And so as the summer survey season ends, I did my first survey last week for the BTO Winter Bird Survey in the Eltham Park area. The early parts of the survey route are along roads of terraced houses and the thing that struck me was how quiet it was compared to when I did the Breeding bird survey on the same route earlier in the summer.
Things became more interesting when I reached Eltham Park, where a Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard and then seen in a small patch of trees. As I reached the central part of the park, the usual group of Crows were seen and Ring-necked Parakeets were in the tree tops.
Reaching the pond there were a large number of Mallard and Moorhen. Also present was a single Grey Wagtail.
Walking out from the Park through Shepherdleas Woods, which were quiet apart from the calls of Parakeets
I arrived at Oxleas Meadows and hoped that, given the bright sunny weather, there would be some birds of prey over the meadows or Jack Wood. Unfortunately, the sky was disappointingly clear.
Leaving Oxleas Meadows, I returned to the streets of houses, where little was seen or heard. Almost at the end of the route I could hear a Buzzard calling but it was hidden behind the houses.
It will be interesting to see how the bird population changes over the course of the coming winter.
Pete's Favourite Things 
My first winter bird survey visit was similarly quiet. The first half the route was also part of my WeBS route, and that had also been fairly quiet this month. The last three sections of the second half were through woodland, which can be either very quiet, or very busy, depending on whether you encounter a passing flock of tits, etc. So I wasn’t surprised that I got birds in one of these sections, and nothing in the others.
Maybe the next visit will be more exciting!