February 2013

The headline bird for the last two months just made it into February when one of London’s first two Buff-bellied Pipit reappeared at Horton Gravel Pits on the 2nd. There were no further sightings. Other good birds included a Penduline Tit at Rainham Marshes on the 17th and a female Ferruginous Duck flushed from Danson Park lake on the 1st — presumably the same Fudge Duck that has visited south-east London in the past two winters. A Great Northern Diver was at Staines Reservoir for almost the whole month — joined for one day by a Red-throated Diver. Slavonian Grebe were seen at three London sites. Wintering ducks included two Long-tailed Duck — one at Queen Mother Reservoir and one in the Lee Valley. But sawbills were in short supply, with only eight sightings of Smew (compared with about 50 in February 2012) and 26 of Goosander (compared with 60 a year ago). And the only reported merganser was the dodgy Hooded Merganser that keeps returning to Connaught Water. Reports of Scaup were also down, with only two encountered, both at Staines Reservoir. Two Great White Egret flew over Rainham Marshes on the 6th and another flew over Rickmansworth on the 19th. The London Wetland Centre hosted four Bittern, with singles seen at a few other sites. On the last weekend of the month Rainham Marshes was the place for raptors, with a male Hen Harrier, three Marsh Harrier, two Short-eared Owl and two Barn Owl. Hyde Park’s two female Bearded Tit stayed until the 17th, when they relocated to Regent's Park for a couple of days. They then turned up briefly at Amwell GP on the 20th before returning to Rye Meads, where they had been ringed last November. Brent Reservoir’s male Beardie was last heard on the 9th, and one was at Rainham Marshes on the same day; two males were at the London Wetland Centre on the 17th. Waxwing continued to be seen all over London. The largest flock was 142 at Oakwood. The small but reliable group at South Ealing Station remained until the middle of the month and then moved a short way south.

Thursday 28th February 2013

 * Alexandra Park: drake Gadwall (1st record this year and has become something of a rarity in the past couple of years) from mid platform Wood Green Res with 16+ Shoveler 7am (Bob Watts).
 * Barnehurst, Thirlmere Rd. DA7: 24 Collared Dove (new record count) together in large nearby tree and feeding in neighbour's garden. 4 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Goldcrest (my garden) (Chris Rose)
 * Buckhurst Hill: 5 Waxwings in trees by the Fiat Garage on the corner of Epping New Road and Church Road at 8.30am (Simon Papps).
 * Bushy Park: 9 Teal, pr Mandarin Ducks, Snipe, 4 Skylarks, pr Grey Wagtails, 80+ Redwings, 50+ Siskins, 10 Lesser Redpolls, Reed Bunting (Tony Duckett).
 * Canary Wharf: pr Peregrine over Bank Street (Nick Croft)
 * Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, Turnstone, 2 Rock Pipit, Cetti's Warbler, 2nd-winter Yellow-legged Gull, Green Sandpiper, 2 Oystercatcher, Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Curlew. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Eltham (Oxleas Woods): 5 Siskin (John Reid)
 * Eltham (Sutcliffe Pk LNR): Little Egret (Peter Charles)
 * Erith Cemetery (east): 22 Redwing, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Goldcrest, 4 Greenfinch, 3 or 4 Goldfinch, 3 Chaffinch, 1 Coal Tit, 5 Ring-necked Parakeet (Chris Rose)
 * Foots Cray Meadows: Egyptian Goose, 2 Gadwall, male Pheasant, Little Egret, Water Rail, Kestrel, 2 Grey Wagtails, Goldcrest, Siskins (Ian Stewart).
 * Greenwich Park: 9 Red-crested Pochard (5m/4f); 2 pairs rosy-billed pochard; Green Woodpecker (heard from area of deer enclosure; pair of Dunnock (possibly 2, or seen twice) (P Macpherson).
 * High Barnet (Old Courthouse Recreation Ground): Red Kite over W at 15.00hrs (Geoff Crabtree).
 * Highgate, Waterlow Park: 2 Siskin, 1 Coal Tit 15:30 (Daniel Bosch).
 * Ilford garden: Redpoll still, and 3 Greenfinches, first in months (B Miller).
 * Lower Clapton E5: 27 Waxwings on the birch tree outside 65 Powerscroft Road 0830-0840, then 41 birds at 1315 - feeding in garden and hedge of 32a (Alastair Dent)
 * Northaw Great Wood: 2 Marsh Tit, together, 13:15 hrs; 6 Coal Tit; 4 Nuthatch; 3+ Treecreeper; 9 Goldcrest (Robert Callf).
 * Northumberland Heath: Our Lady of the Angels church woodland, Carlton Rd - 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker calling and briefly on same tree branch. Erith School hedge - 53 House Sparrow (Chris Rose).
 * Paddington Green: 2 Grey Wagtail, singing Coal Tit, 11 Siskin over 10:00 (D. McKenzie).
 * Queen Mother Reservoir: Long-tailed Duck (BirdGuides).
 * Sidcup DA15: 3+ Waxwings in tree by Horse and Groom pub on Main Road 17.25 seen from bus, when i ran back one was flying south and one remained in tree next to The Cresent (Ian Stewart).
 * Twickenham: 6 Waxwings on perched high on tree where Amyand Road meets Arragon Road, flew off to another nearby tree further down Amyand Road 9am (Tom Gillard).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Slavonian Grebe still on East Warwick, 12 Shelduck (no 3); Lockwood: 8 Goldeneye (2 drakes), 6 Goosander (1 imm drake), 4 Teal (Lol Bodini).
 * West Harrow: 18 Waxwings in Drury Road HA1 on berry bush opposite no.36 at 13.00 (Alex Massey)
 * Woodlands Farm, Greenwich:  TQ445764   Common Snipe, 4 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, 8 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Siskin (Conrad Ellam)
 * Worcester Park: Little Egret Beverley Brook, Peregrine on pylons (Bob Smith)

Wednesday 27th February 2013

 * Alexandra Park: 16+ Shoveler Wood Green Res (Bob Watts). Common Buzzard high over Wood Green Res, mobbed by LBB gulls then crossed SW corner of study area 16.45 (Jonathan Cooke).
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Mandarin, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, 2 Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
 * Bushy Park: 9 Teal, 1 Snipe, 65 Redwings, 2 Lesser Redpolls, 50+ Siskins, 28 Goldfinches (Tony Duckett).
 * Cowley, Uxbridge: 1 pr Sparrowhawk calling & displaying (Roger Dewey).
 * Crayford Marshes: Water Pipit, Spotted Redshank, Turnstone, 16 Pintail (8 pair), Little Owl, Green Sandpiper, 3 Rock Pipit, Kingfisher, 2nd-winter Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Oystercatcher, female Peregrine. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Crayford, Perry Street Farm: 3 Pied Wagtail, 1 Stock Dove, approx. 100 Starling, 40 House Sparrow, 3 Common Gull (Chris Rose)
 * Crayford, River Cray (By-way 105): 1 Little Grebe towards Thames Rd bridge, 2 Mute Swan, 1 Fieldfare top of tree near river 50m south of Thames Rd Wetland, also Song Thrush singing near here at dusk & another 50m north of Maiden Lane (Chris Rose)
 * Crayford, Thames Road Wetland: 1 or 2 Water Rail (heard), 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker by Wansunt above Sewer Pipes, 14 Goldfinch, 2 Chaffinch (Chris Rose)
 * Gallions Reach: 14 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Curlew, 4 Oystercatcher, 1 Common Snipe,  Pheasant (Gary A James).
 * Eltham (Oxleas Woods): 5 Siskins on feeder (John Reid)
 * Greenwich Park: 6+ Fieldfares, Redwings, 1 ringed Long-tailed Tit in flock, 1 Coot (Joe Beale).
 * Isleworth: 12 Waxwings feeding on Mistletoe on Twickenham Rd opposite new TkMaxx store (Mick Kerr).
 * Kensal Green Cemetery and St Mary’s Cemetery: c8 Fieldfare, c6 Redwing, Linnet, Song Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Charlie Farrell)
 * Lee Valley RP (Walthamstow Marsh): Water Vole in ditch opposite modern rowing club building (Paul I know it's not a bird, sorry Whiteman) BEGrLGkCMAAc-Lp.jpg
 * Middlesex Filter Beds : 2 Firecrest, 3 Chiffchaff (1 very pale bird almost certainly an eastern bird - but how far east?). Hackney? :-)), 6+ Goldcrest, Kingfisher, Skylark (over), 5 Little Grebe, 2 Grey Wagtail, GS Woodpecker (Jonathan Nasir)
 * Nunhead SE15: 9 Waxwings (Lisa A). Could you provide more details please, Lisa (i.e. street location, time & your surname)? In tallest tree at corner of Nunhead Grove and Linden Grove, 4.30pm, flew North.
 * Paddington Green: pair of Peregrine Falcon early p.m. (D. McKenzie).
 * Rainham Marshes: 2 female Black Redstarts along Thames foreshore, seen from river wall at end of Ferry Lane South (west of concrete barges), between 11am and 12pm approx. (R Moorhead)
 * Shepperton: fields behind Bugle Pub, Upper Halliford -  3 Waxwings 1345-1420, mixed flock of 20+ Linnets & Chaffinches, Buzzard, male Kestrel, 3 Fieldfare, 5 Redwing (W.Marks)
 * Stratford: Black Redstart on green roof of Westfield Shopping Centre (Peter Massini)
 * Streatham Common: 1 male Tawny Owl (R Bell).
 * Thorney CP: Grey Heron, 4 Canada Geese over, Green Woodpecker, 14 Common Gulls, 2 Kingfishers between 2 bridges, Red Kite over at 11.36am, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Song Thrush.(Sue Giddens)
 * Trent Park: 2 Goosander (m f), 4 Mandarin (2m 2f), 2 Tufted Duck (m f),  2 Pochard (m f), Ring-necked Parakeet (Pete Lowman).
 * Tufnell Park N7: 20-25 Waxwings in poplar  Whereabouts please? South-facing garden in St. George's Avenue at 8.45am - stayed 15 mins feeding then flew N/NE (Neil Bowman)
 * Walthamstow: 12 Waxwings again in gardens between Rectory Road and  Howard Road. 9.00 - 9.10 a.m. (David Keane)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Slavonian Grebe still on East Warwick (Paul Whiteman), Today's Lockwood courting shenanigans: 8 Goosander (1 drake), 10 Goldeneye (2 drakes), plus at least 8 Teal (Lol Bodini)
 * Wanstead Flats: 3 Linnet, 4 Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 4-7 Skylark, Kestrel, 5 Fieldfare, Redwing, 2 Stock Dove, 5 Pochard, 10 Tufted Duck (Nick Croft)
 * Wanstead Park: Siskin, 60 + Gadwall, 2 Great Black-backed Gull east over plain with Herring Gull in tow (Nick Croft)
 * Waterworks NR: 10 Common Snipe, 1 possible Jack Snipe (sat low down well marked on the back but did look a bit pale.  Bobbed like crazy though - do Common Snipe 'bob'?) (I saw one in there last week bobbing a lot, by contrast the recent Dagenham Brook birds did not bob, very disconcerting! Paul W), 1 Green Sandpiper, 16 Tufted Duck, 8 Shoveler, 12 Linnet (Jonathan Nasir) [Hi Jonathan. What time of the day are you catching these Common Snipe? I keep missing them! Thanks. G Howie]...Paul dont worry about the 'Bob'.. imho bill length, plumage & overall 'jizz' more important! (Lol B). Hi Graham - this was late afternoon between 3-4pm (kicking out time) when a group of 10 were feeding out in the open to the left by the reedbed.  I normally see them sitting low down in the short reeds but can be difficult to see sometimes.  Hope that helps - great blog btw :-) (Jonathan) [Thanks Jonathan. Graham]
 * West Drayton (Swan Road by Anglers Retreat pub): Little Egret. (Sue Giddens)

Tuesday 26th February 2013

 * Alexandra Park: female Teal Conservation Pond 0840 earlier heard from Wood Green Res (Dave Callahan per Bob Watts), 18+ Shoveler Wood Green Res (Bob Watts).
 * Barnehurst, Thirlmere Rd DA7: 1 male Blackcap, 1 Goldcrest, 7 Long-tailed Tit in my garden (Chris Rose)
 * Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, Turnstone, Grey Plover, Little Owl, 5 Rock Pipit, 3rd-winter Yellow-legged Gull, 4 Curlew, 3 Oystercatcher. (Kev Jarvis).
 * East India Dock Basin: 28 Tufted Duck (including the female with a red Portuguese nasal saddle), 19 Shelduck, 14 Teal (John Archer).
 * Enfield Playing Fields: 2 Fieldare; 3 Greenfinch; 24 Goldfinch; 3 House Sparrow (Robert Callf).
 * Ewell (Hogsmill Open Space): 1 Common Snipe, 1 Nuthatch (Neil Batten).
 * Greenford UB6: Reed Bunting in garden this pm. and Coal Tit (David Pierrepont)
 * Harrow: 18 Waxwings in Worple Way /High Worple feeding on rose hips in gardens - mobile  (A Furnell)
 * Highgate, Waterlow Park: 2 Treecreeper 15:00 (Daniel Bosch).
 * Little Britain Lake: Firecrest at 14.45 seen from footpath between lake and River Colne approx. 50yds from north end of lake feeding with tits and goldcrests on the Bucks side of the river  TQ048814;   Little Egret on River Frays (Roger Morton). 13/14 Herons on nests, 1 Egyptian Goose (Roger Dewey).
 * Rainham Marshes: Black Redstart (BirdGuides).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 68 Tufted Duck, 1 Kingfisher (TeRNS)
 * Trent Park: at least 2 Goosander still present on Lower Lake at lunchtime during a very quick visit (Clive Herbert)
 * Walthamstow: 18 Waxwings in gardens between Rectory Road and Howard Road 1-1.25p.m. Returned again 5-5.10 p.m. (David Keane)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: 1 drake with 10 f Goldeneye (def the biggest ratio of f to m I've seen on here), 6 Goosander (1 drake), 4 Teal, 6 Gadwall, (Lockwood) both Peregrines on nearby gasometer (Lol Bodini).
 * Wanstead Flats: 3 Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Skylark, 2 Shoveler, 6 Tufted Duck, 2 Mistle Thrush (Nick Croft).
 * Wanstead Park: 70+ Gadwall, 30+ Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard, Siskin (Nick Croft). Pair of Tawny Owls calling in Bush Wood at 19:30 (Tim Harris).

Monday 25th February 2013

 * Alexandra Park: 20 Waxwings over nursery by south end Wood Green Res 0840 (Dave Callahan per Bob Watts), also 19+ Shoveler Wood Green Res (Bob Watts).
 * Banstead Downs: Firecrest on west side of golf course still near post 678 and 2 Goldcrests (David Campbell).
 * Brent Reservoir: female Goosander, Lapwing, Sparrowhawk (Derek Turner)
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Little Grebe, Mandarin, Sparrowhawk, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Song Thrush (Conrad Ellam)
 * Chingford: 2 Waxwings feeding on buds in tree on junction of Hall Lane/ Waverley Ave (north end) at 8.20 (Ian Lycett)
 * Clapham Common: 1 Waxwing in bushes at the edge of the park managers' area at the centre of the Common, 20+ Fieldfares (S Hampson)
 * Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, 3 Grey Plover, Cetti's Warbler, 2 Rock Pipit, Green Sandpiper, 3 Oystercatcher, Peregrine. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Dulwich (SE21): Belair Park - c70 mixed finch flock ground feeding inc. Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch & Siskin. c30 mixed thrushes inc. Redwing, Fieldfare & Mistle Thrush (Dave Clark & Martin Stevens); Lovers Walk - 1m Sparrowhawk bathing in puddle; College Road Lake - 5 Siskin (Martin Stevens).
 * East India Dock Basin/Bow Creek: 27 Shelducks, 200 Teal, 25 Tufted Ducks, 2 Common Sandpipers, 11 Redshanks (John Archer).
 * Ewell Village (Lower Mill): 1 Kingfisher, 1 Little Egret 16.30 to 16.45 (Neil Batten).
 * Highgate, Waterlow Park: Coal Tit at 12:00 (Daniel Bosch)
 * Islington N1: 20-25 Waxwings over Screen on the Green at 1:10 (Tim Harris). Were they heading W, Tim? I had the same number arrive over Regent's Park from E 30min later (b_e). They looked as if they were going to Theberton Street, just north of the cinema (and which was popular with the species 2 years ago), but I can't be sure.
 * Leyton Oliver Road: at least 30 Siskins in Italian Alder at 07:35 near my flat, flew off north (Stuart Fisher)
 * Little Britain Cowley/Iver: Egyptian Goose, 3 Redwing, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, Nuthatch, Little Grebe, 4 Greylags, Heron - 13 nests taken in the Heronry. (Sue Giddens).
 * Lower Clapton E5: 12 Waxwing at Almack Road/Mayola Road junction (in small tree just inside Clapton Girls' School grounds) at 0900, then on aerial of 57 Powerscroft Road at 0935 (Alastair Dent)
 * Margravine Cemetery: 1m Sparrowhawk eating prey (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Middlesex Filter Beds: 2 Chiffchaff, 6 Goldcrest, 2 Siskin, 15+ Teal, 5 Little Grebe, 3 Grey Wagtail harrasing a Sparrowhawk (Jonathan Nasir). 1 Firecrest on opposite river bank, at least 34 Magpies in one tree (Marcus Mitchell).
 * Northolt & Greenford CP (Smith's Farm): pr Shoveler, pr Mallard, pr Mute Swan, 7 Moorhen, 3 Coot, 4 Common and 2 Black-headed Gulls all on flooded scrape area, Jackdaw over, also Greenfinch, 6 Goldfinch, Dunnock and Blackbird. (Martin Smith)
 * Rainham Marshes: Black Redstart (BirdGuides).
 * Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 1 Water Rail at area-2 Rail-Ditch feeding station 09:20, 1 Little Owl calling N-end Cumberland Green a.25 06:20, 20+ Waxwing low W then N over Queen Mary's Gardens a.18 13:40, 9 Redwing on Hill playing field a.49 11:30 (birdman_euston).
 * St James's Park: 14 Fieldfares feeding on grass with 2 Mistle Thrush (Andrew Self)
 * Sidcup: 57 Waxwings on Powerscroft Road at 9.35am (RBA)
 * Sidcup (Lamorbey Park): 4  Mute Swan, 20 Canada Geese, Mallard, 7 Tufted Ducks (4m 3 fem), Aylesbury-type white duck, Wigeon, Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Grebe, Little Egret, Moorhen, Coot, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, 35+ Ring-necked Parakeet, 60+ Black-headed Gulls, 2 Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Carrion Crow, 2 Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, 8 Long-tailed Tits, Coal Tit, 2 Nuthatch, Starling, Blackbird, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush, 14 Redwing, Robin, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, 25+ Goldfinch, 8-10 Siskin, 36 species in two hours a very good total for this site but no Cormorant  raptor wren  or wagtails.(Eric Brown)
 * Staines Reservoir: 1 Great Northern Diver (N. Basin), 2 Scaup (1m 1f) (N. Basin), 3 Common Redshank (S. Basin) (A.Luscombe).
 * Thames Ditton KT7: 1 male Blackcap still feeding in garden (Bill Dykes)
 * Town Park (Enfield): 3(2m,1f) Mandarin Duck; 6(4m,2f) Pochard; 6(3m,3f) Tufted Duck; 9 Siskin; 5 Goldfinch (Robert Callf).
 * Trent Park: 5(3m,2f) Goosander, Lower Lake, 12:30 hrs; 3 male Siskin (Robert Callf & Robin White).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Slavonian Grebe still present in NW corner of East Warwick at 07:35 this morning (Quentin Given), 10 Goosander (3 drakes) at N end of Lockwood - highest count I can recall here (Lol Bodini)
 * Wanstead Flats: 14 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, 6 Meadow Pipit, 4 Skylark, 6 Shoveler, 2 Egyptian Goose, Pochard, 2 Reed Bunting, 30 + Goldfinch in SSSI, Kestrel (Nick Croft)
 * Wanstead Park: 10 Siskin, 2 Pochard, 50 + Gadwall (Nick Croft)
 * Waterworks NR: 10 Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper (Jonathan Nasir)
 * Woodside Park N12:  2 male Blackcaps in garden (1 in sub-song occasionally).  These are different to the ringed male and the female in garden on 19/2, so perhaps the 3m + 1f seen before Christmas (on 21/12/12) have stayed in the area all winter. (Ian Ellis)

