I feel terrible having neglected The Scrubs for so long this summer. I guess aside from not being around a lot recently I've also been a little depressed of late what with the current threats represented by the Mayor's Office, Transport for London and HS2.
There's a another new threat in the shape of a music festival that is planned for September - right in the middle of the migration season. Most of the local people are against it but alarmingly, there are some that are for it. What they don't realise is that there could be potentially thousands of festival goers trampling the habitat. Furthermore, once you let one lot in The Scrubs will be opened up as a being on the circuit.
One of today's two Whinchats
Tales of woah aside, this morning's visit to The Scrubs was highly fruitful. I saw a couple of male Whinchat in the grassland. These birds were the earliest returning autumn migrant Whinchats on record on my patch.
A female Reed Bunting
Four Swallows were unusual for this time of year but the best bird was a brief flyover Common Tern - our first in perhaps three years.
Meadow Pipit
Life goes on at The Scrubs and the good birds just keep on coming. I always live in hope that the armageddon that lies ahead for the site is not as complete as it promises to be.
1 comment:
These festival organisers, councils etc just see open spaces as empty and as sources of cash that need to be used for profits, they don't realise what inherent value there is for the wildlife and many local people. They just want it to be another commodity. Exactly the same is happening in Blackheath (via Lewisham Council)with Nimby Events this September - 50000 festival goers will attend in the middle of migration season and not late enough into the autumn to protect insects etc. And, as you say, once it starts you can except more (and the council gave them a license in perpetuity... sigh).
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