A captive female Baikal Teal- there is little chance of this small London population of Baikal Teal escaping and colonizing. Nonetheless there are Baikal Teals in London, albiet brought here (and restrained) by another 'animal', but in the past, this practise has proved to be an effective ultra modern (in geological terms) method of range expansion for various species (Ring-necked Parakeet, Ruddy Duck and Mandarin etc). Nature often finds 'new ways'- totally accidently yes but no less a 'new' process of range expansion.
Juvenile Wood Sandpiper on the enclosed lagoon (looks like India with all that rubbish)- reacting to a hunting Hobby-crouching and avoiding taking flight.
2nd cy autumn Hobby, hunting waders over the enclosed lagoons.
A juvenile Ringed Plover being chased by a Hobby. By making a low rapid sweep over the lagoon, this predator is attempting to spook something into the air and then swiftly sieze it in flight from below. If the strike it not immediate, the chase climbs to high altitude, with the Ringed Plover attempting to stay above the Hobby. Several unsuccessful mid air rapid drives by the Hobby, countered by rapid micro changes in direction from the Ringed Plover led to the Hobby giving up.
The characteristic two white spots on the side of the upper neck are clearly seen here, a feature of all plumages.
The yellow orbital skin is a feature of an older bird- it is bluish or greenish yellow in juveniles. The contrast in mantle and upperparts colours compared to the remiges, with the abraded remiges and orange trousers suggests this bird is neither a juvenile or an adult. These features combined with the tail pattern ages this bird as 2nd calender year autumn. The distinct bars and pale tip (visible in upper photo) are a feature of juvenile feathers- an adult would have less distinct bars with no pale tail tip.
Highlight of the day was a juvenile Knot on the enclosed beds accompanied by the four Ringed Plovers, one juvenile Wood Sandpiper and 5 Common Sandpiper. Of the 19 records of Knot (this one the 20th if there were no records in 2006-7) at Beddington (before 2005), August has proved to be the peak month with four records (this is now the fifth August record).
Juvenile Ringed Plovers
Adult Turnstone- the only other Arenaria in the world is Black Turnstone which a nearctic west coast speciality.
Little Terns
Little and Common Terns
Ringed Plovers, Common Tern and Dunlin. Interesting to see the variation in wing moult in some of these birds.
Ringed Plover, Little Tern and Dunlin. Mixed tern and wader flocks are quite characteristic of Canvey. Canvey is one of many Thames Estuary roosting sites which include:
Dunlin and Ringed Plover. Always tricky assigning both Dunlin and Ringed Plover to race so I usually don't even try. This time last year Simon and I found a White-rumped Sandpiper at this site. The Thames has a long history of vagrants including, on the Essex side: Western Sandpiper, Baird's Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Sociable Plover, Collared Pratincole, Black-winged Stilt, Greater-sand Plover, Broad-billed Sandpiper, White-rumps, Marsh Sandpiper, Cream-coloured Courser. The Kent side, including the Swale and Sheppey have an even more impressive list of vagrants.
Little Tern- a Canvey classic. Flag-ringed birds recorded at this site reveal that some of these birds originate from Belgium.
Black-tailed Godwits (islandica) (above)- these birds originate from Iceland and winter in western Europe. The Oare birds mainly arrive in July and numbers build in early autumn. Later on in the autumn/early winter some birds move to the south coast of Britain (e.g. Langstone Harbour or Bowling Green Marsh), with some moving even further south (to Iberia). On the return to Iceland leg, some birds stage in Ireland before they return to the breeding area. The detail of migration reveals that birds movements are often complex, involving various loops and networks of staging and wintering sites.
Juvenile Avocet (above). The brown wash on the scapulars and tertials, and the brown hue to the dark plumage indicate that this bird was raised this year.
Surpised to see only 3 Dunlin. There is usually a sizeable flock of Dunlin here. Perhaps they are using another roosting site on the Thames Estuary.
1 ad Curlew Sandpiper, 1 ad Little Stint, 2 ad, 1 juv Dunlin, 3 ad Golden Plover, 500+ Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Whimbrel, 1 ad LRP, 10+ Greenshank, 12 ad Ruff, 1 Snipe, 4 Common Tern, 15 Shoveler, 10 Teal, 2 Marsh Harrier.