Sunday 24th February 2013

 * Alexandra Park: 1w Peregrine still, plucking prey on palace, 21+ Shoveler (site record) Wood Green Res, Lesser Redpoll, 25+ Redwing, also fem Blackcap in neighbouring garden, Tufted Duck x Pochard hybrid Boating Lake (Andrew Gardener, Bob Watts).
 * Brent Reservoir: female Goosander, 6 Wigeon, Green Sandpiper (Andrew Self & Andrew Verrall), male Pintail (N Marsh), Lesser Redpoll, Meadow Pipit (Shrike Field), Lapwing, 6+ Snipe (S Leeke)
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Little Grebe, Mandarin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam).
 * Crossness: Bar-tailed Godwit, 10+ Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Curlew, 8 Oystercatchers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 12 Wigeon, 20 Shoveler (John Archer).
 * Gallions Reach: 56 Shelduck, 9 Curlew, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Grey Plover, 2 Oystercatcher, 48 Lapwing, 2 Chiffchaff, Jackdaw. (Gary A James).
 * Greenford UB6: m Blackcap in garden (Neil Anderson)
 * Hampstead Heath: drake Teal at Stock Pond and later at Highgate 1 Pond, 8 Fieldfare over, 16 Siskin in alders at Sanctuary Pond, Kingfisher at Sanctuary and Mens Pond, 5 Shoveler, pair Gadwall at Hampstead 1 Pond, Little Grebe at Mens Pond where also pair of Great Crested Grebe displaying around nest (Frank Nugent).
 * Highgate, Waterlow Park: Goldcrest, Nuthatch (by the playground) 11:00 (Daniel Bosch).
 * Hounslow (Gunnersbury Park): 10 Common Gull, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Pied Wagtail, 20+ Redwing, 5 (3m 2f) Shoveler, 2 Tufted Ducks. (Richard Woolley).
 * Leven Road, E14: Peregrine calling and small flights from the top of the gas towers. (D Briggs)
 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir: 92 Tufted Duck (significantly higher than my usual counts), 4 Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Chaffinch (Rich Petley)
 * Lower Clapton E5: 17 Waxwing in Powerscroft Road (on trees outside 65) at 1100 (Alastair Dent). All gone at 1pm (much to sick partner's chagrin :- (Matthew Cunningham).  1.00pm 7 on trees and feeding on berries in hedge of 160, opposite bus stop (David Chapman). /O\ (Matthew Cunningham) 6 still at 14:30 (Frank Nugent).
 * Margravine Cemetery: 2 Coal Tit (singing), 2 Redwing, 2f Great Spotted Woodpecker (inc 1 partially leucistic) + drumming & chasing calls, 1 Green Woodpecker, 25+ Starling (Nathalie Mahieu & others).
 * Paddington Cemetery NW6: 3 Siskin, 6 Goldfinch, 4 Goldcrest, 3 Coal Tit, Green Woodpecker, Redwing, 2 Herring Gull (Rob Ayers)
 * Rainham Marshes (west end): male Hen Harrier still over silts this afternoon, also Short-eared Owl and 3 Marsh Harrier, Common Sandpiper, 3 Water Pipit and 1 male, 2 female Black Redstart along Thames foreshore between barges carpark & end of Ferry Lane. (David Bradnum. Nick Croft. Paul Whiteman. Mike Messenger. Alan Hobson), 300+ Dunlin, Curlew, 3 Grey Plover, 20 + Snipe, 200 + Redshank, Grey Wagtail (RSPB) pics http://theuttertwite.blogspot.co.uk/
 * Rotherhithe: 7 Waxwings flew low over Greenland Dock near the Tesco underpass in the direction of Decathlon 4.05pm (Richard Bonser)
 * Ruislip Manor HA4: 5 Waxwing eating rosehips (Andy Ryan) Any more detail on location for these please?  Thanks, NS
 * Staines Moor: 4 Jack Snipe & 5 Water Pipits (Surrey Bird Club)
 * Swanley Park: Kestrel in garden, Gadwall (m ) and Shoveler (f) still present 16.00  (Andy Meaton)
 * Ten Acre Wood area:  TQ099838    pr Teal, m Pheasant, Buzzard mobbed while perched on sapling on golf course by Crow then hunting over brownfield area, pr Kestrel (1 tried to take Reed Bunting), m Sparrowhawk, 7 Lapwing over, 3 Common Snipe, Jack Snipe flew from my feet c 50 feet before landing in vegetation again, Barn Owl showing well from 7.55 (intially mobbed by Crow dived for cover + watched it hunting/perched for next 45 minutes when I moved on), 26 Stock Doves, 2 Skylarks, 2 Rooks, 3 Reed Buntings, c35 Linnets (Neil Anderson)
 * Trent Park : Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Buzzard, Kestrel, Fieldfare, Redwing, Siskin, Mandarin Ducks, Grey Heron (Andrew Peel & LNHS walkers)
 * Walpole Park Ealing: 1 Nuthatch, Green Woodpecker heard - 8:30am (Catherine Beazley & local group)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: East Warwick res Slavonian Grebe.(KJMcmanus).londonbirder-birdman.blogspot.co.uk
 * Wanstead Park: male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker calling 50yds from Warren Rd entrance (Geoff Harding). Bush Wood - at least 1 Firecrest still (David Bradnum)
 * West Drayton UB7: Red Kite over 2.15 pm  (Sue Giddens).
 * Worcester Park: 2 Blackcap visiting feeders (Lee Dingain )
 * Wormwood Scrubs: c15 Siskin on alders in SE corner, 2 Bullfinch Martin Bells Wood, Mistle Thrush, 12 Redwing, 7 Fieldfare, 3 Reed Bunting, 2 Mallard, Pied Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker (incl 2 mating in Scrubs Lane Woods) (Rob Ayers).
 * Yeading Brook meadows: 5 Teal. Little Egret, 5 Stock Doves, Kingfisher, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Skylarks, 45 Redwing, 25 Fieldfare, 4 Reed Buntings (Neil Anderson)

Saturday 23rd February 2013

 * Alexandra Park: 1w male Peregrine still on palace perch (Alex aka Gus) full name?, also 18 Shoveler, 5 Mute Swan Wood Green Res (Andrew Gardener, Bob Watts).
 * Brent Reservoir: c10 Lesser Redpolls in East Marsh, Meadow Pipit in Shrike Field (Brent Birders)
 * Bushy Park : Green Woodpecker, Gt Spotted Woodpecker, Siskins, f Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - Canal Plantation 9:10-9:25 (approx) kindly pointed out to me by Paul (?) from Sutton - (Ian R Watson)
 *  Connaught Water  : f Hooded Merganser, Pintail, several Goldcrests in the area (Jean-Patrick Elmes).
 * Crossness: 3 Grey Plovers in high tide roost, 4 Oystercatchers, 26 Black-tailed Godwits, Rock Pipit, 11 Wigeon, 13 Shoveler, 230 Gadwall, Peregrine, Chiffchaff (John Archer).
 * Epping Forest - High Beach (Rushey Plain): 1 Tawny Owl across road at c17.50hrs (Nigel May).
 * Fulham Reach (Thames, low tide): 87 Teal, 17 Gadwall, 29 Tufted Duck, 1 Pochard, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Coot, 12 Common Gull, 326 Black-headed Gull, 1 Grey Wagtail (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Greenford UB6: m Blackcap in garden (Neil Anderson)
 * Hackney, N1: Song Thrush in garden on Northchurch Road, first for about 20 years (Michael Rank).
 * Hampstead Heath: flock of c20 Siskin (including 1 singing male), 9 Shoveler, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker (Huw Prior)
 * Islington N7 (Fleece Walk): 1 male Blackcap visited the house garden (drank from the bird bath) 12:45 (Katrina Smith)
 * Leyton E10 (Essex Rd): 10+ Waxwing by 6th form college at 12.30  (Lol Bodini).
 * London Wetland Centre, Barnes: highlights today -  6 Pintail (5m 1f), Water Rail, 4 Bittern (2 from the comfort of the newly-refurbished Headley Hide + 1 N shore reservoir lagoon + 1 in channel nearest Wildside Hide), 1m Mandarin flying over Wildside reedbed, 1f Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Snipe, 3 Cetti's Warbler (Martin Honey & Angus Innes)
 * Lower Clapton E5: 23 Waxwing in Powerscroft Road on trees outside 32a, 45 & 65 and on TV aerials of 49 & 51; Several brief visits 1000-1200 (Alastair Dent). Still there between 1.30-2.30 (Marcus Mitchell).
 * Margravine Cemetery: 2 Redwing, 1pr Mistle Thrush (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Nine Elms Sainsbury's Car Park - Stockwell: 5 Common Gulls, 2 Herring Gulls and many Black-headed Gulls - amazing how at the sight of a bit of bread gulls appear out of apparent nowhere - also Peregrine circling over Vauxhall (Michael Mac).
 * Ten Acre Wood area: TQ099838  : Red-legged Partridge, Buzzard, Kestrel, 6 Lapwing, Snipe, 35 Stock Dove, 3 Skylark, 24+ Fieldfare (golf course), Nuthatch, c20 Jackdaw, 3 Reed Bunting, c45 Linnet, c50 Chaffinch (Neil Anderson).
 * N Hayes UB4 (Yeading Brook Meadows NR): 3 Teal, m Mandarin (2nd site record following 1 a year ago), m Pheasant, Little Egret, Little Owl, 12 Stock Dove, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, 20+ Redwing, c35 Fieldfare, 15 Jackdaw, 2 Reed Bunting, Redpoll heard, 40+ Siskin in sallows (flying off + relocated to alders in B&Q car park Glencoe Rd), pr Bullfinch (Neil Anderson).
 * Osterley Park: 1 Common Gull, 100+ Fieldfare, m & f Gadwall, 2 Goldcrest, 5 Jackdaw, 1 Little Grebe (moulting into breeding plumage) on garden lake, 2 Mistle Thrush, 3 Nuthatch, 5+ Redwing, 20 Tufted Duck (V Williamson, R Woolley).
 * Rainham RSPB: tip only - 1 1st-win. Caspian Gull (large individual), 2 Yellow-legged Gull - most of the large gulls were roosting on the tip in an area not visible from the public footpath & all the gulls of interest were on the river itself, 2 Water Pipit at barges (Bilbo & Baggins). m Hen Harrier (Paul Hawkins), 2 Short-eared Owl (PH/NC), c2 Barn Owl, Marsh Harrier, Mediterranean Gull on river, 2 Jack Snipe, 30+ Common Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, 200+ Redshank, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 30+ Pintail, 5 Cetti's Warbler, [m Black Redstart at end of Ferry Lane on waterfront] (Nick Croft).
 * Sidcup DA15 (Lamorbey Park): pr Egyptian Geese, m Wigeon, 12 Tufted Ducks (8m 4f as opposed to 10m yesterday), 4 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Peregrine, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, several Siskins (Ian Stewart).
 * Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): 15+ Lapwing SW 10.42 (Ian Stewart).
 * Staines Moor: 1 Red Kite W (pics ), 2-4 Water Pipit along the Colne, 1 Water Rail along the Colne (under the obvious clump of willows south of northern most footbridge), 1 Grey Wagtail, 10 Common Snipe, 1 Reed Bunting (Lee Dingain).
 * Staines Reservoir:  1 Great Northern Diver (N Basin 06.55-09.55, 2 Scaup, 1m & 1f (N Basin), 1 Black-necked Grebe S Basin, 4 Common Redshank (A.Luscombe, Bob Warden et al). 1m Stonechat S Basin (Chris P).
 * Surbiton KT6 (Victoria Road): 74 Waxwing on TV aerial on roof of building opposite Mcdonalds until 08.45 when they flew off towards R. Thames (Neil Batten). Still present at 14.15hrs - feeding and on trees in Victoria Road then settling close by in sometimes-dispersed groups (Nigel Jackman).
 * Sutton SM1 (Rosehill Park East): 30 Fieldfare, 2 Long-tailed Tit (Andrew Kellett)
 * Swanley Park: m Gadwall - first record for 10 yrs, f Shoveler, pr Mute Swan, 40 Redwing, 1 Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming, f Blackcap (Andy Meaton).
 * Teddington Lock TW11: 9 Red-crested Pochard (Spencer Neal)
 * Thamesmere West Lake: 53 Shoveler, Little Grebe (John Archer).
 * Trent Park: 1 male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, feeding in Alder - close views! 11:38-11:40 hrs; 1 female Firecrest, feeding in Laurel, SW edge of Rough Lot, 12:15-12:18 hrs (Robert Callf).
 * Rosemary Gardens, N1: 4 Fieldfare (Michael Rank)
 * Waltham Abbey EN4 (near Marriott Hotel): at least 4 Siskin, up to 10 Goldfinch, 6 Greenfinch, Chaffinches, House Sparrows on garden feeders - regular visitors for last few weeks (and costing me a small fortune in sunflower & nyjer seed!) (Nigel May).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: 14:30-16:30 - E Warwick Slavonian Grebe ranging widely mostly diving; Water Rail halfway along Coppermill Stream; 2 Kingfisher courting N end of No.1. (Paul Whiteman), c5 Goldeneye (no 1); 9 Goldeneye (1 drake  8 females - he really must have the East_Warwick_Slav.jpg'wow' factor this guy!), 4 f Goosander, pr Teal all roosting at N end of Lockwood at dusk; 2 Shelduck; pr Peregrine on nearby gasometer early pm (Lol Bodini).
 * Wanstead Park: 100+ Gadwall, 24 Shoveler, 1 Common Teal, 15 Pochard, 28 Fieldfare, 20 Redwing, Firecrest (Bush Wood), Nuthatch (Reservoir Wood), 20+ Siskin (TH and ELBF team)

Friday 22nd February 2013

 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Little Grebe, Mandarin, Peregrine, Stock Dove, 2 Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam).
 * Catford SE6 (River Pool): 20 Fieldfare, 2 Goldcrest, Grey Wagtail (Terry Wilson).
 * Clapham South (SW4): 6 Waxwing noon in tree on local street. (observer?). Which street?
 * Crayford Marshes: 3rd-winter Caspian Gull, Spotted Redshank, adult Mediterranean Gull, Turnstone, 5 Grey Plover, Golden Plover, 3 Yellow-legged Gull, 5 Curlew, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper (Kev Jarvis).
 * Dulwich SE21 (Idmiston/Rosendale Rd jn): Common Buzzard 08.30 (two observers) (William Marshall). Seems to be more activity recently. Had two different birds in the last fortnight (MS).
 * Dulwich Park SE21: 1m Shoveler back on lake (Martin Stevens).
 * East Dulwich SE22 (Dovercourt Road): c40 Fieldfare over SW (Martin Stevens).
 * Ewell (Hogsmill Open Space): 1 Common Snipe, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Redwing. Little Egret again at the Lower Mill 15.25 to 16.25 (Neil Batten).
 * Forest Hill SE23 (Cranston Rd): 7 Waxwing 8am feeding on rosehips & drinking from gutters (Andrew Birks).
 * Gallions Reach E6: 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 5 Curlew, Oystercatcher, 3 Lapwing, 216 Redshank (Gary A James).
 * Greenford UB6: m Blackcap now present for over 2 months in garden (Neil Anderson)
 * Highgate, Waterlow Park: 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Mistle Trush, 1 Grey Heron, Goldfinch, Greenfinch. 15:00-16:00 (Daniel Bosch).
 * Leyton E10 6EQ (Essex Road): 60+ Waxwing in silver birches by school flying down to eat berries in front of school entrance (Alistair Wardill).
 * M25 (Junction 24), S of Potters Bar TL 266001: Common Buzzard (Clive Herbert)
 * Netherhouse Farm, Sewardstone E4: 3 Redpoll, 3 Redwing, c30 Fieldfare, c40 Stock Dove, Kestrel (Martin Shepherd).
 * Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): Common Buzzard to NE mobbed by Crows 11.48, Grey Heron S, Sparrowhawk in garden, 2 Stock Doves over, 4 Fieldfare, Redwing, 2 Goldcrests in garden feeding low in ivy, Jackdaw on chimney (Ian Stewart).
 * Sidcup DA15 (Lamorbey Park): pair Egyptian Geese, male Wigeon grazing in college grounds, 12 Tufted Ducks, 1+ Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen on nest, 4+ Redwing, 2+ Goldcrest, Nuthatch, still plenty Siskins around the lake (Ian Stewart).
 * Staines Reservoir: late afternoon - imm Great Northern Diver still N basin, regular adult Mediterranean Gull with Black-headed around E bank, summer-plumaged Black-necked Grebe S basin, male Stonechat causeway (Rob Innes).
 * Surbiton KT6 (Victoria Road): 65 Waxwing for second day feeding on abundant berries in trees near to Cancer Research charity shop - if not feeding (every twenty minutes or so) look on TV aerial above shops or in trees behind/near to the shopping street (Nigel Jackman).
 * Twychells Farm, Bedmond (TL 101 043): Red Kite (Clive Herbert)
 * Valentines Park Ilford: lots of Siskins this morning in the alders, 2 drumming Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Green Woodpecker, 2 Grey Herons at nest site. (Barbara Miller) ps Has anyone seen Valentino the local Med Gull lately?
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: 8 Goldeneye (1 drake) roosting on the Lockwood at dusk; 4 f Goosander earlier today (Lol Bodini).
 * Waterworks NR: Green Sandpiper - close view in bed 16, 6 Shoveler (Steve Howey). 3 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Water Rail, 4 Snipe, Reed Bunting, Sparrowhawk; no Bittern 09:00-10:00, 14:00-16:00 (Paul Whiteman). Kudos to Graham Howe for the timely site description.

