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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).

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Sunday 6th October 2013

 * Brent Reservoir: 5 Little Egret most ever, 7 Wigeon, Jack Snipe briefly, 12 Common Snipe, 2 Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, Common  Sandpiper, Whitethroat seen; vis-mig 07.00 incl Rock Pipit, 38 Meadow Pipit, 5 Siskin and Reed Bunting (Brent Birders).
 * Brookmill Park, SE8: Kingfisher, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker (Conrad Ellam)
 * Camden Town: 2 Chiffchaffs singing in trees along Hawley Road at 0845 (Francis Tusa).
 * Dalston, Ramsgate Street: Grey Wagtail 10am (G Howie) pics
 * Greenwich Ecology Park: Common Snipe, Chiffchaff (Conrad Ellam)
 * Hanwell W7: 4 Common Buzzard 2 West @ 13:20 & 2 East @ 13:34, Common Crane gliding North at a good height @ 13:45 (Rob Mills)
 * Leyton, Jubilee Park/Orient Way: 1 Whinchat and 1 male Stonechat in Ive Lane Sports Ground TQ373867, 1 Redwing over, 5 Song Thrush, 4 Grey Wagtail, 1 Reed Bunting over, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 17+ Meadow Pipit (mostly SW), 2 Blackcap, 2 Reed Warbler and a fem Whitethroat in the scrub on island at junction of Orient Way and Ruckholt Road (Stuart Fisher)
 * London Wetland Centre: Red-crested Pochard drake, Pintail drake, 16 Snipe, 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 6 Meadow Pipit S, 4 Swallow S, Linnet S(J.Wilczur).
 * Oxleas Woods, Eltham SE9: 2 Common Buzzard circling with one hovering at one point 14.10-14.20 hrs then both headed SE (John Reid)
 * Richmond Park: 1 Short-eared Owl over Pond Slade at 7.50am, first saw it when overhead and was heading north, then cirlced before turning back and flying off south. Also 2 Reed Bunting, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Stonechat, 30+ Meadow Pipit,1 Grey Wagtail over, 1 Redwing all Pond Slade (Oscar Dewhurst).
 * Staines Moor: Firecrest (with big long tailed tit flock in hawthorns by the river Colne), 5 chiffchaff, Yellow Wagtail, Peregrine, Cettis Warbler, 2 Buzzard and Kingfisher (Jim and Tony Sweetland)
 * Ten Acre Wood area: Sparrowhawk, Lapwing, Kingfisher, c60 Meadow Pipit, 13 Skylark on site + 5 high over together, f Blackcap, Nuthatch, 11 Rook, 3 Reed Bunting, c45 Linnet (Neil Anderson)
 * Walthamstow Marshes: paddocks - 7 Meadow Pipit, 20+ Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Mistle Thrush. north marsh - 2 Chiifchaff (1 singing) (JW Davies)
 * Wanstead Flats: Spotted Flycatcher (different bird to yesterday), Stonechat, Yellow Wagtail, 20 + Meadow Pipit, 2  Grey Wagtail, 5 + Pied Wagtail, 8 calling Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap, 6 Linnet, Siskin, 8 Gadwall, 8 Shoveler, f Pochard, Kestrel, 8 Skylark (Nick Croft/Dan Hennessy/Bob Vaughan)
 * Wanstead Park: 4 calling Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, 4 Meadow Pipit, 14 Gadwall, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft)
 * Wimbledon Park Lake: Polish-ringed Black-headed Gull TTH8 again present at 0845. 3 Meadow Pipits (Martin Daniel)
 * Woolwich Ferry: no sign Little Gull 930am (James Lowen)

