News August 2010

Tuesday 31st August

 * Crossness: 5 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers in Barking Bay from the lighthouse 12.02-12.26 before heading east (briefly stopped on mud by the golf centre); also a Turnstone in Barking Bay 10.15-12.00 at least, 4 Dunlin, 3 Common Sandpiper, 3 (2 ads and juv) Yellow-legged Gulls, Common Buzzard (John Archer and Richard Bonser).


 * London Wetland Centre: Black Kite north at 10 am (RBA). Also Hobby, fem Garganey, Hobby, Sand Martin (M Bourne, L Freeland-Haynes, et al); Red Kite over (Birdguides); 55 Teal, 72 Shoveler, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 3 Common Snipe, Skylark, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 8 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler (LWC website).


 * Pinner Park Farm: fem Common Redstart in the middle hedge still, 2 Wheatear along the main bridleway, 1 Whinchat in the Wakehams Hill hedge, 1 Common Buzzard over at 18:10, 3+ Hobby, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Little Owl, 5 Grey Heron & just 5 Swallow following a major clearout (Jon Ridge).


 * Rainham Marshes: Ortolan Bunting in cordite briefly at 12:20 (Andy Tweed via Twitter); still present 13:27, when flew towards Mardyke (RBA) also present at least 2 Hobby, 1 Whinchat, and at least 3 Spotted Flycatcher's plus many (7) species of Warbler reported (G Francis)


 * Wormwood Scrubs: Hobby, m Common Redstart, Whinchat (Birdguides).


 * Alexandra Park: (am) 2 Nuthatch with large mixed flock by deer enclosure, 2 Swallows over cricket pitch, Ring-necked Parakeet calling, Common Buzzard north at 12:45 (David Callahan, Ian Lycett); and another distant probable Common Buzzard at 13:30 (Ian Lycett); Whinchat and spot fly cricket scrub am (Alan Gibson); Lesser Whitethroat singing cricket scrub, Willow Warbler singing conservation pond 7am (Bob Watts); 4 Spotted Flycatchers, Lesser Whitethroat (cricket scrub) (David Callahan). 3 Swifts drifting west 1810, Hobby NE 1828 from 'obs' (Bob Watts).
 * St Johns Way, Archway - Tawny owl calling 9:15 onwards (dhpainter)


 * Beddington: Common Buzzard movement - 9 NW by 14:00 (Londonbirders Twitter). (13-17 birds by 15:30)


 * Bedfords Park LNR: 6 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat scrub area in Wildflower Meadow, 2 more Spot Flys near Broxhill Road entrance, 2+ Willow Warblers with tit flock near Visitor Centre (Colin Jupp).


 * Brent Reservoir: Garganey juv/f north marsh with Shoveler, Snipe, 7 Lapwings (Andrew Verrall).


 * Brookmill Park (Lewisham): 1 Heron, 8 Mallard, 1 Mandarin, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Moorhen, 6 Coot, 4 Black-headed Gull, 10 Woodpigeon, 4 Wren, 7 Robin, 7 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 4 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 3 Magpie, 1 Carrion Crow, 1 Goldfinch, 2 Greenfinch (Conrad Ellam).


 * Canons Farm: Northern Wheatear, Little Owl, Sparrowhawk, 22 Pied Wagtails, 3+ Linnets, Chiffchaff, Kestrel, 2 Black-headed Gulls on Legal & General, Stock Dove, Green Woodpecker (David Campbell).


 * East India Dock Basin NR: 43 Teal, Whitethroat,Blackcap,Chiffchaff. (Gary A James).


 * Greenwich Park: Yellow Wagtail over, heard, @ 0630. Little Owl in tall trees N of Ranger's House @ 0740, briefly, being mobbed by everything. It was driven by mobbing birds out of the park boundary where I lost sight of it. It was my first ever here, but at least one was seen a few years ago here, so are they more frequent in this area than I realise? Many common species around too, including 3 Goldcrests, Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Nuthatches, Stock Dove, Collared Dove flying over, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Sparrowhawks, Chiffchaffs inc. 1 singing, also 1 male Blackcap that probably was a migrant rather than a local bird (Joe Beale)


 * Greenwich Peninsula: Y-l Gull 1 ad (Thames foreshore); Spot Fly 2, Common Whitethroat 6, Reed Warbler 5, Sedge Warbler 3 (inc one foraging in canopy of 8-m-tall tree), Chiffchaff 3 (riverside shrubbery and scrub behind yacht club) (James Lowen).


 * Hammersmith Bridge: 1 Common Sandpiper, pr Egyptian Goose with 4 goslings (Nathalie Mahieu).


 * Harefield: 2 Red kite over Rubbish tip in New Years Green Lane (Steve Pash)


 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir: 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Red-crested Pochard (male eclipse), 40+ Teal, 6 Pochard, 7 Gadwall, Little Grebe, 5 House Martin (M Bourne).


 * Little Wormwood Scrubs: 1 Sparrowhawk (thermalling), 1 Swift, 1 Common Whitethroat, 3 Green Woodpecker (inc 1 male, 1 juv fem), 6 Greenfinch, c 12 Goldfinch + usuals (Charlie Farrell).


 * Mitcham Common: 15:00 Hobby (over Seven Islands heading NE), Common Buzzard, Kestrel (m) + 1 (poss same seen from distance being chased by Magpie), plus usuals (Stuart M)


 * Old Slade Lane (Richings Park): 1 Common Buzzard (prob same as above), Goldfinches on teasels, c12 Stock Dove (Roger Dewey).


 * Paddington Green: imm fem Sparrowhawk thermalled high then east, Peregrine Falcon in area a.m., 9 House Martin (Des McKenzie).


 * Queen Elizabeth II Res: 2 juvenile Knot, Dunlin & 18 Yellow Wags (DMH).


 * Regent's Park: Common Buzzard SW 3.00pm, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, 3 Swifts, 2 Yellow Wagtails, Grey Wagtail, 3 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Reed Warblers, 6 Common Whitethroat, 10 Blackcaps, 6 Willow Warblers, 8 Chiffchaffs (Tony Duckett).
 * Richmond Park: Up to 4 Hobbies (quite high) over Sidmouth Wood/ Richmond Hill area, from about 13.00. Common Buzzard low over Duchess Wood at 13.15, soon much higher, left ->N, then seemed to turn ->NE. 13.45 three Sparrowhawks with Hobbies, larking around over Sidmouth Wood & Pond Slade. (Stefan Czapski with Tim Howard)


 * Ruislip, Bayhurst Wood: Tawny Owl calling at 17.00hrs and Common Buzzard over wood (Steve Pash)


 * Thorney Country Park: 3 or 4 Spotted Flycatchers near entrance (as yesterday), 1 Common Buzzard in distance nr. M4/M25 inersection (Roger Dewey).


 * Totteridge Valley: 1 Hobby N: 8 Swallows N: 4 Whitethroats: 2 Sparrowhawks: 4 Bullfinches (John Colmans)


 * Wanstead Flats: Common Crossbill (h going east. Yay! patch year tick and London year and life tick 104/157) 2 Whinchat, Wheatear, 4 Spotted Flycatcher (3 east end Long Wood, 1 east of Alex), Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Whitethroat (so it would appear I was completely wrong, again, when I implied they'd all naffed off!), Chiffchaff, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, 3 Swallow (north), 5 Sand Martin (West over Alex), 6 Green Woodpecker, 5 GS Woodpecker, 9 Mistle Thrush, loadsa Robin, 2 Common Gull, 2 Lesser BB Gull, 80+ BH Gull, 4 adult Mute Swan and very quickly the interlopers where made to leave, 3 Shoveler (Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe).


 * Wanstead Park: No sign Pied Flycatcher, probable Nuthatch north of OSW, Coal Tit in the dell, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Hobby (single over OSW, then two over SoM), Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher (Heronry - Steve Thorpe), 6 Cormorant, 2 Collared Dove, many more Robin, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, LBB Gull, 20+ BH Gull, 5 Tufted Duck, 4 Pochard, 2 C. Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Little Grebe (Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe).


 * Willows Farm: Whinchat, Wheatear, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Egyptian Goose, c50 Swallow (Steve B).
 * Battersea Rise Cemetery: dead as a dodo so to speak, until - in order of appearence - 1 Green Woodpecker (1st seen here since 2008 by me), then 1 Blue Tit, 1 noisey Ring-necked Parakeet, 2 Woodpigeon, 2 Blackbirds and a Jay on the way out (Michael Mac).
 * Bolinbroke Stock Pond: BTO NRS Scheme count - pr Egyptian Geese (failed to produce fledged young this year), 1 Red-eared Terrapin 1st sighting, Moorhen (again failed to produce fledglings for 2 years) pr Coots with 2 chicks/2nd clutch, 11 Canada Geese, 2 broods Mallard near fledging and 1 noisey Ring-necked Parakeet turned up (Michael Mac).
 * Wandsworth Common Ponds: 3 (at least) Chiffchaff with tit flock, 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 2 broods Tufted Duck - down by over 4 from last year, Egyptian Geese gone and failed to raise fledglings this season, 3 broods Mallard, Mute Swans gone, 1 killed as mentioned in LNHS Newsletter by Peter White, |View video clip of swans from last year], Coot and Moorhen broods seem down here this year, 10+ Ring-necked Parakeets (Michael Mac).
 * Streatham Common: 1 grey heron (20.05) (unusual for us!), 1 green woodpecker, 1 pippestrelle (20.30) (RB)

Monday 30th August

 * Alexandra Park: 8+ Spotted Flycatchers (3+ Grove, 2 Cricket Scrub, 2 Lower Slopes, 1 Top Field), 2 Lesser Whitethroats (Cricket Scrub, 3rd platform), 2 Willow Warblers Grove, 10+ Chiffchaffs, 12+ Blackcaps, 5 Sand Martins west 0713, 5 Swallows, 3 House Martins (Bob Watts, Gareth Richards); 1 Goldcrest (Grove, with tit flock near car park) (Katy M.)


 * Brent Reservoir: Common Redstart again in disused car park, also 2 Spotted Flycatcher; Hobby 11.30 (Brent Birders).
 * Canons Farm & Banstead Woods: no sign of Common Quail, Yellow Wagtail over, Hobby, 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Skylarks, 100+ Linnets, Yellowhammer, 2 House Martins, several Swallows, c.6 Goldcrests, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker. Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Herring Gulls and 38 Black-headed Gulls on Legal & General playing field (David Campbell and Steve Gale et al).
 * Crossness: juv Arctic Tern west along Thames mid-p.m. (Birdguides).
 * East India Dock Basin: 36 Teal, Peregrine, Reed Warbler (Nick Tanner).
 * Hogsmill SF: Common Buzzard north at 14:53 hrs (Nick Tanner).


 * Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens: m Marsh Harrier high west over Longwater 09:55 (a site first to my knowledge), Hobby low north over Longwater, 3cy Yellow-legged Gull, Swift, 3 House Martin, Sedge Warbler (my first here since 2008), Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, 3-4 Chiffchaff, 8 Willow Warbler inc a very grey and white individual, Spotted Flycatcher (near Hudson); also 17 Egyptian Goose, 6 Red-crested Pochard, 34 Pochard, ad type Great Black-backed Gull north, 3 singing Stock Dove, Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (inc a dead bird - probably a Sparrowhawk victim), Song Thrush, 4-5 Goldcrest, 90-100 Long-tailed Tit, 5 Coal Tit (2 singing), 4 Treecreeper (Des McKenzie).
 * Ten Acre Wood & meadows, Hillingdon: 2 Whinchat in field east of wood, Wheatear on mud pile at GC development, Lesser Whitethroat, 60+ Goldfinch, 20+ Linnet, Little Owl, 2 Hobby over wood, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 4 Meadow Pipit, Skylark and RN Parakeet (Steve Pash)
 * Horsendon Hill: 2 Swift over west 09.30 (Martin Smith).


 * Island Barn Res: Greenshank (SBC).
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Wigeon, 50 Teal, 2 Garganey, 96 Shoveler, Hobby west, Greenshank south-east, 2 Green Sandpiper, Common Redstart, 2 Whinchat, 3 Cetti's Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, 15 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Spotted Flycatcher (LWC website). Corncrake juv late am taken whole and consumed by Grey Heron. photos (WWT / BENHG).


 * Marylebone: Peregrine Falcon perched on top of crane mid-p.m. (DMc).
 * Paddington Green: 2 Swift south 08:45, 2 House Martin (DMc).
 * Pinner Park Farm: fem Common Redstart in the middle hedge, 1 Spotted Flycatcher around the main pond, 4 Hobby, 1 Little Owl, 1 Sparrowhawk & 11 Swallow (Jon Ridge).


 * Queen Mother Res (permit access): juv Sanderling still late a.m. in north-east corner 80m north of sailing club (Birdguides).
 * Richmond Park: 3 Hobbies catching insects over Upper Pen Pond, after sunset. (Stefan Czapski)


 * South Norwood CP: Mandarin / Wood Duck (?), Little Grebe, Grey Wagtail, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap (CroydonBirders).
 * South Ockendon: fem Common Redstart north of railway bridge at Ockendon Davy Down (Birdguides).
 * Thorney C Park: 4 Spotted Flycatchers at entrance. (Sue Giddens).
 * Tylers Common: fem Common Redstart, 3 Whinchat, 12 Whitethroat, 5 Lesser Whitethroat, m Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff, 40+ Swallow, 5 House Martin, 1 Sand Martin, 1 Skylark (Colin Jupp).
 * Tylers Hall Farm: c40 Linnet, c10 Goldfinch, 21 Pied Wagtail (all juv / 'winter' type plumage) but no sign of any Yellow Wags (Colin Jupp).
 * Rainham: 6 Shelduck, 3 GBB Gull, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Knot, 8 Ringed Plover, 2 Yellow-legged Gull (Aveley Bay), 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Kestrel, many Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martin, 2 Greenshank, 6 Linnet, 8 Yellow Wagtail (Reserve) (Mike Benyon), plus 90 Common Teal, 3 Green Sandpiper, Common Snipe (Dominic Mitchell), Spotted Flycatcher and Garden Warbler,Kingfisher 1,Sparrowhawk 2 (Steve Bacon, Ruth Barnes), 5 Blackwits, Common Buzzard S over dump and Grey Seal in Aveley Bay (David Callahan).


 * Wanstead Flats: Whinchat, Wheatear, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Hobby in chase with 2 Sparrowhawks (juv Hobby on the deck on playing fields several times), Willow Warbler, Coal Tit singing from island at Alexandra Lake (S. Fisher), (10:00- 13:00) c.8 Spotted Flycatcher (7 east of Alex, 1 West Copse), Whinchat (east of Alex), 2 Hobby (at one point with Sparrowhawk and Kestrel in aerobatic display over Longwood), 6 Swallow (North), 8 House Martin (West), Sand Martin (RSPB walk), Chiffchaff, 3 Gadwall, Shoveler, Little Grebe (Nick Croft, RSPB walk/Tim Harris)


 * Wanstead Park: fem Pied Flycatcher in field with green barn by Stables 09:00 (S Fisher), Spotted Flycatcher, Garden Warbler (OSW) (Tim Harris). No sign of Pief Flycatcher at 13:00 or thereafter, however... 2 Spotted Flycatcher (OSW) + in tit flock by Perch (Tim Harris/RSPB), 2 Yellow Wagtail (north), 2 Hobby (but heard calling and seen in flight most of the afternoon and later 1 seen chasing martins over shoulder of mutton (Tim Harris), 3 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 4+ Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Common Whitethroat (looks like virtually all of these and the willow warblers have headed off), 1 Willow Warbler, 10+ Chiffchaff, 10+ Blackcap, 2 Kingfisher, 8 Sand Martin, 4 House Martin (later 40+ SoM), possible Nuthatch calling, 2 Collared Dove, Stock Dove, 4 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 11 RN Parakeet, 11 Gadwall, 12 Tufted Duck, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (east over golf course, OSW), 6 Green Woodpecker, 4 GS Woodpecker, Chaffinch (not as common as you'd think), Greenfinch and a cast of extras (45-46 sp) (Nick Croft)
 * Wormwood Scrubs: Hobby, Tree Pipit, c3 Meadow Pipit, Lesser Whitethroat, c5 Common Whitethroat, c5 Blackcap, c10 Chiffchaff, c4 Reed Bunting, c80 Goldfinch (DL via text).
 * Greenwich Peninsula: Male Common Redstart in shrubs by Beckham Academy.(Conrad Ellam)
 * Trent Park: 1 fem Common Redstart in oaks behind Shaws Wood Cottages (14:15) with 4 Spotted Flycatcher, Dunnock, Chiffchaff, Wren, tits and Nuthatch etc. Was looking for the "Old Golf Course" but couldn't find it? The 'Old Golf Course' is the area north of the lakes and south of Moat Wood and Rough Lot - it has clumps of bushes and sallows along a ditch - can be good for Redstart, Spotted Fly and Warblers etc. (RMC). Any clues? Mmm, I now know where you mean, so how come it's referred to as a Golf Course? I assumed it was part of the Golf Course. 1 Swallow. Few hours latter Common Buzzard low over Williams Woods - lots of Woodpigeon shooting on Vickerage Farm - immature Sparrowhawk chasing magpies, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 7 House Martins over lake (Michael Mac).

Sunday 29th August

 * Alexandra Park: 4 Yellow Wagtails SW (1 0715, 3 0735), 7+ Spotted Flycatchers (1 cricket scrub, 2 conservation pond, 1 Boating Lake, 3+ Grove), Swallow east Boating lake, 2 House Martins North View Road, 8+ Willow Warblers, 10+ Chiffchaffs (Bob Watts, Gareth Richards, Paul & Terry Rawlins, Alan Gibson).


 * Battersea Power Station: Common Sandpiper down river early a.m, adult Great Black-backed Gull, Yellow Wagtail over, pair Gadwall, Grey Wagtail, 9 House Sparrows and 18 Linnet.( Dave Morrison)].


 * Bow Creek area (note: East India Dock Basin NR has been closed by LV RP due to an unspecified "emergency": 30 Teal, 166 Mallard, Sparrowhawk, Common Sandpiper (Nick Tanner).


 * Brent Reservoir: Redstart, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail, Hobby, Little Egret (Brent Birders).
 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: Knot, 5 Black Tailed Godwit, 2 Oystercatchers, 5 Ringed Plover, 2 Curlew and 9 Common Terns ( all Thames and foreshore), Garganey, Marsh Harrier, Wheatear, 2 Greenshank and 4 Yellow Wagtails reserve.(Dave Morrison)


 * Brockley Ladywell Cemetery, Lewisham: 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Goldcrest, 3 Jay, Parakeet, Long-tailed Tits, Wren (Phil Laurie)


 * Canons Farm and Banstead Woods: Quail still singing in field south of Canons Farmhouse all day - showed well briefly on path through field at 7.47am, 5 Golden Plovers flew WSW at 6.37am, 2 Yellow Wagtails over, 2 Common Buzzards, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, House Martin, lots of Swallows, Goldcrest, 3+ Nuthatches, 2 Coal Tits, Treecreeper, 2 Chiffchaffs, 4 Rose-ringed Parakeets, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Green Woodpeckers (David Campbell, 'KJM260', Neil Randon, Dominic Mitchell et al).


 * Cassiobury Park: Green Woodpecker, 5 House Martin, Willow Warbler (Des McKenzie, Joanne Biscomb).


 * Dagenham Chase LNR: Hobby over at 4.35 pm, male Common Redstart around visitor centre very briefly at 5.02 pm. ( V.Halley-Frame ).


