Nest making in progress at Cranford Park

I made the most of the sunshine at Cranford Park this morning, before it became too overcast in the afternoon. Following on from my previous two visits (links to those blog posts below), I was primarily here to check on the progress of the Kestrels and Green Woodpeckers, and to hopefully spot a Kingfisher. I was successful with all three, plus found a new potential nest of a commonly known little bird. More about that later.

 

March 17th blog post

 

March 15th blog post

 

First port of call, as always, was to see the Kestrels. Perched on one of my logs, it took me a while to spot them. As before, it was the 'trilling' call that alerted me to their whereabouts, which was on a tree just to the left of the nest tree. They were mating. I just had time to swing my camera round but only got a record shot of the male leaving the female. I didn't even have time to adjust the focus on my camera, hence the first shot below is very blurred. But it was so nice to actually see them clearly, without being hidden by lots of branches and twigs. It is also an indication that egg laying is definitely imminent, and I'm hoping they use the old crows nest that they've been defending so much recently. 

 

Worst shot of the day - but a record one for me of the CP Kestrels just after mating

Clearer photo. The female is on the left, the male on the right.

I hung around for a while hoping they would mate again, but they both took off shortly and I lost sight of them over the tree tops.

The Robins in the woods, were much more obliging. They were popping up all over the place and posing for a photo.

 

 

 

I made my way to the Green Woodpecker nest tree, and settled myself on another of my logs. This seems to be the only good viewing point for this pair. If you walk around the path way, the male disappears around the back of the tree. If you walk around the other direction, he flies off. But if you sit on the log and patiently wait, he gets on with excavating his nest hole without a care.

The female was close by, watching the male all the time. A few times they called to each other, but the male was very intent on pecking out the nest hole.

 

 

 

 

 

It looks like this tree will have more than one variety of bird eventually nesting in it. The top of the tree is broken off and both Jackdaws and a pair of Stock Doves were sussing the site out.

 

This is the actual Green Woodpecker hole. I waited until the male was disturbed by some dog walkers, and quickly moved round to grab this shot. It's impossible at the moment to get a photo of the Green Woody at the hole (he's so nervous) from this angle, but hopefully if they do nest here, I may get some good shots of the juveniles when they start calling for food in a few months time.

My favourite part of the day was when I accidently found a new nest being made. I have another favourite log, deeper in the woods, where I often sit and watch Goldcrests. They weren't around today, but my eye was caught by a very showy Wren. It was flying down into the shrubs and emerging with a beak full of dead leaves. Following its flight, I was really surprised to see it disappear into a hole about twelve feet in front of me. A Wrens nest ! This is a first for me, and I'm really chuffed. Hopefully if the little birds do nest here, I will be able to follow their progress. Only two things concern me. The nest is only about  four feet from the ground, and about two feet away from a busy well worn path way. Only time will tell. But its great to have a viewing point that wont disturb the birds, but which allows me to get some decent photos. The Wren was very busy. Even when he was inside the nest, you could see the 'walls' of the nest moving as he was adding the dead leaves. Male Wrens build several nests and the female chooses which one she finds suitable to lay eggs in. I really hope it will be this one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On my last visit I had heard a Skylark out on the grassy plain. I had a walk through there today and after watching one singing in the sky above me, I accidently flushed two more from one of the grassy paths. So there at least three around at the moment. No sign of any Meadow Pipits yet though.

 

Up by the river I checked the area where I had last seen the Weasel but to no avail. However looking from the green-black iron bridge down to the stone bridge, I caught sight of a small bird diving into the river and back up into a tree. Kingfisher ! And not one, but two. There was a lot of calling going on, but trying to get close was near on impossible. A jogger running up the path flushed one and it landed briefly just in front of me, but soon flew off. I watched a second KF further on down, dive again and land in another tree. Another dog walker spooked one of them, and again it landed briefly just in front of me, with a fish in its beak, but again flew off quickly. So only three useable photos today, and not very good ones. It seems our pair of Kingfishers are really not comfortable around human beans. Observing them though, I was able to establish they are both flying up the River Crane towards Heathrow, and not back towards Cranford. So I walked back up the bank pathway towards Cranford Lane, checking all the time for any suitable nest hole. Again I could find nothing, but its really intriguing me as to where they are coming from.