Saturday 5th October 2013

 * Barking Bay: Guillemot drifted into the bay at 3:06pm then swam strongly towards Crossness diving to escape a gull above it (V.Halley-Frame & P.Hawkins).
 * Bow Creek Ecology Park: 40 Teal, 6 Redshank, 2 Cormorant 1 Tufted Duck (Matt Reed).
 * Brent Reservoir: 2 Little Egret, male Mandarin, 2 Wigeon, 9 Common Snipe, Lapwing, male Peregrine flushed 200+ Woodpigeons on Fields/Bunds, 3 Chiffchaff; vis-mig 07.00 incl late Hobby high S, 6 Redwings, 2 Meadow Pipits, 3 Pied Wagtails, 26 Chaffinch, 58 Greenfinch (Pete Lowman, Andrew Verrall).
 * Broadwater GP: 2 Raven high N, cronking, at 13.50 (Roger and Sylvia Morton)
 * Crayford Marshes: 6 Greenshank, 4 Ruff, 100+ Redshank, Little Stint, Spotted Redshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 70+ Dunlin, 35+ Ringed Plover, 2 Golden Plover, Snipe, Curlew Sandpiper (P Kite, J Foot)
 * Crossness: Guillemot on Thames off Golf Centre at 8.30am then swam/drifted upriver, 2 Sandwich Tern downriver at 8.05am, Ruff on foreshore off Golf Centre, 2 Common Tern, Whinchat, 4 Wigeon, 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Little Egret, ad Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Snipe, Kingfisher, 6+ Chiffchaff (John Archer, Richard Bonser, Mike Robinson et al).
 * East India Dock Basin: Peregrine (dome), House Sparrow, Jay, Grey Wagtail, 6 Long-tailed Tit (Paul Hyland)
 * Enfield Playing Fields EN1: 1 Wheatear - almost a garden tick (Phil Rhodes).
 * Epsom Downs: 2 Golden Plover N (Steve Gale)
 * Fairlop Waters: 2 Grey Wagtail, 3 Wheatear, 2 Stonechat, 10 Red-Legged Partridge. (Neil Twyford, Alan Thomas)
 * Gallions Reach: Guillemot on Thames at 14:00 (Frank Nugent).
 * Hampstead Heath: 3 Wigeon, 12 Gadwall at Highgate 1 pond, 5 Shoveler, 1 Common Gull at Hampstead 1 pond, 2 Linnet, 20+ Meadow Pipit, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Swallow over Parliament Hill (Frank Nugent).
 * Hendon (Peel Centre): 2 Peregrine - pr present most days recently (presumably hunting round Brent Reservoir as well as on playing fields) (kw)
 * Kilburn: Jay over Kilburn High Rd (Matt Reed).
 * King George V Reservoir: drake Pintail, f Mandarin, 5 Goosander, red-head Smew, 8 Little Grebe, 9 Little Egret, Dunlin, 2 Redshank, 3 Common Buzzard, f Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, m Kestrel, Wheatear prob 'Greenland', 11 Meadow Pipit, 8 Pied Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail, Cetti's Warbler (N. Smith, H. Lynes & S. Hamilton).
 * Leyton (Ive Farm Lane Sports Ground): 1 Whinchat still early am (Stuart Fisher) SF - Can you supply a grid ref for this site if poss pls? [b_e]   This is at      TQ 373867   and it's 'Ive' not 'Ivy' . [DT]
 * Lower Chingford: 2 Green Sandpiper, 10 Meadow Pipit (James Palmer).
 *  Northfields W5 (Blondin Park LNR): 1 Kestrel (V Williamson, R Woolley)
 * Notting Hill W10 (Portobello Rd): Marsh Harrier S at 1350 (David Lindo)
 * Oylers Farm: 47 Golden Plover, 2 Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, 2 Gadwall (Brian Dawton)
 * Richmond Park: 2 Skylark, 1 Lesser Redpoll over, 2 Siskin over, 30+ Meadow Pipit, 2 Stonechat, 2 Reed Bunting (Pond Slade) (Oscar Dewhurst); also 1 Wheatear Riding Ring (Hugh Bradshaw).
 * St John's Wood Church Gdns LNR: Jay (Matt Reed).
 * Sewardstone E4: Curlew S along King George V Reservoir north basin east side at 1050, Brambling [Ldn season-1st], 3 Lesser Redpoll, 15 Mistle Thrush, 6 Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Stock Dove, 2 Little Egret (Martin Shepherd). MS - Where in Sewardstone was the B'bling pls? [b_e]
 * Sewardstone Marsh: 2 Swallow S, 1 Common Snipe (James Palmer).
 * Staines Reservoir: Black-necked Grebe, Greenshank, Yellow Wagtail (Jim Sweetland)
 * Stanwell Moor: Little Owl, Hobby (over village), Cetti's Warbler, Blackcap, sev. Chiffchaff, Kestrel (I. Darbyshire)
 * Swanscombe Marsh: 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull upriver at 10.30, also 2 Stonechat, 4 Cetti's Warbler, Rock Pipit, 23 Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 6 Skylark, 33 Meadow Pipit; Grey Seal (Andrew Self)
 * Wanstead Flats: Spotted Flycatcher (latest bird for site), Wheatear, 6+ Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 7 Song Thrush, 10+ Meadow Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, 6 Pied Wagtail, Swallow (Wanstead Birding)
 * Woolwich Ferry: Little Gull, Common Tern and Kingfisher 4.30pm (Richard Bonser); ad Mediterranean Gull halfway to Thames Barrier on north side at 11:40am (V.Halley-Frame).

