Wandsworth Common Siskins

Short trip out with the family. Siskins calling from the railway line just north of the North Pond, 6 Shoveler, 2 Egyptian Goose plus Canucks, Tufties, Mallard, Coot Moorhen.

Poc Harder

No sign of yesterday's Pochard. 7 Stock Dove (on the north bit of the Common where they're not that regular), about 10 Tufties and a few Shoveler still left though.

Wandsworth Common Siskins

I’m a few days into my two weeks paternity leave and most days I take my eldest boy, (aged 14 months) out for a walk (well, mainly a push) while my partner looks after the new one . The walks tend to be to one of my two very local patches: Wandsworth Common or the mouth of the River Wandle. Both have a playground en route and between Billy’s sleeping and feeding times, and time spent at the playgrounds, I usually get about 10 minutes birding to either scan the ponds on Wandsworth Common or the mouth of the River Wandle and the Thames foreshore. Both also have good numbers of pigeons which the boy finds hilariously funny. Today it’s Wandsworth Common.

Much warmer than the last week, but the ponds on the Common are still partially iced over. These hold the highest count of Shoveler I've had this winter (19) along with 8 Tufties, c40 Mallard and 3 Mute Swans (adult pair with just one of last years chicks, I guess the rest have been taken out by dogs a and/or foxes).

Also around the ponds is a mixed flock of Goldfinch and Siskin with at least 3 Siskin including a nice bright male. Siskins have been present every winter since I started watching the site and the trees around the northernmost pond are one of their favourite places. The Siskins are a year tick (somehow its always nicer to get year ticks on the local patch).