My nomination for January’s Bird of the Month is Bonaparte’s Gull, even though this species was my choice for May 2017 and was seen again last year. Bonaparte’s Gull is a comparative newcomer to London, having been accepted onto the London list as recently as 2012. However, it has since been seen almost annually: the May 2017 occurrence was the fourth for London, and a fifth was in June 2018. The latest Boney — London’s first in winter — was seen around Erith Pier from 20th to 24th Jan (and reappeared early in February). Since the pier is just a couple of miles downriver from the Crossness sewage works outfall, where the 2017 and 2018 sightings were, the bird is probably a returner rather than a new individual.
Other noteworthy gulls[]
Other rare gulls this month included the first white-wingers of the winter — Glaucous Gull in small numbers from the 4th onwards and Iceland Gull from the 9th. An adult Kittiwake was at Purfleet on the 2nd.
January was also notable for a number of commoner gulls bearing readable Darvic leg rings:
several Black-headed Gull, including birds ringed in Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and the UK
a Mediterranean Gull ringed in Poland and another ringed in the UK
a Common Gull ringed in Norway
a Lesser Black-backed Gull ringed in Bristol in 2004 and since reported from France and Portugal as well as back in Bristol and elsewhere in London
a Caspian Gull ringed in Poland
a Caspian/Herring Gull hybrid ringed in Germany
New year hangovers[]
A few of the rare(ish) birds seen in late December were kind enough to hang around long enough to grace some 2019 year lists:
The Red-breasted Merganser at Denham from 13th Dec was seen regularly to 13th Jan, usually in the company of up to 14 Goosander. It then appeared at Broadwater Lake on the 24th and was back at Denham on the 31st.
The Great Northern Diver first reported at Staines Reservoir on 22nd Dec was still present up to 4th Jan.
The three Short-eared Owl seen at Bayhurst Wood on 30th Dec were last seen hunting together on 6th Jan; one or two were then seen daily until the 12th, and a single bird reappeared on the 31st.
Suburban Cattle Egret []
Since no-one recorded anything more exotic in December, I made Cattle Egret my Bird of the Month on the basis of a single sighting. Perhaps I should have waited, because in January two Cattle Egret put in an amazing 18-day performance in Cheshunt, feeding mainly at Penton Field, a smallish recreation ground popular with dog walkers and joggers. Seen regularly from 11th to 28th Jan (and then reappearing on 5th Feb), the birds often perched on the garden fences of the suburban semis that surround the rec — presumably much to the surprise of residents glancing out of their rear windows.
On the morning of the 17th, a Guillemot was photographed swimming in the River Ravensbourne at Deptford. Sadly, it could not be refound later in the day.
After being my Bird of the Month for January 2017 and then not recorded even once in January 2018, Waxwing began to turn up in modest numbers this month, often competing for berries with Redwing, Fieldfare and/or Blackbird. They included a flock of 12 in Hertford (21st–28th), a singleton at Euston (21st–29th), five in an area between Finsbury Park and Stoke Newington (listed on this wiki as “West Hackney”, although my wife, who was brought up there, has never heard the area called by that name) (21st–29th), and up to 10 birds in Balham (26th–28th).
From 8th Jan and through into early Feb, a Black Redstart was seen almost daily feeding along the south terrace of Alexandra Palace.
Yellow-browed Warbler were seen at Tyttenhanger GPs (11th–16th), Molesey Heath (13th–16th) and Amwell GP (27th–28th).
A Siberian Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus (collybita) tristis, and a Scandinavian Chiffchaff, P. c. abietinus, were among 15 Chiffs found at Broadwater Lake on the 30th.
The only Hawfinch reported during the month were two birds at High Beech in Epping Forest on the 23rd. (In this month a year ago, during the spectacular 2017–18 irruption, there were records from more than 40 sites, with flocks of up to an amazing 200+.)
On the 20th, at least 600 Linnet were seen at Maple Cross, feeding on and around a sunflower crop planted as part of the Country Stewardship Scheme.
Alexandra Park: 1w Black Redstart still south terrace palace building, 12+ Redwing, 30 Common Gull, 7 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls, pair Mute Swan Wood Green Res (APOG Birders)
Audley Road NW4: 2 Pied Wagtail (Toby Mylett)
Bayhurst Wood area: Short-eared Owl still in open area to the south west 16:00, 2 Kestrel, Buzzard, Red Kite (Deiniol Owen)
Brent Reservoir: 8 Common Snipe, 4 Common Gull including 2 1st winter, Common Buzzard, Fieldfare, Cetti's Warbler (Toby Mylett, with thanks to R Callf for helping to age the larids)
Cheshunt/mid Lea Valley: Shoveler, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Chaffinch, Blackbird, usual Tits, Wren, Song Thrush, Teal, Grey Heron, Little Egret (N over Hooks Marsh Lake) (Paul Francis - my first visit to this icy wetlands and I wonder if others could narrow down their sightings to help a newbie!. Had hopes of seeing a lot of other things but nearly four hours produced not much too exciting - but that's the way it often goes.)
Denham Lock Wood area: 2 Woodcock, Red Kite, f Stonechat (Deiniol Owen)
Denham Quarry area: M Red-breasted Merganser still on pit 3, 4 Goosander 2m 2f, 30+ Siskin, Song Thrush, 3 Fieldfare, 2 Goldcrest, c17 Redwing (Deiniol Owen)
Erith (Thames Foreshore in Vicinity of Erith Pier): incl 9 Avocet (Mike Robinson)
Trent Park: 2 Little Grebe, 4 Mandarin Duck 2m 2f, 34 Mallard 24m 10f, 2 m Northern Shoveler, 2 Common Pochard m f, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 2 Green Woodpecker, m Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Song Thrush, c20 Redwing, 3 Goldcrest, 7 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Coal Tit, Nuthatch and usual unruly dogs (Robert Callf)
Walpole Park (Ealing, W5): 5 Nuthatch, 2 Stock Dove, c30 Redwing, 23 Black-headed Gull including German ringed individual with white darvic ring AX330 (Catherine Beazley)
Brent Reservoir: Peregrine, Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Little Egret, 12 Common Snipe, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Water Rail, Egyptian Goose, 25+ Redwing, 2 Sparrowhawk (Magnus Andersson)
Broadwater Lake. 14 Chiffchaff along the R. Colne incl. a Siberian Chiffchafftristis near the yacht club and an abietinus bird by the causeway. Also on the river 2 Goosander, 18 Teal, 2 Cetti's Warbler and 3 Grey Wagtail ( John Edwards)
Brookmill Park: Kingfisher, Song thrush, Coal Tit (Conrad Ellam)
Greenhill Gardens, Barnet: Mediterranean Gull (Red Darvic Ring PTJ9) present at 11.00 until at least 12.00, 2 male Shoveler, Siskin singing, Redwing (Roy Beddard, Bob Husband, Pete Lowman, Bruce Carson)
Kensington Garden: Little Owl (Conrad Ellam)
Leatherhead, Randalls Way: 5 Siskin (Neil Batten)
London Wetland Centre: 2 Bittern (plus two others seen), 3 Jack Snipe, 2 Common Snipe, 2 Water Pipit, 1f Sparrowhawk, 3 Shelduck, 7 Pintail, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Goldeneye, 1 Water Rail, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (Martin Honey et al.)
Middlesex University Campus: Song Thrush, 4 Redwing (Toby Mylett)
Mill Hill Park: 20 Jackdaw, 2 Pied Wagtail (Toby Mylett)
Trent Park: Kestrel, 2 Little Grebe, 3 Pochard m,2f, 3 Teal 2m,f, 2f Tufted Duck ( Pete Lowman )
Tuesday 29th January 2019[]
Alexandra Park: 1w Black Redstart still south terrace palace building, 15+ Redwing, 6 Pochard, Aythya hybrid Boating Lake, 30 Common Gull (APOG Birders)
Broomfield Park: 31 Canada Goose incl six with metal rings, 4 Egyptian Goose, 4 Northern Shoveler 2m 2f, 3 Tufted Duck 2m f, 102+ Black-headed Gull including darvic ringed birds - white L-Y and yellow 2BKT, also at least four others with metal rings only, Common Gull, 9 Moorhen, f Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Blackbird, 2 Song Thrush incl singing m, 5 Redwing, 17 Greenfinch pre-roost gathering in trees 15:30, Goldfinch (Robert Callf)
Erith (Thames Foreshore in Vicinity of Erith Pier): incl 13 Avocet, 11 Black-tailed Godwit, 60+ Redshank (Mike Robinson)
Euston Doric Way/Churchway: Waxwing present at9.25 (Tim Robson). Seen up until about 12.00 when a sparrowhawk flew through and took a Redwing. Flew off north-west and not returned by 13.30, but 7 Blackbird and 4 Redwing reappeared (Tony Stones).
Gallions Point: 2 Common Sandpiper on shore by the radio mast north of marina on falling tide (Bill Haines)
Golders Green: m Blackcap in subsong, West Heath Avenue (James Levy)
Grays riverside: Short-eared Owl over Swanscombe marsh, Little Egret (Kent side), 2 ad Yellow-legged Gull, 5 Ringed Plover, 30 Lapwing, 300+ Black-tailed Godwit 2 Curlew, 100+ Redshank, 3 Dunlin, 4 Turnstone, Great Crested Grebe (Nick Croft)
Greenhill Gardens, Barnet: Lake mainly iced over with 62 Black-headed Gull but no sign of yesterday's Mediterranean Gull until at least 10.00 am, 10 Redwing (Bob & Anna Husband); Mediterranean Gull flew in at 12.30 for a drink and a bathe by island (Roy Beddard)
Hampstead Heath: 1m 2f Shoveler on Leg of Mutton Pond; nearby, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, one drumming (James Levy)
Isle of Dogs: 2 Yellow-legged Gulls 3w & 1w, Thames shore at Saunders Ness (Sean Huggins)
London Wetland Centre: 8 Reed Bunting (main lake), 5 Pintail (res lagoon), 2 Bittern, 1 Peregrine over main lake pm (Sue Barry)
Lower Sydenham, SE26 (River Pool from Sainsbury's towards Catford, at junction with River Ravensbourne): Starling, Carrion Crow, Black-headed Gull, Grey Heron, Moorhen, Long-tailed Tit, Goldfinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Blackbird, Robin, Mallard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Wren, Grey Wagtail, House Sparrow (Paul Francis)
Morden Hall Park: 30 Siskin feeding in alders, Treecreeper, Common Snipe, Kestrel, Collared Dove (Michael Mac)
O2: Belated news of a Puffin drifting upriver late afternoon (Martin Hallam per Dante Shepherd)
Osterley Park: pair of Buzzard on ground 'worming' in field next to Windmill Lane (Rob Wheeler)
Pinner, Cheney Street: Little Egret feeding in River Pinn (Nigel Barratt)
Pymmes Park: ad Mediterranean Gull still in NE Corner of Playing Field, 3 Redwing, pr Nuthatch, pr Shoveler on Lake - 12.30 - 1pm (Davey Leach).
