LatestNews

By posting news here you agree that your reports may be added to the London Natural History Society database for use in the London Bird Report. Please list sightings alphabetically by site, following our standard format to assist automatic compilation of records into the database. Only report sightings of wide interest rather than listing all common birds but DO NOT post details of nesting by scarce breeding birds (those included in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended). Any such reports will be removed; please submit them instead to the appropriate LNHS bird recorder. A scalable map of the London recording area can be found here. More London bird news can be found on Twitter by searching for sightings from many different observers using the #londonbirds hashtag or by visiting the London Bird Club page (no Twitter account is necessary for either).

'To join the London Bird Club and support our work please visit the LNHS website. 'The 2010 London Bird Report is now out - to get a copy please click here.

Sunday 15th December 2013

 * Alexandra Park: m Teal, 4 Shoveler, 44 Tufted Duck, 9 Pochard, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, 28 Common Gull, several Redwing (Gareth Richards, Bob Watts).
 * Beddington: 2 Pintail, 86 Gadwall, 60+ Shoveler, 3 Wigeon, 300+ Teal, 6 Pochard, 25 Tufted Duck, 7 Green Sandpiper, 6 Snipe, 32 Lapwing, 5 Water Rail, 2 Stonechat, 6 Skylark, 15 Meadow Pipit, 3 Sparrowhawk, 1 Peregrine (Peter Alfrey, BFBG) some pics
 * Brent Reservoir: 50 Golden Plover flew west at 10.25, also 2 Little Egrets, 30 Snipe (Andrew Self); WeBS counts175 Teal, 289 Tufted Duck, 38 Pochard, Green Sandpiper, 31 Snipe, 6 Water Rail, 681 Coot (Roy Beddard).
 * Brookmill Park, SE8: Little Grebe, Mandarin, Kingfisher, 2 Song Thrush (Conrad Ellam)
 * Crayford Marshes: male Marsh Harrier, Spotted Redshank, 30 Golden Plover, 2 Rock Pipit, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 16 Black-tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper, male Peregrine, 82 Fieldfare, 3 Little Egret. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Dalston, Hackney: 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Goldfinch (G Howie) pics/vid
 * Hackney, N1: 1 female Blackcap  first in our garden this winter, Coal Tit not seen today but been in our garden for last few days (Michael Rank).
 * Hampstead Heath: Goosander still at Hampstead 1 Pond (Frank Nugent, Pete Mantle)
 * London Wetland Centre: Bittern, 142 Teal, 2 Pintail, Peregrine, 379 Black-headed Gull, Kingfisher (WWT website)
 * Oxleas Woods: SE9 1YG  m Blackcap, 5 House Sparrows (4 m & 1 f), 2 Coal tits, 8 Redwing (John Reid)
 * Rectory Farm, Enfield: 60+ Collared Dove (Robert Callf).
 * Ten Acre Wood area: 31 Lapwing, 14 Skylark, 2 Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk (G Westley).
 * Thames (Putney- Barnes Bridges): WeBS -15 Cormorant, 8 Heron, 5 Mute Swan, 194 Canada Geese (mostly Barn Elms playing fields), Greylag, 2 Canada x Greylag, 4 Egyptian Geese, 302 Mallard, 382 Teal, 3 Pintail (pr by mouth Beverley Brook, male opposite LWC), 8 Gadwall, 31 Tufted Duck, 3 Coot, 18 Moorhen, c1400 Black-headed Gull,18 Common Gull, 47 Herring Gull, 29 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 4 Great Black-backed Gull (Neil Anderson)
 * Thorney CP:  5 Little Grebes, Mute Swan, 30 Tufted  Duck, 3 Gadwall, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Pochards, 3 Cormorants. (Sue Giddens)
 * Wansteaf Flats: ad Mediterranean Gull, 34 Linnet, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Reed Bunting, 11 Skylark, 4-7 Meadow Pipit, 20 Gadwall, 21 Shoveler, 22 Tufted Duck, 4 Pochard, 6 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing (Wanstead Birders)
 * Wanstead Park: 363 Gadwall (a new record), 37 Pochard, 20 Shoveler, 14 Teal, 90+ Tufted Duck, 130+ Mallard, 16 Mute Swan, 150+ Jackdaw going to roost, Treecreeper, 4 Goldcrest, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 30+ Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 10 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Skylark, Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Bunting (Wanstead Birders)