Thursday 21st February 2013

 * Alexandra Park: 14 Shoveler Wood Green Res 7am (Bob Watts). 1 duck teal on conservation pond 10am (Jonathan Cooke).
 * Bexley DA14 (Foots Cray Meadows): 8.00 to 9.45 - Little Egret, Grey Heron, Gadwall, 12 Tufted Duck, Kestrel, 50+ Rose-ringed Parakeet, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Long-tailed Tits, Jay (Peter Graham).
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Mandarin, Goldcrest, Coal Tit (Conrad Ellam)
 * Clapham Common: 70 Fieldfare and 2 Redwing on grass between Mt Pond and Clapham South tube, 2 Pochard and 8 Tufted Duck on Mt Pond (Tom Gillard).
 * Crayford Marshes: Bar-tailed Godwit, Spotted Redshank, 8 Grey Plover, Turnstone, Oystercatcher, Green Sandpiper, 3 Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, 18 Redwing, 24 Fieldfare. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Ewell Village: 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Pied Wagtail, 11 Tufted Duck at Bourne Hall (this is a 50% reduction in Tufted Duck numbers compared to a decade ago) (Neil Batten)
 * Greenwich Park: 7 Fieldfare, 2+ Redwing (Deer Enclosure), 1 Tufted Duck with pinioned birds on the pond (Joe Beale).
 * Hammersmith: Grey Wagtail by Furnival Gardens (Michael Robinson)
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 6 Red-crested Pochard (4m), 51 Common Gull, 2 Fieldfare, 2 Jackdaw over, 2 Siskin, Linnet over (D. McKenzie).
 * Kennington SE11: Waxwings feeding in Methley Street - second day in a row (Luis Valente). Anybody know if they're still there? Thanks. Yes they were around at lunchtime also on Milverton Street. How many birds were there, Luis? Around 10-15 I would say.
 * Lee Valley RP (Walthamstow Marsh): 13 Linnet, 7 Meadow Pipit, c6 Fieldfare & c15 Redwing by horse paddocks this am but still no sign of Little Owls (Lol Bodini).
 * Lee Valley RP (Waterworks NR): 1 Bittern Bed 16 chased by fox then catching frog - great views 1st for me; also Kingfisher overhead (Marcus Mitchell). Which direction was the Kingfisher going, Marcus? (Graham). Overhead from the river (red bridge area) towards bed 16 but not seen in any bed when I arrived - it may have carried on over Lea Bridge Rd up the valley; I used to see them on the river almost every trip but since they started the Olympics site very infrequently now (MM). Bittern showing very well til midday at least at the back of Bed 16; also Green Sandpiper giving close views in Bed 17 & 3 Shoveler; no sign of nearby Little Owl this morning (Lol Bodini, Alastair Dent). Kingfisher in the relief channel near the Golf Club at 15:30, no sign of the Bittern though (again) (Stuart Fisher)
 * Lewisham SE4 (Hilly Fields): 2 Green Woodpeckers (Phil Laurie).
 * Little Britain Lake, Iver/Cowley UB8: Red Kite over 10.30am, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Egyptian Goose, Song Thrush, 2 Goldfinch, 3 Chaffinch, 5 Greylags in field, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets (Sue Giddens).
 * Margravine Cemetery: 1 Redwing, 1pr Mistle Thrush, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Mile End E14 (Salmon Lane Lock, Regent's Canal}: Grey Wagtail, Long-tailed Tit, Mute Swan (Phil Laurie)
 * Richmond TW10 (Petersham Lodge Wood): c.15 Redwing in Sea Scout Field, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming (S. Neal).
 * Sidcup (Lamorbey Park): pair Egyptian Geese, male Wigeon again (present since 17th Jan but not always on view), 6 Tufted Duck, 3 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, 3+ Great Spotted Woodpeckers ( 1 drumming), 4 Redwing, Goldcrest, 2 Nuthatch, 20+ Siskin (Ian Stewart).
 * Snaresbrook Crown Court/Leyton Flats E11: Firecrest back again in the ivy (but the area is now closed due to building work), 3 Siskin, 10 Goldfinch, 3+ Fieldfare (Stuart Fisher)
 * South Ealing W5: 6 Waxwings feeding in Durham Road 11.45 (Frank Shilling).
 * Swanley Park: Sparrowhawk, Blackcap (f), pr drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, 30 Goldfinch (Andy Meaton).
 * Thorney CP: Song Thrush, 4 Gadwall, Grey Heron, 9 Cormorants, 6 Pochards, 15+ Tufted Ducks, 2 Great Crested Grebes, Mute Swan, 4 Common Gulls, 2 Kingfishers that went separate ways once they saw me; 1 Muntjac between the two bridges (Sue Giddens). Any chance of a 6-figure grid reference for the Muntjac, please? (Clive Herbert, LNHS Mammal Recorder).  I'm not sure how to get a 6-figure grid reference, but this is the location given by gridreferencefinder.com - TQ 04655 79181 (Nigel Sluman) Many thanks - Clive Herbert
 * South Tottenham: 4 Waxwings feeding on rose hips in Grove Park Road at 5pm. (Observer?)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: 6 f Goosander sleeping at N shore of Lockwood today (Lol Bodini)
 * Wanstead Flats: possible Knot caning it west down Aldersbrook Rd 09:00, 10 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 25 Tufted Duck, 2 Egyptian Goose, 6 Meadow Pipit, 4 Skylark, Reed Bunting, Kestrel (Nick Croft)
 * Wanstead Park: 9 Waxwing Wanstead Park Avenue (Tim Harris), Firecrest Bush Wood (Barry Bishop), c. 50 Gadwall, 10 Pochard, pr of Teal, Goldcrest (Nick Croft)
 * West Drayton UB7: Red Kite over 11.45, 1 Blackcap still feeding in my garden (Sue Giddens).

Wednesday 20th February 2013

 * Abbey Road NW8: Peregrine Falcon south 08:55 (D. McKenzie).
 * Amwell NR: a.m. 2♀ Bearded Tit (Bill Last fide Herts Bird Club) later returning S to Nov ringing site at Rye Meads.
 * Alexandra Park: 5+ Shoveler Wood Green Res 7am (Bob Watts). Peregrine chasing flock of pigeons towards Grove car park 12.30 (Dawn Painter)
 * Bromley BR2 (Hayes Farm/Keston Common): 2 m Kestrel, Little Owl, Song & Mistle Thrush, 15-20 Fieldfare & assoc Starlings, 150-200 mix of Crow, Rook & Jackdaw; Gadwall, Little Grebe, 2 Teal (pr) on fishing lake; Great Black-backed Gull, Common Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker (GBT) - anyone else working this patch? Only two reports from Hayes Farm & one from Keston Ponds in past year.
 * Canons Park HA8 (The Hive Playing Fields): 14:00 c25 Fieldfares, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Pied Wagtail (Phil Laurie)
 * Cranford CP, TW5: lots of Great Spotted Woodpecker activity; mixed flock of Goldfinches, Redpolls and a Goldcrest; fem Sparrowhawk carrying nesting material (W.Marks, S.Barry, P.Provins, S.Provins)
 * Crayford Marshes: 2 Avocet, Spotted Redshank, adult Mediterranean Gull, Grey Plover, 3 Oystercatcher, 5 Black-tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper, 24 Redwing, 36 Fieldfare. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Ealing W5 (Durham Road): 20 Waxwing 8:30am - a few hundred metres south of South Ealing Station (Robin Sims)
 * East Barnet EN4 (Rushdene Avenue): c30 Waxwings briefly at 10.45 on tree outside no.50 feeding on cotoneaster (S.Javes).
 * Enfield Town (River View): 1 female Blackcap, feeding from block of fat in garden, 16:15 hrs (Robert Callf).
 * Ewell Village (Lower MIll): Little Egret briefly in the Hogsmill at 15.50; 1 Grey Wagtail being pursued by female Sparrowhawk (Neil Batten).
 * Highgate, Waterlow Park: 08.45-09.45 Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Song Thrush, Siskin, Green Woodpecker; no sign of yesterday's Firecrest (Adrian Platt).
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: Barnacle Goose (uo), 63 adult Egyptian Goose plus 2 new goslings (originally 3 gosling but 1 predated), pair of Gadwall, 16 Shoveler, pair of Red-crested Pochard, 10 Great Crested Grebe, female Sparrowhawk, pair of Peregrine Falcon circled over Serpentine 10:50-10:56, c.600 Black-headed Gull, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker (D. McKenzie).
 * Kensal Green Cemetery : several Ring-necked Parakeet, 4 Green Woodpecker, c.20 Blackbird, c.40 Fieldfare, 4 Song Thrush, 10+ Redwing, 3 Mistle Thrush (D. McKenzie).
 * Lake Farm CP, Hayes UB3: Red Kite mobbed by gull, Kestrel mobbed by crow, c15 Reed Buntings (W.Marks, S.Barry, P.Provins, S.Provins).
 * Lee Valley RP (Tottenham Marshes): fem Goosander on Overflow Channel by Chalk Bridge, 2 pr Teal & Little Grebes on River, Grey Wagtail & Meadow Pipit on Concrete Channel by N Entrance 12.30-1 pm (Davey Leach).
 * Lee Valley RP (Walthamstow Marsh): RFI Has anyone seen the Little Owls at the riding stables in the last few months? Never particularly easy but are becoming conspicuous by their absence (Paul Whiteman).
 * Lee Valley RP (Waterworks NR): Bittern 2.30pm bed 16 - flew over to bed 15 at 3pm, Little Owl in tree hole by Lea R, 2 Chiffchaff, Green Sandpiper bed 17, 2 Shoveler, 4 Teal, female Kestrel (Graham Howie) blog.
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Bittern, 2 Pintail, male Sparrowhawk, male Pintail (Oscar Dewhurst).
 * Long Ditton, KT7: c25 Waxwing still feeding in front garden bushes on corner of Thorkhill Road opposite Recreation Ground (Bill Dykes).
 * Rye Meads: 2♀ Bearded Tit have returned (fide RSPB Rye Meads, Regent's Park Birds blog) after a.m. stopover at Amwell GP - MI5 couldn't have tracked them better!
 * Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): 7 Canada Geese SW, 3 Stock Dove over, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Redwing, Goldcrest. Of note, no Greenfinches in my garden today, first time in many years this has happened. Plenty of House Sparrows though. (Ian Stewart).
 * Sidcup (Lamorbey Park): Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Grebe, Kingfisher, several Siskins, Redwing, 4 male Tufted Duck (Ian Stewart).
 * Springfield Park E5: Nuthatch still 09:30 by Adventure Playground as y'day - remained silent! M Peregrine hunting Parakeets through trees like a Sparrowhawk. Went to roost on pylon on Walthamstow Marsh. (Paul Whiteman)
 * Thames Ditton, KT7: 1 male Siskin and 1 male Blackcap feeding in garden (Bill Dykes).
 * Trent Park: 1 (m) Firecrest in large laurel 100m south of obelisk on E side of wide grass path in Rough Lot 15:15 (Neville Smith).
 * Wanstead Flats: Kestrel, Meadow Pipit (Nick Croft)
 * Wanstead Park: 4 Goldeneye (3m/1f) present all day seen slumbering on Perch at 17:00 (Dan Hennessy), 50+ Gadwall, 4 Pochard, 60+ Tufted Duck, singing Coal Tit, 6 Goldcrest, 1-2 Firecrest (Bush Wood - DH/NC/Alan Hobson), Reed Bunting, Little Egret, displaying Great Crested Grebe (The Basin - Steve Thorpe), Lesser Redpoll, Siskin (NC/Bob Vaughan), pr Bullfinch Old Sewage Works (Nick Croft)

Tuesday 19th February 2013

 * Alexandra Park: 12 Shovelers 7am Wood Green Res (Bob Watts). Juvenile male Peregrine Falcon flying up to Alexandra Palace television aerial 5:00pm (Stephen Middleton).
 * Barnehurst, Thirlmere Rd DA7: 1 male Blackcap and 1 Goldcrest in my garden (Chris Rose)
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Little Grebe, Mandarin, Kingfisher, Song Thrush, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
 * Bushy Park (Canal Plantation area): 1 fem Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (10:30-10:45), c.30 Siskin, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Mandarin, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, c.25 Redwing (inc. 1 singing), 2 Fieldfare, 25 Meadow Pipit (M Bournat)
 * Clapham Common: 60 Fieldfare in tree tops then down feeding on grass (before dusk) scared by dog walkers - didn't notice any Redwing with them (Michael Mac).
 * Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, Turnstone, Little Owl, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, Golden Plover, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Rock Pipit. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Croxley Moor, Herts WD3: 1 Kingfisher (James Palmer).
 * Hackney N1 (Northchurch Road): female Blackcap in our garden after male seen on Feb 9 (Michael Rank).
 * Hampton Wick Pond, KT1: 3 Gadwall, 2 Fieldfare, 1 Skylark, 1 Little Grebe (M Bournat)
 * Highgate, Waterlow Park: singing male Firecrest - 07.50 near old cages/aviaries (P.Angus).
 * Holborn (Lincoln's Inn Fields): Kestrel drifting over @12.30 (GBT).
 * King George V Reservoir: 8 Jackdaw, Fieldfare, Goldeneye, 2 Green Woodpecker (G Howie). blog
 * Kingston Cemetery, KT1: 7 Teal; and a Small Tortoiseshell (M Bournat)
 * Larkhall Park - Stockwell: Grey Heron over did tight circle then away (Michael Mac).
 * Lee Valley RP (Gunpowder Marsh): Tawny Owl calling and seen in flight by Enfield Island VIllage 6.30pm, Barn Owl heard nearby in direction of Sewardstone Marsh - probably same bird as yesterday (Davey Leach).
 * London Wetland Centre: 3 Bittern (1 on Grazing Marsh 10am, 1 flew from next to WWF Hide to reedbed 1.15pm, 1 flew from west end Main Lake to roost in the reedbed at 4.50pm), 2 Pintail, 4 Mandarin, 3 Common Snipe (Oscar Dewhurst).
 * Long Ditton, Surrey KT7: 6 Waxwings in trees at junction between Thorkhill Road and Ewell Road (opposite Recreation Ground) occasionally dropping down to feed on berries in nearby front garden till dusk at least (Bill Dykes).
 * Margravine Cemetery: 1 Jackdaw (dropped in), 1 bat (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Rainham Marshes: Penduline Tit reported as 'recently' on RBA (DT). At Rainham Marshes today and was told by a warden that this was seen on Sunday (G J Francis).
 * Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 2 Bearded Tit in area-5 boathouse reedbed 07:30-07:45 but not showing well - later a.m. visiting all three local reedbeds but elusive; 3 Shelduck, 4 Gadwall, 9 Shoveler - majority of wintering ducks have left within the past two days; 1 Water Rail, 1 Goldcrest singing, 4 Siskin (birdman_euston). NB The Bearded Tits left the Park sometime after 9am having spent c48 hrs here (fide Regent's Park Birds blog).
 * Redbridge Lakes and Roding Valley Park: 3 Snipe, Little Egret, Redpoll, 2 Goldcrests, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Long-tailed Tits. Also 2 Rooks flew over, quite high: the first I've ever seen in this part of London, or indeed in most parts of London (Alan Hobson). I saw a number of Rooks in Loughton at the weekend Alan, first I can recall (Mike Benyon) 'That's helpful to know - the ones I saw may be an offshoot/peripheral part off that flock - 'less than two miles as the crow [or rook!] flies (Alan).
 * Rickmansworth, Herts WD3: 1 Great White Egret flew due south over the garden at 17.25 - heading straight towards Stocker's Lake (less than 1 mile away) (Andrew Moon)
 * Snaresbrook Crown Court E11: at least 3 Siskin (one singing), singing Coal Tit, 2 Shoveler, 36 Tufted Duck, 2 Goldcrest (one singer), 1 Peacock (Stuart Fisher) Peafowl or Insect ?
 * St James's Park: 4 Fieldfare feeding in a plane tree at 15:00 (Frank Nugent).
 * Seething Wells Filter Beds KT1: 29 Lapwing, 3 Little Grebe (M Bournat)
 * Springfield Park E5: Nuthatch (good bird here), 2 Mistle Thrush (Dan Barrett)
 * Stocker's Lake, Herts WD3: 1 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull (metal ring on right leg) at west end 16.05 to 16.20 (Andrew Moon). NB The blue hyperlink added to AM's post leads in this case only to a patchlist, not a site description.
 * Tooting Bec Common, north end ("Triangle Field" & environs) SW17: 3.40-4.40pm - 1 Little Owl (patch-tick: clear views for 15 mins in oak near gate to old Steiner School field), 9 Redwing, Greenfinch, 2 m Chaffinch, House Sparrow, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Grey Heron over, 9 Common Gull among c 20 Black-headed Gull on field (Nick Granger-Taylor).
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: 6+ Redwing (Bob Watts).
 * Trent Park: 1 Firecrest  feeding in Holly & Laurel SW edge of Rough Lot 14:00 - 14:05 hrs; 3 singing male Coal Tit; 2 Nuthatch; 3 Treecreeper including two together (Robert Callf).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: (Lockwood & surrounds) 9 Goldeneye (3 drakes), f Goosander, 18 Teal, Peregrine on gasometer, Green Sandpiper, 6-10 Fieldfare, 2-3 Chiffchaff (1 singing briefly), Meadow Pipit (Lol Bodini). 7 Shelduck, Little Egret (G Howie) blog

