Autumn has brought beautiful colours to the trees in local woodland. The migrants birds have passed through on passage and some very special overwintering birds have returned back to Rotherhithe.

The winds have been mostly Westerly so it has limited the number of passage migrants.  Small groups of Chiffchaff have passed through Stave Hill with a few Blackcap, but sadly no Spotted Flycatcher this year.  Small number of both of theses birds will overwinter, with Blackcap moving into gardens in search of food.

Male Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Our most colourful and popular winter visitor is the Kingfisher.  Three different birds have been seen on the ponds in Russia Dock Woodland, but they have been elusive and seem to be moving through rather than staying.  Perhaps the low level of the water has affected their food supply.  Hopefully the new pump will soon fix that.  The easiest place to see the Kingfisher is on the dead stick on the left side of Downtown Pond.  But approach very carefully; the Kingfishers are surprisingly tolerant of noise but very wary of movement

Female Kingfisher

Male Kingfisher

The other important winter visitors are Europe's smallest birds, the tiny Goldcrest and its rarer relative the Firecrest.  Both are really difficult to see particularly when the trees are still in leaf, and are normally detected by the high pitched zee call.  If you do see them the Firecrest has a distinctive dark eyestripe.  This year's Firecrest is favouring the bushes around the ponds near the main entrance from Stave Hill.  Its Stave Hill's rarest bird and its wonderful to have this special bird one our doorstep in Rotherhithe.

Goldcrest

Firecrest

Firecrest

Two raptors have also returned to the area in the Autumn.  A Peregrine Falcon has been seen perching on the gasholder at Surrey Water and a Sparrowhawk has returned to Stave Hill where it is now often seen storing overhead, or if you are lucky perched in a tree by the ponds looking for prey.

Peregrine Falcon on gas holder

Sparrowhawk in aeriel combat with Crow

And in October the winter Thrushes arrived from Scandinavia. Look out for them swooping down on Rowan trees and Cotoneaster.  The Redwing is quite a shy bird.  It looks a bit like a Song Thrush but has a very distinct creamy eyestripe.  The Fieldfare is more distinctive with a grey head and ochre front. As the winter sets in and the weather gets colder more of these birds will be pushed into Southern England in search of berries.  And perhaps joined in Rotherhithe by Waxwings.

Fieldfare

Redwing

One other winter visitor has need seen on Stave Hill and in gardens on bird feeders this Autumn.  The Coal Tit.  It looks a bit like a Great Tit but is smaller, duller and has a white nape.  A rare visitor to Rotherhithe so nice to see them on Stave Hill

Coal Tit

As we move into August the breeding season for birds is drawing to a close.  The Blackheaded Gulls have returned from their breeding grounds, the Peregrine has returned to Surrey Water and the autumn passage is already underway. The Swifts have already moved on.  They are the last migrants to arrive and the first to go.

There is one intriguing late breeding bird.  The Sand Martin.  Normally they breed in colonies in holes in sandbanks and by August they have fledged their young and are gathering to feed up ready for the return journey to Africa.  But a single pair has again reared a late brood in the pipe in the river bank near the Old Salt Quay.  Its a remarkable example of urban adaptation.

Sand Martin leaving nest

Sand Martin leaving nest

Just along the river, the House Martins have done well on riverside buildings and the Youth Hostel; about 20 nests in total.

House Martin collecting mud for nests

House Martin nest building

On Canada Water, the Great Crested Grebe has had a difficult year.  The first brood were all lost, and of the second clutch of 5 eggs only one young has survived.  Early in the year there may have been a shortage of suitable food, and later, territorial fights with the Mute Swans may have taken its toll. On average Grebes raise between 1 and 2 young per clutch so its not very abnormal and the juvenile is looking very healthy.

Grebe feeding single chick

Juvenile grebe

But no problems on Canada Water for the Reed Warbler.  One pair has raised four young at the shopping centre end.  The loud singing early in the year has given way to more subtle contact calls.  The birds are surprisingly tolerant of people and will come close to the edge of the reeds and hunt for insects in the bushes.  They will be heading off to Africa at the end of September.  Its a real privilege to have these migrant warblers traveling huge distances to breed in the heart of the Peninsula

Reed Warbler eyeing up a meal

And successfully picking up a tasty treat

Another successful and late breeding bird is the Tufted Duck.  Its a diving duck and a true wild resident.  It breeds in reedy fringes or islands.  They have been successful in Surrey Dock, Globe Pond and Southwark Park.  The ducklings can dive and collect their own food when they are very young, so the female parent just has to keep them safe from predators.  The male has nothing to do with rearing the young and loafs around moulting; what a contrast to the grebes who share parenting responsibilities very festidiously.

