*Sydenham Hill Wood: 2 Firecrest, Common Buzzard (Steven Robinson)
*Sydenham Hill Wood: 2 Firecrest, Common Buzzard (Steven Robinson)
*Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: Male '''Firecrest''' calling and some sub singing from holly in NE corner of Ash Wood close to confluence of paths and 20 yards SW of High Glade pond 1335 at least (Bob Watts)
*Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: Male '''Firecrest''' calling and some sub singing from holly in NE corner of Ash Wood close to confluence of paths and 20 yards SW of High Glade pond 1335 at least (Bob Watts)
+
*Town Park, Enfield: 15 Common Gull incl seven first-winter at 16:10 (Robert Callf)
*Worcester Park: Little Egret and Grey Wagtail on Beverley Brook (Bob Smith).
*Worcester Park: Little Egret and Grey Wagtail on Beverley Brook (Bob Smith).
Revision as of 17:30, 1 February 2016
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Monday 1st February 2016
Barnes, Thames tow path: 2 Ist winter Yellow-legged Gull, Chiffchaff and an intersex Mallard...well it was a slow day...thats a female that looks much more like a male, with apologies to Lou Reed.(R.Kaye)
Middlesex Filter Beds: at 15.20 - 15.50, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Chiffchaff, 5 Collared Dove, 1 fm. Great Spotted Woodpecker,1 Kestrel ( Marcin Kempa).
Sutcliffe Park: 2 Little Egret (Conrad Ellam)
Sydenham Hill Wood: 2 Firecrest, Common Buzzard (Steven Robinson)
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: Male Firecrest calling and some sub singing from holly in NE corner of Ash Wood close to confluence of paths and 20 yards SW of High Glade pond 1335 at least (Bob Watts)
Town Park, Enfield: 15 Common Gull incl seven first-winter at 16:10 (Robert Callf)
Worcester Park: Little Egret and Grey Wagtail on Beverley Brook (Bob Smith).
Sunday 31st January 2016
Amwell: Adult FRANKLIN'S GULL 16.35 1st for Herts; female Smew still (Herts website); Franklin's Gull departed S 16:50 (BirdGuides) so 2nd for London also.
Banstead Woods: 2 Woodcock flushed (Twitter)
Barnes Common: 2 Firecrest, Male, from the vine road & priory lane junction, take footpath through common towards the train station, at cross roads, take dirt path off to the left towards playing field & view holly bushes. Female by Barnes train station, in holly in-between station road loop. Both vocal early morning. (J.murray & J.murray Snr)
Brent Reservoir: 290 Tufted Duck, 38 Pochard, Little Egret, 3 Water Rail, 38 Snipe (Roy Beddard)
Fairlop Waters: 39 Golden Plover, 4 Red-legged Partridge, Little Owl, 2 Yellowhammer, 2 Stonechat, 7 Egyptian Geese. (Neil Twyford)
Grovelands Park, Southgate: 2 Firecrest (1 showing well behind cafe. Other near Rangers hut), 12 lesser Redpoll, 30 Redwing. (Davey Leach)
Lamorbey Park: 2 Red Kites drifted low S 16.03 (personal site tick), 2 Little Egret flew from lower lake by golf course 16.07, pair Mute Swan, 3 Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, 4+ Goldcrest (Ian Stewart)
London Wetland Centre: adult Caspian Gull, 2 Bittern (Surrey website)
Wanstead Park: 15 + Siskin in mixed finch flock Bush Wood, 10 Redwing nr SoM, Pochard, 4 Shoveller, 2 Tufted Duck SOM (James Heal, Bob Vaughan)
Saturday 30th January 2016
Beddington Farmlands: 4 Jack Snipe, 25 Snipe 2 Water Pipit, Little Egret, 3 Rook, ad Caspian Gull, 5 Yellow-legged Gull, Peregrine, 5 Tree Sparrow; later Woodcock over (Twitter)
Bexley DA5 (Coldblow field): 40+ Stock Dove, Grey Wagtail, singing Song Thrush, 4+ Goldcrest, c50 Jackdaw, c50 Chaffinch inc female with orange upper breast, c50 Linnet. Also 2 Redwing over Vicarage Road and a male Pheasant near Mount Mascal (Ian Stewart)
Brent Reservoir: 24 Common Snipe, Water Rail, Jackdaw S, Goldcrest (Andrew Verrall)
Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Kingfisher, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Goldcrest, Siskin m (Conrad Ellam)
Epping Forest, Strawberry Hill Pond: 20 Mandarin Ducks, 2-3 Treecreepers, Coal Tit, up to 4 Goldcrests (Alan Hobson).
Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): incl. a Black Redstart, 50+ Black-tailed Godwit, 30+ Dunlin, Goldcrest, Grey Wagtail, Lapwing, 15+ Linnet, (adult) Mediterranean Gull, 100+ Redshank, Rock Pipit and 39 Teal (Mike Robinson ~ seen between 11.30 and 15.00 or thereabouts)
Holyfield Farm: Red Kite, 2 Stonechat, Coal Tit, 15 Lesser Redpoll in one flock, Brambling, 2 Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer (Neville Smith).
Isle of Dogs - Saunders Ness: 1 3w/4cy Yellow-legged Gull, 1 ad Mediterranean Gull (N Senior)
London Wetland Centre: 3 Bittern reservoir lagoon, 1m 1f Pintail main lake, 5 Common Snipe, 1m1f Stonechat, 2 Goldcrest, a few Siskin, Redwing and Cetti's warbler, 1 Kestrel (Martin Honey, A. Innes, B. Page)
Ponders End Lake: female Smew, Kingfisher, 20 Pochard, 5 Little Grebe (Andrew Middleton)
Rainham Marshes: Knot Aveley Bay; later Merlin from Serin Mound (Twitter)
South Norwood Country Park: Bearded Tit still (Twitter)
Staines Moor: Water Pipit (at the river Colne, near the north entrance leading to Stanwell Moor), 3 Goldcrest, Red Kite, 2 Little Grebe, Little Egret, Jay (Jarek and Barbara Francik)
Staines Reservoirs: Black-necked grebe, 2 Goldeneye (Jarek and Barbara Francik)
Stratford, Olympic Park: 2-3 calling Water Rail in main reed bed, singing Cetti's Warbler, 6 Gadwall, 12 Teal, 8 Greenfinch together, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, Reed Bunting (Stuart Fisher)
Trent Park: 2 Firecrest together feeding in laurel & holly along ditch near NE edge of Rough Lot (Robert Callf)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: drake Scaup south end Lockwood (Twitter)
Bow Creek: 37 Redshank at roost, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Grey Wagtails, 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Reed Buntings (N Senior)
Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Conrad Ellam)
Bury Farm, Edgwarebury, Middx HA8: 1 Kestrel, several Skylarks, but no sign of GG Shrike 10.15-11.30 (making 3 shrike dips so far for 2016) (Quentin Given).
Dagenham Chase: Scaup still (BirdGuides)
Grovelands Park: 2 Great Crested Grebe pr nest building, Cormorant, 16 Mandarin Duck 9m 7f, 35 Shoveler 19m 16f, f Pochard, 38 Tufted Duck 27m 11f - counted at dusk when not feeding, Kingfisher, 2+ Grey Wagtail, 2 Goldcrest, Nuthatch, 5 Siskin 2m 3f feeding in alders (Robert Callf)
Highgate,Waterlow park: Singing Firecrest by middle pond. Also Siskin flock, 2 Goldcrests, and G.Heron over. (P.Angus)
Mudchute Park: 4 Song Thrush, 2 Redwing, 1 Male Blackcap, 4 Goldcrests, 51 Magpies at roost, 2 Siskins (N Senior)
Kensington Gardens: 2f Scaup below Italian Gardens, pr Pochard, 2pr Shoveler also 2m Shoveler on Round Pond (John Cadera) Check R.Hancocks blog from a couple of days ago, he doesn't think they are Scaup - Kensington & Hyde Park Birds. -- I'm certain they are Pochard-Tufted hybrids, and Des McKenzie agrees. They've been here for several years (Ralph Hancock) - I’ve seen some odd hybrids over the years but very few from this complex group, many thanks for the information and the great photos (John Cadera)
London Wetland Centre: Bittern (BirdGuides) 5 Snipe, Jack Sinipe, Sparrowhawk, 2 Pintail, Water Rail, 2 Shelduck (Steve Woolfenden)
Redbridge Lakes and Roding Valley Park, Woodford Bridge: flock of 12 Redpolls, flock of 45-50 Goldfinches, Grey Heron, Mistle Thrush, 4 Long-tailed Tits (Alan Hobson).
Staines Reservoirs: 2-3 Black-necked Grebe on south basin, male Pintail north basin w side, no sign of Scaup but hundreds of Pochards and Tufted Ducks so a good chance there's still one there, c20 Goldeneye, Common Buzzard (pale bird by King George VI res), Kestrel, Fieldfare, Goldcrest (Ian Stewart)
Beaulieu Heights SE25: Tawny Owl 1m calling for about 30 minutes at 0300 (approx TQ33326936) (Richard Gowing).
Broadwater Lake, Harefield. Siberian Chiffchaff still present on Bucks. side of R. Colne just south of the causeway between Broadwater and Moorhall lakes. ( John Edwards)
Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Kingfisher, singing Song Thrush, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
Bury Farm, Edgwarebury, Middx HA8: Please do not trespass on farmland when searching for the Great Grey Shrike. Park in Parkside Drive or Green Lane (difficult on weekdays) or in small lay-by on A41 eastbound from Spur Road roundabout (or 107 bus from Edgware Station). Follow Environment Agency track starting just beyond roundabout. After 500m, go left of locked gate and back through next gate, then up steps onto flood storage dam. Look back WSW for bird’s usual haunt around young plantation.
Crayford Marshes: Little Owl, Spotted Redshank, 15 Golden Plover, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Curlew, 56 Redshank, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Stonechat, 3 Little Egret, 14 Fieldfare.(Kev Jarvis)
Deptford (Lewisham College site) : 12:30-13:30 Kingfisher flew through towards Brookmill Park, Grey Wagtail, Mallard, Moorhen, Herring Gull, (Ernest Thomason)
Ealing (W13): Male Blackcap trapped & ringed in garden (Bill Haines)
Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): incl. Black Redstart (Mike Robinson and others)
Headstone Moat: adult Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Grey Wagtail & Green Woodpecker (Jon Ridge).
Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, adult Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Golden Plover, 2 Curlew, Rock Pipit, 18 Fieldfare, 140 Lapwing. (Kev Jarvis), Water Rail, 50+ Golden Plover, 10+ Dunlin, Redshank, 2 ad Yellow-legged Gull, 6+ Skylark inc 2 singing in the rain, 2 Rock Pipit, Water Pipit along Darent creek, 6+ Fieldfare, Cetti's Warbler singing, Goldcrest, 2 Jackdaw (Ian Stewart)
Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): Black Redstart Also Rock Pipit and Grey Wagtail (Andy Cameron)
Hall Place Gardens: 40 Siskin, 30 Redwing (Donna Zimmer)
London Wetland Centre: 1m 1f Pintail main lake, 3 Shelduck wader scrape, 3 Fieldfare grazing marsh, 5 Common Snipe, 1 Bittern N shore reservoir lagoon, 1m Sparrowhawk, 1m Peregrine on Ch X Hospital feeding, 4 Redwing over W bund (Martin Honey)
Walthamstow Marshes: Rear Paddocks: f Brambling still with the finch flock at 11:30. Also a Peregrine on the pylon at the north end of the paddocks, 2 Little Egret, 4 Mistle Thrush, 2 Egyptian Goose (Alastair Dent)
Bury Farm, Edgwarebury, Middx HA8: Great Grey Shrike near flood storage dam low down in bushes out of the wind N by reedbed at 11am, also Meadow Pipit flew over & 2 Buzzards nearby (Davey Leach).
Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): incl. Black Redstart (Mike Robinson ~ seen between 10.45 and 11.00 or thereabouts)
Grovelands Park area : 2 Blackcap, male and female - on garden feeders, Church Hill opp. Park (Fran Shipp)
Hampstead Heath: Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis catching fish in Men's Pond. + more usual Cormorants, Mute Swans, 3 Grey Heron, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen, Starling, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Wood Pigeon, Jackdaw, Parakeet, Nuthatch, Blackbird, Robin and hd Wren on MBS walk + Hampstead No 1 Pond pair Gadwall.
Martens Grove Park: 2 Nuthatch, 6 Redwing, 3 Fieldfare, 6 Greenfinch, 25 Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Donna Zimmer)
Ruislip Lido: Grey Wagtail (bridge over feeder stream), 2 little Egrets and Grey Heron(marsh) , 3 Nuthatches, Buzzard over Poor's Field harrassed by Crows. (Martin Smith)
Sutcliffe Park: Kingfisher, 2 Little Egrets, Egyptian Goose, Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, Little Grebe, Peregrine taking Stock Dove, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker. (P Kite)
Walthamstow Marshes: Rear Paddocks: female Brambling in with the Linnets, Chaffinches and Goldfinches (G Howie)
Woodford Green: Conditions not good (wind and rain), However male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker briefly in woods outside up to Warren Pond area (imaged badly), also Firecrest with 5 Siskin in garden on feeders. (Ken Murray)
Monday 25th January 2016
Alexandra Park: Tawny Owl again heard near cricket scrub 0655 (Bob Watts)
Bow Creek: 35 Redshank in high tide roost, 2 Gadwall, 9 Shelduck, 100+ Teal, Grey Wagtail (John Archer).
Broadwater lake, Harefield. Siberian ChiffchaffP.c tristris,along R. Colne plus 14 Common Chiffchaff P.c.Collybita and a probable P.c. abietinus. The tristris was in Dogwood just south of the causeway. Also here 15 Goldcrest, 7 Cetti's Warbler ( plus another at nearby Black Jacks Weir), 30 Teal flushed from the river, 150 Lapwing and 4 Great Black-backed Gull ( John Edwards).
Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jackdaw (Conrad Ellam)
Bury Farm, Edgwarebury, Middx. HA8: Great Grey Shrike present between 13.00 & 14.00, showing well on tops of trees to the far left of main path (Carol Turnham).
East India Dock Basin: 185 Teal, 4 Shelduck, 12 Tufted Duck (John Archer).
Walthamstow Marshes: Peregrine and Kestrel on pylon in rear paddock, Little Egret in flood relief, Barnacle Goose in Coppermill filter beds, Stonechat on north marsh (JW Davies)
Swanscombe: 8 Grey Heron, 5+ Shoveler, 1 Marsh Harrier ( into roost ), Water Rail ( heard only ), 1 Stonechat ( all birds on Black Duck Marsh ). ( Roger Keith )
Sunday 24th January 2016
Alexandra Park: 20+ Redwing, Greylag Wood Green Res, 8 Shoveler (7 Boating Lake, drake Conservation Pond), 11 Common Pochard boating Lake, female Sparrowhawk hunting low over gardens near Filter Beds, 2 Coal Tit gardens near Boating Lake (Bob Watts). Kingfisher and Shoveler drake Conservation Pond. 12.30.(Greg Smith)
Boxer's Lake, Enfield: Little Egret perched in tree on island - only my second record for this site! (Robert Callf)
Brookmill Park: Little Grebe, Mandarin, singing Song Thrush, Coal Tit, 2 Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
Bury Farm (Edgwarebury HA8): Great Grey Shrike still (Frank Nugent);
Record shot of Great Grey Shrike, Bury Farm, 24th January 2016 (Andrew Haynes)
c.14:00-14:30 Great Grey Shrike in hedge half way along track from A41, also Sparrowhawk, 3 Buzzard, 3 Bullfinch (insert finder's name here). Kestrel (being mobbed by GGS at one point), 3 Pheasant, Skylark singing (Matt Reed).
Crayford Marshes: 60 Golden Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Stonechat, 54 Redshank, Yellowhammer (James Palmer) Hi James, where was your Yellowhammer please? On the landfill? Thanks, Ian Stewart
Crossness: Bar-tailed Godwit off Golf Centre late morning, Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Curlew, 225 Lapwing, 43 Wigeon, 72 Shoveler, Peregrine male, 2 Chiffchaff, 45 Linnet, Grey Seal (John Archer)
Ealing (W13): Male Blackcap again in garden. Also a Stock Dove (garden tick!) feeding with the "resident" Woodpigeon and pair of Collared Doves (Bill Haines)
Ten Acre Wood area: 6 Teal, Snipe, m Kestrel, 2 Buzzard, c60 Lapwing flew in from the west and settled on the rough ground, Pheasant, Little Egret, 2 drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, 15 Skylark, Meadow Pipit, 20 Linnet, pr Stonechat, 5 Reed Bunting, 8 Lesser Redpoll (Nigel Dodd)
Alexandra Park: Skylark 0940 landed momentarily football pitches, also 2 Redwing, 6m 5f Common Pochard Wood Green Res also 3 Great Crested Grebe (1 Tunnel Res) (Bob Watts).
Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): incl. a Black Redstart, 140+ Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Collared Dove, a Grey Wagtail, 80+ Redshank, 6 Shelduck and 36 Teal (Mike Robinson ~ seen between 09.00 and 11.00 or thereabouts), also a Song Thrush in the Grounds of the nearby Church of St John the Baptist.
Fairlop Waters: Short-eared Owl, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers(Alan Bell).
Fulham Reach: f Black Redstart (ca 9:30am, not inner London) (Nathalie Mahieu).
Grovelands Park: Redwing - in garden, Church Hill, opposite park (Fran Shipp).
Hall Place Gardens: Common Buzzard (landed), Little Egret, 6 Redwing, 4 Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker (photos Twitter) (Donna Zimmer).
Hampton Court Park: 18 Egyptian Goose, 27 Gadwall, 1 Shoveler, 1 Pochard, 214 Coot, 15 Cormorant over, 11700 Black-headed Gull and 2750 Herring Gull mostly E soon after dawn, 23 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 38 Common Gull, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Tawny Owl, 3 Little Owl, 19 Stock Dove, 9 Green Woodpecker, 79 Redwing, 1 Stonechat, 100 Carrion Crow, 1 Siskin over (Andrew Skotnicki).
High Elms CP: Sparrowhawk, Tawny Owl calling 16.43, 4+ Green Woodpecker, 2 singing Song Thrush, c20 Redwing, 16+ Goldcrest, 3+ Nuthatch, Treecreeper, 2+ Rook, c50 Linnet, Bullfinch (Ian Stewart)
KGV Reservoir: Slavonian Grebe, drake Scaup, Common Scoter on the South basin. Common Buzzard (Neville Smith/Andrew Middleton).
Lea Valley: Friday Lake: 2 red head Smew, 4 Siskin. Seventy Acres Lake: Shelduck, m Goldeneye, Bittern, Sparrowhawk, Water Rail, 154 Lapwing, pr Ring-necked Parakeet (my first ever here). Holyfield Farm: 3 Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, c220 Lapwing, Grey Wagtail, 8 Meadow Pipit, 4 Skylark, Chiffchaff, pr Stonechat, 120+ Redwing, 40+ Fieldfare, c20 Linnet. Holyfield Lake:3 Goosander (1 drake), redhead Smew, Little Egret over, Kingfisher, 2 Lesser Redpoll with 80+ Siskin. Also 4 Muntjac (Neil Anderson).
London Wetland Centre: 3 Bittern showing well on the reservoir lagoon, 1m Pintail main lake (also 1f (S. Woolfenden)), c.30 Redwing entrance area, 14 Common Snipe and 1 Jack Snipe wader scrape (Martin Honey & B. Page) 2 Redpoll and 2 Redwing sheltered lagoon (B. Page).
Perivale Wood: 956 Carrion Crow at the long established roost. (David Howdon, Stephen Menzie, Martin Smith).
Sewardstone Marsh: 2 Wigeon, 2 Common Snipe, Woodcock 1714hrs, 8 Lapwing, Water Rail (Neville Smith).
Stoneleigh KT17: 20 Siskins associating with local Goldfinches in Ash trees in The Glade. Also 1 Greylag over calling, 3 Redwing, 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Sparrowhawk, 147 Herring Gull & 1 Grey Heron n.e. (Neil Batten)
Swanscombe Marsh: Short-eared Owl 100 metres SE of Broadness, Wigeon, Marsh Harrier, 130 Redshank, 13 Turnstone, Green Sandpiper, 10 Stonechat, Bearded Tit heard in Black Duck Marsh & 9 Cetti's Warbler (Andrew Self) + 52 Gadwall, 81 Teal, 288 Lapwing on jetty, 1 Water Rail in Black Duck Marsh, 1 Kestrel, 5 Skylark, 2 Rock Pipit (Peter Beckenham).
Thames Wharf: 1 near adult (4w/5cy) Caspian Gull (N Senior).
