Common Rosefinch, Walthamstow Marshes (Jamie Partridge)
July’s headline bird was undoubtedly the handsome male COMMON ROSEFINCH found by Jamie Partridge at Walthamstow Marshes on the evening of 3rd July and seen daily until 12th July. It was even chosen by BirdGuides as its national Bird of the Week for 29th June to 6th July.
The Rosefinch often sang from rooftops and aerials around the riverside Anchor & Hope pub and at other times was to be found calling and showing well in the marshes just across the river. After a gap of more than a week, it reappeared early on the morning of 20th July, but no longer singing. Perhaps it had been hanging around quietly all the time but with few birders still looking for it.
Jamie’s Rosefinch was London’s first since an immature bird at Wormwood Scrubs in September 2013 and a previous first-summer male at Tottenham Marshes in June 2010. There have only been about 10 reports of this species since London’s first accepted record in February 1971, when a bird spent three weeks at Kempton Park.
Stork talk[]
White Stork, Beddington Farmlands (Kered1)
Another rare visitor that has gradually increased in frequency over recent years is the WHITE STORK. This was a familiar species a millennium ago, but was last recorded breeding in Britain in 1416. In modern times it was first reported in the London area in 1938 and since the mid-1970s it has become a near annual visitor.
London’s second stork for 2016 (after one over the M25 at Watford on 28th April) spent an hour at Beddington Farmlands on 22nd July. (A bird circling over Heathrow Airport later that day is assumed to have been the same one.) However, there is doubt about this stork’s identity because photographs by Peter Alfrey show its bill and legs as black rather than red, suggesting an Oriental Stork — which would presumably be an escape rather than an ultra-long-distance vagabond.
But there was no need to be disappointed by this dodgy bird because, amazingly, just four days later a second stork turned up at Beddington — and this one was clearly a genuine White Stork, with red bill and legs. Unlike the earlier specimen it had no leg rings, suggesting a truly wild bird. First seen on 26th July it was still present into August, often flying off south late in the day but returning to Beddington by morning.
Egrets, we’ve had a few . . . []
Another large rare wading bird is the Great White Egret, one of which turned up at Amwell GP on 3rd July. As with the stork, this was not the spine-tingling find it would once have been. London’s first Great White appeared less than 20 years ago (at Brent Reservoir in May 1997), but since then sightings have steadily increased, so that 2015 produced a dozen records and the first half of this year added another eight reports.
Numbers of the commoner Little Egret have also been increasing across the capital and birders at Brent Reservoir were pleased to find a record-equalling nine birds on 18th and 23rd July. But this figure pales into insignificance when compared with King George V Reservoir, where 23rd July produced no fewer than 42 birds.
On the move[]
Summer visitors were on the move early in July. On 3rd July a Spotted Flycatcher was spotted in Leyton, on 5th July a Yellow Wagtail increased the species tally for the new Woodberry Wetlands nature reserve and on the following day a Whinchat was witnessed in Alexandra Park.
Through the second half of the month up to three Garganey were present at Rye Meads NR and others were seen at KGV Reservoir and London Wetland Centre. A Honey Buzzard was seen over Black Park Country Park, near Slough, on 23rd July, and the next day a Crossbill crossed Hampstead Heath.
Sunday 31st July 2016[]
Brent Reservoir: 2 Little Egret, 2 Lapwing, Dunlin, 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 4 Willow Warbler, 14 Chiffchaff (Brent Birders); Little Ringed Plover p.m. (Frank Nugent).
Cranford CP: 5 juv Kestrels, 4 juv Sparrowhawks, Brown Argus, Essex Skipper, White Letter Hairstreak - the WLH was in thistle patch in Headland area (Wendy Marks - photos of the WLH on my blog)
Wanstead Park: Common Sandpiper (Rob Sheldon); 1s Treecreeper still Bush Wood (could be 2 birds) (Bob Vaughan)
Saturday 30th July 2016[]
Barrowell Green Recycling Centre, N21: Roving tit flock with a Chiffchaff in tow at 19:24 (Katy McGilvray)
Beddington Farmlands: White Stork departed high SE and was lost to view at 13:15, no further sign by 16:30, also Whimbrel S at 14:45, Raven E at 15:57, Hobby, Peregrine, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, 2 Common Sandpiper, small Swift passage and 2 Sand Martin (Nick Tanner et al). White Stork just flew over my house in Wallington at 13:46! (Arjun Dutta)
Bow Creek Ecology Park: 2 Pairs of Shelduck with 2 and 7 ducklings, 1 Little Egret, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Oystercatcher, 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, pair of Cetti's Warbler feeding 4 free flying juv's also a second adult female, 3 Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff (Nick Senior)
Brent Reservoir: 3 Lapwing, 7 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, later Dunlin on mud, 8 Common Tern (Brent Birders)
East India Dock Basin: 4 Yellow-legged Gulls lingering over the river all 1cy/juv, 2 ad Common Gulls W, 13 Swifts SE, 2 Sand Martins, 2 Whitethroats juv's, 1 Sedge Warbler, 10+ Reed Warblers, 5 Linnet (Nick Senior)
Greenwich O2: juvenile Mediterranean Gull, 5 Yellow-legged Gulls (2nd-summer, 1st-summer & 3 juvs) and leucistic adult Herring Gull early evening; also 1st juvenile Great Black-backed Gull on the year (Richard Bonser)
Grovelands Park: 4 Great Crested Grebe 2 ad 2 juv, 2 Cormorant, 2 Grey Heron, 9 Mute Swan pr and 7 juv, 12 Egyptian Goose pr and 10 goslings, 9 Mandarin Duck, 9 Pochard 7 m 2 f/imm, 27 Tufted Duck 19 m 8 f, drake Pochard x Tufted Duck hybrid, 30 Black-headed Gull incl juv, Nuthatch, Treecreeper (Robert Callf)
Kensington Gardens: 1 Little Owl ( John Cadera)
KGV Reservoir: Goldeneye, Garganey, 4 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Redshank, 25+ Common Sandpiper, Red Kite drifted north (Neville Smith).
Lonsdale Road Reservoir: 4 pairs Common Tern,three of which each with two young, 4 juvenile Black-headed Gull, 3 Blackcap and 1 Reed Warbler still singing (David Jeffreys)
Mill Hill (Off Apex Corner Roundabout): Red Kite hovering over the flats. (Simon Worsfold)
Pinner (HA5); 3 Red Kite - one south moulting out tail feathers at 13:58, then two north at 14:37 & 14:42, Sparrowhawk, 7 Cormorant (well over one mile up) moved through in a line north-west-west (unusual here), Great Spotted Woodpecker, juvenile Green Woodpecker, 10 Black-headed Gull, 4 Herring Gull, Jay, Coal Tit, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 6 Goldfinch & 5 Swift (Jon Ridge).
Rotherhithe: juvenile Yellow-legged Gull just east of Greenland Pier in a'noon (Richard Bonser).
Teddington: Little Egret flew towards Broom Road recreation ground at 20:00 (Mike Foster)
Trent Park: 2 Black-headed Gull, 3 Mandarin [1f and 2 m eclipse]. 60 Common Swift, 6 Chiffchaff [including one adult with three young], 2 Juv Common Whitethroat, 28 Swallow ( Pete Lowman).
Wanstead Park: 1s Treecreeper, Kingfisher, 2 Sparrowhawk, 10 + Swift, 4 House Martin (Nick Croft/James Heal)
Winchmore School, N21: Flock of 60+ Jackdaw, my highest count ever for the general area (Katy McGilvray)
Friday 29th July 2016[]
Beddington Farmtlands: White Stork still present (gate open at 3pm today for anyone who wants to see it) pics here (Peter Alfrey); still present on main lake 17:20 (Neville Smith). 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Yellow-legged Gull, 10 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Hobby, 1 Buzzard, 1 Peregrine, 4 Teal, 1 Shoveler, 2 Willow Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 5 Reed Warbler, 4 Common Whitethroat (a few more pics here).