Wanstead Flats: juv Rook (Bob Vaughan), Little Owl (Rose Stephens)
West Hackney: 5 Waxwing still in Tauheed Close off Green Lanes consistently between 8:50 and 9:10 perched in birches behind no15 and coming to feed on berries in tree in front of no9 (Gareth Richards).
West Thurrock marshes: ad m Marsh Harrier, 5 Avocet, 3 Curlew, 200+ Dunlin, 100+ Redshank,10+ Black-tailed Godwit, 100+ Lapwing, 3 Ringed Plover, Stonechat, Rock Pipit, 2 Meadow Pipit, 30+ Linnet (Nick Croft)
Wimbledon Common: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker drumming (Angela Evan-Hill per Les Evans-Hill).
Monday 28th January 2019[]
Alexandra Park: 1w Black Redstart showing well south terrace palace building, 15+ Redwing, 7 Pochard, 23 Common Gull, Kingfisher (APOG Birders)
Amwell GP: Yellow-browed Warbler and female Red-crested Pochard still (Adam Wilson)
Balham: Hanson Close, 7 Waxwing, 6 Fieldfare, 12+ Redwing 10.30-11.10 (R Dunne); Also around Oldridge Road 9:45, and junction of Cavendish Rd and Laitwood Rd at 14:30 (Balham Birder)
Brent Cross: Little Egret in river by shopping centre (Allan Stewart)
Brent Park: incl Common Gull, 2 Stock Dove, Grey Wagtail, 2 House Sparrow (Toby Mylett)
Bromley South: Grey Wagtail (Jack Headley)
Brookmill Park: Little Grebe, Kingfisher, Song Thrush, Redwing (Conrad Ellam)
Cheshunt: 2 Cattle Egrets still in Penton Field off Penton Drive (Adam Wilson)
Cheshunt GP: 1 Brambling (Adam Wilson)
Copped Hall Estate: 2 Red Kite, 3 Buzzard, 50+ Linnet, 3 Skylark, 25 Redwing, 12 Fieldfare, Yellowhammer (Chris Baldwin)
East India Dock NR: Water Rail, 9 Shelduck (Paul Hyland)
Euston Doric Way/Churchway: Waxwing still there after a week (Nick Keep)
Foots Cray Meadows, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Cetti`s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Little Egret, 4 Gadwall, 6 Little Grebe, 20 Tufted Duck, 2 Egyptian Goose, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush, Green Woodpecker, Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Bernie Weight).
Greenhill Gardens, Barnet: Mediterranean Gull (with Polish red darvic ring PTJ9) with 82 Black-headed Gull flock, several singing Siskin, Redwing, 2 male Shoveler, Nuthatch singing, (Roy Beddard, Pete Lowman & Bob Husband). Thanks Roy, Pete and Bob for checking back on the gull, glad to see it has returned (Toby Mylett)For anyone interested, Greenhill Gardens is at OS grid ref TQ258954 (parking and access in Greenhill Park) (Andrew Haynes)
Hertford: 13 Waxwings still on Mead Lane/Merchant Drive; also 1 Raven over (Simon West) Must be right on the very border of the London recording area, perhaps just inside? Mead Lane and the first 100m of Merchant Drive are within the LNHS recording area, as is the Wickes car park also visited by these birds (Andrew Haynes).
West Hackney: 4 Waxwing still at Castle Climbing Centre/Tauheed Close at 08:50 (Frank Nugent)
Woodford Green: flyover drake Red-breasted Merganser NE at 8.10am (Ken Murray)
Worcester Park: Peregrine on pylons (Bob Smith)
Sunday 27th January 2019[]
Alexandra Park: 1w Black Redstart still south face palace building 12.30 - 1300, male Shoveler, 6 Pochard Boating Lake, 15 Common Gull, 18+ Redwing, hybrid Aythya (Common Pochard x Tufted Duck) on Boating Lake (Bob Husband & RSPB Group,APOG Birders)
Amwell: Yellow-browed Warbler 10:50hrs along footpath leading to viewpoint, west side of railway track, showing well at times for about 20 mins fly-catching in nettles and ivy (Neville Smith).
Balham: 10 Waxwing in Rowan on Hanson Close (9:40). Also 3 Fieldfare , 24 Redwing. (Alex Bayley). Earlier along Balham Grove feeding in berries next to Waitrose, and also getting on trees in Oldridge Road (Balham Birder) Also 11.45 am CAVENDISH Road from Laitwood to Sistova Roads (Nick S and others) Back at Hanson Close at 13.25 (Mike Wheeler)
West Hackney: 5 Waxwings resting in horse chestnut tree at entrance to Castle Climbing Centre at 11.00am before flying off locally to feed (Ian Bradshaw)
Saturday 26th January 2019[]
Alexandra Park: Chiffchaff middle and lower platforms and vocal, female Pochard Tunnel Res, 85+ Redwing, male Shoveler and new female Aythya hybrid Boating Lake, 28 Common Gull, Black-headed Gulls with Danish and Lithuanian rings New River and earlier in week Polish yellow ring on playing fields (APOG Birders) Kingfisher, Chiffchaff still, Kestrel, 123 Carrion Crow, 18 Magpie (late PM- Sam Jones)
Antill Road E3: m and f Blackcap in garden (Harry Harrison)
Balham: 10 Waxwing on corner of Balham Grove, moving between TV aerials and trees in Waitrose car park from 14.00 to 14.30 at least. Not many berries in the immediate vicinity (Nick Rutter). 15:20 Still ten in the area, often feeding on berries in Hanson Close (Balham Birder)
Barnet Playing Fields: 24 Common Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Redwing, 11 House Sparrow (Toby Mylett)
Brookmill Park: Little Grebe, Little Egret, Kingfisher, 4 Redwing (Conrad Ellam)
Cheshunt: 2 (male & female) Blackcaps in garden (Adam Wilson)
Cowley, Uxbridge: 1 Little Egret in R. Frays, Cowley Business Park; pair of Magpie nest-building in tree at junction of Cowley Road (A408) and Ferndale Crescent. (Roger Dewey)
Crossness: f Marsh Harrier for 2 hours low over and in reed beds and high over sewage works interacting with Common Buzzard. Kestrel in falcon nest box on sewage incinerator. 30 Goldfinch and 10 Linnet. 2 Cetti's Warbler. 700 Dunlin, 80 Lapwing, 300 Common Teal, 80 Shelduck, 50 Gadwall, 31 Wigeon, 15 Shoveler (Patrick English)
Fulham, Craven Cottage: Caspian Gull 2cy, 2 Yellow-legged Gull both 2cy by River Thames (J.Wilczur)
Greenhill Gardens, Barnet: ringed Mediterranean Gull PTJ9 in 102 Black-headed Gull flock (Toby Mylett) UPDATE: Present till c11:15 when the much of the flock departed (TM). Also 3 Shoveler, Common Gull, Nuthatch, singing Goldcrest, (Bob Husband & TM) That Med Gull is the same as the one from last winter good to see it has returned (SL) What age is the Med Gull and colour of ring? (R Callf) Hi all, thanks for the replies, very good to hear it’s a returning bird. It was an adult and had a red darvic, will send off details through EUring in due course and post any history info I receive on the bird on my @london_birder twitter. (TM)
Grovelands Park: 3 Cormorant, 2 Mute Swan, 2 Egyptian Goose pr, 15 Mandarin Duck 9m 6f, 2 Northern Shoveler pr, m Common Pochard, 12 Tufted Duck 7m 5f, 11+ Moorhen, 35 Coot, 2 ad Common Gull, 2 ad Herring Gull, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, singing m Goldcrest, Nuthatch (Robert Callf)
Hampstead Heath: Mute Swan, 16 Coot, 19 Tufted Duck, 9 Cormorant, 155 Black-headed Gull including yellow ringed 2J57 (awaiting info on bird), 4 Grey Heron, f Sparrowhawk, 5 Common Gull, Stock Dove, Drake Shoveler, Great Crested Grebe, 42 Starling, 10 Siskin, 20 Redwing, 10 Mandarin Duck 7m3f, Also Monk Parakeet was with the Ring-neckeds near the Model Boating Pond. (Samuel Levy et al)
Hilfield Park Reservoir: 1 Mediterranean Gull ad, 1 "white" Black-headed Gull in roost - grey areas replaced by white (Tony Blake)
Honor Oak Park SE23 garden BigGardenBirdWatch day 1: 2 Carrion Crow, 3 Starling, f ? Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Wood Pigeon, 2 m 1 f Blackcap, 4 Blue Tit, Dunnock, 2 Robin, 2 m 1 f Blackbird, Feral Pigeon, 9 Rose-ringed Parakeet, 2 Goldfinch, 7 Collared Dove, 2 Magpie (Paul Francis - GSW in a tree beyond garden and could not see red on head, but far from certain ID)
Lamorbey Park: 2 Little Grebe , 2 Peregrine, 5 Tufted Duck, 2 Jay ( Mike Amos).
London Wetland Centre: Iceland Gull 2cy+, Water Pipit, 3 Pintail (Alex Bayley) 2 Bittern (main lake and reservoir lagoon), 2 Jack Snipe, Peregrine (Ch. X.), colour-ringed Lesser Black-backed Gull (details: dark blue darvic with orange G:A. A Bristol bird ringed on 03/07/2004 this is the first time it's been reported in January. Previous reports from Kérity [France} in Aug 2004, Matosinhos [Portugal] Nov 2004+Apr 2005, London Embankment May 2005, then several records in+around Bristol Mar 2008-Jun 2018), 2 Water Pipit (M. Honey et al.)
Woodberry Wetlands: Shelduck, 2 Water Rail, 2 Peregrine, Great Black-backed Gull, Sparrowhawk, Teal (Chris Farthing); Common Snipe (Frank Nugent)
Wyatt's Farm Open Space, Barnet: 3 House Sparrow (Toby Mylett)
Friday 25th January 2019[]
Alexandra Park: Treecreeper near Tunnel Res, 15+ Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 25 Common Gull, 39 Tufted Duck, 6 Pochard (APOG Birders). Black Redstart on S. Face of palace 15.00 hrs, Chiffchaff near 'overflow pond' and 1st platform 15.30 hrs (Jonathan Cooke).