Saturday 14th December 2013

 * Alexandra Park: 5+ Shoveler, 2 Teal pr Wood Green Res, 22 Redwing (Bob Watts, Henry Wyn-Jones).
 * Beddington: first-winter Iceland Gull on hillside on eastern side of main lake until flying behind ridge at 12:30, 2 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, 8 Teal, Kestrel, Meadow Pipit (Matt Reed).
 * Brent Reservoir: 2 Little Egrets, 2 Egyptian Geese, 33 Common Snipe, 7 Water Rails (Brent Birders)
 * Brookmill Park: Little Grebe, 2 Mute Swan, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Kingfisher (Conrad Ellam)
 * Crayford Marshes: 110 Golden Plover, Green Sandpiper, 32 Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, c700 Dunlin, 45 Fieldfare, 40 Wigeon, 50 Teal (Kev Jarvis).
 * Hackbridge: Feral Pigeon collecting nesting material (Matt Reed).
 * Hampstead Heath: Goosander, Water Rail both on Hampstead Pond No1, Fieldfare Hedge 2, Redwing, Gadwall, Shoveler, Great Crested Grebe, Treecreeper, Nuthatch (Dave Porritt); Goosander f still present 1600, another Water Rail on Highgate No1 pond (S. Tusa)
 * Leyton Jubilee Park/Orient Way area: c650 Ring-necked Parakeet leaving roost, 36 Blackbirds, 6 Song Thrush, 7 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush, Grey Wagtail, 11 Chaffinch, 20 Goldfinch, 2 Meadow Pipit (Stuart Fisher)
 * Little Venice: 6 Blackbirds (Barbara Harrison)
 * Middlesex Filter Beds: Firecrest again in evergreen oak on river bank c100m west of the pond at 11:50 (Alastair Dent)
 * Osterley Park: 4 Common Gull, 8 Cormorant, 3 Egyptian Goose, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Grey Heron, 40+ Jackdaw, Little Grebe, Pied Wagtail, 4 Ring-necked Parakeet, 12 Shoveler (Richard Woolley).
 * Richmond Park: 129 Gadwall, 60 Wigeon, 9 Red-crested Pochard, 10 Redwing, Fieldfare, 1st-w Stonechat (Neil Anderson/K. Bull); 2 Stonechat m f east of White Ash Pond (Steve Woolfenden)
 * Staines Moor: Jack Snipe, Peregrine SW, 3 Red Kite NW, Common Buzzard on west side, Water Pipit along R Colne, 2 Common Snipe, Grey Wagtail, m Stonechat, m Reed Bunting, 190+ Fieldfare at north end, 17 Redwing, 4 Pied Wagtail, and 1+ Little Grebe on Colne (Lee Dingain). rubbish pic of JS here
 * Wanstead Flats: 36 Linnet, 6 Skylark, Snipe on Police Scrape (Bob Vaughan), 24 Lesser Redpoll SSSI (Steve Thorpe)
 * Wanstead Park: Treecreeper and Nuthatch Bush Wood (Bob Vaughan); Wigeon (Dan Hennessy)

Friday 13th December 2013

 * Beddington: 1st-winter Iceland Gull south lake at 12:50 then flew SW, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, 10+ Gadwall, 30+ Teal, 5 Shoveler, Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe, 40+ Heron, 20+ Lapwing (Nick Croft)
 * Brent Reservoir: Egyptian Goose, Lapwing, 34 Common Snipe, 2 Water Rail (Roy Beddard, Nick Haslett)
 * Brookmill Park: Kingfisher (Conrad Ellam)
 * Crayford Marshes: immature Marsh Harrier, Grey Plover, Rock Pipit, 34 Golden Plover, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 2 Stonechat, 27 Black-tailed Godwit, Kingfisher, 52 Fieldfare, c650 Dunlin (Kev Jarvis).
 * East India Dock Basin: Sparrowhawk (Neil Preston)
 * Hornsey (Priory Park): 20 Goldfinch (James Palmer).
 * Snaresbrook/Leyton Flats: 53+ Lesser Redpoll, Green Woodpecker, 5 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, 60+ Tufted Duck, 10 Pochard, 4 Jay (one giving quiet song or subsong incl mimicry of Grey_Wagtail & Cetti's_Warbler) (Stuart Fisher)
 * Kilburn: midnight mass - 3 Robins 2 singing & 1 ticking 3.30am by street/gdn lite St Cuthbert's Ch Gdns (Andrew Verrall).
 * Three Mills: 4 Mistle Thrush, 3-4 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker (Neil Preston)
 * Worcester Park, The Hamptons (Mayflower Park Wetlands): Water Rail heard (Bob Smith)

Thursday 12th December 2013

 * Cornmill Gardens, Lewisham: Kingfisher (Tom Moulton)
 * Crayford Marshes: Avocet, Marsh Harrier, Spotted Redshank, 24 Golden Plover, Chiffchaff, 125 Black-tailed Godwit, c650 Dunlin, c460 Lapwing (Kev Jarvis).
 * East India Dock Basin: Chiffchaff (yesterday's bird looking slightly less striking without the fog but still totally lacking green or yellow except a little yellow at the wing bend but still calling like a nominate bird), 2 Shelducks, 300+ Teal, Grey Wagtail (John Archer).
 * Finsbury Park: 12 Gadwall (James Plamer).
 * Heathrow Airport: Black Redstart female or immature male (Rob Mills)
 * Kentish Town NW5 (Arctic St): 8 Fieldfare landed in rowan tree then flew N 0900 (Pete Mantle)
 * Kilburn: dawn chorus - Robin s 04.30, Song Thrush s 06.50 [st cuthbert's chch gdn] (Andrew Verrall).
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 White-fronted Goose W pm, Bittern, 31 Redwing, 8 Blackbird NW, Siskin, 8 Redpoll N+W, 6 Meadow Pipit W (WWT).
 * Redbridge Lakes: 4-5 Snipe, Grey Heron, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Jays, 3 Goldfinches (Alan Hobson).
 * Staines Moor: Water Pipit along R Colne, Water Rail by bridge to Stanwell Moor (Jim Sweetland)
 * Staines Reservoirs: drake Scaup and 3 Black-necked Grebe (one showing signs of summer plumage already) at 13:00 all on South Basin (Alastair Dent)
 * Waltham Forest E4 (Vincent Rd): 7 Redwings, 5 Blue Tits, 8 Goldfinches, 3 Great Tit, 2 Blackbird (Daniel Whitelegg).

