First London Wild Bird Watch

With a low pressure still sitting over the UK I simply couldn't muster the enthusiasm for the moor today, so instead it was off to the London Wetland Centre for the first London Wild Bird Watch - basically a smaller version of the Birdfair. Managed to meet some interesting people and caught Simon King's talk about the Peregrines breeding on Charing Cross Hospital nearby (check out the live cam here). Also tried out the new Swarovski EL 32 Swarovision bins, which are awesome, even with my other half yelling "put them down now" in my ear! It will be interesting to see how the London Wild Bird Watch develops and it could even be worth having a REGUA stand here in the future.

A quick look at the reserve produced a couple of year ticks in the form of 2 Common Tern and a Reed Warbler (heard), along with 2-3 Little Ringed Plover, 1 female Northern Wheatear, 12+ Sand Martin, 1-2 Swallow, 7 Redshank, 2 Common Snipe, 3 Cetti's Warbler (heard), just a single Blackcap and 1 Sparrowhawk. The wader scrape has plenty of muddy edges and looks really good for migrant waders at the moment. On route a probable Red Kite was seen briefly from the car drifting west over the A3 at Robin Hood roundabout.

The wader scrape at the London Wetland Centre

Simon King talking about the Charing Cross Hospital Peregrines