaccountably elusive this year. Four Little Grebe were on the basin on the 14th with the Redshank roost peaking at 13 on the same date; an adult Yellow-legged Gull was noted on the 17th then things became a little slow until the 21st when the first Dunlin of the year was at Bow Creek and a Great Spotted Woodpecker and six Redwing were also noted, the following day saw a peak count of four Common Sandpiper in the roost. Fifteen Lapwing flying north on the 28th was the best count of the year, also noted were a male Blackcap and a Chiffchaff. The month ended on a high when a Golden Plover flew east on the 30th, only the second site record, six Lapwing were also noted along with a monthly maxima of nine Shelduck.

December got off to an excellent start with the first site record of Woodcock, flushed from the copse at East India Dock Basin, an often punted species for the lower Lea and now firmly on the list; 13 Redshank and three Common Snipe were also seen on the 1st along with a good local count of five Meadow Pipit. A very good count of 40+ Common Gull was made on the 2nd, there was clearly an influx of this species into the London Area in early December as several other localities noted an increase in numbers during the same period; other notables on the 2nd included four Common Snipe and a Great Crested Grebe. The female type Black Redstart put in an appearance on the 4th, it was a little more accommodating this month being seen on a total of four dates until the 30th; Common Teal numbers rose to 410 on the 4th, but this count was beaten on the 12th when c430 were noted; Redshank and Common Sandpiper numbers peaked on the 4th at 14 and three respectively and six Lapwing and a Ring-necked Parakeet passed through. A male Merlin flew west on the 5th, only the third site record, then nothing much was noted until the 9th when a Curlew was found at Bow Creek , the first site record, also on the 9th, the first Shoveler of the year, the second Dunlin and a Mistle Thrush which averages about five records annually. A female Pintail at Bow Creek on the 11th was the first record for over four years, it appears to be overwintering and was still present at the end of the year, with two Redwing and a Chiffchaff noted also on the 11th. Three Great Crested Grebe were found on the 12th, the first multiple count of the year, along with two Reed Bunting, scarce this year, two Chiffchaff and a male Blackcap. The 19th saw a record count of 11 Common Snipe and a Jack Snipe at Bow Creek along with six fly-over Lapwing and eight Redshank and a Common Sandpiper in the roost, making it a five wader day; at least two Peregrines were in the area, possibly three, and good counts of five Meadow Pipits and four Reed Buntings were made; finally a monthly maxima of 20 Shelduck was noted on the 22nd.

Five Waders,from a Jack to a Lapwing. Sunday 19th December

This visit was timed to coincide with the co-ordinated wader counts on the Inner Thames. The Basin was 80% frozen and only held a few Teal and some Gulls. The copse was empty but a 1st winter Black Redstart was foraging around the lock gates. Had a spell watching the Thames, but this too was quiet. Time to check the Creek for waders and wildfowl. Plenty of Teal were present spread out along the river, on checking the reed-bed I leaned over the railings, and was confronted by a Jack Snipe on the edge of the mud, 5 Common Snipe were also here and 3 more were across the river. Five Meadow Pipits were feeding on the wet grass at Bow Eco Park, this area remains unfrozen due to the water being fed by a pump. The snow was quite deep in this area. Snow can change the look of an area, make quite ugly places seem inviting, like a new coat of paint, but in the East India dock area its just bleak.

On the way back to the Basin a female Pintail was feeding on the mud. The tide was flowing into Basin when I returned and 2 Common Snipe were feeding out in the open on the mud. Met up with Nick and it was time to check the wader roost at Bow Creek as the tide was almost full. A Common Sandpiper was roosting on the river wall, and

8 Redshanks were in the roost with a number of Teal and a Common Snipe. The Redshank are considerably down in number, at this time of year the roost usually holds as many as 50 individuals. It is likely that the severe weather has moved the birds on to other areas, probably to the south west or perhaps the Emerald Isle. Some years ago I did a survey of bird corpses in coastal Essex, after a week of sub-zero temperatures and heavy snow. Redhanks were by far the most commonest casualty.