 

 

 

 

With regards to all of my nest sites, for obvious reasons I will not disclose any of their exact locations. Only my fellow Cranford Park birder friends will be privy to that information.

 

Also in the woods, and a tribute to the mild winter we had, I found more funky fungi.

 

 

So a fantastic five hours out and about this morning. Really pleased to see the Kestrels mating, and favouring the old nest tree. Great to see the Green Woodys at their preferred nest tree. Lovely to get some better views of the Kingfishers. But without doubt, my high-light of the day was watching the male Wren build its intricate and delicate nest. Lets hope the female choses it, as I'd really love to be able to watch a Wrens breeding progress.

 

Last, but not least, a young miniature Dachshund dog called Lily has been missing after running off in Cranford Park on March 12th. There is a cash reward. Please keep your eyes peeled if you do frequent the park. Any sightings call 07713 440336 or 07447 694630.

 

Brief visit to RSPB Rainham Marshes

I made three very un-Wendy-like mistakes today. I forgot my hat. I forgot my gloves. And I forgot my painkillers. By lunchtime I was ready to come home, I was cold and my back hurt because I was trying to correct my posture for my bad shoulder, but that didn't stop me enjoying my brief few hours at Rainham.

 

The signs were looking good whilst I was waiting at Barking train station. A calling Grey Wagtail landed just in front of me, and luckily my camera was all ready to fire.

 

 

 

I was on the river wall by 8.30am. Reports had come in yesterday of a Northern Wheatear being spotted. I couldn't locate it though, and all I saw were gulls, a Great Crested Grebe, Shelducks, Redshanks, Reed Buntings, Magpies, House Sparrows and Crows. Several Lapwings, Mute Swans and Wigeon flew over.

 

The kind guys at the centre let me on site early. Maybe my windswept frozen look tugged at their conscience. The feeders by the centre were busy with Goldfinches, Greenfinches and more House Sparrows.

 

 

My first port of call was the MDZ hide, to warm up and look for the resident Kingfishers. The hide window is screened off with camouflage netting so the Kingfishers, which were yesterday excavating a hole in the bank on the left, wouldn't be disturbed by us human beans staring through the glass at them. You can see through some of the netting though, but the problem for me is the seating in there has no back to it, so I spent most of my time slouched forward, which my shoulder did not thank me for.

I waited for an hour and the only bird I saw was a Little Grebe.

 

 

From the Shooting Butts Hide I had distant views of two Buzzards, and then a Marsh Harrier came along. I hoped and prayed it would come nearer but it didn't so you'll have to make do with my dreadful photo below.

The object in front of the second pylon from the left, is a Marsh Harrier.......honestly.

 

 

Making my way back to the centre for some lunch, the loudest noise I could hear were Little Grebes 'trilling'. There were loads of them. I also heard a couple of Cetti Warblers singing and a few calling Wrens. Birds that could be seen included Little Egrets, Lapwings, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Reed Buntings, very vocal Redshanks, Skylarks galore, Grey Heron, Carrion Crows, Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gull, Mute Swans, Wigeons, Shelduck, Shovellers, Mallards and the usual under-stated Moorhens and Coots.

 

I also heard a solitary frog calling. I couldn't locate it but as I hit the boardwalk bridge I found not one frog, but twelve, all sunbathing.

 

 

Below is my worst photo of the day. I was so busy focusing on the two front frogs, that I missed the shot of the day on the frog at the back yawning.

 

 

After a spot of lunch and a very much needed coffee I headed round to the woodland feeders. By this time my shoulder and back were really protesting so I didn't stay for too long. However I did manage to photograph both female and male Greenfinches, my first of the year. Also seen on the feeders were the usual Blue and Great Tits, Chaffinches and a male Reed Bunting.

 

 

 

 

 

All through the woodland the air was alive with calling Chiffchaffs. I spotted at least five birds but couldn't photograph them for various reasons. At least one had a very yellow-white belly, a more strikingly yellow eye stripe and a paler bill than the others. Possible Iberian ? Could be. There are reports of them popping up from the south coast right up to the borders of Middlesex at the moment. The song appeared to be softer and quicker than the Common Chiffchaff.