Female Tufted Duck with young on Globe Pond

Rotherhithe has a wonderfully diverse collection of wildlife for an inner city area.  The woods, parks, gardens, docks and river hold a fantastic range of resident and visiting wildlife.  And what better time to see and hear it than in the Springtime.

One area the commuters and shoppers pass through in large numbers is particularly interesting.  Canada Water.  A large open stretch of fresh water with an inviting stretch of trees, shrubs and reeds down one side.  Its main attraction in spring is the Great Crested Grebe that has nested for the last two years near the Library and Plaza, unfazed by the noise of building work and skateboarders.  Its as close to genuine wildlife as we could hope to get.  Last year they raised two broods of two chicks, but this year has not started well.  They hatched five eggs but it looks like all the young have been lost.  One was seen dead in the water - a really sad sight.  The failure may have been due to a shortage of small fish to feed the young, although there are large numbers of bigger fish such as `Perch and also Crayfish.  Maybe the alien terrapins and turtles are having an impact on the food supply.  The two adults are still around, mainly skulking in the reeds.  Lets hope they succeed with a second brood.

Grebe feeding feather to young 

Grebe on nest with young on back

The reed fringe hold nests of Mute Swan, Coot and Moorhen.  They also hold the other star visitor - the noisy Reed Warbler.  These birds are summer migrants returning from Africa each year.  All that way to nest in Canada Water.  They can be tricky to see but very easy to hear with their loud scratchy song.  There are at least three singing males this year.

Reed Warbler

Singing Reed Warbler

Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and Blackcap have also been seen this year.  These too are migrants; the Blackcaps will probably breed, but the Chiffchaff and Whitethroat look like they have just been passing through.  Over the last year, Sedge Warbler and Kingfisher have also dropped in to join the large number of very common birds such as Dunnock, Wren, Robin and Goldfinch.  Plenty of Blue Tit Great Tit too and the odd Great Spotted Woodpecker and Jay.  House Martins have arrived and we should soon see them hawking over the water for insects maybe joined by the odd Sand Martin.

Whitethroat

Chiffchaff

On the water there are also Lesser Black Backed Gull, Cormorant, and Grey Heron.  None of these will breed here.  There are also ducks: Mallard and Tufted Duck, and both of these probably will.  So too will the Pied Wagtail, easily seen and nesting on the Decathlon side of the dock. In the winter Canada Water holds large numbers of Black Headed Gull but these have now gone to their breeding grounds and will return in the late summer.

The water level has fallen slowly over the last few years, probably because of natural evaporation and transpiration and lack or replenishment.  It is also possible that there is a leak.  One advantage of this has been to create a shoreline appreciated by birds and insects and also shallow water for grebe nests. The viewing platform half way down is a good place to watch the Dragon Flies on the stony shore.  But the dry edges harbour many rats.  Its difficult to judge their impact but they are probably causing a problem for other wildlife, for example by taking the eggs of nesting birds.

Its good to see that from their plans British Land is looking to enhance the opportunities for wildlife and give better access to the wooded and reedy side.  It will mean more people seeing and appreciating at close hand the truly amazing diversity of wildlife in the heart of our city.

February 2017.  As the month draws to an end, spring is in the air.  Buds are breaking, flowers are opening and insects are emerging.  The birds are getting ready for the breeding season and some have begun nest building.

On the river, the large gull population has been joined by some interesting visitors from afar.  A Caspian Gull that was ringed in Germany joined the many Black Headed and Black Backed Gulls on the foreshore by the Hilton.

Caspian Gull

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Caspian Gull showing ring

A young Great Black Backed Gull pulled a large eel from the river and managed to swallow it whole. Its good to see evidence of Eels.  They declined rapidly between 2005 and 2010, but there is recent evidence that they are increasing again.

Great Black Backed Gull with Eel

Swallowing Eel whole

On Surrey Water the Swan drove off a pair of Egyptian Geese from its breeding territory, the Coots have began nest building and the Black Headed Gulls are gaining their black heads.  A little later in the year, they and the Tufted ducks will head to their breeding grounds and the docks will become very quiet.

Swan driving off Egyptian Goose

Coot building nest 

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On Stave Hill, Snowdrops have opened and the catkins have glinted in the spring sunshine.

