Wryneck, Beddington Farmlands

I had two days quoting in London this week which was fortuitous as there had been a Wryneck at Beddington so I was able to visit on Tuesday evening. It had been raining all day and stopped in the early evening so I quickly headed over there in the hope the bird might come out with the sun. It had been getting in the bushes on the south edge of the North Lake. As I don't have access any more to the site I was limited to viewing from the gate/ permitted footpath but luckily the bird did indeed come out and sunned itself in the evening sun. 

A Beddington tick for me. I was on 224 at the end of last year so this should put me on 225 but not sure how my list is affected by the taxonomic updates. 

There were are few other bits too including 3 Green and 2 Common Sandpiper, Pintail, Wigeon and Peregrine HERE.

Good to see a few of the old gang including Anand and Claire and also had a curry at the good old Asia Tandoori with Claire after birding. 

Wryneck

Peregrine doing a bit of pest control (with Ring-necked Parakeet)

Eclipse male Pintail

We stayed until after sunset to count the roosting birds on the lake which including 43 Egyptian Geese which is a personal record for the site. So at least one recent success story. Sadly on September 2nd the local authority approved a planning application for the farmlands which is more or less the final death sentence for the site, re-setting the legal framework for further perpetual decades of slow managed destruction while legitimising systemic societal abuse by corporate actors. Good to get what could well be my final Beddington tick and for all hope to finally die on at least a high note- a cracking little bird.