Rotherhithe: 3 juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls by Greenland Pier late a'noon (Richard Bonser)
Stone Barges, Rainham: Intermedius Lesser black-backed gull, 2 Sandwich tern flying upriver calling at 6:15pm, 20+ Yellow-legged gulls (15+ juveniles), 2 Common sandpiper, 4 Oystercatcher (Dante Shepherd)
Woodberry Wetlands: Dunlin [1st site record], Peregrine carrying prey SW at 07:15 (Chris Farthing) At 3pm, 15 House Martins, outnumbering Swifts (CF)
Wanstead Flats: 1s f Peregrine Falcon giving the crows a doing over (again!) for about 20 minutes, Hobby, 15+ Common Whitethroat, 10+ Chiffchaff, Linnet, House Martin, Meadow Pipit, singng Skylark, 3 Shoveler, Gadwall, Tufted Duck mother flew off from Jubilee while I was there leaving her 4 young to fend for themselves + the mallard chick (Nick Croft)
Thursday 28th July 2016[]
Beddington Farmlands: White Stork still on main lake till sunset, then flew south (BirdGuides)
Brent Reservoir: 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Lapwing, 1 Little Egret (Francis O'Sullivan)
Bushy Park: Common Tern (flying around the boating lake), 4 Green Woodpecker, Kestrel, 2 Reed Bunting, 4 Whitethroat [inc juveniles] (Ian R Watson)
Canada Water: 2 Kingfishers (Josh Jones)
Cornmill Gardens: Cormorant fishing in the Ravensbourne (Tom Moulton)
Fairlop Waters (south-western fringe, near Barkingside): Kestrel [inc. being mobbed by hirundines], 2 Pheasants, 2+ House Martins, around 10 Swallows, up to a dozen Goldfinches, Skylark (Alan Hobson).
Greenwich Ecology Park: 15 Common Tern including 5 young, 3 Sand Martin, 4 Reed Warbler (John Bushell)
Grovelands Park: 4 Great Crested Grebe 2 ad 2 juv, 9 Mute Swan 2 ad 7 juv, 12 Egyptian Goose 2 ad 10 goslings, 4 Mandarin Duck, 9 Pochard 6 m 3 f/imm, 13 Tufted Duck 10 m 3 f, drake Pochard x Tufted Duck (Robert Callf)
Hampstead Heath: Ham No.1 pond, GC Grebe sitting on eggs, also 10 Swifts SW at 1600 (Pete Mantle)
Harrow HA2: Hobby high up above flat Northolt Park (Dan Pinkham)
Ilford Valentines Park: Brood of 4 Tufted ducklings with f. (Barbara Miller)
M25 jct 19: 1 Red Kite, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 9 Ring-necked Parakeet (Samuel Levy)
Perivale : Common Buzzard mobbed by Hobby and gulls, seen from station platform at 430pm (Andrew Peel)
Pinner (HA5): 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, Coal Tit, 7 Goldfinch, Pied Wagtail, 3 Black-headed Gull, 10 Ring-necked Parakeet & 5 Swift (Jon Ridge).
Purley: White Stork low over my house at 9pm being mobbed by several Crows. To say this is a first for me is something of an understatement! (Roger Kennedy)
Rayners Lane: Grey Heron, Swift, Jackdaw [on a house roof in Torbay Road, first I've seen in the area] (Tim Rymer)
Rotherhithe: juvenile Yellow-legged Gull off Greenland Pier late a'noon (Richard Bonser)
Trent Park: 120 Common Swift, Chiffchaff, 2 Bullfinch, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 G S Woodpecker, 6 Goldfinch, 3 B H Gull, Common Tern, Blackcap. ( Pete Lowman).
Wanstead Flats: singing Willow Warbler and young bird (first autumn returns), Lesser Whitethroat, Linnet, 4 House Martin, 4 Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipit, Kestrel (Nick Croft/Sean Dillon)
Wednesday 27th July 2016[]
Beddington: White Stork still, viewable from railway-side permissive path from Hackbridge to Mitcham Common (Tom Smith); White Stork still seen throughout morning 11:30 - 1:00, preening and feeding - definitely different one to Friday's bird (Arjun Dutta); flew off south at 2050 (Birdguides)
Greenwich Ecology Park: Kestrel, 8 adult & 6 young Common Tern, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Sand Martin, 4 Reed Warbler (John Bushell & Conrad Ellam)
Greenwich O2: 2+ juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls, adult Common Gull and Common Sandpiper (Richard Bonser and Charles Kitchen)
Lewisham: Peregrine on top of old Citibank Tower (Tom Moulton)
Pinner (HA5): Red Kite moulting out inner primaries over at 14:43, Hobby through, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Green Woodpecker [inc a juvenile], 9 Goldfinch, Coal Tit, Pied Wagtail, 11 Black-headed Gull, 9 Herring Gull, 6 Lesser Black-backed Gull & 7 Swift (Jon Ridge).
RSPB Rainham Marshes: 3 Whimbrel, 3 Snipe, 2 Little Ringed Plover [ad + juv], 4 Common Sandpiper, 6 Oystercatcher, 20+ Yellow-legged Gull, 5 Common Gull, 2 Wigeon (Dante Shepherd)
Tooting Common: Red Kite soaring east over gardens next to the Common at 1715 (Alan Wilkinson)
Totteridge Valley: 2 Red Kite, Kestrel, Treecreeper, f Mandarin and chicks (Simon Worsfold)
Walkie talkie building: A Peregrine was seen from the top flying South towards the Waterloo area at 1215 (Samuel Levy)
Wanstead Flats: Common Sandpiper, 2 Sedge Warbler, 20+ Common Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 15+ Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, 12 Gadwall, Shoveler, m Pochard, Tufted Duck with 4 chicks plus adopted Mallard chick, 4 Little Grebe chicks [+ 4 adults], singing Skylark (4 birds), singing Meadow Pipit, Hobby chasing House Martin [6+] without luck, m Kestrel, Common Gull, 2 1w Lesser Black-backed Gull and stroppy parent who kept buzzing me, 10+ Swift (Nick Croft)
Woodberry Wetlands: 2 Common Sandpiper, Peregrine, first returning Kingfisher, Swift numbers down to ~25 (Chris Farthing & Tony Butler)
Tuesday 26th July 2016[]
Beddington: White Stork (RBA/Birdguides) Present to 2040 at least. Initially on Main Lake before feeding on tip then returning to Main Lake. Red bill and legs so different bird from Friday. Unringed. Also Common Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper (Matt Palmer).
Bentley Priory: 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler - Can hardly believe this is my first record of this species on this site (Richard Francis).
Coppetts Wood: 2 Treecreeper, 6 House Martin (Tony Clancy)
Crossness (Outfall area ~ low tide): incl. 2 Common Sandpiper, 7 Lapwing, 3 Mallard Family Groups [Mama with 10, 8 and 6 young respectively], Oystercatcher and 4 Teal (Mike Robinson)
Edgwarebury, Edgware, Middx: Sparrowhawk carrying prey towards M1, adult Red Kite, 2 Little Owl (Bob Husband, Alan Harris, Fay Broom, Ken Brook)
Forty Hall Park (Turkey Brook): 2 Kingfisher (James Palmer)
Grovelands Park: 4 Great Crested Grebe pr and 2 juvs [2nd brood - lost all chicks from 3rd brood], 12 Egyptian Goose pr and 10 goslings, 9 Pochard 7m 1f 1juv - high count for this site, drake Pochard x Tufted Duck hybrid (Robert Callf)
Isleworth : Red Kite low over tree tops 11.35am heading North West( Les McCallum)
Leatherhead, Common Meadow: 1 Kingfisher, 3 Black-headed Gull, 3 juvenile Common Whitethroat, 2 juvenile Chiffchaff, 1 Common Swift, 1 Emperor Dragonfly (Neil Batten)
Pinner (HA5): Red Kite north-east at 12:23, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tit, 10 Black-headed Gull, 12 Goldfinch, 2 Pied Wagtail & 15 Swift at 20:20 (Jon Ridge).
Penge (SE20): 2 Kestrels atop Croydon Road Travelodge. 1 chased off a Peregrine 06:45 (Jo East)
Pinner (HA5): 3 Red Kite over between 13:57 & 15:18 - all in very different moulting stages, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tit, 2 Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest, 5 Goldfinch, 2 Pied Wagtail, 3 Herring Gull, 11 Black-headed Gull & just 3 Swift (Jon Ridge).