Brent Reservoir: Little Egret, 22 Common Snipe, Common Buzzard, Cetti's Warbler, Bullfinch (Leo Batten, Roy Beddard)
Brookmill Park: Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kingfisher, Song Thrush, 12 Redwing (Conrad Ellam)
Cheshunt: 2 Cattle Egrets still in Penton Field off Penton Drive at 2.50 p.m. (Simon West)
East India Dock Basin: 8 Shelduck, 1 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush (Paul Hyland)
Euston: no sign of Waxwing on Doric Way up to 1pm (Andrew Self)
Euston: 11 Redwing, 3 Mistle Thrush on Doric Way (Tony Stones)
Hampstead Heath: 5m, 3f Shoveler on Leg of Mutton Pond (James Levy)
Hertford: 12 Waxwings still on Merchant Drive/Mead Lane brtween 1.00 - 2.30 p.m. (Simon West)
Honor Oak Park SE23 garden: 3 Blue Tit, 2 Stock Dove, 7 Rose-necked Parakeet, 2 m 2 f Blackbird, Magpie, 6 Wood Pigeon, Song Thrush, 2 Great Tit, 2 Robin, 4 Collared Dove, Carrion Crow, Goldfinch, Feral Pigeon, 2 Starling, Wren, m Blackcap (Paul Francis)
Lee Valley, Holyfield Lake: male Red-crested Pochard (Simon. Papps)
Mill Hill Park: 14 Jackdaw (Toby Mylett)
New River Path, Carterhatch Lane, Enfield to Cheshunt: a flock of 21 Mandarins 11m 10f just north of Carterhatch Lane. 1 Kingfisher, 3 Kestrels, 1 Buzzard, 1 Red Kite. A pair of Goosanders on the New River at Cheshunt south of College Road (Mike Oakland)
Putney Heath: c24 Redwing, in flight (Les Evans-Hill)
Pymmes Park: Mediterranean Gull still present at N end, also 1 Nuthatch E side (Quentin Given)
Walthamstow Marshes: 3 Stonechat (m&f at boardwalk, f Leyton Marsh), 2 Kestrel (m&f) Lammas Meadow & pylon, c20 Linnet, c20 Chaffinch, 2 Goldfinch, c12 Pied Wagtail rear paddocks, 3 Redwing, 1 Fieldfare front paddocks. Also 12 House Sparrow Leyton Marsh/canalside shrubs, the most I've seen here - hopefully this tiny colony is thriving (Alastair Dent) There are plenty sparrows the other side of Springfield Park and sports ground on the rough ground/ houses round there over the River Lea (Michael Mac)
Wanstead Flats: 3 Little Owl, Sparrowhawk, 2 Meadow Pipit, at least 10 Reed Bunting, 16 Gadwall, 6 Shoveler, 2 Stonechat (Nick Croft)
Woodberry Wetlands: Red Kite flew NW c14.20, 2 Water Rail showed well around Teal pool at either end from 15.05 (Twitter)
Thursday 24th January 2019[]
Alexandra Park: 35+ Redwing, 10 Tufted Duck Wood Green Res (APOG Birders)
Broadwater Lake. On the R. Colne here the Red-breasted Merganser with 4 Goosander in the Bucks section, 11 Common Chiffchaff ( min. count and all collybita), 3 Grey Wagtail, 2 Kingfisher,Water Rail and 3 Cett's Warbler.( John Edwards)
Brookmill Park: Little Egret, 2 Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Redwing, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
Cheshunt, Penton Drive: Cattle Egret in Penton Field - Behind Penton Drive / Cadmore Lane, EN8 (Bob Husband)
Colindale Station: 11 Jackdaw (Toby Mylett)
Edgware Station: 2 Pied Wagtail (Toby Mylett)
Erith Pier: BONAPARTE'S GULL still (David Darrell-Lambert tweet)
Euston - Doric Way/Churchway: Waxwing still present 9.15 - 9.30am (Martin Birch); still present at 12.50 (Mark Wardman)Still present at 14.20 along with a couple of Redwings and some Blackbirds. Still plenty of berries left.(John Colmans)
Golders Hill Park: Drumming heard from where Green Woodpecker calling (James Levy)
Grays Riverside: Short-eared Owl (hunting along Swanscombe water front), 150+ Black-tailed Godwit, Turnstone, 30+ Dunin, 2 Shelduck, Rock Pipit, Grey Wagtail (Nick Croft)
Greenwich Ecology Park: Water Rail, trying to walk across ice but kept slipping over (John Bushell)
Hemans Estate Community Garden - 2 House Sparrow came down for bread when I put bread out for Feral Pigeons and 5 Wood Pigeons - all 3 species do fly over as soon as I come out the door even with no bread - sparrows less so (Michael Mac)
Lewisham Park: Great Spotted Woodpecker, 20 Redwing (Conrad Ellam)
Millfields E5: 150+ Common Gull early this morning, Green Woodpecker calling, 2 Stock Dove, 2 Collared Dove (Alastair Dent)
Oakwood - Lowther Drive, EN2: 25 Magpie together in tree-tops 14:55 (Robert Callf)
Pinner HA5: 6 Redwing, Fieldfare, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Nigel Barratt)
Pymmes Park: ad Mediterranean Gull still on Playing Field (dark hood starting to show so easy to spot), 35+ Redwing, Great Spotted Woodpecker, pr Shoveler on Lake (Davey Leach)
Town Park, Enfield: 2 Northern Shoveler m f, 5 m Common Pochard, 14 Tufted Duck 9m 5f, Common Gull (Robert Callf)
Trent Park: Common Buzzard, Little Grebe, 2 m Shoveler, 3 Teal 2m f (Pete Lowman)
West Hackney: 5 Waxwing still at 14.50, in tree in garden at S end of Tauheed Close. c12 Redwing in trees nearby and at the Castle (Alastair Dent)
Wraysbury GP: Scaup (male) and Cetti's Warbler (C. Lamsdell)
Wednesday 23rd January 2019[]
Alexandra Park: Chifchaff calling incessantly at rear of Tunnel Res, 25+ Common Gull, c15 Tufted Duck Wood Green Res (APOG Birders)
Broadwater Lake: Chiffchaff tristis photos no calls along River Colne 11am (Dan Pinkham)
Bromley South Station: Grey Wagtail (Jack Headley)
Epping Forest: 2 Hawfinch (Church Road, High Beech nr the school crossing sign), 3 Redpoll, 40 + Chaffinch, 100+ Redwing, 7 Nuthatch, 4 Treecreeper, 4 Goldcrest, 5 Coal Tit, 30+ Rook, Tawny Owl (Nick Croft)
Euston Doric Way/Churchway: Waxwing still dividing its time between the plane and rowan trees 12.40pm (Mark Wardman). Still there with 3 Redwing and Blackbirds gorging on berries at 2:00pm (Dan Fletcher)
Golders Hill Park: 65+ Redwing on central slope (James Levy)
Hertford: 12 Waxwings in Wickes car park between 11.40 - 11.55 before returning to Merchant Drive where they remained until 12.30 p.m. as least (Simon West)
Ladywell Fields: male Kingfisher, Nuthatch, Song Thrush (Tom Moulton/Sue Gore'Judith Simmons)
Lake Farm Country Park, Hayes: 2 Bullfinch, 2 Blackcap, 12 Meadow Pipit, 1 Common Buzzard. (Dave Morris per FJM)
London Wetland Centre: Bittern, Jack Snipe, 2 Pintail, Shelduck, 2 Water Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Goldeneye, 3 Fieldfare SE (WWT) 2 Bittern (probably 3), 2 Jack Snipe (1 main lake and 1 wader scrape), 3m 2f Pintail, 1 Peregrine, 1 Common Snipe, 1 Reed Bunting (Martin Honey)
Pymmes Park: Mediterranean Gull adult with yellow darvic ring read - 2H72 (Adam Wilson per RM Callf) - This is from a UK scheme. Email:Medgullring@gmail.com to report and receive details of bird (Steve Gale) Thanks - we are in contact with P Roper of NTGG - only added for interest.
Richmond Park: 18 Shoveler, 12 Common Gull, 7 Jay, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Stonechat (Toby Mylett)
RSPB Rainham Marshes: 119 Shoveler, 2 Kestrel, 6 Pied Wagtail, Chiffchaff, 139+ Common Gull, 105 Redshank, 65 Gadwall, 295 Black-tailed Godwit, 62 Shelduck, 276 Teal, 1000+ Lapwing, 4 Grey Heron, 14 Common Snipe, 8 Water Pipit, 4 Mute Swan, 726 Wigeon, 2 Song Thrush, 55 Avocet, 80+ Dunlin, 5 Marsh Harrier 2adm 1im m 2f, 9 Curlew, 7 Fieldfare, 27 Redwing, 2 Little Egret, f Sparrowhawk, 48 Pintail, 86 Coot, Barn Owl, 11 Tufted Duck, 25 Pochard, 7 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Stonechat 2f1m, 3m Bearded Tit, 12 Rock Pipit, Ruff, Little Grebe, Short-eared Owl. (Samuel Levy)
St James's Park: Water Rail (Frank Nugent) I'd love to know where in the Park you see the Water Rail, Frank. I keep looking but never seem to find it (Peter Cotgreave) (Peter - if you have time to get to Regent's Park, there is a feeder in the Rail ditch at the Nth end of the boating lake - bridge over the stream just before toilets, looking to your right. Might be worth a try - I saw one there last November. Paul Francis)
Stave Hill: 4 Shoveler, Kingfisher, 10+ Redwing, Goldcrest, c20 House Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, 3 Greenfinch (John Cadera & Richard Page-Jones)
Stoneleigh Station KT17: 1 singing male Blackcap, 4 Goldcrest, drumming Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Neil Batten)
Trent Park: Little Grebe, m Pochard, 3 m Teal, 2 f Tufted Duck. ( Pete Lowman)
Walthamstow Wetlands: m Peregrine, m Sparrowhawk (garden), 4 Goosander, pr Goldeneye, Common Snipe, c30 Shoveler, Skylark, c20 Linnets (Lol Bodini, David Bradshaw).
Waterfall Walk, New Southgate: Stock Dove, m Grey Wagtail, 9 Blackbird, 5 Song Thrush, Redwing, 6+ Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit singing, m Nuthatch, Jay, 6 Goldfinch (Robert Callf)
West Hackney: 5+ Waxwing mobile around Heron Drive & Myddleton Avenue, N4 2FS, they also loaf in the trees above the bike repair shop in the grounds of the Castle Climbing Centre (Tony Butler & Chris Farthing) 5 Waxwings & 7+ Redwings present in Trees by Castle Climbing Centre at 1.30pm/ (Davey Leach). Also seen this 9-9.45 am: female Blackcap, several Blackbirds and 30+ Redwing, although at that time I did not see the Waxwings(!) (Paul Francis - I would like to offer thanks TB & CF for accurately pointing out where to find the Waxwings - a lifetime tick for me - I went back later in the day.)