Friday 4th October 2013

 * Alexandra Park: 8 Swallow over The Grove c10.00am (James Palmer).
 * Blackheath: 7W House Martin, singing Chiffchaff (James Lowen)
 * Brent Reservoir: Jack Snipe, 7 Common Snipe, Little Egret 6:00-7:00pm from Heron Hide (Steve Torpey)
 * East India Dock Basin: Meadow Pipit S, Sparrowhawk, 70 Teal, Chiffchaff singing, 35+ Cormorant incl Estonian-ringed bird still on pier (John Archer).
 * Gallions Reach: Guillemot flew upriver at 8:54am, Little Tern, 2 Little Gull, Arctic Tern all on Thames between Gallions & Woolwich Ferry early pm (Gary A James per JA).
 * London Wetland Centre: 79 Wigeon, 2 Pintail, 18 Snipe, 2 Water Rail, Kingfisher, Meadow Pipit S, 5 alba Wagtail S/SE, 500 House Martin lingering then S, 18 Swallow S, 5 Chiffchaff, Kestrel, 2 Buzzard 1juv S 11.05hrs & 1 W 11.55 (Rupert Kaye)
 * Osterley Park: Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Barn Owl (Rob Mills)
 * Romford: Little Egret feeding in River Rom seen from Exchange St at 4:10pm (G J Francis)
 * Richmond Park: 41 Wigeon, 17 Gadwall, 4 Shoveler, f Red-crested Pochard, Buzzard mobbed by 2 Crows, 2 Hobby (juv mobbed by Black-headed Gull over Lower Pen Pond as it hunted), Grey Wagtail, 3 Meadow Pipit, c20 House Martin, 5 Swallow, 3 Chiffchaff (1singing) (Neil Anderson/Kathryn Bull)
 * Three Mills E3: 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch m, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Egyptian Goose tow path to Bow Locks (Neil Preston).
 * Wanstead Flats: 35+ House Martin SE, 7 Swallow, 6 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, 5 Grey Wagtail, 10+ Pied Wagtail, 10+ Meadow Pipit, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, m eclipse Teal, 6 Gadwall, 10 Shoveler, f Pochard, 20 Common Gull, 30+ Lesser Black-backed Gull, 20+ Herring Gull (Nick Croft/Tony Brown)