RSPB Rainham Marshes: 1 Mediterranean Gull, 10+ Yellow-legged Gull including 3 juveniles, 12 Common Gull, 24 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Common Sandpiper, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Curlew, 6 Oystercatcher, 2 Swallow, Grasshopper warbler. Pictures of the gulls here (Dante Shepherd)
Trent Park: 5 Goldfinch, 8 Common Swift, Common Whitethroat, 2 B H Gull, Common Tern, 14 Swallow, 2 Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, Common Buzzard, L BB Gull. ( Pete Lowman).
Wanstead Flats: Yellow Wagtail east, singing Meadow Pipit [2 birds], singing Skylark [3 birds], plenty of Chiffchaff but very few Whitethroat, Kestrel, 4 Little Grebe chicks [3 adults], 6+ House Martin (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Kingfisher, Nuthatch calling (up to 3 birds), Reed Warbler grunting, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Little Grebe chick (3 adults), Great Crested Grebe on nest, 2 House Martin, 30+ Swift over Ilford (Nick Croft)
Sunday 24th July 2016[]
Alexandra Park: Kingfisher Conservation Pond, 96 Black-headed Gulls Wood Green Res including 2 juveniles (Bob Watts)
Brent Reservoir: 2 Little Egret, Little Ringed Plover, 3 Lapwing, 5 Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper (Brent Birders)
Brookmill Park: Red Kite low drifting slowly W from 15:25 (Frank Nugent).
Deptford Creek: Little Egret fishing and Peregrine over (Frank Nugent).
Gallions Reach: Peregrine, 23 Black-tailed Godwits, 20 Common Sandpiper [site record], 4 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher, Pheasant (Gary A James & Paul Davis).
Greenford UB6: Hummingbird Hawkmoth feeding in front garden this afternoon (Neil Anderson)
Hampstead Heath: 1 calling Crossbill over NW at 08:55 and 1 Little Egret SE at 08:15 (Frank Nugent)
Isle of Dogs, Millwall Outer Dock: 2 Yellow-legged Gulls [1cy], 12 House Martins, 18 House Sparrows (Nick Senior)
KGV Reservoir: Redshank, 2 Green Sandpiper, 20+ Common Sandpiper (Neville Smith).
Kingston Bridge: 8 juvenile Egyptian Geese on River Thames 16:45. Also 1 Cormorant (Neil Batten)
Mudchute Farm: 2 Little Egrets over, 4 House Martins, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat and Blackcaps feeding young, Chiffchaff and 6 House Sparrows (Harry Harrison)
New River, N4: Dozens of Gatekeeper butterflies near West Reservoir, also a few Speckled Woods, Red Admirals (Michael Rank)
Pinner (HA5): Red Kite south-west at 13:07, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Coal Tit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 10 Black-headed Gull, 6 Herring Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 7 Swift & 6 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge).
Purfleet: 7 Common Sandpiper, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Curlew, 1 Oystercatcher, 24 [9 juvs] Shelduck, 1 Common Gull, 18 Yellow-legged Gull, 984 Black-headed Gull, 3 Redshank, 2 Little Egret (Fraser Simpson)
Queen's Woods, Muswell Hill: 1 Red Kite, low over Wood Vale gardens for a couple of minutes, then tree top height slowly moving north over Queen's Woods, at 11.20 (Matt Evans)
Rye Meads RSPB Reserve: 3 Garganey, juvenile Mediterranean Gull, 7 Green Sandpipers (Bob Husband, Mike Cawthorne, Fay Broom, David Hills)
Staines Reservoirs: 22 Black-tailed Godwits flew SW c.0755 in two flocks [15+7], Turnstone (Twitter)
Totteridge Valley: 15 Barn Swallow including 5 juv, 1 Common Buzzard, 2juv, 1ad Robin, 20 Canada Geese, 2ad, 1juv Moorhen, 200 Jackdaws, 50 Carrion Crow, 1 Raven, 2 Stock Dove, 4 Collared Dove, 10 Woodpigeon, Hobby (Samuel Levy); Red Kite low over silage at Folly Farm 09:30, 1-2 Hobby, 2 Little Owl, Kestrel, 2 Bullfinch (Ian Ellis).
Trent Park: 5 Goldfinch, 82 Common Swift, 2 Common Buzzard, 6 Swallow ( Pete Lowman)
Westbourne Park Grand Union Canal:Tufted Duck with 6 ducklings (Francis O'Sullivan)
West Harrow: Swallow heading rapidly south 11:00 (Alex Massey)
Saturday 23rd July 2016[]
Alexandra Park: 80+ Black-headed Gulls Wood Green Res (Bob Watts)
Barking Bay: Kestrel, Oystercatcher, Skylark, around half a dozen Linnets, 8 Whitethroats, hybrid Ruddy Shelduck/Shelduck, dozens of Shelduck, Grey Heron, 4 Sand Martins, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, 6 Goldfinches (Alan Hobson)
Black Park, Bucks: Honey Buzzard over (BirdGuides)
Brent Reservoir: 9 Little Egrets main hide (2 flew to dam after an hour), 2 Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, 8 Common Tern, 2 Egyptian Geese, 2 adult Jackdaws with 2 young north marsh, male Bullfinch (Andrew Verrall, John Gravatt)
Fulham Reach (IL): Common Buzzard W over CXH at 8:25, 11 Swift screaming around nest site (Nathalie Mahieu).
Gunpowder Park: Sparrowhawk, Swallows, Skylark, Blackcap, Whitethroats, Reed Warbler and pair of Bullfinches (Harry Harrison)
Hilly Fields, Lewisham: 50 Swift over (Tom Moulton via Rachel Mooney)
KGV Reservoir: 42 Little Egret, Green Sandpiper, 19 Common Sandpiper (Neville Smith)
Lower Chingford: 8 Little Egret, Common Sandpiper (James Palmer)
Pinner (HA5): 2 Red Kite - one north at 13:03 & a heavily moulting bird low over the garden at 15:59, Common Buzzard at 16:00, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 11 Goldfinch, 2 Pied Wagtail, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, 7 Swift, 3 Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull & 62 Black-headed Gull (Jon Ridge).
RSPB Rainham Marshes: 4 Black-tailed Godwit, at least 10 Little Egret, 2 Marsh Harrier, Hobby, Kingfisher, Kestrel (Dave Timms and Jenny Holland)
Richmond Park: Little Egret, Water Rail heard, 4 adult Common Tern, 2 Meadow Pipit- pair (J.Wilczur)
Sovereign Fields E4: 2 Spotted Flycatchers (Harry Harrison)
South Harrow (HA2): Hobby being followed by 20 Swift (Michael Robinson)
Stratford, Olympic Park area: Black Redstart singing near Westfield Shopping centre, drake Teal, 120+ Goldfinch, 15 Linnet, 5 House Martin, 8+ Sand Martin (Stuart Fisher)
Trent Park: Garden Warbler, Mandarin (f), 12 Swallow, c25 Jackdaw, Common Swift(s). ( Pete Lowman)
Wanstead Flats: 2 Lapwing, 2 Little Egret, 4 juvenile Black-headed Gulls, Reed Bunting, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, both Chiffchaff and Blackcap with recently fledged young, 3 Yellow-bellied Sliders (Terrapin) Jubilee Pond (Tony Brown)
Friday 22nd July 2016[]
Beddington Farmlands: White Stork 12.30 (BirdGuides) pics here and Ring details, black bill, etc.
Brookmill Park: First 2 Black-headed Gulls of the autumn, Kingfisher, Swift, Grey Wagtail with 2 recently fledged young, 4 Blackcap 2m 2f (Conrad Ellam)
Chalk Wood, Foots Cray: At least 1 Common Buzzard perched in trees and flying around calling incessantly. Kestrel, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers calling. Swallows around Honey Dene Farm. (Patrick English)
Chessington: Red Kite 13:30 (Mike Foster)
Crossness (on the derelict Belvedere Power Station Jetty/Wharf) 2 Common Sandpiper (Mike Robinson)
Coppetts Wood: 2 Red Kite, adult female Sparrowhawk and 2 juveniles begging for food (Tony Clancy & Brian Dawton)
Kenton: 3 Peregrine, one juv. Sparrowhawk, juvs calling (Richard Francis).
Pinner: Swift flock of around 30 calling, drifting south (Richard Francis).
