Spring is here and that was evident from the birdsong on 30 March when Sue and I did our monthly survey. Great Tits were calling incessantly, Wrens and Robins burst into song with great frequency and Blackbirds and Blue Tits joined the chorus. In the little wood, the effect was almost orchestral. There was also much chasing between branches. Things were not quite so harmonious on upper Eastern Road where a very noisy battle was taking place - no doubt over territory or a nest - between two Mistle Thrushes, a Magpie and a Crow. Eventually it settled down, but the Mistle Thrushes remained on the alert.
The gulls that have been wintering in the park are gone - another obvious sign of spring. On the bowling green, we spied a Pied Wagtail prospecting for worms while in one of the plane trees above the green, a pair of Crows were repairing last year's nest and settling into it. By this time, cloud and strong winds were building up and after checking that at least some House Sparrows were hopping about in the Cliffview hedge, we legged it to the cafe. Our final list totaled 21 species: 11 Robins, 7 Woodpigeons, at least 6 Wrens. 5 each of Blackbird, Great Tit and Starling, 3 House Sparrows, 2 each of Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Crow, Long-tailed Tit and Mistle Thrush, 1 each of Dunnock (singing), Feral Pigeon, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Jay, Magpie, Pied Wagtail and Ring-necked Parakeet.
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| Crows nest above the bowling green |
Next day we were back again at 6am for the Dawn Chorus Walk which covered both Hilly Fields and the Brockley and Ladywell cemeteries. The attendance was good - over 20 people turned up - and the birds were singing lustily as on the previous day. However, the 42 mph winds which had been blowing all night had still not abated and this made it a little difficult at times to hear even the well-known songbirds such as Blackbird, Robin and Wren, especially for some of the enthusiastic beginners with us. However, we persevered, had very good views of a pair of Mistle Thrushes, heard the 'laugh' or 'yaffle' of a Green Woodpecker and some of us heard the song of a late rising Chaffinch. The Goldfinches disgraced themselves by staying in 'bed' - wherever that was.
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| Dawn on Hilly Fields [Photo: Annie Cole] |
In the cemeteries, it was calmer and quieter. We heard a Song Thrush singing from some distance away, then heard a Chiffchaff singing and tracked it down so that some of the group could actually see it. Chiffchaffs are warblers named after their staccato song, migrants from Africa and the Med which come here to breed in the spring. By now it was full daylight and within a few minutes we were lucky enough to see three Jays and catch brief glimpses of a Sparrowhawk and of the elusive Goldcrest which is Britain's smallest bird. After that, everybody went home or off to work!
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| Daylight in the B&L Cemeteries [Photo: Rachel Mooney] |
21 species were seen or heard: Blackbird, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Crow, Dunnock, Feral Pigeon. Goldcrest, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Green Woodpecker, Jay, Magpie, Mistle Thrush, Ring-necked Parakeet, Robin, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Woodpigeon, Wren. Many thanks to all who made the effort to come along, to the Friends of Hilly Fields and Brockley Central for publicising the event and to Mike Guilfoyle of the Friends of Brockley and Ladywell Cemeteries who made possible our access.