Monday 18th February 2013

 * Alexandra Park: 9 Shoveler Wood Green Res, also pair Great Crested Grebe displaying (Bob Watts).
 * Bushy Park: 12-14 Waxwings flew low east, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 50+ Siskins (Tony Duckett)
 * Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, Turnstone, adult Mediterranean Gull, adult Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Rock Pipit, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Oystercatcher. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Crayford DA1 (Perry Street Farm): 6 Pied Wagtail, 1 (possible) Meadow Pipit, 150+ Starling, 53 House Sparrow (Chris Rose)
 * Crayford (Thames Road Wetland): 2 Water Rail (heard), 1 Grey Heron, 3 Goldfinch (Chris Rose)
 * Ewell Village (Lower Mill): Little Egret from 16.20 onwards (Neil Batten).
 * Falconwood DA16 (A2): Buzzard being mobbed by two crows 10.45 (Ralph Todd)
 * Finsbury Park: 60 Fieldfare, 5 Gadwall, 6 Shoveler (James Palmer).
 * Hampstead Heath: Pair of Bullfinches still between birdfeeders and ladies pond at c11:00 (Adrian Platt).
 * Hanwell W7 (Wicks carpark on the Boston Manor Rd): 9 Waxwings in the tree above the cafe feeding on a cotoneaster bush growing  over the front door of one of the houses just before the car park (one-way street). (F.Mckinnon).
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: pair of Egyptian Goose with 3 new goslings, 3 Gadwall, male Red-crested Pochard, 2nd-winter Great Black-backed Gull, Little Owl calling from KG leafyard (D. McKenzie).
 * Ilford garden: still 2 Redpoll visiting the feeders regularly (B Miller)
 * Joydens Wood DA14: 50+ Siskin, 40+ Fieldfare (Conrad Ellam)
 * Kingston Cemetery: 1 Kestrel, 1 Coot, 2 Goldcrest, flyover Siskin, 10 Teal (M Bournat)
 * Lee Valley RP (WaterWorks NR) E10: Little Owl ...at last - thanks G. Howie! (Marcus Mitchell)
 * Leyton Oliver Road: at least 2 Waxwings flew low over my balcony at 4:55pm (Stuart Fisher)
 * London Wetland Centre WWT Barnes: 1 Bittern on grazing marsh, 1 Smew, 1 Cetti's Warbler in song (Gordon Shaw et al) 2 Little Grebe, pr Gadwall, pr Pintal, 7 Long-tailed tit, 2 Bittern, many pochard and shoveler, 71 Cormorant ( Brandon Anderson)
 * Middlesex Filter Beds: 2 Firecrest one in sub song, at least 5 Chiffchaffs 2 singing!, Siskin over (Jamie Partridge)
 * Millfields Park E5: 20+ Waxwings overhead (Marcus Mitchell)
 * Neasden: Waxwing flew E at 07.25 over Neasden Roundabout (Andrew Self)
 * Paddington Green: Common Buzzard drifted high south 13:50, Peregrine Falcon west 14:00 (D. McKenzie).
 * Queen's Park NW1: Common Snipe flew on to path then skulked along hedge of Wildlife/Pitch and Putt area before being flushed; also 4 Redwings, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Green Woodpecker 11.00 (Nick Gibson).
 * Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 2♀ Bearded Tit showing down to 3m 07:30-08:15 at extreme S (right-hand) end of Boathouse reedbed (area 5) 2min from Hanover Gate Park Map; complete census mainly by Boris bike  5-7am revealed 24 Song Thrush, 4-5 Mistle Thrush singing on patch; 900+ Black-headed Gull covering Park playing fields 07:10; marked decrease in wintering ducks since yesterday (birdman_euston). 2♀ Bearded Tit delightfully close at 15:15 in same spot (Barry Jones).
 * Ruskin Park (SE5): Great Spotted Woodpeckers drumming at 09.00 (William Marshall)
 * Sewardstone Marsh: 1 Barn Owl 17:55-18:00 from the marsh headed up onto the KGV reservoir and into the bowl, 1 Woodcock 18:05 both seen for two days running (Neville Smith).
 * Sidcup (Lamorbey Park): 6 Siskin, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Wigeon, Sparrowhawk (Eric Brown and Peter Graham).
 * Stanmore Place, Honeypot Lane HA7: Little Egret seen taking off, Red Kite circling low over flats before eventually gaining height + drifting SE at noon (surprisingly ignored by local Crows!) (Neil Anderson)
 * Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: 7 Lapwing SW, c100 Fieldfare, 1 Redwing, c225 Common Gull, 6 Siskin, Skylark, 2 Bullfinch, 13 Teal, 2 drake Mandarin (John Colmans)
 * Trent Park: 1 male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, feeding in alders - very close views! and 1 probable Small Tortoiseshell seen only in flight (Robin White per RMCallf).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs (Lockwood) : 2 redhead Goosander, 7 Goldeneye (one drake), 2 Lapwing over S, 2 Jackdaw over E (Jamie Partridge)
 * Whitewebbs Wood: 1 Firecrest, in leaf litter under Holly, 14:15 hrs, at least 2 Goldcrest nearby; 26(18m, 8f) Mandarin Duck, on ornamental lake, 12:50 hrs; 5 Treecreeper, including one singing (Robert Callf).
 * Woodford Station IG8: 10 Waxwing south end of Platform 3 feeding on rosehips adjacent to the car park at 08:00 (Frank Nugent per Dominic Stinchcombe).

Sunday 17th February 2013

 * Hackney Mead Place E9: around 100 (probably more) Waxwings in an impressive flock harvesting a hedgerow of berries at 17:00 and then taking rest in a low cherry tree above my head. took me a week to identify them after never having seen them before. Absolutely stunning and etched on my memory! What a privaledge.  (Andrea McPherson)
 * Barnehurst DA7: Sparrowhawk calling repeatedly from Grasmere Road allotment site woodland area, flew out briefly after spooking c60 Wood Pigeon. 13 Collared Dove and 1 Goldfinch behind Thirlmere Rd, 1 Goldcrest in my Thirlmere Rd garden. (Chris Rose).
 * Brent Reservoir: 15 Lesser Redpolls behind main hide (Andrew Self & Roy Beddard)
 * Bushy Park: Nuthatch just off Cobblers Walk, c20 Waxwings feeding on mistletoe berries near Sandy Lane main gate (Phil Davies).
 * Crayford Marshes: 1 Spotted Redshank, 80 Redshank, 200+ Dunlin, 80 Lapwing, 1 Little Owl, Rock Pipit, Redwing, Fieldfare (James Palmer).
 * East Dulwich (SE22): Dunstans Road - male Blackcap in back garden. First for some time, female that hung around for best part of a month seems to have left some time last week; Forest Hill Road - Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Crow and unidentified Gull fighting and circling high towards One Tree Hill (Martin Stevens).
 * Gallions Reach E6: 5 Curlew, 5 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Oystercatcher, 1 Common Snipe, 7 Fieldfare, Chiffchaff (Gary A James).
 * Greenwich Ecology Park: 2 Little Grebe, 2 Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, 3 Siskin, 2 Oystercatchers on the Thames foreshore (Conrad Ellam).
 * Hampstead Heath: 1 Treecreeper by the feeders in Sanctuary Pond 10:00 (D Bosch). Buzzard missing central tail feathers drifted NW over Parliament Hill at 1130 (Pete Mantle). Pair of Bullfinches still between birdfeeders and ladies pond at 15:00 (Adrian Platt).
 * Hampton Court Palace: 25 Waxwings in Palace gardens near the Maze 3:30 (Chris Turner)
 * Hyde Park: 6 Red-crested Pochard, both Bearded Tit in Fisherman's Keep reeds a.m. but may return to Diana Memorial reeds (D. McKenzie). See subsequent update for Regent's Park, below.
 * Kingston KT1 (Market Square): 1 Peregrine chasing pigeons (M Bournat)
 * Lee Valley RP (Waterworks Nature Reserve): Little Owl 9.50am visible from the bottom of the pitch-and-putt in tree hole across the river (G Howie). blog.
 * Leyton Oliver Road/Orient Way: 2 Peregrines over tip at 12:15pm, 1 Siskin over (Stuart Fisher)
 * Leytonstone: 20+ Waxwings still in Fairlop Road near to junction with Bulwer Road @ 12.00. (Gary A James).
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 male Bearded Tits at 10am from Headley hide - subsequently seen by another observer at 3.15 from observatory, 4 Bittern, Peregrine, 5 Common Snipe (Oscar Dewhurst).
 * Middlesex Filter Beds: Firecrest, 6+ Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, 2 Grey Wagtail (Jonathan Nasir). 2 Firecrest in the east of site by the Lea 9am (G Howie).
 * Oakwood N14 (j/c Merrivale / Prince George Ave): 27 Waxwings (Observer ?) photos on: http://thekentishlondoner.blogspot.co.uk/ Please see images of these Oakwood waxwings at my site at http://anthonyswildlifephotos.blogspot.com  (Observer ?) Link does not work. Waxwings present at 13.00 but dispersed by a Sparrowhawk. We waited (in car) an hour but they were only sighted in flight, Still plenty berries. (Bob Husband & Mike Cawthorne).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Little Owl, 3 Snipe, 25 Jackdaw, 9 Canada Goose & 1 Grey Heron (Jon Ridge).
 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: Short-eared Owl, Barn Owl, 6 Snipe this evening (Shaun Harvey). Penduline Tit (per RSPB warden).
 * Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 3 (2♂ 1♀) Shelduck (paired ♂ chasing away newcomer), 1 Jackdaw NE calling 09:10 (year first), 1 Fieldfare (birdman_euston). 12:14 Pair of female Bearded Tit - one ringed on right leg - in reeds right of boathouse (area 5) 2min from Hanover Gate Park Map (Chris Caldwell, musicontheedge). 2 Little Grebe trilling, 2 Great Crested Grebe (pr), 18+ Grey Heron on territory, 1 Water Rail, 1♀ Great Black-backed Gull, 1♀ Firecrest The Holme area 10 at 09:20-10:30 (fide Regent's Park Birds blog).
 * Shepperton TW17: 20+ Fieldfare, 1 Redwing in horse paddocks behind Bugle pub (W.Marks)
 * Surbiton KT6 (Claremont Gardens): 40-50 Waxwing NW at 1415 (Andrew Skotnicki).
 * Surbiton KT6 (Seething Wells Filter Beds): 14 Lapwing, 2 Gadwall, 10 Tufted Duck (M Bournat).
 * Totteridge Valley: signs of Spring with first pair of Lapwings back on territory and a Red Admiral; also 1 Crossbill over NW at 10:30, c110 Fieldfare, c300 Starling, 3 Meadow Pipit, 17 Stock Dove, 15 Rook (one pair mating), c150 Common Gull, Little Owl, Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Siskin; also male Blackcap at Woodside Park still (Ian Ellis).
 * Valentines Park IG1: several Siskins feeding in alders (B Miller)
 * Wormwood Scrubs: m Kestrel, 2 Redwing, 2 Common Gull, 3 Linnet (Charlie Farrell)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Lockwood Res - Common Buzzard (KJ Mcmanus).

Saturday 16th February 2013

 * Abney Park Cemetery: 1 Buzzard high south at 12.30. (observer ?)
 * Alexandra Park: juvenile male Peregrine Falcon on Alexandra Palace television aerial 11.15 a.m. (James Palmer). Also 4 Shoveler Wood Green Res, 10+ Redwing Deer Enclosures, 18 Pochard Boating Lake (Bob Watts), Peregrine reported to have put up ducks & gulls on Boating Lake late am (Henry Wyn-Jones per Bob Watts), 6 Fieldfare with 9+ Redwing near Conservation area pond (Gerry Rawcliffe).
 * Brent Reservoir: 26 Snipe, 900 Black-headed Gulls, male Ruddy Duck, 5 Fieldfare & 19 singing Song Thrushes (Andrew Self). NB. I've blocked the person who edited my post.
 * Cockfosters / Belmont Open Space, EN4: Male Siskin at garden feeder (Bob & Anna Husband)
 * Crayford Marshes: Grey Plover, 8 Golden Plover, 50 Redshank (none of them spotty), 500+ Dunlin, Oystercatcher, Redwing & Fieldfare (mixed flock of 30+birds) (John Bushell & Conrad Ellam).
 * Grays Riverside, RM17: 4 Oystercatcher, 2 Turnstone, Ringed Plover, Redshank, Dunlin, pr Gadwall - unusual here (James A).
 * Grovelands Park, N14: 4 pairs of Mandarin (feeding at close quarters), 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 hybrid Canada x domestic Greylag geese (T Donegan)
 * Hampstead Heath: 9 Waxwing in poplar tree near Sanctuary Pond feeding on buds 09:15 before flying off, 5 Fieldfare, c20 Redwing, pair of Bullfinch still - shrubs behind feeders (Frank Nugent).
 * Hyde Park: 2 female Bearded Tits showing extremely well near Princess Diana fountain, they have been around over a month but my first time and mighty impressive they were too (Michael Rank).
 * Islington N19 (Fortnam Rd off Holloway Rd): 20 Waxwings 10:00am. (Observer?)
 * KGV Reservoir: Long-tailed Duck (09.55, south end of south basin), 2 Shelduck, Skylark over, Goosander, c40 Goldeneye (Martin Shepherd).
 * Lee Valley RP - Waterworks NR: Green Sandpiper, 2 Chiffchaff (Jonathan Nasir).
 * Leyton, Oliver Road and Orient Way: Woodlark flew south then round east at 08:45, 2 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing (Stuart Fisher).
 * Leytonstone (junction of Fairlop/Bulwer Rds): 32 Waxwings at 10.30 (Ian Lycett). Still present 12.00 (Gary A James). Flew 200 yards west to tall poplars junction with Drayton Road at 14.10 (A. Lyburn)
 * London Wetland Centre, Barnes (WWT): AM - 3 Bittern (starting to appear on Grazing Marsh rather than just in the main reedbed and marginal reeds of the Main Lake - generally getting flighty); at least 3 singing Cetti's Warbler; 2 Common Snipe; 105 Cormorant (half Continental) and 10 Heron on Headley Hide Spit; Wigeon, Gadwall, numerous Teal, Common Pochard, Mallard and plentiful Tufted Duck; Great Crested and Little Grebe pairs; over 200 Canada Goose early, 3 pairs Greylag Goose, 3 pairs Egyptian Goose; Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers; Siskin, Goldfinch and Reed Bunting (Angus Innes).
 * Middlesex Filter Beds: 2 Firecrest feeding in evergreen oaks and limes along far bank of River Lea (Stuart Fisher et al). 2 Chiffchaff (Jonathan Nasir).
 * North Finchley (Woodside Park Avenue): 12 Waxwing in tree briefly c 9.30 before flying SW (John Colmans)
 * Nunhead SE15 (Hollydale Rd and surrounding roads): 17 Waxwing up to 10:40am (Steven Robinson & Martin Stevens).
 * Richmond Park: male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Little Owls seen but many other Little and Tawny Owls very vocal (Phil Davies).
 * Rickmansworth, Herts WD3: 2 Red Kite together over the garden and 14 Waxwing flew low NE at 14.27 (Andrew Moon)
 * Staines Moor: 7 Water Pipit (near bridge closest to the A30 - flushed by walker about 16:00 and flew toward KGVI Res), Stonechat, 5 Meadow Pipt, 2 Goosander (pair), 2 Little Egret; about 80 Fieldfare/Redwing near kissing gate before the moor proper, 1 Little Owl, 6+ Song Thrush singing (Jim and Tony Sweetland). Bittern flushed while on footpath from Stanwell (callahan).
 * Staines Reservoir: 1 Red-throated Diver 11.00 s basin flew off NW 12.10, 1 Great Northern Diver s basin, 2 Scaup (1m 1f) n basin, 1 Black-necked Grebe s basin (Simon Osborn).
 * Stockwell (Hemans Estate Community Garden): 1 Peregrine nearby on block at dawn, Dunnock alarm-calling and singing, 3 Common Gulls eating bread (Michael Mac).
 * Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: 3-4 Tawny Owls calling this evening; also Little Owl, 13 Meadow Pipits, 7 Redwings, Fieldfare, 7 Teal (Ian Ellis).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Lockwood Res - 11 displaying Goldeneye, 2 Goosander, 4 Green Sandpiper, Oystercatcher, 2 Peregrine, Kingfisher by weir (Paul Whiteman, Lol Bodini).
 * William Girling Reservoir: Long-tailed Duck (BirdGuides).
 * Worcester Park KT4: Little Egret in Beverley Brook, Peregrine (gas holders), 2 Gadwall, 60 Fieldfare (Bob Smith).

Friday 15th February 2013

 * Alexandra Park: Fieldfare 7am (Bob Watts). Juvenile male Peregrine Falcon on Alexandra Palace 1:30pm (Stephen Middleton). 6 Fieldfare, 12 Redwing feeding with Blackbirds, narrow wet W end of lower meadows near Redston fields 13.00 (Jonathan Cooke).
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Mandarin, Kingfisher, Goldcrest, 4 Siskin (Conrad Ellam)
 * Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, Corn Bunting, Little Owl, Oystercatcher, 2 Rock Pipit, c1000 Dunlin, 2 Curlew, Little Egret. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Dulwich SE21: Belair Park - Little Owl (Martin Stevens & Dave Clark), pr Mandarin (Tom Smith); College Road - c10 Siskin in alders by renovated pond (Martin Stevens & Dave Clark); Grange Lane - 1m Sparrowhawk, c75 Fieldfare (Martin Stevens & Dave Clark).
 * Ewell Village (Lower Mill): Little Egret present 16.40 until dusk (Neil Batten).
 * Hanwell W7 (Wickes Carpark): 15 Waxwings at 08.20 this morning (F McKinnon)
 * Hatch End Playing Fields (HA5): 1 Little Egret & 1 Green Woodpecker (Jon Ridge).
 * Hyde Park: both Bearded Tits at Fisherman's Keep reedbed (eastern end of Serpentine) at 10am and 1.15 pm at least (D.Jordan). Still at 15.50 (Jamie Partridge).
 * Iver Heath, Bucks SL0 (Mansfield Farm): 2 Green Sandpiper on flood (Roger Dewey).
 * Lee Valley RP (Middlesex Filter Beds): 1 Firecrest on river bank 14.00, 2 Goldrest, 1 Chiffchaff, many Long-tailed Tit (Jon Reveley).
 * Leatherhead KT22 (River Mole): 1 Goosander (female), Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail at 13:30 (Paul Goodman)
 * Leytonstone E11 (corner of Fairlop Rd & Bulwer Rd): 27 Waxwings on and off all day feeding on berry tree by small block of flats & drinking fr nearby guttering (Paul Whiteman).
 * Littlebrook Lake: Slavonian Grebe still on small pond at around 10:30am - had great visibility with bird seemingly unperturbed by photographers (P Macpherson). Any further news on this bird?
 * Muswell Hill: 20 Waxwingson tree in middle of roundabout and photographed (Henry & Sarah Wyn-Jones per Bob Watts).
 * Northolt &amp; Greenford CP (Smith's Farm): 2 male Shoveler on flooded scrape at 11:50 (Martin Smith).
 * Peckham, Hollydale Road: 20 Waxwings at 8am opposite the school (secondary school near Queens Road) feasting on berries in ornamental trees (Andrew Birks). 33 Waxwings at 3.00pm outside 110 Hollydale Road (Dave Clark).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Little Owl, 6 Snipe, 1 Skylark west, 2 Siskin, Fieldfare & Redwing, 11 Jackdaw, 10 Canada Goose (Jon Ridge).
 * Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 1 Water Rail, 1♀ Blackcap (Wildlife Garden area 20), 21 Song Thrush (19 singing on Park's S side at dawn), 37 Chaffinch (thirty on floor near Regent's Canal a.43), 2 Siskin (birdman_euston).
 * Stockwell (Sainsbury's Petrol Station):  1 Peregrine (on tower block nearby) and 1 Speckled Wood on the fore court - first butterfly of the year (Michael Mac).
 * Stokes Field LNR: 20+ Siskin, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 15 Goldfinch, 2 Nuthatch (Bill Dykes).
 * Sutton: Waxwing (BirdGuides).
 * Swanley Park: Blackcap (f), Great Spotted Woodpecker & Parakeets all on fat-ball feeders, 3 Siskin, Redwing & Fieldfare mixed flock 30+ (Andy Meaton).
 * Sydenham Hill Wood LNR, LWT (SE26): Firecrest near the folly (Martin Stevens & Dave Clark).
 * Teddington Police Station TW11: 20 Waxwing - same bush as two years ago (Bill Kilby).
 * Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: c150 Fieldfare, c15 Redwing, 2 Skylark over NW, Reed Bunting, Bullfinch, 7 Teal, 2 drake Mandarin (John Colmans)
 * Trent Park: 1 Firecrest, feeding in Holly, SW corner of Rough Lot 14:40 - 14:45 hrs; 1 Woodcock; 3 Nuthatch; 3 Treecreeper (Robert Callf).
 * Victoria Park: 2 Shoveler, 4 Pochard, 32 Tufted Ducks, Green Woodpecker (John Archer).
 * Wanstead Flats: 4 Skylark (2 singing), 7 Meadow Pipit, 18 Gadwall, 10 Shoveler (Nick Croft)
 * Wanstead Park: 2 Firecrest (Bush Wood - pics http://wansteadbirding.blogspot.co.uk/), 15 + Goldcrest, singing Coal Tit, Sparrowhawk, Nuthatch, 190 Gadwall, 13 Shoveler, 3 Teal, 5 singing Stock Dove, Skylark north over Bush Wood (Nick Croft)
 * Woodford Green IG8: 28 Waxwings in tall trees by Woodford station car park (by junction of The Broadway and Charteris Road) at 8.15am feeding off rose-hips adjacent to railway line (Barry Jones).

