Non-Stop Birding

Friday, 13 May 2016

Intervention

It is near.

Thursday, 12 May 2016

HACKBRIDGE NIEGHBOURHOOD PLAN CONSULTATION

Our neighbourhood plan is currently out for public consultation. The plan includes various improvements to local biodiversity and green space infrastructure:

1) Biodiversity improvements to existing green spaces- wildflower meadows, wildlife friendly planting schemes, tree planting, hedge planting and bulb planting.
2) Strengthening of green corridors (for wildlife and access links) to link Beddington Farmlands with the River Wandle and the Wandle Valley Regional Park
3) Guidelines for new developers to follow recommendations from RSPB, Butterfly Conservation and RHS with regards to provision for nature in new developments
4) The development of an ecology park and visitor facilities in Hackbridge for engagement with the Beddington Farmlands Nature Reserve
5) Wildlife gardening projects for local private gardens
6) Green Space Management Schemes for communal estates

Unfortunately the plan is receiving very little support from the council, local councillors or our member of parliament who all seem to be allied to large scale developers and profiteering objectives and mainstream political party connections.

COPY OF PLAN HERE

One of the many examples of improvements already achieved - MORE HERE

A few bits and bobs

Common Tern over the lake yesterday, the recent north east winds and rain has produced some pretty good wader and tern passage

Common Buzzard- on clear days Buzzards and the odd Red Kite have been moving around

The Canada Geese chicks are appearing in numbers (little do they know that there are various plans, for better or worse, in the Wandle Valley region to control numbers of these)

Endothenia sp (Thanks again Surrey Moths FB page)

Saturday, 7 May 2016

A load of Pollocks

Went on a fishing trip today out from Newhaven with the Little Oak gang. I did a bit of fishing but mainly turned it into a birding pelagic. The skipper seemed to keep a tight ship with Dogfish, Seabass and Gurnard caught and released with Pollock, Plaice, Channel Whiting and Pout Whiting going to market. Saw a Gannet take a Garfish so we had seven species of fish for the day list.

The birding was okay and some good photo ops- unfortunately no Poms which is what I was hoping for (annoying as they had a record day of Poms off Dunge yesterday with 121 moving east but only one today.)

Northern Gannets- about 30+ today

Northern Fulmar- about 40+ today

Unusual looking Fulmar- intermediate type?

Kittiwake- about 10 or so

Common Tern- a light passage of Common Tern (about 30+)

Guillemot (about 15 of them and also 2-3 Razorbills)

3 distant Black Terns moved east. Also 2 Bonxies and 1 Arctic Skua

Pollock- caught a couple of these over the wrecks

Dogfish

Thanks for a great day with Steve, Iaon, Toby (who vomed), Luey and Reno.

Wednesday, 4 May 2016

Today at the farmlands

Female Lapwing- up to 10 pairs breeding this year

Female Shelduck, three to four pairs around prospecting

Prospecting Great Crested Grebes

Red Kite- two today, also six Common Buzzards, Hobby, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel

Northern Wheatear- a pair yesterday evening, a couple of Sand Martins around, 30+ Swift yesterday, a few Swallows moving through, Common Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover on the Southern Lake

The first young birds are appearing now, Mallard and Canada Geese chicks are about and Starling young are calling from the eaves of the Obs

Male Kestrel

Alder Fly ( a few caddis in the trap last night and the night before a few moths including Pale Mottled Willows, Common Quaker, Nut Tree Tussock, Light Brown Apple Moth, White Shouldered House Moth and six Platyedra subcineria. Overall been pretty appalling for moths during this cold spring)