Wednesday 11th December 2013

 * Alexandra Park: Tawny Owl calling through the freezing fog until 0710 at least from Conservation Area (Bob Watts).
 * Beddington: Iceland Gull [Ldn season-1st] (RBA)
 * Bexleyheath: 21 Pied Wagtail in Market Square roost - down from Monday (Ralph Todd)
 * Brookmill Park: Kingfisher (Conrad Ellam)
 * Canons Park (Edgware): Little Owl, c40 Redwing, 3 Long-tailed Tit (Paul Bolland)
 * Crayford Marshes: calling Grey Plover, Green Sandpiper, Little Egret, Snipe, 12 Fieldfare, c100 Lapwing, 4 Shoveler, 35 Redshank (Kev Jarvis).
 * East India Dock Basin: Chiffchaff - an interesting bird in the Copse looking like a classic tristis but calling like nominate (John Archer).
 * Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens: 1-2 Little Owl, 2 Tawny Owl, 2 Wigeon, second-winter Great Black-backed Gull (James Palmer).
 * Tyttenhanger GPs and Willows Farm: Water Rail, Jack Snipe, 9 Siskin, Bullfinch, Treecreeper, c100 mixed flock of Redwing and Fieldfare (Steve Blake); 3 Tree Sparrow (Alan Gardiner)
 * Wanstead Flats: 3 Fieldfare, 5 Redwing, 20+ Blackbird, 4 Mistle Thrush, 10+ Linnet, 6+ Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Kestrel, 11 Long-tailed Tit, 27 Gadwall, 14 Tufted Duck, 3 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, Stock Dove (Nick Croft); f Blackcap in garden (J Lethbridge)
 * Worcester Park, The Hamptons (Mayflower Park Wetlands): Water Rail heard (Bob Smith, John McSweeney) TQ231666

Tuesday 10th December 2013

 * Bexleyheath (Hall Place North): 8 Lesser Redpoll (Ralph and Brenda Todd)
 * Brent Reservoir: 32 Snipe, 2 Water Rail, Green Sandpiper, Lapwing, 2 Little Egret, 2 Egyptian Goose (R Beddard, S Blake)
 * Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Kingfisher, Song Thrush, Blackcap (Conrad Ellam)
 * Broomfield Park: 30 Goldfinch (James Palmer).
 * Bushy Park: Little Egret, 3 Skylarks, 8 Meadow Pipits, 2 Stonechats pr (Tony Duckett).
 * Chiswick Eyot: Kingfisher, Snipe, Chiffchaff, c30 Teal (Louis Freeland-Haynes)
 * Crayford Marshes: Grey Plover, Spotted Redshank, 2 Rock Pipit, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 12 Golden Plover, Curlew, c500 Lapwing, 10 Black-tailed Godwit, Cetti's Warbler (Kev Jarvis).
 * Grovelands Park: 20 Shoveler, 2 Egyptian Goose (James Palmer).
 * Greenwich Peninsula: 2-3  Chiffchaff, 2 Redwing 2, Meadow Pipit, 10  Redwing over at  21.00 . (Richard Green).  RG pls follow standard format
 * Mottingham SE9: 2 Blackcap m+f and Redwing together in gdn 0930 (Peter Charles)
 * Park Farm, Enfield: Common Buzzard perched (very pale) - white face & breast with 'scaly' uppers (Robert Callf).
 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: 2 White-fronted Goose, 7 Pintail, 50+ Golden Plover, Curlew, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Marsh Harrier pr, Kestrel, Chiffchaff, Stonechat, Water Rail (Nick Croft/Barry Bishop/Harry Lacey); 12 Water Rail, 11 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Stonechat, Green Sandpiper (Dave Morrison)
 * Shoreditch: Grey Wagtail (Richard Green)
 * Southall (Warren Farm): nothing to report other than plans to build on this community open space that is the only local spot where I see Rook and good for passage migrants such as Wheatear (15 recorded together one day back in April). At this time of year there's often good numbers of Fieldfare and Redwing feeding.  Details can be found at www.savewarrenfarm.com that includes a petition some of you may consider signing? (Rob Mills)
 * Three Mills: Redwing, Grey Wagtail, 2 Egyptian Goose (Neil Preston); Kingfisher (John Archer).
 * Trent Park: Goosander m Lower Lake, 3 Mandarin Duck m 2f, 4 Pochard 2m 2f, 13 Tufted Duck 5m 8f, Firecrest feeding in holly & laurel Rough Lot 14:04-14:29 hrs (Robert Callf).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Banbury - 3 Goosander 2m f, c60 Tufted Duck, 9 Shoveler, 6 Pochard, 4 Gadwall, c15 Great Crested Grebe, Green Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail relief channel, imm Great Black-backed Gull, Peregrine (Lol Bodini)
 * Waterworks NR: 3 Shoveler, 7 Coots, Sparrowhawk, 12 Moorhen, 2 Snipe, 2 Tufted Duck, 6 Teal, Chaffinch, Mute Swan (Daniel Whitelegg).