Thursday 3rd October 2013

 * Alexandra Park: Siskin heard 7am, also Chiffchaff Race track (Bob Watts).
 * Brent Reservoir: Jack Snipe roosting opp Main Hide 09.45-10.30 prob disturbed by reed-cutter boat noise, 9 Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Lapwing, 3 Chiffchaff (John Gravatt, Andrew Verrall).
 * East India Dock Basin: 50 Teal, Linnet S, 2 Jay, Grey Wagtail (John Archer).
 * Finsbury Park: 2 Red-crested Pochard, Mandarin (James Palmer).
 * Gallions Reach: Little Tern, juv Arctic Tern, ad Little Gull, ad Mediterranean Gull (Paul Davis)
 * Highgate (Waterlow Park): f Wigeon arrived with Mallard & departed shortly after alone 07.40 (Paul Angus)
 * Lambeth Bridge: Guillemot (Hugh Nicholson) posted 15:54
 * Lavender Gardens EN2 (nr Gordon Hill Stn): Yellow-browed Warbler calling & feeding in lime tree 08:36hrs (Robert Callf).
 * London Wetland Centre: Jack Snipe (on the scrape), 19 Snipe, 4 House Martin, 4 Linnet, 6 Meadow Pipit, 82 Wigeon (Adam Salmon).
 * Mile End: Meadow Pipit S 0840 (Bob Watts).
 * Osterley Park: Barn Owl 18:45-19:05 - came & went 4x with prey (Rob Mills) Hi Rob - is the Owl favouring a particular area? Thanks [Matt Reed]
 * Paddington Green: Firecrest moving through Honey Locust & birches along Hall Place with tit flock 11:50, also Peregrine Falcon took pigeon 20ft above Church Street market stalls (Twitter).
 * Queen Mary Res: Yellow-browed Warbler - ringed am (BirdGuides, RBA)
 * Rainham Marshes: Red-throated Pipit high N calling over Visitor Centre 11.27 (H Vaughan).
 * Staines Moor: Yellow Wagtail, Stonechat (Jim Sweetland).
 * Stanwell Moor: Cetti's Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, Little Owl (Jim Sweetland).
 * Tarn Park SE9: 10 Swallows SW 1630 (Peter Charles)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Lockwood - 2 Sandwich Tern (KJMcmanus).
 * Wanstead Flats: 8 Swallow E, 20+ Meadow Pipit, 10+ Pied Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail, 13 calling Chiffchaff, Skylark, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, 7 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, 2 Linnet, 20+ Goldfinch, 10+ Common Gull (Nick Croft/Richard Rae/Tim Harris).
 * Wimbledon Park Lake: 8 Siskin through 0830 (Martin Daniel)

Wednesday 2nd October 2013

 * Beddington: ad Caspian Gull, 2 Pintail, 10 Wigeon, 150+ House Martin, 30+ Swallow, Ruff, 2 Green Sandpiper, 8 Snipe (BFBG) pics
 * Brent Reservoir: East marsh - Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 8 Common Snipe, 2 Lapwing, Wigeon (Steve Blake)
 * East India Dock Basin: Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk, Canada x Greylag Goose hybrid, 4 Teal, Cormorant (Estonian-ringed bird still on pier in River Thames) (John Archer).
 * Heathrow Airport: 30+ Linnet (Rob Mills)
 * Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: 12 migrant Song Thrush, Siskin N, 18 Mistle Thrush (7 went SE), 2 Swallow SW, Meadow Pipit over, c4 alba Wagtails over, 3 Grey Wagtails, 32 Pochard, 2 Teal, 40+ Tufted Duck, 2 drake Gadwall, 1 Chiffchaff only (Stuart Fisher)
 * London Wetland Centre: Jack Snipe, male Pintail, Shelduck, Nuthatch, 22 Snipe, Reed Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 10 Chiffchaff, 150 House Martin S, 20 Swallow S (J.Wilczur).
 * Osterley Park: Barn Owl 18:40-19:00 - came & went 5x with prey (Rob Mills)
 * Regent's Park: m Firecrest with tit flock nr NE gate of QM Gdns area 17 (Regent's Pk Birds blog) Worth checking evergreens nr this gate for winterer(s) Oct-Feb but more in hope than expect'n [b_e]
 * Swanley Park: Grey Heron, 2 Cormorant, 65 Canada Geese, Greylag, 1 Greyl'g x Canada hybrid, Mandarin, Wigeon, 57 Mallard, 20+ House Martin, Green Woodpecker, 27 Magpies (Andy Meaton)
 * Three Mills E3: 2 Song Thrush, Kingfisher, Grey Heron, 2 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, 2 Egyptian Goose tow path (Neil Preston)
 * Victoria Park: Common Redstart, 40+ Goldfinch, 20+ Pochard (JW Davies)
 * Wanstead Flats: 21 Swallow E, House Martin, 15 calling Chiffchaff, 15+ Meadow Pipit, 10+ Pied Wagtail, 6 Mistle Thrush, 20+ Goldfinch, Linnet, 10 Shoveler, 3 Teal, 2 Pochard, 10+ Gadwall, 13 Common Gull, 15+ Herring Gull, 7 Skylark (Alex), Lapwing E (Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft).

