Little Garden Birdwatch

With a bit of patience, a bird table and a couple of bird feeders, even the most modest of urban gardens can produce a few bird species.

Below were some my highlights from this weekends RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch. I also managed to add Blackbird, Robin and a couple of Woodpigeon to my totals - nothing to write home about really, but taking part in the survey (apparently, the worlds biggest about wildlife) I, along with help from all the family have played our small part in recording what's happening to our UK bird populations.

And even my current Wanstead nemesis put in an appearance!

Another Dove on the Red List!

Another visit to Wanstead this morning (my third in as many weeks) in search of those easy patch year ticks. I managed to add four more to my slowly increasing list - Great Black-backed Gull, Kestrel, Teal and Grey Heron, bringing the total up to a reasonable mid-January 62 Patch totals. But alas, still missing from the list is Collared Dove! In a vain attempt to add this increasingly rare Dove to the list after drawing a blank searching and circumnavigating the Flats and Park with local Dove expert Mr Lethbridge (who I might add, even managed to grip me off with a Coal Tit in his garden, soon after we departed) I rather sadly finished my mornings walk pacing up and down the local neighbourhood peering over garden fences in search of this once common (2013) but now virtually extinct (2014) Dove in this part of north-east London.

The 'rare' Collared Dove - photographed in my garden circa 2013

Should you see a Collared Dove in the Wanstead area please contact the 'Dove Tweet Hotline' @TheCowboyBirder - many thanks!