 * East Finchley allotment: Sparrowhawk flying low across the plots through the orchard trees 4pm (DPainter)


 * Forest Lane Park (Forest Gate): Spotted Flycatcher at 12:30 but hiding a lot (S Fisher)


 * Grovelands Park: 1 Sparrowhawk over the lake (mobbed by crows), 1 Goldcrest and 1 Willow Warbler with tit flock (Katy M.)


 * Hampstead Heath: No sign of the Wood Warbler or the Redstart this PM. 3 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap and a Willow/Chiff were on 3rd Hedge, and 3 Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler were with a tit flock in the alders by conservation pond. One House Martin over Parliament Hill and c.75 Parakeets gathering to roost in the willows by Highgate No.1 pond. (Leo Reich) 2 Spotted Flycatcher (1 showing well), 1 m Blackcap - after I asked Leo about the Redstart - thanks Leo - latter on 2 Hobby hunting bats, over birch below Kenwood shelter at dusk and also Tawny Owls calling (Michael Mac).


 * Kensal Green Cemetery: 3 Green Woodpecker, 2 Stock Dove. (Charlie Farrell)


 * Kenwood: 1 Hobby (juvenile) chased by crows, 1 Whitethroat in the bog, 1 Kestrel with missing tail feathers, Kenwood ponds: 6 Egyptian Geese, 17 Mandarins (highest count) and calling Tawny Owls ( Michael Mac).


 * Leg of Mutton NR aka Lonsdale Road Reservoir: Wood Warbler (Birdguides)


 * Maylands Golf Course: Wheatear, Whitethroat, Sparrowhawk (brief evening visit). (Colin Jupp)


 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Hobby, 1 Little Owl, 34 Swallow, 22 Jackdaw & 3 Grey Heron. Quiet (Jon Ridge). The drake Tufted Duck is still on the pond at the Memorial Park (JR).
 * Shadwell: Peregrine flew SW over DLR station at 15:13 hrs (Nick Tanner).


 * Ten Acre Wood/Sharvel Lane: Hobby heard calling from in wood + then 2 seen several times together just outside it (suspect at least 1 a juv, but not seen clearly enough due to trees), Sparrowhawk mobbed by Crow, Snipe, 5 Stock Dove, 4 Great Spotted + 2 Green Woodpecker, Swallow, Nuthatch, 20+ Long-tailed Tit, Willow Warbler, 100+ Goldfinch (Neil Anderson)


 * Totteridge Valley: 2 Spotted Flycatchers, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Bullfinch (Ian Ellis).


 * Trent Park: 4 Spotted Flycatcher ( Vicarage Farm viewed from Williams Wood), Common Redstart ( 1st W m) ( Old Golf Course), 5 Lesser Whitethroat.(Pete Lowman).


 * Wanstead Flats (06:00-13:00): f Common Redstart (burnt scrub east of Alex), up to 10 Spotted Flycatcher, 4 Whinchat, 2 Wheatear (2 by Long Wood - Tim Harris), 12 Swallow, 10 Sand Martin, 3 Yellow Wagtail (Grey Wagtail - S Fisher), 6+ Blackcap, 4 Willow Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 4+ C. Whitethroat, (Garden Warbler - J Lethbridge), Chiffchaff, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Gadwall, Shoveler, Mallard, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, and 1 hybrid goose (only it's mother would love), 4 Cormorant, 2 Mistle Thrush (26 - S Fisher), Blackbird, 10+ Robin, Greenfinch, 4 Goldfinch, Jackdaw, Magpie, Jay, Carrion Crow, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 6+ Herring Gull, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Wren, Dunnock, Collared Dove, Wood Pigeon, Coot, Moorhen, Little Grebe, Starling, 10 Ring-necked Parakeet (Nick Croft, Stuart Fisher, Jonathan Lethbridge, Tim Harris)


 * Wanstead Park: 2 Spotted Flycatcher (osw - old sewage works, and south of allotments), Hobby, Chiffchaff, Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, 3 Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Collared Dove, Kestrel, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Jay, Magpie, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, no sign Pied Flycatcher (Nick Croft, Stuart Fisher) ... later on 6 Pochard, 8 Gadwall, 8 Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Ring-necked Parakeet, 2 Sparrowhawk, c. 100+ House and Sand Martin over Heronry (Nick Croft)


 * Yeading Brook Meadows: 2 Sparrowhawk together (at least 1 calling a juv), 2 Meadow Pipit, 5 Swallow, 3 Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat (Neil Anderson)

Saturday 28th August

 * Crayfordness: Black Necked Grebe, 2 Sandwich Tern, Knot, 5 Black Tailed Godwit, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Redshank, Ringed Plover (juv). Marsh: 3 Greenshank, 7 Common Sandpiper, Redshank. TWITTER:@londonbirder (KJM).
 * Canons Farm: Quail singing on and off all day from flax field south east of Canons Farmhouse (seen briefly once or twice) also a Tree Pipit and 2 Whinchats in the morning (David Campbell). Also Northern Wheatear, Hobby, 2 Common Buzzards, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Rook, 2 Meadow Pipits, Skylark, 2 Goldcrests, Grey Heron, c.20 Linnets, 2 Rose-ringed Parakeets, many Swallows and 1 or 2 House Martins, Green Woodpecker, Coal Tit, Chiffchaff, Common Whitethroat (David Campbell, Steve Gale, Mike Spicer, Johnny Allan, Kevin Guest, Nick Gardner, Russel Gardner, Roy Weller, Grant Prater, Frank Prater et al).


 * Brent Reservoir (Autumn Bird Count): 74 species by 15.00, including Common Redstart, 3 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Wheatear, 2 Hobby & Meadow Pipit (Brent Birders).
 * Alexandra Park: 8+ Spotted Flycatchers (4 Grove, 2 Cricket Scrub, 2 Top Field), also 5+ Willow Warblers, Lesser Whitethroat Grove, juv Goldcrest Grove, 2 Yellow Wagtails 0728 & 0730 over cricket pitches, 8+ Blackcaps, 3+ Whitethroats (Bob Watts, Dominic Mitchell, Gareth Richards, Paul Rawlins). Reed Bunting (h), RN Parakeet, cricket scrub (AM), Common Sandpiper S end WG Res at 19:15 (Stuart Harrington).
 * Blackheath: 2 Sparrowhawks west, one after the other, late morning. Also Goldcrest (Joe Beale).
 * Crossness: 2 Sandwich Tern on foreshore off golf centre early morning (Kev Jarvis); ad Arctic Tern downriver @ 10.05am, first-wint Mediterranean Gull, 2 Yellow-legged Gull (ad + juv), Common Buzzard, 2 Hobbies, Green Sandpiper, 6 Common Sandpipers, Ringed Plover, 3 Ywllow Wags over, Whinchat, Wheatear, Sedge Warbler, 5 Willow Warblers, Sand Martin, 20 House Martins (John Archer, Kev Jarvis, Steve Carter and Ian Stewart).
 * West Ham Cemetery (Forest Gate 06:00): 3 Goldcrest (incl juvenile), 2 Yellow Wagtails west (S Fisher)
 * Paddington Green: 3 Sparrowhawk (comprising an imm fem and a pr south-east c09:00, of which the m dropped and attempted to take Starling), 1-2 fem / imm Kestrel, pr Peregrine Falcon in area a.m., 3 unidentified waders high north-east 10:47, 2 Stock Dove east, 7 Swallow south, 3 House Martin, Chaffinch east (Des McKenzie, Nick Tanner)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Hobby, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Little Owl, 2 Yellow Wagtail west, 3 Sand Martin, 44 Swallow, 5 House Martin, at least 5 Swift & 1 Painted Lady (Jon Ridge).
 * Queen Elizabeth II Res (permit access): Little Gull this a.m. (Birdguides).
 * East India Dock Basin NR: 2 Garden Warblers, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Kingfisher, Little Grebe, 2 House Martins, Swallow, 2 Common Terns. (Gary A James).
 * Rainham Marshes: Black-necked Grebe drifted east on Thames am, then reappeared for 10 mins on the Kent side of Aveley Bay, juv Knot in bay on rising tide, 4 Hobbies, 5 Black-tailed Godwits, Sandwich Tern, Arctic Tern west, 3 Whinchats, 25+ Swallows, 28+ Yellow-legged Gulls, Green Sandpiper, 2 Willow Warblers (David Callahan).
 * Regent's Park: Wood Warbler in small enclosure at north-east end of lake this a.m., Pied Flycatcher in willows at north-east end of lake this am, Spotted Flycatcher, 14 Chiffchaffs, 6 Willow Warblers' Garden Warbler, 3 Blackcaps, 1 Swallow, 1 Sand Martin, 4 Sparrowhawks 2 passage birds, (Tony Duckett,Birdguides).
 * Ruislip Common: Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher, Garden Warbler (Tim Clark). Lesser Whitethroat, Hobby (Steve Pash).
 * Hampstead Heath, Parliament Hill: 2 Lesser Whitethroats (1 singing), 2 Spotted Flycatchers, Garden Warbler, 2 Willow W, 5 Chiffchaffs, 3 Whitethroats, 5 Goldcrests, 5 Yellow Wagtails (SW), 20 Swallows (SW), Common Sandpiper over. No Blackcaps seen, unusual. ( Pete Mantle) Common Redstart, Wood Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow warbler & Whitethroat- all on 'third hedge' with Nuthatch, Blue, great & long-tailed tits.(PM) (Leo Reich)
 * Wormwood Scrubs: 06:30-10:30 4 Swallow, 3 Winchat, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 Common Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Common Waxbill (presumed escapee, easy to approach), c60 Goldfinch (Charlie Farrell). No sign of Pied Flycatcher AM (R Nutall, Charlie Farrell)
 * Vauxhall : 1 Peregrine perched for about 30mins - 1st time for a couple of weeks (Michael Mac).
 * Dagenham Chase LNR: Fem/ imm Common Redstart at 3.30pm, also 1 Spotted Flycatcher. 2 Greenshank on the slack briefly, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1. Common Tern,1 drake Gadwall, 2 Shoveler.Whinchat at 5.20 pm. ( V.Halley-Frame ).
 * Barking Outfall: 14 Common Tern, 2 Sparrowhawks overhead west @ 7.05am, Hobby south @ 725am, 6 Yellow Wagtails, Common Sandpiper, 2 Oystercatchers, 22 Teal, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 6 Chiffchaff and a very unusual sight of 10 Egyptian Geese moving up river at 7.58am.( Dave Morrison)
 * Barking Bay: 40+ Linnet, Sparrowhawk male, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 42 Shelduck, Sandwich Tern up river @ 9.08am and 3 Ringed Plover.(Dave Morrison)
 * South Norwood Lake: 2 Mute Swan, 2 Cormorant, c20 Tufted Duck, pair juv Sparrowhawk, 2 family parties of Goldcrest, 2 Nuthatch, c12 Chiffchaff, 4 Ring-necked Parakeet, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, c6 Long-tailed Tit, Pied Wagtail, 2 House Sparrow, (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
 * Wanstead Flats: 5 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Wheatear, 5 Whinchat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 13 Common Whitethroat, 2 Hobby, 3 several Blackcap, Garden Warbler, 2 Willow Warbler, 8 Chiffchaff, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 11 House Martin, 5 Yellow Wagtail West, 50+ Long-tailed Tit, 1 Skylark (S Fisher) Wheatear, Whinchat, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, 2 Gadwall (Alex), GBB Gull, 4 LBB Gull, C. Whitethroat... + 2 Noctule (Nick Croft 20:00 until it was too dark to see)
 * Lea Valley Park - Hall Marsh: 3 Green Sandpiper, Gadwall, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Treecreeper, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, 1 Stock Dove, House Martin (Nigel May).
 * Wanstead Park (Old Sewage works): Spotted Flycatcher and several warblers incl 2 Lesser Whitethoat, c10 Blackcap (S Fisher) Pied Flycatcher (Paul Ferris, nice one and No. 118 for Wanstead so a big yay!)
 * Bedfords Park LNR: Whinchat (at last), Tree Pipit, 4 Spotted Flycatcher, 8+ Willow Warbler, 30 Long-tailed Tit, 40 House Martin, Little Owl (Colin Jupp).
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: 1 Heron, 13 Mallard, 1 Mandarin, 4 Moorhen, 6 Coot, 1 Black-headed Gull, 6 Woodpigeon, 1 Collared Dove, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Dunnock, 6 Robin, 10 Blackbird, 3 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 4 Magpie, 2 carrion Crow, 3 Greenfinch. (Conrad Ellam)
 * Totteridge Fields (Mill Hill): 3 Spotted Flycatchers, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest (Ian Ellis)
 * Town Park, Enfield: 1 ad Spotted Flycatcher, Carr's Basin; 1 Chiffchaff; 1 Willow Warbler (Robert Callf).

Friday 27th August

 * Alexandra Park: 3 Spotted Flycatchers (Bob Watts) and Wood Warbler still at conservation area (David Callahan and Gareth Richards), plus 2 Jackdaws north (DC); 2 Spotted Flycatchers at The Grove (GR); still one Spot Fly lunchtime, plus Common Tern (WG Res) (DC). 4:30 - 6pm: No sign of wood warbler, one tit flock of 50+ birds inc coal tit, 4 willow warblers and a chiffchaff on slope behind cricket scub. Spot fly by conservation pond. (J.murray).
 * Beddington: Honey Buzzard SE early pm (per Franko Marekovic).
 * Bedfords Park LNR: female Common Redstart Wildflower Meadow, also 2 Tree Pipit (1 in meadow,1 over calling) and 3 Whitethroat. A large mixed flock between the NE corner of Deer Park and car park (sometimes splitting into 2-3 smaller flocks) included 1 Wood Warbler, c18 Willow Warblers, 3 Spotted Flycatcher, several Chiffchaff, plus the usual tit species (inc Coal), Nuthatch, Treecreeper and Goldcrest. At the N end of the park (Broxhill road entrance) 4 Spotted Flycatcher, 7 Willow Warbler and 3 Chiffchaff with another roving flock. The total of 25+ Willow Warblers is my highest local area count since August 2001 (Colin Jupp).


 * Blackheath: 1 Wheatear (at last!) early evening (Joe Beale).


 * Brent Reservoir: Oystercatcher briefly, also 3 Green Sands, 7 Common Sands & 3 Yellow Wagtails over (Andrew Self). Later: Wheatear, Whinchat, Redstart and Spotted Flycatcher (Andrew Verrall).
 * Canons Farm & Banstead Woods: Whinchat at SW corner of Big Field with Northern Wheatear, Bullfinch, Goldcrest, Treecreeper, 2 Chiffchaffs, Swallow, Green Woodpecker, Rose-ringed Parakeet, 5 Herring and 20-30 Black-headed Gulls on Legal & General, 30+ Linnets (David Campbell).
 * Chiswick House Grounds: Big mixed tit flock of 40-50 birds including 2+ Willow Warblers, 1 Chiffchaff, c6 Goldcrest (2 adults), c6 Coal Tit, c10 Blue Tit, c10 Great Tit, c15 Long tailed Tit. Also 2 Sparrowhawk, 5 Mistle thrush, 4 Blackcaps (3m, 1f), 3 Wren, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Jay, 1 Heron, 3 Tufted Duck, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, 3 Stock Dove. (Louis Freeland-Haynes)
 * Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park: small flock of Sand Martins and 3-4 House Martins, also Kestrel, Goldfinch flock with plenty of juveniles (Joe Beale).
 * Paddington Green: c40 Goldfinch mid-day (Des McKenzie).
 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: Cattle Egret still on Aveley Pools plus Garganey, then moulting adult Great Skua in front of visitor centre 08:50 to 09:33 when it flew off high, plus drake Common Scoter drifting upstream past Aveley Bay, juv Kittiwake (12:03), 2 juv Little Gulls (13:38 and 15:35), 3 Little Terns (10:08), 4 Black Terns (11:00) and 8 Arctic Terns (one at 10:50 and 7 at 11:30) all upriver, 17 Sandwich Terns, 3 Sanderling, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, 8 Dunlin, 15 Ringed Plover in Aveley Bay (Dominic Mitchell via Twitter); estimated passage of 300+ Common Tern up-river; also Swift (JL, DMi), at least 1 Green Sand and large numbers of Swallows, Sand and House Martins (G Francis)
 * Wanstead Flats (06:00-09:00): Yellow-legged Gull at Alex day roost with 10 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 5 Herring Gull and c. 30 Black-headed Gull, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, Common Gull, 5 Common Tern over Alex west, flock of Egyptian Goose through east (Alex), Snipe, 3 Spotted Flycatcher (1east of Alex, 2 east end Long Wood south-side), 4+ C. Whitethroat, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, several Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Blackcap, 2 Whinchat, Meadow Pipit, 2 Swallow and 2 Sand Martin west (40+ sp) (Nick Croft) c16:00 5 Common Sandpipers on Alex, juv Redstart (Long Wood), Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, 5 Mistle Thrush, 3 Green Woodpeckers (2 juvs) (S Fisher)
 * West Ham park: Goldcrest (h), Chiffchaff, large numbers of Blue Tit, Sparrowhawk north, GS Woodpecker (Nick Croft - I am not going to make a habit of it!)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 3+ Hobby, 3 Spotted Flycatcher together in the middle hedge, 4 Yellow Wagtail over in one group, 1 Little Owl, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, 26 Swallow, 5 Grey Heron, 3 Green Woodpecker & ever rising numbers of Greenfinch & Goldfinch (Jon Ridge). Also fairly nearby at Pinner Memorial Park: 1 eclipsed Tufted Duck - not annual here (JR).
 * Rotherhithe: 2 juvenile Arctic Terns off Greenland Pier at 12.40pm before heading high south over South Dock; also 8+ Common Terns (Richard Bonser)
 * South Norwood Lake: 1 Mute Swan, Little Grebe, 20 Tufted Duck, 4 Cormorant, 1m Sparrowhawk, 3 Nuthatch, c10 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, c30 House Martins, c10 Swifts, 2 Swallows, 4 Ring-necked Parakeet, 3 Chifchaff, 2 Blackcap, c10 Goldfinch, 3 House Sparrow, (John Watson)
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: 1 Heron, 12 Mallard, 5 Moorhen, 6 Coot, 4 Black-headed Gull, 8 Woodpigeon, 3 Wren, 4 Dunnock, 6 Robin. 4 Blackbird, Blue & Great Tit flock, 1 Starling, 4 Magpie, 1 Carrion Crow. (Conrad Ellam)
 * Tyttenhanger GP's: Spotted Flycatcher (at last), 3 Common Tern, 2 Whitethroat, 6 House Martin 11 Swallow, 10 Sand Martin. (Steve B)
 * Trent Park: 1'1st-winter male' Common Redstart, 'Old Golf Course', 12:10 - 13:08 BST, intermittantly (Robert Callf, Bob Husband & Fay Broom).
 * Waltham Abbey - Larsens Rec. Gr'd.: 1 Hobby over low at 08.45hrs. (Nigel May).

Thursday 26th August

 * Alexandra Park: Very large mixed flock including Wood Warbler, 2 Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, Treecreeper, 2 Nuthatches, and several Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs working the trees between the rose garden and the deer enclosure, plus 2 House Martins briefly over Blanford and Garden Warbler in Cricket Scrub (briefly singing at lunchtime) (David Callahan, Bob Watts); evening - Spotted Flycatcher west side of pitch'n'putt, Goldcrest deer enclosure (DC); Wood Warbler refound 18:30 just north of conservation pond, in dead ash until 1840 showing extremely well in amongst 8+ chiffs, 5+ willows, also Garden Warbler there withSpotted Flycatcher cricket scrub and female Greenland Wheatear flew to car park 1900 (BW).