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: Firecrest present in monument glade at 09:30. Also Goldcrest, Redwing, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker and Jay (Andy Cameron).
Walthamstow Marshes: 2 Stonechat in the field north of the boardwalk, near the railway line, at 10:30. Probable Merlin flew east across the Flood Relief Channel from one of paddock fences but too poor a view to be certain (Alastair Dent).
Walthamstow Reservoirs: m Smew Lockwood res. (Peter Corley). Hi Peter, Smew is a very rare bird here (not even annual) and I just wondered what time you saw it, how long for and whether it was still present when you left, or did it fly off? Many thanks Lol Bodini.
Whitewebbs Wood: male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Robert Callf)
Willesden Junction: 24 Carrion Crow (Matt Reed).
Wraysbury GP: 5m 3f Goosander, 1m Wigeon on Wraysbury 1, m Goldeneye on Wraysbury 2, 15-20 Siskin feeding in trees near the level crossing, 3 Little Egret in field near station (John & Janet Cadera).
Friday 22nd January 2016
Brookmill Park: Little Grebe: Mandarin, Kingfisher, singing Song Thrush, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
Kentish Town, Arctic Street: Blackcap singing this afternoon (Pete Mantle)
London Wetland Centre: 2 Bitterns reservoir lagoon (4 reported), Jack Snipe wader scrape but very elusive, male Pintail, 2+ Mandarin, 3+ Common Snipe, c50 Lapwing, pair Stonechat, 5+ Redwing, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, c30 Siskin (Ian Stewart)
Millwall Outer Dock: 2 Little Grebes, 60 Tufted Duck, 1 1w/2cy Yellow-legged Gull, 4 Siskins on alders (Nick Senior)
Pinner: Is there a bird ringer in Pinner? I've had 3 Starlings out of 9 birds with rings, and now a female Blackbird with a ring on the lawn with a Starling with a ring above it on a feeder (Richard Francis). - The Starlings may have all been ringed simultaneously as juveniles & have remained together since, but the additional Blackbird is hard to explain - I am not aware of any local ringers in Pinner (Jon Ridge).
Brixton: Female House Sparrow, Tulse Hill Estate (Leander Road end) (Tony Stones)
Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Kingfisher, Song Thrush, 2 Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
Bury Farm, Edwarebury HA8: Great Grey Shrike showing well in usual area 9.45-10.30. Also 2 Snipe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker (Alex Massey) Still on bushes around reeded area to 11.30 - see photos (Jo Edwards) Still at 15:10 (S Blake et al), Shrike showing well between 3.00pm and 4.00pm around the reeded/bushy area, (Geoff Crabtree, Brian Dawton and James from Dartford). Thanks for info on access to the flood relief mound, but we approached from the Bury Farm end and traipsed along a field edge to reach the reeded area. (Geoff).
Caledonian Park N7: Firecrest, 6-7 House Sparrows in woods/scrub at SW corner close to bird feeder (F Tusa)
Crayford Marshes: 2 Spotted Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwit, Little Owl, fem Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, 41 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Curlew, Golden Plover, c700 Dunlin, 2 Rock Pipit, c400 Lapwing. (Kev Jarvis)
Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): incl. a Black Redstart, 150+ Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Common Gull, 50+ Dunlin, 3 Goldfinch, (at least) 3 Grey Wagtail, a Lapwing, 200+ Redshank, 2 Rock Pipit, 2 Shelduck and 83 Teal (Mike Robinson ~ seen between 11.00 and 13.30 or thereabouts)
Hampstead Heath: 6-8 Siskin feeding in alders on E side of Bird Sanctuary Pond (F Tusa)
Hyde Park : report from Sunday 16th January per Louise Simmons -Little Egret in the Dell garden - photo in images section (D.Jordan)
Leatherhead: 1 Red Kite circling low over junction 9 of the M25 13:30 - 13:40. Also large numbers of Redwing in the area (Neil Batten)
Lea Valley Wildlife Refuge and Friday Lake:- Lapwing, Snipe, Wigeon, Shoveler, Black Pheasant, Mistle Thrush together with other common water birds, but sadly no finches, Redwing or Fieldfare to be seen to be seen. (Geoff Crabtree and Brian Dawton).
Bow, Three Mills: 7 Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail, 30+ Teal, 4 Gadwall (JW Davies)
Brookmill Park: Kingfisher, singing Song Thrush (Tom Moulton)
Bury Farm, Edwarebury HA8: Great Grey Shrike seen distantly on top of oak to NW of flood relief scheme at 15.35 (Roy Beddard, Pete Lowman) Don't understand where the "flood relief scheme " is. Have been searching all over the Bury Farm area twice to no avail for the Shrike. Pls give TQ ref for the scheme. (Geoff Crabtree). There is a track off the A41, just past the roundabout, which leads to the 'flood defence mound', there are two metal gates at the end of the track then the mound which has concrete steps leading up it. The Shrike can usually be seen from here and often perches on tree tops around it (Ian Stewart) TQ 18726 93612 (Matt Kirkland)
Canada Water: 14 Tufted Duck (John Cadera)
Crayford Marshes: 2 Pintail, 2 Spotted Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwit, 9 Black-tailed Godwit, Little Owl, Water Rail, Common Buzzard, 2 Curlew, Common Sandpiper, 3 Rock Pipit, 2 Stonechat, 12 Snipe, c400 Dunlin. (Kev Jarvis & Steve Carter)
Claybury Park, Woodford Bridge: 3 Nuthatches, Stock Dove, 2 Redwings, up to 8 Goldcrests, Ring-necked Parakeet, 3 Green Woodpeckers, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush, up to 8 Long-tailed Tits, Jay, Goldfinch (Alan Hobson).
Fairlop Waters: Short-eared Owl, Little Owl, Grey Wagtail, 2 Stock Dove, 54 Golden Plover, 3 Yellowhammer, Common Buzzard. (Neil Twyford)
Foots Cray Meadows: 2 Mute Swan, Egyptian Goose, 2+ Gadwall, 15+ Tufted Duck, 3+ Little Grebe, Little Egret E 16.42 along Cray, 1+ Water Rail, Goldcrest, 20+ Magpie at roost on islands. Late visit 16.40 - 17.10. (Ian Stewart)
Haven Green, Ealing W5: 'stockamsel' type male Blackbird only the 2nd I've ever seen on the London area (Nick Senior)
Rainham Village: Water Rail on Ingrebourne behind Tesco (Richard Harrison)
Richmond Park (brief vist mid-morn.): 3 Meadow Pipit, 3m 1f Stonechat, (fairly certain) 2Dartford warbler. Picked up on call, first bird had scruffy tail, 2nd bird immaculate (despite being followed closely by a photographer) (Martin Honey)
Shuttle River Bexley: Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail (Ralph Todd)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: 104 Pochard (67 male, 37 female), 1 Greater Scaup, 8 Goldeneye, 1-2 Water Rail, 4 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 7 Siskin (S Harris)
Wanstead Flats: Little Owl (Tim Harris)
The Warren - Bexleyheath: Nuthatch, 2 Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Ralph Todd)
Worcester Park: Little Egret on fields(Bob Smith)
Tuesday 19th January 2016
Bayhurst Wood west fields, Harefield. 2 Short-eared Owl hunting from 16:00 hrs. Interacting and giving great views. Also here a roost of 30 Reed Bunting, 12 Siskin, 15 Meadow Pipit, Sparrowhawk and a Little Egret over west to roost in the Colne Valley. ( John Edwards)
Bexley DA5: 7 Fieldfare S over Penhill Road c09.05 (Ian Stewart)
Blackwall Beach: 1 ad female Peregrine, 32 Comorants, 3 Yellow-legged Gulls (2 1w/2cy, 1 ad), 1 Rock Pipit (Nick Senior)
Brent Reservoir: Neasden Rec side: Cettis Warbler showing well in stream from the boardwalk - 2pm, also 2 Goldcrest, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Siskin in same area.(Davey Leach)
East India Dock Basin: 2 Shelduck, Woodcock flushed from copse, 3 Reed Buntings (Nick Senior)
Enfield Lock: male Merlin at 08.35 in hunting flight across field north east of KGV reservoir (Martin Shepherd).
Enfield Town (River View): 2 Blackcap male and fem in garden with block of fat (Robert Callf)
Bruce Castle Park: 1 Nuthatch - not seen one here for some years. Also Stock Dove, Mistle Thrushes, Jay, Green Woodpecker (Quentin Given).
Bury Farm, Edgwarebury, Edgware, Middx. HA8: Great Grey Shrike seen at 10.15 am near flood defence mound (James Palmer) and at 11.30am (Shailesh Patel/Fay Broom); also 3 Snipe (James Palmer)
Crayford Marshes: Water Pipit, Spotted Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Little Owl, 6 Curlew, c700 Dunlin, Kingfisher, 2 Golden Plover, 2 Ringed Plover. (Kev Jarvis) Plus - Black-tailed Godwit, 96 Golden Plover, Green Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, Cetti's Warbler, Green Woodpecker, 4 Stonechat (incl 1 pair), 4 Song Thrush, Fieldfare, 4 Redwing (Ralph Todd)
Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): incl. a Black Redstart, 100+ Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Collared Dove, 3 Common Gull, 4 Dunlin, a Grey Wagtail, 100+ Redshank, a Rock Pipit, 6 Shelduck and 22 Teal (Mike Robinson ~ seen between 09.15 am and 11.30 am or thereabouts) also 5+ Goldcrest and 4 Redwing in the Grounds of the nearby Church of St John the Baptist
Hampstead Heath: 30 Siskins in Alders at the Stock Pond, where 2 Fieldfare flew N, 0930 ( Pete Mantle)
London Wetland Centre: 4 Bitterns (Res Lagoon) 20+ Redwings/Fieldfare flock Queen Elizabeth Walk, Siskins,3 Pintails, 70+Shovellers, 3 Snipe 5+Goldcrest, 2 Peregrine @ Charing X hosp(S.Barry)
Redbridge Lakes and Roding Valley Park, Woodford Bridge: Chiffchaff, up to 15 Snipe, pair of Reed Buntings, up to 23 Linnets (inc. 19 together), Kestrel, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Common Gull, 3 Herring Gulls, Long-tailed Tit (Alan Hobson).
Richmond Park: fem Goldeneye still despite pond largely frozen, male Dartford Warbler still (J.Wilczur). Where is the Dartford in R Park, lawn fields? Maybe I just need to look harder? (Mark H) Yes & Yes, although it can be elusive. Good luck.