A small number Lapwings flew over, making it 5 wader species for the day. Another check of the Thames and the Basin revealed her majesty the Pintail on the Basin, after flying in from up the Thames. This is a wary and flighty bird, but Nick did manage to get some pictures, which may appear on this blog. Nick then went off to work and I made my way home, for thawing out bowl of soup and some crumpets.

Spoon-fed mega fits the bill: October 2010 summary

Little Grebe at East India Dock Basin, October 2010

Two juvenile Common Terns on October 3rd were the last of the year, the only Yellow-legged Gull of the month was also on the 3rd and two Swallows passed through. Two Little Grebes were at the usual wintering spot in the north-west corner of the basin on the 8th, two Lapwings and a Common Snipe were also noted on the 8th along with two Chiffchaffs and 20 Goldfinches. A very good October count of circa 240 Common Teal was made at high tide on the 10th which was an excellent day for passage migrants; a Wheatear was in the gravel works, after a good spring passage this one turned out to be the only autumn record, seven Stock Doves flew south and two Collared Dove passed through, a flock of seven Skylarks flew east, a record number for the basin and 148 Redwings flew south; two Redshank in Bow Creek were the first of the autumn along with two Common Sandpipers; five Swallows a Lapwing and a Sparrowhawk also passed through and single Great Spotted Woodpecker and Chiffchaff were on the reserve. The last Common Whitethroat of the year was noted on the 13th along with ten Long-tailed Tit. A small passage of Meadow Pipits was noted on the 17th with eight flying west and four north, the only other migrant that day was a Skylark flying west, two Linnets were on the reserve with three Redshank and two Common Sandpipers in the high tide roost. A Common Buzzard flew north on the 18th and a Collared Dove passed through, a Green Woodpecker was on the meadow at the basin and a Peregrine, 12 Chaffinches and a Chiffchaff were also noted. The 24th seemed like a very unpromising day with just 13 Chaffinches the only birds of note, that is until we received a text message from John Archer downstream at Crossness informing us that a Spoonbill was heading our way; after half an hour it was located on the Millennium mudflats before flying off west only to return a few minutes later giving us excellent views of this totally unexpected vagrant, needless to say the first record for the Lower Lea and easily the best bird of the year (so far). The month ended quietly with four Little Grebes on the 31st, a single Chiffchaff and a very good local count of 20+ Long-tailed Tits.

Return passage: September 2010 summary

September got off to a good start with a Red Kite flying north-east and a Common Buzzard flying east at East India Dock Basin, both on the 4th, with single House Martin, Sedge Warbler and Common Whitethroat also noted, the Teal flock numbered 42 on the 4th but had risen to 130 by the end of the month. A Black Tern was on the river on the 5th with 25 Common Terns, two Sparrowhawks were also seen, the only record this month along with a single Peregrine, the only other sighting of this species being on the 19th. The only wader species recorded was Common Sandpiper with a single on the 7th, two on the 9th and four on the 19th. Single Kingfisher and Willow Warbler were seen on the 9th, the only sightings of both species this month. A Rook flying east on the 12th was the first record for the Lower Lea, it was also a good day for warblers with single Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Common Whitethroat and four Chiffchaffs along with the first two Meadow Pipits of the autumn. A male Black Redstart was seen on the 19th along with seven Swallows, four Meadow Pipits and three Chiffchaffs whilst on the river a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull flew west, 15 Common Terns passed through and a Great Crested Grebe was noted. The 26th saw an unprecedented passage of House Martins when at least 197 passed through including a flock of around 140 along with 12 Sand Martins and a Swallow all the hirundines were flying north-west; five Skylarks flew north-west and single Chiffchaff and Great Spotted Woodpecker, the only record this month, were noted. The month finished on a high when the fourth Green Woodpecker for the Lower lea was on the meadow at East India Dock Basin on the 30th.