 * Brent Reservoir: Little Egret, 8 Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, 5 Common Sandpiper, c.60 Swift, a few hirundines (Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin), Yellow Wagtail over, assorted warblers (Reed Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler) (Brent Birders).


 * Bromley-by-Bow (Channelsea area): 2 Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher (Phil Laurie). Peregrine over mid morning, 1 Sand Martin south, Grey Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtails, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls (S Fisher)


 * Brookmill Park (Lewisham): 2 Heron, 1 Cormorant, 10 Mallard, 1 Mandarin, 6 Moorhen, 6 Coot, 3 Black-headed Gull, 8 Woodpigeon, 2 Stock Dove, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Wren, 1 Dunnock, 6 Robin, 1 Blackcap, Blue & Great Tit flock, 4 Magpie, 3 Carrion Crow, 1 Greenfinch. (Conrad Ellam) Not a single Blackbird !


 * Crayford Marshes: Hobby, Wheatear, 7 Yellow-legged Gulls, 6 Greenshanks, Green Sandpiper, Curlew, 5 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Common Sandpipers, 6 Ringed Plovers. (Kev Jarvis).


 * Crayford Ness: 2 Turnstone, 5 Black-Tailed Godwit, 20 Ringed Plover, 9 Dunlin, Greenshank. Marsh: 3 Greenshank, 6 Common Sandpiper. (KJM).


 * Fulham Sands End (c2pm): c200 Black-headed Gull, very active House Sparrows, 1 Sparrowhawk (over Battersea side) (Nathalie Mahieu).


 * Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens: 3cy Yellow-legged Gull, Sand Martin, c40 House Martin, fem type Common Redstart (east end of Flower Walk 08:05 - 08:10), Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, c6 Chiffchaff, 12-15 Willow Warbler; 2 Spotted Flycatcher (Dell and Ranger's Lodge), probable Pied Flycatcher (seen in flight with tit-flock near Old Police House but too fleetingly to be sure), also 20 Egyptian Goose, 2 ecl m Mandarin Duck, 3 Red-crested Pochard, 65 Pochard (peak count for 2009 was 32 in November), Little Grebe trilling and bringing fish to a single juv, 9 Cormorant, ad Common Gull, 8 Stock Dove (2 singing), c125 Woodpigeon, 2 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, 5 Goldcrest, Coal Tit, 2 Treecreeper, Jay (Des McKenzie); p.m.: 1-2 Hobby (at least 1 perched in trees nr Albion Gate) c13:45 (Simon Papps per DMc).


 * London Wetland Centre: 40+ Shoveler, 45 Lapwing, 3 Common Snipe, 31 Sand Martin, Yellow Wagtail south-west, 2 singing Cetti's Warbler (LWC website).


 * Mitcham Common: Sparrowhawk (fem), Grey Heron, Green Woodpecker, Jay, c40 Goldfinch flock near Seven Islands Pond plus a dead shrew near One Island Pond. Not a sniff of a Kestrel again (Stuart M).


 * Paddington Green: at least 1 Grey Wagtail, 100+ Starling (DMc).


 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Yellow Wagtail in cattle, 1 Hobby, 1 Little Owl, 20+ Swallow, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, 1 Cormorant over & Great Spotted Woodpecker (Jon Ridge).


 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: Cattle Egret still present to 17:42 when flew S over river, returned and present at 19:35 - roosted with 15+ Little Egrets in tall trees on north edge of Cordite Store (J Lethbridge)


 * South Norwood Lake: Peregrine Falcon, 1 mSparrowhawk, 8 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe, 4 Cormorant, 1 Black-headed Gul, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 12 Ring-necked Parakeet, 4 Nuthatch, 5 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, c12 Swifts, c8 House Martin, c20Goldfinch, 8 Long-tailed Tit, (John Watson)


 * Stockwell Community Gardens: pr Magpies, Black-headed Gull - note: loss of breeding Dunnock this year as council contractors decimated the bushes used for nests just at the time they would have been preparing to breed (Michael Mac).


 * Tyttenhanger GPs: Ruff a.m. (Birdguides).


 * Wanstead Flats (07:00-11:00): Yellow-legged Gull at Alex day roost with 3 Great Black-backed Gull, 20 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 7 Herring Gull and c. 40 Black-headed Gull, 4 Spotted Flycatcher (2 east of Alex, 2 east end Long Wood south-side), up to 4 Whinchat, 2 Wheatear, 2 Blackbird, 2 Mistle Thrush, 6 Robin,1 Song Thrush heard, 8+ C. Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, several Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Blackcap, 4 Meadow Pipit, 3 Skylark, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Mute Swan, Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Kestrel, Jackdaw, Jay, 8 Ring-necked Parakeet, 3 Cormorant, 2 Collared Dove and the usuals (45 sp) (Nick Croft).


 * Wormwood Scrubs: Yellow Wagtail, 3 Whinchat, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, Pied Flycatcher still present (6th day) (Birdguides). Sparrowhawk, Wheatear, 3 Reed Bunting (David Lindo & Anders Price)
 * Fulham by Thames, 1pm. Yellow Legged Gull, female Gadwall flying past. (Michael F)

Wednesday 25th August

 * Crayford Marsh: Marsh Harrier, 5 Black t Godwit, 21 Ringed Plover, 9 Dunlin, 10 Common Sandpiper, 3 Greenshank, 3 Redshank. Little Owl. (KJM).
 * Bromley-by-Bow: 3 Common Sandpipers, Kingfisher in wall river, Hobby west (08:10), Kestrel, unidentified small falcon west early morning (and other mornings) presumed to be an escaped falconers hybrid, 104 Mallard, 4 Canada Goose, 2 Mute Swan, 2 Stock Dove, 20 Woodpigeon, Grey Wag, Pied Wag, Yellow Wagtail over, 1st yr Great Black-backed Gull, flock of Long-tailed Tits, 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Great Tit, 5 Blue Tit, 2 Dunnock, Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush, GS Woodpecker, 12 Coot (S Fisher)
 * Hyde Park / Kensington Gardens: Yellow-legged Gull, Sand Martin, c50 House Martin, Grey Wagtail over, Common Whitethroat, 9 Chiffchaff, c20 Willow Warbler; also 12 Egyptian Goose, fem Mandarin Duck, 4 Green Woodpecker, 2 Coal Tit (1 singing) (Des McKenzie, Noel Lever).
 * Paddington Green: c25 Goldfinch a.m. (DMc).
 * Crossness: 2 Juv Black terns, Whinchat, 3 Yellow wagtails, Common Buzzard, Goldcrest, Redshank, 2 Willow warblers. (John Archer & Kev Jarvis).
 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: Cattle Egret from shooting butts hide showing well, 14:55 (Dave Morrison); pale phase Arctic Skua Aveley Bay and Cattle Egret still at 16:38 (Howard Vaughan).
 * London Wetland Centre: Honey Buzzard 12.30 (Birdguides).Osprey 12.35( Y Simmonds)
 * Springfield Park, Hackney: Tree Pipit (0740), Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Willow Warblers, 3 Blackcaps, 4 Goldcrests, Hobby with prey (MJP, LP Hackney Wildlfe)
 * Oakwood Park, N14: 1'1st-winter' Spotted Flycatcher, 07:22 (Robert Callf).
 * Alexandra Park: Pied Flycatcher and Spotted Flycatcher commuting between veteran oak & garden oaks 0755 Grove, also Spotted Flycatcher, 2+ Willow Warblers. Also Yellow wagtail NE over cricket pavilion 0702. (Bob Watts). Both flycatchers still present 0910 (J.Murray). No sign at 12:30, but 2 Spotted flycatcher and 2 Willow wablers there (J.Murray).
 * Canons Farm and Banstead Woods: Yellow Wagtail 3 times in flight then dropped onto Legal & General, Northern Wheatear on derelict barns, 2 Hobbies (juveniles), Little Owl, Sparrowhawk, 3+ Bullfinches (including juvenile), 5 Goldcrests, 4+ Nuthatches, Treecreeper, 2 Coal Tits, 4 Yellowhammers, c.20 Linnets, 7 Swallows, 6 House Martins*, 2 Kestrels, 3 Blackcaps, 5 Chiffchaffs, 7 Common Whitethroats, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 8 Green Woodpeckers, 6 Rose-ringed Parakeets (David Campbell and Mark Stanley).
 * South Harrow (Roxeth Rec): Hobby over 9am (first seen here this year), family party of Blackcap, 2-3 Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, 2 Ring-necked Parakeet, Jay, 2 Pied Wagtail, c15 BHG, 2 LBBG (Alex Massey).
 * Thorney CP: Spotted Flycatcher.(Sue Giddens)
 * Little Britain Cowley: 2 Hobbys (Sue Giddens)
 * Staines Moor: Garden Warbler 09:00 (PFM). 2 Whinchat, 2 Little Egret, 2 Wheatear, plus 20+ Common Whitethroat, 10+ Willow Warbler, 4 Green Woodpecker, 4 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 6+ Meadow Pipit 9.30-10.30am (NR)
 * West Ham Park (07:30-11:00): No sign of the Pied Flycatcher, however since the one at Alexandra Park is still there and didn't take the opportunity to move on afforded by the calm clear night who knows (Nick, I found the Ally Pally bird this morning, Bob Watts - OK it looks like they all scarpered NC), only got one fleeting glimpse of a silhouette of a candidate, otherwise and still surprisingly for this site 1 possibly 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 C. Whitethroat, 10+ Willow Warbler, 4+ Chiffchaff (Tim Harris got a Blackcap or two), calling Goldcrest, Peregrine Falcon (over south), Sparrowhawk, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Herring Gull, GS Woodpecker and Green Woodpecker, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Mistle Thrush and more Blackbird than I have seen in a month on the Flats and W park, Pied Wagtail (h), Jay etc. (27 sp), I still think this place could do more - the conservation area takes up less than 1% of the area, it could do with an area of water and planting round the edges would help cut down some of the noise of the traffic. The corporation would like you to vote for the park as the best in Britain, scary. (Nick Croft).
 * South Norwood Lake: Peregrine Falcon, female Wood Duck, 1 Little Grebe, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, mSparrowhawk, c12 House Martin, 2 Sand Martin, c12 Swifts, c6 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 2 Nuthatch, 4 Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, c10 Goldfinch, (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
 * Lake Farm CP: 1 Common Redstart, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Whinchats, 2 Wheatears, 10 Common Whitethroats, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warblers, 1 Reed Bunting, Kestrel and 2 Sparrowhawks, a Swift and 4 Jackdaws flew over; most birds in small group of trees/bushes just east of BMX track off Dawley Road, Hayes by central path (Peter Naylor, Dave Morris).
 * Tyttenhanger GP's: 2 common Sandpiper, 9 Common Tern, 2 Tree sparrow, 2 Yellowhammer, 3 reed Bunting, 2 Blackcap, 4 Lesser whitethroat, 6+ Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff, Buzzard. (Steve B)
 * Trent Park: 1'1st-winter male' Common Redstart, 'Old Golf Course', 13:06 - the third different bird here, in the same bushes, in as many days! (Robert Callf).
 * Mitcham Common: (quickly round main ponds before deluge) Sparrowhawk (fem) near One Island pond - closest view yet of this very large example, the lone lame Canada Goose also at One Island, Grey Heron at Bidder's Pond, Stock Dove, 3 Green Woodpecker, 2 Jay, c20 Goldfinch in a flock near Windmill Lane plus usuals and one rabbit (Stuart M)

Tuesday 24th August

 * Alexandra Park: (early morning) Swallow, plus Treecreeper (first record this year) and Garden Warbler with large mixed flock in top field, consisting of approximately 10 Willow Warblers, 4 Chiffchaffs, 6 Great Tits, 20 Blue Tits, 20 Long-tailed Tits, 10 Blackcaps, 6 Whitethroats and 2 Chaffinches, from 07:10-08:10 am, plus male Sparrowhawk; at least 2 of the Chiffchaffs were giving the 'recently developed' alternate call. (David Callahan) No sign of Treecreeper in Top Field in quick look between 8:45-9:15, but good-sized mixed flock present (Alan Gibson, Gareth Richards); House Martin over WG Res, plus large tit flock with a few Willow Warblers in Blanford (lunchtime), but no unusual birds (DC). Lesser Whitethroat cricket scrub 7am (Bob Watts); Hobby over top field late evening (Gareth Richards).


 * Barking Bay: 5 Black-tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper, Whitethroat, 5 Common Sandpiper, fem Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel.(Paul Hawkins)


 * Belair Park - Dulwich: 3 Mandarins - 1 a fledged bird - worth noting never seen Egyptian Geese at this pond or at any ponds in this part of S.E. London from Brockwell Park, Dulwich Park or Crystal Palace Park - Mandarins only seem to inhabit this waterway not seen by me at any of the previous parks (Michael Mac).


 * Brent Reservoir: 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Common Redstarts, 2 Green Sands, 3 Common Sands (Brent Birders).


 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: 1 Heron, 12 Mallard, 1 Kestrel, 5 Moorhen, 6 Coot, 3 Black-headed Gull, 8 Woodpigeon 1 Stock Dove, 1 Collared Dove, 2 Kingfisher, 4 Wren,1 Dunnock, 7 Robin, 5 Blackbird, 1 Chiffchaff, Blue, Great & Long-tailed Tit flock, 4 Starling, 4 Magpie, 2 Carrion Crow, 3 Goldfinch, 4 Greenfinch. (Conrad Ellam)


 * Canons Farm and Banstead Woods: Spotted Flycatcher in Lunch Wood, Rook, Bullfinch, Treecreeper, 2 Chiffchaffs, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5+ Green Woodpeckers, Linnet, c.28 Rose-ringed Parakeets, Stock Dove, 2 Yellowhammers (1+ juv), c.30 Swallows (David Campbell).


 * Crayford Marshes: Sanderling, 7 Black-tailed Godwit, 27 Ringed Plover, 3 Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, 11 Dunlin, Bullfinch. TWITTER: @londonbirder (KJM).


 * Dulwich Park: 1 House Martin and brood of 2 Little Grebe with adult, 3 Tufted Duck (Michael Mac).


 * Mitcham Common: (quick visit to Seven Islands Pond) Hobby (11:20 over heading NE), 1+ Kestrel, Sparrowhawk (fem), Grey Heron, 4 Egyptian Goose, Green Woodpecker, 8 Goldfinch plus usuals except Canada Goose - not a single one present (Stuart M)


 * Paddington Green: m Peregrine Falcon in area early a.m. (Des McKenzie).


 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Little Owl, 8 Swallow, one hell of a lot of wind & very little else (JR).


 * Richmond Park, Pen Ponds: 16.00. Dozens (rather than hundreds) of Martins whizzing around in a good Force 6 or 7; probably more Sand than House. Both ad. & juv. Swallows seen, but very few. Brilliant visibility after rain, but no raptors. (Stefan Czapski)


 * South Harrow (Roxeth Rec): 2 Bullfinch (f/j) (first here for 2 years), 3 Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, 5 Greenfinch, LBBG, 25 BHG, Pied Wagtail. (Alex Massey)


 * South Norwood Lake: Peregrine Falcon, 3 Mute Swan, f Wood Duck, 3 Cormorant, 12 Tufted Duck, c25 House Martin, 2 Sand Martin, c12 Swifts, 1 Swallow, c8 Chiffchaff, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Collared Dove, Goldfinch, 2 Greenfinch, 3 House Sparrow, (John Watson)


 * Springfield Park, Hackney: 2 Common Redstarts (male and female/immature) together by the bandstand, 0800hrs; also 6 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, Garden Warbler, 5 Blackcaps, 5 Swifts, c30 House Martins (Mark Pearson Hackney Wildlife); both redstarts still present 1215, also Spotted Flycatcher (TB per MJP); still present 1300 but increasingly elusive (MJP)


 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: brief visits a.m. and p.m. - 2 Common Sandpipers, plenty of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs, strong evening passage of c120 House Martins and 30 Sand Martins (Mark Pearson & Tony Butler)
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery: Female Blackcap, Martin sp blown over rapidly probably House (Bob Watts).


 * Trent Park: 1 fem/imm Common Redstart, 'Old Golf Course', vocal + very showy, eating blackberries, 10:12 - 10:18 BST; 2 Spotted Flycatcher, (1 'Old Golf Course', 1 Water Garden); 2 Chiffchaff, Water Grdn; 2 Willow Warbler, Water Grdn (Robert Callf).


 * Tyttenhanger GPs: Red-crested Pochard, 8 Pochard, 3 Shoveler, 4 Common Tern, 2 Egyptian Goose, Buzzard. (Steve B)


 * Uxbridge: Brunel University, Wheatear, 8 Linnet, Bullfinch & Kestrel in the Bicentenary Gardens at lunchtime (Steve Pash)


 * West Ham Park: Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher (Marco Johnson via Redbridge Birds), I am guessing in the flower garden as with last year's bird!