 

So a very pleasant few hours spent at one of the best RSPB reserves in the south of England. As always the staff there were fantastic, the food delicious and the birds were great. If only I hadn't left my hat, gloves and painkillers at home, I would have stayed until closing.

Kestrel overload, and other hormonal birds, at Regents Park

I took myself off to Regents Park today, primarily to see the resident Kestrels. Don't get me wrong, I love my local Cranford Park Kestrels, but they're not that obliging when it comes to trying to photograph them. The Regent Park pair are much more used to people, and their nesting area is fenced off so they often perch very close as if knowing nobody will, or can, walk up to them and disturb them. More about them later.....

 

I've attached a link below to a map of Regents Park, so you can see where I was today. It's such a huge space and yet I only covered a tiny percentage of it.

 

Map of Regents Park

 

Today I entered via Clarence Gate and went over Clarence Bridge.

There were plenty of raging hormones amongst the birds. The female Red-crested Pochard below, was surrounded by males. There are five in my photo, but at one stage she had eleven following her. I swear I've captured her smiling.......well wouldn't you be if you were a single woman with eleven potential suitors ?

 

 

Greylags were chasing off not only other Greylags but also Canada Geese too.

 

 

One of the Herons chose to nest quite low down. This willow nest is only just above head level, so is perfect for getting a photo of the juvenile with one of the parents.

 

 

Tufted Ducks were mating every where I looked.

 

 

Male Common Pochards were chasing away any rivals.

 

 

Great Crested Grebes had completed their nest and were sitting on eggs. The only way I could get a clear photo was by sitting on the floor, much to the amusement of some passerbys.

 

 

Coots were angrily defending territories.

 

 

The Common Pochard below kept swimming right up to me whenever I sat on the ground.

 

 

A tiny Wren was singing its heart out behind me.

 

 

And I got my first Small Tortoiseshell butterfly of the year.

 

 

One of the Egyptian Geese pair have had five goslings. I'm calling this one 'Daisy'

 

 

From there I made my way up to the Longbridge, where back on January 19th I was lucky enough to see a Tawny Owl roosting in the old tree on the right of the bridge. It wasn't there today though.

 

From there I walked around the part of the pond that has the captive ducks. There was a lot of activity in one of the old tree stumps. A Blue Tit, probably a male due to the brightness of his cap, was flying in one hole and reappearing seconds later out of another hole just below. I managed to grab some photos, and it looks either as if he's excavating or grabbing some tiny insects within the trunk.

 

He flew out........

 

He flew in.......

 

He flew out......

 

He flew in......

 

He flew out......

 

Anyway, you get the picture..........

 

So back to the Kestrels. If you take the pathway to the right of the Longbridge, you come across a copse on the left, that is part of the captive duck enclosure. There are two Kestrel boxes there, along with the regular Tit nest boxes. There is also another fenced off area with bramble bushes and a couple of bird feeders. The willows to the left of the Kestrel boxes is where I first saw the resident pair today. It's also where I met and got chatting to, the mysterious 'Birdman of Euston', a name that regularly pops up on the London Birders website (link to London Birders Wiki website). He's not mysterious at all, he's a really nice, genuine and helpful man, and it was a pleasure to chat to him today.

 

The Kestrels are behaving much the same way as my Cranford Park pair are. Any bird that flies across, especially Crows, gets swiftly chased off. At one point this morning the male Kestrel saw off a Herring Gull and Carrion Crow at the same time.

 

 

 

 

The willow tree seemed to be the favoured spot for perching, preening and mating.

 

 

 

 

After each mating (I witnessed nine copulatons today), the male would sit nearby usually with his back to the female, while the female preened. Well wouldn't you preen if you'd just had a pair of talons on your back ?

 

 

Some of the matings I could photograph, and some I couldn't due to the angle the birds were at or the overcast weather (as you can see from one of my photos below)

 

 

 

 

 

The male was much more active than the female. Several times he investigated both of the Kestrel nestboxes. And he seemed less wary of humans. I was able to get within ten feet of him at one point, and he really wasn't put out. As I previously said, the area around the boxes is fenced off, so I guess the Kestrels really do feel safe. It's as if they know that us human beans cannot get to too close.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So a thoroughly enjoyable few hours watching my favourite BOPs. I'll be popping back in a couple of months to see the juveniles.