NATURAL ELTHAM
www.naturaleltham.official.ws
SEnine
Birdwatching by Bus
A birdwatcher’s paradise is only a
bus trip and a pair of binoculars
away. HARRY WHITEHEAD reports.
When 
you‘ve exhausted the often have something
local parks, explored interesting such as a
Shooters Hill woods and Woolwich lurking Black Redstart
Common, where to next? and in summer you
will see breeding Reed
Between them they boast a good range Warblers. On the river,
of birds. But only a short bus journey keep a look-out for Shelduck – a few are
On the foreshore sometimes an odd seal
away are some very good birding usually to be seen.
coming up river will pull out for a rest.
sights for novice and expert
Once I saw three porpoises coming up
alike, full of new species. The gulls and terns need checking
on the tide a little further downstream. If
because, in addition to the usual species,
you are out early enough, Water Voles can
By travelling beside the there are occasionally others including
be seen in the ditches. The old marshes
Thames, from the 02 Little, Yellow legged, Franklins, Sabine’s
stretch down-river almost uninterrupted
Arena and to just and at the Woolwich Ferry, the famous
to the Medway Estuary and beyond,
past Thamesmead Ringed-billed gull.
and are packed with history and wildlife
at Crossness, it
waiting to be discovered.
is possible to The tern species include Sandwich,
see well over Arctic, Little and Black. All of these can
Winter’s the best time to visit but dress
100 species be found anywhere on your walk. At low
warmly as it can be cold. Check the tide
in a year. tide there will be waders to see – at 02
times: most newspapers publish the
only the odd Dunlin or Oystercatcher
tides for London Bridge and just deduct
but at Crossness there will be flocks of
30 minutes from that time.
waders including Lapwing, Redshank,
Sandpipers, Godwits and Snipe. On the
Getting there by public transport is easy
Thames, Wigeon and Shoveler duck
from Eltham – the 132 and 161 buses
Near the Arena in winter are regularly seen, with occasional Red
will take you to the 02 and Woolwich.
I have seen hundreds of Necked Grebes diving in the river for fish,
From Woolwich you can catch a bus to
Teal and Gadwall feeding at and skulking Water Rail on the edges.
Thamesmead and the 185 will take you
low tide, whilst up on the Dome,
past Crossness.
a Peregrine Falcon contemplated its At Crossness, recent notable rarities
lunch down below. have included Squacco Heron, Grey
The bushes along the Thames path Phalarope, Quail and Dartford Warbler.
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