 * Wormwood Scrubs: am. Pied Flycatcher in the same group of Acer's by concrete picnic area West of railway embankment, 2 Spotted Flycatcher in Salix's (willow tree's) West of embankment.3 Whinchat in the long grass. 1 Yellow Wagtail over west, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Common Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, 4 Reed Bunting, 3+ Meadow Pipit, 1 Jackdaw, 2 Stock Dove. (N.Smith)

Monday 23rd August

 * Alexandra Park: (early morning) Firecrest calling with mixed flock of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs in top field, 08:25 am, plus 6+ Whitethroats and Garden Warbler in Cricket Scrub and 2 Sparrowhawks; lunchtime - no further sign of Firecrest (or warbler flock), but Spotted Flycatcher (top field) and Common Sandpiper (Wood Green Reservoir, 1st viewpoint) (David Callahan). Common Sand still present 7pm (Bob Watts).
 * Beckton E16: female Hen Harrier over Royal Albert Station, 2pm (DEH).
 * Bedfords Park LNR: calling Common Redstart in hawthorn scrub top area of Wildflower Meadow this evening, not showing in windy conditions. Also Spotted Flycatcher, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler and a few Chiffchaffs (Colin Jupp).
 * Brent Reservoir: Little Gull 1 juv all morning, on dam, flying, by rafts on water, very high water level no mud, all waders on rafts: 2 Common Sands, 1 Green Sand, 8 Lapwings (Andrew Verrall, Lydia W).
 * Crayford Marshes: Sandwich Tern on the deck ,Sanderling, 3-5 Green Sandpipers, c100 Redshank, 100 Common Terns west, 3 Greenshanks, 2 ad Yellow-legged Gulls, 3 Common Sandpipers, 3 Dunlin, 38 Ringed Plovers (Ian Stewart).
 * East India Dock Basin NR: 7 Arctic Terns north 10.35, 12 Common Terns, 2 Common Sandpipers, Peregrine, Chiffchaff (Gary A James).
 * Eastcote (Field End Road): 1 Grey Wagtail over the shopping parade (JR).
 * Fulham Reach: pr Peregrine Falcon (f tried to dive-bomb a pigeon from her perch-m brought prey from LWC direction) - pr Egyptian Goose with 4 juvs on Thames (the smaller one has growth at base of beak, abscess/thyroid?) (Nathalie Mahieu); noted growth at bill base of an deformed winged juv at KG recently, attributed it to unsuitable foodstuffs (though no avian biologist), 'swelling' subsided (DMc).
 * Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens: ad Mediterranean Gull on Parade Ground a.m. later flew over Round Pond and toward Kensington High Street (not the German bird of recent winters), 3rd-summer Yellow-legged Gull (a.m.) Parade Ground, 8 House Martin, Reed Warbler, 4 Blackcap (struggled to find any Sylvia), 6 Chiffchaff, c12 Willow Warbler (1-2 singing), Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher showed well in large false acacias at Lido Service Yard 10:50; also 16 Egyptian Goose (10 juv), 3 Shoveler, 6 Red-crested Pochard (3 ecl m), 58 Pochard (peak count of 2009 was 32 in November), 17 Great Crested Grebe (5 juv), 11 Lesser Black-backed Gull (4 juv inc notably dark bird), 24 Herring Gull, c30 Ring-necked Parakeet, dead Stock Dove (attracting attention of a few wasps), Pied Wagtail, 3 Goldcrest, Nuthatch, 2 Treecreeper (Des McKenzie).
 * London Wetland Centre: 50 Teal, 47 Shoveler, 4 Common Snipe, 5 Green Sandpiper, 4 Common Tern, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Chiffchaff (LWC website).
 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir LNR: 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Willow Warblers, 1 Chiffchaff, +2 more unIDed Phylloscops, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long tailed Tit, 36 Teal, 8 Gadwall, c25 Sand Martins over c12:00, 3 Stock Dove, 1 Common Tern, 1 Little Grebe, 3 Swift. Not much else (Louis Freeland-Haynes).
 * Paddington Green: Peregrine Falcon in area early a.m., at least 1 Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Coal Tit, several Goldfinch (DMc).
 * Raynes Park Station: Pied Flycatcher in bushes by new phone mast opposite platform 3 from 07:10 to 07:15 then flew into trees between platfoms 3 and 4 (Nick Tanner).
 * Richmond Park: Water level in Beverley Brook had risen about 4ft during the night (leaving a muddy high-water mark), back to within about a foot of normal level by 12.30. Pen Ponds area: a few Sand Martins over the reedbed at 12.45; then several dozen House Martins low over Ponds in heavy rain, along with a few S/Martins and Swallows. (I kept perfectly dry, under a Lime tree). When rain stopped, a single Swift, single Common Tern. Distant large raptor over Pond Slade, almost certainly a Common Buzzard, 14.10. A Hobby drifted thru ->NE as I left, 14.45 (Stefan Czapski).
 * Staines Area: Osprey flew S over Stanwell Moor and Staines Moor at 08.32. 2 large flocks of Grey Plovers flew over Staines Res heading SW, 50 at 14.20 and then about 70 at 14.25 (see Wormwood Scrubs (see Wormwood Scrubs report), and 70 Redhshanks followed at 14.35 (Peter Naylor).
 * Totteridge Valley: Osprey drifting S at around 11.40 am: also, Garden Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 10 House Martins (John Colmans).
 * Trent Park: 1 adult male Common Redstart, 'Old Golf Course', 10:22 BST (Robert Callf).
 * Wanstead Flats: at least 2 Common Redstart in hawthorns east of Alexandra Lake (Jonathan Lethbridge) not only that ... 4 Wheatear (2 new ones on burnt out scrub east of Alex, 3 Whinchat, 4 Spotted Flycatcher (2 Long Wood) (Stuart Fisher); 1 Yellow Wagtail, Lesser Whitethroat, C. Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, House Martin, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, 4 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, gulls and some other stuff? (Nick Croft)
 * Wanstead Park: Spotted flycatcher (osw - old sewage works), Hobby, 2 Gadwall, Teal, 6 Pochard, 5 Tufted Duck, Lesser Whitethroat, C. Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, House Martin, Sand Martin, etc. (Nick Croft).
 * Woodredon Estate (near Upshire): 1 Hobby (Nigel May).
 * Wormwood Scrubs: Hobby, flock of c185 probable Grey Plover and c15 probable Dunlin south-west 13:40 (see Staines area report), 2 Yellow Wagtail, Whinchat, Pied Flycatcher still in sycamores west of railway and nr concrete (Birdguides).

Sunday 22nd August

 * Brent Reservoir: 2 Black-tailed Godwits early morning only, also 8 Lapwing, 3 Common Sands, Snipe & Yellow Wagtail over (Brent Birders)
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: 1 Heron, 11 Mallard, 1 Mandarin, 5 Moorhen 6 Coot, 2 Black-headed Gull, 10 Woodpigeon, 1 Stock Dove, 1 Collared Dove, 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Wagtail, 4 Wren, 2 Dunnock, 10 Robin, 10 Blackbird, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Goldcrest with large flock of Blue, Great & Long-tailed Tits, 3 Starling, 1 Carrion Crow, 5 Magpie, 6 Goldfinch, 10 Greenfinch. (Conrad Ellam)
 * Crossness: Pied Flycatcher on golf course late afternoon with 3+ Spotted Flycatchers, sum plum Grey Plover in Barking Bay, juv Black Tern off Golf Centre, 2 Whinchats and Wheatear in Paddocks, Yellow Wagtail over, Green Sandpiper, 8 Common Sandpipers, 3+ Willow Warblers, Goldcrest (John Archer, Ian MIller, Kev Jarvis).
 * Fairlop Waters: Nightingale, Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Tree Pipit (Redbridge Birdwatching)
 * Fairlop Gravel Works: 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, imm Little Ringed Plover, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 15 Linnet (DEH)
 * Kensington Gardens: 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Treecreepers, at least 2 but probably 4 Goldcrests with tit flocks (Joe Beale).
 * King George Recreation Ground (Bushey): at least 3 Willow Warbler, Nuthatch, Linnet over, 3 Gatekeeper, 3 Common Blue (Des McKenzie, Joanne Biscomb).
 * Watford (Cardiff Road): Chiffchaff in private garden (DMc, JB).
 * Woolwich Ferry: juv Black Tern with c60 Common Terns early afternoon (John Archer).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: impressive fall of warblers (the best early autumn fall since at least 2005) around the East Res, New River and LWT garden in the morning included a conservative (and record) count of at least 30 Willow Warblers, 10 Chiffchaffs, 3 Sedge Warblers, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Common Whitethroats, Garden Warbler, 3 Blackcaps and 15+ Reed Warblers; also 3 Kingfishers. late p.m. - plenty of the above had already trickled away, but Spotted Flycatcher (first of autumn) and 2 Hobbys (Mark Pearson, Laurence Pitcher and Jamie Partridge Hackney Wildlife Also Pied Flycatcher on New River late afternoon. (Alastair Rae)
 * Alexandra Park: 2 Spotted Flycatchers, Garden Warbler Cricket Scrub, 3 Yellow Wagtails; 1 SW 0915, 2 NE 1005, 5+ Willow Warblers, 5+ Chiffchaffs, 10+ Blackcaps, 6+ Whitethroats, adult Common Tern Wood Green Res (Andrew Gardener, Alan Gibson, Gareth Richards, Bob Watts). 14 Linnets on S. ditch/brambles bordering sportsfield, flew off area S. 10.50hrs, 22 Mistle Thrushes Top Field (Jonathan Cooke)
 * East India Dock Area: 2 Egyptian Goose 7 Teal, 20 Common Terns 1 Common Sandpiper (Gary A James).
 * Limetrees Park Golf Course (Northolt): 2 juv Mute Swan, 4 juv Dabchick, Hobby, 6 Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap + Chiffchaffs+ Willow Warblers with tit flock (Neil Anderson)
 * Lonsdale Road Res: 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Common Tern, otherwise quite quiet late afternoon (Rich Petley).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Common Redstart in the middle hedge still & at least 1 Little Owl (Jon Ridge, Fred Young). Also 2 Hobby, 5 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 2 Green Woodpecker, 3 Grey Heron & 14 Canada Goose (JR). The remaining Redstart is about halfway down the middle hedge & best viewed on the unposted side of hedge, listen for 'hewitt, tick tick' & expect an orange flash out of the hedge from this very handsome male bird (JR).
 * Ruislip: 3 Common Buzzard circling over Poors Field @ 11.40, Hobby feeding over Lido (Steve Pash).
 * Ten Acre Wood/Sharvel Lane area (Hillingdon): 2 juv Pheasant, 2 Sparrowhawk, 4 Stock Dove, 3 Green + 3 Great-spotted Woodpeckers, pr + 4 juv Swallows, 15 Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Nuthatch, 100+ Goldfinch feeding on prickly lettuce + bristly ox-tongue seedheads, 5 Linnet, 3 Bullfinch, Rook + 9 spp butterfly including Brown Argus (also 1 of these found at Yeading Brook Meadows)(Neil Anderson)
 * Wormwood Scrubs: (08:00-12:00) 1 Pied flycatcher still in same group of Acers by picinic area till at least 12.00, also 4 Winchat, 2 Yellow Wagtail over West. 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Common Whitethroat and 3 Blackcap along the railway embankment. Also 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 7 Swift, 7 Mipits, 3 Reed Bunting, 1 (m) Sparrowhawk, and 6 Common Lizzard. (N.Smith and Roy Nuttall)
 * London Wetland Centre: 31 Gadwall, 45 Shoveler, 35 Teal, 2 Greenshank, 56 Lapwing, 7 Common Snipe, 1 Sparrowhawk (LWC website) plus 1 Whinchat (Grazing Marsh), 1 Garden Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, c20 Chiffchaff, c8 Willow Warbler, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 1 Peregrine, 1 Kestrel (Peter Gray)
 * Wanstead Flats (07:00-20:00): 2-3 Common Redstart (east of Alex in burnt out scrub: ad male, 1 winter and possible female - still at 20:00) (Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe/Tim Harris and latterly Jonathan Lethbridge), 2 Tree Pipit SSSI (Tim Harris), 4 Spotted Flycatcher (Long Wood indv still, and 3 in scrub behind Alex), Wheatear and 2 Whinchat still, 5 Yellow Wagatils over (Alex), 2 Hobby (north of Long Wood), m Peregrine (Long Wood), 4 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, 5 Meadow Pipit, 2 Skylark, 10+ Lesser Whiterhoat, 20+ C. Whitethroat, 10+ Blackcap, 10+ Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, 6 House Martin, 5 Sand Martin, Swallow, c.300+ Black-headed Gull (anting late on I assume by the numbers in the air), 4 Great Black-backed Gull, 20+ Lesser Black-backed Gull, 5 Herring Gull, 3 Common Gull, 3 Collared Dove, 2 Stock Dove, 3 Goldinch, 20+ Greenfinch, 10 Ring-necked Parakeet (going south to roost) and the usuals to the sum of 50 sp (Nick Croft)
 * Wanstead Park: Lesser-spotted Woodpecker (h osw), dozens of Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, and smaller dozens of Willow and L Whitethroat, Hobby, Sparrowhawk, 4 Sand Martin, Song Thrush, c.20 Little Grebe, Teal (SoM), and not a lot else though it was manic down the osw. Black Tailed Godwit, who, what, how!! - (Nick Croft/Tim Harris/Steve Thorpe)
 * Sewardstone Marsh, River Lea Relief Channel: 2 Greenshank (Martin Shepherd)

Saturday 21st August

 * Hackney Marshes/River Lea: Juvenile Cuckoo good views of bird,which was flushed then flew S over marshes, 2 Little Egret, feeding in the shallows, Kingfisher, 2 swift, a few House and sand martins all south, 1 willow warbler in tit flock, (J.Partridge)
 * Wormwood Scrubs: Pied Flycatcher In sycamore trees ,West of railway embankment, near concrete picnic area. 5 Whinchat .Present at 11:00am (N .Smith). No sign of either the Pied Fly or the Whinchats mid afternoon - in fact the place was virtually birdless in strong gusting winds and occasional light drizzle (Bill Haines). 1 juv male Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel (Charlie Farrell)
 * Alexandra Park: Swift, 7+ Willow Warblers in mixed tit flock Boating Lake 9am, Lesser Whitethroat Cricket Scrub, adult Common Tern Wood Green Res (Bob Watts, Andrew Gardener).
 * Brent Res: Hobby, Snipe, Green Sand, 5 Common Sands, 7 Lapwings (Brent Birders).
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: 1 Heron, 5 Mallard, 1 Mandarin, 9 Moorhen, 6 Coot, 3 Black-headed Gull, 8 Woodpigeon, 1 Stock Dove, 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 2 Grey Wagtail, 4 Wren, 1 Dunnock, 10 Robin, 12 Blackbird, 1 Whitethroat, Blue, Great & Long-tailed Tit flock, 3 Starling, 4 Magpie, 2 Carrion Crow, 6 Greenfinch. (Conrad Ellam)
 * Crayford Marsh: 4 Sanderling, 5 Black Tailed Godwit, Turnstone, 23 Ringed Plover, 7 Dunlin, 2 Greenshank, 2 Redshank, Little Egret. TWITTER: @londonbirder (KJM).
 * Crossness: 2 Juv Black Terns around golf centre outfall, fem Common Scoter in Barking Bay, Whinchat and Wheatear in the Paddocks, Green sandpiper. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Fairlop Waters: Common Sandpiper, GCGrebe+chick (Redbridgebirdwatching)
 * Fairlop Gravel Works: 21 Teal, Tufted Duck+7ducklings, 4 broods of Lil Grebe, brood of Pheasant, Hobby, 3 Kestrel 10 Stock Dove, 9 PWagtail, 7 Swallow, 3 House Martin, 29 Linnet, 55 Lapwing, juv LRPlover, 8 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper (Redbridgebirdwatching)
 * Fulham Reach, Thames 3-5pm: 1 Swift, 1f Peregrine Falcon hunting, 1 juv Pied Wagtail, 33+ House Sparrow (on 1 bush), c100 Black-Headed Gull, 4 Herring Gull, 4+ adult + 1 subadult + 2 juv Lesser Black-Backed Gull, lots Starlings, 50 Mallard, 2 Cormorant, 6 Goldfinch inc juvs (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Hampstead Heath extension - Buzzard, 1pm (dhpainter)
 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir LNR: 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, 2 Goldcrests, Wren, 1 Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 2 Jay, 4 Magpie, Carrion Crow, 5 Pochard, 4 Gadwall, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, c8 House Martin, Black headed Gull, Great Black Backed Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, 3 Grey Heron, 4 Cormorant, 3 Stock Dove, Woodpigeon. (Louis Freeland-Haynes)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Common Redstart (male) in the middle hedge at 17:30, 1 Kingfisher around the main pond, 1 Little Owl in the disaster area (Jon Ridge, Charlie Farrell). Also 1 Whinchat, Chiffchaff & 19 Swallow (JR).
 * Rise Park, Romford: 13 Swifts over the park at midday (Colin Jupp).
 * Queen Mary Res: 3 Little Egret, 1 Mandarin, 5 Gadwall, 1 Teal, 5 Shoveler, 21 Pochard, 212 Tufted Duck, 1 Hobby, 1 Kestrel, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Common Redstart, 3 Garden Warbler (Steve Chastell)
 * Tooting Bec Common: 2 Mute Swan, 2 Egyptian Goose (Stuart M)
 * Totteridge Valley: 1 juv Peregrine: 1 Swift: 11 Swallows: 2 House Martins: 1 Lesser Whitethroat plus usuals (John Colmans)
 * Wanstead Flats (07:00-10:00): Spotted Flycatcher (yay! patch year tick, London year tick and site tick: 103/156/116 - still showing rather well N. of Long Wood at east end at 14:00, NickCroft/Tim Harris), 2 Whinchat, Wheatear (still), Snipe (flushed and flew N/W), 3 GS Woodpecker, 4 G Woodpecker, 9 Robin, 13 Mistle Thrush, c. 100 BH Gull, 13 LBB Gull, 1 Common Gull, Grey Heron, 8 Meadow Pipit, 13 House Martin, 1 Sand Martin, 16 C. Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Kestrel, 3 Sparrowhawk, 2 Skylark, 5 Collared Dove, 1 Stock Dove, c.20-30 Jackdaw, 3 Jay, 2 Cormorant, Yellow Wagtail (h over south/Alex) (Nick Croft)
 * Wanstead Park: 6 Black Tailed Godwit (Redbridge Birdwatching) Hobby (over Heronry), Sparrowhawk, 4 G Woodpecker, 2 GS Woodpecker, Lesser Spot Woodpecker (osw), 10+ Chiffchaff, 4+ Blackcap, 5 Common Whitethroat, 3 Lesser Whitethroat (including 1 at the SoM), 6 Willow Warbler, 2 Cormorant, 8 Robin, 4 Blackbird, Little Egret, Jackdaw, Jay, MAgpie, and C Crow, Mallard, Tufted Duck, 6 Gadwall and 1 Teal (SoM), 7 Sand Martin, 10 Little Grebe (5 ad, 5 juv) (52 sp, Nick Croft)
 * Battersea Park Lake: solo Swift over at 18:42, BTO NRS survey - Great-crested Grebes - 2nd clutch of 4 still on the back, bit crowded, Little Grebe 4 young, not seen get to this stage in last 2 years at least, 5 pr of Gadwall and no sign any breeding this year compared to last year when over 6 broods evident, Tufted and Pochard no sign of any breeding also, around 6 Brown Rats around are they cause for lack of Gadwall and ground nesting duck breeding decline? Mallard with 7 small ones, pr Mute Swan with 3 full size cygnets, Cormorants coming in to roost, 30+ and many more flying in, Grey Herons - only one seen but some calling coming from nests, 3+ Black-headed Gulls (Michael Mac).
 * Weald Park: 2 Pied Flycatchers, Wood Warbler, 12 to 15 Spotted Flycatchers all in one massive roving flock.Also 2 Nuthatch, 2 Treecreepers, 3 Goldcrests + all the commoner species.( Dave Morrison)
 * Lower Sydenham: 4 Swift (Steven Robinson).

