24 January 2009

I went out to check the Thames this morning on this grey and frosty day, As I started my journey, both peregrines were eating on top of the hospital, and as I finished it they were digesting on their usual perches. It was a good day for the patchlist competition, stating with a greylag flying over Fulham Palace Road towards Central London. At the corner of Fulham Palace Road starlings were exploring I assume possible nest sites under roofs, and nearby 2 robins were having some territory dispute. Other birds in and around Frank Banfield Park were sparrows, some at their nests, some in trees in front and some at their new bush, chaffinches, goldfinches, 2 singing dunnocks, tits. I also found 3 sparrows in a new spot, in a side alley by Thames Water Depot.
When I arrived by Hammersmith Bridge, I noticed that it had its 'flags' again, and also had the surprise of a goldcrest. Not having seen any until this winter they seem to pop up all over the place in my patch...
Tide was low and I saw also:

• teal: 47
  
• mallard: 34
  
• tufted duck: 24
  
• gadwall: 13
  
• lots of black-headed gulls
  
• cormorant: 6, 1 of them fishing in the shallows
  
• lesser black-backed gull: 4 adults, including 1 a shade or 2 lighter than the others
  
• coot: 1 (another addition for the patchlist)
  
• moorhen
  
• common gull
  
• Canada goose: 4
  
• pied wagtail: 1 adult and 1 juvenile
  
• herring gull: 2 adult and 1 young
  
• grey wagtail: 1 (final addition for the patchlist, I was starting to wonder when that would happen)

Also of note, 11 crows at once on the shore; parakeets were their noisy selves by Crabtree Wharf; a biggish flock of chaffinch, blue tits, goldfinch in a tree with at least 8 sparrows and 3 blackbirds on the Hammersmith Embankment building site; a pair of mute swans flying over towards Central London.