Rickmansworth: Little Owl Stocker's Farm, 2m 1f Red-crested Pochard Bury Lake, displaying pair of Goldeneye, 2 Nuthatches and Treecreeper all near Cafe (Andrew Verrall).
St James's Park: Peregrine soaring over the Park at 14:30 (Frank Nugent).
Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): 4 Redwing low SE, female Blackcap in garden, Goldcrest, Coal Tit (Ian Stewart)
Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Bittern - see my twitter for pics (Chris Farthing)
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: Male Firecrest still between Horse chestnut & Cherry Glades 1305 at least also Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Song Thrush, 5 Goldcrest (Bob Watts)
Trent Park: 2 Firecrest ( SW edge of Rough Lot in laurel canopy approx 250 yds from SE corner of Rough Lot).7 Goldcrest, 3 Nuthatch, 2 Bullfinch, G S Woodpecker, 2 Drake Shoveller,9 Mandarin ( 5. m, 4 F) ( Pete Lowman).
Waterworks NR: Water Rail on the ice on Bed 17 near the fish head, Common Snipe on Bed 15 (Alastair Dent/JW Davies)
Whitewebbs Farm: 22 Yellowhammer, f/imm Reed Bunting, 2 Skylark, c20 Chaffinch on stubble field at TL327 001 - access via public footpath opposite King & Tinker PH (Robert Callf)
Whitewebbs Park: 31 Mandarin Duck 20m 11f, 9 Shoveler 4m 5f on ornamental lake (Robert Callf)
Bury Farm, Edgwarebury, Edgware, Middx. HA8: Great Grey Shrike reported 8.20 on Birdguides - assume access details as last Thursday - but see below (Bob Husband). Bird present late morning in hedgerow as viewed from end of public section of Edgwarebury lane in field south of the last cottage on left. (Bird at TQ 186935). (John Edwards and Patty Briggs) Great Grey Shrike still present 14.00 around the flood defence mound also Red Kite, Buzzard, Siskin, 2 Bullfinch (Ian Stewart)
Crayford Marshes: 1st-w Caspian Gull, Water Pipit, Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Bearded Tit, Spotted Redshank, Little Owl, 3 Yellow-legged Gull, Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, 43 Golden Plover, Rock Pipit. (Kev Jarvis)
East India Dock Basin: Peregrine male, 2 Shelduck, 10 Tufted Duck, 37 Teal (John Archer)
Friday Lake: 3 Smew (all red-heads - 1 first-winter male and 2 females) (Simon Papps)
Pinner Park Farm: Little Owl, Sparrowhawk, pair of Shoveler, Snipe, 116 Redwing, 5 Fieldfare, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest, 25 Jackdaw, Stock Dove & 2 Grey Heron (Jon Ridge).
Pymmes Park, Edmonton: 4 Chiffchaff together in new wetland area - amazing! Thanks James Palmer for reporting them (Robert Callf)
Rainham Marshes RSPB: Male Dartford Warbler, 2+ Short-eared Owl, Barn Owl, 2 Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Kingfisher, 6+ Stonechat (James Hudson) 2 Raven, Siberian Chiffchaff, Red Kite (RSPB visitor centre)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: male Scaup (No 4), Goldeneye, Common Sandpiper, 2 Egyptian Geese, Great Black-backed Gull, Grey Heron, Song Thrush, around a dozen Long-tailed Tits, 2 Gadwall, around half a dozen Little Grebes, 8 Ring-necked Parakeets (Alan Hobson).
Warwick Avenue: Peregrine over at 16:20 (John Cadera)
Woodford Green: 3 Coal Tit on garden feeder (S Howey)
Sunday 17th January 2016
Barnet: Could I have seen a Gannet fly over this snowy morning? Either that or a white cormorant! (Geoff Crabtree) It's possible Geoff, Gannets ( and other seabirds) are recorded most years in small numbers. Was the body totally white though? sinensis race can show extensive white sometimes on head and neck making species look quite different when seen head on (Pete Mantle) Thanks, Pete. It certainly looked like a Gannet to me, and I ought to know having visited Bass Rock only last August. Yes, it appeared totally white whilst flying over. Geoff.
Battersea Park Lakes: Kingfisher, 4 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, 9 Pochard, 17 Shoveler, 107 Gadwall, 56 Tufted Duck, 40 Mallard (Nick Rutter)
Beddington Farmlands: 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Siberian Chiffchaff (yesterday), 3 Jack Snipe, 4 Water Pipit, 12 Redwing, 3-5 Tree Sparrow (Peter Alfrey, BFBG) pics [2]
Brent Reservoir: Jack Snipe & Redshank on mud from main hide (Andrew Self, Andrew Verrall, Roy Beddard)
Crayford Marshes: Little Owl, Spotted Redshank, 2 Marsh Harrier, Common Sandpiper, 71 Golden Plover, Rock Pipit, 350 Dunlin, 440 Lapwing. (Kev Jarvis)
Crews Hill: 80 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare separate from Redwing flock, Nuthatch (Jon Agar)
Crossness: 3 Caspian Gull 2 ads + 3rd winter, Yellow-legged Gull 2nd winter, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Stonechat (a pair), 1 Chiffchaff, 27 Wigeon, 60 Shoveler 1 Common Seal (John Archer)
Dartmouth Park (NW5): Little Egret flying over, towards Hampstead Heath (Tim Blackburn)
Ealing (W13): Male Blackcap in garden this morning (Bill Haines).
East India Dock Basin: 4 Shelduck, 10 Tufted, 1 Little Egret briefly, 1 Common Sandpiper, Cetti's Warbler calling, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Goldcrests (Nick Senior)
Edgwarebury: Great Grey Shrike at Bury Farm (Andrew Self, Andrew Verrall, Roy Beddard)
Staines Reservoirs: 2 Scaup (N basin), 4 Black-necked Grebe (3 on S basin, 1 or possibly 2 on N basin), c. 20+ Goldeneye (S basin) 1 Oystercatcher (Iain Darbyshire). Also this evening, and yesterday morning, a confusing female Ferruginous Duck X Pochard hybrid among the pochard, very like FD till greyish white wingbar seen (Rob Innes)
Trent Park: m Teal upper lake, 2m Shoveler lower lake, Firecrest displaying with Goldcrest in laurel NE edge of Rough Lot (Robert Callf)
Trinity Buoy Wharf: 2 Caspian Gulls (1 4w/5cy i.e. near adult, 1 1w/2cy) over river then on warehouse rooftops at Thames Wharf 200m east viewable from Dock Rd (Nick Senior)
Tufnell Park (Brecknock Rd) 4 Fieldfare in trees 60m from Tube (F Tusa)
Walthamstow Marshes: 3 Fieldfare and 1 Redwing on side paddocks at 16:15, 2 Egyptian Geese on rear paddocks (Alastair Dent)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: m Goldeneye, Scaup (No 4), 3 Common Sandpipers, 8 Siskins (alders S end of E Warwick), f Stonechat (W Warwick) (Quentin Given); 54 Little Egret into the roost 15:30-16:45 ( Frank Nugent).
Waterlow Park N6. Flock of 12-14 Siskin feeding in Alders by Top Pond (F Tusa).
Wimbledon Common: Firecrest in woodland between windmill and pond, foraging low in ivy.(D.Jordan)
Saturday 16th January 2016
Brent Reservoir: 10 Snipe, Water Rail on ice, 4 Fieldfares west, 6 Redwings feeding near Bowling Green, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrests near main hide (Andrew Verrall); later 17 Snipe + Jack Snipe opposite main hide, Cetti's Warbler by main hide (Roy Beddard); 2-4pm Little Egret, all Common Snipe out feeding by 3.45, plus 2 Water Rails walking in the open, Jack not found (Andrew Verrall)
Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, Song Thrush, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam); late pm: m Kingfisher, singing Songthrush, 4 Goldcrests of which two singing, 2 Coal Tit, 1 Collared Dove, at footbridge north of Stephen Lawrence building 1 Chiffchaff again and 2 singing Grey Wagtails (Mike Paice).
Chelsea Creek: 17 Gadwall, 16 Teal (Matt Reed).
Crayford Marshes: 1st-w Caspian Gull, Spotted Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 8 Ringed Plover, Rock Pipit, Curlew, 420 Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit. (Kev Jarvis)
Hogsmill Water Treatment Works: 69 Teal, 9 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, 12,000 Black-headed Gull mainly E soon after dawn, 1740 Herring Gull mainly E, 24 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Kestrel, 35 Collared Dove, 230 Feral Pigeon, 8 Grey Wagtail, 97 Carrion Crow, 23 Magpie, 2 Fieldfare N, 9 Song Thrush, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 36 Linnet, 14 Chaffinch (Andrew Skotnicki)
Lamorbey Park: Pair Mute Swan, Egyptian Goose, 5 Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4+ Goldcrest (Ian Stewart)
Little Britain Lake: 3 Redwing, 2 Goldcrest, 3 Egyptian Geese, Kingfisher, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Gadwall, 2 Shovelers, Pied Wagtail, 5+ Grey Herons on nests (Sue Giddens)
Queen's Park: 2 Green Woodpeckers in the park, including one yaffling (Matt Reed).
Rainham Marshes: Dartford Warbler, 3 Short-eared Owls, 12 Fieldfare, Redwing, Grey Plover and numerous Stonechats (G.Gram); also Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Kestrel, half a dozen Pintail, 6 Snipe, Little Egret, over 20 Linnets, and 8-9 Stonechats, which is the highest number of Stonechats I have ever seen here (Alan Hobson). 2 Short-eared Owls seen over Wennington Marshes (David Mills)
Rayners Lane, Newton Park West: 2 Moorhen, flock of Redwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Goldcrest, Grey Heron over (Tim Rymer).
