Friday 24 February 2017

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.

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