Pinner (HA5): 2 Red Kite north-east at 12:22, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 36 Black-headed Gull including an adult with a yellow ring on left leg - the last two letters reading 'VC' - the right leg also has a metal ring, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, 2 Pied Wagtail, 2 Coal Tit, 6 Goldfinch & 21 Swift (Jon Ridge).
Streatham Common: Peregrine (from Croydon direction) Little Owl very active in daylight, 2 Swifts - surprisingly low amount considering all the houses in this area of suburban sprawl of South London (Michael Mac).
Woodberry Wetlands: Common Sandpiper, Coal Tit, 5 adult Great Crested Grebe, recently fledged Reed Bunting (Chris Farthing)
Thursday 21st July 2016[]
Battersea Park Lake: 30 Gadwall and ready to fledge brood of 8, 1st time bred for several years unless someone has other record? Peregrine, 2 Swift, Great Crested Grebe carrying 2nd brood (Michael Mac)
Pinner (HA5): 2 Red Kite - one over at 11:45 a fairly pale bird & another moulting bird from 13:17, Common Buzzard north-west at 16:16, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, 13 Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Pied Wagtail, 108 Starling, 6 Black-headed Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Goldfinch & 7 Swift (Jon Ridge).
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: White-letter Hairstreak photographed on ground near Round Glade (see photo on Tower Habitats website) with one also photographed on 17th July at Dissenters Chapel (these constitute the 2nd & 3rd site records) also 2+ Essex Skipper (Bob Watts)
Walthamstow Marshes: COMMON ROSEFINCH still at 5.40am on house c.100m south of the Hope and Anchor. Not heard to sing. Also Green Woodpecker, Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit, 7 Stock Doves (Adam Winstanley).
Tuesday 19th July 2016[]
Brent Reservoir: North Side, ad Common Gull with the Black-headed Gull flock. Butterflies: Small Copper, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Marbled White, Green-veined White, Large White, Gatekeeper, Comma, Red Admiral (Ben Epstein)
Brockwell Park: 2 Little Owl 1 seen 1 heard just after dusk, 2 Comma (Michael Mac)
Bushy Park: 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Jay inc juv, Little Egret, Mistle Thrush, 5 Reed Bunting, 2 Skylark, 60+ Starling, 1 Swift. (Ian R Watson)
Lewisham: 3 Peregrine over old Citibank Tower (Tom Moulton); 2 Little Egret north end of Brookmill Park (Nick S)
Mill Hill NW7: Red Kite low East over the Rising Sun pub on Marsh Lane (Ben Epstein)
Oxleas Wood: Kestrel, Song Thrush collecting nesting material, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, Stock Dove (Ron Turner)
Pinner (HA5): Chiffchaff at last, Green Woodpecker, female Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tit, 4 Goldfinch, 2 Black-headed Gull, 2 Herring Gull & 4 Swift (Jon Ridge).
Richmond Park: 2 Little Egret on Beverley Brook (A Buxton)
Woodberry Wetlands: Little Egret, Egyptian Goose, Grey Wagtail (Chris Farthing)
Monday 18th July 2016[]
Barking Bay: c80 Shelduck, 4 Oystercatcher, 2 Ringed Plover (local ad & juv), 1 Whimbrel, 3 Common Sandpiper, 6 Yellow-legged Gull (1 ad, 5 1cy), c.130 Common Tern inc 41 juv's, 70 Swift, 3 Swallow, 4 Sand Martin, 4 Yellow Wagtail (local family group ad female &3 juv's); bull Grey Seal (Nick Senior)
Brentford: 2 Little Egret on Thames by Brentford Ait viewed from Kew Bridge this am (Iain Darbyshire).
Brent Reservoir: 4 Egyptian Goose, f Pochard still with 2 ducklings, 9 Little Egret [equals site record], 2 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Lapwing, 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, singing Reed Bunting, plus activity at 12+ nests in House Martin colony (Andrew Haynes).
Hampton Court Park: Common Buzzard over golf course, 2 Kestrel including one over palace Kitchen Garden, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Skylarks at least, 2 Swift, Barn Swallow, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Green Woodpeckers, Mute Swan broods of 4, 2, 2, 1 and 1 (Spencer Neal)
KGV Reservoir: Common Scoter, 2 Dunlin, 10+ Common Sandpiper, Yellow Wagtail (Neville Smith).
Leatherhead, Common Meadow: 1 male Kestrel, 1 Kingfisher, 17 Black-headed Gull, 13 Common Swift, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap (Neil Batten)
Oxleas Wood: pair Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Goldcrests [pair feeding young in nest], Blackcap (m), Coal Tits (5), Nuthatch, Song Thrush, Swift, Stock Dove, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chiffchaff (Ron Turner)
Pinner (HA5): Red Kite over at 13:35, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, 2 Goldfinch, Coal Tit & 25 Swift (Jon Ridge).
Pinner Park Farm: Red Kite, 2 Common Buzzard. Sparrowhawk, Little Owl, 75 Swift, 4 Swallow, 2 Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Stock Dove, 2 Whitethroat, 3 Chiffchaff, Jay, several Jackdaw, 6 Goldfinch & 56 House Sparrow - one of the highest counts here this century (Jon Ridge).
Brent Reservoir: 4 Lapwing, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, Little Egret (Andrew Self, Roy Beddard). Garden Warbler singing - path to Main Hide, Common Whitethroat feeding young, Egyptian Goose (Bob Husband, Shailesh Patel, et al NW London RSPB Group - Birdwalk)
Brixton: At least 8 House Sparrows at Brockwell Park Water Lane junction including feeding fledged juvenile (Tony Stones)
Cranford CP: first juvenile Kestrel of the year, 2 juvenile Little Owls in usual place plus confirmed second family of LOs at new location (Wendy Marks)
Greenwich Ecology Park: At least 12 Common Tern with 3 chicks, the oldest of which flew for the first time + one bird still sitting on eggs. 10+ Reed Warbler, Blackcap pair, singing Chiffchaff (John Bushell, Conrad Ellam & Richard Green)
Hampstead Heath: Hobby (Bob Watts)
Island Barn Res: 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Common Sandpiper (Chris Turner)
Middlesex Filter Beds and Millfields Park, Hackney: Red Kite over at 4.15 pm (Tom Stuart)
Morden-Old Rutlishians Cricket ground: 1 ad Peregrine chasing Starlings, 5 house Sparrow, 2 Pied Wagtail (Arjun Dutta)
Oxleas Wood: Common Buzzard, Kestrel (feeding young), Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Swift, Stock Dove (pair), Coal Tit (Ron Turner)
O2 Centre and eastwards: 2 juv Yellow-legged Gulls, 2 Oystercatcher, single Common Sandpiper pics here (Jamie Partridge)
Pinner (HA5): Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackcap using sub song deep in brambles, 9 Goldfinch, Pied Wagtail, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Herring Gull, 2 Black-headed Gull, 17 Swift (Jon Ridge).
Pinner Park Farm: 3 Red Kite, 2 Common Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawk, Little Owl, Cormorant, Rook, 112 Jackdaw, 2 Green Woodpecker, 10 Stock Dove, Whitethroat, Blackcap, 12 Goldfinch, 11 Black-headed Gull, 4 Swallow (including 3 juveniles) & 10 Swift (Jon Ridge).
Pinner Village Gardens: Red Kite over at 14:41 & 4 Mistle Thrush (Jon Ridge).
Roding Valley Meadows NR: 320 Jackdaws (Barry Jones)
Rye Meads: 3 Garganey in eclipse Draper Hide (Herts website)
Ten Acre Wood area: only covered part of site with Red Kite, Buzzard, Kestrel, 6 Swallow (Neil Anderson/K. Bull)
Alexandra Park: Peregrine north over Wood Green Res 1012 also 35+ Black-headed Gulls, 25+ Swift (Bob Watts)
Brent Reservoir: Whimbrel through East 0852, f Pochard + brood of 2, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Lapwing, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 8 Common Tern, Peregrine perched on new tower flats (Hawfinch House"!), 1 Egyptian Goose, 2 Grey Wagtail feeding in builders' enclosure (Brent Birders).