Monday 9th December 2013

 * Bexleyheath: 36 Pied Wagtail in Market Square roost - much reduced with Sparrowhawk present beyond sunset (Ralph Todd)
 * Bow Creek: 1-3 Common Sandpiper, 2-3 Redshank (James Palmer).
 * Brookmill Park: Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Conrad Ellam)
 * Crayford Marshes: Grey Plover, 3 adult Yellow-legged Gull, 3 Rock Pipit, 32 Golden Plover, 4 Stonechat, Green Sandpiper, male Peregrine, 18 Black-tailed Godwit, 18 Wigeon, 70 Dunlin, 22 Fieldfare (Kev Jarvis).
 * East India Dock Basin: Little Egret W, Yellow-legged Gull ad on mud by O2, 68 Teal (John Archer); 3 Shelduck (James Palmer).
 * Eltham SE9: 2 Little Egret E over Eltham Palace 1500 (Peter Charles)
 * Hackney N1: Coal Tit back in our garden (also seen on Dec 6), male Great Spotted Woodpecker, c10 House Sparrow (Michael Rank).
 * London Wetland Centre: dusk - 2 Pintail, 52 Egyptian Goose, 2 Bittern, 9 Snipe, Woodcock, Green Sandpiper, Tawny Owl, 77 Redwing (R.Kaye, O.Dewhurst.)
 * Middlesex Filter Beds: Firecrest still present in bushes along relief channel, 2 Chiffchaff (Jonathan Nasir)
 * Redbridge Lakes and Claybury Park: Snipe, flock of c12 Redpolls, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Song Thrush, flock of 6 Long-tailed Tits, 6 Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Goldfinches, Stock Dove (Alan Hobson)
 * Rainham RSPB: 2 White-fronted Goose still (RBA/Birdguides)
 * Richmond Park: 3 Woodcock flew out of Sidmouth Wood at dusk (Nigel Jackman); Dartford Warbler (BirdGuides) can you say where specifically the Dartford Warbler was seen?
 * Southwark SE1: Black Redstart 1w/f nr London Wildlife Trust office 1330 (Richard Woolley, Peter Beckenham, Tony Wileman et al)
 * Staines Moor: 100+ Fieldfare, 3 Meadow Pipit, 7 Ring-necked Parakeet, 6 Greenfinch, 3 Song Thrush, 2 Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Kestrel, Common Snipe (Keith Kerr).
 * Stanwell Moor: 9 Long-tailed Tit, 6 Song Thrush, 4 Goldcrest, Kingfisher (Keith Kerr).
 * Stocker's Lake, Batchworth Lake and Bury Lake: Egyptian Goose, Black Swan, 3 Chiffchaff, Little Egret, 4 Goldeneye m 3f, 2 Red Kite, Little Owl (David Howdon) DH please edit this into individual sites
 * Stoneleigh KT17: Blue-fronted Amazon Parrot showing well in gardens around The Glade with usual entourage of 6-7 Ring-necked Parakeets (Neil Batten).
 * Thorney CP: Kingfisher, 3 Little Grebes, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, 4 Goldcrests, Grey Heron, 6 Fieldfare, Grey Wagtail over, 5 Siskins, 3 Goldfinch, 3 Chaffinch, Jay, 3 Mute Swans (Sue Giddens)
 * Three Mills: 5 Gadwall, 3 Redshanks, 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 6 Pied Wagtails, 2 Grey Wagtails (Neil Preston)
 * Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: c100 Redwing, c20 Fieldfare, 2 Teal (John Colmans)
 * Trent Park: drake Goosander Lower Lake, 2 Shoveler m f, Firecrest feeding in holly & laurel Rough Lot, f Bullfinch (Robert Callf); Goosander m (as above), 8 Siskin, 22 Redwing, Fieldfare, Green Woodpecker, 6 Tufted Duck 2m 4f, 2 Pochard m f, 2 Mandarin m f, c60 Black-headed Gull (Pete Lowman).
 * Vicarage Farm, Enfield: Little Egret SW 11:20 (Robert Callf).

Sunday 8th December 2013

 * Alexandra Park: 3 Teal m f & poss 2nd f, 2 m Gadwall, c12 Redwing (Andrew Gardener, Bob Watts, Henry Wyn-Jones).
 * Brent Reservoir: Jack Snipe from Heron Hide, also 5 Water Rail seen & heard, 23 Common Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper, 3 Egyptian Geese, Chiffchaff (Brent Birders)
 * Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Kingfisher (Conrad Ellam)
 * Burgess Park: adult Mediterranean Gull still on the lake and showing well, coming to bread (Richard Bonser)
 * Connaught Water: Teal, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Ring-necked Parakeet (M. Harper)
 * Crayford Marshes: 2 Yellow-legged Gull (3rd-winter & adult), 72 Golden Plover, Spotted Redshank, Cetti's Warbler, 24 Black-tailed Godwit, 18 Fieldfare (Kev Jarvis).
 * Crossness: Yellow-legged Gull ad, 28 Wigeon, 3 Chiffchaff (John Archer & Richard Bonser).
 * Fairlop Waters & Bretts Gravel Pits: fem Goosander (main lake), Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Snipe, 97 Golden Plover, 392 Lapwing, 70 Cormorant, 4 Grey Heron, 19 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Little Grebe, 15 Teal, 35 Gadwall, 23 Shoveler, Water Rail, 14 Pochard, 39 Tufted Duck, 45 Fieldfare, 17 Redwing (Steve Bacon)
 * Gunnersbury Park: 3 Common Gull, Cormorant, 2 Egyptian Goose, Goldcrest, Grey Heron, Jay, 20+ Ring-necked Parakeet, 6 Shoveler (Richard Woolley).
 * Hampstead Heath: f Teal at Hampstead 1 Pond,Kingfisher, 8 Shoveler, 10 Gadwall, 3 Common Gull, 2 Pochard, 5 Redwing, 8 Fieldfare over (Frank Nugent).
 * Kensington Gardens: Tawny Owl showing well, 2 Nuthatch in adjacent tree, Coal Tit in the Flower Walk (Martin Honey)
 * London Wetland Centre: Bearded Tit (calling from grazing marsh), Bittern, Pintail, Mandarin, 66 Shoveler, Jack Snipe, 15 Redwing (WWT website)
 * Middlesex Filter Beds: Firecrest again at 13.30 in scrub to left of Hackney Marshes entrance then flew off towards river (Alastair Dent).
 * RSPB Rainham Marshes: 2 White-fronted Goose behind Purfleet scrape late pm (H. Vaughan, D Capper, J Lowen et al)
 * St James's Park: 2 Peregrine pr hunting just before dusk - female most action chasing pigeons but didn't see any caught also mobbed by gulls (Michael Mac).
 * Southfields SW18 (Sutherland Grove): f Sparrowhawk over mobbed by 2 crow (Martin Honey)
 * Staines Reservoirs: Smew fem, Scaup drake, Pintail fem, 3 Black-necked Grebe - early am (Bob Warden per FJM)
 * Ten Acre Wood area: 21 Lapwing, Snipe, 6 Skylark, m Blackcap, c160 Redwing, 50+ Fieldfare, 2 Rook pr displaying on street lamp by A40, 8 Linnet (Neil Anderson/K. Bull)
 * Wanstead Park: Bush Wood - 2 Firecrest (Tony Brown)
 * Yeading Brook: Sparrowhawk, 180+ Redwing, 3 Fieldfare (Neil Anderson/K. Bull)