Worcester Park, The Hamptons: 50 House Sparrows (Bob Smith)
Tuesday 22nd January 2019[]
Alexandra Park: 1w Black Redstart south face palace building briefly 1200, Chiffchaff (FOY) opposite Conservation Pond, Treecreeper with flock near bunker, Gadwall still Boating Lake, also drake Shoveler & 5 Pochard, 32 Common Gull, 20+ Redwing (Bob Watts)
Belsize Park: 1 Waxwing over E at 14:00 (John Cadera)
Bexley (Upper College Farm): m Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, 20+ Goldfinch and 25 Linnet (Patrick English)
Brookmill Park: Sparrowhawk, Song Thrush, 2 Redwing (Conrad Ellam)
Crayford Marshes: 70 Avocet in Aveley Bay (site record for Rainham), Snipe, 10 Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit, 2 Little Egret, 2 Skylark, Bearded Tit, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 22 Fieldfare, Stonechat (Nick Croft)
Ebbsfleet International: Tawny Owl north of the station (Nick Croft)
Erith Pier - adult BONAPARTE'S GULL - on the river directly north of the pier at 10am and then flew onto the mud bounded by the pier (Martin Birch) Back again at 12:15 thanks to a bread wielding Dante Shepherd (Nick Croft/Lee Evans)
Erith (Thames foreshore off Corinthian Manorway): incl 260+ Black-tailed Godwit and 100+ Redshank (Mike Robinson)
Euston Doric Way/Churchway: Waxwing preening in plane tree about 9.25. 4 Redwings, 5 Blackbirds starting to fight over remaining mountain ash berries (Nick Keep); Waxwing still there at 10.45am (Simon Bradley); Waxwing still present at 12.20pm (Mark Wardman); still there at 14:50 (Frank Nugent); Still there at 15:25 then flew N (John & Janet Cadera)
Forty Hall CP: Mute Swan first-winter, 16 Mandarin Duck 9m 7f, m Shoveler, f Tufted Duck, Black-headed Gulls with darvic rings - white E4UN [The Netherlands ringed] & black XK52 [German ringed] (Robert Callf)
Hertford: 12 Waxwing still showing well at 13:46 in Merchant Drive, end of Mead Lane, Hertford (some earlier reports on Twitter and Bird Alert had conflated this site with an earlier one, Wickes at the Madford Retail Park, Ware Rd, Hertford (Bruce Carson)
Isle of Dogs: 7 Monk Parakeet on our garden feeders. Highest total for a while, numbers have fallen sharply here in past few years (Sean Huggins)
Kensal Green: 2 Pied Wagtail male and female, 1 Mistle Thrush, 4 Fieldfare, 20 Redwing - feeding in trees along Earlsmead Rd (Charlie Farrell)
London Wetland Centre: 2 Jack Snipe, 4 Snipe, 2 Water Pipit, Goldeneye (WWT)
West Hackney: 2 Waxwing mobile around Heron Drive & Myddleton Avenue, N4 2FS. There are plenty of berries, and 50+ Redwing (Tony Butler & Chris Farthing)
West Norwood Cemetery: 1 Redwing, Coal Tit, Green Woodpecker - lot of work been done to clear most of brambles and wilder areas for £6.7 million investment modernisation including probable 2nd entrance and grave repairs. The Ludovico technique scene from the film - A Clockwork Orange, was filmed in the cinema/library that backs onto the cemetery (Michael Mac)
Wimbledon Common: Treecreeper, Thatched Cottage - been a while since I've seen one (Les Evans-Hill).
Monday 21st January 2019[]
Alexandra Park: Gadwall still Boating Lake, Black-headed Gull with Swedish ring New River (APOG Birders) Black Redstart showed well but briefly on the south terrace 1310-1315, also 2 Green Woodpecker, 5 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush (Mark Wardman)
Algernon Road, Lewisham: Male Blackcap in back garden (Conrad Ellam)
Brookmill Park: Little Grebe, Kingfisher (Conrad Ellam)
Enfield Ridgeway near Royal chase hotel Barn owl flying over field 21.15 ( Brian Dawton)
Erith Pier: adult BONAPARTE'S GULL still - bread and high tide recommended (Dante Shepherd, Andy Tweed)
Euston Doric Way/Churchway: 1+ Waxwing, 5+ Redwing; about 10.30 (Nick Keep); still present at 14:00 in and around the obvious berry trees (Tim Blackburn); many berries left Tim? No waxwings at 11.45-11.50, but I can report plenty of berries - worth checking tomorrow (Jon Agar). Berries were being stripped fast at 2pm (several thrushes there also). TMB. Bird still 1515, mostly loafing in plane in Doric Way. Estimate berries will last 2-3 days, with 12+ Redwing devouring them quickest (Bob Watts)
Finchley: Garden N3 - 2 Blackcap m f (Samuel Levy)
Heron Way N4: two Waxwing present with 20-30 Redwing from c.09:30; still here at 11:20 (Harringay Birder)
Hertford: 12 Waxwing in Wickes car park at 13:40 then flew south (Nick Croft et al)
Isle of Dogs: 2 Egyptian Geese at Saunders Ness, Little Grebe and Grey Wagtail at Millennium Wharf, Black Redstart singing on west side of island (Sean Huggins)
Ladywell Fields: Kingfisher (Tom Moulton)
London Wetland Centre: 1 Jack Snipe, 1 Bittern, 2 Water Pipit, 92 Shoveler, 7 Pintail, 5 Water Rail (WWT website) 138 Moorhen, 196 Coot, 4 Pintail, 22 Gadwall, 6 Grey Heron, 10 Common Snipe, 7 Egyptian Geese, 92 Shoveler, 15 Common Gull, 58 Lapwing, 34 Pochard, 107 Teal, 114 Tufted Duck, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Water Pipit, Stock Dove, 2 Shelduck, Grey Wagtail, Bittern, 8 Mandarin Duck 6m2f, 5 Reed Bunting, Goldcrest, 49 Wigeon. (Samuel Levy)
Margravine Cemetery: Fieldfare (flew S at 12.45), 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (male drumming) (Nathalie Mahieu)
Raynes Park (garden): Green Woodpecker (P. Redmond)
Roding Valley Meadows NR (Recreation Lake): 4 Goosander 1m 3f (Barry Jones)
St James's Park: Water Rail (Frank Nugent) I'd love to know where in the Park you see the Water Rail, Frank. I keep looking but never seem to find it (Peter Cotgreave)
Stockers lake: 1 Cetti's Warbler along river at NW corner of lake (Richard Francis)
Stoke Newington: 2 Waxwing at N16 7LB where Sanford Lane meets Garnham Close (Fyfe Dangerfield) Accurate grid: TQ 33739 86586
Trent Park: 2 Eurasian Teal pr lower lake, m Common Pochard, 2+ Great Spotted Woodpecker, 9 Goldcrest, 3 Coal Tit, 2 Nuthatch, 4 Treecreeper (Robert Callf) ; also Kestrel, f Tufted Duck. ( Pete Lowman ).
Alexandra Park: 1w Black Redstart still south terrace palace building, also Peregrine here, fem/imm Gadwall (FOY) Boating Lake, 6 Pochard, 25+ Redwing, also remaining WeBS count 383 Black-headed Gull including Danish bird 2NK, 44 Common Gull, 21 Herring Gull, 3 Leser Black-backed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, 24 Canada Goose, 4 Cormorant, 41 Mallard, 55 Tufted Duck, Aythya hybrid, 28 Coot, 16 Moorhen (APOG Birders)
Battersea Park Lakes: 6 Teal, 10 Gadwall, 21 Shoveler, 40 Tufted Duck, 4 Little Grebe (Nick Rutter)
Beddington: Glaucous Gull (2nd winter) over main lake/incinerator; 1st winter Caspian Gull on main lake - both 10.30 - 10.45am (Martin Birch)
Brent Reservoir: Shoveler, 8 Teal, 15 Common Snipe, 5 Common Gull, 2 Cetti's Warbler, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Grey Wagtail (Brent Birders); Also recorded on NW LONDON RSPB GROUP - next Birdwalk Sunday 10 February 2019) Fox, Goldcrest, pair Grey Heron on nest (Roy Beddard, Bob Husband et al)
Bushy Park: 2 Gadwall, 4 Goldcrest, Goldfinch, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, Kestrel, Little Egret, 7 Long-tailed Tit, 30+ Meadow Pipit, 2 Mistle Thrush, Nuthatch, 5 Redwing, 5 Reed Bunting, 2 Stonechat, Water Rail. (Ian R Watson)
Bexley (Upper College Farm): Stonechat, 14 Meadow Pipit, 21 Canada Goose, 2 Mistle Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Cormorant over (Jack Headley)
Cheshunt: 2 Smew (drake and redhead) Bowyers Water, 3 Goosander (drake and 2 redhead) Ashley Pit, Goldeneye (m) North Met Pit (Jan Dobbie) 2 Cattle Egret in Penton Field. (Remarkably at home in this small, well used playground/football ground, dog area. A & A & E Sapatsch)
Epping Forest, High Beech: 2 Brambling mid-morning (Martin Shepherd)
Erith Pier: adult BONAPARTE'S GULL c.12.25-12.50 and coming to bread before flying east towards the yacht club (and appearing to settle) (Dante Shepherd, Rich Bonser)
Finchley Central: Long Lane - 2 Mistle Thrush over (Samuel Levy)
Thamesmead: hybrid 1w Caspian x Herring Gull (X90A, ringed at Laußig, Germany in June 2018) coming to bread off Princess Alice Way (Richard Bonser, Dante Shepherd)
Town Park, Enfield: 15 Canada Goose, 3 Northern Shoveler 2m f, 4 m Common Pochard, 6 Tufted Duck 4m 2f, 30+ Black-headed Gull, 2 Stock Dove, Mistle Thrush, 4 Long-tailed Tit, m Nuthatch singing (Robert Callf)
The Brook BR5: c3 Little Grebe, 2 Little Egret, 6 Canada Goose, Redwing, Kingfisher, Kestrel, Grey Wagtail (Jack Headley)
Walthamstow Reservoirs (N side 11.30-13.00): Peregrine, m Sparrowhawk, 2 prs Goldeneye, Green Sandpiper, Green Woodpecker, f Stonechat (Lol Bodini).
Wanstead Flats (14:00-16:00): 1 Little Owl, 8 Skylark, 9 Meadow Pipit, 11+ Reed Bunting (recently very high numbers for site in SSSI), 2 Stonechat (regular over-wintering pair in Brooms).
