19 April 2009

I went to the Thames this morning. On my way there I heard a familiar sound, lifted my head and saw a peregrine, probably a female, being harassed by a mob of crows. I unfortunately lost them behind buildings but I guess they chased it away.
Tide was going up and the shore was empty at Hammersmith Bridge apart from a few pigeons, and something I had never seen before: a magpie, collecting algae and mud, I guess as nesting material. I also saw a few more birds, fortunately, between there and Crabtree Wharf:

• mallard: 16
  
• Canada goose: 3 + 2 flying over
  
• lesser black-backed gull: a pair
  
• black headed gull:2
  
• herring gull: about 7 of various ages
  
• house martin: just the one
  
• coot; 2
  
• moorhen: 2
  
• tufted duck: 8 males and 8 females
  
• great crested grebe: 1 fishing, quite close to the path
  
• house sparrow: at least 2 in the usual bush
  
• parakeet: a pair being intimate on the pontoon
  
• starling: one had twigs in its beak