Tern, Tern, Tern: August 2010 summary

Black-headed Gull at East India Dock Basin, August 2010.

River watching from the pier at East India Dock Basin during August was rewarded with a good tern passage, broken down as follows; Sandwich Tern, three flew east on the 15th. Common Tern, two on the 10th, 85 on the 15th. 20 on the 22nd and 12 on the 23rd. Arctic Tern, two flew north on the 7th and seven flew north on the 23rd. On the 3rd an adult Mediterranean Gull flew west, a Peregrine was over the basin a Garden Warbler was in the copse and the first two Teal of the autumn were noted, this number had risen to 30 by the 29th. Three Peregrines and a Sparrowhawk were seen on the 7th along with a Great Spotted Woodpecker and two Sand Martins. A single Common Sandpiper was seen on the 8th, the vanguard of a good August passage which peaked at seven birds on the 15th with two on the 23rd and singles on the 22nd and 29th. A Sedge Warbler was found on the 10th along with single Garden Warbler, Chiffchaff and Sand Martin. A Sparrowhawk, two Stock Doves and three House Martins were noted on the15th, it was a good month for the latter species with five through on the 22nd and two on the 28th. Two Egyptian Geese were seen on the 22nd, only the second site record along with a peak count of around 80 Starlings on the pylon by the entrance to the eco park and a Jay. The first returning Little Grebe was at the basin on the 28th along with a Kingfisher, unaccountably elusive this year, a Swallow, two Garden Warblers and a Willow Warbler. A comprehensive Mallard count on the 29th produced a site record total of 166 birds, also noted was a single Sparrowhawk. The month ended with single Peregrine and Reed Warbler on the 30th.

Conkers end?

Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella

on infested Horse Chestnut leaf, October 2010

It would seem that the health and safety wallahs are getting a helping hand in their crusade to ban conkers from the nation's playgrounds in the form of a tiny moth with a big name, the Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner. This moth was unknown in Britain prior to 2002 when the first examples were found in Wimbledon, since then it has expanded alarmingly and is now found commonly all over south-east England. It lays its eggs on Horse Chestnut trees and the larvae burrow into the leaves, hence the name, and eat them from within. The damaged leaves cannot photosynthesise the photons from sunlight which they need to grow and if a particular tree is heavily infected, as several of the 30 or so Horse Chestnuts in the Lower Lea are, then it will ultimately die. At the moment the moths have no known predators to keep them in check , obviously opportunistic birds will pick them off but a single large tree could probably produce several thousand moths, so this problem could prove very difficult to resolve unless nature comes up with its own solution, perhaps in the form of a parasite to keep the numbers down. The worse case scenario is that the Horse Chestnut could go the same way as the English Elm, decimated by two species of 0phiostoma fungi spread by the Elm Bark Beetle. A mature Horse Chestnut in full flower is a wonderful sight and a quintessential part of the English spring it would be such a tragedy to lose it.

Rook and Roll

Firstly it took me two hours to get here from Leytonstone, owing to a shambolic Jubilee Line. Went to view the copse which has suffered severe habitat management, a considerable part of the understorey has been cut away, needless to say it was birdless. Teal numbers have now reached 95, but little else was on the basin. Seven Common Terns flew west along the Thames which was otherwise quiet. I decided to give the Ecology Park a go and whilst ambling over I noticed a 'crow' flying oddly, a quick look through the bins confirmed my suspicions of a Rook, a first for the site. It headed off east at 11.05. Buoyed by this sighting, there was a spring in my step as I entered the Ecology Park, to be greeted by more severe habitat management. The park was devoid of birds, and in fact my mornings tally was only 18 species, the lowest I have ever recorded here in the 12 years I have been watching the area, but strangely the 18 included a first for he site. I noticed later from the wiki site that David C had had some migrants, but i guess he wasn't thwarted by bungling Boris. Certainly a very strange visit, and now I am getting into my flying teapot and listen to some Gong, to complete today's weirdness.