Woodoaks Farm, Maple Cross: Feeding on the Sunflower crop planted as part of the Country Stewardship Scheme and on nearby set-aside at least 600 Linnet in several large flocks. Also 10 Yellowhammer, 30 Chaffinch, 10 Reed Bunting and a Stonechat. The largest Linnet flock in the area for years and possibly ever. Provide the right habitat and the birds will return (John Edwards). The farmer should be commended! (Roger Dewey) Hi John, are there are any other seeds in this crop - usually it's a mix, & do you know what seeds are on the setaside? Ta middleton.andrew.c@gmail.com
Saturday 19th January 2019[]
Leamouth, East India Dock Basin and Bow Creek: c.270 Teal, 6 Redwing, 1 Peregrine on Newham Way, 2 Redshank calling, 1 Shelduck (Kabir Kaul)
Alexandra Park: 4 Pochard, 32 Common Gull, 5+ Redwing (Bob Watts)
Algernon Road, Lewisham: Female Blackcap in back garden (Conrad Ellam)
Brent Reservoir: 25 Pochard, Lapwing, 17 Common Snipe, Water Rail, Common Buzzard (E Marsh), Cetti's Warbler (Andrew Haynes, Roy Beddard)
Cheshunt: Cattle Egret still present at same location this morning, two seen at 4pm yesterday (Quentin Given); 2 Cattle Egret, Red Kite over (Frank Nugent)
Crayford: 2 Caspian Gull both 1w (Dante Shepherd, Jamie Partridge)
Dunton Green: 4-5 Red-legged partridge in field along A224 nr The Rose and Crown Pub (Jack Headley)
Wanstead Flats: 2 Caspian Gull both 1st-winter (Tony Brown)
Friday 18th January 2019[]
Alexandra Park: 1w Black Redstart still south face palace building, 7 Pochard, Peregrine, 20+ Redwing (APOG Birders)
Brookmill Park: Little Grebe, Little Egret, 2 Kingfisher, 2 Song Thrush (Conrad Ellam)
Bromley South Station: Flock of c20 Black-headed Gull flying west, 3 Goldfinch (Jack Headley)
Greenwich Ecology Park: Water Rail visible from visitors centre, 2 Little Grebe, 4 Teal 1m 3f, Kingfisher (John Bushell)
Hampstead Heath: Great Crested Grebe watching a pair of Water Voles on Boating Pond by new island in channel near Bird Pond (Allan Stewart)
Kensington Gardens/Hyde Park: 1 Little Owl, 3 Teal, 1 Bar-headed Goose with Greylags (John & Janet Cadera). The Bar-headed Goose is actually a 3/4 Bar-Head x 1/4 Greylag hybrid visiting from St James's Park, where there is a breeding population (Ralph Hancock). So presumably a different bird to the one that visited the London Wetland Centre on 29 Dec 2018 (M. Honey). Thanks Ralph, that's the first time we have seen that bird (John)
KGV Res: 3 Scaup,1 male Smew, 2 Buzzard, 24 Linnet, 10+ Goldeneye, 3+ Goosander, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Peregrine on Alma flats (A.Middleton)
Margravine Cemetery: 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker (2m 1f), singing Nuthatch, 20+ Redwing (Nathalie Mahieu, John Boorman).
Alexandra Park: 1w Black Redstart still feeding actively along south terrace of building, m Shoveler & 7 Pochard Boating Lake, 34+ Common Gull, 5+ Redwing, Kingfisher (APOG Birders)
Brent Reservoir: Little Egret, 2 Common Buzzard, 17 Common Snipe, 2 Cetti's Warbler (Magnus Andersson)
Brookmill Park: Little Grebe, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush (Conrad Ellam)
Bush Hill Park: 25 Common Gull 15:40 (Robert Callf)
Deptford River Ravensbourne between DLR and Brookmill Park: GUILLEMOT adult winter or 1st winter swimming in Ravensbourne river this morning, seen and photographed by Nick Bertrand, not seen since on river or Thames by mouth of creek, there were large movements of guillemots at Dungeness yesterday (Mike Paice)
Foots Cray Meadows: 3 Gadwall, 31 Tufted Duck, 3 Little Egret, 8 Little Grebe, 139 Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Kingfisher, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush, 3 Grey Wagtail (Ralph Todd)
Hampstead Heath: 3m, 3f Shoveler on Leg of Mutton Pond; yesterday Ham & High reported resident m Egyptian Goose at Kenwood had been killed by love rival (James Levy)
London Wetland Centre: 2 Jack Snipe, 1 Yellow-legged Gull ad., 1 Bittern, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Water Pipit (WWT website).
Pymmes Park: 2 Little Grebe, 5 Mute Swan 2 ad 3 first-winter, 3 Greylag Goose, 7 Northern Shoveler 5m 2f, 29 Tufted Duck 21m 8f, Mediterranean Gull adult with yellow darvic ring - favouring NE corner as last year 12:30 - 13:55 hrs at least, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker together, Pied Wagtail, Nuthatch, Jay, 3 Goldfinch (Robert Callf)
Richmond Park: c80 Redwing (Steve Woolfenden)
Rotherhithe: 1st-winter Yellow-legged Gull on beach by Hilton Hotel late a'noon; also 6 Great Black-backed Gulls (Richard Bonser)
Trent Park: 16 Fieldfare, Little Grebe, 17 Mandarin 11m,6f, f Pochard, 3 Teal 2m,f, 4 Tufted Duck m,3f. ( Pete Lowman )
Walthamstow Marshes: 2 Stonechat (pr Bomb Crater Field), 1 Stock Dove, 12 Pied Wagtail, 1 Linnet, 8 Chaffinch on paddocks - unlike recent winters there doesn't seem to be a big finch flock this year (Alastair Dent)
Alexandra Park: Drake Shoveler, 6 Pochard Boating Lake and a Black-headed Gull ringed at Pitsea in March 2009 when at least 2 years old, also 47 Common Gull, 12+ Redwing, no sign of 1w Black Redstart in brief search but blustery wind (APOG Birders)
Beddington: Glaucous Gull still, 2 Snipe, 2 Shoveler, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft with thanks to the regulars)
Brent Reservoir: Jack Snipe (SL)
Cheshunt: 2 Cattle Egret again Penton Drive open space; male Smew on Friday Lake and 6 Goosander near the Bittern Hide (James Palmer)
Crayford: 2 Caspian Gulls (both 1st-winters, one Polish-ringed P:895) on Jolly Farmers; also 1st-winter Yellow-legged Gull and c.800 Herring Gulls (Richard Bonser)
Honor Oak Park SE23 garden: Green Woodpecker, 3 Wood Pigeon, 6 Ring-necked Parakeet, Magpie, 3 m, 2 j Blackbird, 3 Great Tit, 8 Blue Tit, 2 Collared Dove, Robin, Stock Dove, Goldfinch, 2 Starling, Song Thrush, m Blackcap, Dunnock, Carrion Crow, 2 Long-tailed Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker (fly by). No Nuthatch (often 2) or Coal Tit today (Paul Francis)
Stave Hill: 11 Redwing, 2 Greenfinch, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Mistle Thrush, Goldcrest (John Cadera)
Tyttenhanger GPs: Yellow-browed Warbler still present in trees by new workings (approx. TL193 055) Simon West (Hi Simon - I realise I am being a bit dim, but google refuses to help - what is a TL number?!! Paul Francis). Paul: try plugging the grid ref into UK Grid Reference Finder (SW). Hi Paul - For mapping purposes, the UK is divided into a grid of 100km squares, each with a two-letter code name: square TL includes the LNHS Recording Area north of the M25, while most of London is in square TQ. The bottom left corner of square TL is TL 000 000 (near Latimer, Bucks), bottom right is TL 999 000 (Dengie Marshes, Essex), top left is TL 000 999 (west of Peterborough) and top right is TL 999 999 (west of Norwich). See also here. You can also use grid references at StreetMap (AH). Thanks! PF
West Molesey, Molesey Heath, River Mole: 1 Yellow-browed Warbler still in riverside trees adjacent to fence of Island Barn Reservoir. Park in Approach Road, walk SE past pumping station to small wood near bend in river in line with parked yachts on top of reservoir. 1 Chiffchaff. (Bob Warden per FJM)
Tuesday 15th January 2019[]
Alexandra Park: 1w Black Redstart still south side palace building, 8 Pochard (7 Boating Lake, 1 Tunnel Res), 30+ Common Gull, 5+ Redwing (APOG Birders)
Beddington Farmlands: 1 2nd-winter Glaucous Gull (Peter Alfrey, Steve Gale, Frank Prater) pics here [1]
Beverley Meads & Fishponds Wood LNR: Remains only of cock Pheasant found in hazel tree, Tawny Owl (h) (P. Redmond)
Bowyers Water, Cheshunt: redhead Smew (Jim Fell)
Broomfield Park: 4 Egyptian Goose, 8 Northern Shoveler 4m 4f, 3 Tufted Duck 2m f, f Sparrowhawk, ad Black-headed Gull with yellow darvic ring 2BKT, 2 ad Common Gull, ad Lesser Black-backed Gull (Robert Callf)
Trent Park: Common Buzzard, 7 Mandarin 6m,f, 2 Pochard m,f, 2 Teal m,f, 3 f Tufted Duck (Pete Lowman).
Tyttenhanger GPs: Adult Caspian Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, 4 Snipe, 2 Water Rail, 14 Meadow Pipit, 5 Tree Sparrow, 2 Red Kite (Tyttenhanger Birders)
Walthamstow Wetlands: (N side 11-12.30) 5 Goldeneye, 3 Goosander, 1 Green Sandpiper, pr Klngfisher, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker (Lol Bodini).
Monday 14th January 2019[]
Alexandra Park: 1w Black Redstart still south face palace building, m Shoveler, 6 Pochard, 15 Common Gull Boating Lake, 37+ Redwing, f Pochard, Kingfisher Tunnel Res, c15 Common Gull Wood Green Res (APOG Birders) Black Redstart performing brilliantly at 11:30 (Nick Croft)
Cheshunt: 2 Cattle Egret again Penton Drive open space (Nick Croft) No sign of White-fronted Goose reported by NE London RSPB group yesterday, 3 Chiffchaff, 4 Goldcrest, Buzzard, 2 Siskin, 33 Fieldfare, 10 Redwing (Nick Croft)
London Wetland Centre: Iceland Gull 3cy, 2 Bittern, 2 Shelduck, Little Owl, Water Pipit, Chiffchaff, Peregrine, 5 Meadow Pipit over NW (WWT website)
Olympic Park: Common Snipe (James Palmer)
Pymmes Park, Edmonton: 1 ad Mediterranean Gull still on Playing Field, 2 Siskin pr with mixed finch flock in Wild area, m Sparrowhawk, 2 Nuthatch pr, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 prs Shoveler - 1 - 1.30pm (Davey Leach)
Trent Park: 5 Eurasian Teal 4m f upper lake, f Common Pochard, m Tufted Duck, Common Buzzard, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker incl one drumming, 5 Goldcrest, 3 Coal Tit, 5 singing m Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Spring Usher (Robert Callf); also 2 Little Grebe, 11 Mandarin 9m,2f, 2 Tufted Duck m, f (Pete Lowman).
Tyttenhanger G.P: 1 Yellow-browed Warbler. Feeding in Ivy-covered tress adjacent to bridge over R Colne, Bird showing from 09.15 am until 10.00am (Bill Rutherford).