Saturday 7th December 2013

 * Alexandra Park: 2 Common Teal pr Conservation Pond, 2 drake Gadwall Tunnel Res, 7+ Shoveler 3 Wood Green Res with several more Boating Lake, Common Snipe flew into Wood Green Res; recently up to 5 Blackcaps 3m 2f garden bordering Boating Lake (Bob Watts, Henry Wyn-Jones).
 * Barbican: 8 Moorhen, 6 Mallard, 3 Coot (including one considerably leucistic bird) (Matt Reed).
 * Battersea: Grey Wagtail by riverside, singing Woodpigeon (Matt Reed).
 * Bow Creek Ecology Park: 22 Teal on Thames (Matt Reed).
 * Brent Reservoir: 2 Egyptian Geese, 30+ Pochard, 340+ Tufted Duck, 2 Lapwing, 27 Common Snipe, 5 Water Rail (Brent Birders).
 * Connaught Water: 22 Mandarin 20m 2f, red-head Smew (Paul Whiteman); also 6 Ringed Teal 3m (Jean-Patrick Elmes) RTs not naturalised
 * Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, 3rd-winter Yellow-legged Gull, 42 Golden Plover, 20 Black-tailed Godwit, 70 Dunlin, Green Sandpiper, 2 Little Egret, 3 Curlew (Kev Jarvis).
 * Cremorne Gardens: 33 Teal, 33 Gadwall, Mute Swan, 2 Great Black-backed Gull on Thames (Matt Reed).
 * East India Dock Basin: 263+ Teal (an under-count as birds still coming in as I left at 1530), Shelduck, 5 Tufted Duck, 12 Mallard, 2 Moorhen (Matt Reed)
 * Epsom: 1-2 White Wagtails associating with Pied Wagtails around car park at rear of Epsom Town Hall early afternoon (one bird viewed down to ten feet) (Neil Batten)
 * Fulham Reach: Crabtree Wharf - c40 House Sparrow (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Gallions Reach: 54 Cormorant, 16 Shelduck, 14 Teal, 5 Redshank, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Godwits (ID unconfirmed as too far away towards Creekmouth) (Matt Reed).
 * Grovelands Park: Little Grebe, 15 Cormorant roosting on island 15:45, 4 Egyptian Goose, 13 Mandarin Duck 10m 3f, 23 Shoveler 15m 8f, 10 Moorhen, Song Thrush singing, 7 Redwing, 4 Goldcrest including one singing (Robert Callf).
 * Gutteridge Wood: Little Egret, 3 Teal on brook (G Westley).
 * Hampton: female Blackcap in garden (Gordon Shaw).
 * Horsenden Hill: fem Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in hedgerow near to bowling hut, also 17 Fieldfare, 45+ Redwing, 2 Snipe and 2 Teal (Andy Culshaw).
 * Lewisham: R Ravensbourne behind Molesworth St - Kingfisher (Tom Moulton)
 * London Wetland Centre: probably 3 Bittern (main lake), 4 Pintail (2m f grazing marsh & f wader scrape) (Martin Honey).
 * Margravine Cemetery: 2 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Greenfinch, 3 Chaffinch, 2 Peregrine Falcon (on hospital) (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Middlesex Filter Beds: Firecrest at 12.00 close to towpath entrance in further of two beds from canal (Alastair Dent).
 * Staines Moor: 3 Cormorant over, 100+ Fieldfare, Green Woodpecker, Grey Heron, Kestrel, Little Egret, Little Grebe, 4 Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 4 Ring-necked Parakeet (Richard Woolley).
 * Swanscombe Marsh: ringtail Hen Harrier over 12.10, Raven on pylons 12.05, Curlew, c150 Dunlin, c160 Lapwing, 5 Knot, Little Egret, 2 Yellow-legged Gull ad & 2nd-w, 2 Wigeon, 2 Stonechat (Andrew Self & John Cadera).
 * Ten Acre Wood area: 12 Skylark, 30+ Lapwing, 11 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Buzzard (G Westley).
 * Tyttenhanger GP: Woodcock Garden Wood (Steve Blake).
 * Wanstead Flats &amp; Park: 23 Linnet, 12 Skylark Police scrape, 307 Gadwall (previous record smashed), Wigeon (Tim Harris/Dan Hennessy).

