Over the last two weeks, the cricket season has kicked in so I haven't done very much at all since the Beddington Farmlands visit. On the 1st May, while en route to a cricket match, we passed Staines Reservoirs (no stop though) and I had my first 2 Swifts of the year (made my day) as well as a tern sp. which flew over the car (possibly Arctic, if not Common.) Also, on a fence post, there was a bird perching, looking like a Meadow Pipit. To me, spring doesn't start till I see my first Swallow, so according to this it started on the 13th April. Or should it be the first Swift?
Over the winter
In October, a visit to Barnes had no rarities but I got some great views of a Cetti's Warbler.
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| Cetti's Warbler |
Most of the winter was spent garden birding. A highlight was 2 Waxwings by the Grange in Beddington Park, in February. The same birds (probably) flew over my house the same day. No pics 😒. A real treat was over two weeks in January, where a huge flock of up to c. 200 Redwing visited the gardens nearby, including ours, literally destroying the berry trees! A shame that my pictures weren't great through my window. 2 Fieldfare also visited one day. A regular Great-Spotted woodpecker, and other general garden visitors hung around.
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| Redwing |
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| Fieldfare |
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| Great Tit |
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| Long-tailed Tit |
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| Fox |
Otherwise, this winter has been pretty good by way of park and nature reserve visits. Barnes' Bitterns were great, and everything at local parks has been pretty solid. Rainham was enjoyable, while finally, Beddington Farmlands was just perfect for a first trip.
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Kestrel |
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| Sedge Warbler |
New life additions:
- Water Pipit
- Siberian Chiffchaff
- Goshawk
- Sedge Warbler
- Wheatear
New Garden Additions:
- Goshawk
- Peregrine
- Fieldfare
- Song Thrush
- Mistle Thrush
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