Brixton Hill: 5 Swift acting territorially along flats on Jebb Avenue next to the prison (Tony Stones)
Swanscombe Marsh: 2 Little Egret, 7 Oystercatcher, Water Rail, 2 Common Tern, 2 Sand Martin upriver (Andrew Self)
Victoria Park: 100+ adult Black-headed Gulls congregated fly catching at height at 1550 over George Clinton at Lovebox also c50 Starling east (Bob Watts)
Wanstead Flats: Garden Warbler doing alarm/contact calling, 16+ House Martin, 50+ Swift, 40+ Black-headed Gull anting over brooms then the park later, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 3 singing Meadow Pipit (4 birds), Skylark (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: at least 7 Reed Warbler still on Shoulder of Mutton [3 singing birds], Coal Tit, Hobby heard, Pochard, 3 Little Grebe (Nick Croft)
Whalebone Lane North, Romford: 3 Yellowhammers flying across from Giant Boot Sale site, to the crops in the farmers` field (Mick Charles)
Friday 15th July 2016[]
Brixton Hill: Sparrowhawk over Brixton Prison. Grey wagtail low over Brixton Hill at junction with Blenheim Gardens (Tony Stones)
Hackney Marsh: 12.45 -13.45. Kingfisher flew into nest hole, second brood; also 3 Stock Dove,1 Kestrel, 1 Grey Wagtail, c10 House Martins & Swifts (Marcin Kempa).
KGV Reservoir: Goldeneye, (eclipse drake) Red-crested Pochard, Redshank, 10+ Common Sandpiper (Neville Smith). 2 Dunlin, c20 Red Admiral (Martin Shepherd)
Penge (SE20) 5 minute aerial "dogfight" between a Kestrel and a Peregrine over Penge Rec area. Peregrine eventually settled on St John's Church steeple. 10:15am (Jo East)
Streatham Hill c.5.00pm [back gardens nr Telford Ave / Thornton Ave junction]: The distinctive call of a male Cuckoo was heard once, loud and clear, yet somehow I doubt my own ears. Rushed to open window, but nothing to be seen amid thick trees. (N. Granger-Taylor)
Thursday 14th July 2016[]
Bow 3 Mills, Cody Wharf: 3 Little Egret, 3 Egyptian Goose, 5+ Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff, Common Whitethroat, 3 Great Black-backed Gull, Redshank, 2 Linnet, Shelduck, Grey Wagtail (JW Davies)
Clayhall: Buzzard over high heading SW (Brandon Anderson).
Cowley, Uxbridge: Greenshank over SW, calling, at 06.45 (Roger Morton)
Foots Cray: About 10 Common Swifts flying to and from house gables at Palm Avenue. Obviously nesting (Patrick English).
KGV Reservior: Goldeneye, Little Ringed Plover, 15+ Common Sandpiper, 3 Hobby (Neville Smith).
Hackney, N1: About 12 Mistle Thrush flying over Northchurch Road [five landed on TV aerial[ (Michael Rank)
Pinner (HA5): 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker including a juvenile on the feeding apparatus, Coal Tit, 4 Goldfinch, 11 Black-headed Gull & 7 Swift (Jon Ridge).
Richmond Park: 2 Great Crested Grebe - pair, >2 young Grey Heron - fifth brood, Buzzard, Hobby, Common Sandpiper, adult Common Tern, 25 House Martin, Meadow Pipit - stopped briefly on its way north (J.Wilczur)
St James's Park: 2 Kingfisher [first time I've seen more than one here], one pursuing the other across the Lake this morning. This afternoon one Kingfisher fishing from a Willow N side of the Lake nearest the path and a f Peregine circling (Frank Nugent).
Totteridge Valley: 3 Common Buzzard, circling and calling loudly. (Samuel Levy)
Wallington: 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Lime Hawk Moth-landed on my sister. (Arjun Dutta)
Woodberry Wetlands: Peregrine, Kestrel, Little Egret, 5 House Martin and 1 Sand Martin amongst ~125 Swift (Chris Farthing)
Wednesday 13th July 2016[]
Alexandra Park:Reed Warbler singing between platforms 1 & 2 0650 but not evening also 8+ House Martin 2010 (Bob Watts)
Bushy Park: Common Tern (ringed), Kestrel, 6 House Martin, 2 Mistle Thrush, 5 Reed Bunting, 12 Sand Martin, 5 Skylark, Swift. (Ian R Watson)
Crayford, Shearwood Crescent. 9 House Martin nests (there may be more) of which at least 3 were in use. (Chris Rose)
East Acton: Hobby low over A40 + DuCane Rd in direction of Wormwood Scrubs just before 19.00 (Neil Anderson)
Greenwich Ecology Park:15 Common Tern, 12 adults & 3 young birds, 2 Swift, at least 3 Reed Warbler (John Bushell)
Hackney Downs. 2 adult and at least 6 juv Mistle Thrushes foraging after the afternoon rain (Sue Barry)
Olympic Park: Hobby (JW Davies)
Kensington Gardens: Little Owl, lone Grey Heron walking among crowd ignored by them as they feeding Ring-necked Parakeets (Michael Mac)
Mile End Park: 15+ House Martins at stadium 1800 (Bob Watts)
Pinner Road,Harrow (HA1): A pair of Peregrine Falcon seen at 09:30am. One of the pair was calling (Shailesh Patel)
Pinner (HA5): Red Kite west at 16:19, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Heron over, 2 adult Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, 3 Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, 2 Goldfinch & 4 Swift (Jon Ridge).
Purfleet: 1 Sanderling, 4 Dunlin, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Whimbrel, 28 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher, 6 Redshank, 2 Common Sandpiper (Fraser Simpson) All still present at 9:45am apart from Whimbrel. Another Common Sandpiper and 2 more Oystercatcher also. (Dante Shepherd)
RSPB Rainham Marshes: Sanderling in Aveley bay from midday onwards. Also Common gull and 2 Curlew. (Dante Shepherd & Samuel Levy)
Totteridge Valley: Kestrel, Coal Tit, Swallows, House Martin,Stock Dove, Green Woodpecker, 3 Mandarins, Nuthatch calling. (Simon Worsfold)
Walthamstow Marshes: No sign of Common Rosefinch between 10.45 and 11.30 either near Anchor & Hope or railway crossing - other birders had been there from 8ish. (Tom Stuart) [Actually, from at least 7 AM - Fernley Symons]
Walthamstow Reservoirs: Lockwood: Greenshank with Redshank flushed from W bank 17.15 also 1 LRP and min 5 Common Sandpipers (2 Redshank this am per Jamie P - Lol Bodini).
Wanstead Park: what sounded like a Greenshank called once (Shoulder of Mmutton), 2 Little Egret, pair of Little Grebe with young, pr of Great Crested Grebe, Nuthatch calling, 2 singing Reed Warbler, House Martin, 50 + Swift (mostly over Ilford), Ruby Tiger (Nick Croft)
Woodberry Wetlands: Peregrine, Sparrowhawk carrying a small bird SE (to Abney Park?), Coal Tit, ~20 House Martin & 3 Sand Martin amongst 150+ Swift (Chris Farthing)
Tuesday 12th July 2016[]
Alexandra Palace station: Kingfisher flew from Tunnel Res along platform at head height 0700 then doubled back heading in New River direction Wood Green (Bob Watts)
Barn Elms playing fields, SW13: juv Kestrel, 2 Mistle Thrush, 5 Crow - pair with 3 juvs (J.Wilczur)
Battersea Power Station: 10+ House Sparrows and Starlings feeding on pile of waste in waste depot - 2+ House Sparrow nests in derelict residential block (Michael Mac).
Bexley: Kingfisher along River Shuttle (Patrick English)
Brentford: Little Egret numbers steadily building over last c. 3 weeks, peaking at 8 on 11th, on Thames and Brentford Ait opposite Waterman's Park (Mike Gilbert per Iain Darbyshire).