Friday 6th December 2013

 * Alexandra Park: Golden Plover seen & heard over the Grove (Sarah Wyn-Jones per Bob Watts).
 * Brookmill Park: Kingfisher (Conrad Ellam)
 * Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, adult Mediterranean Gull, Rock Pipit, 35 Golden Plover, 3 Curlew (Kev Jarvis).
 * East India Dock Basin: Shelduck, 330+ Teal, 2 Tufted Duck, Meadow Pipit S, Chiffchaff, Cormorant (the Estonian-ringed bird again on the jetty) (John Archer).
 * Greenwich Peninsula: Yellow-legged Gull ad on mud by O2 (John Archer).
 * Hackney: Coal Tit in our garden - only the third ever (Michael Rank).
 * Hollow Pond: 5 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Shoveler, Mute Swan, Grey Heron, 5 Robin; gd nos of Pochard, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Canada Goose, Coot, Moorhen, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Ring-necked Parakeet (Daniel Whitelegg).
 * Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: 40+ Lesser Redpoll, Grey Wagtail, 7 Redwing over, 7 Chaffinch, 2 Egyptian Geese, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 26 Ring-necked Parakeet over (Stuart Fisher)
 * Three Mills: Sparrowhawk m, 2 Egyptian Goose, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Mistle Thrush (Neil Preston)
 * Queen Mother Reservoir: Common Scoter (BirdGuides).
 * Rainham Marshes: 50+ Golden Plover, 20+ Curlew, 10+ Curlew, Snipe, Marsh Harrier, Rock Pipit, Yellow-legged Gull, 4 Stonechat (Conrad Ellam) CE - you've inadvertently listed C'rlew twice. (To 'Snlw' - pls see yr Talk page.) [b_e]
 * Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 12 Gadwall, f Teal Bandstand Is area 7 - scarce here, 22 Shoveler, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe pr, m Sparrowhawk, m Kestrel, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chiffchaff a36, m Blackcap wildlife gdn a20, singing Song Thrush, singing Mistle Thrush, 6 Siskin over - no wintering M'ndarin/Water_Rail/F'recrest/R'dwing yet (birdman_euston)
 * Richmond Park: Little Egret by reeds on Sheen Gate Pond early am then flew towards Beverley Brook (Justin Quail per FJM)
 * Streatham: mixed flock of House Sparrows, Blue Tits, Great Tits and Goldfinches in the garden (slightly unusual combination I thought) (R Bell).
 * Tottenham Marshes: Kingfisher (James Palmer).
 * Trent Park: 3 Woodcock, Grey Wagtail (Robert Callf/Robin White).
 * Waterworks NR: 2 Firecrests near entrance to hides, also 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Snipe and f Peregrine S (Jamie Partridge); Sparrowhawk (James Palmer).

Thursday 5th December 2013

 * Barnet: Red Kite over A1 embankment (Neil Anderson).
 * Grovelands Park: Little Egret - my first for the site - inadvertently flushed whilst counting Shovel'r, 24 Shoveler 16m 8f, Firecrest feeding in holly in wooded area SE of lake 11:27-11:31 (Robert Callf).
 * London Wetland Centre: 5 Brent Goose N, 2 Bittern, Bullfinch, Fieldfare, Redpoll, 6 Siskin, 9 Snipe (Adam Salmon).
 * Oxleas Woods: Firecrest m in holly along footpath behind Crookston Rd 11am (Andrew Birks)
 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: 2 White-fronted Goose [Ldn season-1st] (RBA/Birdguides/ELBF)
 * Redbridge Lakes: up to 4 Snipe, Grey Heron, Common Gull (Alan Hobson).
 * Richmond Park: Buzzard; no sign of yesterday's large Falcon (probably same bird seen Nov 23rd) which perched briefly in large birch by Upper Pen Pond then hunted low over canopy of adjacent woodland flushing 200 Woodpigeons. Behaviour seems odd for urban Peregrine - no sign of jesses but views of feet unclear (J.Wilczur). Not sure if this is another clue but on Saturday I found an injured Black-headed Gull by Pen Ponds that looked like it had been pelted by something big, injured wing and leg. [S. Haslem] Thanks SH- noted. [JW]
 * Ruislip Lido: 13 Little Egrets NW shore of marsh at 10.45 (Martin Smith)
 * Snaresbrook/Leyton Flats: 45+ Lesser Redpoll, 11 Redwing over, Meadow Pipit (Stuart Fisher)
 * Sutcliffe Park: Little Egret, 2 Common Snipe (Conrad Ellam)
 * Waltham Forest E17 (Hale End Rd): 70 Black-headed Gulls N (Daniel Whitelegg).
 * Wanstead Flats: 35 Gadwall, 11 Shoveler, 10 Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Fieldfare, 3 singing Song Thrush (Nick Croft)
 * Wanstead Park: 3 Pied Wagtail, 5 Goldcrest, Kingfisher, Little Egret, Water Rail, 251 Gadwall, 11 Shoveler, 7 Teal, 33 Pochard, 90 Tufted Duck, 3 Egyptian Goose, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll (Nick Croft)
 * Woodside Park N12 (Tillingham Way): Little Egret over c1200 (Edward Imber)