Thursday 14th February 2013

 * Abney Park Cemetery: 1 male Firecrest, feeding in ivy-clad trees, 13:08-13:17 hrs, near main entrance (Robert Callf).
 * Barnehurst, Thirlmere Rd DA7: 1 Goldcrest in my garden. (Chris Rose)
 * Battersea Park Lake: 220 Cormorant, 2 singing Song Thrush, 10 Gadwall, 9 Shoveler - otherwise dead (Michael Mac).
 * Black Park CP, Bucks SL3: 5 Common Crossbill in larch plantation at 14.15 (Roger Morton).
 * Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, 2 Golden Plover, Green Sandpiper, 4 Curlew, Rock Pipit, Little Egret, 36 Fieldfare, 24 Redwing. (Kev Jarvis).
 * East India Dock Basin: 23 Shelduck, 5 Teal, 28 Tufted Duck, Redshank (John Archer).
 * Elephant & Castle: 2 Waxwings flew S over New Kent Road near BP garage at 07:50 (Richard Bonser per JA)
 * Erith Cemetery (east): 7 Redwing, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Goldfinch, 1 Greenfinch (Chris Rose)
 * Ewell Village (Lower Mill): male and female Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, 2 Goldcrest, Little Egret present again 14.00 to 14.20 (Neil Batten).
 * Hampstead Heath: 9 Waxwings in poplar tree by Sanctuary Pond, plus 1 Lapwing flying over same location (3pm), 8 Redwings and 1 Mistle Thrush feeding on grass in front of Kenwood house (Nick Gibson & Kate Fortune-Jones).
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: both Bearded Tit in Diana Memorial reedbed until 09:34 when both flew in the direction of the Fisherman's Keep reedbed (but may return); also Barnacle Goose (uo), 42 Egyptian Goose, 7 Gadwall, 3 Red-crested Pochard, female Peregrine Falcon circled Round Pond before heading low north c.10:00, 8 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, Chiffchaff, c.200 Starling, 2 Siskin (D. McKenzie).
 * Lea Valley (Middlesex Filter Beds): 1 Firecrest (possibly 2) 1500-1545  n E bank of the E branch of Lea River associated with some tits but having disagreements with one of 4-5 Goldcrests, 3-4 Chiffchaff-type warblers also in with tit flock (F Tusa). Also 1 Redwing (Marcus Mitchell). (Hi Marcus, i lost your number, free tomorrow if you want to go out somewhere, let me know Jamie P)
 * Lee Valley RP (Waterworks Nature Reserve E10): 2 Green Sandpiper (1 on Bed 16. 1 on Bed 17), 7 Common Snipe (all on Bed 16) at 13:15 (Alastair Dent).
 * Leytonstone E11: 13 Waxwings corner of Fairlop Road and Bulwer Road 08.00 (Barry Jones, Louis Parker). 10 present and vocal at 13:15 (Keith Denyer).
 * Littlebrook Lake: Slavonian Grebe back on small lake, 2 Reed Bunting, 10+ Chaffinch, Fieldfare (Martin Stevens).
 * Lower Clapton E5: 1 Waxwing in tree on the corner of Mayola Road and Rushmore Road at 09.10 flew off east (Alastair Dent).
 * Northumberland Heath DA8: Northumberland Way - 11 Collared Dove, 1 Goldfinch and 1 Greenfinch together in garden tree; Carlton Rd - 1 Nuthatch flew from Our Lady of the Angels church woodland into street tree, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker into tree at Thorne Close; North Heath Recreation Ground - 79 House Sparrows in surrounding hedges (Chris Rose).
 * Oakwood N14: junction with Merrivale and Prince George Avenue - 17+ Waxwings still present in the area at 14:40 but mobile as their favoured berry shrubs in area have been depleted; relocated to berry tree outside 212 South Lodge Drive at 14:45 (Katy McGilvray).
 * Pinner Park Farm: Common Buzzard over north at 13:15, 1 Little Egret, 2 Shoveler (one drake), 3 Snipe, Fieldfare & Redwing, 15 Jackdaw, 1 Nuthatch, 2 Grey Heron (Jon Ridge).
 * Queen Mother Reservoir: Slavonian Grebe, c40 Redwing, Peregrine, 2 Red Kite, Kestrel, c30 Linnet (Nigel Sluman)
 * Regent's Park: at least 2 and up to 4 Siskins, Green Woodpecker, 6 Ring-necked Parakeets, Goldcrest, around four different flocks of Long-tailed Tits, 3 Jay (Alan Hobson).
 * Sidcup DA14: Chalk Wood - juv Mute Swan E, Sparrowhawk, 2 Fieldfare, 8+ Redwing, Goldcrest, 2 Treecreeper, Siskin; Foots Cray Meadows - pair Shoveler, 12 Tufted Duck, male Pheasant, Grey Wagtail, Goldcrest, Nuthatch, few Siskins (Ian Stewart).
 * Sidcup DA15: Lamorbey Park - pair Egyptian Geese, 2 or 3 Little Grebe, Peregrine, Kingfisher flew across main lake, 4+ Goldcrest, 4+ Siskin; York Avenue - pair Peregrine, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, singing Song and Mistle Thrushes, 4 Redwing, 3 Siskin (2 male, 1 female) (Ian Stewart).
 * Staines Reservoir: 1 Great Northern Diver on s basin by Tescos; 9 Smew 3m & 6 red-heads on s basin; 1 Black-necked Grebe s basin and 1m & 1f Scaup n basin (Jim Sweetland).
 * Sutcliffe Park, Kidbrooke: Water Rail, female Pochard, 2 Egyptian Geese (Conrad Ellam)
 * Wanstead Flats: Common Snipe, Reed Bunting in SSSI (Tim Harris).

Wednesday 13th February 2013

 * Alexandra Park: 6 Shoveler Wood Green Res 7am (Bob Watts).
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Little Grebe, Mandarin, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, 30+ Siskin (Conrad Ellam)
 * Catford SE5 (River Pool): 50 Fieldfare Winsford Rd end, Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk (Terry Wilson).
 * Crayford Marshes: female Goosander on the Thames at 08:24; Spotted Redshank, 2 Pintail (pair), 3 Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Golden Plover, Green Sandpiper, Little Owl, Oystercatcher, Rock Pipit, Peregrine, male Stonechat. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Danson Park DA6: (near dusk) - 1 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Egyptian Geese, 1 Grey Heron, 33 Ring-necked Parakeet (last few groups of evening exodus) (Chris Rose)
 * East India Dock Basin: male Kestrel displaying, 17 Shelduck, 27 Tufted Duck, 2 Teal (John Archer)
 * Ewell (Hogsmill Open Space): 2 Common Snipe, Little Egret, female Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail 13.00-13.30; Little Egret later at the Lower Mill 16.25 (Neil Batten).
 * Finsbury Park, N4: Teal 2m 2f, c40 Fieldfare (TeRNS)
 * Grays, RM17: 13 Waxwings south over Wharf Road railway bridge 8.40am (James A) Surname, please?
 * Hampstead Heath: 25 Waxwings in willow on the edge of Sanctuary Pond, Bullfinch (1m 2f) feeding on buds of shrubs (blackthorn) behind feeders next to Ladies Pond, 1 Kingfisher (Stock Pond), 3 Goldcrest (Sandy Heath in Douglas-firs), 3 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, Sparrowhawk (Klemens Felder).
 * Hornsey High St (nr Middle Lane):  ca. 70 Waxwing circling buildings rapidly in tight flock 12.00 (Jonathan Cooke).
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: both Bearded Tit still present in Diana Memorial reedbed; also 4 Red-crested Pochard, Little Grebe, 2nd-winter Great Black-backed Gull (D. McKenzie).
 * Lake Farm, Hayes, Middlesex: 16 Reed Bunting, 3 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Song Thrush, 15+ House Sparrow, male Kestrel chasing another male across the site, 12 Common Gull, 15 Black-headed Gull (W.Marks).
 * Leytonstone E11:  15 Waxwings in Fairlop Road at 15.50 (Colin Fairweather, Stephanie Cruddace).
 * Northumberland Park: pr Peregrine showing well on Gas Tower beside Ikea Edmonton - 1 pm (Davey Leach)
 * Pinner (Ashridge Gardens): Siskin over, 1 Goldcrest; no sign of yesterday's Waxwings (Jon Ridge).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Gadwall (one drake), Fieldfare & Redwing (Jon Ridge, Jon Reveley); also 2 Shoveler (one drake), 1 Little Owl, 1 Snipe, 42 Jackdaw, 1 Green Woodpecker, 10 Canada Goose (JR).
 * Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 25 Fieldfare, 14 Redwing both on Hill playing field area 49 at 10:30, 5 singing Song Thrush encircling Community Garden a.14 at 07:05 (birdman_euston).
 * Richmond TW10 (Ham Common): 1 Nuthatch, 2 Treecreeper, 4 Goldcrest (Spencer Neal).
 * Richmond Park: c45 Lapwings circled over Upper Pen Pond 10.35 and may have landed briefly; a few minutes later they flew off south-west - possibly birds from WWT Barnes as numbers had declined by a similar number since yesterday (J.Wilczur & P. Burrowes-Smith).
 * Shirley, Croydon: 13 Waxwings in Hartland Way at 14:00 (Croydon Birders)
 * Sidcup DA14 (Foots Cray Meadows): 5 Gadwall, 2+ Little Grebe, Kestrel, 6 Fieldfare, Goldcrest, several Siskins (Ian Stewart)
 * Sidcup DA15 (Lamorbey Park): 3 Little Grebe, Peregrine, several Goldcrest, 2 Nuthatch, 12+ Siskin (Ian Stewart).
 * Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): 3 or 4 Tawny Owls hooting 04.55 - one to north, one to northeast, one to south with a possible fourth v.distant to northeast (Ian Stewart).
 * St Pauls Cray, Bromley BR5: 3 Waxwings (H. Powell)
 * Staines Moor: 3 Water Pipit, 2 drake Goosander, 1 Little Egret (Andrew Moon) - Water Pipit pic here
 * Staines Reservoir (south basin): Great Northern Diver (Simon Knott).
 * Stocker's Lake: 1 drake Smew, 1 drake Goosander (Andrew Moon)
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: male Sparrowhawk, Chiffchaff (Bob Watts).
 * Trent Park: 7(3m,4f) Tufted Duck, Lower Lake - a high count by recent standards; 1 ad male Sparrowhawk; 6 Goldcrest; 2 Nuthatch; 2 Treecreeper; 5(3m,2f) Bullfinch (Robert Callf).
 * Walthamstow: 6 Waxwing Upper Walthamstow Road landed briefly in tree opp. my house! (Paul B) Surname, please?
 * Wanstead Flats: 140 Fieldfare, 4 Shoveler, 3 Pochard, 10 Gadwall, 20 Tufted Duck, 4 Teal north,  Kestrel, 15 Meadow Pipit (Cat & Dog Pond), 3 Pied Wagtail (Nick Croft)  
 * Wanstead Park: 143 Gadwall, 9 Pochard, 60 + Tufted Duck, m Teal, Stock Dove, Grey Wagtail, Siskin (Nick Croft)

Tuesday 12th February 2013

 * Alexandra Park: 8 Shoveler Wood Green Res 7am (Bob Watts).
 * Beddington Farm: first-winter Kittiwake on main lake (via Twitter).
 * Belair Park SE21: 7 Siskin, Little Owl (Martin Stevens).
 * Bell Street NW1: at least 23 Siskin in alders opposite Lisson Gallery occasionally flying toward Broadley Street Gardens a.m. (D. McKenzie). Still present 13.30 - been flying around all day, both Peregrines sat on police building as per (Jamie Partridge).
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Little Grebe, Mandarin, Goldcrest, 20+ Siskin (Conrad Ellam)
 * Bushy Park: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (south side of Canal Plantation 09:50), 7 Common Gull, c25 Redwing, Treecreeper (Nigel Sluman)
 * Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, 4 Grey Plover, Corn Bunting, Turnstone, 110 Golden Plover, Green Sandpiper, 2 Little Owl, 2 Oystercatcher, Rock Pipit, 6 Curlew, male Peregrine, Stonechat. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Dawson Heights, SE22: Common Buzzard over SW (Martin Stevens).
 * Dulwich: Waxwing associating with Greenfinch and Goldfinch in gardens of Winterbrook Road/Stradella Road 8:45 to 09:00 then flew off with large finch flock (Charlie Kitchen).
 * Dulwich Park: 12+ Greenfinch, 10 Common Gull, 1m Shoveler, Sparrowhawk (Martin Stevens).
 * Greenford (Oldfield Lane South outside Betham House): Grey Wagtail at 8am (also seen feeding in Croyde Avenue yesterday morning) (Tony Nayager)
 * Edmonton (Silver Street by junction with Bulmer Road): 6 Waxwing on tree above Cotoneaster bushes - 7.55 am. Lots of berries but much disturbance. (Davey Leach)
 * Enfield Town (River View): 2(m&f) Blackcap, together, 13:15 hrs, female feeding from block of fat, 13:00 - 13:05 hrs (Robert Callf).
 * Hackney/Islington: 5 Waxwing still outside 131 Balls Pond Road, N1, dropping down into rowans to feed, still slightly skittish (Matthew Cunningham)
 * Harmondsworth UB7: (on flooded field off Holloway Road): c40 Lapwing, 7 Fieldfare, 10 Gadwall, 45 Canada Goose (Nigel Sluman)
 * Hatch End Playing Fields HA5: 1 Little Egret along the River Pinn, 1 Grey Wagtail further down the river behind the supermarket (Jon Ridge).
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: both Bearded Tit still present in Diana Memorial reedbed a.m. Showing well but a little flighty; also 2 Gadwall, 31 Shoveler, adult Great Black-backed Gull (D. McKenzie).
 * Northaw Great Wood: 2 Marsh Tit together 09:20 hrs; 1 Green Woodpecker; 3+ Great Spotted Woodpecker; 1 Redwing; 8+ Goldcrest; 2 Nuthatch; 6 Treecreeper, including one singing; 3 Lesser Redpoll (Robert Callf).
 * Oakwood (N14): junction with Merrivale and Prince George Road  50+ Waxwings feeding on berry shrubs at 14:30. Still plenty of berries left. (Katy McGilvray)  map
 * Pinner: (Ashridge Gardens) 18 Waxwing on houses, fairly mobile. Please note that this is a sensitive area thank you (Jon Ridge).
 * Pinner: (Suffolk Road) Siskin over (JR).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Gadwall (one drake), 2 Shoveler (one drake), 2 Little Owl, 5 Snipe, 3 Skylark west, Sparrowhawk, 1 Meadow Pipit, Fieldfare, Redwing, 1 Grey Heron, 9 Canada Goose (Jon Ridge).
 * Sidcup (Haddon Grove, Hollyoak Wood Park and Parish Wood): Little Egret, Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher (f), Stock Dove, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Song Thrush, Nuthatch, 4 Goldcrest, up to 30 House Sparrows. (Eric Brown)
 * Sidcup (Lamorbey Park): 100+ Lapwings flew SW 11.12 (IS), 2 Little Grebe, pair Peregrines, 2 Redwing, 10+ Goldcrest, 20+ Goldfinch, 2+ Siskin (Ian Stewart and Eric Brown).
 * Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): 15 Siskins in local area, Peregrine causing chaos, 20+ Canada Geese SW, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers (3 together flying south). (Ian Stewart).
 * South Ealing Station, W5: at least 15 Waxwings present 0825 (Day 43!). (Richard Woolley).
 * Staines Moor: 8 Water Pipit (BirdGuides and Twitter #londonbirds)
 * Streatham Hill (Downton Avenue): 16 Waxwings rested on top of a lime tree for c.20 mins at 9.15am. (Observer?)
 * Swanley Park: drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker pair, Blackcap(f) on  fatball feeder, 20 Redwing, 5 Fieldfare, 30+ Goldfinch, 250 Black-headed Gull, 30 Common Gull, 150 Starling (Andy Meaton).
 * Twickenham: 20 Waxwing feeding on berries 100m from station.(Observer?)
 * Tyttenhanger GP: Little Egret, Peregrine Falcon, 2 Buzzard, Red Kite, 2 Kestrel, c100 Lapwing, 7 Fieldfare (Steve Blake).
 * Wanstead Flats: f Teal, 9 Shoveler, 7 Pochard, 7 Gadwall, Little Grebe, 3 Fieldfare, 20 Meadow Pipit, 2 m Reed Bunting (Nick Croft)
 * Wanstead Park: 150+ Gadwall, 10+ Pochard, 2 Shoveler, m Teal, 6+ Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Redwing (Nick Croft)