West Molesey: Molesey Heath, River Mole. 1 Yellow-browed Warbler still in riverside trees. Park in Approach Road and walk SE past pumping station to bend in river near fence of Island Barn Reservoir. (Birdguides)
Alexandra Park: 1w Black Redstart still palace building near main south facing arch, Peregrine, 2m f Shoveler Boating Lake, 40 Common Gull, 28 Redwing, Kingfisher Wood Green Res, Pheasant in past week in allotments (APOG Birders)
Canons Park & (private) Seven Acre Lake, Edgware, Middx HA8: Red Kite, 72 Redwing. Lake: 2 Grey Heron, 5 Little Egrets, 4 Cormorant, 6 Shoveler. 7 Tufted Duck, pair Mallard, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, 4 Coot, 60 Black-headed Gull, 4 Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull (Bob Husband et al NW LONDON RSPB GROUP - next Birdwalk Sunday 3 February 2019)
Denham Quarry: M Red-breasted Merganser still with the 7M, 7F Goosander on the smaller of the two pits south of railway (Pit 4?) (Martin Musselwhite)
Enfield Town - Gentleman's Row: ad Black-headed Gull with white darvic ring TXPM [Polish ringed] 13:00 (Robert Callf)
Grays Riverside: pr of Raven high over Swanscombe Marsh, 320+ Black-tailed Godwit, 60+ Redshank, Curlew, Dunlin, 1w Caspian Gull, 2 Great Black-backed Gull (Nick Croft)
Lee Valley, Friday Lake: ad m Smew (presumably the bird recently on adjacent Bowyer's Water) at 4pm, Cetti's Warbler (Simon Papps)
London Wetland Centre: Bittern, Water Pipit, Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Pintail, 2 Peregrine, Shelduck, 6 Fieldfare (WWT website), 3 Pintail, Jack Snipe, Water Pipit, Goldeneye, 5 Snipe, 2 Mandarin (Sam Jones)
Margravine Cemetery: Red Kite (3.34pm drifting N) (Nathalie Mahieu).
Ockendon: 5 Yellowhammer, 7 Chaffinch, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel, 4 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, 2 Pheasant, 20 + Great Black-backed Gull (several hundred gulls roosting around the new tip), several Rook and a few hundred Jackdaw in roost by old tip (Nick Croft)
Southgate - Chase Road, N14: Common Buzzard flew over mobbed by Carrion Crows 12:40 (Robert Callf)
St James Park Station: Grey Wagtail (Toby Mylett)
Ten Acre Wood area: 4 Teal, 5m Pheasant, Peregrine on mound, after brief sortie settled on short grass before launching into hunting flight towards wood, Woodcock, 3 Stock Dove, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, 5 Redwing, 10 Linnet (Neil Anderson)
The Brook BR5: 2 Little Grebe, 7 Canada Goose, Goldcrest, 1-2 calling Chiffchaff (Jack Headley)
Totteridge Valley, Belmont Farm: 2 Egyptian Geese still (Samuel Levy on behalf of Belmont Farm Staff)
Tyttenhanger GPs: 1 Yellow-browed Warbler still present in the Ivy-covered trees by the conveyor adjacent to the R. Colne bridge (Gareth Richards)
Victoria Dock, near ExCel: 3rd Winter Yellow-Legged Gull (Rhys Evans)
West Molesey, Molesey Heath, River Mole: 1 Yellow-browed Warbler in riverside trees. Park at Approach Road and follow footpath SE beyond pumping station to bend in river adjacent to fence of Island Barn Reservoir. (2nd day) 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 5 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Grey Wagtail (Dave Harris, Franko J Maroevic et al)
Yeading Brook meadows: m Pheasant, 2 Red Kite (2nd bird feeding on turf on sports area, feeding for over 5 minutes before flying to within 10 metres of me about 5 metres up, then circling at tree top level over me hanging in breeze, before briefly swooping low over dog walker. Later chasing Crow with food before its partner chased the Kite- superb views!). 65 Common Gull (Neil Anderson)
Saturday 12th January 2019[]
Alexandra Park: 1w Black Redstart again from 0945 along south face of palace building, pair Shoveler, 6 Pochard, hybrid Aythya Boating Lake, Norwegian Common Gull also amongst 30+ Common Gulls (APOG Birders)
Bayhurst Wood area: Short-eared Owl viewed distantly from Bourne Farm looking south towards New Years Green Lane recycling centre (Charlie Farrell)
Brent Reservoir: 15 Common Snipe, 3 Greylag Geese + 1 Farm Goose, 3 Redwing, Cetti's Warbler (Simon Worsfold, Stephen Branley, Andrew Haynes)
Brookmill Park: 2 Kingfisher (Conrad Ellam)
Cheshunt: 2 Cattle Egret still, moving between the playground at Penton Fields and the Brookland School playing field (John Edwards)
Cowley Business Park / River Frays: 1 Kingfisher (Roger Dewey)
Dunton Green: Red Kite flew low W near Miners Arms Pub (Jack Headley)
Fairlop Waters: Treecreeper, 4 Golden Plover, 4 Red-legged Partridge, 2 Little Egret, Redwing, Fieldfare (Alan Thomas/Neil Twyford)
Fulham Palace Meadow Allotments: Kestrel (Nathalie Mahieu, John Boorman)
Greenwich: 2 Yellow-legged Gull (2w and 1w) by the O2 early afternoon; also 31 Great Black-backed Gulls, 2 Egyptian Geese (Richard Bonser)
Highams Park lake: Pr Goosander (Joe Dickens)
Isle of Dogs: 2 Yellow-legged Gulls ad and 1w on Thames shore at Saunders Ness (Sean Huggins)
Lamorbey Park: 4 Teal, Song Thrush ( Mike Amos) .
Lee Valley (Bowyer's lake) 2 Smew, Sparrowhawk, Goldeneye, Marsh Tit, Little Egret, 2 Rook (Rhys Evans)
London Wetland Centre: f Goldeneye, 2m,1f Pintail, Bittern, Jack Snipe, 2 Common Snipe, Yellow-legged Gull (sub-adult), Water Pipit, 6 Fieldfare in poplars in front of entrance (Neil Anderson, Martin Honey, et al)
M25 jct 13: Red Kite over junction (Samuel Levy)
Middlesex University Campus: Jackdaw (Toby Mylett)
Morden Hall Park: Cetti's Warbler, 3 Song Thrush, Kestrel, c.15 Siskin, Grey Wagtail, Little Grebe. (Arjun Dutta, David Walsh)
Oxleas Wood: Firecrest with tit flock in Holly bushes, near Crookston Road entrance (Conrad Ellam)
Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve: 2 Little Grebe, 10 Ad Great Black-backed Gull, 8 Egyptian Goose, 20+ Redwing, Mistle Thrush, c3 Siskin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Little Egret, 25+ Canada Goose, 2 Wigeon, 20+ Shoveler, 50+ Pochard, 10+ Teal, 5+ Gadwall, Pheasant, 2 Stock Dove, Collared Dove (Jack Headley)
Shrewsbury Park, SE18: 3 Nuthatch, 3 Goldcrest, Stock Dove, 2 Mistle Thrush, Redwing, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Jay (Tim Rymer)
Southgate Circus - ASDA: m Spring Usher (Robert Callf)
Southwark Park: Coal Tit, 1 Little Grebe (John Cadera)
Tyttenhanger GPs: Yellow-browed Warbler still present in the Ivy-covered trees by the conveyor adjacent to the R. Colne bridge (John Edwards)
Uxbridge / River Frays by A408: 1 Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret. (Roger Dewey)
The Brook BR5: 2 Little Grebe, c6 Redwing (Jack Headley)
Friday 11th January 2019[]
Alexandra Park: No sign of Black Redstart by 1040 but workmen active on south and east faces of palace building, 5+ Redwing, Common Buzzard east, female Peregrine transmitter, 30+ Common Gull, 5 Pochard, female Aythya hybrid Tufted Duck X Common Pochard (APOG Birders) No sign of Black Redstart 13.30-14.00 (Quentin Given); Black Redstart again around south arch 1549 and presumed roosting nearby (Dominic Mitchell per Bob Watts)
Barnet Playing Fields: 8 Common Gull, Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 8 House Sparrow (Toby Mylett)
Bayhurst Wood area: 2 Tawny Owl, Short-eared Owl pylon compartments of grassland, Barn Owl (Dan Pinkham)
Colliers Wood: 1 Little Egret in Wandle Park (Keith Bates)
Finchley: Garden N3 - 2 Blackcap m f, 3 Stock Dove, 2 Grey Heron high and W 16:30 (Samuel Levy)
Forty Hall CP: 4 Cormorant, 5 Mandarin Duck, ad m Sparrowhawk, 82 Black-headed Gull incl one with white darvic ring E4UN [The Netherlands ringed] Goldcrest, m Nuthatch, Treecreeper (Robert Callf)
Lee Valley, Bowyer’s Water: 2 Smew (ad m and 1w m - for pics of ad m see https:www.facebook.com/reednewholland), Treecreeper, Common Chiffchaff (Simon Papps); Also m Goosander over, singing Cetti's Warbler (Neil Anderson)
Lee Valley, Holyfield Farm: Red Kite, Grey Wagtail, pr Stonechat (Neil Anderson)
Lee Valley, Holyfield Lake: 2 redhead Goosander, 2m, 1f Goldeneye, c60 Pochard, 3 Little Egret (Neil Anderson)
Lee Valley, Hooks Marsh: Peregrine Falcon, Bullfinch (Simon Papps)
Lee Valley, Horsemill Stream (adjacent to Hall Marsh): 7 Goosander (4m, 3f), 80+ Siskin (probably a huge underestimate) (Simon Papps) Also Little Egret (Neil Anderson)
Lee Valley, Seventy Acres Lake: Water Rail, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, 2 Cetti's Warbler, Common Chiffchaff (Simon Papps) 3 Buzzard (Neil Anderson)
Lea Valley - Sewardstone Marsh/Gunpowder Park:14 Lesser Redpoll - in Silver Birches by Lea Flood Relief & Knights Pits, 5 Siskin , 3 Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Cetti's Warbler, Green Woodpecker, GS Woodpecker,2 Song Thrush , Redwing, Kestrel, 18 Shoveler, 20 Teal , Gadwall, 3 Little Grebe,Water Rail -heard only Knights Pits, Grey Heron, Cormorant (Nigel May)
Woolwich Reach: lower foreshore fronting fmr Royal Arsenal covering TQ4379 & TQ4479: incl 90+ Black-tailed Godwit, 20 Common Gull, 5 Gadwall, 8 Lapwing, 10 Redshank and 26 Teal (Mike Robinson)
Wyatt's Farm Open Space, Barnet: Moorhen [unusual here], Stock Dove, 4 House Sparrow (Toby Mylett)
Thursday 10th January 2019[]
Alexandra Park: 1w Black Redstart still on palace building but just showed once today at 1220 on east side below transmitter but much disturbance from workmen. Also Fieldfare, 10+ Redwing, drake Shoveler & 5 Pochard Boating Lake, 43+ Common Gull (Bruce Carson, Bob Husband & APOG Birders)
Broomfield Park: 4 Egyptian Goose, 5 Northern Shoveler 2m 3f, 4 Tufted Duck 2m 2f, Black-headed Gulls with darvic rings - red P.1 [The Netherlands ringed], white L.Y [The Netherlands ringed] and yellow 2BKT [summers Czech Republic], ad Common Gull, 2 ad Lesser Black-backed Gull, Pied Wagtail, 2 Fieldfare flew over calling, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Goldcrest, 2 Nuthatch pr, 60 Starling, 5 Goldfinch (Robert Callf)
Foots Cray Meadows : 2 Grey Wagtail, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Jay, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Little Egret, 24 Tufted Duck, 4 Gadwall, 9 Little Grebe, 2 Egyption Goose, Kingfisher, 2 Water Rail, (Bernie Weight)
Greenwich Ecology Park: Water Rail, 2 Little Grebe, Chiffchaff (Conrad Ellam)
Ilford Valentines Park: Little Egret in Wash channel - about 5m from busy road! Now a regular visitor here in early mornings. (Barbara Miller)
Harvil Road, South Harefield: fields west of Bayhurst Wood: 2 Short-eared Owl, 1m Pheasant, Redwings, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Kestrel. (Roger Dewey)
Honor Oak Park, SE23: 1m, 1j Blackbird, 4 Wood Pigeon, 2 Magpie, 5 Rose-necked Parakeet,2 Carrion Crow, Stock Dove, Great Tit, Collared Dove, Dunnock, Green Woodpecker, 2 Feral Pigeon, Song Thrush, Robin, Tawney Owl heard (Paul Francis; Green Woodpecker is a patch (what I can see from my house) tick)
Alexandra Park: Black Redstart 1st winter still on south face of palace building, 17+ Redwing, drake Shoveler & 4 Pochard Boating Lake (APOG Birders) Black Redstart 1/w still, 8 Pochard, 20 Common Gull, 2 Fieldfare, Buzzard, 1+ Treecreeper (early PM, Sam Jones), 70+ Ring-necked Parakeet pre roost (Bruce Carson, Bob Watts) Black Redstart heard calling from within the main arch but not seen, 16:45 (Mark Wardman)
Barnet Hill "EN5": Black Redstart heard near High Barnet Station, Jackdaw (Toby Mylett)
Clissold Park: 2 Egyptian Goose, 3 Mute Swan, 2 Gadwall m f, 2 Shoveler m f (Ernest Thomason)
Denham Country Park: 7m & 7f Goosander on pit 4 (the second one south of the railway line) but no sign of the Red-breasted Merganser on this or any of the adjacent/nearby pits (Bill Haines); Red-breasted Merganser on pit 4 at 12:00 after 3 hours of searching, 15 Goosander, Firecrest, 3 Goldcrest, 2 Treecreeper, 2 Nuthatch, 8 Stock Dove, 2 Kingfisher, Little Egret, 5+ Siskin, Bullfinch, Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzard, Red Kite (Nick Croft)
Erith (Thames foreshore off Corinthian Manorway): incl 275+ Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Dunlin, 9 Gadwall, c. 30 Linnet, 70+ Redshank, Rock Pipit, 5 Shelduck and 31 Teal (Mike Robinson)
Ewell, Hogsmill Open Space: Water Rail, 2 Little Egret, Grey Wagtail (Isaiah Rowe)
Finchley: Garden N3 - m Blackcap, 3 Stock Dove, Starling (first since July) (Samuel Levy)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: (Lockwood 10-11am) Peregrine, 3 Goldeneye (m displaying), 2 Green Sandpipers, Green & GS Woodpeckers (Lol Bodini).
