My first one was a female calling in a bush at the corner of Wingrave Road. A male, above me, in a small tree on the other side of the road, answered her and joined her after a few minutes. Much preening and fluffing up ensued, I thought maybe?, but, no, nothing happened. He left and started pecking at the wall of the house, I assume looking for insects. She joined him for a short time but went back to her bush almost immediately, which is when I noticed another female. The male left his spot on the wall and flew to a tree a few houses further on Rannoch Road. Both females followed.
I continued onto the river. I could hear much chirping and calling along Wingrave Road with at least 7 of them on the gutters/roofs, including a female with nesting material. On the other side of the road, one was calling in a tree in private gardens.
When I arrived at Rainville Court, 3 left the ivy and went into their usual bush. More arrived, some moved onto the London plane, such as this one below (light was unfortunately not best for such photos, and I'm not entirely sure my attempts as cleaning up were that successful).
It's a pity vegetation got in the way in this photo, but it illustrates how difficult it can be trying to count them, and that's not in the densest past of the bush where they tend to prefer staying...
I continued along the path towards Hammersmith Bridge. In the small tree by Hammersmith Embankment where they are from time to time was this female calling, with at least one more bird well hidden in the bush below.
On the way back to Fulham Palace Road, there were at least 5 of them in trees on the currently abandoned building site, with more than likely more of them behind the fences. I couldn't see any at the nests in Winslow Road.
I have updated the map with these sightings.
I have updated the map with these sightings.