Brent Reservoir: 17.00 Redshank, 2 Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Whitethroat all singing, Little Egret,10 House Martin, 2 Common Tern; reported earlier by another birder 4 Little Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper, 2 Egyptian Geese (Francis O'Sullivan)
Bushy Park: Chiffchaff, 2 Green Woodpecker, Little Owl, 6 Reed Bunting, Swift. (Ian R Watson)
London Wetland Centre: 8 Mute Swan - four pairs no young seen, 4 Mandarin Duck, 5 broods of Mallard, 11 Gadwall, 8 Teal, 5 Pochard, 9 broods of Tufted Duck, 1 juv Little Grebe, adult Great Crested Grebe, 9 Grey Heron, 6 Cormorant, juv Peregrine over, Hobby perched during rain, 25 Lapwing, 4 Common Tern - 2 pairs no young seen, 52+ juv and 6 young Black-headed Gulls - from 66+ nests, 2 Kingfisher - pair mating by nesting bank, 4 Ring-necked Parakeet, 4 Stock Dove, 9 Swift, 2 House Martin, 100 Sand Martin - 50 nesting pairs per wwt volunteer, 35 Starling, 12 Jackdaw, 16 Crow - including 7+ juvs (J.Wilczur) Artic Tern dropped in on Main Lake (8:30-8:45 ish) S.Barry
Mill Hill NW7 (Mill Hill Broadway): 2 Grey Wagtail calling from shop roofs, then on pavement (Andrew Haynes)
Regent's Park: Common Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, 4 House Martin (Dante Shepherd)
Rotherhithe: adult Sandwich Tern off Greenland Pier 7.27-7.29pm calling and headed off downriver; also 1st-summer Yellow-legged Gull (Richard Bonser)
St James's Park: Common Sandpiper [only my second Park record], feeding N side of Duck Island, flying over Lake when spooked. Our newly resident Kingfisher flew past a couple of times and for a minute sat opp the Sandpiper eating a fish. Still there at 14:50 now on the Pelican rocks (Frank Nugent).
Totteridge Valley: 9 Swift, 8 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 2 Rook, also 2 Marbled White in `owl' field, 4 Ringlet and 3 Comma (John Colmans)
Tyttenhanger GP: Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Redshank, Little Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Common Gull, 2 juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull (probably from nearby nest colony), 2 Reed Warbler (David Booth/Steve Blake)
Walthamstow Marshes: COMMON ROSEFINCH 07:20 (BirdGuides) but no sign 9:10-11:10 (Gareth Richards; seen again 11:10 (BirdGuides).
Walthamstow Reservoirs: Oystercatcher and 3 Common Sandpiper on Lockwood, usual pair of peregrines (Jamie Partridge)
Wanstead Flats: Sand Martin, 10+ House Martin, 30+ Swift, Little Egret, 4 singing Meadow Pipit, 2 singing Skylark, fem/juv type Reed Bunting, singing Goldcrest, Pochard, 3 Little Grebe (Nick Croft/Peter Brinton)
Monday 11th July 2016[]
Alexandra Park: Little Egret on grass bank in SW corner Wood Green Res 0650 (Bob Watts). Still there 13.00. Also seen at same place on Saturday and Sunday (Greg Smith)
Boxer's Lake, Enfield: 4 Egyptian Goose pair and two goslings, 8 Mandarin Duck 2 eclipse male, female and 5 juvs, 2 Shoveler eclipse male and female, female Pochard, 5 Tufted Duck, 3 adult Black-headed Gull incl one with white darvic - 27N7 on left leg (Robert Callf)
Eastcote (Abbotsbury Gardens): at least 12 House Sparrow & 3 Swift (Jon Ridge).
Hammersmith: 2 Peregrine Falcon [juvenile m eating on 1 Lyric Square, f on Landmark House - Charing Cross Hospital family] (Nathalie Mahieu)
Kensington Gardens: 3 Little Owls in the sweet chestnut near the west side of the long water. 1 was already out of the nest hole near the top of the tree, two more emerged from the hole while I was watching. Later two Blackbirds were scolding the bird near the tree top. Also 8 Red-crested Pochards, a dozen or so Common Pochards, 25+ Swifts, 2 Green Woodpeckers, and another 25 species, all between 20:15 and 20:55 (Toni Piccolo)
Pinner (HA5): Sparrowhawk, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, 4 Goldfinch (inc juvenile on feeders) & 5 Swift (Jon Ridge).
River Thames, Tower Hill to Rotherhithe: Grey Wagtail, House Martins at St Saviour's Dock and at Rotherhithe, 16 Canada Geese plus one Chinese Goose, several House Sparrows at Rotherhithe (John Colmans)
Walthamstow Marshes: COMMON ROSEFINCH showed briefly on aerials above Anchor & Hope pub at 08.30 (Stuart Bevan); heard once around 13:00 and seen briefly opposite Anchor and Hope about 14:30 but NOT singing today in general (Nick S)
Wanstead Flats: young Peregrine Falcon, Kestrel, 2 singing Meadow Pipit (one carrying food), 3 singing Skylark, young Reed Bunting, singing Goldcrest, 5 Little Grebe, 13 House Martin, 20 + Swift (Nick Croft/Peter Brinton)
Wanstead Park: 7+ Reed Warbler (3 singing), 3 family groups of Goldcrest, 3 adult Great Crested Grebe (pair mating on nest), 3 Little Grebe, Little Egret, 20+ Swift, 3 Gatekeeper (Nick Croft)
Woodberry Wetlands: Little Ringed Plover, Peregrine, Kestrel (Chris Farthing)
Sunday 10th July 2016[]
Brent Reservoir: 2 Little Egret, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Lapwing, 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper & Linnet over (Andrew Self)
Bushy Park: Chiffchaff, 20 House Martin, Little Owl, 40 Swift. (Ian R Watson)
Eaton Park Road, N13: House Martin feeding at 16:05 then flew W. Not a breeding bird so either adult or juvenile on the move (Katy McGilvray)
Greenwich: 5 Yellow-legged Gull (2 ads, 2nd-summer, 1st-summer and juvenile) on mud by O2 at low tide; also Common Sandpiper on foreshore (Richard Bonser)
Grovelands Park: 8 Great Crested Grebe pair, two juvs (2nd brood) and four chicks (3rd brood), 9 Mute Swan pr and seven cygnets, 12 Egyptian Goose pr and ten goslings, 6 Mandarin Duck, 4 male Pochard, 16 Tufted Duck 14m 2f, drake Pochard x Tufted Duck hybrid (Robert Callf)
Hampstead Heath: 3 Kingfisher, 2 juvenile being fed by adult, Peregrine frequenting area around the transmitter throughout afternoon (Frank Nugent).
Pinner (HA5): Red Kite low north-west at 15:34, male Sparrowhawk, 30 Swift, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, 5 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Coal Tit, singing Goldcrest, 2 Jay, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Pied Wagtail, 5 Black-headed Gull, 7 Herring Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull & 8 Goldfinch - garden day total: 31 species (Jon Ridge).
Sydenham Hill Wood: Hobby hunting over main clearing at 14:00 (Daniel Greenwood LWT)
Walthamstow Marshes: COMMON ROSEFINCH briefly on aerials above Anchor & Hope pub at 06.15 (David Capper), then again at 08.20 (Richard Bonser et al); showing well on aerials on + off 08.45-09.10 (Neil Anderson)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: Lockwood - c6 Common Sandpipers, 1 LRP; High Maynard - pr Red-crested Pochard, drake in eclipse (Lol Bodini).
Wanstead Flats: Juv Peregrine hunting over Alexandra pond and landed on pitches, 7 House Martin circling over several parts of the Flats, 2+ Skylark singing, Meadow Pipit singing, Fledgling Gt Spot Woodpecker in Copse. Also, Purple Hairstreak in Long Wood. (James Heal)
Woodberry Wetlands: Buzzard SE at 7am, Little Ringed Plover, 2 Egyptian Geese, Kestrel, newly fledged Cetti's Warblers (Chris Farthing)
Saturday 9th July 2016[]
Battersea Cats and Dogs Home: 3 Peregrines over (Michael Mac).
Bentley Priory: 8 Mandarin on lake (Richard Francis).
Bookham Common: Red Kite, Buzzard (Neil Anderson)
Brent Reservoir: Green Sandpiper, 5 Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Little Egret, 8 Common Tern, 4 Egyptian Goose, 150+ Swift, Garden Warbler, Reed Bunting singing (Brent Birders)
Dagenham Chase: 2 Kingfishers, Swallow, House Martins, Swifts, Little Egret, Pair of Blackcaps, Reed Bunting, Linnets, 8 Lapwings, Common Terns. (Simon Worsfold)
Deodar Road-Putney: House Martin's fledging, 2 dead below 1 nest, male House Sparrow squatting another nest (Michael Mac)
Greenwich: juvenile Yellow-legged Gull (1st of year) on mud by the O2; also 3 juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gulls tended by adults (Richard Bonser)
Hampstead Heath: Greenshank over at precisely 07:27 just ahead of rain. Calling loudly and repeatedly, audible from some distance, then right over Parliament Hill from where I had an unimpeded view, flying strongly W (Frank Nugent).