Gary

High Summer: June and July 2010 summaries

Gadwall at East India Dock Basin, June 2010

June and July are usually fairly quiet months in the birdwatching calendar with many observers switching off until the autumn, but a few surprises can be had for those optimistic enough to venture into the field. The undoubted highlight of June was the first Red Kite for the Lower Lea which flew south-west over East India Dock Basin on the 12th; the rest of the month was fairly uneventful with a Hobby just east of the basin on the 6th the only other notable sighting. Two pairs of Little Ringed Plovers were hanging on but apart from a few song flights and the odd territorial dispute it seems unlikely that breeding was successful; the only other wader noted in June was an Oystercatcher flying up the Lea on the 6th. Two pairs of Common Terns were nesting on the basin rafts, it seems that the combination of silt and oversummering Black-headed Gulls is making East India Dock Basin an unattractive prospect for this species. Three pairs of Sand Martins were nesting in the basin with another pair seen regularly at the ecology park, at least nine were seen on the 6th and two House Martins were noted on the 12th. An eclipse drake Gadwall was at East India Dock Basin on the 20th along with 39 Tufted Duck, a good count for June; two Sparrowhawks were in the eco park on the 23rd and a Mistle Thrush, just about annual at the Lower Lea, was seen on the 30th.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was noted on July 9th along with ten Common Terns and a Common Swift. The first Yellow-legged Gull of the "autumn" was seen on the 14th, with two Peregrines, probably the resident pair from the Isle of Dogs, and two Common Swifts. Five House Martins passed through on the 18th when two Common Swifts, two Peregrines and an Oystercatcher were also seen. Eight Great Black-backed Gulls were noted on the 23rd with two Little Ringed Plovers, and single Sparrowhawk and Peregrine. A Little Egret on the 29th was the highlight of the month with the first passage Common Sandpiper also noted on this date along with two Peregrines an Oystercatcher and a local high count of ten Goldfinches.

Peregrine Pandemonium

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.

A bit of a curate's egg: May 2010 summary

Shelduck at East India Dock Basin, May 2010.

May 2010 was a curious month, many migrants struggled to get through and the birders searching for them really struggled to find them, but there were one or two highlights, chief amongst them the first Osprey for the Lower Lea which drifted slowly north-east on the 6th. The month got off to a good start with a singing Garden Warbler in the copse at East India Dock Basin, also on the 1st four Little Ringed Plovers were at the basin, three Oystercatchers passed through on the Thames and a single Swallow was noted. There was a small movement of Common Terns on the 2nd involving 18 birds and two Arctic Terns flew east along the river, five Pochard arrived on the basin and a female Black Redstart was typically elusive around Virginia Quay. A Common Buzzard passed through on the 4th along with two Swallows but then nothing else of interest until the aforementioned Osprey on the 6th with a Common Swift and two Common Sandpipers passing through on the same date. On the 9th, three Arctic Terns flew west, three Common Sandpipers dropped in on the Thames, three Common Swifts passed over the basin and a briefly singing Lesser Whitethroat was in the Ecology Park. A singing House Sparrow by the Blue Bridge on the 11th was the vanguard of a mini invasion which also saw two females on the 23rd and two males and two females on the 30th; also on the 11th five Swallows flew north west. Another local rarity, House Martin, put in an appearance on the 23rd when two were hawking insects over the Ecology Park with two Sand Martins, (at least five more were visiting three nest holes at the basin making it the best year ever for this recent colonist). Also on the 23rd two Ring-necked Parakeets flew west, a single Stock Dove flew north and at least seven Reed Warblers were singing throughout the site with a singing Reed Bunting still hanging on in the Ecology Park. Finally two pairs of Shelduck continue to behave as if they are breeding, but, as in previous years no ducklings have yet been seen.