Friday 20th August

 * Crayford Marsh: Turnstone, 8 Black Tailed Godwit, 21 Ringed Plover, 7 Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, 11 Common Sandpiper, 2 Redshank, 6 Dunlin. TWITTER: @londonbirder (KJM).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Common Redstart (inc a male in near mint condition) in the middle hedge, 1+ Hobby, 2 Little Owl, 1 Sparrowhawk, 21 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 5 Grey Heron, Green Woodpecker, Whitethroat & Chiffchaff (Jon Ridge).
 * Alexandra Park: 2 Willow Warblers, Lesser Whitethroat, 5+ Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap Cricket Scrub 7am (Bob Watts).
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: 1 Heron, 3 Mallard, 1 Mandarin, 8 Moorhen, 6 Coot, 2 Black-headed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 8 Woodpigeon, 1 Stock Dove, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Grey Wagtail, 3 Wren, 1 Dunnock, 6 Robin, 8 Blackbird, 1 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, Blue, Great & Long-tailed Tit flock, 4 Starling, 2 Magpie, 2 Carrion Crow, 4 Goldfinch, 8 Greenfinch. (Conrad Ellam)
 * Crossness: juv Black Tern still off golf centre this a.m., Wheatear, 2 ad Yellow-Legged gulls, Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaffs (Kev Jarvis).
 * River Thames Ham House to Teddington Lock: 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Swift, c15 House Martin, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 5 Wren, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Starling, Robin, Blackbird, 5 Jackdaw, 3 Jay, 3 Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Herring Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, 1 Common Tern, Coot. (Louis Freeland-Haynes)
 * London Wetland Centre: 41 Gadwall, 35 Teal, 46 Shoveler, Sparrowhawk, 60 Lapwing, Common Snipe, 6 Common Tern (1 juv), Cetti's Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler (LWC website).
 * Paddington Green: Peregrine Falcon in area early a.m., 4 Swift south early p.m., c15 House Martin in area, 2 Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, passing tit-flock with Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, c35 Long-tailed and c25 Blue Tit, 5 Goldfinch over (Des McKenzie).
 * Rainham Marshes RSPB. 1 Black Tailed Godwit, L Egret (10+), 2 Whitethroat, 2 Swallow (South). (G Francis)
 * Richmond Park: 1 Hobby briefly over Pen Ponds at 8.15pm (I Strickland).
 * Richmond Park: 14.00-15.00 About 70 Martins over Pen Ponds, House outnumbering Sand by about 6:1; no Swifts; 2 juvenile Kestrels hunting over Lawn Field (open area immediately E of ponds). 5 Whinchats reported by Mike Lewis at Pond Slade (open area SW of ponds, towards Ham Cross, criss-crossed by ditches which feed the ponds). (Stefan Czapski)
 * Ruislip: Poors Field, female Redstart, 30 - 40 Willow Warbler/Chiffchaff with mixed tit flock, 2 Blackcap, Garden Warbler & Hobby. Common Sandpiper on Lido, Kingfisher in LNR and 25+ House Sparrow in my garden (Steve Pash).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 20 Willow Warblers, 6 Chiffchaffs, 3 Common Sandpipers, 8 Reed Warblers, 2 Kingfishers, 6 Swifts, a few of both martins, 8 Common Terns (MJP).
 * Tooting Broadway: (07:20) Kestrel over seen from my kitchen headed direction Streatham Cemetry, Garrat La. (Stuart M)
 * Wanstead Flats: 2 Whinchat, Wheatear (still at 17:00), 25 Mistle Thrush, 5 Meadow Pipit, Sylark, 6+ House Martin, Chiffchaff, 4 C. Whitethroat, RN Parakeet, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, Stock Dove, 3 Collared Dove, G. Woodpecker, GS Woodpecker, 4 Cormorant, c.40+ BH Gull, 3 Common Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 1 Greater Black-backed Gull, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 7 Jay, Jackdaw, 2 Goldfinch, 10+ Greenfinch, 1 Greylag Goose (over west) (Stuart Fisher/Nick Croft) (RedbridgeBirdwatching)
 * Wanstead Park: Wood Warbler (old Sewage works in with dozens of Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, C. Whitethroat, Blue Tit, Great Tit, LT Tit, and a few Lesser Whitethroat, and 1 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker), 5 Sand Martin, 6 + House Martin, 1 juv Swallow (west), 5 Tufted Duck, 2 Pochard, 1 Shoveler, 10 Gadwall, Little Egret (osw/Roding), Kestrel, Hobby (heard over Reservoir Wood, then seen over SoM, Heronry and the osw/Roding), Goldfinch, Greenfinch, better numbers of Blackbird, Herring Gull, BH Gull, LBB Gull, G. Woodpecker and GS Woodpecker, RN Parakeet (Nick Croft/Stuart Fisher)
 * Weald Country Park, nr Brentwood: 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Wood Warbler, 1 Redstart, 5 Spotted Flycatchers, 7+ Willow Warblers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 fm Blackcap, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Treecreeper - all with mixed tit flock Bluebell Pond area and NW corner of Brook Weald cricket ground, mid-morning onwards, some dispersing (probably towards the Belvedere) after midday. Also Stoat seen. Good flock (100+) of House Martins and Swallows over the Belvedere Field (Colin Jupp, Alan Hamilton).
 * Trent Park: 1 Spotted Flycatcher (Robert Callf).
 * KGV Reservoir: 4 Yellow Wagtail, Little Egret, 18 Common Sandpiper, c1,000 hirundines late morning pretty equally balanced between the four species (Martin Shepherd)
 * Turkey Street, Enfield Wash: 30 House Martin mid-morning, many landing on wall of block of high rise flats but no vislble nests - my presence didn't go down very well with one ignorant arsehole of a resident (Martin Shepherd)
 * Sainsbury's Nine Elms Car Park: Kestrel landed on light fitting 1st sighting for about 1 month (Michael Mac).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: 1 juv Hobby railway line near entrance, Kingfisher in stream, out side Res. 3 hide 2 Kingfisher, 1 catching fish for a long time, 3 pr Great-crested Grebe with young at Res's 1,2 and 3. Res 5 - 2 Black-necked Grebe in amoungst all the Tufted duck and 1 other grebe with head tucked in all the time? f Sparrowhawk over the res, 3 Mute Swan with cygnets up since last year when I only saw one brood, so correct me if I'm wrong. 1 Little Egret flew over car park on the way out at 8:10pm (Michael Mac).

Thursday 19th August

 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: dark morph Honey Buzzard high and north 1110hrs, initailly chased by Hobby (Mark Pearson and a bunch of non-plussed schoolkids); also 17 Willow Warblers, 6 Chiffchaffs, 10 Reed Warblers, Garden Warbler, 5 Common Terns, 3 Common Sandpipers, 10 Swifts, 8 Sand Martins & 4 House Martins (MJP Hackney Wildlife)


 * Alexandra Park: 13+ Willow Warblers (6+ Grove, 4+ Top Field, 2 Cricket Scrub, 1 south end res), 4+ Blackcaps (2 Grove, 2 Cricket Scrub), no sign of yesterday's Whinchat 0700-0915 (Dominic Mitchell, Bob Watts). Spotted Flycatcher cricket scrub 1030 (Alan Gibson). Male Whinchat at 1500 but no sign of Spotted Flycatcher (Oliver Simms). Maxm 6 Swifts 1800-1900 (Bob Watts).
 * Barking Bay: fem Common Scoter late a.m. (see Crossness report) (Birdguides).
 * Beddington SF: 2 Egyptian Goose, 3 Shelduck, Garganey, Hobby, Dunlin, 2 Greenshank, 20 Green Sandpiper, 7 Common Sandpiper, ad Yellow-legged Gull (Dip or Glory).
 * Brent Reservoir: Wheatear, 5 Common Sandpiper, 7 Lapwing, Willow Warbler singing, Chiffchaff singing (Andrew V, Lydia W, John G).
 * Bromley-by-Bow: poor bird-wise but a Hummingbird Hawk-moth came to rest on a wall at work which made the day (S Fisher)
 * Crossness: 2 juv Black Terns and female Common Scoter still off Golf Centre, Wheatear, Yellow Wagtail, 4 Willow Warbler (Kev Jarvis, S.Carter, I.Stewart)
 * Fairlop Gravel Works: 3 families of Lil Grebe, Little Egret, 6 Grey Heorn, Teal, 10 TDuck, 2 Pochard, 3 Kestrel, 30 Swallow, 10 HMartin, 8 Linnet, juv LRPlover, 3 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Lapwing (DEH)
 * Fairlop Waters: Little Egret, juv Common Tern, 3 GCGrebes, 16 Greylag Geese (DEH)
 * Five Oaks Lane, Chigwell: 3 Linnet, juv Yellowhammer, 10 Swallow (DEH)
 * Goodmayes Park: Wood Warbler jamming with a flock of Long Tailed Tits (DEH)
 * Hampstead Heath (Parliament Hill): 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Garden Warblers, Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Swallows (SW) (Pete M)
 * Kensington Gardens: Jersey Tiger found dead in corridor of on-site building last week but brought to attention today (Claudia Watts per DMc).
 * Lake Farm CP: male Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher, 14 Jackdaws flew N, 5 Swifts flew SW, 15 C Whitethroat and 2 Lesser Whitethroat, juv Willow Warbler and one Hobby over (Pete Naylor).
 * Little Wormwood Scrubs (07:30-08:30): 3 Jay, juv Sparrowhawk mobbed by Carrion Crow, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull, c20 Starling, 2 (m&f) Blackcap, c8 Greenfinch with juvs, c12 Blue Tit inc juvs, c6 Great Tit, c8 Common Whitethroat with juvs, 4 Lesser Whitethroat inc 2 juv, 2 Song Thrush, 6 Blackbird, 4 Robin inc 1 juv, 6 Wren + usual assortment of corvids, pigeons and parakeets (Charlie Farrell).
 * London Wetland Centre: 40 Teal, 40+ Shoveler, 50+ Lapwing, 5 Common Tern, Cetti's Warbler (LWC website).
 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir LNR: 1 Buzzard (seen from chiswick) came in very low over Reservoir then circled high and headed off NW 15:53 (site tick again! If that counts), 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Jackdaw, 4 Jay, 1 Little Grebe, 5 Gadwall, Pochard, Teal, Tufted Duck, 3 Greenfinch, Long Tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, 3 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, Wren, 2 juv Goldcrest, 1 Mistle Thrush, House Martin, Sand Martin + the Usuals. (Louis Freeland-Haynes)
 * Mitcham Common: Hobby (11:30 feeding over One Island Pond then E), Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel (2f, 1m), Grey Heron, Stock Dove, 5 Egyptian Goose at Seven Islands Pond, 3 Green Woodpecker (thanks Desmond for the first), Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Chiffchaff, Linnet, House Sparrow, Swift, House Martin, 16 Canada Goose, 8 Coot, 4 Moorhen, 2 Whitethroat, large flock of c45 Goldfinch plus 2 rabbits (Stuart M)
 * Muswell Hill (Communal gardens off Colney Hatch Lane): Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Coal Tits, 1 Goldcrest (P.A).
 * Paddington Green: Sparrowhawk, 40+ Herring Gull at local rooftop colony this eve, at least 8 House Martin, 4 Grey Wagtail (2 ads, 2 juvs - the ad fem and a single juv with very leucistic flights), 8 Goldfinch (3 juv) (Des McKenzie).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Common Redstart (washed-out male) in the middle hedge until 17:12 at least, 1 Whinchat along the main bridleway (different from yesterday's two), 1 Hobby, 1 Little Owl, 1 Sparrowhawk, 12 Swallow, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff & 7 Grey Heron (Jon Ridge).
 * Rotherhithe: sum plum Little Grebe Southwark Park; also Ring-necked Parakeet (Richard Bonser).
 * Richmond Park (Pen Ponds area, lunchtime): a passing Sparrowhawk (brown, but a male) took a swipe at a small flock of Starlings; otherwise, half a dozen Sand Martins, and just 2 Swifts over Lower Pen Pond (Stefan Czapski).
 * Richmond Park (Pen Ponds, dusk): at least a dozen Swifts at about sunset; first Hobby turned up at 20.27, then a count of 5 a few minutes later. Just one Hobby still flying around at 20.40 when I left (poor light & rain threatening). (Stefan Czapski)
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery: Hobby NE 1245 (my 1st record at site) also 1+ Willow warblers in large mixed tit flock near Turning Circle (Bob Watts).
 * Tyttenhanger GPs: Little Egret, Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Hobby, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 7+ Buzzard (seen from but not all over site), Wheatear (Willows Farm) (Steve B)
 * Wanstead Flats: Hobby, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Common Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, Jackdaws, 5 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 30+ Long-tailed Tits, 15 Blue Tit, 8 Great Tit (J Lethbridge). 15:00-15:50: 2 Whinchat, 1 Wheatear, Tree Pipit (Broom fields) (S Fisher)
 * Wanstead Park: 4 Hobby (Redbridgebirdwatching)
 * Wormwood Scrubs: 3 Whinchat, 1 bright blue Ring-necked Parakeet within the masses of green.(N.Smith)
 * East Finchley Allotment - Bird of prey in flight mobbed by 10-15 gulls, 3pm approx. The gulls were diving in and really noisy. The other bird was flying NW to SE, similar size to gulls, high pitch 'eagle-like' cry, sounded like honey buzzard, are there any other possibilties? DHPainter - Could have been a number of things, although Honey Buzzard don't usually call on passage - more likely to have been Common Buzzard, or even a huge female Sparrowhawk, which are very vocal at this time of year - birding can get very complex in autumn (JR). Also spotted female emporer dragonfly next to my pond and this years common newts(still in pond) and frogs(all across plots). (DH Painter) - I believe H/B's attract more mobbing than Buzzards do - have seen one mobbed by a brood of Hobbies, another (low-flying) mobbed by Jackdaws & Green Woodpeckers. Buzzards, when present, will also have a go. Any raptor will yell, when harried. Can we rule out Osprey ? (Stefan Cz) - No, but without a detailed description, it is impossible to say for sure, although it is worth noting that Dawn (DHP) has declared a Buzzard nearby over Hampstead on Sat 21st Aug (JR).


 * St John's Way, Archway - Tawny owls calling 1-2am. 11am troupe of tits, flying through trees, feeding including blue, long-tailed and coaltit. DHPainter

Wednesday 18th August

 * Crayford Marshes: Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Ruff, Whimbrel, Curlew, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, 6+ Oystercatcher, 10+ Common Tern. TWITTER:@londonbirder (KJM).


 * Parklands Fishery, Upminster: Honey Buzzard highish south west at 10.25am.( Dave Morrison)


 * Alexandra Park: Garden Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroats cricket scrub 7am (Bob Watts), Whinchat, Garden Warbler & "many warblers" mid am (Alan Gibson), 2 Whinchat, 2 Spotted Flycatcher and possible Pied Flycatcher late afternoon cricket scrub (James Palmer). 6 Swift into rain clouds Grove 1815 (Bob Watts).
 * Brent Reservoir: 2 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper, 8 Lapwing, 6 Sand Martin (Andrew Verrall). Like the man said, plus a few Chiffchaff (Andrew Haynes).
 * Bromley-by-Bow: 2 Yellow Wagtail over (7am), 2 juv Sparrowhawk, 7 Stock Dove, 2 Sand Martin, 1st yr Great Black-backed Gull, 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (2 noisy families), male Common Whitethroat, juv Chiffchaff, flock of Long-tailed Tit, Kingfisher on bridge near 3 Mills Green at 05.30, 2 Grey Wagtail, 10 Coot, 2 Mute Swan (S Fisher)
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: 1 Grey Heron, 9 Mallard, 1 Mandarin, 4 Moorhen, 6 Coot, 2 Black-headed Gull,1 Herring Gull, 8 Woodpigeon, 1 Stock Dove, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Grey Wagtail, 4 Wren, 1 Dunnock, 5 Robin, 6 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Blackcap, Blue & Great Tit flock, 2 Starling, 2 Magpie, 2 Carrion Crow, 10 Greenfinch (Conrad Ellam).
 * Crossness: 2 Black Tern still, 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull, Sparrowhawk, also two (at least) Harbour Porpoises from 06.40 - 06.50am off the golf centre (Martin Birch). Still present 18.15 1f C. Scoter, 2 Black Tern + 1 C. Sandpiper (TeRNS). Spotted Flycatcher in scrub by golf centre late afternoon (Ian Miller per JA).
 * Fulham by Thames 1pm: Yellow-legged Gull. (Michael F)
 * Fulham Reach (Thames and path, c 8am): very little but 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Tufted Duck, a flock of 5+ Goldfinch with juvs, a tit flock with very young Blue Tits, a few House Sparrows - pr Peregrine (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Fulham Sands End: 1 Common Tern going upriver at 2pm (Nathalie Mahieu),
 * Hammersmith, by Hammersmith Bridge: at least 2 juv at HouseMartin nest, 2 Egyptian Goose still with 4 goslings (very apparent now that one is developping a lot slower than others) (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Hampstead Heath, Parliament Hill: Spotted Flycatcher, 10 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow W, 2 Whitethroats, 8 Blackcaps, Swallow and Tree Pipit (W), G C Grebe with one very young (days old) chick on parent's back + another juv from earlier brood. (Pete Mantle)
 * Hyde Park - Serpentine/Longwater: check for BTO NRS Scheme, 2 new broods of Great Crested Grebe - 1 brood still on the adults back and a 3rd pr sitting on nest, copulated did a penguin impersonation, but no eggs as adult stood, 5+ House Martins, 1 immature Lesser Black-backed Gull very tame - no other birds on nests or very young birds about that I saw apart from Moorhen (Michael Mac).
 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir early PM: 2 Common Sandpiper, 4 Mistle Thrush over E, 1 Blackcap, 2 Stock Dove, Teal, Heron, Cormorant, Usuals. (Louis Freeland-Haynes)
 * Mitcham Common: 2 Kestrel (1m, 1f - happy to see her after long gap), Sparrowhawk (f), Green Woodpecker, 10 Goldfinch, Grey Heron at One Island Pond along with 8 Mallard, 4 Coot and 3 Moorhen and a Canada Goose with a pronounced limp in right leg (no obvious sign of injury though) plus usuals and lots of lovely blackberries - yum (Stuart M)
 * Paddington Green: fem Grey Wagtail feeding a single dependent juv (Des McKenzie).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Whinchat, 2 Whitethroat around the main pond, 1 Little Owl, Swallow (Jon Ridge, John Gates, Jon Reveley). Also 1 Hobby, 2 Yellow Wagtail over south, 2 Cormorant over, 25 Mistle Thrush, Green Woodpecker & 5 Grey Heron (JR).
 * Richmond Park: up to 4 Hobbies hunting over Upper Pen Pond by MOONLIGHT, for 15 minutes or so from 20.40. Sunset was at about 20.15. On other recent nights the focus of activity has been over woodland (Stefan Czapski); Peregrine Falcons certainly utilise ambient light after dark, never previously heard of Hobby doing so. Interesting; thanks for posting (DMc). These Hobbies seemed to be catching moths, but in the days of the old Barn Elms Reservoirs (at this stage in the season) I'd watch the filter bed area for Hobbies chasing bats, say half an hour after sunset. Kestrels, by contrast, would sit on the roof of the building where the bats roosted, and try to catch them as they came out. Peregrines after dark, that's something I'd like to see ! - Stefan Cz. Last September I saw a hobby after bats about 4 metres away from me, while I sat on a bench at Pen Ponds, that was after dusk (Michael Mac).
 * South Norwood Lake: Mute Swan, 3 Cormorant, 20 Tufted Duck, 4 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, c8 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 15 Long-tailed Tit, 12 Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Song Thrush, 4 Swifts, 2 House Martins, 2 House Sparrow, (John Watson)
 * Springfield Park, Hackney: Hobby north up the valley 1400hrs, Willow Warbler, 3 Blackcaps, 2 Goldcrests, Coal Tit (MJP)
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: hybrid drake Common Pochard x Tufted Duck, Teal, c20 Swifts, 6 Willow Warblers, 8 Chiffchaffs, 3 Blackcaps, Common Sandpiper, Kingfisher, Common Whitethroat (Mark Pearson & Tony Butler)
 * Tyttenhanger GPs: Wheatear, 2 Tree sparrow, 7 Sand Martin, 5 Common Tern, 3 Kingfisher, 2 Buzzard 14 Mistle Thrush. (Steve Blake)
 * Wanstead Flats: Peregrine south-west at 10:30am, 2 Wheatears (J Lethbridge)
 * Willows Farm (cow field: Whinchat, Wheatear, 14 Pied Wagtail. (Steve B)