Snowdrops

Catkins

The Firecrest has continued to show well and attracted birdwatchers from across London.  The great Spotted Woodpecker has begun drumming and the Long Tailed Tit flocks are breaking up into breeding pairs.  A Snipe dropped into one of the ponds briefly early in the month and flocks of Redwing gathered in preparation for the flight back North.  A Woodcock was found dead on Stave Hill; apparently killed by a raptor, probably a Sparrowhawk.

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Long Tailed Tit

An important habitat for wildlife is our own back gardens.  Even small gardens near busy roads can attract a wide range of attractive wildlife if planted with flowering and fruiting trees and bushes.  Goldfinches are now very numerous, joining the Robins, Wrens, Dunnock, Blue Tit and Great Tit.  The Blackcap below has been a regular visitor, picking small insects from the rotting Crab Apples. And colourful but not altogether welcome visitors have also been raiding the tree.  Our gardens also have plenty of House Sparrows.  These have declined sharply in some parts of the country, but not in Rotherhithe.

Blackcap in garden

Parakeet raiding Malus tree

This is the twelfth monthly instalment of Rotherhithe Wildlife.  And what a wonderful range of wildlife there is in this small area near the centre of a great city. Over the course of a year this has included: Snakes Head Fritillary; Oxlips; Bush Cricket; Common Newt; Bats; Seal; Peregrine Falcon; Buzzard; Firecrest, Redstart; Spotted Flycatcher; Caspian Gull; Flocks of Fieldfare and Redwing.  There has been beautiful Kingfisher catching Stickleback, Gulls with Eels, and Grebes with Crawfish.  Our wildlife needs breeding sites, relative freedom from predators and a good food supply.  The river, docks, parks, and our backgardens in Rotherhithe provide wonderful habitats for sustaining this great diversity.

Its been a great start to the year.  The cold, clear days of January has meant the trees and insects have remained dormant but the bird life has been interesting and impressive.

The cold weather has brought flocks of Fieldfare and Redwing from Northern Europe, escaping from the cold and snow and looking for their favourite food - berries.  Rotherhithe doesn't have a great number of berried trees, but the few Rowans around have been closely targeted.  Not in the usual parks and woods but by the side of the road and in gardens.  A small tree on Salter Road by the busy bus stop was full of both birds, flying back up to the tops of nearby trees when alighting passenger disturbed them, then gliding back down when the coast was clear.

Fieldfare

Fieldfare

Fieldfare

Redwing

While some Redwing hang out in large groups, other shy birds prefer to forage in woodland.  A single Redwing has been hanging out near the Stave Hill entrance, quietly turning over leaf litter in the way Blackbirds do.

Redwing at Stave Hill

Redwing at Stave Hill

The local celebrity Stave Hill Firecrests have continued to show well and have attracted bird watchers from across London.  They are tiny and normally difficult to track down, but the Stave Hill birds can be particularly obliging.

Firecrest

Firecrest

Stave Hill has also had groups of Greenfinch, showy Jay, and noisy gangs of Long Tailed Tit.  Chiffchaffs have overwintered and been very active in the January sunshine.  But alas the frozen ponds have meant that the Kingfisher has been looking for food elsewhere.

Greenfinch

Jay

Long Tailed Tit

Chiffchaff

At the end of the month a Snipe arrived.  It was very difficult to see, but occasionally flew up with rapid wing beats and erratic flight before settling again in thick reeds.  No photograph but perhaps it will be tempted out when the ponds thaw.


And other birds also in roadside trees.  This very obliging Goldcreast was in a confer on Salter Road by Surrey Water

Goldcrest

Goldcrest

The docks have held large numbers of birds - mainly Tufted Duck and Black Headed Gull.  There has also been a few Common and Lesser Black Backed Gull.  The rarest visitor was a Caspian Gull seen on the sandy river bank near the Hilton, where it joined the Great Black Backed and Herring Gulls

Female and four male Tufted duck on Surrey Water

Common Gull with Black Headed Gulls on Surrey Water

Caspian Gull (photo Rich Bonser) 

Great Black Backed Gull 

So another great month for wildlife, and a reminder that in addition to out well established parks and wildlife areas, our path-side and roadside trees and small gardens can be  valuable habitats.  Conifers often shelter Goldcrest and other small birds and Rowan, Pyracantha and Cotoneaster are very attractive to visiting winter Thrushes.   No Waxwings alas but perhaps with a few more Rowan trees we may get these iconic and beautiful birds on the peninsula.


Lots to look forward to in February.  The early bulbs should push through, bees will emerge and the early breeding birds like Coots and Blackbirds will start nest building.  And hopefully the Peregrine will return to the gas holder.