Comings and goings: April 2010 summary

Tufted Duck at East India Dock Basin, April 2010

April was rather unsettled with north-easterly winds making it difficult for migrants to push through, in spite of this it was an excellent month for local scarcities at the lower Lea. A drake Common Scoter was on the Thames off East India Dock Basin on the 4th and the first Swallow of the year flew north-west on the 6th; single Common Buzzards flew south on the 9th and 11th and four Peregrines were in the air together on the latter date. Single Little Egrets flew north on the 10th and 11th and Single Collared Doves were noted on the 14th and 22nd with three flying west on the 25th. A Firecrest was a good find on the 20th along with a Lesser Whitethroat, two Common Whitethroats, two Common Terns and a Common Sandpiper, making it a good day for migrants. The first Reed Warbler turned up on the 24th along with an elusive Sedge Warbler; an Arctic Tern was on the Thames on the 25th when a Green Woodpecker flew south across the river, also on 25th the fifth Northern Wheatear of the spring was on the Pura Foods peninsula; the month ended on a high when a Hobby flew north on the 27th. On the wildfowl front a pair of Common Teal lingered until the 22nd and the Tufted Duck flock reached a year high count of 52 on the 28th, a small herd of Mute Swan peaked at nine on the 27th, 11 Canada Goose including a breeding pair were noted on the 4th and Greylag Geese peaked at seven on the 25th. One or two pairs of Shelduck remained throughout, but as in previous years no solid evidence of breeding was observed; finally four Pochard, three drakes and a duck turned up on the 27th and were noted intermittently until the end of the month.

Pochard pornography

I Took this series of photos at East India Dock Basin on Monday afternoon; a flock of five Common Pochard, four drakes and a duck, have been frequenting the basin for a few days. All four drakes were courting the duck but she showed no interest, diving frequently to avoid their unwelcome attention. After about ten minutes the drakes had reached a state of high excitement; two of them relentlessly pursued the duck but the third chased the fourth, caught it and copulated with it, forcing it completely under water for at least a minute on one occasion. I feared the fourth drake would be drowned so I shouted and clapped my hands but drake three was completely oblivious; eventually drake four dived with drake three still hanging on and both birds disappeared beneath the water for over a minute before surfacing independently and going about their business as if nothing had happened. I have seen Mallards behave in this way but I have never seen Pochard (or any other aythya for that matter) do anything like this, it made for an interesting intermission in what was otherwise a fairly uneventful afternoon.

On the Crest of a wave

With a slight change in the weather and a few things turning up elsewhere, and I had a few hours to spare. I decided to give EIDB a visit. The last few visits has been fairly mundane with barely a migrant to be seen, so when I arrived to clear skies and a brisk NW wind, it did not look promising. But almost immediately I heard the welcome call of Common Terns, as two birds flew around the dock for about 10 minutes, before moving off. I then watched the Thames for awhile, but it was quiet. The Ecology Park was also quiet with just a Blackcap. Back at the Basin I noticed some bird movement in the NW scrub, the first two birds were Long-tailed Tits, the third a Blackcap, and the fourth a Whitethroat. I then checked the NE scrub, where i found another Whitethroat, neither were singing. A Lesser Whitethroat sang briefly in the NE corner, and was difficult to see. I heard a Willow Warbler singing in the copse, and searching the copse saw a small bird feeding activly in the middle of the woodland. A Firecrest, the first recorded since June 2008. Excellant views were had, and I also had great views of a very bright Willow Warbler. Another circuit of the Basin and a count of 40 Tufted ducks ended the visit. On the way out I checked the copse again, the Firecrest was in the same area at 12.20pm.
Gary A James