Richmond Park: 25 Shoveler, fem Goldeneye, 4 Grey Heron occupied nests, juv male Peregrine, 2 Buzzard, 2 Snipe, Jack Snipe, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, 11 Meadow Pipit, 6 Stonechat, Fieldfare over, Dartford Warbler, 7 Siskin (J.Wilczur, R. Martin, O.Dewhurst); 12 Meadow Pipit & 2 Stonechat in addition to those above (H.Bradshaw) & 60+ Redwing (S Woolfenden)
Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): c10 Canada Geese SW, Cormorant S, Sparrowhawk in garden, 4 Stock Dove E, singing Song Thrush, 4 Redwing 1 in garden, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, 2 Jay (Ian Stewart)
Staines Moor: 1+ Jack Snipe (Colne), 7 Water Pipit, 2 Little Egret, 13 Stonechat, 1 Chiffchaff (Lee Dingain)
Swanscombe Marsh: male Dartford Warbler on side of old tip, viewable from public footpath near flat-topped pylon, 2 Avocet, 6 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Stonechat & 2 Raven (Andrew Self)
Tottenham Marsh: 2 female and 1 male Goosander, Peregrine, Kingfisher (James Palmer)
Walthamstow Marshes: 2 Stonechat (m & f) along canal edge of Bomb Crater Field at 12:30 (Alastair Dent)
Wanstead Flats: Common Snipe, 6 Redwing, Reed Bunting, 12 Gadwall, 2 Little Grebe, 3 Kestrel (Wanstead Birders)
Wanstead Park: 2 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Keith Marchant), Water Rail, Woodcock, 2 Little Egret, Blackcap, 5 Goldcrest, 10+ Redwing, 3 Teal, 70+ Gadwall, 30+ Shoveler, Nuthatch, Coal Tit, Lapwing calling in the dark over Warren Wood (Nick Croft/James Heal)
Woodford Green: Coal Tit on garden feeder (S Howey)
Friday 15th January 2016
Barnes, Lonsdale Road Reservoir: minimum of 9 active Heron nests, Water Rail, Cetti's Warbler. Barnes Railway Bridge: adult Yellow-legged Gull. Barnes Village Pond: pair Egyptian Goose with 9 downy young. Yesterday Cetti's Warbler still at Barnes Waterside Pond and one on Thames Towpath in small patch of bramble just N of where Beverley Brook goes into Thames. There are therefore at least 3 Cetti's sites in Barnes away from LWC (R.Kaye)
Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Kingfisher, Song Thrush, Goldcrest, 3 Siskin (Conrad Ellam), 1540 onwards 2 juv 1 adult Grey Heron, 2 Coal Tit, 2 House Sparrow, 2 Collared Dove, 10 Long-tailed Tits, footbridge to north of Stephen Lawrence building 1 Chiffchaff with long supercilium, 1 Grey Wagtail (Mike Paice)
Bury Farm: See Edgwarebury Park.
Crayford Marshes: Short-eared Owl, Little Owl, Spotted Redshank, 30 Golden Plover, 2 Green Sandpiper, Curlew, c 400 Dunlin, 350 Lapwing. (Kev Jarvis)
East India Dock Basin: 1 male Kestrel, 1 male Sparrowhawk, 4 Shelduck, 26 Teal, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Siskin, 9 Goldfinch, 8 Greenfinch (Nick Senior)
Edgwarebury Park, Edgware, Middx. HA8: Great Grey Shrike relocated at 13.20 in Edgwarebury Park (but viewed from the flood relief area - see Bury Farm entry for yesterday). Access to park from A41 Edgware Way or Edgwarebury Lane (Fay Broom per Bob Husband).
Gallions Reach: 2 Common Sandpiper, 6 Linnet (James Palmer)
Hall Marsh: 3 Goosander on Horsemill Stream, just south of Hall Marsh (Simon Papps)
Friday Lake: 2 Smew (redheads) (Simon Papps). Where is Friday Lake, please? (Andy Cameron). Friday Lake is a carp fishery in Cheshunt — OS grid ref TL371019 (Andrew Haynes).
Stoke Newington, Chiffchaff quite vocal at Aden Grove this morning (Pete Mantle)
Stratford, Olympic Park (mainly round the Great British Garden): Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrests, 3 Linnets, 3 Meadow Pipits, Song Thrush, 2 Long-tailed Tits. Also, as well as the Chiffchaff and Goldcrests, another warbler sp. At first I thought it was another overwintering Chiffchaff. However, breast and flanks very yellowy (not buff) and shoulder and scapulars very yellow-olive. Legs also lighter than Chiffchaff's normally are. Worth keeping an eye out for if you are in the Great British Garden area (Alan Hobson).
Bury Farm, Edgwarebury, Middx HA8: Great Grey Shrike in new plantation. Best viewed from the grassy bank of the flood relief scheme. Pedestrian acces via EA track from A41 Spur Road Junction - very busy, parking difficult. (Fay Broom, Bob Husband)
Grovelands Park: 34 Shoveler 21m 13f (Robert Callf) At least one Firecrest calling near rangers hut. (Matt Kirkland)
Horsenden Hill West: 25 Redwing, 60 Common Gull, 20 Black-headed Gull (Home Field) (Martin Smith)
Kew: Peregrine over the Thames seen from RBG Kew Herbarium, 14.00 (Iain Darbyshire).
Middlesex Filter Beds: ~08:30 4 Redwing in the trees then headed off north, 1 singing Chiffchaff (Alastair Dent); 12.40 to 13.15 ca 15 Siskin on willow in bed close to the pond, 1 Goldcrest, 1 male Kestrel, 1 male Mandarin on river Lee (Marcin Kempa). Cetti's Warbler singing in the bed nearest the Hackney Marshes gate at dusk (Alastair Dent) Hi Marcin, was the Mandarin on the Lea by the narrow boats or on the smaller tributary to the North of the MFB's? Thanks Paul Mandarin was on the small tributary.
North Wembley: 12 Redwing in large Cotoneaster near station (Neil Anderson)
Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): Sparrowhawk, Goldcrest in garden (Ian Stewart)
Stoneleigh Station KT17: 9 Redwing, 8 Ring-necked Parakeet (Neil Batten)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: 1w Caspian Gull on Warwick East Island (presumed to be the same bird that was on Lockwood on the 10th). Common Sandpiper, Grey wagtail on #5 and drake Goosander on Lockwood (Matt Kirkland)
Wednesday 13th January 2016
Bayhurst Wood west fields, Harefield (TQ067883): 1 Short eared owl seen from 4.00 to 4.30pm. (Richard Middleton).
Brent Reservoir: 264 Tufted Duck, 43 Pochard, 30 Snipe, 3 Water Rail, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, 2 Goldcrest, Reed Bunting (Roy Beddard). Neasden Rec Side- pm: 12 Siskin in 2 flocks, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 4 Goldcrest & 1 Chiffchaff in Woodland. Big increase in Chaffinch numbers. (Davey Leach).
Bury Farm, Edgwarebury, Middx. HA8: Presumed Great Grey Shrike briefly observed pm but not relocated (Fay Broom per Bob Husband)
Crossness: Common Sandpiper, Water Rail, 6 Curlew, Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk, 18 Black-tailed Godwit, Grey Seal, Common Seal - the 2 seals hauled out together (John Archer)
Grovelands Park: Firecrest in holly behind Rangers' Hut, 5 Siskin (James Palmer) Location of Firecrest please? Checked near one of the usual spots by the ranger's hut at around 14:30 but no sign. (Katy McGilvray) On Sunday saw one well low down in bramble and holly in a 'private area' near the Priory Hospital and another seen briefly calling near Rangers' Hut (Robert Callf)
Kings Cross Train Station. very vocal Pied Wagtail by coffee stall outside station (S.Barry)
London Wetland Centre: 2 Bittern (probably three), 3 Common Snipe, 1m 1f Pintail, 6 Mandarin, 1m 1f Stonechat (Martin Honey)
Oakwood Park: 4 Siskin (James Palmer)
Rainham Marshes: 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 female Merlin, 2 Peregrines, 71 Golden Plovers, c.150 Black-tailed Godwits, 11 Curlew, 2 2cy/1w Caspian Gulls (Stone Barges), 6 Yellow-legged Gulls, 3 Short-eared Owls, 4 Water Pipits (favouring flooded track W of KB hide), Dartford Warbler (100m E of KB hide), presumed Siberian Chiffchaff (in scrub 50m W of Serin Mound typical trististype call), 5 Bearded Reedlings (Nick Senior)
Sutcliffe Park: Little Grebe, Littlw Egret, Song Thrush, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
Trent Park: 7 Common Pochard 5m 2f, 2 fem Tufted Duck, lower lake, 3 Firecrest feeding in laurel Rough Lot (1 SW edge, 2 together near NE edge), 2 Bullfinch (Robert Callf)
Bayhurst Wood west fields, Harefield. 8 ( 4 Pr.) Stonechat plus Peregrine returning to perch on pylon. No sign of any SE Owls here or at nearby Harvil Road by dusk. ( John Edwards).
Brent Reservoir: 19 Common Snipe (S Blake); 40 Pochard, Little Egret, 3 Water Rail, 2 Red Kite, Peregrine, 6 Redwing, Fieldfare, Cetti's Warbler (seen and heard in front of main hide), 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest (Leo Batten).
Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush, 2 Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): incl. a Black Redstart, 300+ Black-Tailed Godwit, a Chiffchaff, 300+ Dunlin, 80+ Redshank, a Rock Pipit, 8 Shelduck and 22 Teal (Mike Robinson ~ 11.00 am to Noon or thereabouts) plus 12 Ringed Plover upstream in the Belvedere area (seen earlier)
King George V: Great Northern Diver (BirdGuides-permit only)
London Wetland Centre: Bittern N shore reservoir lagoon, 5 Common Snipe and 1 Jack Snipe wader scrape (Martin Honey) 23+ Siskin in Alders by bird feeders (Sue Barry)
Richmond Park: Raven low N over Lawn Field, then pursued by male Peregrine, Dartford Warbler, f Goldeneye, Buzzard, Water Rail, 4 Stonechat, 4 Meadow Pipit, 2 Kingfisher (Oscar Dewhurst).
South Norwood CP: Cetti's Warbler and Bearded Tit both in the large reed bed at NW corner of lake this morning. (John Birkett)
Sutcliffe Park: Little Egret, Water Rail, 3 Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper, 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrest, Firecrest, 12+ Long-tailed Tit, 2 Great spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker. (P Kite).
Victoria Park: 9 Red-crested Pochard, 13 Gadwall, 4 Shoveler, 15 Pochard, 40+ Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Egyptian Goose all on West Lake (John Archer).
Crayford Marshes: 4 Caspian Gull (Two 1st w,2nd w & adult), 2 Bearded Tit, Spotted Redshank, 3 Yellow-legged Gull, male Marsh Harrier, Lesser Redpoll, Green Sandpiper.(Kev Jarvis) 13.00 - 13.45 2 Short-eared Owls, 1 male Marsh Harrier (Bart Wozniak, Marcin Kempa).
Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Song Thrush, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
Foots Cray Meadows: 4+ Gadwall, 18 Tufted Duck, 3 Little Grebe, Little Egret, Sparrowhawk, Water Rail by Water Lane bridge, Grey Wagtail, 2 Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Goldcrest, Jay (Ian Stewart)
Harvil Road Harefield: 3 Short-eared Owl, 2 Stonechat (Dan Pinkham). Hi Dan, can you provide any specific directions? Many thanks, Lee Dingain.
Leatherhead Crematorium: 1 Red Kite low nw, 1 Great Black-backed Gull n, 1 Common Gull, 1 Greylag, 1 Nuthatch, 4 Redwing (Neil Batten)
Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 5 Lesser Redpoll (in small Birch nr Redmond centre), Cetti's Warbler, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail (Chris Farthing)
Trent Park: 6 Common Pochard 4m 2f, 3 Tufted Duck 1m 2f lower lake, c25 Siskin, Weasel (Robert Callf)
Sunday 10th January 2016
Alexandra Park: Shoveler drake still Conservation Pond, also pair Nuthatch, Chiffchaff near bridge Filter Beds, c250 Black-headed Gulls, 15+ Common Gulls Wood Green Res and nearby playing fields (Bob Watts).
Brent Reservoir: female Pheasant on north bank, Cetti's Warbler by main hide, 30 Snipe, 2 Siskin over & Greylag Goose; Tawny Owl called at 16:45 on Dump (Andrew Self). Goldcrest, Redwing, Water Rail,(Roy Beddard, Bob Husband et al NW London RSPB Group regular Birdwalk)
Connaught Water: Pr Goosander, Kingfisher, Pintail, c30 Teal, 4 Mandarin. (Joe Dickens and Laura White)
Crayford Marshes: 1st w Caspian Gull, Short-eared Owl, 2 Bearded Tit, 5 Yellow-legged Gull, Water Rail, 45 Golden Plover, Rock Pipit, 600 Dunlin, 450 Lapwing. (Kev Jarvis)
Dartford Marshes: First-winter Caspian Gull by farm lake next to Bob Dunn Way, 20+ Great Black-backed Gull, Water Rail S of Bob Dunn Way, 6+ Cetti's Warbler, 10 Reed Bunting (Ian Stewart)
East India Dock Basin NR: 2 Peregrine (pair) and Sparrowhawk over, Reed Bunting and Grey Wagtail feeding, 4 Shelduck, 54 Teal, 12 Tufted Duck, 2 Egyptian Goose (Frank Nugent).
Grovelands Park (Southgate): 1 Ad Yellow legged Gull low over Lake for 2 mins around 10.45am then flew off S, 16 Mandarin (9m,7f), 3 Prs Shovelor & 2 Prs Pochard on Lake, 2 Siskin around Lake, 12+ Goldcrest, Fieldfare, 4 Nuthatch & 2 Redwing in Woodland. (Davey Leach) also 2 Great Crested Grebe displaying and nest-building, 22 Shoveler 13m 9f, 2 Pochard, 15 Tufted Duck 10m 5f, adult Black-hd Gull wearing yellow 'darvic' 2BKT - North Thames Ringing Group, 2 Common Gull adult and first-winter, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, 2 Firecrest, 5 Goldcrest incl one singing (Robert Callf)
Lee Valley: Smew (redhead) at Friday Lake; 4 Redpolls, Siskin on east side of Hooks Marsh Lake; Stonechat at Hall Marsh Scrape; Sparrowhawk, 3 Goosanders at Fisher's Green; Redwing, Fieldfare at Holyfield Hall Farm (Alan Hobson). Apologies for inaccurate recording under Fisher's Green which I have deleted. I defer to Alan Hobson's more recently entered records, and add, 1 Treecreeper north of Fisher's green car park, 1 Coal Tit in trees behind the old hide at Hall Marsh Scrape. (Toni Piccolo)
Margravine Cemetery (monthly count): 6 Redwing (1st of winter), Song Thrush (rare), 3 Goldcrest, Green Woodpecker, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tit, intruding Peregrine Falcon at hospital chased SE by resident falcon (Nathalie Mahieu, Ruth Savery)
Rainham Marshes RSPB : 1 Dartford Warbler, 3 Stonechats, 90 Golden Plovers, 30 Redshank, 3 Common Sandpipers, 24 Common Ringed Plovers, 2 Little Egrets, 6 Black-tailed Godwits (Luca Robinson).Siberian Chiffchaff still near Serin Mound (twitter) Short-eared Owl and f Marsh Harrier - Landfill/silt lagoons (Ian Bradshaw)
Ravenor Park (Greenford): f Blackcap feeding in ivy, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 8 Redwing, 3 Goldcrest, Jackdaw investigating nest hole-( usually just flyovers here) (Neil Anderson/K. Bull)
Richmond Park; Dartford Warbler, Buzzard, f Goldeneye, c20 Redwing, 2 Lesser Redpoll, Kingfisher, Water Rail, 2 Stonechat, 3 Meadow Pipit, c100 Common Gull (Steve Woolfenden)
Putney SW15, Deodar Road: 22+ House Sparrow - including 8+ males in this surviving local colony (J.Wilczur)
Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): Sparrowhawk, Song Thrush, Goldcrest (Ian Stewart)
South Norwood Country Park: m Bearded Tit, 3 Water Rail (Stuart Fisher et al)
Swanley park : Raven W 9am (site first) 3 Cormorant, 2 Coot (Andy Meaton)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: Caspian Gull, 1st winter on tern raft of Lockwood. flew south @ 15.30 (Jamie Partridge & Paul Whiteman - pics here); 1 Drake Scaup on No. 4 as before, Kingfisher flew up channel near No. 2, Common Sandpiper flew over No. 5, Green Sandpiper flew over Ferry Lane, calling, before dropping down into area near Ferry Lane Industrial Estate sign (Andrew McCafferty)
Boxer's Lake, Enfield: 8 Shoveler 6m 2f, male Pochard, 16 Tufted Duck 10m 6f - double the number of yesterday, Common Gull, 2 Collared Dove (Robert Callf)
Brent Reservoir: 27 Snipe, 2 Water Rail, 6+12 Redwing, 2 Jackdaw south (Andrew Verrall)
Crayford Marshes: Short-eared Owl, 2 Bearded Tit, 5 Yellow-legged Gull, 22 Golden Plover, 750 Dunlin, 670 Lapwing, Stonechat, 3 Cetti's Warblers (Kev Jarvis-Twitter) pm visit- female Merlin flew low S over Cray 14.57, 2 Avocets at creek mouth, Spotted Redshank at saltings, Bearded Tit heard along Cray creek, 10 Shoveler, Great Crested Grebe, c150 Golden Plover, c1000 Lapwing, 20+ Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, c50 Redshank, 3 Curlew, poss Caspian Gull 1w on Securicor roof, ad Yellow-legged Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 singing Cetti's Warbler (Ian Stewart)
Cheshunt: Bowyer's water, Red head Smew & drake Goldeneye. Friday lake, Red head Smew & Little egret. Hall marsh, Jack snipe & 2 Common snipe, Seventy acres, Woodcock flushed (J.murray).
Crossness: Peregrine flying low across reserve then at rest on side of building 1.30pm (Dawn Painter and Steff Turton)
East India Dock Basin: 2 Egyptian Geese, 2 Shelduck, 43 Teal, 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull over the river, 1 Redwing, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrests, 3 Siskins, 2 Reed Buntings (Nick Senior); 158 Teal p.m. (Frank Nugent).
Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): incl. a Black Redstart (Mike Robinson ~ 10.00 am to 11.00 am or thereabouts) Still there from 2-3pm (Dawn Painter and Steff Turton)
Fulham Reach: At least 30 Siskins feeding at corner Rainville & Colwith Rds a.m. (Nathalie Mahieu)
Ponders End Lake: 1 redhead Smew, 12 Lapwing (Andrew Middleton)
Rainham: m Sparrow hawk, 2 singing Song Thrush ( J & J Cadera)
Rainham RSPB: Dartford Warbler, Barn Owl, Marsh Harrier (m & f), Peregrine, 1 Little Grebe ( J & J Cadera)
Richmond Park: Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and a few Kestrels. Goldeneye duck on UPP. 2 Stonechats and 2 small flocks of Meadow Pipits (P Davies, M Foster & L Nicholson). Dartford Warbler, Kingfisher, 9 Siskin (Steve Woolfenden) male Wigeon, 8 Shoveler, juv male Peregrine, c200 Starling left the new roost on Upper Pen Pond Island (J.Wilczur)
River Brent (Greenford- Brent Lodge): 14 Teal, m Mandarin, 4 Heron, Cormorant, Sparrowhawk, 3 Green Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, 12 singing Song Thrush, 4 singing Mistle Thrush, c20 Redwing, 5 Jackdaw (Neil Anderson)
St John's Wood Church Gardens: Jay (Matt Reed).
South Norwood Country Park: Bearded Tit still (Twitter)
Walthamstow Marshes: 3 Stonechat on Bomb Crater Field (one smart male in spring plumage, one pale f/1w type and one very dark ?winter male), 2 Egyptian Geese on front paddocks 10:00 - 11:00 (Alastair Dent)
Lewisham: Peregrine circling around Citibank Tower (Tom Moulton via Sue Gore)
London Wetland Centre: Bittern (west end of Reservoir Lagoon), 2 Stonechat, m Pintail, 2 Little Grebe, 4 Fieldfare over SE, 3 Common Snipe (Peter Charles and Keith Cutting) 75 Wigeon, male Sparrowhawk, c65 Lapwing, 7 Ring-necked Parakeet at visitor centre, Pied Wagtail, c120 Crow, c50 Siskin (J.Wilczur)
Middlesex Filter Beds: 10.30: 1 male Kestrel, 1 Goldcrest. River Lee: 11Tufted Duck,10 Teal, 1 Little Grebe.
