Willow Warbler - tick

Thanks to Dave for this latest update.

Friday 20th April 2012

Conditions much better than last time with clear skies and a light South Westerly although ridge itself had what is becoming an ubiquitous haze, but mast was very clear:

Sphinx thing wonders where all the Hirundines are...

Ridge birds heard and seen:

Mallard

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Chaffinch

Wren

Dunnock

Robin

Blackbird

SongThrush

Green Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Pied Wagtail

Carrion Crow

Magpie

Starling

Jay

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Wood Pigeon

Feral Pigeon

Goldcrest

Ring-necked Parakeet

Blackcap

Chiffchaff (2)

Willow Warbler (first record for the year in the park)

+ The usual numerous flocks of Wood Pigeons flying on a daily migration south and Black Headed Gull, Herring Gull and Lesser Black Backed Gull, Beddington bound.

Blackcap territories are numerous on the ridge – we think 10 – 12 terriotories, we had fantastic views of a female sunning herself. Willow Warblers were hard to detect, possibly 3,  (well done Gavin) maybe suggesting these are recent arrivals and too knackered to waste energy on full song. Daniel also picked up a singing Willow Warbler in Nunhead Cemetary in the week, will be interesting to see if they stick around (thanks)

No sign of Whitethroats yet but these should be imminent. By all accounts it seems to have been a slower influx than last year. ALSO COMING SOON: Hirundines...surely?! 

From SE26 to Scandinavia

Friday 30th March, 0630, cool w/slight Easterley breeze, hazy (but improving)

A better morning on the ridge than the last outing. Birds seen or heard in the viewpoint scrub: Robin, Wren, Blackbird, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Starling, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest, Jay. Blackcap and Chiffchaff territories have doubled since last week, two singing males apiece now.

Flyovers:
Canada geese, Greylags, Mallard, Song Thrush, Woodpigeon, Feral pigeon, Herring gull, Black-headed gull, Redwing (8).

Dave and Gavin report the latter were pretty flighty and restless...zugenruhe? It's a beautiful idea describing the 'anxiety' or nervousness displayed immediately prior to undertaking migration. These sexy thrushes will no doubt soon be swapping SE26 for Scandinavia. Of the gulls, the Herrings were observed in singles and doubles, largely moving NW (to the river?). Worth mentioning the Woodies too - c120 all in, groups moving SE. It was suggested this is a daily 'phenomenon'; the birds moving out to forage in fields on the suburban/Kent fringe (thanks Gavin).

Park life: Mistle Thrush, Nuthatch, Green Woodpecker, RN parakeet.

Thanks to Dave and Gavin for this update. Here's the BBC weather picture for the middle of next week, looks like we're stuck with northerlies for the most but you never know what'll chance them. COMING SOON (to a park near you): Swallow, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat.

Dammit

Friday 23rd March, 0630, Pea Souper

An inauspicious start to proceedings this year. When I left New Cross Gate at 6 it was clear and bright; when I got to the ridge just before 6.30 -  total white-out. Somewhere around Brockley a huge bank of fog had descended. Bugger. With dreams of a long awaited urban Wheatear dashed for the time being I felt my way across the park to find the others. Eventually I bumped into Dave (literally) and we marvelled at the misfortune. Not much to do so we did a headcount on the ridge, visibility was <10m so some of these were just heard:

Dunnock, Robin, Carrion Crow, Wren, Blackcap (1), Green Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Song Thrush, Woodpigeon, Mallard, Chiffchaff (1), Long-tailed Tit

Singing Chiff and Blackcap were alright but you know it's gonna be a slow morning when 3 Mallard flying out of the murk are a highlight. Vis didn't improve so we stumbled down to the lake for a circuit:

Magpie, Jay, Feral Pigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker (drumming), Mistle Thrush, Nuthatch (pair), Ring-necked Parakeet, Canada Goose (pair), Moorhen, Coot, Tufted duck (10), Shoveler (pair) No sign of the herons so far, any thoughts why this might be? 