Tuesday 8th January 2019[]
Alexandra Park: Peregrine male & female 1530 near top of transmitter, drake Shoveler Boating Lake, 3 ringed Black-headed Gulls (Swedish bird first seen in 2001, German & UK birds with metal rings), 10+ Redwing (APOG Birders). Also Black Redstart flycatching from brickwork of main arch, S. face of palace, during antics of peregrines above (Jonathan Cooke).
Cheshunt GPs: 1 Buzzrd, 1 Red Kite, 1 Bullfinch male, 8 Wigeon, 15 Shoveler, 20 Gadwall. No sign of Smew at Bowyers Water (Charlie Farrell)
Denham Quarry Lakes: Red-breasted Merganser back along with 2 Goosander (1m1f). Currently on the lake 2nd up on the map, very close to the footpath that dissects that lake and the lake furthest south (Adam Bolton)
Erith (Thames foreshore off Corinthian Manorway): incl 500+ Black-tailed Godwit, a Curlew, 22 Dunlin, 140+ Redshank, 2 Shelduck and 42 Teal: also c.10 Redwing in the Grounds of the nearby Church of St John the Baptist (Mike Robinson)
Finchley: Church End N3 - Grey Wagtail, feeding on roof tops. 5 Redwing. (Bill Rutherford)
Foots Cray Meadows : Kingfisher, 2 Little Egret, 4 Gadwall, 8 Little Grebe, 15 Tufted Duck, 2 Egyption Goose, Mistle Thrush, 2 Song Thrush, Great-spotted Wooodpecker, Green Woodpecker.(Bernie Weight)
Foxham Gardens N19 A pair of Coal Tits feeding toether + one on its own,(My first sighting here in 30 years) 1 Fieldfare with 6 Redwings (Mavis Pilbeam)
Kensington Gardens: 1 Little Owl in usual tree hole near Queen Caroline's Temple, 2 Stock Dove (1 singing) (Reuben Braddock)
London Wetland Centre: 5 Jack Snipe (scrape and main lake), Bittern, 2 House Sparrow, 2 Water Pipit, 5 Snipe, Chiffchaff(wildside) (S.Barry) (WWT website)
North Cray: Peregrine (Patrick English)
Richmond: 2 Peregrine male & female on spire of St Matthias Church, Church Road,9 am. (Mike Lewis per FJM)
Rotherhithe: 40 Cormorants and 35 Cormorants on Greenland Dock (Richard Bonser)
South Lodge Farm: 47 Canada Goose, Greylag x Canada Goose hybrid, 28+ Redwing (Robert Callf)
Stoneleigh Station KT17: 23 Ring-necked Parakeet, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (N.B. Herring Gull numbers heading ne are appreciably down on previous years - 7 this morning compared to 130-140 plus this time last year. A reflection of a decline in numbers at Beddington? (Neil Batten)
Trent Park: Little Grebe, m Eurasian Teal, f Common Pochard, 2f Tufted Duck, ad m Sparrowhawk perched in birch Williams Wood, Green Woodpecker, m Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest, Firecrest foraging in laurel SW edge of Rough Lot 12:34 - 12:40 hrs, 3 Nuthatch, 4 Treecreeper incl one singing (Robert Callf); also 2 Coal Tit, Common Buzzard,17 Fieldfare, Goldcrest, 3 Redwing, 2 Teal m f (Pete Lowman)
Alexandra Park: 56+ Common Gull including Norwegian bird ring JJ558, Black-headed Gull ringed in North Thames 2RKC both Boating Lake, 28+ Redwing, Kingfisher (APOG Birders)
Algernon Road, Lewisham: Blackcap m in private garden (Conrad Ellam)
Brockwell Park: Blackcap (male, Brixton Water Lane entrance), at least 11 House Sparrow (6+ Water Lane; 5+ Brockwell Hall), Grey Heron, 18 Starling, 47 Black-headed Gull (Tony Stones)
Brookmill Park: Kingfisher (Conrad Ellam)
Cheshunt GP: Bittern, Brambling (Adam Wilson)
Deptford; Sue Godfrey park: 3 Redwing (Mike Paice)
Ten Acre Wood area: min 11 Teal, 3 Pheasant, f Kestrel, Water Rail, 3 Stock Dove, 2 Skylark, 15 Redwing,flock of c35 Linnet, m Bullfinch, f Roe Deer (Neil Anderson)
Crossness: 1 Goosander drake flew upriver @ 13:15, 2 Avocet off former Golf Centre (John Archer)
Dollis Brook: Finchley Central - Winter Bird Survey Highlights - Little Egret, m Blackcap, 3 Redwing, 3 Stock Dove, 5 Goldcrest, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Common Gull, 2 Coal Tit. (Samuel Levy and Joan Arnold)
Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens: Serpentine/Long Water waterbird census - 1 Bar-headed Goose, 90 Greylag Goose incl 1 domestic, 135 Canada Goose, 74 Mute Swan, 55 Egyptian Goose, 11 Shoveler, 10 Gadwall, 72 Mallard incl 5 domestic, 58 Pochard, 123 Tufted Duck, 1 Pochard x Tufted Duck hybrid, 2 Little Grebe, 6 Great Crested Grebe, 54 Moorhen, 228 Coot, 430 Black-headed Gull, 8 Common Gull, 26 Herring Gull, 8 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 13 Cormorant and 11 Grey Heron early-am, also 1 Little Owl, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Jay, 4 Stock Dove, 2 Redwing, 16 Long-tailed Tit and 2 Goldcrest the only other birds of note in Hyde Park (Niall T. Keogh)
Lamorbey Park : Little Grebe, 4+ Cormorant, 2 Egyptian Goose, 6 Teal c12 Tufted Duck , 3 Common Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Jay , Jackdaw (Mike Amos).
London Wetland Centre: 2 Bittern main lake (North shore), 7 Pintail main lake, 1 Shelduck main lake, 71 Lapwing main lake, 4 Snipe wader scrape, 17 Redwing flew over heading SW, 1 Water Pipit wader scrape, 1 Meadow Pipit sheltered lagoon, 1 Coal Tit South route feeders (WWT website). 2 Jack Snipe wader scrape, 1m Pintail sheltered lagoon (Martin Honey et al.)