Wednesday 4th December 2013

 * Alexandra Park: 2 drake Gadwall Tunnel Res, 2 Common Teal pr Conservation Pond 11am (Bob Watts).
 * Brent Reservoir: 25 Common Snipe, 2 Lapwing, 3 Redwing (Steve Blake).
 * Broomfield Park: 2 Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk (James Palmer).
 * Cranford CP (J3 M4): 1st-winter Grey Wagtail, 3 Little Grebes, male Kestrel, 5 Fieldfare over, Buzzard over, 4+ Goldcrests, 4+ calling Ring-necked Parakeets, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Wendy Marks)
 * Croham Hurst: found a freshly killed Woodpigeon - sat nearby and sure enough a Sparrowhawk returned to the kill, also 80+ Redwings, 12 Fieldfare, Treecreeper (J.Barnes)
 * Connaught Water: red-head Smew (Tony Brown) pics
 * Grovelands Park: 12 Shoveler, 4 Mandarin (James Palmer).
 * Lee Valley Fishers Green: Little Owl sailing club (Mike Oakland)
 * Lee Valley Friday Lake: 2 red-head Smew (Mike Oakland)
 * Leytonstone: Kestrel hunting over open ground south of A12 Green Man (Barbara Miller)
 * London Wetland Centre: 3 Pintail, 5 Bittern, Little Egret, Jack Snipe, Woodcock, Green Sandpiper (R.Kaye)
 * Rainham Marshes: Peregrine, Kestrel, Stonechat, Curlew, Golden Plover, Pintail (S Huckle)
 * Richmond Park: 3 Raven - one at Upper Pen pond 9.15 later seen at Ham Cross flew towards north of park 10.55 (J.Wilczur) & two flew towards Kingston 9.45 (M.Lewis per JW).
 * Stoke Newington East Reservoir: Chiffchaff, Grey Wagtail, 13 Gadwall, 2 Pochard, 7 Shoveler (Peter Beckenham)
 * Thorney CP: Bullfinch m, Little Egret, Kingfisher, 15+ Siskins, 3 Goldfinch, 2 Little Grebes, Red Kite over, Kestrel on pylon, 5 Pochard, Grey Heron, 4 Cormorants, 7 Redwing, Fieldfare, Common Gull, 2 Gadwall (Sue Giddens)
 * Trent Park: 18 Mandarin Duck 12m 6f, m Shoveler, 2 Woodcock, 6 Goldcrest, 7 Siskin feeding in larch Williams Wood, Bullfinch (Robert Callf).
 * Vicarage Farm, Enfield: Woodcock (Robert Callf).
 * Wanstead Flats: 20+ Linnet, 11 Skylark, 5 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 5 Fieldfare, 8 Song Thrush, Redwing, 2 Egyptian Goose, 19 Tufted Duck, 10 Shoveler, 24 Gadwall, m Pochard (Nick Croft).
 * Watford WD17 (High St): Red Kite E mobbed by Carrion_Crow 13:15 (Matt Reed).
 * Woodlands Farm: 20+ Redwing, 3 Lesser Redpoll (John Bushell & Conrad Ellam)

Tuesday 3rd December 2013

 * Brent Reservoir: 7 Wigeon 3m 4f, 24 Pochard, Lapwing, 35 Common Snipe, 3 Water Rail (Roy Beddard)
 * Brookmill Park: Little Grebe, Mandarin, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush (Conrad Ellam)
 * Cranford CP (J3 M4): Kingfisher, 3 Little Grebe, Chaffinch, several flocks of Long-tailed Tits, 4 Wrens, Grey Wagtail, 6 Jay, 2 Mistle Thrush, Goldcrest, Green Woodpecker, too many Ring-necked Parakeets and errr 1 donkey (T James)
 * Croham Hurst: 4 Nuthatch, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Bullfinch, 2 Chaffinch, 15+ Redwing, 8 Fieldfare, 2 Treecreper, Robin, Sparrowhawk, 16 Long-tailed Tits, 10+ Great/Coal/Blue tits (J.Barnes)
 * Greenwich Peninsula: 2 Chiffchaff in trees by football academy; Ecology Pk - Fieldfare (Richard Green)
 * Hilfield Park Reservoir: Black Redstart seen mainly on top of dam (permit holders only) but sometimes visible on wooden pallets to right of main gate; also 2 Black-necked Grebes, Water Rail, Goldeneye f (Derek Turner)
 * Husseywell Open Space, Hayes, Kent BR2 7DD: Grey Heron, 15 Moorhen, 10 Mallard (Andy Meaton) Tiny site with lake island not noticed before in passing, will investigate further. TQ402662
 * Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: c50 Lesser Redpoll, Mealy Redpoll all feeding on ground near Hollow Pond early am, 3 Fieldfare, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Redwing, Grey Wagtail, 8 Gadwall, 15 Pochard, 2 Teal pr (Stuart Fisher)
 * Little Britain Iver/Cowley: Kingfisher flew upstream, 5 Redwings, Shoveler, 20+ Gadwall, 2 Grey Herons (1 on a nest), 3 Common Gulls, 2 Goldcrests, Pied Wagtail, Collared Dove, Song Thrush, 3 Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Jays, only 3 Mute Swans (Sue Giddens).
 * London Wetland Centre: 3 Pintail, 2 Mandarin, 2 Goosander circled then NW, 4 Bittern, Little Egret, Jack Snipe, 17 Snipe - one taken by heron, Green Sandpiper, 11 Water Rail, Skylark W, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 7 Lesser Redpoll (R.Kaye)
 * Middlesex Filter Beds: Firecrest in scrub along edge of R Lea more or less opp towpath entrance 0825 (Alastair Dent); Firecrest still present at 1130 also 8 Gadwall, 15 Teal, 5 Little Grebe, Chiffchaff (Jonathan Nasir)
 * Oxleas Woods: Eltham SE9 1YG - 2 Firecrest in Pyracanthas (m & f to within 1 ft of each other) 15.05-15.15 with single seen between 13.53-15.05, m Blackcap (John Reid)
 * Stoke Newington East Reservoir: Chiffchaff in tit flock, 10+ Common Gull, 1-2 Water Rail (Peter Beckenham)
 * Sutcliffe Park Eltham: Little Egret, Water Rail, 2 Snipe (P Kite)
 * Tyttenhanger GP: Red Kite, Buzzard, 8 Tree Sparrow, 4 Bullfinch 2m 2f, Reed Bunting (James Palmer)
 * Trent Park: male Common Crossbill feeding in larch Williams Wood (Robin White per RM Callf).
 * Walthamstow Marshes: 2 Stonechat pr in cow field (Jonathan Nasir).
 * Waterworks: Water Rail, Snipe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Shoveler, Gadwall, Ring-necked Parakeets (Sue Huckle); 1-2 Firecrest flitting between trees alongside path toward main hide (Jonathan Nasir).