Rave on, birding off

Conditions were overcast with an easterly wind blowing this morning so I headed to East India Dock Basin with a view to a spot of river watching hoping that the conditions would produce some tern passage. By the time I arrived at the DLR station it was obvious that something odd was going on, lots of people were milling around and a throbbing headache-inducing bass beat was coming from the direction of the Lea. I suspected that something was happening on the Pura foods peninsula so I headed for the north end of Bow Creek Eco Park to get an elevated vantage point. The southern end of the peninsula was a mass of people breaking up wooden fences to fuel the several fires that had been started, the three storey glass building was full of people and practically every pane of glass was covered in grafitti. Fortunately most of the people were staying close to the building and not venturing onto the flat gravel area where the Little Ringed Plovers are suspected of breeding. I immediately phoned the Lea Valley Regional Park emergency number and advised them to lock the gates on both reserves as the people attending this event clearly had no respect for property and no consideration for the local residents. The most worrying aspect of this affair is that whoever organised this event clearly broke into the site ignoring the notices of "rapid response security protection" posted on the gate, once news gets out that this is an easily accessable site I'm afraid that "travellers" will get wind of it and set up camp there with the attendent problems of fly-tipping, vandalism and anti-social behavior they will inevitably bring; watch this space.

Spring arrives: March 2010 summary

Blackthorn in blossom and Hawthorn in leaf,
East India Dock Basin March 2010.

March got off to a bit of a slow start as blocking north-westerly winds prevented any migrants pushing through until quite late in the month; the adult male Black Redstart was seen on the 2nd along with 24 Great Black-backed Gulls, a local high count; 20 Shelduck on EIDB at dusk and another two on Bow Creek constituted the highest ever count for the lower Lea on the 4th, also on the 4th, 18 Redshank were in the high tide roost and 31 Tufted Duck were on EIDB, both monthly peak counts; Common Teal peaked at 155 and five Greylag Geese flew west on the 14th; two Little Ringed Plovers arrived on the 17th followed by two Sand Martins on the 18th and an Oystercatcher and Yellow-legged Gull on the 20th; a flock of nine Lesser Redpolls was feeding in birches in the Eco Park on the 21st, which turned into something of a red letter day with three Northern Wheatear and a different Black Redstart on the Pura Foods peninsula and a flock of four Jackdaws flying north at EIDB; the 21st also saw 72+ Greenfinch in the Esso garage roost and three Chiffchaffs in the Eco Park, both monthly peak counts; the first Blackcap was in the copse at EIDB on the 24th. with the first Willow Warbler in the Eco Park on the 27th when another Northern Wheatear was on the Pura Foods peninsula; an unexpected bonus came on the 28th when an Egyptian Goose was seen briefly at EIDB, the first record for the lower Lea; and finally, also on the 28th, a site record count of four Peregrines in the air together over EIDB were probably two pairs involved in territorial display.

Easter Sunday birding

a nagging north-westerly wind was blowing today sending scudding clouds that threatened rain across an otherwise clear and sunny sky,absolutely useless for migration but still I ventured out, as did Gary whom I met at EIDB. We strolled down to the river comparing notes (or lack thereof) and chatted about our favourite topic, why quality raptors avoid the lower Lea like the plague, on arriving at the water Gary instantly called out a dark duck drifting downriver about halfway out, a fine drake Common Scoter, a new bird for me and Gary's second record for the area; a passing Thames Clipper flushed it and it flew away towards central London landing a couple of times before we lost it around a bend in the river, a superb record and solid proof why it's so important to get out in seemingly unpromising conditions. The rest of the haul was rather pedestrian; four Shelduck, 30 Teal, Common Sandpiper, Kestrel, three Sand Martin and a singing Chiffchaff the highlights.

An unexpected bonus

I met up with Gary at EIDB this morning with no great expectation of adding anything new to my year list let alone getting a lower Lea lifer, in the event I got two; the first a flock of nine Lesser Redpolls (also a patch tick for Gary) including a stunning male feeding in birches in the Eco Park along with at least ten Goldfinch, itself a local high count, and the second a group of four Jackdaws heading north at EIDB. On top of this Gary found two Wheatears on the Pura foods peninsula which soon turned into three along with a Black Redstart, thought to be a migrant and not the semi-resident adult male. Other highlights included a soaring Peregrine over the basin, at least one adult Yellow-legged Gull, a confiding pair of Reed Buntings, two Sand Martins busily feeding on a hatch of midges over Bow Creek and three Chiffchaffs including one singing bird. I made a second visit later in the day to coincide with high tide in order to check the wader roost, it held two each of Redshank and Common Sandpiper and the bulk of the 75 Common Teal still present in the area. As the light began to fade Greenfinches started to arrive at the roost in trees behind the Esso garage and I made a new high count of 72+ birds, several of the males were singing and display flying before settling down for the night; all in all a very satisfying day which initially seemed a little unpromising.

