Osama bin Laden's house and back.

A Black drongo on Osama bin Laden's electricity cables...

White male, Asian Paradise flycatcher.

Away again... A short notice departure to Pakistan on account of Osama bin Laden being found and killed in Abbotabad. I had hoped it would also give an opportunity to spend some time running around the Margalla hills that border Islamabad. We did get up there a couple of times which was better than none. They are a fantastic place for birds both in variety and number. Some of the goodies are the abundant Grey hooded and Hume yellow browed warblers as well as Blythe's reed warblers this time of year. Other highlights were the Long tailed minivet which is a fantastic colour and probably the best picture was a white male Asian paradise flycatcher in Abbotabad.

Other news from Tooting. First Common swifts were over Balham on the 30th April and the Lesser spot was still drumming away up until I went away. Looking for it on the 15th May and again today unsuccessfully. Not sure what it means, hopefully, that he found a mate. Also on the 15th was a low hunting Sparrowhawk, otherwise not much else apart from a few singing Black caps and Chiffs. Today was better, at least 15 swifts, two Herring gulls, a calling Garden warbler at the back of the Triangle and a singing Reed warbler by the pond was the highlight. There are lots of Long tailed-tit chicks kicking around at the moment and there are some big Great spotted woodpecker chicks in a nest in Streatham wood. As for the ducks and swans on the pond it is another story. The Mallards (including the returned Farm duck) all appear to have lost there chicks as have the second pair of Egyptian geese. Alas, it also seems the Mute swans have had another unsuccessful year with the female having abandoned the nest... What happend?? You can't blame it all on the giant Pike.

FOUND! Peter White.

Lesser spotted woodpecker drumming.

I have been testing a new camera (Fuji x100), very good for quick, candid observational snaps.

A dog walker and a giant dog!

Self portrait on Tooting Bec road.

Rubbish left after a picnic. I am astounded by what people throw away: Plates and knives and forks. Such waste!

Outings over to the common on the 8th, 10th, 11th and 20th were all productive and I had a week in Cornwall in between.

Top spot for me on the 8th was Peter White who I hadn't seen for ages. He had had a productive morning seeing a male Pied flycatcher in Cafe wood. This was after he had seen two Reed buntings and remarkably the Lesser spotted woodpecker. The male Pied fly is a good looking bird and an unusual migrant on the common and we went to have a look for it. Unfortunately, it had moved on. The Egyptian geese have two chicks, though Peter said it was four a week ago. Within a few days it was down to one and when I went past yesterday I couldn't see the geese at all.

9th-11th. Three early visits hoping to find something similar. I found the Lesser spot three times (9th), firstly at a corner of the Triangle and then twice by the lake area. Always a male so probably the same bird. There was a good smattering of migrants, Willow warblers and Chiffchaffs and 15 male Blackcaps and at least two females which is a good number. The Lesser spot was still on the same tree on the Triangle on the following day so I persuaded Brian, who still hadn't seen it to come over the following morning. True to recent form it was in the same tree at 7am, punctual, and we had good view.

20th. Lesser spot still drumming persistently on the Triangle. Hope he finds a mate. Hobby over at about 08.00 heading north was a year first for me and almost in exactly the same place as I saw one last year though a couple of weeks earlier. Of continuing amusement is the aggressive male swan, protecting his partner who is on the nest, presumably with an egg. He spends the whole day chasing seemingly one Canada goose in particular. An annual ritual. No Barn swallows yet over the common but at least two passed over Balham (8th).

March 2011.

Red rumped swallow, near Ajdabiyah, Libya.

Subalpine warbler, Libya.

Greater crested terns, Bosasso, Somaliland.

Sooty gull, Bosasso, Somaliland.

I was away from the end of February through March and into the beginning of April. What started out as a two week gig in Somalia ended up being six weeks away with the last three weeks in Libya.

Somalia, Bosasso, the capital of the breakaway region of Somaliland was a difficult assignment and we didn't get out much. One day we did, I took a couple of pictures of Sooty gull and some Greater crested terns. Preferring them over the very similar Lesser crested on size compared to a Sandwich tern.

Libya was a different kettle of fish entirely where we were able to get out quite a bit. As for the looking at birds, this was still tricky and most sightings were made out of the car window dashing along at 90mph. Every now and again we did stop and I was able to identify the abundant larks seen evading our car at regular intervals along the road: Short toed and Desert.

Some of the other good birds were abundant Hoopoe (called Hood hood in Arabic), Subalpine warblers, Marsh harriers a Pallid harrier, Pallid swifts, Red rumped and Barn swallows. Two species I wasn't expecting to see in the desert were Raven and a Curlew (probably disorientated in a sand storm). It would have been great to have the freedom to go out wandering without the fear of artillery and tank fire...

February 2011

An almost good picture of Snow buntings at Salthouse, Norfolk.

I write this as I am waiting for a cab to take me to the airport. Off again...

It's been a dull cloudy month so far, one day with sunshine as far as I can remember. In spite of the weather the male Dunnocks have begun singing in earnest all over Balham and the commons. Walks were had on Clapham and Tooting commons and there was also a brief trip to Norfolk. Waxwings were still about and were seen at Tower Bridge (4th) and on the M4 by Heston service (7th).