Tuesday 17th August

 * Crayford Marsh: Sandwich tern, 40+ Common Tern, 5 Sanderling, 21 Black-Tailed-Godwit, 5 Ringed Plover, 2 Ruff, 2 Greenshank, 4 Redshank, TWITTER: @londonbirder (KJM).
 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: juv White-winged Black Tern on Aveley Pools at 10:18 am (RBA); still showing well from first viewing platform at 15.20 (RBA) but chased by Peregrine at 16.30 and flew towards Thames, where lost to view (per SH). Photos at http://www.pbase.com/127553585 (and subsequent). Also 2 Ruff and several Black-tailed Godwit. Also Curlew Sand on Aveley briefly at 13h30, 1+ Bearded Tit northern boardwalk near Bog Wood sign; no sign thereafter, but male Black Redstart behind Royal Hotel, Purfleet (David Callahan).
 * Crossness: 2 juv Black Tern, fem Common Scoter still in Barking Bay, 2 Sandwich Terns flew east along Thames, 3 Yellow-legged Gulls, 2 Wheatears in the paddocks. (Kev Jarvis, I Stewart, S Carter, R Bonser); Whinchat late p.m on the Thames path (John Archer, Kev Jarvis).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 2 Common Sandpipers, 4 Blackcaps, 12 Willow Warblers, 5 Common Whitethroats, 15 Reed Warblers, 12 Chiffchaffs, Teal (still on East res), 35 Swifts, 15 Sand Martins, 5 Common Terns, 5 House Martins, Kingfisher (Mark Pearson Hackney Wildlife).
 * Cambridge Circus W1: Swift overhead c10:00 (Des McKenzie).
 * Wanstead Flats: 40+ Mallard, 120 Canada Geese, Little Grebe, 2 Cormorant east, Hobby, 15 ad & 1 juv Herring Gull, 18 ad LBB Gull, 1 ad Yellow-legged Gull (patch tick), 60+ Black-headed Gull, 30 Coot, 5 Moorhen, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Green Woodpecker, 30+ Woodpigeon, House Martin SW, 5 Meadow Pipit, 8 Wren, 3 Robin, Blackbird, 20 Mistle Thrush (19 & 1), 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Common Whitethroat, m & f Blackcap, 4 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 4 Long-tailed Tit, 20+ Blue Tit, 8 Great Tit, 9 Greenfinch, Goldfinch, 9 Magpie, Jay, 2 Jackdaw, 50+ Crow (J Lethbridge). 15:45 - 16:20 - 3 Wheatear, 2 Whinchat, 23 Mistle Thrush, 7 House Martin, Sparrowhawk (S Fisher).
 * Hampstead Heath (06:30-08:30): Nuthatch, 2 Stock Dove, 3 GS Woodpecker, 3-4 Green Woodpecker (heard calling), 4 Willow Warbler, 3 Jay, 5 Black-headed Gull, c60 Woodpigeon, c5 Canada Geese, 8 Egyptian Geese, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Mute Swan, c20 Tufted Duck, c 30 Mallard, c24 Mandarin Duck + numerous Coots, Robins, Wrens, Carrion Crow and tit flocks (Charlie Farrell).
 * Lake Farm CP (Hayes): Whinchat, 3 Wheatears, Hobby over, 3 Skylarks, 2 Reed Buntings and 6 Common Whitethroats (Pete Naylor).
 * Richmond Park: Wheatear, Bog area, juv Hobby flew W early am. (FJM)
 * Paddington Green: Peregrine Falcon (probably a fem; not aged) stooped on and gripped an ad Black-headed Gull 16:05. The gull put up an enormous fight, both quickly dropped out of view below rooftops. PF watched carrying a lifeless BHG low east with some diffuculty half a minute later (finished the gull off on a rooftop?). My 310th London encounter with this raptor since 1988; seen 28 London area hunts, this one being only the 8th that's resulted in success; Pied Wagtail, at least 40 Goldfinch (DMc).
 * Broadwater Lake:1 Little Grebe (R Colne), GC Grebe, 1 Yellow-legged Gull, c6 LBB Gull, 2 Reed Warbler (Roger Dewey).
 * Alexandra Park: 2 Lesser Whitethroat (Cricket Scrub), 8 House Martins (Reservoir) (Mike Benyon); Spotted Flycatcher, 3+ Willow Warblers, 1-2 Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap in mixed flock (Top Field 1740), Swift south below golf course, adult Common Tern Wood Green Res (Bob Watts); 1 Whinchat on W playing field perimeter bushes, 10.00hrs, flew off high SE (J.Cooke).
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery: 4 House Martin north 1215, RN Parakeet, juv Sparrowhawk; (Ystdy) 2+ Willow Warblers in mixed flock (Bob Watts).
 * Greenwich Park: Willow Warbler, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, the usual species plus at least 5 Swifts (Joe Beale).
 * London W1: Black Redstart alarm calling all day, 4 wader sp. over distantly north 1529 - unIDd, but felt like Green Sands (James Astley).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Spotted Flycatcher along the River Pinn, 2 Little Owl, 2 Sparrowhawk, 7 Grey Heron, 32 Jackdaw, Chiffchaff, Swallow, 1 House Martin over Woodridings Avenue (where it should be) & Green & Great Spotted Woodpecker (Jon Ridge).
 * Roding Valley Park: Sparrowhawk (perched, good views), 2 Willow Warblers, Whitethroat, flock of Long-tailed Tits (Alan Hobson).
 * South Norwood Lake: 1m Sparrowhawk, 3 Mute Swan, 3 Cormorant, 20 adult Tufted Duck + 14 juv, 2 Sand Martins, 4 House Martins, c10 Common Swifts, 3 Green Woodpecker, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, c20 Goldfinch, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 4 jay, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 House Sparrow, also 1 Painted Lady (John Watson).
 * Brookmill Park (Lewisham): 1 Heron, 16 Mallard, 7 Moorhen, 6 Coot, 2 Black-headed Gull, 6 Woodpigeon, 1 Kingfisher, 4 Wren, 4 Robin, 7 Blackbird, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Magpie, 2 Carrion Crow, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Greenfinch (Conrad Ellam).
 * Wormwood Scrubs: 3 Winchat (Neville Smith ~ 18:00, also Charlie Farrell @ 20:00), 2 Swift, 4 House Martin, c14 Black Headed Gulls, c5 pr LBB Gull, c200 Ring-necked Parakeet getting ready to roost (Charlie Farrell).
 * Mucking landfill site to be turned into nature reserve - according to the BBC website (http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/essex/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_8918000/8918517.stm) Essex Wildlife Trust have raised the £100,000 they needed to get the full quota of grants on offer, work will begin by the end of the year when the tip is decomissioned. Next up the Norfolk Wildlife Trust (just outside London) is looking for small change amounting to £144,636 for their Land Purchase Scheme to connect up their reserves in the Bure Valley (http://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/Support-us/Appeals.aspx). (Nick Croft)
 * Walthanstow res (Lockwood): Greenshank feeding N bank 18.30 + min 4 Common Sands, Kingfisher (water channel N of Banbury) (LB).
 * St James's Park (late Webs Count): 1 Bar-headed x /Greylag with full use of wings, 5 Cormorants (highest count since early 2009), 135 Grey-lag Geese, 19 Canada Geese, 2 Egyptian Geese, 1 Great Crested and 1 Little Grebe, 6 Gadwall, only 2 Lesser-Black-backed Gulls - one flew over several Coots as if checking for any young, but as it went over it took a slight dip in flight as if focusing in? 1 Common Shrew - really minute creature scuttled into cover (Michael Mac). ? Any questions ;)
 * Stockers Lake: 100's of House Martin, Sand Martin & Swallow feeding over the lake accompanied by 2 Swift. Also, 2 Little Egret present on one of the islands with 4 Common Tern. 4 Blackcap feeding near the Shoveler Hide and Little Owl in Stockers farm field (Steve Pash)
 * Dulwich Park: Willow Warbler (Steven Robinson).

Monday 16th August

 * Crossness: fem Common Scoter still on the Thames opposite the golf centre a.m., Sandwich Tern flew west 10:15 (Birdguides); Common Scoter still present in Barking Bay at 15:50 and 3 Common Sandpipers there (Dominic Mitchell, Gareth Richards).
 * Rainham Marshes: Garganey, 2 Avocet, 2 Oystercatcher, 30+ Northern Lapwing, 7+ Ringed Plover, 1/2 Ruff, 2 Dunlin, 5 Greenshank, 4 Redshank, Whimbrel, 15 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 39 Yellow-legged Gulls Aveley Bay area and 8 Aveley Pools, leucistic Herring Gull with red ring Aveley Bay, 3 Common Gull, single Arctic Terns upstream at 12:00, 12:09 and 12:14 (all seen off Belvedere 15-20 mins later), numerous Common Terns, 3 Northern Wheatear (Dominic Mitchell, Gareth Richards, Andy Tweed, Dave Smith et al).
 * Alexandra Park: Sedge Warbler w perimeter cricket pitch 7pm, 2 Swift & sev House Martins Top Field, 2 Swift Grove, 1+ Willow Warbler in mixed flock Deer Enclosure, 1+ mixed flock near filter beds, several phylloscs in mixed flock near cricket scrub (Gerry Rawcliffe, Bob Watts, Gareth Richards).
 * Staines Reservoirs: 2 Greenshank, juv Arctic Tern, 1st W Little Gull. evening visit. (FJM)
 * Brent Res: Whinchat, Wheatear, Black-tailed Godwit, Ringed Plover, Snipe, 4 Common Sands, Green Sand, 6 Lapwings (Andrew V, Lydia W, Roy B).
 * Ealing W13: Willow Warbler; 1 juv in the garden mid-morning loosely associating with a Long-tailed Tit flock (2nd record for the garden - last one was discovered in my mist net in 2008!). Also Great Spotted Woodpecker - becoming a commoner species in the garden through probably only relating to two or three individuals. (Bill Haines)
 * Fulham Reach, Crabtree Wharf (c9am): 20 Cormorant (most I have seen there in a while), 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull juvs begging from adult - pr Peregrine (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Hammersmith (not far from Hammersmith Bridge): House Martin feeding young at nest (at least 2nd brood), pr Egyptian Goose still with 4 goslings (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Hampstead Heath: Whinchat on thistles on Parliament Hill Fields nr Athletics Track. 4+ Green Woodpeckers, Mistle Thrush, 3x Kestrel (Sash Tusa).
 * Houses of Parliament: Peregrine circling over at 09:30 (Paul Boult)
 * Hyde Park / Kensington Gardens: 5 Sand Martin, Swallow, c15 House Martin, Whinchat (in tree canopy nr Old Police House 08:00), Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, 8 Willow Warbler, 6-7 Chiffchaff, Spotted Flycatcher (trees west of Kensington Gardens Nursery), also 3 Greylag x Canada Goose, 18 Egyptian Goose, Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, Red-crested Pochard now reduced to 3, juv Grey Wagtail, c60 Long-tailed Tit, c40 Great Tit, 2 Coal Tit, Treecreeper, c750 Starling throughout, at least 20 Chaffinch (15 attending feeders) (Des McKenzie).


 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Hobby, 1 Little Owl, 15 Stock Dove, 10 Swallow, 7 Grey Heron, Chiffchaff & Green Woodpecker. Quiet again (Jon Ridge).
 * Ruislip: Hobby over Poors Field (Dick Middleton/Steve Pash). Along River Pinn, Ruislip GC - 3 Spotted Flycatcher, 4 Linnet, Blackcap, Whitethroat, 6 Chiffchaff/Willow Warbler, Nuthatch, Sparrowhawk and Kingfisher (Steve Pash).
 * Sainsbury's Nine Elms: Feral Pigeon trapped in the supermarket flying above the checkouts at 1pm (Michael Mac).
 * South Norwood Lake: Mute Swan, 4 Cormorant, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 12 Tufteed Duck, 4 Swallows 6 House Martins, 3 Green Woodpecker, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Chiffchaff, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 5 Ring-necked Parakeet, 3 Jay, 4 House Sparrow (John Watson)
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Common Sandpiper (West Res), Teal (East Res), c40 Swifts (for 20 mins, a.m.), 8 Sand Martins, 10 Willow Warblers, 8 Chiffchaffs, 2 Blackcaps, 6 Common Terns; low-flyover Green Sandpiper and 2 Common Sandpipers onto gull pipes in mid-morning; more Swifts & hirundines evening, also drake hybrid Common Pochard x Tufted Duck, 227 Coot, 89 Tufted Duck, 117 Common Pochard, 31 Shoveler (Mark Pearson & Tony Butler Hackney Wildlife)
 * Tyttenhanger GP's: Little Egret, Greenshank, 6 Common Tern, 4 Little Grebe, (inc 3 fledgling). (Steve Blake)
 * Willows Farm (cow field) : 2 Wheatear, 2 Linnet, 5 pied Wagtail. (Steve B)
 * Wanstead Flats (06:00-09:00;13:00-14:00): Hobby (early pm north side) 2 Kestrel, 2 Goldcrest (in yew by cemetry yay! patch year tick 101), c.80+ Black-headed Gull, 7 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Common Gull, 3 Herring Gull (1 juv), 2 Collared Dove, 4 Green Woodpecker, 2 GS Woodpecker, 3 Mistle Thrush, 12 Greenfinch, 5 Cormorant, 5 Willow Warbler, 7 C. Whitethroat, L. Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, 1 Sand Martin, 4 House Martin, 1 RN Parakeet, 1 Meadow Pipit (Carrying food!) (Nick Croft); 1 Hobby, 3 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk - in the air together over Centre Road at 3:30pm (J Lethbridge)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs (16:00-20:30): Wheatear (juv), 3 Common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher (h), many Common Terns (and young on rafts), 2 Grey Wagtail, juv Pied Wagtail, an unsurprisingly large number of Gulls, Cormorant, Coot, Tufted Duck and unsurprisingly I didn't count them, some Pochard (including 1 female who looked to be under the effect of the blue-green algae toxins), 1 Teal, Sand Martin, House Martin, Swallow, 1 Swift, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, some Heron, some more Little Egret... hang on I could have seen all this on Wanstead... and not seen an Osprey (Nick Croft). Lockwood from 16:25 - Juvenile Cuckoo unexpectedly flushed on bank at about 4 metres flew off low onto Totenham Marsh, Wheatear (juv), 4 Little Egret, family of Pied Wagtails, 1 Swallow. Res No 4 - 2 juvenile Black necked Grebe? (record was logged in the book from several days earlier) with slightly bigger bird that appeared all black, due to fading light couldn't figure out what was going on, also wanted to get back to tube station, Oystercatcher heard but not seen, 10 Swifts and about 10 House Martins, noisey Cormorant colony's (Michael Mac)
 * Wanstead Park (09:00-13:00): Whinchat (old sewage works), 3 Song Thrush, 10 Robin, 3 Blackbird, 4 C. Whitethroat, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Willow Warbler, 10+ Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (osw), 7 G Woodpecker, 2 GS Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Common Gull, c.20+ Black-headed Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Herring Gull, 18 Cormorant, Little Egret (osw down the Roding), 3 Stock Dove, 2 Collared Dove, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 2 Gadwall (Perch), 8 Pochard (Heronry), Tufted Duck, Teal and Shoveler (SoM), 12 Little Grebe (incl. young), c. 40 House Martin and Sand Martin (the later being in the majority - over Heronry), and the Turacao whom I wooed out of the trees, never seen him flying before and he has pretty wonderful red underwings (Nick Croft 57 sp in total). Hobby along River Roding and 4 Swift over c15:00 (S Fisher)
 * Ingrebourne Valley: 2 Snipe, 4 Green Sandpiper, Hobby, 4 Teal.(Shaun Harvey)
 * Streatham Common: 2 green woodpecker, 1 great spot (RB)

Sunday 15th August

 * St Johns Way, near Caxton, Archway - Male Tawny owl calling 2am followed shortly after by female.
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Teal,GBB Gull, 8 Willow Warblers, 6 Chiffchaffs, 10 Reed Warblers, 3 Swifts, 30 Sand Martins, 5 House Martins, 3 Swallows. Also unID'ed wader, v probably Ruff (....), west early a.m., and c15 Purple Hairstreaks (Mark Pearson)
 * Peabody Hill Estate, SE21: Little Egret high and NW, 3 Willow Warblers, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Goldcrest; Jersey Tiger in community centre garden (Mark Pearson)
 * Crayford Marsh: Marsh harrier,(f) Black Tern, (juv) 3 Sandwich Tern, 4 Avocet, Whimbrel, 7 Greenshank. TWITTER: @londonbirder (KJM).
 * Beddington Farmlands: 1 Osprey moving southwest, 1 Marsh Harrier south, 4 Whimbrel west, 1 juvenile Ruff circling, a flock of 21 Cormorants drifted southwest, 2 Common Terns flew south and 27 Teal, 10 Shoveler and 3 Snipe arrived on site. There was also 17 Green Sandpiper, 4 Common Sandpiper, 3-4 Greenshank and 1 Whinchat photos here
 * Brent Reservoir: Black-tailed Godwit again in east marsh but elusive, also 6 Green Sands & Wheatear, juv Marsh Harrier over East at 11.20 (Brent Birders)
 * Ruislip Lido/Woods: 84 Mute Swan, 192 Mallard, m Gadwall, 20 Tufted Duck, 10 Pochard, 6 + juv Great-crested Grebes, 3 Comorant, 2 Kestrel, 2 possibly 3 Hobby (1 Lido + others eastern open areas Bayhurst Wood), 2 juv Sparrowhawks calling (1 seen briefly), 282 Coot, ad + juv Common Tern, c30 Swallow (fields Mad Bess Wood), 30+ House Martin, 3 Grey + 20+ Pied Wagtail, Spotted Flycatcher (Poor's Field), 10+ Chiffchaff, 26 Jackdaw (in field) (Neil Anderson)
 * Wanstead Flats: ad Yellow-legged Gull with 7 Lesser Black backs early am, Yellow Wagtail NW, 2 Kestrel, 2-3 Sparrowhawk, 10 Greater Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Meadow Pipit (S Fisher, T Harris)