Monday 11th February 2013

 * Amwell: Oystercatcher flying south into London Area (Herts website).
 * Bell Street NW1: 18 Siskin feeding in an alder - never seen them down this centrally (Jamie Partridge).
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Mandarin, Blackcap, 2 Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
 * Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, 4 Grey Plover, Turnstone, 16 Golden Plover, 2 Siskin, Rock Pipit, Green Sandpiper, male Stonechat.(Kev Jarvis).
 * Crayford, Perry Street Farm: 110 Starling (Chris Rose)
 * East Finchley N2 (5 Huntingdon Rd): now 70 Waxwings on street tree and aerials at 10.00 (Sash Tusa)
 * East India Dock Basin/Bow Creek: 30 Shelduck, 275 Teal, 26 Tufted Duck, 2 Common Sandpiper, 17 Redshank, Grey Wagtail (John Archer).
 * Hackney/Islington border: 5 Waxwings flying over Balls Pond Road, N1, then S at 10.30 - no sign for next hour, nor again at 2pm (Matthew Cunningham)
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: both Bearded Tit still present in Diana Memorial reedbed but very elusive a.m. (D. McKenzie, J. Whele); also 4 Gadwall & male Blackcap (DMc).
 * Landells Road, SE22: Sparrowhawk mobbed by Crow over SE (Martin Stevens).
 * Larkhall Park - Stockwell: 1 Goldcrest, 120 Starling, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 5 Chaffinch (Michael Mac).
 * Lee Valley RP (Middlesex FB): 1 Firecrest, 6 Goldcrest, 1 Green Woodpecker (Marcus Mitchell).
 * Lee Valley RP (Walthamstow Marshes): 1 Lapwing, 150+ Fieldfare, 25+ Redwing, unidentified bird distinctive song in thicket of brambles heard a couple of weeks ago as well, brief gimpse small brown, any ideas ? (Marcus Mitchell). Have a listen to Dunnock and Wren on Xeno-Canto website, most likely brown bush skulkers (Paul Whiteman). Thanks Paul unlikely either of these after listening + would have recognised fleeting glimpse (larger), listened to Nightingale sounds very similar, although wrong time of year any similar sounding birds? thanks Marcus. It could well be something "tuning up" a bit too early, the possibilities are endless here...check any contact calls as well If heard, as that could well narrow it down a lot...Good luck.. (Jon Ridge). Was it maybe big enough to be a Song Thrush? The song can sound a bit like a Nightingale at times, there are several of them in the area and they certainly know how to skulk! (Alastair Dent). Thanks all from the song looks like it was a Song Thrush, I mistakenly thought they sung from exposed perches not dense brambles! (Marcus Mitchell).  Have you thought of Cetti's Warbler - they're dunnock sized skulker with a very distinctive song (Tony Kennelly).
 * Lee Valley RP (Waterworks NR): 4 Snipe, 30+ Teal, 12 Shoveler, 4 Pochard (Marcus Mitchell).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Little Egret along the River Pinn, 2 drake Teal, 8 Snipe, 1 Grey Wagtail in the disaster area, Sparrowhawk, Redwing, Fieldfare, 5 Jackdaw, 12 Canada Goose (Jon Ridge).
 * Redbridge Lakes and Roding Valley Park: up to 18 Snipe, Kestrel, Mistle Thrush, 2 Long-tailed Tits (Alan Hobson).
 * Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 32 Mandarin - annual removal of island-shoreline brushwood has halved the number of a fortnight ago, 2 Shelduck, 27 Gadwall, 24 Shoveler, 74 Red-crested Pochard, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 478 Black-headed Gull on playing fields at dawn, 18 Fieldfare - 8 on playing fields early am & 10 over NW late pm, 1 Pied Wagtail (birdman_euston).
 * St James's Park: 20 Fieldfare landed in tops of trees at 12.40, also 22 Egyptian Geese (Andrew Self)
 * South Ealing Station, W5: 20 Waxwings present, 0830. (Richard Woolley). 27 Waxwings at 10.00 (Frank Shilling). Are the posters still on the bus shelter? I can put some more up this evening if not. Thank you (Catherine Beazley) There were still a few up at 0830 Catherine, plus the yellow tape, so I think it will be ok for the time being. If they are gone when I get home from work, I will replace them this evening. (R Woolley).Magic - thanks Richard! Catherine. 13.30 Good number of waxwings still in trees opposite station (Polly Gilbert)
 * Springfield Park E5: c40 Fieldfare, 5 Mistle Thrush, 5 Goldfinch, good numbers of House Sparrow too (Dan Barrett).
 * Stocker's Lake: Goosander (m), Red-crested Pochard (m&f), Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Coal Tit, 20 Lapwing (Stocker's Farm Field). (Martin Smith). 12:00-13:00: Smew (m) distant, but best viewed from hide nearest the farm, also viewable from Kingfisher Hid; Stocker's Farm - 150+ Fieldfare, 150+ Redwing. 21 Meadow Pipit; on flooded fields - 19 Lapwing, 36 Wigeon, 7 Teal; Bury Lake - 7 Goldeneye, c40 Shoveler (Nigel Sluman).
 * Surbiton KT6, near junction of Brighton Road and Portsmouth Road, Waxwing feeding on berries in treetop, 12.30. (Juliet Levy)
 * Thames Road Wetland, Crayford: Bittern (Chris Rose per JA), possible glimpse of it heading south to  Stanham Farm as I left site, then maybe again later from distance, circling then heading north west (to Marshes?), 2 Water Rail (heard), 1 pair Teal (Chris Rose).
 * Valentines Park Ilford: 5 Stock Doves; Green Woodpecker (Barbara Miller)
 * Vicarage Farm (Enfield): 7 Lapwing on field E of shelter-belt 15:00 hrs - quite a scarcity here these days; 8 Skylark; 150+ Fieldfare; 1 fem/imm Reed Bunting Barracks (Robert Callf & Robin White).
 * Wanstead Flats: 20 Waxwing on Lake House Road flew towards Bush Wood (JL), Golden Plover (h) west over north end of SSSI (NC), Yellowhammer with 2 Reed Bunting nr Esso Copse (TB), 6 Fieldfare, 16 Meadow Pipit, 4 Skylark, 10 Shoveler, 20 + Gadwall, 6 Pochard, Kestrel (Nick Croft/Jonathan Lethbridge/Tony Brown)
 * Wanstead Park: 104 Fieldfare south through Old Sewage Works, 20 Redwing by stables, 3 Goldcrest, Gadwall (yesterday a record count of 260 birds during WEBs count), 10 Pochard, Bullfinch, 4 Siskin (Nick Croft)
 * West Molesey KT8: Bittern, fem Smew, and Curlew on Lambeth Res. - private site (Steve Spooner per Adam Cheeseman).
 * Wood Green N22: 16 Waxwings in tree by back entrance of Morrisons (Brabant Road) until 9 am at least (David Callahan).
 * Woodford Green IG8: 27 Waxwings in tall trees by Woodford station car park (by junction of The Broadway and Charteris Road) at 8.50am (Simon Papps). 21 Waxwings still present at 4.15pm (Dan Barrett)

Sunday 10th February 2013

 * Alexandra Park: 8 Shoveler Wood Green Res, 2 Greylags N (Bob Watts).
 * Barnehurst DA7: (around top of Thirlmere Rd) 18 Collared Dove (Chris Rose).
 * Bowes Park N22: flock of about 30 Waxwing seen briefly in a tree on corner of Truro Rd/Palmerston Rd 14.30 before flying off north (Iain Dykes).
 * Brent Reservoir: 29 Snipe (Andrew Self)
 * Bromley (junction of Page Heath Lane and Amesbury Rd): 7 Waxwings at 2pm feeding in nearby garden and resting in birch tree (Martin Birch).
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Little Grebe, Mandarin, Song Thrush, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
 * Clapham (Narbonne Avenue): 8 Waxwings (observer?)  
 * East Finchley N2 (5 Huntingdon Rd): 34 Waxwings on street tree and aerials at 11.50 and 3.10 - still some berries left (Dave Jordan).
 * Foots Cray DA14: Little Owl heard over Palm Avenue 06.10 (Ian Stewart)
 * Greenford UB6: m Blackcap still in garden (Neil Anderson)
 * Hackney N1 (Balls Pond Road): 5 Waxwing outside 131 Balls Pond Road; feeding off two rowan trees either side of 131 (Graham Howie). Waxwings
 * Horsenden Hill UB6: Woodcock flushed in Perivale Wood late morning, Firecrest in Horsenden Wood early pm in hollies near Whitton Drive end, 3 Shoveler, Little Owl Paradise Fields, Tawny Owl Horsenden Wood (Andy Culshaw).
 * Hyde Park: both Bearded Tit still in Diana Memorial reedbed 13:50 but extremely elusive today; also 35 Shoveler and an esc Chiloe Wigeon over (D. McKenzie).
 * Ingrebourne Valley: 68 Teal, 109 Mallard, 102 Moorhen, 10 Grey Heron (6 nests occupied), 194 Coot, 4 Wigeon, 1 Shelduck, 1 Little Egret, 3 Little Grebe, 13 singing Cetti's Warbler, 5 Water Rail, 11 Mute Swan, 135 Black-headed Gull, 30 Gadwall, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 12 Common Gull, 4 Cormorant, 2 Shoveler, 46 Tufted Duck, 11 Pochard, 54 Canada Goose, 9 Greylag Goose, 8 Great Crested Grebe, 19 Snipe, 19 Lapwing, 12 Stock Dove, 1 Grey Wagtail, m Sparrowhawk, 40+ Siskin, 2 Lesser Redpoll (both species feeding in alders of Berwick Glade by top paddock), 1 Bullfinch, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet. (Tony Kennelly)  WEBS
 * Lee Valley RP - Middlesex Filter Beds: 1 Firecrest (Neil Verlander) still feeding low down on opposite river bank with at least 2 Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests at 1400 (David & Ian Bradshaw).
 * Lee Valley RP- Waterworks NR: Green Sandpiper, 7 Snipe, c 50 Teal (David & Ian Bradshaw).
 * Lower Clapton E5: one Waxwing in birch tree outside 65 Powerscroft Road briefly at 13:10 but not since; first sighting here since 24 Jan (Alastair Dent).
 * Margravine Cemetery:  2 Goldcrest, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (1 drumming, 2 fighting), 16+ Goldfinch, 5 Starling, 21 Blackbird; 2 Peregrine Falcon on Novotel seen carrying prey from Thames area at 8.15am (Nathalie Mahieu, Ruth Savery). Monthly Count
 * Oakwood, no waxwings at either c.11 am or 4 pm at the recent locality (Thomas Donegan, briefly passed by).
 * Rotherhithe: 2nd-winter Yellow-legged Gull off Greenland Pier mid morning (Richard Bonser).
 * Staines Reservoir: Great Northern Diver (BirdGuides). Seen up to 15:00 on south basin (Steven Robinson).
 * Wanstead Park: 258 Gadwall (a site record), plus 15 Shoveler, 16 Pochard, 83 Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe (Tim Harris).

Saturday 9th February 2013

 * Alexandra Park: young male Peregrine with orange ring still on Palace building 0850 at least, 15+ Redwing Deer Enclosures, 2+ drake Shoveler Wood Green Res (Andrew Gardener, Bob Watts). [Late Jan - Mealy Redpoll with 6 Lesser Redpoll Cricket Scrub (Paul Rawlins per Bob Watts).]
 * Barnehurst DA7, Thirlmere Rd (my garden): 2 Goldcrest, 2 Long-tailed Tit (Chris Rose)
 * Brent Reservoir: Bearded Tit called to left of main hide at 08.20 (Andrew Self & Andrew Verrall)
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Little Grebe, Mandarin, singing Song Thrush, Goldcrest, at least 6 Siskin (Conrad Ellam)
 * Chingford: 32 Waxwings in tree beside 4 Long Deacon Road at 11.30am (Simon Papps).
 * Clapham Common (Westside): 1 Waxwing around Bowling Green 7.30 to 8.20 (Peter Carlill).
 * Crossness: Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-tailed Godwit, Oystercatcher, 6 Curlew, 300 Lapwing, 330 Dunlin, 15 Wigeon, 10 Shoveler, 300 Gadwall, Little Egret, Chiffchaff (John Archer).
 * East Finchley N2: 16 Waxwings feeding on street tree berries outside 5 Huntingdon Road at 1.45 (loads of berries left on the tree so could be worth a visit) (D.Jordan). Still there but now in tree outside no.54 and raiding Cotoneaster berries at no.45 opposite 16:00 - still lots of berries for tomorrow (Frank Nugent).
 * Fulham Reach: (Thames, low tide) 411 Black-headed Gull, 108 Teal, 10 Gadwall, 18 Tufted Duck (inc 1 with nasal saddle, poss from France), 7 Coot, 23 Greylag over (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Greenford UB6: m Blackcap still chasing other small birds (Neil Anderson)
 * Hackney N1 (Northchurch Road): male Blackcap in our garden (Michael Rank).
 * Hampstead Heath: pair of Bullfinch feeding on buds of shrubs behind feeders next to Ladies Pond (Frank Nugent).
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 2 Bearded Tits in Diana Fountain reedbed (James Palmer).
 * Kensal Green Cemetery and St Mary’s Cemetery: 5+ Green Woodpecker, 4 Jay (Charlie Farrell)
 * Lake Farm CP Hayes: 6+ Reed Buntings, 2 Greenfinch, 4 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Canada Goose over, 1 Cormorant over, 2 Mute Swan over, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Mistle Thrush and plenty of Ring-necked Parakeets, Blue Tits & Great Tits. (observer?) - I would also like to know who the observer is as all sightings are added to the LNHS count, thanks, W.Marks  (Tony James) :-
 * Lee Valley RP - Middlesex Filter Beds: 1 Firecrest, 5+ Goldcrest, 2 Siskin, 1 Chiffchaff, 6 Gadwall, 15+ Teal, 5+ Little Grebe, 2 Grey Wagtail (Jonathan Nasir)
 * Lee Valley RP - Waterworks NR: 5 Common Snipe, 1 singing Chiffchaff, 6 Shoveler, 7 Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard, 2 Goldcrest, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel (Jonathan Nasir)
 * Littlebrook Lake: Slavonian Grebe still, 8 Waxwings (John Archer).
 * London Wetland Centre:  2 Bittern (Main Lake and Reservoir Lagoon), 1 redhead Smew (Sheltered Lagoon), 62 Wigeon, 110 Cormorants (influx of Continental numbers), Siskin, Cetti's Warbler, Goldcrest; [flock of Fieldfare over and Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming reprted by Martin Honey] (Angus Innes).
 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir: pr Egyptian Geese, 57 Teal, 10 Shoveler, 5 Gadwall, 6 Pochard, pr Stock Dove, 6 squabbling Mistle Thrush (Neil Anderson)
 * Oakwood N14 (j/c Merrivale/Prince George Ave): at least 105 Waxwings present at 10.45 am - still plenty of berries (Bob Husband, Wendy Hatton, Ken Gray). At just before 11.00 none then 10 flew in from north for 10 mins before departing high and north again (Thomas and Lucas Donegan). Map
 * Palmers Green N13: 40 Waxwing eating berries on trees around Devonshire Rd/Green Lane 3:15pm (Andrew Thomas).
 * Rainham Marshes: 2 Marsh Harrier, 10 Curlew, 100 + Dunlin, Grey Plover, 15 + Snipe, 100 + Golden Plover, Ruff, 10 Pintail, Bearded Tit (RSPB), Barn Owl hunting over silts 17:00, and a probable Short-eared Owl perched up on the north side of silts (Nick Croft)
 * Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 2 Shelduck, 17 Gadwall, 2♂ Teal, 12 Shoveler, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Sparrowhawk, 6 Fieldfare (birdman_euston).
 * Richmond TW10 (Ham Common): 1 singing Coal Tit, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker (another GSW close by in garden by St Andrews Church). (Spencer Neal).
 * Richmond TW10 (Ham, The Copse): Treecreeper, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Song Thrush in song, 3 Egyptian Geese perched on top of a suburban house roof (Spencer Neal).
 * River Lea Three Mills: 15 Gadwall, 5 Teal (Richard Lord).
 * Sidcup DA15:(York Avenue) : Peregrine over, several Redwings, Goldcrest in garden, Grey Heron over (Ian Stewart).
 * Sidcup (Lamorbey Park): Male Wigeon, Little Grebe, Peregrine over main lake, Kingfisher on main lake in front of Lamorbey House, several Goldcrests, Nuthatch, 20+ Siskin (Ian Stewart).
 * South Ealing Station: 14 Waxwing at 10.30 (Frank Shilling).
 * Staines Moor: 1 Short-eared Owl at south end, 3 Water Pipits along R. Colne early afternoon (Andy Culshaw and David Howdon).
 * Staines Reservoir: 1 Mediterranean Gull (north basin, moulting), 1 Black-necked Grebe (south basin), 2 Scaup (1m 1f north basin), 1 Dunlin (north basin on ramp), 1 Green Sandpiper (south basin), c15 Goldeneye; no sign of Great Northern Diver between 9am-10am (Neil Randon et al).
 * Sydenham Hill Wood: Firecrest by old tennis courts 12.50 (Conrad Ellam)
 * Ten Acre Wood area:  TQ099838   late visit - no owls by 16.40; Little Egret over, Buzzard (briefly mobbed by Kestrel), Sparrowhawk, 2 Snipe, 11+ Lapwing (some out of view), 20 Stock Dove, 60+ Fieldfare (golf course), 1 Redwing, 1 Rook, 28 Jackdaw, m Reed Bunting, 5 Linnet (Neil Anderson)
 * Thames (Putney - Barnes Bridges): pr Egyptian Geese, 355 Mallard, 415 Teal, 26 Gadwall, 2 Grey Wagtail (Neil Anderson)
 * Wraysbury GPs TW19: 6 (4 drake and 2 red-head) Smew on Colne Mere late morning (Andy Culshaw and David Howdon)

Friday 8th February 2013

 * Alexandra Park: 8 Shoveler Wood Green Res 7am (Bob Watts).
 * Barnehurst, Thirlmere Rd (my garden): 2 Goldcrest (Chris Rose)
 * Bentley Priory:  1 drake Goosander on Summerhouse Lake 1230 flew off south when approached by dog walker, 11 Mandarin Duck, 2 Pochard (Derek Turner)
 * Bookham Common, Surrey KT23: 1 Hawfinch in trees behind station at 14.00 (Roger Unite).
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Little Grebe, 4 Siskin (Conrad Ellam)
 * Bushy Park: 1f Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in Canal Plantation at 11am, plus many Siskin and Redwing (Rich Petley).
 * Crayford Marshes: adult Iceland Gull flew up the Thames at 09:13; Spotted Redshank, 3 Grey Plover, 2 Siskin, Little Owl, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, Rock Pipit. (Kev Jarvis).
 * East Wickham Open Space, LB Bexley SE18: 33 Fieldfare along access track to allotments off Camdale Road 8am (Gus Wilson).
 * Ewell (Hogsmill Open Space): 1 Common Snipe, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Herring Gull. Little Egret at Lower Mill 15.00 - 15.30 (Neil Batten).
 * Forest Gate E7: Waxwing flock heard over Clova Road 13:30 (Nick Croft)
 * Greenford UB6: m Blackcap still present in garden (Neil Anderson)
 * Hackney Marsh: Kingfisher on the Lee just downstream from red footbridge at north end of marsh (Matthew Cunningham).
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 2 Bearded Tits 9.25 Fisherman's Keep reedbed SE end of Serpentine then flew to Diana Fountain reedbed at 10.10 (D.Jordan); still in Diana Memorial reedbed late a.m., 4 Red-crested Pochard, 2 Little Grebe, Great Black-backed Gull 2nd-winter, 2 singing Nuthatch (D.McKenzie).
 * Lewisham SE4 (139-143 Bexhill Rd): Blackcaps male and female. (observer?)
 * Nine Elms Sainsbury's - Stockwell:  Kestrel on chimney last few days (Michael Mac)
 * Northumberland Park N17: Pr Peregrine on Gas Tower behind Ikea Edmonton - 13.40 (Davey Leach).
 * Oakwood, N14: (junction of Merrivale and Prince George Avenue): 10 Waxwings at 9.30am - still plenty of berries (Bob and Anna Husband).
 * Redbridge Lakes and Roding Valley Park: 7 Snipe, 2 Little Egret, 2 Goldcrest, Redpoll, Kestrel, half a dozen Fieldfare, pr Mistle Thrush, Redwing, 2 Long-tailed Tit, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, flock of around 20 Waxwings briefly overhead and landed distantly in the gardens forming the start of Buckhurst Hill north of Ray Park (Alan Hobson).
 * Regent's Park: 1 Water Rail, 1 Firecrest area 1, 20 Siskin over W (fide Regent's Park Birds blog).
 * St. John's Wood: Peregrine Falcon south 08:05 (D. McKenzie).
 * Sidcup DA14 (Chalk Wood): Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, Siskin (Ian Stewart).
 * Sidcup DA14, Foots Cray: up to 30 finches - mainly Chaffinches and Goldfinches - on field N of Edgington Way, with 10+ Tufted Ducks on lake opposite, 3 Siskins in alder tree outside Tesco (Ian Stewart)
 * Sidcup (Lamorbey Park): pair Egyptian Geese on golf course, male Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Kingfisher by main lake, 2 drumming Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nuthatch, several Goldcrests, Siskin, singing Chaffinches and Song Thrush (Ian Stewart).
 * Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: 12 Teal, 4 drake Mandarin, 4 Canada Geese, Sparrowhawk, Bullfinch (John Colmans)
 * Trent Park: 2 Woodcock (1 Williams Wood, 1 Rough Lot); 4+ Nuthatch; 5 Lesser Redpoll, feeding in Alders, by Lower Lake - not many around this winter? (Robert Callf & Robin White).
 * Tyttenhanger GP: Shelduck (m) (Steve Blake)
 * Walthamstow Marsh: 100+ mixed thrush flock - mainly fieldfare and redwing but also mistle thrush and blackbird, plus starlings and goldfinch in long paddock behind Lee Valley Riding Centre (Matthew Cunningham)
 * Wanstead Flats: 2 Snipe, 8 Meadow Pipit (mystery solved), 2 Pied Wagtail,  2 Skylark, 2 Reed Bunting, Siskin, 20 Fieldfare, Sparrowhawk, 2 Gadwall, 10 Tufted Duck (Nick Croft/Tim Harris/Bob Vaughan).
 * Wanstead Park: 100+ Gadwall, 60+ Tufted Duck, 2 Teal, 6 Pochard, Little Grebe, Siskin, Sparrowhawk, Goldcrest (Nick Croft).
 * Westminster: pair Peregrine over Victoria Tower Gardens Millbank and then onto Palace of Westminster, Victoria Tower at 08:30 (Frank Nugent).