Shoveler numbers on the common (TBC) were up to 12 and Black headed gulls over 120. A lone Shoveler was seen on the small pond by the main road on Clapham common. 2 Pochard on Tooting (14th) is unusual also a couple of Common gulls and a Herring gull. There are always more Common gulls on Clapham and at least a pair of Lesser blacks and Herring gulls. A male Sparrow hawk was seen regularly (TBC) and there are still fair numbers of Green and Goldfinches. The owls were out again (14th) as were Green and Great spot woodpeckers.

Norfolk was more for r&r but a few hours was spent photographing the confiding Snow buntings at Salthouse. Next time I might get it right...

The months highlight so far was a Mediterranean gull seen by Duncan on the pond on Tooting (8th).

January 2011

Robin beside the pond.

One of the two Little owls in Cafe wood.

I was away for the best part of three weeks during the month (Sudan) and amazingly the Waxwings that were around before I went away were still around when I got back. At the start of the month they were feeding beside Waitrose in Balham and drinking on the roof of the Post Office. They even perched in a tree in the garden, 'garden tick'....

On the 28th a flock of 60 or so were on the common (first time seen on the common), perched on a tree beside the railway bridge at the bottom of the Triangle. I was heading over to Tooting to pick up a sander to finish the floor and outside the floor shop, later in the day, presumable the same group were feasting on the berries by the Primary school at the bottom Sistova road. Who'd have thought it?

29th, presumably same group though more like 80 were in trees opposite the doctor's on Bedford hill. Part of the group came across the road from the High Street end, presumable feeding in gardens somewhere in there. Two groups of Goldfinch on the common (back of the Triangle and a group of about 12 by the football pitches) which is unusual. Thought Siskin heard but couldn't find it/them. 12 Shoveler, 100 Black heads, 1 Common, 1 Herring (overhead) and a Cormorant on the pond.

31st, sunshine!!! Both Little owls seen warming themselves on a branch in the usual tree. Green, Great spot and Nuthatch all also in Cafe wood.

A Snipe flying down Longley Road on the 2nd worth a mention.

December 2010

Waxwings in Balham!!!!

Waxwings near Pegwell, Kent.

Grey heron on the pond.

Robin by the pond.

Another busy month with few opportunity to get out. However, there were a good surprises and unfortunately one of the Robins down, due to a Sparrow hawk. Once again, heavy (ish) snow and the common was covered. Clearly, I had to go and take a 'Robin in the snow picture'. I was in the middle of it, when two Robins started scrapping, continuing into a nearby bush. Whoosh!!!! And before I could register what was going on, out came a female Sparrow hawk and only one Robin...

Otherwise: Little owls (2), were heard calling on the way back from Brian's on the 5th. Not seen at the usual tree yet. A Dozen Redwings beside the pond (23rd). The pond has been largely frozen trough out, though on the small open patch has been Cormorant and Shoveler (8) and 60 Black headed gulls.

Of more note, were the Waxwings seen in the area. I had a job in Folkestone and popped up to Pegwell to look at the Waxwings there (published in The Times) to see an email from Duncan on my return, who had seen a group of around 50 in the trees beside his house near Streatham Hill (17th). Go figure! Brian and I went for an early look the following morning to no avail. Luckier for Duncan who had 150 there later in the morning. Over 50 were also seen by Clapham south tube on the Friday, presumably the same group. I finally tracked them down on the Sunday 100 apprx, (19th) on Hanson Close, just off Balham High Street. Not my find, but pleased to see them! They stuck around for most of the week and when I went to the sorting office this morning (31st), 50 were feeding on the berries besides Waitrose, brilliant!!

November 2010

Waxwings in Norwich, a group of around 60 and part of a huge national invasion. Stunning birds!!

A Robin on a frosty common, published in The Times.

Tawny eagle, Nakuru National Park, Kenya.

Lesser flamingos, Lake Nakuru. The colour was stunning, difficult to capture and translate the sense of scale and richness in colour.

Kittlitz plover, Nakuru National Park, Kenya. An amazing park with huge amounts and variety of birds, this is a very small sample. Highly recommended!

October was a write off as I was away on a job in Africa. Fortunately, I managed to squeeze a few days safari in Kenya which was brilliant. The impressive Kenya Wildlife Service were very supportive in my modest efforts at wildlife photography.

I got back at the end of the month and motivation was low to get out and about, partly because of a heavy work load, but also perhaps due to having been spoiled in Africa. Coupled with some DIY at home, meant there also wasn't really much time.

Did get a stroll out on the 7th, though didn't see much. Shoveler are back on the pond (12) and there were Cormorants (8) perched on the dead tree, two herons were on the pond and another flew over. Mistle thrush (6) and a Sparrowhawk were also seen. Little owls didn't seem to be back yet. One of the Robins was published in the paper during the first cold spell.

Also of note, Waxwings everywhere in the north and East Anglia. During, a short trip to Norfolk I had a look at a lively group in Norwich.