Trent Park: Little Grebe, 2 Eurasian Teal pr, 3 Common Pochard 2f m, f Tufted Duck, 2 Goldcrest, 18+ Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit (Robert Callf) ; also 2 Little Grebe late afternoon. ( Pete Lowman )
Millfields E5: 2 Peregrine (m&f) on substation pylon, c100 Common Gull nr Millfields Rd (Alastair Dent)
Nazeing GP: first-winter Mediterranean Gull in the roost (Adam Wilson)
Pinner HA5: Red KIte, 8+ Redwing (Nigel Barratt)
Rainham RSPB: 20+ Pintail, 2 Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, 6 Curlew, 34 Avocet (Aveley Bay), Black-tailed Godwit, c20 Dunlin, 15+ Snipe, Barn Owl, 2 Rock Pipit (sea wall), 3 Stonechat, c30 Redwing, m Blackcap (Neil Anderson/Bill Swinglehurst et al)
Nonsuch Park: 3 Teal 2m f, patch first (Isaiah Rowe)
Pinner HA5 : 2 Red KIte, Goldcrest, Redwing (Nigel Barratt)
Richmond Park: 2 Dartford Warbler 9.00 (R Dunne) Red-legged Partridge (Holly Lodge), Greylag, 8 Shoveler, pr Teal, 33 Pochard, Little Grebe, Common Buzzard, Common Snipe, 5 Stonechat, Dartford Warbler (Neil Anderson + thanks to RP Bird Group for tip-off about DW); Raven (P Pentek)
RSPB Rainham Marshes: 1 Jack Snipe, 3 Snipe, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Pink-footed Goose (Tim Bray); 2 Caspian Gull ad, 1w (D man); 5 Little Egret, 29 Avocet, 25 Pintail, 41 Common Snipe, 5+ Water Pipit, 5 Stonechat, 12 Rock Pipit, 2 Yellow-legged Gull, 4 Marsh Harrier, 60 Dunlin, 49 Jackdaw, 3 Fieldfare, 30+ Redwing, Kestrel, 2 Peregrine m+f, 2 Common Buzzard, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 42 Rook, 2 Sparrowhawk, 37 Stock Dove, Barn Owl, Water Rail, Ruff (Samuel Levy, Dante Shepherd, Arjun Dutta, Calum Mckellar, Kabir Kaul, Alex Liddle, Ben Rumsby)
Staines Reservoir: The Great Northern Diver still present on south basin until 11.30 when it flew off south towards Queen Mary Reservoir. 2 Black-necked Grebe also on south basin but no sign of the Common Scoters from yesterday (John Edwards )
Trent Park: Little Grebe, 3 Pochard m 2f, 3 Teal 2m f, 2 f Tufted Duck (Pete Lowman)
Wanstead Park - Bush Wood: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Blackbird, Magpie, Long-tailed Tit, Wren, m Great Spotted Woodpecker (Paul Francis, who missed the Treecreeper seen today by JH)
Wanstead Park incl Chalet Wood: Blue Tit. Great Tit. Long-tailed Tit, Wood Pigeon, 2 Rose-ringed Parakeet, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Jay, Black-headed Gull, Mute Swan, Mallard, Feral Pigeon, Teal, Coot, Lesser Black-backed Gull, m & f Gadwall, 5 Redwing, Goldcrest (Paul Francis; sadly no LSW or Firecrest seen here or on the Flats)
Wanstead Flats: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Wood Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, 2 Stonechat, Common Gull, Black-headed Gull, Mute Swan, Mallard, Feral Pigeon, Coot, Moorhen, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Tufted Duck (Paul Francis - who, at the top of the football pitches on the way to the Alex, found a Carrion Crow interested in a very old plastic beer mug, which I picked up as I was heading for Manor Park station and home. After the Alex I found a coffee cup, which was useful for putting the beer mug in, then the paper wrap for the coffee cup, a bread bag which these went in with some tissues, crisp bag, several beer cans and some small bits is clear plastic. Then a large clear plastic bag (bigger than a bag for life, which everything went in) and then a large cardboard toy box plus the large clear plastic tray and more beer cans. Most of this in the space between the path from the Alex across the scrub to the road leading to the station. I clearly should have asked for a litter picking stick from Santa. Hope you don't mind me sharing this; no replies needed.) Yup I was collecting several such bags a day during the warmer weather NC. Collection welcome from Totteridge (AM)
Brookmill Park: Little Egret, Kingfisher, Song Thrush, Chiffchaff (Conrad Ellam)
Chingford- Lower Hall Bridge over Outflow S. of William Girling Res.: 1 Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Little Egret & Pr. Grey Wagtail all in Channel - 1.15pm (Davey Leach).
Denham Gravel Pits: ( Last lake before Frays River pit4) Red-breasted Merganser rejoined Goosanders after spending time alone on next door lake. Began displaying to a Goosander female in group (Nigel Barratt)
Ealing W13: 2 female Blackcap in garden this morning (Bill Haines)
Erith: 2 1w Yellow-legged Gull (Josh Jones, D man)
Foots Cray Meadows: 3 Water Rail at dusk, 2 Egyptian Goose, 2 Mute Swan, Kingfisher, 4 Siskin, 4 Gadwall, 8 Little Grebe, 5 Great Spotted Woodpecker, c15 Long-tailed Tit, 2-3 Little Egret, 4 Goldcrest, Firecrest at far east end near public footbridge coming out at Riverside Rd, 2 Stock Dove, 2 Green Woodpecker, calling Bullfinch, Chiffchaff, Grey Wagtail, c230 Jackdaw going to roost (Jack Headley)
Finchley: Garden N3 - f Blackcap, 3 Stock Dove (Samuel Levy)
Guy Lodge Farm: 19 Common Gull including eight first-winter and one juvenile [unusual plumage at this time of year?] (Robert Callf)
Isle of Dogs: Yellow-legged Gull ad at Saunders Ness, 300 Common Gulls, Teal m (Sean Huggins)
Lee Valley, Bowyers Water: redhead Smew, 40+ Tufted Duck, 50+ Gadwall, Common Chiffchaff, Cetti's Warbler, female Bullfinch (Simon Papps)
Lee Valley, Horsemill Stream (adjacent to Hall Marsh): 3 Goosander (1m, 2f), 120+ Siskin (Simon Papps)
RSPB Rainham: 1w Caspian Gull (on the river at 16:15), Barnacle Goose, 66 Shelduck, 37 Pochard, 17 Tufted Duck, 95 Stock Dove, 1 Water Rail, 34 Avocet, 2 Golden Plover, 64 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Ruff, 210 Dunlin, 40 Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper, 7 Yellow-legged Gull, 6 Marsh Harrier, 3 Buzzard, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Bearded Reedling, 12 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Stonechat, 10 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 40 Meadow Pipit, 4 Water Pipit, 3 Rock Pipit (Niall T. Keogh)
Springfield Park E5: drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker (Quentin Given)
Snaresbrook, Eagle Pond: 4w Caspian Gull (Josh Jones, D man)
Staines Reservoir: Great Northern Diver on N (and the South) Basin 10.00- 11.00), 2 Common Scoter (m & f), Black-necked Grebe on South Basin. (Simon Fogg)
Stoneleigh Station KT17: Green Woodpecker drumming (Neil Batten)
Sutcliffe Park: Little Egret, Song Thrush, 10 Redwing (John Bushell)
Thamesmead: 1w Yellow-legged Gull (Josh Jones, D man)
Twickenham: 25 Mandarin Duck on River Crane at Kneller Gardens. (Tony Leppard)
Walthamstow Marsh: M Stonechat by boardwalk (Quentin Given)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: 2 Green Sandpipers in overflow, 2 Goosander (1m 1f), 1 Water Rail (No1), 1 Peregrine. (Daniel Whitelegg, Charlie Owens) Scaup, 3 Goldeneye, Goldcrest, Shelduck, 2 Grey Wagtail (Nick Croft)
William Girling Reservoir: 4 Black-necked Grebe (Nick Croft)
Wednesday 2nd January 2019[]
Alexandra Park: Drake Shoveler Boating Lake, 36 Common Gull, 48 Tufted Duck, 6 Pochard, 15+ Redwing (APOG Birders)
Bayhurst Wood (Harefield): Still 3 Short-eared Owl hunting over fields to the west of Bayhurst Wood from mid-afternoon. Access through woods - car park closes at 16:00 (Bill Haines).
Brookmill Park: Kingfisher, 2 Song Thrush (Conrad Ellam)
Broomfield Park: Greylag Goose, 4 Northern Shoveler 2m 2f, 10 Tufted Duck 6m 4f (Robert Callf) Where did you see the tufted duck? Would be a lifer for me (Greg) Tufted Duck are on just about every lake in the London area- shouldn't be difficult to see!!
Chistlehurst Common: Firecrest in thick Holly area along Ashfield Ln (Jack Headley)
Denham Quarry: m Red-breasted Merganser still present on the pit south of the railway (John Edwards), 6m and 4f Goosander with the Red-breasted Merganser. (Roger Dewey)
Finchley: Garden N3 - 2 Blackcap m & f, 2 Stock Dove (Samuel Levy)
Foots Cray Meadows : 3 Grey Wagtail, Little Egret, 4 Song Thrush (3 singing),Great Spotted Woodpecker, Water Rail, 8 Little Grebe, 4 Gadwall, 15 Tufted Duck, 2 Egyptian Goose (Bernie Weight)
Richmond: 3 Egyptian Goose, 2 Mandarin Duck, 1 Common Sandpiper, 37 Cormorant, 2 Redwing along the River Thames near Corporation Island (Niall T. Keogh)
Richmond Park: Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, 22 Pochard, 5 Teal, 10 Shoveler, 6 Mandarin, Stonechat, Great Black-backed Gull (P and S Pentek); 4 Tawny Owl (1 seen roosting, 3 heard), 3 Goldcrest, 2 Mistle Thrush, 3 Woodcock (P. Redmond)
Ruislip Lido/Woods: 65+ Shoveler, 2 Little Egret, Sparrowhawk, 3 Short-eared Owl (outside Bayhurst Wood in rough grassland, seen with Dick Middleton et al; showing well from 14.30), 7 Great Spotted Woodpecker (3 drumming), 20+ Redwing, 5 Nuthatch, c30 Lesser Redpoll in tall birches in Copse Wood (Neil Anderson/.K. Bull). Where is the best place to see the owls from (Grid ref)? I tried from Harvell Road but there doesn't seem to be any way to get through. Thanks, Bill Haines We just walked through Bayhurst Wood + entered grassland through broken down gate + would have been visible from there NA. Thanks, Neil. BH.
Staines Moor: 1 Little Egret, 11 Teal, 1 Common Snipe, 4 Kestrel,2 Stock Dove, 2 Stonechat, 25 Fieldfare, 14 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Meadow Pipit, 25 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Chiffchaff near burnt car on approach track from N end (Franko J Maroevic)
Staines Reservoir: Great Northern Diver on N Basin 1400- 1430 (Gordon Shaw)
Tottenham Marsh: F Stonechat just N of allotment. 3 Chiffchaffs on towpath by Reedham Crescent (Quentin Given)
Trent Park: 2 Coal Tit, Cormorant, 2 Egyptian Goose, 4 Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Pochard m f, 2m Shoveler, 2 Treecreeper, 2 f Tufted Duck (Pete Lowman), also Woodcock flushed Rough Lot (Robert Callf)
Tufnell Park N7: 1m Sparrowhawk, 11 Redwing, 1 Fieldfare on Huddleston Road (Reuben Braddock)
Twickenham Stadium: Common Buzzard, passed the north stand heading west over Hounslow (Tony Leppard)
Wanstead Park: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Firecrest, 2 Goldcrest, Treecreeper, 3 Nuthatch, Kingfisher, 7 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, 2 Pochard, 18 Shoveler, 5 Gadwall, 37 Teal, 3 Water Rail, 21 Siskin, 3 Redwing, 4 Mistle Thrush (2 singing), Coal Tit, Grey Wagtail, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard (Wanstead Birders) (Hi, just wondered where on the flats I might best start searching for the LSW? - a life-time tick for me. TIA, Paul Francis) Ssorry Francis that should have said Wanstead Park. I've had good views in Chalet Wood check the website for a map
West Harrow: Red Kite over pursued by half-a-dozen Carrion Crows plus male Blackcap in the garden - I haven't seen one here in months and this one turns up today for the new year-list. It's almost as if it knew! (Alex Massey)
