I started birding at Dagenham Chase in my early teens, and have been recording the birds there from 1988 until at least April 2015. 1988 was also the year that i was introduced to the UK twitching scene by Steve Bacon. In my early patchwork days i was introduced to the late Ken Barrett with whom i shared many great times and info with, the place will never be the same without him. The best birds that i have found over the years include, 2 immature Gannet on 22nd September 2012, Slavonian Grebe (displaying pair ),3 immature Whooper Swans, Drake Ferruginous Duck on 7th-8th April 2007, with a female in 2014, 3 Honey Buzzards, many Red Kites, 3 Osprey, 1 female Red-footed Falcon on 18th May 2008, 1 Spotted Crake on 31st August 2013, 1 Grey Plover on 29th September 2013, Juvenile Kittiwake, 2 Quail, Summer Plumage Water Pipit, several Ring Ouzels, Marsh Warblers ( bred once only ), Great White Egret & Yellow-browed Warbler in 2015, Cetti's Warbler now colonised, Waxwings on 26th February 2011 & 1st January 2013 and other dates in 2013, Bittern on 10th February 2009, and Juvenile Red-backed Shrike. I have also seen the only two official rarities recorded at Dagenham Chase, Great Snipe and Pine Bunting. I have been on several birding trips abroad, Point Pelee Canada in May 1997, Lesbos Greece in May 2000, Arizona USA in May 2004, Israel in March 2009, Spain in May 2009, Spanish Pyrenees in July 2010, China in May 2013, Ecuador in August 2014 and Morocco in February 2015. I will be birding Madeira in June 2016, and hope to add more trips in the future.
Dagenham Chase life list additions in 2007.
168: Ferruginous Duck 7th-8th April.
169: Osprey 15th August.
170: Cetti's Warbler 7th October.
Dagenham Chase life list additions in 2008.
171: Red-footed Falcon 18th May.
172: Common Crossbill 8th September.
Dagenham Chase life list additions in 2009.
173: Bittern on 10th February.
Dagenham Chase life list additions in 2011.
174: Waxwing on 25th February.
Dagenham Chase life list additions in 2012.
175: Gannet x 2 on 22nd September.
Dagenham Chase life list additions in 2013.
176: Grey Plover on 29th September.
Dagenham Chase life list additions in 2014.
177: Oystercatcher on 21st April.
Dagenham Chase life list additions in 2015.
178: Great White Egret on 11th July.
179: Coal Tit on 9th October.
180: Yellow-browed Warbler on 25th October.
London life list additions in 2007.
215: Grey Phalarope at Rainham Marshes RSPB on 12th January.
216: Ferruginous Duck at Dagenham Chase LNR on 7th April.
217: Spoonbill at Rainham Marshes RSPB on 5th May.
218: Squacco Heron at Crossness Southern Marsh on 29th May.
219: Little Tern at Rainham Marshes Stone Barges Car Park on 24th August.
220: Barnacle Goose at Rainham Marshes RSPB on 21st December.
221: Tundra Bean Goose at Rainham Marshes RSPB on 21st December.
London life list additions in 2008.
222: Iceland Gull at Rainham Marshes RSPB on 7th January.
223: Stone Curlew at Rainham Marshes RSPB on 30th March.
224: Richard's Pipit at Rainham Marshes on 28th April.
225: Sanderling at Rainham Marshes RSPB on 24th May.
226: Fulmar at Rainham Marshes RSPB on 26th May.
227: Common Crossbill at Thorndon Country Park on 21st June.
228: Wryneck at Rainham Marshes RSPB on 20th September.
229: Serin at Rainham Marshes RSPB on 25th October.
230: Arctic Skua ( dark phase ) at Rainham Marshes RSPB on 4th November.
231: Woodlark at Albany Park Near Sidcup on 7th December.
London life list additions in 2009.
232: Great Grey Shrike at Cattlegate Farm Area Near Cuffley on 13th January.
233: Red-crested Pochard at Wanstead Park on 13th January.
234: Velvet Scoter 2m 3f at Staines Reservoir South Basin on 13th April.
235: Common Scoter 6 birds at Rainham Marshes RSPB on 17th April.
236: Purple Heron 1st Summer at West Warwick Reservoir on 24th April.
237: Savi's Warbler at Seventy acres lake Lee Valley on 2nd May.( heard only on 1st May ).
238: Black Kite at South Weald Country Park on 8th May.
239: Gannet x 2 Imm at Rainham Marshes Aveley Bay on 5th October.
240: Sabine's Gull Juvenile Upriver At Rainham Marshes on 7th October.
241: Brown Shrike 1st Winter at Staines Moor on 13th October.
London life list additions in 2010.
242: Great Skua at Rainham Marshes Aveley Bay on 1st January.
243: Black-throated Diver at William Girling Reservoir on 7th January.