 * Wanstead Park: Kingfisher, 12 Stock Dove, Hobby, 4 Shoveler, eclipse Teal, 9 Pochard, Willow Warbler, 6 Chiffchaff, 12 House Martin, Little Egret (Roding), 5 Swift S, 6 Blackcap (S Fisher) 18:00-21:00: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Old sewage works), 5 Swift (3 over Heronry going north), Hobby over Reservoir Wood (later 2 over golf course - Tim Harris), Sparrowhawk (juv) calling NE Bush Wood, Teal still on SoM, 3 Shoveler, 2 Pochard (Heronry), 7 Tufted Duck, 18 Little Grebe (11 juv), Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, C. Whitethroat, Chiffchaff (osw), 6 Sand Martin, 5 House Martin (Nick Croft) Pipistrelle (T Harris)
 * Crossness: female Common Scoter, 4 Sandwich Terns, juvenile Black Tern, 2 juvenile Mediterranean Gulls, 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls, 9 Common Sandpipers, Wheatear, Sedge Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Swallows flew north (John Archer, Kev Jarvis, Ian Miller, Richard Bonser)
 * East India Dock Basin NR: 3 Sandwich Terns east, 85 Common Terns, 7 Common Sandpipers, 3 House Martins, Sparrowhawk, 5 Teal. (Gary A James, Nick Tanner).
 * Rainham Marshes: 10 Ringed Plover, 30+ Northern Lapwing, 3 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 3 Greenshank, 6 Redshank, 10 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Avocet, 3 Common Snipe, 2 Ruff, 3 Dunlin, 2 Yellow-legged Gulls, 2 Sandwich Terns (one off Coldharbour Point, the other heading upriver with Common Terns), 6 Yellow Wagtails, Whinchat near sea wall 125 m from Aveley Bay car park, Bullfinch briefly in scrub at c 6.45 am (Dominic Mitchell) 3 Whimbrels dropped in to roost on main pool at 6pm (Ian Bradshaw); overall: Marsh Harrier (Wennington Mound), 3 Black Terns, 6 Sandwich Terns, juv Mediterranean Gull, 2 Wheatears, 3 Whinchats, 12 Yellow-legged Gulls, 9 Common Sands, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Avocets, 6 Green Sands, 100+ Stock Doves, 152 Common Terns, 3 Greenshanks, 11 Black-tailed Godwits, 11 Ringed Plover, 50+ Teal, 2 Dunlin, Ruff, 7 Kestrels, Grey Seal (David Callahan, with Jonathan Wasse, Ruth Barnes, Howard Vaughan for the seabirds).
 * King George V Res: 2 juvenile Little Gulls on south basin this morning (per RBA)
 * Alexandra Park: Yellow Wagtail SW 0950 (1st of year!), Garden Warbler & 2 Willow Warblers Cricket Scrub, Willow Warbler Boating Lake, 15+ House Martins, juv Rook, 2 Hobbies north pre 7am (Bob Watts, Gerry Rawcliffe, Andrew Gardener, Gareth Richards, Dominic Mitchell, Alan Gibson et al).
 * LVRP: Red-crested Pochard (eclipse male) - Bowyers Water. 3 Green Sandpipers - Hall Marsh. 2 Wigeon, 2 Teal - Friday Lake (Mike Oakland)
 * Ingrebourne Valley: Little Owl (Shaun Harvey,Dave Morrison)Evening only Wood sandpiper(DJeffries)2 Greenshank(Shaun Harvey,Dave Morrison)
 * Walthamstow: 2 juv Black Terns and 2 juv Wheatears Lockwood. 57 spp this morning. (Paul Whiteman)
 * Greenwich Peninsula: Whinchat by Beckham Academy
 * Staines Reservoir: female Marsh Harrier came in from the west (over King George VI Res) at 12.14, then drifted over the south basin and off to the SE - lost from view at about 12.20; also juv Little Gull and juv Arctic Tern (Andrew Moon, Pete Naylor). Photos of harrier on London Birders.
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Hobby, 1 Little Owl, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, 8 Grey Heron & 17 Swallow (Jon Ridge).
 * Location Withheld: 150+ Ring-necked Parakeet - there appears to be a pre-roost gathering in the southeast corner of this site, with 142 counted flying into trees between 19:30 & 19:55. At 19:58, the whole swirling mass (at least 150+) took to the air & headed off southeast (JR).
 * Hampstead Heath: 3 Hobbies (1 Juvenile) excellent views of them hunting insects at tree height at dusk, 1 Nuthatch and 5 Tawny Owls calling at seperate locations within about 10 minutes (Michael Mac).
 * Broadwater: 2 Kingfisher (along the river Colne), 5 Common Tern, pr Ringed Plover, 5 Common Tern, 2 Swallow, 2 Common Buzzard, 2 Egyptian Geese, c20 Greylag Goose, c20 Lapwing, c400 Coot, c150 Tufted Duck. On Harefield: Little Egret, 1 Pied Wagtail, 7 Common Tern, c340 Black Headed Gull. (Charlie Farrell)
 * Stocker's Lake: c20 House Martin, c12 Swallow, Sparrowhawk, c40 Great Crested Grebe, c70 Canada Goose, 6 Goldfinch, 2 Ring Necked Parakeet, 1 Common Tern (Charlie Farrell)

Saturday 14th August

 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 2 Common Sandpipers, Garden Warbler, 3 Swifts (Tony Butler & Mark Pearson)
 * Beddington Farmlands: 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Wheatear, 6 Greenshank, 17 Green Sandpiper, 5 Common Sandpiper, 1 Red-crested Pochard, 7 Teal, 1 Garden Warbler Photos here
 * Broadwater lake. 8 Ad+Sub Ad. Y L Gull, 400 Coot and 80 Lapwing, not much else ( John Edwards )
 * Bedfords Park LNR: Wood Warbler (site tick) with mixed tit-flock EWT car park area, from 17.55hrs. Bird showed well for 10 minutes in a sycamore and silver birch in NW corner of car park then lost when more birds joined the flock (becoming more mobile) until one final brief glimpse at 19.00. As well as the Long-tailed, Blue and Great Tits the flock included 4 Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Treecreeper, 2 Coal Tit, 1 Nuthatch, 1+ Goldcrest and several Chaffinch. Also 5 Swift over at 18.45. (Colin Jupp)
 * Brent Reservoir: Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Green Sands, 3 Common Sands, 8 Lapwings, Snipe & Hobby (Brent Birders)
 * Crossness: Black Tern Juvenile near outfall, Juv Med Gull, Wheatear, Willow Warbler, Redshank this morning (Kev Jarvis); juv Little Gull flew west @ 16.05, Wood Sandpiper flew high east along Thames @ 16.30, 4 Black Terns (ad + 3 juvs) feeding at Power Station outfall this evening, 420+ Common Terns (200 at Poer Station outfall, 220+ flew west 1515-1715), juv Med Gull still this evening (John Archer).
 * Limetrees Park Golf Course (Northolt): 4 juv Mute Swan, Dabchick + 4 well grown juv, Snipe, 4 Stock Dove, Whitethroat, pr Jays (Neil Anderson)
 * Rainham Marshes: Wood Sandpiper, 5 Green Sandpipers, 4 Common Sandpipers, Greenshank, 4 Redshank, 10 Black-tailed Godwits, Whimbrel, 7 Common Snipe, 3 Oystercatchers, 4 Avocets, 10 Ringed Plover, ad Little Ringed Plover, 50+ Northern Lapwing, 6 Dunlin (3 juvs), Sanderling, 2 Ruff, Eurasian Wigeon, 10+ Little Egrets, 5 Yellow-legged Gulls, 2 ad argentatus Herring Gulls, 10 Common Terns, Marsh Harrier, Ring-necked Parakeet, Yellow Wagtail, Northern Wheatear and numerous warblers, including many Acrocephalus, 3 Cetti’s, and single Lesser Whitethroat and Willow Warbler (Dominic Mitchell); 2 more Wood Sandpipers later in the morning (Dave Smith) before all three departed; juv Yellow-legged Gull, 2 female/eclipse Garganey, Whinchat (David Callahan); Black Tern and Little Tern upriver mid-afternoon (Ruth Barnes).
 * Alexandra Park: Whinchat until 10am at least west perimeter cricket pitch, juv Rook, 4+ Willow Warblers & Chiffchaff in mixed tit flock Boating Lake, also 4 juv Dabchicks there too, Willow Warbler Wood Green Res (Bob Watts, Andrew Gardener). Raven seen 15 June mobbed by crows flying towards site from Weston / Coburg Road (Paul Rawlins).
 * Sharvel Lane (Hillingdon): f. Sparrowhawk, f. Kestrel, pr Swallow feeding 5 juvs on stable roof (I was shown nest site used inside), Pied Wagtail + 2 juv (stables), Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff, 60+ Goldfinches feeding on thistles (Neil Anderson)
 * Wanstead Flats (07:00-09:00; 12:00-14:30): 2 Northern Wheatear, 2 Whinchat (m, and f pm), Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, flocks of 14, 16 and finally 24 Mistle Thrush, 6 Madow Pipit, 4 Skylark, 4+ Blackcap, 10+ Common Whitethroat, 3 Willow Warbler, 6+ Chiffchaff, 2+ Lesser Whitethroat (hurrah for tit flocks!), 4 House Martin, 8 Collared Dove (some kind of record surely?), 4 Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Kestrel, 4 Sparrowhawk (including 1 juv calling ffrom the cemetry), 7 Cormorant, 100+ Black-headed Gull (inc. 81 in Alex day roost), 4 Common Gull, 10 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Herring Gull, Little Grebe, Jay, Jackdaw etc. (42 species - no sign of the Wheatear in the afternoon) (Nick Croft, Stuart Fisher, Jonathan Lethbridge)
 * Wanstead Park (09:00-12:00): Hobby (Reservoir Wood - 2 on the White Tower, Bush Wood- JL), 2 Sparrowhawk (and having finally seeing a female in the same situation as the biguns of yesterday I am of the conclusion Goshawk, or in this case -hawks and as such "yay! patch tick/London tick 100/155"), Kestrel, Common Sandpiper (Heronry), 2 Little Egret (R. Roding - one doing the feet paddly thing to great success), flock of c20-30 Sand/House Martins (Heronry - mainly Sand), c.10+ Willow Warbler (1 singer), c.10+ Blackcap (more than 1 sotto singer), 10+ C. Whitethroat, 2 + immaculate Lesser Whitethroat, 10+ Chiffchaff (mainly down the old sewage farm, but hurrah for tit flocks!), Chaffinch, 3 Goldfinch, Greenfinch, 5 Tufted Duck, 1 Shoveler, Little Grebe, Kingfisher (Perch), 2 Stock Dove, 6 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 10+ BH Gull, 6 Ring-necked Parakeet, 4 Cormorant, Jay, Jackdaw etc. (The mystery warbler still remains a mystery but is likely to be either a C.W, L.W, or Bcp - pity I'd just about crossed the t's and dotted the i's on Icterine, ah well lose some, lose some!) (Nick Croft, Stuart Fisher and all too briefly Jonathan Lethbridge)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Whinchat behind the yard, 1 Wheatear on farm buildings, 1 Hobby, 1 Little Owl, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Whitethroat, 4+ Chiffchaff, 17 Swallow, 23 Jackdaw, 4 Grey Heron & 51 Black-headed Gull. Also 2 Sparrowhawk (inc one juvenile), at Headstone Manor (Jon Ridge).
 * Wormwood Scrubs: 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler along the railway embankment, other warblers also present included Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, plus 1 fem Sparrowhawk and a flock of 60+ Goldfinch. (N.Smith)
 * Crossness: 7 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 C0mmon & 1 Green Sandpiper + Black Tern still present (Conrad Ellam)
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: 16 Mallard, 1 Mandarin, 6 Moorhen, 6 Coot, 2 Black-headed Gull, 1 Ring-necked Parrakeet, 6 Woodpigeon, 1 Stock Dove, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Wren, 10 Robin, 4 Blackbird, 2 Great Tit, 1 Blue Tit, 2 Magpie, 1 Carrion Crow, 2 Greenfinch. (Conrad Ellam)
 * Rotherhithe: cracking juv Little Gull lingering off Greenland Pier at 1645-1655; 2 Sandwich Terns east at 1702 (thanks to whoever put these on the pager as they passed Tower Bridge at 1643). Best 20 minutes of Rotherhithe birding (Richard Bonser)
 * Ingrebourne Valley: 2 Common Tern ( Shaun Harvey)
 * Lea Valley - Netherhall / Glen Faba: Lesser Whitethroat (2), Whitethroat (30+), Garden Warbler (2), Blackcap (10), Chiffchaff (4), Willow Warbler (2), Reed Warbler (2), Green Woodpecker (8), Stock Dove (2), Tufted Duck (207), Shoveler (6), Gadwall (1), Egyptian Goose (3 - inc 1 juv), Black Swan (1 on flood relief channel), Great Crested Grebe (35) (Nigel May).
 * Lea Valley: Hall Marsh Scrape: 3 Green Sandpipers (James Anderson)
 * Hampstead Heath: 1900-2030: Whitethroat, Blackcap, Common Tern (year tick), 1x Swift over, 4x Egyptian Geese (Highgate Boating pond), fem & imm Kestrel, Heron, several Tawny Owls calling (Sash Tusa)
 * Clapham Common (bit of a goose chase): Eagle Pond, pr Egyptian Geese with 7 half grown goslings, 38 Canada Geese, 1 Cormorant drying wings. Mount Pond - 28 Grey-lag Geese, 5 Canada/Grey-lag hybrids, 1 singing Robin, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet - rennovation of this pond with new area of reeds planted, will it attract warblers? Also new reeds along banks and all round island, could explain lack of Egyptian Geese on the island as reeds block flight from bank onto the island where they used to gather in numbers in previous years, also as work took place middle of spring seems to have interrupted Coot breeding as not one juvenile seen (Michael Mac).
 * Lonsdale Road Res: brief visit... lotsof bird activity, with a large mixed flock of Long-tailed, Great and Blue Tits, with Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Blackcap all alongside. Brief views of a possible Garden Warbler but not conclusive. Also 1 Common Tern, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Cormorant, 4 Teal, 15+ House Martin, 2 Stock Dove,. No Kingfisher yet though (that'll teach me to go away for a few days and miss 2 site ticks last week - congrats to MB and LF-H!). (Rich Petley).
 * Walthamstow res (Lockwood viewed from house 16.30-17.30): juv Little Gull & juv Arctic Tern with a few C Terns & Sand Martins, Common Sandpiper (Lol Bodini).

Friday 13th August

 * Beddington Farmlands: 15+ Willow Warbler, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 10+ Whitethroat, 8+ Blackcap, 1 Greenshank, 10+ Green Sandpiper, 4 Common Sandpiper, 4 Teal, 4 Shelduck Warbler pics
 * Crayford Marsh: 4 Avocet, Black-Tailed-Godwit, 5 Greenshank, Curlew, Redshank.TWITTER: @londonbirder (KJM).
 * Hyde Park / Kensington Gardens: no sign of yesterday's Ruff at Round Pond early a.m.; Little Egret west over north end of Longwater 06.57 (second of the year), 4 Common Tern (2 ad and 2 well-grown juv), 3 Sand Martin, at least 20 House Martin, Northern Wheatear, 7 Blackcap, 4 Willow Warbler, 9 Chiffchaff, Spotted Flycatcher; also 66 Mute Swan, 21 Egyptian Goose, 2 Mandarin Duck (fem and juv), 12 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 19 Red-crested Pochard (at least 11 eclipse m), juv Little Grebe, 4 juv Lesser Black-backed Gull (inc a very dark individual), 4 Green Woodpecker, 2 Song Thrush, Nuthatch, 5 Treecreeper (1 singing) (Des Mckenzie).
 * Hammersmith flyover A4 Little Egret flew west along road @ 7:00am presumably des's bird.(Paul Hawkins)
 * Crossness: 2 Wheatear, Garden warbler, Hobby, 3 Willow warblers, 6 Black-Tailed godwits, 5 Chiffchaffs, ad Yellow-legged gull. (Kev Jarvis, John Archer).
 * Rainham Marshes: female Merlin low and fast north over seawall at 815, lost it as it reached the railway, 4 Avocets and 8+ Yellow-legged Gull in Aveley Bay, Lesser and Common Whitethroats, Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs on the Serin Mound with the finch flock (James Astley).
 * Alexandra Park: Whinchat on western perimeter of cricket pitch 9.40 am (Gareth Richards). 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Lesser Whitethroat Cricket Scrub 7am (Bob Watts).Whinchat still present 2005 western perimeter cricket pitch, also juv Rook and 25+ House Martins over Circus car park (Bob Watts).
 * Clissold Park: very tolerant juv Northern Wheatear (found by LP 1000hrs, still present 1140) - first of the year and less than annual in Hackney, Swift, Hobby (Laurence Pitcher & Mark Pearson Hackney Wildlife). (photos on site, also of yesterday's presumed confused mixed singing Chiffchaff)
 * Brookmill Park (Lewisham): 1 Heron, 20 Mallard, 6 Moorhen, 6 Coot, 1 Black-headed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 2 Kingfisher, 6 Woodpigeon,1 Stock Dove, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Wren, 7 Robin, 6 Blackbird, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Blackcap, 2 Great Tit, 4 Blue Tit, 3 Starling, 4 Magpie, 1 Carrion Crow, 4 Goldfinch, 5 Greenfinch, 1 Chaffinch (Conrad Ellam).
 * Forest Gate- ondaroof (19:00-20:45): 2 Peregrine Falcon scaring the doodie out of the pigeons on a tower block down the Romford Road, 1 Sparrowhawk, Little Egret (NW - house and patch tick - yay!), 2 Sand Martins, 16 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Greater Black-backed Gull, 10 Herring Gull, 1 Common Gull, Robin (h), Greenfinch, 5 Collared Dove, 20 Wood Pigeon, 2 Cormorant, 12 Starling, 8 Carrion Crow, Magpie - now = 16 best site in London (Nick Croft)
 * Ingrebourne Valley: Greenshank over 09:25 (patch tick), 2 Green Sandpiper from viewing platform (James Astley).
 * London Wetland Centre: 22 Teal, 15 Shoveler, Sparrowhawk, 45+ Lapwing, Common Snipe, 7 Common Tern (inc a juv), 60+ Sand Martin, 10+ House Martin, Cetti's Warbler, 6 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler (LWC website).
 * Paddington Green: imm fem Sparrowhawk, fem Peregrine Falcon p.m., 1-2 Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail (DMc).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Little Owl, 30+ Swallow - not a single House Martin in sight inexplicably since 28th July, 9 Grey Heron, several Chiffchaff, 1 Whitethroat, 40 Black-headed Gull & 37 Canada Goose. Nearby at Headstone Manor: 3 Sparrowhawk, including one juvenile (Jon Ridge).
 * Fulham, by Wandsworth Bridge - 1pm. Yellow Legged Gull. (Michael F)
 * Tyttenhanger GP's: 6 Black-tailed Godwit (over SW), Green Sandpiper, Wheatear, 2 Buzzard. (Steve Blake)
 * Crystal Palace Lake (Yesterday): not much very dead, final check for BTO NRS Scheme - 1 Grey Heron, pr Great-crested Grebe together but not bred as one turned up very late this season - water level very low, pr Mute Swans also failed this year, 1 ill looking Black-headed Gull, 1 brood Moorhens, 1 brood Coots, 20 Mallards (Michael Mac).
 * Wanstead Flats (06:00-10:00): Yellow-legged Gull (yay patch tick) on football pitches next to the changing rooms @06:15 for ten minutes then flew off south, c.80 Black-headed Gull, 26 Lesser Black-backed Gull (including 14 in day roost by Alex), 4 Common Gull, 5 Herring Gull, 5 Sparrowhawk (group of 3 over cemetry, north), 2 Kestrel, Hobby over Bush Wood/Reservoir Wood but seen from the flats, Carrion Crow, 6 Jay, 10+ Magpie, 4 Jackdaw, 6 Cormorant, 3 Green Woodpecker, 2 Greater-spotted Woodpecker, 4 Mistle Thrush, possible Whinchat on the SSI (briefly in flight and unable to track down), 5 Chiffchaff, 6 Willow Warbler (including 1 singer), C. Whitehroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat east of Long Wood, Blackcap, 4 Meadow Pipit, 2 Collared Dove, 3 Stock Dove, 2 House Martin (Nick Croft)
 * Wanstead Park (10:00-15:00):Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (old sewage works), 2 Greater-spotted Woodpecker, 4 Green Woodpecker, c. 20 Sand Martin, c.10 House Martin (over Heronry), numerous Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, C. Whitethroat, 10+ Blackcap (old sewage works), and the sub-song mystery bird from the flats has now re-appeared but mobile in the old sewage works area, Kingfisher (Roding/osw), Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, 2 Shoveler, 3 Tufted Duck and 2 Gadwall (on Perch), Little Egret (west over), Heron, 2 Kestrel (osw), Hobby calling over Bush/Reservoir Wood and later Ornamental Waters, 2 suspiciously large Hawks doing display type stuff over osw and woods to north, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Herring Gull, c.20 Black-headed Gull, Song Thrush, Ring-Necked Parakeet, Stock Dove, Goldfinch, Greenfinch (Nick Croft)
 * Trent Park: 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Common Whitethroat, 2 Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, 7 Chiffchaff, 3 Mandarin (f). ( Pete Lowman).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: c16 Chiffchaffs (inc. mixed singer again, LWT garden), 10 Willow Warblers, 2 Common Whitethroats, 15+ Reed Warblers, Sedge Warbler, Garden Warbler, c30 House Martins, 15 Sand Martins, 8 Swallows, 21 Shoveler, 2 Goldcrests, 20+ Common Terns through, 2 Swifts (MJP); also 2 Common Sandpipers (am) West Res (D Holden).
 * Walthamstow res (Lockwood): adult + juv Dunlin this pm (Gavin Coultrip via L Bodini).