Pinner (HA5): Tawny Owl heard at 03:43 & Song Thrush tuning up at 03:35. Later; 2 Red Kite low over garden at 14:28 & a second moulting bird at 15:19, 4 Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 4 Black-headed Gull including a juvenile, 45 Swift mostly south-west, Coal Tit, singing Goldcrest & 4 Goldfinch. Also; a Comma butterfly (Jon Ridge).
Stanwell Moor (Hithermore pit): 2 Water Rail calling (C.Lamsdell)
Swanscombe Marsh: 4 Little Egret, 4 Marsh Harrier, Curlew, 2 Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper, Bearded Tit (Andrew Self)
Tyttenhanger GPs and Willows Farm: juv Redshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Little Grebe, Little Egret, Hobby, Garden Warbler 8 Tree Sparrow, Red Kite, Buzzard, Kestrel. (S Blake et al)
Walthamstow Marshes: COMMON ROSEFINCH singing on TVs masts by pub (G.Gram)
Wandle Creek-wandsworth: m Peregrine caught starling (Michael Mac)
Wanstead Flats: 20 + House Martin, 100+ Swift coming through at 05:00, 4 Pochard, 2 singing Meadow Pipit (4 birds), 2 singing Skylark (3 birds), singing Goldcrest, 10 + Black-headed Gull through (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Common Tern on Heronry briefly at 06:00, 3 Nuthatch calling loudly by Grotto (Rob Sheldon), 3 singing Reed Warbler (4 birds), young Great Crested Grebe took its first flight round Shoulder of Mutton, 2 adults on Heronry, 3 Little Grebe, Gadwall, Pochard, singing Goldcrest, Kestrel, 30 + Swift (Nick Croft)
Woodberry Wetlands: 2 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Egyptian Geese, Coal tit family of 4+, 2 Sand Martin amongst Swifts, Little Egret, pair Stock Dove (Chris Farthing)
Friday 8th July 2016[]
Battersea Park Lake: Little Egret Last time 2013, Mute Swans 9 cygnets, 3 swift (Michael Mac).
Brent Reservoir: 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Little Egret, 2 juv Green Woodpecker (North Marsh) plus maybe a different Common Sandpiper on East Marsh; 3 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Lapwing, 4 Egyptian Goose (East Marsh), 70+ Common Swift, 8+ Common Tern (Bill Haines)
Brookmill Park: Little Egret (Conrad Ellam)
Broomfield Park, Palmers Green: eclipse male Shoveler (Robert Callf)
Crystal Palace Lake: pr Egyptian Geese 6 goslings first time bred here, pr Mute Swans species absent for several years (Michael Mac).
Eastcote (Abbotsbury Gardens): Common Buzzard over at 13:52 (Jon Ridge).
Fulham Palace Meadow Allotments: 8 House Martin, 1 juv Green Woodpecker (Nathalie Mahieu).
Lonsdale Road Reservoir: 4 pairs Common Tern, one with two chicks, pair Black-headed Gulls with two chicks (David Jeffreys)
St James's Park: Kingfisher at the E end of the Lake again (Frank Nugent).
Tyttenhanger GPs and Willows Farm: Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, c50 Lapwing, 2 Little Egret, 14 Common Tern, 2 Egyptian Goose, Red Kite, 4 Tree Sparrow, 2 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel (adult fem + 3 fledged young) increasing numbers of adult Black-headed Gulls returning, only one juv. (S Blake, R Coombes)
Walthamstow Marshes: COMMON ROSEFINCH, singing from roof tops either side of Anchor and Hope pub at 7:32am and 7:44am and then flew to marsh south of railway line (G Sawtell)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: 3 Little Ringed Plover (inc juv), 2 Common Sandpipers, increase of Black-headed Gulls inc couple of juvs, many more Tufted Duck too (Jamie Partridge)
Wanstead Flats: 14 House Martin, 10+ Swift, 2 adult Little Grebe with 2 young, f Pochard, 2 singing Meadow Pipit, singing Skylark (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: 8+ Reed Warbler (3 singing birds), 2 House Martin, 10+ Swift, Kestrel, Little Egret, 2 Great Crested Grebe nest building, 3 Little Grebe (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan)
Woodberry Wetlands: Little Ringed Plover, Kestrel, Coal Tit, Little Egret, pair Stock Dove (Chris Farthing)
East India Dock Basin: Mandarin juv - first record since 2012, 2 Egyptian Goose, 16 Tufted Duck, 2 Shelduck, 2 Blackcap male + juv, 2 Reed Warbler singing (John Archer)
Hackney Marsh: Kingfisher (James Palmer)
Oakwood Park, N14: 10 Tufted Duck female and a brood of nine ducklings Conservation Pond, 2 singing male Blackcap, 3 singing Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler song switching, 6 juv Greenfinch (Robert Callf)
Olympic Park (Greenway): Little Ringed Plover (James Palmer)
Pinner (HA5): Common Buzzard over at 12:17, Kestrel, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 15 Swift, adult Black-headed Gull, 4 Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, singing Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Pied Wagtail & 4 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge).
St James's Park: Kingfisher showing very well this morning and briefly this afternoon (Frank Nugent).
Walthamstow Marshes: COMMON ROSEFINCH showing well on large willow and close up on small bush next to tow path opposite Anchor & Hope pub 16:45hrs (Micky Orme) Also party of 5 Jay on marsh, Sand Martin (Peter Beckenham)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: 12pm - 1pm visit: - 1 Ad Mediterranean Gull flew from Lower Maynard and landed on No. 4 - 12.50pm, pr Little Ringed Plover on Lockwood, Great Black-backed Gull and pr Lesser Black-backed Gull attacked 4 baby Shelducks on Upper Maynard - Lesser Black-backed took one before the Mum came back! Juvenile Reed Bunting, 7 Little Egret including 1 Juvenille in the area (Davey Leach). 2 Peregrines, 4 Kestrels, Sparrowhawk, Several Common Terns, Linnets, Stock Dove. (Simon Worsfold and Magnus Anderssen). Lockwood: 6 Little Ringed Plovers along East bank c13,00, also pr Shoveler (Lol Bodini)
Wanstead Flats: Male Reed Bunting, 6 + House Martin, 5 + Swift, singing Skylark, Meadow Pipit (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: at least 7 reed Warbler (Shoulder of Mutton), including 3 males singing, Nuthatch, Great Creste Grebe nesting on Heronry, 3 Little Grebe, Pochard (Nick Croft)
Warren Farm, Southall (TQ1478): 60 Swifts feeding over the meadows at midday. (P J Belman)
Wednesday 6th July 2016[]
Alexandra Park: Male Whinchat cricket scrub am (Alan Gibson, Ian Lycett)
Brookmill Park: Little Egret (Tom Moulton)
Hampstead Heath: 2 Swallow NW, 16 Black-headed Gull W, 2 Common Tern at Men's Pond, 2 Kingfisher. 06:00-07:00 (Frank Nugent).
Leatherhead, Common Meadow: 1 adult male Reed Bunting, 1 Kingfisher, 25 Common Swift, 2 Summer Black-headed Gull, 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat (Neil Batten)
London Wetland Centre: 3 Common Tern including one of a pair being fed by the other, brood of 7 Gadwall ducklings, 2 Kingfishers mating (at least 4 times) but a different male to the first pair that (probably) bred, 2 Whitethroat, 2m Reed Bunting and probable pair Sedge Warblers all collecting insects for young, lots of Reed Warbler. (Martin Honey)
Pinner (HA5): Common Buzzard north at 15:28, Sparrowhawk, Grey Heron north-east, 19 Swift, 3 Goldfinch, Pied Wagtail, Coal Tit, 6 Black-headed Gull & 4 Herring Gull (Jon Ridge).
