Pledging to fledge!

This is just a quick post to say thanks to those who came along to my walk for the 'Pledge to Fledge' initiative at Nunhead Cemetery this morning. You can click on that green badge in the top right of the screen to read more about the pledge. I think it promotes a great, simple idea - to share a passion for birds and nature however you can. I hope those that came along enjoyed their morning walk, there were certainly lots of good questions asked!

It was a quieter morning in the cemetery than recent, but we enjoyed a softly cooing Stock Dove by the entrance, several noisy yapping Great Spotted Woodpeckers and loud bursts from secretive wrens throughout. Several Chiffchaffs were heard in their favoured patches of scrub, plaintive hweets! giving them away. I wonder how long these birds will be around for or if the cemetery will hold any wintering birds this year? Blue tits and Great tits buzzed in small flocks here and there and sweetly singing robins seemed to follow us around. Carys who came along, described listening for bird song as "meditative". I would agree with that.

Nunhead Cemetery is a little wonder, an example of what can happen if nature is left (relatively) unchecked. I think we all need a little wildness. Birds included.

        

Interesting link here to a London Wildlife Trust report on how birds in the capital are doing according to the BTO's Breeding Bird Survey.  

Nunhead Cemetery birdwalk next Friday (24th)

Hi

I'd like to invite you to join me for a guided walk around the beautiful Nunhead Cemetery next Friday 24th August at 9am.

I have been birdwatching around SE London for a number of years and Nunhead Cemetery as always been one of my favourite spots. Secluded and undisturbed, it has a good variety of habitats including woodland, grassland and scrub, as a result it is a valuable local site for birds and other wildlife. Over the duration of this one and a half hour walk, we will listen out for some of the cemetery's resident species as well as some that might just be passing through. The walk will look at why these birds are found here and what we can do to encourage them.

This walk is for anyone who'd like to know more about the birds in the local area and pick up some helpful ID tips. It doesn't matter if you can't tell a Robin from a Wren, this walk will focus on identifying common garden birds by sight and sound.

Meeting point is inside the Linden Grove gates. Map here.

I was inspired to do this by a new global birding initiative called 'Pledge to Fledge'. This initiative encourages people with a passion for birds to share it with others over the weekend 24th-26th August 2012. I think it's a great idea and really hope you can join me!

Peter