Wednesday 31 August 2016

Sunday 29 August 2017

Despite the continuing mixed weather its been another good month for wildlife in Rotherhithe.   The summer flowers have lasted well, gulls and ducks are returning to the docks, starlings are beginning to form communal roosts and sadly our first migrant birds are already leaving. 

Canada Water has been particularly good in August, with wildlife happily co-existing with shoppers and commuters.  The freshwater reed-lined edge and trees and shrubs provide a great habitat.  The Great Crested Grebe has had a second brood of two chicks; the parents have been driving the older juveniles away forcing them to fend for themselves.  Its been fascinating to watch the food that the parents feed to the young birds.  Mainly Perch and Crayfish.  The Kingfishers have continued to feed in the corner by the shopping centre, where Reed Warblers also raised young and a Sedge Warbler appeared early in the month.  Also Blackcaps, Chiffchaff and Goldfinch were heard and seen and Sand Martin and House Martin hawked overhead.  On the water, Black-headed Gulls have returned in large numbers, together with a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Herons and Cormorants. Plenty of insect life along the shore too with attractive ladybirds and Black Tailed Skimmer dragonflies.  Perhaps if the large derelict raft could be repaired and refloated, Common Terns could be tempted back.  And maybe a Peregrine Falcon would use a box on one of the higher buildings. 

Grebe with Crayfish
 
Grebe feeding Perch to young









Reed Warbler
Sedge Warbler










Goldfinch

Black
Tailed Skimmer











On Surrey Water it was great to see a late brood of Tufted Ducks.  They are genuinely wild native ducks and nest in thick vegetation.  They have used a raft with plenty of cover to protect them from the predatory Lesser Black-backed Gulls.  The female looked after them carefully, keeping them in a tight group and sheltering in vegetation at the sign of danger.  As diving ducks they can also dive for cover when danger looms.  The Coots are not so protective and it was distressing to watch the last brood of chicks picked off from the open water by hungry gulls.  Despite being a very caring parent the female Tufted Duck will abandon the brood to fend for themselves before they can fly; but they should be too big for the gulls by then.  The male Tufted Duck has nothing to do with rearing the young and slopes off to moult as soon as the eggs are laid. 

Tufted Ducks
Lesser Black-backed Gull with Coot chick




It was good to see Southwark Council continuing to support and celebrate wildlife by installing aerators and algae controllers in Surrey Water and putting up and attractive notice board to help people identify the wild birds on Surrey Water. 

On the riverfront there has been another great success story. A pair of Sand Martins used one of the pipes to nest near the Old Salt Quay.  The Sand Martin is smaller, lighter brown and more agile than House Martin and has a dark collar.  They normally nest in colonies in holes in sandy river banks.   It is great to see a pair nest in Rotherhithe; a real tribute to the initiative of the birds and the biodiversity of the peninsula.  There are still plenty of House Martins overhead, but the Swifts are now starting to leave.  This lovely bird is the last to arrive and the first to leave.  Lets hope that Southwark's plan for Swift bricks bring more of them to Rotherhithe.

Sand Martin leaving nest

Sand Martin










In Stave Hill the sunny days brought out hundreds of Butterflies.  Specked Wood and Meadow Brown have been the most common, but there has also been a few Brimstones and Red Admirals to admire.  The Dragonflies have also been really impressive.
Brimstone butterfly

Emperor Dragonfly










More difficult to see in the grassy meadows were the grasshoppers and crickets.  An excellent Soundcamp workshop found and identified some very attractive crickets. 

Roesel's Bush Cricket
Short winged Conehead










The star of the month in Russia Dock Woodland has been the noisy family of Sparrowhawks.  A juvenile called loudly from the top of a conifer and was joined in flight by a female to hunt for small birds.  Its about as easy as it gets to see this very impressive bird of prey at close quarters. Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were still singing early in August, but by mid August the woods had become very quiet except for the soft 'hweet' of young birds.  Good to see Blackcaps, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest and Sparrowhawk all successfully breeding in this impressive woodland.  

Juvenile Sparrowhawk

Juvenile Sparrowhawk










Juvenile Blackcap

Juvenile Goldcrest










There was a great wildlife sighting near the end of the month. A Common Buzzard soared on the thermals over Southwark Park. 

So an impressive diversity of wildlife on show in August.  September will see the departure of our migrants as they head back to Africa, but our winter vistors will begin to arrive.   Wild ducks will increase in number in the docks and Southwark Park. Large numbers of Tufted Ducks and a few Shovellers will return from their breeding grounds, and perhaps some more uncommon visitors will drop in like last year's Common Scooter.  And as the leaves fall in Stave Hill  Redwing, Firecrest and perhaps the Green Woodpecker will arrive, Goldcrest numbers will increase and Long-tailed tits will form noisy flocks.  Hopefully our colourful Kingfishers will also return.  What a pleasure it is to see that dart of electric blue along the stream and across the ponds as the autumn leaves begin to fall and the days shorten.