Wildlife Circus

lagoon Surbiton sw sand martin bank  The first sand martins have reached sw London (recorded at the London Wetland Centre) so fingers crossed that they will find the sand martin bank at the nature reserve at the old Surbiton sewage works. song thrush N. Reeve The birds of the day were the song thrushes, singing at the sewage works as well as at Surbiton and Kingston cemeteries; with a lovely view of one of them heading into cypress trees. This was topped by a view of the male stonechat, perching on relatively immature vegetation, probably attracted to the commotion caused by resident house sparrows congregating  at the recently filled feeders. Also benefiting from the abundance at the feeding station were coal tits, green finches and robins, although chaffinches are conspicuous by their absence. (My old Ladybird book of birds, once stated that this was our commonest species). With ten pochard, 2 shelduck, 2 gadwall, 2 dabchick as well as a host...

Female pochard Filter Beds Since the site visit (11.12.13) there has been no security presence at Seething Wells. With no-one driving around the Filter Beds every half hour, the site returns to 'normal'. The lack of disturbance has led to a welcome return of the swans and ducks normally expected  during the winter. This includes 4 swan, 34 tufted duck, ten gadwall and a female pochard, as well as good numbers of coot and moorhen. This morning there were six little grebe distributed between the beds and three lapwing on the dividing wall between FB's 5 and 6. Now that the tree screen has lost its leaves the door on the north east elevation appears to be open and fresh graffiti has appeared on the blue paintwork.