Thursday 7th February 2013

 * Alexandra Park: 6 Shoveler (3m 3f) Wood Green Res 7am (Bob Watts).
 * Barnes village: 1 male Blackcap in suburban garden (Rich Petley)
 * Barnes (Lonsdale Rd): 8 Shoveler, 6 Pochard, 2 Gadwall, 40+ Teal, 1 Sparrowhawk, Redwing, Fieldfare,  Siskin, Greenfinch, Goldfinch - 42 species this morning (John Gordon).
 * Brookmill Park Lewisham: male Mandarin and Kingfisher (Peter Charles)
 * Clapham Common (Westside): 9 Waxwings feeding alongside Bowling Green or perched in nearby trees (7.30 to 9.00); 2 remaining at 9.00; also 20 Fieldfare and 1 Redwing (Peter Carlill). No sign between 13.30 and 14.00, 5 Fieldfare present. (Andrew Benbow)
 * Crayford: 20 Waxwings jct London Road/Bourne Road & opp Keats House (look for cotoneaster trees!) (observer?)
 * Crayford Marshes: Water Pipit, Spotted Redshank, Grey Plover, Oystercatcher, 9 Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Curlew, 2 Green Sandpiper, 800 Dunlin. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Erith Cemetery (east): 25 Greenfinch (including one with a white head, almost certainly the same individual noted in Ralph Todd's Bexley Bird Report as having been seen not too far away in Belmont Rd last autumn), 3 Chaffinch, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming loudly and persistently, 4 Ring-necked Parakeet (Chris Rose).
 * Ewell (Hogsmill Open Space): 1 Little Egret, 1 Common Snipe, 1 Kingfisher, 1 male Stock Dove apparently displaying; Little Egret later feeding in Hogsmill at the Lower Mill 14.45 to 15.45 (Neil Batten).
 * Greenford UB6 (Paradise Fields): 1 Little Owl, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker - southwest of the footbridge over the Canal in the area known as 'The Oaks' at 10.30am (Tony Nayager)
 * Green Lane, Hounslow: Green Sandpiper (Adam Cheeseman)
 * Greenwich Park: at least 2 Fieldfare and 3 Redwing in deer enclosure (Peter Charles)
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 66 Egyptian Goose, 4 Red-crested Pochard, Common Snipe flushed from Parade Ground, c80 Common Gull, 2 Redwing, both Bearded Tit showing well in Diana Memorial reedbed (D. McKenzie). Bearded Tits in the reedbed at the east end of the Serpentine from 14:30 (Ralph Hancock) I take it these are the same birds that have been at the Diana Memorial? Had been planning a trip. Any specific spot Ralph? (Martin Stevens). Ralph's blog: Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park birds Cheers (MS)
 * Islington N1 (Caledonian Rd S of Richmond Ave): 5 Waxwing up & over W 14:10 (birdman_euston).
 * Ladywell Cemetery SE4: 2 Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Goldcrests, 6 Redwings, m Kestrel (Terry Wilson).
 * Lake Farm, Hayes, Middx: 3 Skylark, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 female Stonechat, 24 Reed Buntings (W.Marks and S.Giddens)
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Bittern, 1 Smew, 1 Bearded Tit, 41 Fieldfare, 19 Siskin, 5 Redpoll (WWT).
 * M25 Kent: Common Buzzard between junctions 3 and 4 16.30-ish (Ian Stewart).
 * Margravine Cemetery: 1 Redwing, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (1m + 1 partially leucistic f) (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Northaw Great Wood : 1 Marsh Tit, feeding on honeysuckle seeds 14:41-14:48 hrs; 17+ Long-tailed Tit; 6 Coal Tit, including two singing males;1 Nuthatch; 5 Treecreeper; 1 pr Stock Dove in display flight - (pm visit only) (Robert Callf).
 * Northumberland Heath, recreation ground: 94 House Sparrow in boundary hedges (Chris Rose).
 * Sidcup DA14, Foots Cray Meadows: Water Rail, 4 Gadwall, 12 Tufted Duck, 6 Little Grebe, Kingfisher, 12+ Fieldfare, 4 Goldcrest (Ian Stewart).
 * Sidcup (Lamorbey Park): male Wigeon still, pair Egyptian Geese, 2 Little Grebes, pair Tufted Ducks, 4+ Goldcrest, 3+ Nuthatch, Siskin (Ian Stewart).
 * Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): Rook flew NE 09.25, male Blackcap in garden on fat balls etc, pair Sparrowhawks mobbed by one Carrion Crow, Canada Goose NE, Peregrine (Ian Stewart).
 * South Ealing Station, W5: 12 Waxwings at 10.00 (Catherine Beazley).
 * Staines Moor: 2 Cetti's Warbler, Grey Wagtail, Grey Heron, 3 Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipit (Nigel Sluman). 1 Short-eared Owl hunting on east side first thing, 8 Common Snipe, 1-2 Little Egret along Colne (Lee Dingain). 3 Short-eared Owls mid afternoon (Bob Whatley).
 * Staines Reservoir: Great Northern Diver (S basin), 2 Scaup (m&f N basin), Black-necked Grebe (S basin) (Nigel Sluman)
 * Stanwell Moor: 20+ Siskin (1 ringed) in alders along the Colne Way Valley beside King George VI Reservoir (Lee Dingain) - pics of ringed bird
 * Stoneleigh (Park Avenue West): 1 Common Gull harassing Black-headed Gulls for food scraps (Neil Batten).
 * Sutcliffe Park, Kidbrooke: Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Snipe (Conrad Ellam)
 * Sydenham Hill Wood LNR, LWT: 1 Chiffchaff singing 9am (D. Greenwood).
 * Trent Park: 5 Goosander (3 Lower Lake, pr., Upper Lake);1 Firecrest, Rough Lot (Robin White per RMCallf).
 * Wanstead Flats: 20 Fieldfare, 5 Meadow Pipit and one with distinctly aberrant behaviour which has been around for about a week on its own in the boggy part of the SSSI - no calls and skulking, Siskin, 2 Stock Dove, 5 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 3 Pochard (Nick Croft)
 * Wanstead Park: c100 Gadwall, 5 Pochard, 3 Teal, Little Grebe, Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, Stock Dove (Nick Croft)
 * Wapping: 2 Waxwings by canal behind Waterman Way E1 at 15.00 (John Archer). No sign 16:10-16:35 (David Callahan).
 * Welling: 15 Waxwings on tv aerials, Burnell Avenue, opposite Norfolk Place 9.30am (Gus Wilson).
 * Wimbledon Common: Firecrest (f) - along holly-lined ride leading South from Queensmere c13.30 (Peter Carlill).
 * Woodford: 1 Waxwing on roof of tube station at 8.40am - plenty of berries on northbound platform so it might stick around, also 2 Fieldfare (Simon Papps).

Wednesday 6th February 2013

 * Banstead Woods: Raven flew west at 1.15pm (Jamie McKenzie via David Campbell), up to 4 Woodcocks flushed (JMcK/Ian Jones via DC).
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Little Grebe, Mandarin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush (Conrad Ellam)
 * Burgess Park: greater spotted woodpecker, behind former church, east of Well Way. (Chris Elders)
 * Charing Cross Hospital: 2 Pied Wagtail on roof, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 pr Peregrine Falcon (also on Hammersmith Novotel ca 8-10am) (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Clapham South: 6 Waxwings in tree above cafe - flew off as I arrived at 8am; another group of c.16 birds flew over but were spooked before landing on the rose hips just after 8am; no further sign of any birds up to 9am (Martin Birch).
 * Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Grey Plover, 26 Curlew, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Little Egret. (Kev Jarvis).
 * East Barnet: 22 Waxwings  again on rosehips in Rushdene Avenue very briefly at 8.45 am (S.Javes).
 * Ewell Village (Lower Mill): Little Egret present on and off from 14.00 until dusk (Neil Batten).
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 4 Red-crested Pochard, both Bearded Tit still present in Diana Memorial reedbed, Siskin (D. McKenzie).  11.45 a.m. both Bearded Tit showing extremely well with synchronised swinging on the reeds, also 3 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare (Barry Jones).
 * Muswell Hill (Grove Avenue): 14 Waxwings at 7.45 a.m. (James Palmer)
 * New Cross Gate: c20 Waxwings in tree by Sainsbury's petrol station car park at 1640; flew low, east, over station shortly after; appeared to go down nearby but not seen again (Peter Beckenham).
 * Oakwood, j/c Merrivale / Prince George Avenue, N. London N14: 62 (142 yesterday at 14.15) Waxwings - still present but flighty at 9.35am (Bob Husband, Anna Husband and Liz Barrett). 32 still swooping onto Cotoneaster at 14.00 (Paul B). There were 120+ this morning at 7.55am but flighty, also 6 Siskin nearby in Oakwood Park (Davey Leach).
 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: 2 Great White Egrets flew east over the car park at 7:45am (RBA & Twitter).
 * Ravenscourt Park W6: 25 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing (Michael Robinson)
 * Richmond TW10 (Ham Lands, Young Mariner's Lake): 8 Pochard, 1 Little Grebe (Spencer Neal).
 * St James's Park: 19 Egyptian Geese - site record (Andrew Self).
 * South Norwood Lake: c60 Fieldfare, c40 Redwing, 1 Little Grebe, 1f Kestrel (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
 * South Ealing Station, W5: 8 Waxwings still present 0830. (Richard Woolley).
 * Staines Reservoir:  Scaup (f N basin), Black-necked Grebe (S basin), Kestrel, 14 Goldeneye, 19 Gadwall, lots of Wigeon, Tufted Duck and Shoveler (Nigel Sluman), Great Northern Diver on S.Basin, 3 Little Grebes on N.Basin at 11:20 (Keith Kerr).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 13 Gadwall, 8 Shoveler, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Grey Wagtail (TeRNS)
 * Sydenham Hill Wood LNR, LWT: Firecrest by small pond at 14:00 (D. Greenwood)
 * Valentines Park Ilford: Grey Heron pair are back at the nest tree, Stock Dove (B Miller)
 * Walthamstow E17 (King Edward Rd): c15 Waxwings flew overhead trilling, heading north-westerly direction, 10.20am (Caroline Nash).
 * Wanstead Flats: Kestrel (Steve Thorpe), Common Snipe, 7 Shoveler, 7 Pochard, 13 Gadwall,15+ Tufted Duck, 4 Meadow Pipit, 4 Stock Dove (Nick Croft).
 * Wanstead Park: 100+ Gadwall, 9 Shoveler, m Teal, Goldcrest (Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe)
 * Weybridge: 8 Waxwings feeding on fruit trees in high street (outside Boots) at 10:00 (Lee Dingain). No sign at 13:10 but also they get in gardens around Elmgrove Road/Dorcester Road jct (Lee Dingain) - appalling record shot .
 * Worcester Park: Little Egret on Beverley Brook at new diggings (Bob Smith).

Tuesday 5th February 2013

 * Alexandra Park: 6 Shoveler Wood Green Res 7am, pair Mute Swan Tunnel Res (Bob Watts); juvenile male Peregrine back on ledge high to the right of the south-facing rose window of the Palace at 9:10 am (expressing gratitude to all those who have spread the word, esp. the Friends of Ally Park) (HarringayBirder)
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Little Grebe, Mandarin, Kingfisher (Conrad Ellam)
 * Bushy Park: female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker showing well in Canal Plantations throughout day; also 2 Treecreeper, 20+ Siskin, 2 Fieldfare, 25+ Redwing; photos of the woodpecker here (Bill Dykes et al).
 * Crayford: Waxwings (driving past so couldn't count), London Road - adjacent Keats House near Citreon Garage 0930 (Brenda Todd)
 * Clapham: 25+ Waxwings - Clapham Common south by bowling green cafe 7.30am (observer ). Anybody know if the're still around this lunchtime? Thanks. Circa 12 at 8.45am but none seen at 1.45pm (Tom Gillard).
 * Crayford Marshes: Waxwing near the recycling centre; Spotted Redshank, adult Mediterranean Gull, Bar-tailed Godwit, 70 Golden Plover, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Green Sandpiper, Cetti's Warbler, Peregrine, 3 Curlew, 46 Fieldfare, 25 Redwing, 1100 Dunlin. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Ewell (Lower Mill & Hogsmill Open Space): 1 Common Snipe, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Little Egret at Lower Mill 16.40 until dusk when it appeared to roost in nearby trees (Neil Batten).
 * Greenwich Park: 6 Fieldfare and 3 Redwing at least, feeding in Deer Enclosure (Joe Beale and Yu-Hsuan Lin)
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: both Bearded Tit still present in Diana Memorial reedbed; also 4 Red-crested Pochard, Sparrowhawk, 2 Little Grebe, 2 adult Great Black-backed Gull, Collared Dove, 3 Siskin (D. McKenzie).
 * Ilford Garden: Redpoll again, also Long-tailed Tit. Clearly a lot of very hungry birds around, in 10 years I've never seen so many on the feeders.(Barbara Miller)
 * Inns Lake, Mill End, Rickmansworth: 1 m Red-crested Pochard. (Roger Dewey)
 * Liittlebrook Lake, Dartford: Slavonian Grebe small pond 200m E of Mermaid. Video (Andy Meaton)
 * Middlesex Filter Beds: 2 Firecrest among mixed tit flock, plus 1 Goldcrest working along east bank of back river 12.20; also 3 Teal, Little Grebe on river itself (Jon Agar). 1 Firecrest on show briefly at 4.20pm; also 2 Chiffchaff, Grey Wagtail (Dan Barrett).
 * Oakwood N14: (junction Merrivale / Prince George Ave): 115 Waxwings 9.30 am - still present when we left - lots of red berries so should stay for a while - thanks to Helen Shore for yesterday's info (Bob & Anna Husband). 142 Waxwings counted at 14.15 (Bob Husband & Robin Morden also Caroline Nash, Lesley Causton, Gillan Barlow). Circa 60 still present at 11.00am and later at 12.00 noon only 20 which then flew east leaving zilch. Returned yet again at c16.00 pm when there were c105 birds and plenty of berries left. (Pete Lowman).
 * Pymmes Park, Edmonton: 2m & 1f Shoveler on Lake, 3 Stock Dove, 6 Redwings, Treecreeper, Green Woodpecker, very active pr Nuthatches 7.50-8.10am (Davey Leach).
 * South Ealing Station W5: 7 Waxwings still present 0830. (Day 36!). (Richard Woolley). 12 Waxwings present 10.30 (Frank Shilling). Still there at 3.30pm too (Rich Petley).
 * Stocker's Lake: 1 Marsh Tit in willow carr (Roger Dewey).
 * Wanstead Flats: Chiffchaff Cat & Dog pond (Steve Thorpe)
 * Westminster: large and unusual gathering of Cormorants (100+ and still building) on Thames close to Westminster Bridge 08:15-08:45 (Frank Nugent).