244: Dusky Warbler at Lockwood Reservoir on 20th February.
245: Pink-footed Goose at Belhus Park, Huntshill Lake on 7th March.
246: Bewick's Swan at Rainham Marshes RSPB on 7th March.
247: Hoopoe at Rainham Marshes RSPB on 4th April.
248: Black-winged Stilt at Rainham Marshes RSPB on 8th April.
249: White-tailed Plover at Rainham Marshes RSPB on 7th July.
250: Bluethroat at Rainham Marshes RSPB on 16th October.
London life list additions in 2011.
251: Eider Duck at Walthamstow Reservoirs No 5 on 23rd January.
252:Slaty-Backed Gull at Rainham Marshes landfill site on 20th February.
253: Raven at Copped Hall on 26th February.
254: Roseate Tern at Crossness Outfall on 25th September.
255: Shorelark at Queen Elizabeth II Reservoir on 29th October.
London life list additions in 2012.
256: Melodious Warbler at Oliver Road Leyton on 16th May.
257: Bonaparte's Gull at Barking Bay on 19th May.
258: Pectoral Sandpiper at Lockwood Reservoir on 5th September.
259: Baillon's Crake at Rainham Marshes RSPB, from Shooting Butts Hide on 9th September.
260: American Buff-bellied Pipit at Queen Mother Reservoir on 15th December.
London life list additions in 2013.
261: Red-throated Diver at Staines Reservoir North Basin on 29th March.
262: Red-necked Phalarope at King George V Reservoir South Basin on 24th August.
263: Guillemot at Barking Bay on 5th October.
264: Glossy Ibis at Rye Meads RSPB on 9th November.
London life list additions in 2014.
265: Nightjar at Middlesex Filter Beds on 29th September.
266: Lapland Bunting at Wanstead Flats on 16th October.
London life list additions in 2016.
267: Razorbill at Rainham Marshes RSPB on 9th April.
268: Oriental Turtle Dove at Otford on 1st May.
269: Common Rosefinch at Walthamstow Marshes NR on 6th July.
Britain & Ireland life list additions in 2007.
475: Pacific Diver at Farnham GP's North Yorks on 30th January.
476: White-tailed Plover at Leighton Moss RSPB Lancs on 16th June.
477: Asian Brown Flycatcher at Flamborough Head East Yorks on 4th October.
478: American Buff-bellied Pipit at Farmoor Res Oxon on 9th October.
479: American Mourning Dove at Carnach North Uist Western Isles on 3rd November.
Britain & Ireland life list additions in 2008.
480: White-crowned Sparrow at Cley Village Norfolk on 8th January.
481: Scarlet Tanager at Garinish Point County Cork Ireland on 11th October.
482: Little Blue Heron at Letterfrack County Galway Ireland on 11th October.
483: Philadelphia Vireo at Kilbaha County Clare Ireland on 14th October.
484: Alder Flycatcher at Nanjizal Valley Cornwall ( trapped and ringed ) on 9th October.
Britain & Ireland life list additions in 2009.
485: Crested Lark at Dungeness Kent on 30th April.
486: Brown Shrike at Staines Moor Surrey on 13th October.
487: Eastern Crowned Warbler at Trow Quarry, South Shields, County Durham on 23rd October.
Britain & Ireland life list additions in 2010.
488: Syke's Warbler at Channerwick, Mainland, Shetland on 4th October.
Britain & Ireland life list additions in 2011.
489: Rufous Turtle Dove at Chipping Norton Oxfordshire on 26th February.
490: Stejneger's Scoter at Rossbeigh Strand County Kerry on 19th March.
491: Black Scoter at Stag Rocks, Bamburgh on Sea Northumberland on 16th April.
492: Sandhill Crane at Loch Of Strathbeg RSPB on 24th September.
Slaty-backed Gull at Rainham Marshes landfill site Essex on 20th February. ( Pending BOU acceptance ).
Britain & Ireland life list additions in 2012.
493: Hooded Merganser at Pagham Harbour, West Sussex on 17th November.
Britain & Ireland life list additions in 2013.
494: Parrot Crossbill at Gunners Park, Essex on 12th October.
495: Brunnich's Guillemot at Portland Harbour, Dorset on 28th December.
Britain & Ireland life list additions in 2014.
496: Baikal Teal at Fen Drayton RSPB, Cambridgeshire on 30th March.
Britain & Ireland lifelist additions in 2015.
497: Great Blue Heron at Big Pool, Bryher, Isles of Scilly on 24th April.
498: Hudsonian Godwit at Meare Heath, Somerset on 25th April.
499: Citril Finch at Burnham Overy Dunes, Norfolk on 10th May.
500: Hudsonian Whimbrel at Pagham Harbour, West Sussex on 9th June.
501: Cretzschmar's Bunting on Bardsey Island, Gwynedd on 16th June.