Tuesday 1st October 2013

 * Battersea Park: 2 Peregrines pr on & round the Gasometer, 6 Gadwall 3pr, 2 Little Grebe & fledged chick, no Egyptian Geese - my theory why this species doesn't seem to have taken to this site could be because of distance from edge of lake to cover, as they like to stand on the edge of water and have good vision of predators approaching - dogs can get very close to them without being seen so they don't like it (Michael Mac).
 * Battersea Power Station: 101 Starlings wheeling (Michael Mac).
 * Beddington: 2 Jack Snipe (BFBG)
 * Iver Heath: 2 Raven (C Lamsdell)
 * Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: Little Grebe in Eagle Pond early am, Reed Bunting over, 2 Meadow Pipit over, 2 Swallow NE, 3 Grey Wagtail, 2 Song Thrush, 4 Shoveler (Stuart Fisher)
 * London Wetland Centre: 9 Spoonbill E 12.50hrs (BirdGuides) (photo here), 116 Shoveler, 74 Wigeon, 4 Cetti's Warbler (WWT website)
 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir: Little Grebe otherwise very quiet (Rich Petley); female Goldeneye pm (johngordon)
 * Oxleas Woods, Eltham SE9: 2 Hobby chattering excitedly 17.45hrs (John Reid)
 * Redbridge Lakes and Roding Valley Park: Chiffchaff, Jay, Mistle Thrush, 4 Pied Wagtails (Alan Hobson).
 * Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: Kestrel, 4 Chiffchaff, Blackcap - warbler exodus overnight after small influx y'day (birdman_euston)
 * Sewardstone E4: 3 Siskin, 4 Chiffchaff, Little Egret, Blackcap, Meadow Pipit (Martin Shepherd).
 * Staines Reservoirs: 3 Black-necked Grebe, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, 2 Yellow Wagtail (Bob Warden); Rock Pipit on SW corner of north basin between 3pm-4pm at least (Neil Randon)
 * Swanley Park: Grey Heron, Greylag, 63 Canada Goose, Granada (Greyl'g x Canada hybrid), Wigeon (site 1st), Cormorant (Andy Meaton)
 * Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: 9 House Martin, 7 Swallow, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff (1 singing), Bullfinch, 6 Teal (John Colmans)
 * Valentines Park Redbridge: 200+ Woodpigeons incl c50 juv, 5 Grey Wagtail (Barbara Miller)
 * Victoria Tower Gardens, Westminster: Grey Wagtail over W; also a bat flew onto a plane tree and stayed there clearly visible half way up the trunk at 08:30 still there at 09:00 (Frank Nugent).
 * Wanstead Flats: Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 10+ Pied Wagtail, 20+ Meadow Pipit, 3 Skylark, Reed Bunting, 10+ Song Thrush, 6 Mistle Thrush, 10+ Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, 3 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 2 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, 3 Common Gull, 10 Little Grebe, 10+ Shoveler, Common Pochard, 8 Gadwall (Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft)
 * Wimbledon Park Lake: the Polish-ringed Black-headed Gull (TTH8 White Ring) first seen on 25 August 2013 was back this evening at 17.30. Not seen in the interim, but could have been around as a band on the further gulls would not be easily visible with bins. According to the Ornithological Station Museum and Institute PAS, Nadwiślańska 108, 80-680 Gdańsk, the bird was ringed on 11 May 2013 while nesting 1249 kilometers away at Bydgoszcz-Myslecinek, Kujawsko-Pomorskie. I have the details if anyone wants them (Martin Daniel)
 * Wraysbury GP: Lesser Whitethroat and Willow Warbler (C Lamsdell)

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

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