Petts Wood: 3+ Firecrests (2 near end of Riverwood Lane by compost heap in hollies, 1-2 by Little Thrift), c20 Redwing, 10+ Goldcrest, Nuthatch, 3 Treecreeper, c100 Jackdaw (Ian Stewart)
Rainham Marshes: Whooper Swan (BirdGuides)
Scadbury Park: Firecrest just inside park near Perry Street entrance, 10+ Goldcrest, Treecreeper, 3 drumming Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Ian Stewart)
Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): Male Blackcap on fat balls in my garden, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Goldcrest (Ian Stewart)
Southwark Park: 11 Tufted Duck, 8 Shoveler, 1 Little Grebe, 8 Canada Goose, Grey Heron, 1 Lesser Black Back Gull, 120+ Black Headed Gull, 30+ Coot, 2 Long Tailed Tit (John Cadera)
Alexandra Park: Water Rail Conservation Pond, 25 Shoveler (13 Boating Lake, 12 Wood Green Res), 12 Pochard Boating Lake, Redwing (Dominic Mitchell per Bob Watts)
Crayford Marshes: Avocet, 2 Marsh Harrier, 120 Black-tailed Godwit, 26 Golden Plover, 2 Common Sandpiper, Water Rail, 2 Stonechat, 2 Yellow-legged Gull, 350 Dunlin. (Kev Jarvis)
College Road Dulwich SE21: Tawny Owl 2m counter calling either side of road at approx TQ333726 and TQ335728 at 1845 (Richard Gowing)
East India Dock Basin: 45+ Teal, 10+ Tufted Duck, 2 Egyptian Geese, 5 Reed Bunting, Dunnock, Grey Heron (Mark Wardman); Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk, 2 Shelduck, 54 Teal, Goldcrest (John Archer)
Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): incl. a Black Redstart, 70+ Black-tailed Godwit, 175+ Redshank, a Grey Wagtail and 2 Rock Pipit (Mike Robinson ~ seen between 10.30 am and 11.45 am or thereabouts)
Greenwich Ecology Park: Little Grebe, 2 Gadwall, Kingfisher, 10 Siskin (John Bushell per Conrad Ellam)
King George V Reservoirs: Slavonian Grebe, red-head Smew, 2+ Goosander, 10+ Goldeneye, 2 Lapwing, 6 Siskin, 8 Meadow Pipit, 20+ Redwing (Chris Farthing)
Leyton Flats/Snaresrbook: Firecrest near Court but very elusive, at least 6 Goldcrest, Kingfisher (Hollow Pond), Siskin, 10 Gadwall on Eagle Pond, 3 Redwing (Stuart Fisher)
Hackney Marshes, on river Lee from Homerton street to Friends Bridge: 10.00 - 11.00, 47 Teal, 58 Mallard, 14 Gadwall, 9 Tufted Duck, 50 Coot, 27 Moorhen, 13 Little Grebe, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 male Sparrowhawk, 3 Goldcrest (Marcin Kempa).
London Wetland Centre: Bittern N shore of reservoir lagoon (B. Page); 3 Common Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe, 1m 1f Stonechat, 1 Fieldfare, 3 singing Song Thrush, c.20 Siskin, 2 Water Rail (Martin Honey)
Pinner (HA5): male Tawny Owl calling at 04:10 (Nick Ridge), Later: Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest, Pied Wagtail & Collared Dove (Jon Ridge).
Sutcliffe Park: Little Egret, Green Sandpiper, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
Rainham, Ferry Lane to Stone Barges 1.40pm - 2.40pm: 3 Short-eared Owls and 2 Marsh Harriers in the air together, 6 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Green Sandpiper on pit near tip, 4 Black-tailed Godwit over (Stuart Fisher)
Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: c150 Redwing, c25 Fieldfare, 5 Teal, 1pr Mandarin, c150 Common Gull, male Bullfinch (John Colmans)
Victoria Park: west lake - 9 Red-crested Pochard, 11 Shoveler, 14 Gadwall, 2 Little Grebe, Mistle Thrush (JW Davies)
Walthamstow Marshes: 09:30 to 10:30: 2 Stonechat in Bomb Crater Field, 6 Little Egret, ~60 Chaffinch, ~40 Linnet and ~10 Pied Wagtail in the paddocks (Alastair Dent); Chiffchaff, Fieldfare (D Barrett)
Walthamstow Res: Drake Scaup on No4 & Kingfisher along river (J.Murray); ad Little Gull - No4 res from at least mid afternoon until dusk (Paul Whiteman/Lol Bodini and later Stuart Fisher)
Wanstead Flats: Firecrest Long Wood still (Twitter), 6 Goldcrest, Stonechat still (first wintering bird for over 5 years), Chiffchaff (centre copse), 8 Fieldfare, Redwing, 20+ Song Thrush, 6 Linnet, 9 Redpoll, 4 Meadow Pipit, Coal Tit, 10+ Pied Wagtail, 4 Gadwall, 4 Pochard 12+ Shoveler, Egyptian Goose, Little Grebe, 2-3 Kestrel (Nick Croft, Bob Vaughan)
Tuesday 5th January 2016
Battersea Park Lake: 115 Gadwall, 63 Tufted duck, 14 Shoveler, 5 Pochard, 2 Little Grebe, 3 Egyptian Geese, 6 Cygnets from last year still present, 122 Cormorant, Sparrowhawk (Michael Mac).
Bedfont Lakes C.P: Male Smew on South Lake at 10.00am (Jim Sweetland).
Brent Reservoir: 20 Common Snipe, Water Rail, Little Egret, 2 Song Thrush, Goldcrest (Steve Blake); M Sparrowhawk flew through, 1 Treecreeper, 4 Goldcrest & 1 Chiffchaff in Wooded Area East of East Marsh 13.40 - 14.20 (Davey Leach).
Crayford Marshes: Avocet, Short-eared Owl, 2 Bearded Tit, Spotted Redshank, imm Marsh Harrier, 85 Golden Plover, 2 Common Sandpiper, 7 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Rock Pipit, Water Rail, c500 Lapwing. (Kev Jarvis) Little Egret, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Kestrel, Short-eared Owl carrying mouse (apologies for pedantry,but its a short-tailed vole, RK - not at all, thanks for pointing this out!)(David Mills)
East India Dock Basin: Siskin male singing in the Copse, Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, Sparrowhawk (John Archer)
Fairlop Waters: Great Northern Diver still showing well on main lake. Also Little Owl, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets (Alan Hobson).
Haddon Grove, Sidcup. Little Egret, Grey Wagtail on River Shuttle, Gt Spotted Woodpecker and at least 20 Ring Necked Parakeets in woods (Eric Brown)
Hilfield Park Reservoir: 17 Little Gull (BirdGuides)
Leatherhead Crematorium: 3 Pheasant, 1 female Kestrel, 1 Redwing, 1 Coal Tit, 6 Ring-necked Parakeet (Neil Batten) Neil - would you be able to e-mail me at rab@budd.demon.co.uk to discuss dragonfly sightings on the Hogsmill? (Bill Budd)
Pinner (HA5): Redwing, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Green Woodpecker & a Greenfinch over (Jon Ridge).
Regent's Park ZSL: Kingfisher (Gorilla enclosure moat) also Great Spotted Woodpecker and Goldcrest. (Alex Randall)
Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): Sparrowhawk, Stock Dove E, Great Spotted Woodpecker, singing Song Thrush, 2 Coal Tits (Ian Stewart)
South Norwood Country Park:Bearded Tit, Water Rail 3 pm. (Roy Weller) Bearded Tit, Cetti’s Warbler late morning (very good views of both, the former was in the large reedbed, the latter next to the path in the wet meadow, near to the pool and fallen tree) (Steven Robinson)
Staines Moor. 18 Stonechat (6 prs. plus singles) present over the moor . A definite count without duplication. Birds counted over the whole of the moor both sides of the R. Colne. Also 2 Water Pipit along the river and 13 singing Song Thrush between the northern concrete bridge and Hithermoor Road plus 3 Chiffchaff together by the burnt out car ( John Edwards).
Staines Res: 3 Scaup and a Black-necked Grebe. (Adam Cheeseman)
Uxbridge; Brunel University Red Kite over Cleveland Road. (Alex Randall)
Wanstead Flats: 1 Skylark (last year we had 8 wintering resident birds–looks like the end is near for the last central London breeding site); On the subject of Skylark, last year I only had one record of one bird - tragic. (JR); Chiffchaff, Redpoll, 4 Great Black-backed Gull east, 3 Teal, 5 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, Coal Tit, 4 Goldcrest (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan)
Crayford Marshes: Short-eared Owl, 2 Bearded Tit, Spotted Redshank, 2 Marsh Harrier, 105 Golden Plover, Yellow-legged Gull, Peregrine, Common Sandpiper, c800 Lapwing, 2 Kingfisher. (Kev Jarvis & Ian Stewart)
East India Dock Basin: Goldcrest, Shelduck, 3 Tufted Duck, c60 Teal (John Archer).
Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): incl. a Black Redstart, 100+ Black-tailed Godwit, a Collared Dove, 70+ Redshank, a Grey Wagtail, a Marsh Harrier (over), 2 Rock Pipit, 4 Shelduck and 13 Teal (Mike Robinson ~ seen between 8.30 am and 10.30 am or thereabouts)
Ewell, Hogsmill Open Space: Little Egret, Song Thrush 4 (two singing) Redwing 6, Grey Wagtail, Nuthatch, Goldcrest , Kestrel (Colin Manville)
Lamorbey Park, Sidcup: 2 Mute Swan, 39 Canada Geese, 2 Egyptian Geese, Little Grebe, 3 Cormorant, Moorhen, Coot, Green Woodpecker and Grt Spotted Woodpecker pair on same branch, Song Thrush, Nuthatch, 3 Redpoll(rear of golf course), Goldfinch 6, Goldcrest 7, Peregrine (Eric Brown)
London Wetland Centre: Tawny Owl calling, 5:20pm (Mike Caiden)
Pinner (HA5): Common Buzzard, 5 Redwing, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Jay & singing Song Thrush (Jon Ridge).
Brent Reservoir: 2 Chiffchaffs in East Marsh, no sign again of Yellow-browed Warbler (Andrew Self); dying 1st winter Kittiwake in front of main hide 12.15 (Roy Beddard).
Fairlop Waters: Great Northern Diver, 58 Golden Plover, Red-legged Partridge, Siskin, Kingfisher, Little Owl (Neil Twyford)
Kentish Town, NW5: Peregrine over N in the rain at 14:05 (Frank Nugent).
King George V Reservoir: Slavonian Grebe, at least 4 Goosanders and 12 Goldeneye, no sign of GN Diver but viewing conditions not ideal (Quentin Given).
Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): Peregrine, 3 Stock Dove E, singing Song Thrush, Redwing S, Goldcrest (Ian Stewart)
Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Little Egret, Kingfisher, Cetti's Warbler, Mistle Thrush, 10 Gadwall, 8 Shoveler, 3 Pochard, 2 Little Grebe, Grey Wagtail, 40 spp. in total. (Chris Farthing)
Surbiton: Seething Wells area - 5 Gadwall, 10 Little Grebe, 13 Lapwing, 8600 Black-headed Gull (2000 N, 6500 E), 56 Lesser Black-backed Gull E, 200 Herring Gull E, 220 Jackdaw, 160 Redwing, 26 Goldfinch (Andrew Skotnicki)
Totteridge Valley : 2 Firecrest still at Oakfields, Mill Hill. Male Peregrine flushed c30 Lapwing from waterlogged fields at Frith Manor at 15:40; also 2 Little Owls (Ian Ellis).
Walthamstow Reservoirs: female Brambling (in trees around grassy area between nos. 4 and 5), 2W Yellow-legged Gull and Common Sandpiper (no4), pair Stonechat (East Warwick), drake Scaup, 3 Goosander and fem Goldeneye (Lockwood) (David Callahan).
Wanstead Flats: Snipe sp–flew across from Alex to the scrub to the east and pitched down, dark form (lacking any clearly visible white on belly), slow flight reminiscent of Woodcock, but not so bulky. Flushed from between birches at under 5 metres, it showed prominent white on outside of spread tail and prominent wing bars white over dark black and lacked prominent stripes on back, appeared larger and broader winged than Common Snipe, didn't call but made audible wing noise on takeoff. Quickly out of sight low behind trees (so no views of head from my position) we couldn't relocate it (any suggestions of what else it might be barring the wished for species?). (NC); Firecrest still Long Wood, 5 Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, 10 + Redwing, 10 + Shoveler, Gadwall, Kestrel, Great Black-backed Gull, 40 + Herring Gull (Wanstead Birders)
Bentley Priory: Hawfinch. Wow - first I’ve seen here since Feb 1981! In clump of three silver birches and hawthorn at roughly TQ153930. That’s about 70 metres west of the steep dip in the concrete top path and about 30 metres south of the path into the area the information board calls “Spring Meadow”. Perched for about 20 seconds in poor light but could see massive bill, black bib and grey nape. Dropped out of sight, then flew NE (towards grounds of house) about 5 mins later, showing broad white bands at base of primaries. (Tony Blake). The last Hawfinches I saw myself on this site were in 1989. Despite combing the area extensively for the past four years, I've yet to see another. A great record. I'm in New Zealand right now, so suitably gripped (Richard Francis). I'll be back.
Brent Reservoir: no sign of Yellow-browed Warbler this morning; 18 Snipe, Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff (Andrew Self)
Brookmill Park:Mandarin, Kingfisher, 2 Song Thrush (Conrad Ellam)
Crayford Marshes: 6 Yellow-legged Gull, Spotted Redshank, 52 Golden Plover, Common Sandpiper, c520 Lapwing, 480 Dunlin, 18 Black-tailed Godwit, 32 Redshank. (Kev Jarvis) 2 Little Egrets on Creek, 2 kestrels, 3 mute swan, 80 teal (Simon Robinson)
Crossness: Marsh Harrier male, 2 Rock Pipit, Stonechat male, 58 Wigeon, 21 Shoveler, Little Egret, Snipe (John Archer)
Dartmouth Park (NW5): Firecrest in back gardens along Laurier Road. Also fem blackcap and 2 siskin (Tim Blackburn)
Fairlop Waters: Great Northern Diver (John Cadera); Great Northern Diver, Great White Egret flew over and then flew North, 6 Common Redpoll, Greater White-fronted Goose (Don Pepper).
Friday Lake: first-winter male Smew, 12+ Siskin (Simon Papps)
KGV Reservoir: Great Northern Diver (S end of S Basin), Slavonian Grebe (NW end of South Basin), Brent Goose (middle of N Basin briefly), 9 (5 m, 4 f) Goosander, 18 Goldeneye (Stuart Fisher); Dark-bellied Brent Goose initially on south basin, then moved to north (Simon Papps). Yes, looked as though it had just landed in the water, I took my eyes off it for a few seconds and it had gone. (SF)
Lamorbey Park: Pair Mute Swan, Egyptian Goose atop beech tree in college grounds, 6 Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, 3 Cormorant, 2 Peregrines, Pied Wagtail, Redwing, 6+ Goldcrest, Jay, Jackdaw (Ian Stewart)
London Wetland Centre: 2 Bittern, 1m 1f Pintail, 1m 1f Sparrowhawk, c.20 Siskin, Goldcrest, 2 Reed Bunting, Coal Tit, 1m Stonechat, 2 Common Snipe, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Water Rail, 1f Pheasant, plus Peregrine on Ch X Hospital (Martin Honey)
Pinner (HA5): 7 Redwing, Coal Tit, Green Woodpecker, Jackdaw, 11 House Sparrow & 3 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge).
Rainham Marshes: 4 ad Little Gulls Aveley Bay, 5 Brent Geese on RSPB reserve plus one Aveley Bay (Fraser Simpson-Twitter)
Richmond Park: f Goldeneye, Kingfisher (Steve Woolfenden) juv male Peregrine perched by Upper Pond above sandmartin wall, siskin x 10 (f.mck)
Rickmansworth: 2 Ravens flew low over the garden heading SSW at 10:50 (Andrew Moon) Don't times change along with Red Kites and Buzzards (Richard Francis).
Walthamstow Reservoirs: 3 Goosander (1 m, 2f), 4 Goldeneye, Stonechat (Stuart Fisher) drake Scaup on Lockwood, Common Sandpiper No4/5, Lapwing over, Barnacle Goose and Fieldfare on playing fields (David Bradshaw).
Wanstead Flats: Firecrest still Long Wood (Richard Rae), Skylark, Chiffchaff (Tony Brown) Great Black-backed Gull (Jono Lethbridge)
Wanstead Park: 2 Nuthatch (Jono Lethbridge) 2 Firecrest (Bush Wood and north of Heronry), 10 + Goldcrest, 4 Siskin, 100 + Gadwall, 20 + Shoveler, 2 Teal (Nick Croft)
William Girling Reservoir (viewed from Mansfield Hill): 9+ Black-necked Grebe (Simon Papps)
Brent Reservoir: YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER behind Heron Hide at least three times, Cetti's Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 2 Treecreeper, 20+ Snipe & 6 Water Rail, total 56 species (Brent Birders)
London Wetland Centre: Bittern, large flock of Siskin, c6-7 Goldcrests, pr Pintail, both resident Peregrines on Charing Cross hospital plus the male made a kill on site and ate prey perched on the Observatory early morning (Wendy Marks, Nathalie Mahieu and others)
Pinner Park Farm: Common Buzzard, Little Owl, 2 Snipe, 2 Fieldfare, 5 Redwing, Grey Wagtail, 7 Pied Wagtail, 7 Stock Dove & 2 Grey Heron (Jon Ridge).
Rayners Lane: 7 redwing in trees at back of my garden, 16 species in total (Tim Rymer)
Regent's Park: my first ever New Years Day bird count yielded an impressive 68 species. The highlights were pr Common Shelduck, 32 Red crested Pochards, pr Wigeon, 28 Mandarins, pr Peregrines, 2 Woodcock, 2 YL Gulls (ad, 3w), 32 Stock Doves, 1m Kingfisher, 2 Fieldfares, Cetti's Warbler, 1m Firecrest (Tony Duckett).
Richmond Park: female Goldeneye Upper Pen Pond (R.Dunne per JW); 11 Meadow Pipit on Pond Slade, 3 Reed Bunting by White Ash Pond, Kingfisher, 3 Stonechat and Dartford Warbler (Frank Nugent); female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 16 Siskin (Nick Rutter).
Ruislip Lido/Woods: Marsh Tit (astonished when this landed in front of me in large hawthorn in Poor's Field at northern swampy end of LNR, posed motionless for just under minute just a few metres ahead of me, flew into base of nearby scrub + then onto oak on LNR perimeter- my first ever of this species here where it historically bred but unaware of recent records. Just after 13.00). Also 5 Teal (LNR), 8 Shoveler, 5 Little Egret, c20 Redwing (Neil Anderson)
Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): 2 Cormorants over, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Stock Dove E, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush singing, 3 Redwing, 2 Goldcrest. 30 species from window, total of 53 in Sidcup. (Ian Stewart)
South Norwood Country Park: Kestrel mobbed by crows (David Mills); Cetti's Warbler and Bearded Tit reported again today (Croydon Birders). Was the bearded tit in the large reed beed again? What time was it seen? I was there this morning but no joy (David).From Croydon Birders website today - showed briefly in large reedbed, viewed from the viewing platform. (Croydon Birders)
Staines Reservoir: Great Northern Diver (briefly of S basin, flew W @ 11:30- found by Rob and Ken), 4+ Black necked Grebe, Pintail, 3 Scaup (2 imm M + fem), still good numbers of Tufted Duck and Pochard (Jim and Tony Sweetland)1 ad Mediterranean gull,I found the Great Northern Diver first by about 10 minutes, 6 goldeneye (John E. Warren)
Stanwell Moor: 15 Siskin, 10 Lesser Redpoll, Chiffchaff, Cettis Warbler, Little Egret (Jim and Tony Sweetland)
Staines Moor: 2 Treecreeper (Bonehead ditch), 4 Stonechat, 3 Red Kite, 2 Buzzard (Jim and Tony Sweetland)
Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Peregrine, Cetti's Warbler, 39 species in total (Chris Farthing)
Stratford, Olympic Park: m Black Redstart, Cetti's Warbler, 3 calling Water Rail, Kingfisher, 5+ Little Grebe, Kestrel, Goldcrest, 2 Reed Bunting, 5 Teal (Stuart Fisher)Hi, Stuart, if it's at all possible, where, approximately, did you see the male Black Redstart in the Olympic Park? Thank you (D.Painter) Hi. It was on the green fence opposite the Great British Garden at appox grid ref of TQ374841. I've had them twice round there recently, it flew into the construction site to the west (SF)
Ten Acre Wood area: m Teal, Little Egret, 2 Buzzard, 44 Lapwing, Snipe, 26 Skylark in flock (my highest count here), 5 Meadow Pipit, f Stonechat, c100 Redwing (some in sub-song in hedge), c25 Fieldfare, 2 Rook in paddock with 17 Jackdaw, 5 Reed Bunting, 3 Lesser Redpoll feeding on Meadow Sweet seeds (1 bird with much paler flanks than other 2), c20 Linnet (Neil Anderson)
Tottenham Marsh: Peregrine, Goldcrest, 55 Linnet (James Palmer)
