Another bumper month, the Peninsula is alive with Winter migrants, and I managed 70 species, equalling May's Total, but with a very different make up of species!
The influx of passerines has continued, with Pipits and Chats readily seen, and with them a good amount of Redwing and Fieldfare. These are quite skittish Thrushes that can reach huge numbers here when food is available. Winter 2020 in particular yielded vast amounts of individuals, and nearly every visit was literally swamped by flocks of these guys plowing through the berries, and though we're nowhere near those numbers it's always nice to see them back.
The waders and ducks are continuing to show well, Redshank and Snipe numbers are building, whilst Teal and Gadwall are becoming more regular on the river. We're definitely seeing the knock on from the harsh summer though, Black Duck has still not refilled and most (if not all) of the water birds there have moved on. Shoveller, Tufteds and Pochard (previously a breeder here) have not returned yet, nor have the Geese, and the Rails are few and far between. Marsh Harrier still quarter the reedbed hoping to pick off a small mammal or bird, but it's still slim pickings at this previously productive area. Most (if not all) of the wildfowl are to be seen foraging or passing by on the Thames, and it will be interesting to see of the reedbed can recover for next year, likewise the scrape on Botany Grazing Marsh.
Stonechats are of course still everywhere, covering every conceivable perching spot and are easily the most common winter bird.
The Grey Wagtail was back on the beach by Ingress, and actually sat still for a brief second this time! I'm presuming it's the same individual as last month as I'm still yet to see one in another spot, perhaps he's wintering on the marsh before heading back inland for next summer. He's made an appearance on 'Wagtail Beach' a fair few times now, flitting in and out amongst the usual Pieds, let's see how long he hangs around with us!
Lesser Redpoll made for a great site tick one drizzly morning, with a couple in a mixed flock with Linnets and Chaffinches. The finches are starting to move through en masse, smashing through the seeds and berries, so hopefully some cheeky Bramblings will make an appearance. It's always worth checking groups of small birds, as you never know what's going to be hiding within them!
Most of the month ticks came in an early morning ringing session, with Goldcrest the undoubted highlight! We also caught a nice mixture of Tits, along with a handful of Reed Bunting and a very smart male Blackcap. c30 Fieldfare were also present but failed to find themselves in the nets, along with a handful of Redwing and Mistle Thrush, while interestingly over 6000 Woodpigeon were seen over on migration.
I'll leave you with the vision for the future of the site, wonderfully put together by the team at Save Swanscombe Marshes after many months of surveys, it truly is going to be wonderful to see this come to fruition after all the effort the guys have put in fighting the development and campaigning for the safeguarding of this wonderful greenspace.
https://twitter.com/sspcampaign/status/1592403576844058624?t=lkXPlDM9KZYKcmoB1wutAQ&s=19
Full List
Woodpigeon
Collared Dove
Feral Dove
Stock Dove
Jackdaw
Magpie
Jay
Carrion Crow
Raven
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Linnet
Lesser Redpoll
Reed Bunting
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Long Tailed Tit
Bearded Tit
Wren
Goldcrest
Dunnock
Starling
Meadow Pipit
Rock Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Robin
Stonechat
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Redwing
Fieldfare
Cetti's Warbler
Blackcap
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Pheasant
Ring Necked Parakeet
Herring Gull
Black Headed Gull
Greater Black Backed Gull
Lesser Black Backed Gull
Common Gull
Cormorant
Common Redshank
Turnstone
Oystercatcher
Lapwing
Green Sandpiper
Common Snipe
Curlew
Mallard
Teal
Wigeon
Gadwall
Egyptian Goose
Greylag Goose
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Moorhen
Coot
Little Egret
Grey Heron
Kestrel
Peregrine
Sparrowhawk
Buzzard
Marsh Harrier
Total 70
Running Total 117
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