Tuesday, February 13, 2007

8th February 2007

Walthamstow Marshes 1200-1400 MJP
settled snow, overcast, flurries. v cold, mod NE.



Peregrine - 1 male
Common Snipe - 5
Water Rail - 1
Little Owl - 1
Meadow Pipit - 16
Goldfinch - 55
Linnet - 3
Grey Wagtail - 1
Kestrel - 3
Sparrowhawk - 1



A pleasure to be out in the first (and probably last) real snowfall of the winter, with at least 12 cm on the ground, and more flurries came and went before the thaw and sleet began later in the day. The conditions provied some good birding, with Snipe showing well against the snow and dropping into the Bombcrater Field, an increase in the number of Meadow Pipits, and a Water Rail feeding in the shallow stream underneath the railway bridge giving views down to two metres being the highlights.