So bit of a disappointing session but that's the way it goes. Stick around, it can only get better.

Feel free to submit any sightings to southlondonbirds@gmail.com, all will be credited. We'd love to know what else is out there. Cheers.

Incoming...

It's that time of year again; green shoots are emerging from the ground, insects are stirring, the days are getting longer. Yep, it can only mean one thing: vismigging! Or, more appropirately: SoLomigging.

SoLomig 2012 is gearing up for action. By way of a recap (and introduction) SoLomig is run by a couple of guys from South London who love birds and like recording the comings and goings in the local area. The Ridge at Crystal Palace Park SE26 provides a great vantage point for doing jut this. Last year we heard that a sizeable area of scrub on the ridge was being ear-marked for clearance and we reckon it could be a pretty important area for birds, some resident species but especially migrants 'stopping off'. Since it is largely South-facing it's a good spot for watching incoming birds so that's what we do for a couple of weeks during the 'peak' spring migration period. Last year, fly-overs were restricted to House Martins and Swallows but we also turned up newly arrived Whitethroats, Willow Warblers and Chiffchaff. That still aint bad for Sarf London! This year, a Wheatear is my target. But who knows what'll turn up? Watch this space.

Wednesday 11th May, Crystal Palace Park, 0630, dense white cloud, poor visibility, wind SW

The Ridge - didn't there used to be a tower somewhere?

As the BTO migration blog reports here, a fantastic array of birds have turned up across the country this week courtesy of the prevailing South Westerlies.

However luck deserted us at the ridge on Wednesday morning as a band of mist and cloud swept in overnight and made conditions impossible for visible migration. With visibility 50m at best we did a quick roll call of species in the scrub on the ridge instead: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Dunnock, Robin, Wren, Blackbird, Blackcap, ChiffChaff, Whitethroat, Carrion Crow, Magpie.

Although many of these are common species and locally abundant, it doesn’t diminish their importance in terms of biodiversity. The scrub may lack visual appeal, being a mass of brambles, budlea, cow parsley and immature trees, but it is home to a wide range of species and in the context of a heavily-managed urban park it has considerable ecological value.

So the weather was disappointing but at least the breakfast at Dave's later was top notch!

One radio transmitter, no birds

Monday 2nd May, Crystal Palace Park, 0630+, fine, clear, strong wind NE

Good session on the ridge this week. Prolonged period of clear weather and strong North Easterlies have kept things interesting, such conditions often hold up the progress of birds migrating from the south so there's always a chance of turning up something unusual.
This week the action was in the skies with a Buzzard seen (at considerable distance) along with a Kestrel, while 2 House Martins and 2 Swifts flew N over the ridge. The scrub behind our view point now holds established territories for 2 Whitethroat and 2 Blackcap.
The weather looks to be staying fine (some showers perhaps) with Southerly winds approaching at the end of the week. This should speed the passage of birds, especially Hirundines and Apods (Swifts) so check back soon!                           

Monday 25th April, Crystal Palace Park, 0630-0810 Cool, bright,  hazy (but lifting throughout morning) Light wind E

A hazy start to the morning but this soon cleared leaving good visibility as far as the Dartford bridge crossing in the East. Aside from small local movements of geese, ducks and common passerines there was little in the air to report. However since our last visit Whitethroat have arrived in the park, with at least 3 singing males recorded this morning in the scrub behind our viewpoint. Several Blackcap and one Chiffchaff were still present too. Four migrant warbler species have now recorded in as many weeks on this high, south-facing ridge which clearly shows that it is an important stopping off point for birds arriving from Europe. The mixture of scrub and young, deciduous trees provides vital food and shelter, enbabling them to refuel before continuing their epic journeys. More updates soon.

Whitethroat (Sylvia communis) Crystal Palace Park- photo PB