With the little flurry of London Hawfinch activity over the
last few days, I headed over to the paddocks to check out the finch flock.
Before browsing the finches, I checked the flood relief channel.
There was a lot of activity down there. Three Grey Wagtails, numerous Pied
Wagtails, six Egyptian Goose, four Song Thrushes and a Jay among the usual
Dunnocks and Blackbirds.
At the rear paddocks, the finch flock was bulging. There
were at least 40 Chaffinches, with maybe 20 Linnets and 8 Goldfinches, but no
Hawfinch.
C'est la vie.
Joined by Sue and Mark, we carried on towards the Horseshoe
Thicket, not before a Sparrowhawk swooped over our heads in ‘red arrow style’,
stooping in an attempt at a smash and finch grab.
A flock of 30 Redwing and a calling Fieldfare flew north
over our heads as we approached the north of the paddocks. Then a Skylark was
heard and then seen flying northwest over the marshes.
The Coppermill Lane Peregrine shooed off a gull then took
position on its pylon.
A Cettis Warbler was heard from the reed bed in the Horseshoe
Thicket.
A Meadow Pipit called from the Bomb Crater Field.
@leevalleybirder