Trent Park: 5 Blackcap, 16 Goldfinch, Common Whitethroat, 3 Chiffchaff. G S Woodpecker, 2 Bullfinch, Song Thrush, LBB Gull, Mandarin (f), Common Buzzard, 3 Marbled White, 20 Meadow brown, 10 Ringlet, 2 small Skipper, 2 Large Skipper. ( Pete Lowman)
Tyttenhanger GPs and Willows Farm: summer plumage adult Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 49 Lapwing, Red Kite, Garden Warbler, 6+ Reed Warbler, 2 Tree Sparrow (Steve Blake et al)
Walthamstow Marshes. No sign of Common Rosefinch 07:00-07:50 (Quentin Given); showed at 7.35 in the railway crossing area and had been heard before that by Phil Aylen (Tom Stuart). COMMON ROSEFINCH still present 08:00 & 11:40 at least (per RBA); sighted opposite Anchor & Hope, and at railway underpass (Twitter). Showing well and singing 17:00-18:00, on TV aerial near pub and in riverside brambles, unfazed by jogger running close by.(Quentin Given).
Shoreditch, Paul Street: Grey Wagtail flying back and forth from office rooftops just off Paul Street/Willow Street, near Old Street underground (Charlie Schouten)
St James's Park: Kingfisher at E end of the Lake at 08:40 (Frank Nugent).
Totteridge Valley: Treecreeper, Common Buzzard, 2 Bullfinch, Swallow, 9 Swift, Goldcrest feeding young, usual Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Whitethroat (John Colmans)
Walthamstow Marshes: COMMON ROSEFINCH calling and visible in area marked red on map below by Jamie 7.15-30 (Marcus Mitchell) Still showing at 11.45 (Chris Gibson) In the afternoon it showed well on the other side of the railway track, opposite the Anchor & Hope pub (Conrad Ellam) still here by the pub 18:18hrs (Neville Smith). Still singing at around 7pm, showed twice, and then promptly disappeared, didn't see it again. Got a dodgy recording: http://www.xeno-canto.org/325787 (Andrew McCafferty)
Woodberry Wetlands: Yellow Wagtail, Little Ringed Plover, Coal Tit, Egyptian Goose, 2 Stock Dove, 2 House Martin amongst ~150 Swift (Chris Farthing)
Monday 4th July 2016[]
Alexandra Park: 15+ House Martin, Common Tern Wood Green Res 1745, also 7 Black-headed Gulls west (Bob Watts)
Barbican: Jay sitting on office building (Alan Lewis)
Walthamstow Marshes: m COMMON ROSEFINCH still 0700 but more mobile (Jamie Partridge via Twitter); showing well 0915, 1030 (Chris Farthing); still present 1pm, Showed well up to 14.30 at least (Nick S). Heard singing 14.05 from Sallow clump and again at 14.30 when scarlet features visible through scope (Bob Husband, Robin Morden et al)
Wanstead Flats: Reed Bunting with young, Coal Tit with young, singing Willow Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat, Hobby, 6+ House Martin, 10+ Swift, singing Skylark and Meadow Pipit, 10+ Ringlets (Nick Croft/Peter Brinton)
Wanstead Park: 2 singing Reed Warbler plus young birds calling, Nuthatch calling, 2 Great Crested Grebe on Heronry – no sign of young on Shoulder of Mutton, 2 Little Grebe, Gadwall, Little Egret, few Swifts (Nick Croft)
Brent Reservoir: 3 Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper & 3 Little Egret (Andrew Self), 2 Common Sandpiper, Kingfisher, 5+ Reed Warbler, singing Reed Bunting (Roy Beddard)
Brockwell Park-near Brixton: Peregrine high up fast stoop towards Brixton, f Sparrowhawk seen at same time, 2 Swift round ponds at 6:15pm (Michael Mac)
Chigwell (undisclosed site): territorial male Yellow Wagtail (Stuart Fisher)
Cranford CP: 3 Little Owls, 1 ad, 2 juvs (Wendy Marks & Sue Giddens)
East India Dock Basin: 7 Shelduck, 1 male Teal, 12 Tufted, 2 Little Egret, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Black-headed Gull, 1 Yellow-legged Gull 2cy over the river, 2 well grown young Herring Gulls on nearby rooftop, 2 Sand Martin, 1 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 4 pairs Reed Warbler + 14 juvs, 4 Greenfinch (Nick Senior)
Enfield Island Village: 2 Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler (Martin Shepherd)
Greenway, adjacent to West Ham stadium: 2 Little Ringed Plover, Kestrel on Big Yellow storage chimney, first for a while: 20+ Linnet, 6 Blackcap, Whitethroat (Harry Harrison)
KGV Reservoir: 15 Common Sandpaper, Redshank, Cetti's Warbler (Neville Smith).
Leyton, Marsh Lane: Spotted Flycatcher on dead trees near factories at 6.45am (Stuart Fisher)
London Wetland Centre: 2 Common Tern, 2 singing Chiffchaff, 2 Green Sandpiper, Kingfisher, 1 Little Egret, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Peregrine (2 adult, 1 juv), 2 Shoveler, 2 Stock Dove, Red Eared Slider terrapin (Mat Hare)
Oakwood Park, N14: Willow Warbler song switching 19:15 (Robert Callf)
Stratford, Olympic Park: 5 ad Little Ringed Plover near Greenway (Stuart Fisher)
Brent Reservoir: Little Egret, 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Lapwing, 7+ Common Tern, 30+ House Martin, 300+ Swifts early, Garden Warbler, 3+ Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, Reed Bunting all singing (Brent Birders)
Fulham Reach: 2 Little Egret (over Thames), Kestrel (1st one for a few years, over Bayonne Park) (Nathalie Mahieu).
Greenford UB6: low flying Red Kite seen from garden 18.00- alerted to its presence by yelping Herring Gull (Neil Anderson)
Horsenden Hill: Hobby, brief burst of song by Cetti's Warbler in Paradise Fields (Neil Anderson/K. Bull)
KGV Reservoir: Hobby, Green Sandpiper, 6 Common Sandpiper, Redshank, Cetti's Warbler (Neville Smith).
London Wetland Centre: juvenile Peregrine over main lake first thing, Whimbrel main lake but flighty, 2 Redshank wader scrape, 2 Common Sandpiper reservoir lagoon, 2 singing Chiffchaff, numerous singing Reed Warbler, displaying Great Crested Grebe, singing Reed Bunting (Martin Honey, B. Page, T. Wright)
Swanscombe Marsh: Grasshopper Warbler reeling, 2 Great Crested Grebe flew upriver, 25 Common Terns, 2 Little Egret, 4 Cetti's Warbler; also 140+ Pyramidal Orchid (Andrew Self)
Totteridge Valley: male Reed Bunting, 25 Swift, 2 Rook, 2 Bullfinch, 7 Blackcap, 6 Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, plus Ringlet and Marbled White (Ian Ellis)
Victoria Park: pair of Common Sandpipers at West Lake, nesting Great Crested Grebes and Sparrowhawks (Harry Harrison)
West Harrow: 2 Black-headed Gulls - first returning birds of "Autumn"? (Alex Massey)
Friday 1st July 2016[]
Brent Reservoir: 4 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper, 5+ Common Tern, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Lapwing, 1 Garden Warbler, 3+ Reed warbler, 2 Little Egret, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Kingfisher, 1 House Martin, 1 Stock Dove, about a dozen Swifts (M Kirkland)
Brookmill Park: Little Egret, 4 Swift, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Blackcap, Chiffchaff (Conrad Ellam)
Hackney Marshes: Mixed flock of ca. 15 Sand Martin and House Martin over the main changing rooms at 09:30, 1 Little Egret flying N along the Old R Lea nearby (Alastair Dent)
Jefferys Road-Stockwell: House Sparrow flock of 40, some fledglings being fed (Michael Mac)
Greenwich Ecology Park: 7 adult Common Tern with 3 young, 2 Swift, Sand Martin, male Blackcap, 3 Reed Warbler with Lots of Young, Chiffchaff (John Bushell)
Hammersmith Bridge, Thames North-East shore: 2 Little Egret feeding (A Buxton).
London Wetland Centre: Blackcap feeding young, 2 Common Tern, 2 Chiffchaff, Kestrel, Kingfisher, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 6 Mandarin Duck, 2 Shelduck, 2 Shoveler, 2 Song Thrush, 6+ Teal, Whitethroat, Whimbrel - attempted to sleep on main lake island, flew W approx 4.15pm, usual mix of Sand Martins, House Martins & Swifts (Mat Hare)
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