Monday 2nd December 2013

 * Brent Reservoir: 29 Common Snipe, Water Rail (Steve Blake)
 * Brookmill Park: Little Grebe, Mandarin, 2 Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Conrad Ellam)
 * Hilfield Park Reservoir: Black Redstart seen on pump house from main gate on Hilfield Rd - pls respect residents' privacy (HBC website); in pm seen on top of dam so not visible from main gate - permit holders only (Derek Turner, Phil Rhodes)
 * London Wetland Centre: 4 Bittern, Pintail, Mandarin, 2 Fieldfare (WWT website)
 * Oxleas Woods: m Blackcap eating Pyracantha berries, Tawny Owl calling early am (John Reid)
 * Park Farm, Enfield: m Bullfinch (Robert Callf & Robin White).
 * Richmond Park: c35 Siskin - c25 in trees at bottom end of the lower Pen Pond & c10 in wood edge above Upper Pond, 8 Mandarin on Upper Pond (Steve Woolfenden)
 * Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: Little Grebe, 2 Teal, Siskin, c65 Fieldfare, c110 Redwing, 6 Rook, Bullfinch, c120 Common Gull, Kestrel (John Colmans)
 * Town Park, Enfield: f/imm Gadwall Carr's Basin - unusual here - nervous & flighty, 4 Shoveler 3m f, 3m Pochard, 3m Tufted Duck (Robert Callf).

Sunday 1st December 2013

 * Alexandra Park: Common Snipe flew up from Tunnel Basin & landed on Wood Green Res c11:00am (Gareth Richards); male Gadwall on Tunnel reservoir mid-day (Jonathan Cooke); Reed Bunting Cricket Scrub - only 2nd record for the year (Henry Wyn-Jones per Bob Watts).
 * Bexleyheath (Broadway): 166 Pied Wagtails roosting in Scarlet Oak in Mkt Sq (Matt Reed).
 * Brent Reservoir: 3 Little Egret - 2 Neasden Rec side & 1N, Lapwing, 19 Common Snipe, 4 Water Rail - 1 in flight & 3h (Brent Birders).
 * Bromley Common: 10 Rook, Green Woodpecker (John Reid)
 * Broxbourne Woods: 38 Common Crossbill (per Twitter) Where?
 * Canons Farm: 2 Little Egrets high N/NW at 9.32am; also 40+ Lesser Redpolls in Lunch Wood then at Reads Rest Ln entrance to Banstead Woods (David Campbell).
 * Cheshunt: 30 Golden Plover in field north of Lieutenant Ellis Way (Neville Smith & Hayley Lynes).
 * Lower Chingford: Teal, 2 Little Egret, Green Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail (James Palmer).
 * Cowley, Uxbridge UB8: 2 Little Egret S over my house calling 16:20 - to roost possibly Little Britain Lake (Roger Dewey)
 * Gallions Reach: Peregrine, Little Egret, 47 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlin, Curlew, Yellow-legged Gull ad, Rock Pipit (Gary A James).
 * Greenwich Ecology Park: Little Grebe, Kingfisher, Chiffchaff (John Bushell & Conrad Ellam)
 * Hampstead Heath: Common Snipe flew up fr back of Hampstead 1 Pond 11:20 then away NW, Kingfisher at Sanctuary Pond, 8 Shoveler, 3 Gadwall, 33 Mandarin at Stock Pond, Siskin, Fieldfare, 6 Redwing (Frank Nugent).
 * King George V Reservoir: 18+ Goldeneye 3m 15+f - males doing their throwing-head-back display - surely a bit early, 7 Goosander m 6f (Quentin Given)
 * Leyton, Jubilee Park: 2f Goosander SE (Stuart Fisher)
 * Oxleas Woods: m Blackcap (John Reid)
 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: 2m Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, 220+ Golden Plover, 180 Dunlin, 3 Stonechat, 4 Water Rail, 8 Pintail, 10+ Rock Pipit (David Bradnum)
 * Richmond Park: 10 Red-crested Pochard, Buzzard, 3 Grey Wagtail, 40+ Redwing, Fieldfare (Neil Anderson & LNHS party)
 * South Norwood CP: Water Rail, 20+ Fieldfare, 3 Redwing (Steven Robinson).
 * Walthamstow Marshes: solitary Fieldfare, Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 2 Stonechat m f (David Collins)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Cetti's Warbler on E side of Low Maynard (Pete Lambert per Lol Bodini)
 * Wanstead Flats: Reed Bunting, 8 Meadow Pipit, 6 Song Thrush, 18 Gadwall, 4 Shoveler, 7 Tufted Duck (Nick Croft/Dan Hennessy)
 * Wanstead Park: Treecreeper (Bush Wood), 2 Goldcrest, 7 Siskin, Grey Wagtail, Little Egret, 2 Little Grebe, 4 Egyptian Goose, 9 Teal, 225+ Gadwall, 40+ Pochard, 75+ Tufted Duck, 14 Shoveler, Water Rail, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft/Dan Hennessy/Jonathan Lethbridge)
 * Waterworks NR: Water Rail, Snipe, Kingfisher, 2 Gadwall, 5 Pochard, 4 Teal, 5 Coots, 2 Tufted Duck, Long-tailed Tits (Daniel Whitelegg).

Archived News
LONDON BIRDING NEWS FROM ALMOST EVERY PREVIOUS MONTH SINCE JULY 2002 {C}