Monday 4th February 2013

 * Alexandra Park : 5+ Shoveler Wood Green Res/Conservation Pond, Fieldfare, Redwing (h) at 7am (Bob Watts).
 * Archway: 11am large mixed flock of Siskin, Goldfinch and Chaffinch plus singing Dunnock (Dawn Painter)
 * Bexley/Crayford: 67 Waxwing in Bourne Mead at 09.30 but gone by 10.00. (JIm Butler); relocated at 10.30 in London Road Crayford near Citroen Garage as before (Jim Butler per Philip Cliffe). Approx 64 in tree by Keats House 11.20, still present 12.04; still a lot of Cotoneaster berries left on smaller of the two 'trees' (Chris Rose). 12 in tree opposite Bourne Industrial Park - Bourne Road at 12.30 (Ralph Todd). No longer by Keats House or Orchard Hill 17.30, 2 Greenfinch in nearby Shenstone Park (Chris Rose).
 * Blackgreen Wood, Bricket Wood: Red Kite seen from M25 E of Jct 21a  TL 135 027 (Clive Herbert)
 * Brent Reservoir: 29 Snipe, 1 Lapwing, 3 Water Rail (Derek Turner)
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: drake Mandarin, 2 Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
 * Bushy Park: Common Buzzard, f Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 130 Redwings, 12 Fieldfares, 16 Siskins (Tony Duckett). Hi Tony, any further info on (roughly) where you saw the Lesser Spotted would be great please? Thanks - Keith (@akkwildlife). Usual spot in the Canal Plantations by the looks of it- regentsparkbirds.blogspot.com (BD). Fantastic. Many thanks (Keith) (Tony Duckett)
 * Canbury Gardens, Kingston: 7 Siskin (Spencer Neal)
 * Clapham: 16 Waxwing at bowling green near Clapham South tube (see yesterday) at 9.15am (Dave Timms). None present 2pm - 2.50pm; two birds then returned to feed for 10 minutes before flying off at 3pm; 20 returned just after 4pm and stayed until 4.40pm (Dave Timms). Plenty of Rose Hips left.
 * Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, Oystercatcher, Golden Plover, 9 Black-tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper, Rock Pipit. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Crayford, Thames Road Wetland: 2 Water Rail (heard), 1 Little Egret, 2 Chaffinch, 1 Goldfinch; 2 pairs Teal on Stanham Farm; 2 Grey Heron west end of farm in temporary pool by Maiden Lane. (Chris Rose).
 * Ewell Village (Lower Mill): 1 Little Egret, Coal Tit, Nuthatch, 2 Herring Gull over north (Neil Batten).
 * Hyde Park: Common Buzzard west 12:10, 2 Fieldfare, female Blackcap, both Bearded Tit still present in Diana Memorial reedbed, 6 Siskin; also Barnacle Goose (uo), 50 Egyptian Goose, male Mandarin Duck, 4 Gadwall, 27 Shoveler, 4 Red-crested Pochard, 2nd-winter Great Black-backed Gull, 3 singing Stock Dove (D. McKenzie).
 * Ilford: f Lesser Redpoll on garden feeders. Garden mega! (Barbara Miller)
 * Leytonstone: m Blackcap still present (seen daily since 23 Jan) in back gardens Jersey Rd/St. Anne's Rd E11 (G Sutton)
 * Mile End Park: no sign of any Waxwings in a brief search 12:15-1pm - reported in the area 2pm on Sat 2nd Feb per RBA (Bob Watts).
 * Middlesex Filter Beds: 2 Firecrests showing well in mixed flock with Long-tailed Tits and Blue Tits at 09:10 adjacent to the circular concrete platform. Also pr Teal on back river, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker (Quentin Given).
 * South Ealing Station: 8 Waxwings showing well in sycamore tree near the exit on the up side at 11.15 (William Marshall)
 * Staines Reservoir: Juv Great Northern Diver, drake Scaup, 1 Black-necked Grebe yesterday afternoon (Bill Haines).
 * Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: Tawny Owl calling for several minutes, Sparrowhawk, pair of Kestrel, 2 drake Mandarin, Teal, Reed Bunting (John Colmans)
 * Thames Ditton (garden): 3 Blackcap (2f 1m) feeding on apples throughout the day (Bill Dykes).
 * Thorney CP: 3 Red Kite 1 at 11.10am and a Pr at 11.52am, 2 Greenfinch Little Egret on a branch over lake, 4 Gadwall, 32 Cormorants, 3 Canada Geese, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Pochards, Goldfinch, Siskin. (Sue Giddens).
 * Wanstead Flats: Siskin, 9 Pochard, 20 + Tufted Duck, 10 + Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, Skylark, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail (Nick Croft)
 * Wanstead Park: Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, Kestrel, 70 + Gadwall, 2 f Shoveler, 10 + Pochard (Nick Croft)
 * Waterworks Nature Reserve E10: 1 Green Sandpiper and at least 6 Common Snipe on Bed 16 at around 12.30 (Alastair Dent).
 * West Molesey: Bittern flew NW over Chandlers Field School at 17:35 - unusal to say the least (Adam Cheeseman).
 * Worcester Park: Little Egret, Goldcrest, 2 Gadwall, Fieldfare flock moved on (Bob Smith)

Sunday 3rd February 2013

 * Alexandra Park: 7 Shoveler Wood Green Res & Conservation Pond (Bob Watts).
 * Brent Reservoir: Tawny Owl in flight over shrike field at 17.20 (Andrew Self)
 * Bushy Park: Stonechat, Little Owl (chased by Carrion Crow) (Ian R Watson)
 * Broadwater Lake / River Colne: 2 Chiffchaff (1 singing briefly), 1 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Wagtail, 20 Siskin, 12 Goldeneye (3m 9f), 1 Goosander (m), 2 Great Black-backed Gull, & Muntjac (Michael Robinson)
 * Clapham: 15 Waxwing on the bushes opposite the Bowling Green Cafe on Clapham Common West Side near Clapham South Station until 10am at least, male Blackap on Klea Avenue (Alex Bailey). 6 Waxwing feeding on rose hips (closest to the tennis courts) until they were disturbed by an annoying yapping dog at 11:15am then 7 Waxwing in top of tree next to roses at 11:30am (Steven Robinson).  2.08pm 1 Waxwing at top of tree near rose hips (L Leadbeater).
 * Crayford (London Road): 20+ Waxwings present at 10.25 when they flew off over Sainsburys - 30 minute search of area but no trace (Peter Graham). 14.30 - c100 using tree next to Keats House (near Citreon Garage) and feeding opposite (Ralph Todd per Graham Nicholls).
 * Crouch End: 36+ Waxwings feeding on berries outside No 18 Ridge Road N8 at peak of hill off Ferme Park Road at 12:15; flew off at 12:25 but trilling still audible in the area (Gareth Richards).
 * Dagenham Chase LNR: Woodcock flew over, several Pochard, 11 Wigeon, Cetti's Warbler, 2 Siskin, 4+ Bullfinch, 2 Goldcrest, 7+ Common Snipe, 2 Jackdaw, Kingfisher, Water Rail heard. ( VH-F & S.Drake ).
 * Gallions Reach: Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-tailed Godwit, 40+ Lapwings, 3 Curlew, Redwing. (Gary A James).
 * Grays, RM17: 7 Avocets, 5 Turnstone, 2 Oystercatcher, Shelduck, 30 Teal (James A)
 * Greenford UB6: m Blackcap still present but like yesterday no longer sitting boldly in open + more elusive (maybe near miss with Sparrowhawk?) (Neil Anderson)
 * Hampstead Heath: 3 Bullfinch (1m 2f) feeding on buds in shrubs behind feeders next to Ladies Bathing Pond,  (Frank Nugent per Klemens, with thanks). c80 Siskin (2 flocks of c.50 & c30), 5 Fieldfare, 10 Redwing, 4 Gadwall, 7 Shoveler, 1 Little Grebe at Mens Bathing Pond, Tawny Owl calling at 13:30 from Highgate 1 Pond, pair Mandarin & Kingfisher at Sanctuary Pond (FN).
 * Hatch End (Anselm Road): Siskin in conifer tree (Jon Ridge).
 * Hatch End Playing Fields: 1 Little Egret along the River Pinn, Redwing & 1 Green Woodpecker (Jon Ridge).
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: both Bearded Tit present again in Diana Memorial reedbed, also 2 Little Grebe and 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker (D. McKenzie). Bearded Tit still at 12pm along with 20 plus Greylag (Dawn Painter). Bearded Tits still at 1pm, Great Crested Grebe, 17 Egyptian Goose (James Levy).
 * Kingston Cemetery: 30 Fieldfare, 15 Teal, 1 Goldcrest (M Bournat)
 * Kingston Market Square : 20-30 Waxwings 3:20 approx opposite Patisserie Valerie up on top of building flew off in direction of Railway Station (Ian R Watson).
 * Lee Valley RP - Middlesex Filter Beds: 2 Firecrest (showing exceptionally well), 8+ Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff (one showing signs of abietinus - paler underparts compared to the colybita it was covorting with), 11 Little Grebe, 16 Teal, 6 Gadwall, 5 Tufted Duck, 1 Pochard, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming (Jonathan Nasir).
 * Lee Valley RP - Waterworks NR: 4 Common Snipe, 4 Gadwall, 6 Shoveler, 10+ Teal, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Goldcrest, Song Thrush, first Snowdrops of the year :-) (Jonathan Nasir). 11 Linnet flitting between high tree perches to feed on gournd in Wild Place Your Space garden at 3pm, also Grey Heron, 2 Mute Swans (Matthew Cunningham)
 * Littlebrook: Slavonian Grebe on small pond next to bus lane at 13:30 and 4pm (Dave Darrell-Lambert/Nick Croft)
 * Northolt + Greenford CP: 5 Common Snipe (scrape), 3 Fieldfare over, 3 Lesser Redpoll in birches (Neil Anderson)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 9 Snipe, Fieldfare, Redwing, Jackdaw & 1 Grey Heron; also at Headstone Moat: 1 female Kingfisher (Jon Ridge).
 * South Ealing Station, W5: 14 Waxwings present 1015 (P Beckenham, D Greenwood, V Williamson, R Woolley).
 * Staines Moor: Water Pipit (Twitter), 1 Barn Owl, c40 Fieldfare over, 1 Firecrest, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 1 Little Egret, 1 Little Grebe, 4 Meadow Pipits, 2 Short-eared Owls. 2 Siskin, 2 Snipe over, 2 Stonechat (P Beckenham, D Greenwood, V Williamson, R Woolley). 4 Short-eared Owl is total today (Rob Innes via Lee Dingain). Any details on where the Firecrest was seen please? (Lee Dingain). Hi Lee, c100m from end of boardwalk, next to low gate into adjacent paddock w/small lake, associating loosely with goldcrests in willows and dense bramble stand here approx. 4.15pm (PB).
 * Staines Reservoir: 1 Great Northern Diver (footage), 2 Reed Buntings (P Beckenham, D Greenwood, V Williamson, R Woolley).
 * Stroud Green (N4): 14 Waxwings very briefly at 13.14 in trees outside 76 Mount View Road - parallel to Ridge Road so presumably part of the earlier Ridge Road N8 flock (Simon West).
 * Swanley Park: 22 Redwing, Nuthatch (Limes- new patch tick), 160 Black-headed Gull (Andy Meaton).
 * Ten Acre Wood area:  TQ099838    : 2 Pheasant (1 white apart from red wattle), Little Egret low along A40, Buzzard, c50 Lapwing (later moved to aerodrome), 2 Common Snipe, Jack Snipe flushed silently c2 metres from me + came down c10 metres away in grassy bank (smaller size, generally darker + lacking pale trailing edge + most obvious shorter bill) - patch tick for me, Barn Owl showing well 8.00-8.20, brief view Short-eared Owl disappearing low over ridge 8.10, 22 Stock Dove, 9 Skylark, c80 mixed Fieldfare/Redwing put up by unseen raptor (along with Lapwings etc), Nuthatch, Treecreeper, 26 Linnet, 60+ Chaffinch (Neil Anderson)
 * Wandsworth Common: 85+ Fieldfare and 2 Redwing in trees around playing fields, 1 m Siskin, 7 Shoveler around ponds (Matt Palmer)

Saturday 2nd February 2013

 * Abbots Langley (M25 btwn junc 20 & 21): 6 Buzzard either soaring or on street lamps (C Lamsdell).
 * Alexandra Park: Peregrine, Fieldfare, 9 Shoveler (1 Conservation Pond, 7 Wood Green Res, 1 Boating Lake), Meadow Pipit, Yesterday 3 Bullfinch (2 male 1 female) within study area in Muswell Hill Garden and female Blackcap (Alan Gibson, Andrew Gardener, Bob Watts).
 * Banstead Woods: Peregrine, 2 Mallard, Siskin, 2 Common Buzzard (David Campbell).
 * Brent Reservoir: Bearded Tit heard several times to left of main hide, also 23 Snipe (Brent Birders). 2 Little Grebes and small flock of Long-tailed Tits earlier this afternoon (Joanna Durant).
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: drake Mandarin, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
 * Crayford: 28 Waxwings between Citroen Garage and Keats House on London Road - 2.15pm (Ralph and Brenda Todd)
 * Crayford Marshes: Little Egret & Green Sandpiper at the Slade Green end of the marshes (John Bushell & Conrad Ellam)
 * Dagenham Chase LNR : Bittern flushed from Hooks Hall Pond at 10:45am and landed again on far side - no further sign though, 18 Wigeon, 40+ Lapwing, 1 Peregrine, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Little Egret, Water Rail heard, 2 Egyptian Geese ( V.Halley-Frame & S.Drake ).
 * Danson Park Bexleyheath: no sign of Ferruginous Duck (or pochard and tufted duck) 8am-9.30am - significant boating activity (Ralph Todd).  2 Egyptian Geese and a Great Spotted Woodpecker (Eric Brown).
 * Greenford UB6: resident m Blackcap still in garden but keeping lower profile today (Neil Anderson)
 * Grovelands Park, N13: 1 Redwing on the pitch & putt associating with 3 Mistle Thrushes, 1 Song Thrush singing by Broad Walk entrance, 1 Common Gull on lake (Katy McGilvray).
 * Hampstead Heath: a Red Kite drifted north at 0845 hrs glowing in the Sun! (Greengrandad).
 * Hanwell W7 (River Brent): 10 Siskin, Sparrowhawk (f), 2 Teal (m f) downstream of Uxbridge Road bridge & uncommon here (Rob Mills)
 * Horsenden Hill: Pm Common Buzzard SW mobbed mercilessly by 100 crows (Martin Smith)
 * Horton Gravel Pits, Berks SL3: BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT (BirdGuides).
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: both Bearded Tit still present in Diana Memorial reedbed (D. McKenzie, D. Barrett); also Barnacle Goose (uo), 27 Shoveler, 4 Red-crested Pochard, Little Grebe, 3 Treecreeper (DMc).
 * Kingston Cemetery: 1 Peregrine, 5+ Goldcrest in a small flock, 12 Teal, 11 Fieldfare, Coal Tit (M Bournat)
 * Littlebrook Power Station: Slavonian Grebe still on lake, plus 2 Peregrines in the area (Jean-Patrick Elmes)
 * Osterley Park: Common Buzzard (Rob Mills)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Little Egret, 1 Little Owl, 1 Kestrel, 5 Snipe, Fieldfare, Redwing, Jackdaw & 1 Nuthatch (Jon Ridge).
 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: 2 Brent Goose, Waxwing, Bittern, Black-tailed Godwit (RSPB), Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon, Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel, several hundred Dunlin feeding on Aveley flash, 10 + Curlew, 50 + Golden Plover, 5 Ringed Plover, 100+ Redshank, Pintail, 3 Water Rail, Water Pipit, Rock Pipit, Barn Owl, Redwing (Nick Croft)
 * Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 1♀ Blackcap (birdman_euston). pr Great Black-backed Gulls, Barnacle Goose of uknown origin, m Little Owl, 4 Redwings, m Firecrest (W side of Marylebone Green near New Lodge, area 16), 6 Siskin (Tony Duckett); 3 Shelduck, 24 Gadwall, 4 Teal, 34 Shoveler, 3 Little Grebe, 5 Great Crested Grebe (fide Regent's Park Birds blog).
 * Richmond TW10 (Ham Common): Kestrel  (Spencer Neal)
 * Richmond TW10 (Ham Paddocks): c.20 Redwing/ Fieldfare mixed flock (Spencer Neal).
 * Richmond Park: 122 Gadwall, 11 Wigeon, 16 Red-crested Pochard, 20+ Redwing, 20+ Fieldfare (both thrush species Holly Lodge) (Neil Anderson)
 * South Ealing Station: 14 Waxwings present 8.30 (Neil Anderson)
 * Southall, Warren Farm: 2 Rook, Kestrel, but not one of the mass of Fieldfare present last weekend (Rob Mills)
 * Staines: c20 Waxwings drinking from puddle in paddock where Wraysbury Rd crosses M25 (Tom Smith).
 * Staines Reservoir: drake Scaup on N basin, c40 Goldeneye; Great Northern Diver seen on S Basin but not by me (Tom Smith). Great Northern Diver south basin showing well, Peregrine along west bank of south basin onto King George at 11.00 (Jim Sweetland). Sanderling on east bank of N Basin and Great Northern Diver still showing well at 2pm (John Fordham).
 * Streatham Hill: 3 Waxwings eating rosehips from a garden on Lydhurst Avenue (Wilbo)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Ruddy Shelduck on Lower Maynard (Simon Bradley). I'm told it is a Cape Shelduck (Paul Whiteman per Pete Lambert) Could be the thing that gets on the Thames and confuses everyone. (Thank you - I was suckered by its 'juvenile' good looks) - (Simon Bradley)
 * Worcester Park KT4: 2 Gadwall, 2 Little Egrets on fields (Bob Smith)

Friday 1st February 2013

 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Little Grebe, drake Mandarin, singing Song Thrush, male Blackcap, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam).
 * Bushy Park : Tawny Owl, Little Owl (Ian R Watson)
 * Chingford: 4 Waxwings in tall poplar tree opp Kings Parade shops on Kings Rd at 9.00 (I. Lycett).
 * Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, male Ruff, Turnstone, Green Sandpiper, Golden Plover, 3 Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Rock Pipit, male Peregrine. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Danson Park, Bexleyheath: Ferruginous Duck still @12:30.  Did have a swim for a minute but spent most of it's time sleeping on the east side of the small island (Nigel Sluman) Flushed by canoeist at 14:10 flew high south (Birdguides).
 * Enfield: 1 Waxwing flew north over Lee View near Gordon Hill train station at 8:30am (Harry Boorman).
 * Enfield Playing Fields: 4 Lesser Redpoll, with 5 Goldfinch nearby, 12:20 hrs and later (Robert Callf).
 * Finsbury Park: small flocks of redwing, fieldfare and starling plus song thrush 11am (Dawn Painter).
 * Hyde Park: 2 Bearded Tits 10.45, Diana Memorial Fountain reedbed (D.Jordan). Intend to visit early Saturday, where are the Tawny Owls usually found? thanks. (Dan Barrett) On the path between the Speke obelisk and the Physical Energy statue, at the exact midpoint there is a bench on the west side of the path. Look over the top of this bench at right angles to the path. Just to the right of where you are facing there is a big old horse chestnut tree with the main trunk broken off about 40 ft up, and a large branch extending horizontally left of the break. It is about 50 yards from the path. This is the nest tree. Look for the male owl on the broken top of the trunk, or 10 ft lower on the right side of the trunk, or on a beech just the other side of this tree with brambles round the base (Ralph Hancock). Many thanks Ralph (D Barrett).
 * Northumberland Park N17: m Peregrine on Gas Tower behind Ikea (tucked away so hard to see), f Sparrowhawk, 1 Meadow Pipit and 2 Great Black-backed Gull in area to N end of Tottenham Marshes - 12-1pm (Davey Leach).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 3 Little Egret, 1 Little Owl, 2 Shoveler (including one drake), 3 Snipe, Fieldfare, 9 Jackdaw, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Green Woodpecker & 1 Nuthatch; also at Headstone Moat: 2 Coal Tit, 1 Goldcrest & 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (Jon Ridge).
 * St James's Park: 8 Egyptian Geese, full-winged Mandarin (Andrew Self).
 * Sidcup (Lamorbey Park): male Wigeon still, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, pair Egyptian Geese, Kingfisher, Nuthatch, Goldcrests (Ian Stewart).
 * South Ealing Station, W5: 7 Waxwings still present 0830. (Day 32!) (Richard Woolley).
 * Tooting Bec Common: c 15 Redwing, 3 Song Thrush, 1 m Pochard, 8 Tufted Duck, 2 Egyptian Goose, 2 Stock Dove, 2 Collared Dove, Goldfinch, Long-tailed Tit, Ring-Necked Parakeet (no sign of Treecreeper pair, seen by other birders recently in Cafe Wood) (Nick Granger-Taylor).
 * Walpole Park (W5): 20 Redwing feeding with Starling flock, Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker (L.Pawley).
 * Wanstead Flats : Short-eared Owl NW over flats (J Lethbridge).

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