Early birds

Another post work visit this evening and another migrant in the shape of two Sand Martins found by Marco Johnson, which is as far as I can ascertain, the earliest date for this species in the lower Lea; these birds are almost certainly one of the breeding pairs from last year or their offspring, as at least one of them went to roost in the breeding pipe in the lock wall (LVRP has provided a multi-storey purpose-built des-res Sand Martin wall at Bow Creek but these idiotic creatures prefer to raise their children in an overflow pipe how ungrateful is that?). The two Little Ringed Plovers were still on the basin, six Shelduck were scattered throughout the site with single Redshank and Common Sandpiper at Bow Creek; Teal numbers seem to have dropped dramatically overnight with an extensive search producing just 27 birds.

St Patrick's Day plovers

An ad hoc visit after work today paid a dividend in the form of two Little Ringed Plovers on the island at EIBD, the first migrants of the year for the lower Lea; also noted were nine Shelduck including four pairs display flighting over the basin, 72 Common Teal and 22 Tufted Duck. On the passerine front a pair of Long-tailed Tits were carrying nesting material in the copse at EIDB and a Song Thrush was singing in the Eco Park.

Business as usual: February 2010 summary

The north shore at EIDB looking east, February 2010.

Apart from a short-lived cold snap early in the month February was generally mild with lots of rain; it was a fairly quiet month with just two new species recorded for the year; an elusive Kingfisher at EIDB on the 17th and a skein of four Greylag Geese flying east on the 27th, otherwise it was pretty much business as usual, the male Black Redstart was in the copse at EIDB on the 6th but generally seemed to prefer to spend his time 200 metres west of the basin in the Virginia Quay area, Common Teal peaked at c190 on the 6th but had dwindled to 65 by the 28th, the only Redwing was also on the 6th along with a good count of four Grey Wagtails and a Peregrine; a Chiffchaff was in the copse on the 14th but was only seen on one other date, the 21st; an adult Yellow-legged Gull was on the Thames on the 17th; Shelduck numbers built up during the month and reached a record site count of 18 birds on the 21st including 16 together at EIDB along with 41 Tufted Duck and 86 Mallard; the high tide roost held 18 Redshank and a Common Sandpiper on the 21st, with a Lapwing flying north-west on the same date the only other wader recorded; perhaps the biggest surprise of the month was the discovery of a Greenfinch roost in trees behind the Esso garage, where at least 42 birds flew in to roost at dusk on the 28th; finally a Sea Slater was found on the 17th, only the second time this marine invertebrate has been recorded at the lower Lea.

Muddy Waters

Arrived at low tide, and it was extremely low. I cannot remember so much exposed mud on the Thames for a number of years. No Viking longboats though. The River Lea at Bow Creek was in places, just a muddy trickle of water a few feet wide. Would these conditions lead to a change in the birdlife present. well not really. Gulls were more numerous, with a movement of Black- headeds up the Lea Valley, and it was crowded on the Dome mud. I counted 24 Great Black- Backs, which I think is a site record. Wildfowl and waders were usual in number for the time of year and a few birds were singing in the sunshine. A pair Of Reed Buntings chased each other in the north-east reedbed on the Dock, and a Black Redstart was at Virginia Quay. But on the whole it was quiet. An unwelcome sighting was the diggers on the old works at Orchard Wharf. They were clearing rubble and vegetation from the rear of the site. Lets hope the work is minor, and does not lead to a wholesale clearence of the site.