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
