Wandle - last visit of 2010

High tide visit, not particularly planned – I just forgot to check the tide times before I left. High tide visits can sometimes work out – there's a better chance of Kingfishers and I guess a high tide could be better for bringing some birds further upriver. Generally though it means fewer birds. Today paid off in an unexpected way with my highest Jackdaw count to date – at least 24 birds. Just a few years back Jackdaws were pretty uncommon here but over the last year especially they've become a permanent winter fixture – presumably attracted by the tip from the local populations around Barnes or Richmond Park. Also good numbers of Gadwall (at least 14), 1 Grey Wag feeding in the bushes above the delta, 7-8 Teal, 6 Common Gull and two of the Pochard still present.

Quality patch day

Duck bonanza on the patch today: over 150 Tufties on short stretch of river by the mouth of the Wandle, at least 24 Teal on the Wandle (maybe 27 but flushed by doggy walkers). Whichever, a site record for me. Also 3 Pochard (a year tick for me for this part of the patch). Also c20 Mallard, 8-9 Gadwall, c12 Jackdaw. Walking along the daylight path suddenly had a flock of around 45 finches fly overhead (presumably from the development plot behind the path). All the ones I could get onto (about 40 of the 45) were Linnets. I usually just get ones and twos of Linnets - record flock!! The flock headed over the Thames to the Fulham side, briefly perched on a house roof and then disappeared onto some rough ground.

Thrush Invasion

My first actual birding trip to Wandsworth Common this year (rather than taking the kids out for a walk). As usual the north bit of the common (above Windmill Road) is pretty quiet, but as I get to the trees a bushes at the edge of the road a couple of Redwing fly over and land in the trees.

The bushes in the new estate reveal a Goldcrest while a quick scan of the playing fields on the other side of the estate though produces a massive flock of thrushes: 260+ Redwing, 16 Fieldfare and a few Mistle Thrushes.

The ponds have Shoveler and a local rarity: Pochard. A really smart male. When I first visited Wandsworth Common there was a female Pochard on the same ponds for about 10 days so I though they were regular winter visitors, but this is the first one I've seen here since 2006. The rest of the Common produces a Coal Tit, a couple of Great Spotted Woodpecker(both spp in The Scope) and a flock of 6 Lesser Redpoll in the birches alongside the houses on the west side of the Common. A good morning and a 2010 patch list of 43spp.