17 January 2009

I almost did not go out this morning when I heard the rain, but I'd been told that linnets had been seen on my patch this week so I thought I should still go and check. When the rain started again, I almost turned back, all the birds were a lot more reasonable and waiting it out and nothing was to be seen... But it suddenly cleared up as I was at Hammersmith Bridge. I quickly stopped counting, the tide was going down fast, it was fairly windy and there were lot of rowers, so the birds were all over the place, but I still saw lots of black-headed gulls, a lesser black-backed gull, teals, tufted ducks, gadwalls and mallards, a young pied wagtail, a singing dunnock by Riverside Studios, a cormorant in breeding plumage, a great crested grebe fishing in shallow waters, the pair of adult and young moorhens. I also found the linnets, a flock of at least 22 of them, at the edge of the Hammersmith Embankment building site. I saw then again later apparently pursued by a couple of starlings, I wonder if there is any 'history' between those 2 species? Those linnets are bringing my patchlist upt to 43 for this year.

On another note, I also saw the above floating on the water:. Might seem funny at first, but I think it's a real danger. It infuriates me when I volunteer to clean up the Thames shores to pick up dozens of used sanitary towels (as well as cotton buds) and I usually say "please, ladies, don't flush these down the toilet", so, this time, I'll say "please, guys, don't flush these down the toilet"


As I was nearing home, both peregrines were sunning themselves on the hospital. I like how the sun is going through the fluffed up feathers :)