Thursday 12th August

 * Crayford Marsh: Avocet, 2 Whimbrel, 5 Ringed Plover, Lesser Whitethroat. (KJM).
 * Blackheath: 1 calling Crossbill over, west, midday (Joe Beale).


 * Hyde Park / Kensington Gardens: juv Ruff showing down to 3ft range (initially) having pitched down at 11:40, then feeding amongst the algae at the eastern side of Round Pond until 13:00 at least, Yellow Wagtail over at 12:40 landed on grass at south-west corner of Round Pond but soon departed (Des McKenzie et al), 10+ House Martin, Spotted Flycatcher with large tit-flock, c10 Blackcap, c9 Chiffchaff, 5 Willow Warbler; also 18 Red-crested Pochard, juv Little Grebe, 15 Great Crested Grebe, ad Grey Heron mauled by dog (only sustained feather damage), 190 Coot, 289 Black-headed Gull (DMc). Ruff still present 17.00 (DMc per JA); and still present and showing down to 3ft at 18:00 (DMc, Nick Tanner); still present at 18:45 when it was observed walking over the fingers of an observer who was laying down whilst trying to photograph it (Noel Lever per DMc).
 * Regent's Park: Pied Flycatcher still showing in the northeast enclosure early morning, possibly glimpsed again at 10.30am but not since, also Spotted Flycatcher, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Common Whitethroats plus Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps (Tony Duckett & Birdguides)
 * Staines Reservoir: Black Tern still till 5.13pm at least. Also drake aythya, probably a hybrid, but vermiculation on back appears a little coarse for Tufted x Pochard which is presumably what it would be and a bit too soft for Lesser Scaup ... also not sure if there's too much of a tuft. Has anyone seen and identified this bird before? photo here (David Campbell).
 * Canons Farm and Banstead Woods: 3 Golden Plovers flew low NNW, calling, at 8.40am, 1+ Hobby, 2 Common Buzzards, 1+ Sparrowhawk, 4 Yellowhammers (including 2 juvs), 22 Pied Wagtails, 11 Chiffchaffs, 10 Common Whitethroats, Blackcap, 6 Swallows, Skylark, 2 Bullfinches, Treecreeper, 5+ Nuthatches, 4 Coal Tits, 4+ Stock Doves, c.25 Linnets, 4 Green Woodpeckers, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 22 Black-headed Gulls on Legal & General playing field (David Campbell).


 * Alexandra Park: 2 Willow Warblers & Lesser Whitethroat 7am but no sign of yesterday's Whinchats (Bob Watts) Juv Rook on cricket pitch from 1830, also 6+ House Martins, 6+ Willow Warblers Top Field (Gerry Rawcliffe et al).
 * Crossness: juv Med Gull, juv Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Garden Warblers, Wheatear, Willow Warbler, 20+ House Martins (Kev Jarvis & John Archer).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Hobby, 43 Swallow, 1 Little Owl, 2 Swift, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Whitethroat, 73 Black-headed Gull & 45 Canada Goose (Jon Ridge).
 * South Lodge Farm, Enfield: 1 fem/imm Northern Wheatear, (my first of the autumn!) (Robert Callf).
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery: 2+ Willow Warblers in mixed tit flock early pm (1+ Tuesday) in Cherry Glade (Bob Watts).
 * Vicarage Farm, Enfield: 1 Sedge Warbler, (my first record of the year locally!) (Robert Callf).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: mixed singing (Chiffchaff / Willow Warbler) Phylloscopus warbler in LWT garden (appearance apparently much as for Chiffchaff - photos on site later), 4 Willow Warblers, 6 Chiffchaffs, 1 Swift, 7 Sand Martins west, Blackcap, plus the usuals (MJP)
 * Ruislip Lido: Wheatear on willow lawn north of Waters Edge pub, also 3 Common Tern, 2 Pochard and 5 Blackcap (Martin Sullivan).
 * Brent Res: Snipe, 3 Common Sands, 6+ Lapwing, 50+ Swifts, Willow Warbler (Andrew Verrall, John Gravatt)
 * Tyttenhanger GP's: Wheatear, Little Owl. (Steve B)
 * Ingrebourne Valley: Sparrowhawk, 2 Teal, Green Sandpiper, LBB,(Shaun Harvey)
 * Westminster Bridge: 2 Peregrine at about 1700. Harassing juv LBB/Herring Gulls and a Cormorant! Anyone ever seen this behaviour before? (KB)
 * Fulham: FOUR Sparrowhawks, after a few days watching, assumed as two juveniles and a pair. Proof of breeding? a few blog posts about them (Michael F)
 * Richmond Park: 1 Wheatear, 1 Reed Warbler, 2-3 Willow Warblers (Hugh Bradshaw)

Wednesday 11th August

 * Brent Reservoir: Wood Sandpiper still in East Marsh all day, plus 1m Wigeon, 8 Lapwing, 1 Common Snipe, 1 Greenshank, 5 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Swift, 1 Kingfisher, 4 Sand Martin (Brent Birders).
 * Kempton Nature Reserve: Spotted Flycatcher mainly seen resting on the fence near the east viewing screen.


 * Regent's Park: Pied Flycatcher 1st w in small enclosure at NE end of lake, still present at 6.30pm, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, Garden Warbler, 6 Reed Warblers, 14 Willow Warblers, 8 Chiffchaff, 12 Blackcaps, 4 C. Whitethroats, Kingfisher, 20 Swifts (Tony Duckett ,Birdguides).
 * Ilford: Osprey over Ilford Golf Course this afternoon (Birdguides)


 * West Thurrock: Osprey circled over Alexandra Lake, Lakeside at 13:15 (Birdguides).


 * Staines Reservoir: Black Tern with Little Gull, Arctic Tern and 3 Black-necked Grebe (Birdguides). Mediterranean Gull, juvenile, evening (KLP).


 * Staines Moor: fem/imm Redstart in hawthorns at north end, 2 Little Egret (Oliver Metcalf).


 * Alexandra Park: 2 Whinchat western perimeter cricket pitch 1910 and at least one until 2035, also 8+ Willow Warblers (6+ Top Field, 2 West end Lower Slopes) 1800-1900, 6 Swifts north over CS 8pm, Garden Warbler Conservation Pond am (Bob Watts, Dave Callahan, Dominic Mitchell, Gareth Richards, Gerry Rawcliffe).


 * Bromley-by-Bow: Green Sandpiper NW (Walthamstow bound I bet, 05.40), 1 Common Sand (Channelsea), Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (only 2nd sighting), 4 Stock Dove, Grey Wag, Pied Wag, 32 Mallard, 4 Sand Martin plus usuals (S Fisher)


 * Brook Green Common: Kestrel spotted at 9am (Tesco side)! It was sitting on the grass then flew happily into a tree where it perched for 10 seconds then disappeared into other, nearby, trees (K.J. Beddows).


 * Canons Farm and Banstead Woods: Hobby, Common Buzzard, Meadow Pipit, 3 Willow Warblers, 12 Common Whitethroats, 12 Chiffchaffs, 4+ Blackcaps, 2+Swifts, 24+ House Martins, 8+ Swallows, imm. Cormorant over, 5+ Yellowhammers, Sparrowhawk, 1+ Bullfinch, Pheasant, 3+ Goldcrests, 4 Treecreepers, 4+ Nuthatches, 8+ Coal Tits, 2+ Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 8 Green Woodpeckers, 16+ Linnets, Black-headed Gull, Rose-ringed Parakeet (David Campbell).


 * Crayford Marshes: 3 Avocet, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Greenshank, 3 Dunlin, 4 Oystercatcher, 6+ Common Tern. TWITTER: @londonbirder (KJM).


 * Fairlop Gravel Works: 10 Teal, 100 Lapwing, 6 Green Sandpiper, 5 Common Sadnpiper, 2 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 10 Stock Dove, 2 Swallow, 2 Whitethroat, 7 Linnet, 20 Goldfinch (DEH)


 * Fairlop Waters: GCGrebe, Common Tern, Yellow Wagtail (DEH)


 * Fulham Sands End (Thames): 2cy Herring Gull ringed A6LK, 1 Common Gull, 1 Egyptian Goose, a few House Sparrow (Nathalie Mahieu).


 * Hampstead Heath (Parliament Hill): 2 Garden Warblers, 15 Blackcaps, 4 Willow Warblers, 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Whitethroat, Tree Pipit (S); also Common Blue and Hornet seen (Pete Mantle).


 * Heber Rd, East Dulwich: Whitethroat feeding in buddleia - flat tick (Tom Smith)


 * Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens (a.m.): Common Sandpiper, Swift, at least 10 House Martin, Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Common Whitethroat, 2 Garden Warbler, 13 Blackcap, 9 Chiffchaff, 7 Willow Warbler; also 15 Egyptian Goose, fem type Mandarin Duck, pr Gadwall, fem type Teal, 2 Shoveler, 20 Red-crested Pochard, imm fem Sparrowhawk, 2 juv Lesser Black-backed Gull, 12 Stock Dove (7 singing), Tawny Owl, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, 8 Mistle Thrush, 2 Goldcrest, Coal Tit, 3 Nuthatch, 2 Treecreeper, Jay; plus singles of Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Vapourer and Silver Y ~ and the usual shedload of irresponsible 'professional' dogwalkers combined with a distinct lack of Royal Parks Police (Des McKenzie); earlier this year a dog (lurcher) was running free along the Serpentine and ran into a flock of geese and tried to grab one, causing them to scatter, right under the nose of a Met Police Car and they drove off and ignored the event, the owners were walking near the dog but hard to pick out in the crowd (Michael Mac).


 * Ingrebourne Valley: 6 Green Sandpiper, 2 Sand Martin, 27 Moorhen (Shaun Harvey).


 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir: 1 Kingfisher (patch tick for me!) 4 Pochard, 4 Teal, 2 Shoveler, 3 House Martin, 1 Common Tern, 1 Chiffchaff (M Bourne); Kingfisher, 1 Garden Warbler midway up river side of res (both site ticks), 3 Common Tern, 5 Goldfinch over, 2 Stock Dove. (Louis Freeland-Haynes)


 * Paddington Green (early a.m.): unusually large imm fem Sparrowhawk, pr Peregrine Falcon in the area, Willow Warbler with small tit-flock (DMc).


 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Hobby, 1 Little Owl, 38 Swallow over & around the rubbish tip - a large increase, 3 Swift, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Goldfinch, 5 Grey Heron & several Green Woodpecker (Jon Ridge).


 * Queen Elizabeth II Res (permit access): Turnstone through early a.m. (Birdguides).


 * Rainham Marshes: 2 Whimbrel, 3 Avocet, 6 Black-Tailed Godwit, 2 Ruff, 1 Common Sandpiper (all Aveley Pool); 18 Little Egret; 1 Whinchat with curious white head-spotting. (Tom Smith)


 * South Norwood Lake: 3 Mute Swan, 4 juv Black-headed Gull, 5 Cormorant, 2 Swift, 2 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Song Thrush, 6 Ring-necked Parakeet, 3 Jay, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, c10 Goldfinch, 2 Collared Dove, 4 House Sparrow (John Watson)


 * Trent Park : 1 Reed Warbler (my first of the year locally!) (Robert Callf). Treecreeper in hedge among tit-flock (unusual), Tawny Owl calling and flying at dusk (Michael Mac).


 * Walton Res (permit access): juv Black-necked Grebe (Birdguides).


 * Vicarage Farm - Enfield: 6 Linnet, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Swallow, usual Buzzard not seen, in usual area, but a lot of shotguns being fired, incompatible? (Michael Mac).


 * Wanstead Flats: 1 Wheatear, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 9 Swift through, House Martin, 3 Mistle Thrush, 2 Kestrel. Wanstead Park: 3 Swift, 2 House Martin, c40 Long tailed Tits, 7 Chiffchaff, 25+ Blue Tit, 20 Great Tit, 10 Little Grebe, etc (S Fisher)

Tuesday 10th August

 * Crayford Marshes: 3 Avocet, Turnstone, 4 Greenshank, 6 Ringed Plover, 6 Common Sandpiper, 2 Whimbrel, Curlew, Dunlin. TWITTER;@londonbirder (KJM).


 * Brent Reservoir: Wigeon eclipse male, Wood Sandpiper all morning, 5 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper, Snipe, 8 Lapwing, Hobby at 12.10 (Andrew Verrall).


 * Bromley-by-Bow: Common Sandpiper, 2 Common Tern south (05:55), 11 Robin, 14 Blackbird, Dunnock, 2 Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, 4 Sand Martin, Song Thrush, 2 Blackcap (ad male and juv), juv Chiffchaff, 2 Chaffinch, 25+ Black-headed Gull (S Fisher)


 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: 1 Heron, 5 Mallard, 4 Moorhen, 7 Coot, 1 Black-headed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 8 Woodpigeon, 1 Stock Dove, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Wren, 7 Robin, 10 Blackbird, 1 Blackcap, 2 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 4 Magpie, 3 Carrion Crow, 2 Greenfinch. (Conrad Ellam)


 * East India Dock Basin NR: 1 Sedge Warbler, Garden Warbler, Chiffchaff, Sand Martin, 2 Common Terns (Gary A James).
 * Eastcote, Abbotsbury Gardens: 48 Ring-necked Parakeet over at 19:25 (JR).
 * Fulham Reach: pr Peregrine Falcon (perched most of the day), 1 Sparrowhawk (tried to catch small bird in back gradens, loitered a bit, then flew towards Margravine Cemetery), 1 Jay (very manky, on peanut window feeder) (Nathalie Mahieu)


 * Hampstead Heath, Parliament Hill: Wheatear at 1030 flushed by Kestrel. Otherwise quiet (Pete Mantle).


 * Ingrebourne Valley: 4 Green Sandpiper, 2 Teal (Shaun Harvey)


 * Mitcham Common: Sparrowhawk (f), Cormorant (over), 6 Swift, 6 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 8 Long-Tailed Tit, 16 Canada Goose, 8 Coot, Moorhen, Dunnock, 2 Whitethroat, c50 Goldfinch plus usuals and 4 rabbits (Stuart M).


 * South Norwood Lake: 1 m Sparrowhawk, Mute Swan, 5 Cormorant, 12 Tufted Duck, 2 Swifts, 8 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 3 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, c20 Goldfinch, 12 Ring-necked Parakeet, 2 Collared Dove, 4 House Sparrow (John Watson).


 * Thorney CP: 2 Greenfinch, 3 Treecreeper, 1 Reed Warbler, 4 Goldcrest, 1 Dunnock, 1 Common Tern, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Cormorant, 5 Pochard, 2 Great Crested Grebe, flock of Long-tailed Tit (Sue Giddens).

Monday 9th August

 * Bedfont Lakes CP: Black-tailed Godwit (new species for site), Common Sandpiper, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Moorhen, Egyptian Goose, 29 Canada Geese 17, Tufted Duck, 8 Gadwall, 56 Mallard, 62 Coot. (Adam Cheeseman)
 * Alexandra Park: 4 Willow Warblers Cricket Scrub, 3 Common Terns (2 juvs) Wood Green Res 7am (Bob Watts).


 * Brent Reservoir: Wood Sandpiper still in East Marsh this morning, plus 8 Lapwing, 2 Common Snipe, 1 Greenshank, 2 Green Sandpiper, 4 Common Sandpiper (Andrew Haynes).


 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: 1 Heron, 14 Mallard, 1 Mandarin, 7 Moorhen, 6 Coot, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Black-headed Gull, 1 Lesser Blackback, 6 Woodpigeon, 1 Collared Dove, 2 Grey Wagtail, 3 Wren, 1 Dunnock, 7 Robin, 5 Blackbird, 1 Blackcap, 2 Great Tit, 3 Blue Tit, 2 Starling, 5 Magpie, 2 Carrion Crow, 4 Goldfinch, 6 Greenfinch. (Conrad Ellam)


 * Canons Farm and Banstead Woods: 2 Hobbies, 5 Sparrowhawks, Common Buzzard, 3 Kestrels, 4 Willow Warblers, 8 Common Whitethroats, 8 Chiffchaffs, 4 Blackcaps, 3+ Bullfinches, juv Swallow, c.12 House Martins, 2 juv Goldcrests, 2 Treecreepers, 5+ Nuthatches, 6+ Coal Tits, 3 Yellowhammers, c.26 Linnets, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 7 Green Woodpeckers, 3 Rose-ringed Parakeets, 3 Stock Doves, juv Dunnock (David Campbell).


 * Crayford Marshes: Avocet, 3 Curlew, 2 Whimbrel, 4 Greenshank, 4 Ringed Plover, Redshank, 8 Common Sandpiper.TWITTER:@londonbirder (KJM).


 * Collier's Wood: (Merantun Way seen from Sainsbury's Merton Car Park) male Kestrel variously on street lamps and roof of Premier Inn around site of old Merton Priory (Stuart M)


 * Paddington Green: m Peregrine Falcon in area a.m., c25 House Martin p.m. (Des McKenzie).
 * Lonsdale Road: Tufted Duck brood, 5 Teal, 1 Common Tern (M Bourne)


 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Hobby, 2 Little Owl, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Swallow, 2 Swift, 4 Green Woodpecker & 42 Canada Goose (Jon Ridge).


 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: No Long-tailed Tit, 2 Ruff, 4+ Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Redshank, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 10+ Black-Tailed Godwit, 5 Dunlin, 2 Greenshank, 20 + Lapwing, 2 Ring-necked Parakeet, 2 Stonechat, 3 Yellow-legged Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Kestrel, Perergrine Falcon, Gadwall, Shoveler, Teal, Shelduck family (man have they grown since last week), 10+ Little Egret, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, 10+ Swallow and a grey seal riding the tide (Nick Croft). 4 Whimbrel on Thames outside visitor centre, Grasshopper Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, probable female Serin in finch flock, Curlew Sandpiper. Also young fox annoying Lapwings. (S. Haslem)


 * Regent's Park: Hobby, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Garden Warblers, 7 Common Whitethroats, Blackcaps, Willow Warblers & Chiffchaffs. If anyone is interested in what happens to some of Beddingtons birds check blog (Tony Duckett).


 * South Norwood Lake: Mute Swan, 4 Cormorant,10 Tufted Duck+ (new brood of 6) 2 Swallow, 4 Common Swifts, 1 Collared Dove, 3 Green Woodpecker, 6 Great Spoted Wodpecker, 3 Nuthatch, 7 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 5 Jay, 4 Ring-necked Parakeet, party of 6 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 3 House Sparrow, (John Watson)


 * Staines Reservoir: Dunlin, 5 Common Sands on South Basin 10:30 (Oliver Metcalf)


 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 13 Willow Warblers, 11 Chiffchaffs, Garden Warbler, c20 Reed Warblers, 12 Swifts, 4 House Martins, 8 Sand Martins (MJP et al)


 * Uxbridge: Red Kite over Brunel University campus at approx 12.00 (Steve Pash)


 * Vauxhall BT: m Peregrine perched on corner for 30mins, 2 pr close to fledging Woodpigeons at nests at BT building and 1 pr close by in park (Michael Mac).


 * Wandsworth Road/Vauxhall: Herring Gulls fledged over the weekend (Michael Mac).


 * Wanstead Flats: Tawny Owl (roosting and disturbed by Jay, site tick), 6 Wren, 2 Robin, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Green Woodpecker, f Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 60+ Long-tailed Tits, 20+ Blue Tit, 15+ Great Tit, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 20+ Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, 30+ Greenfinch, 2 Chaffinch (J Lethbridge) c.10+ Willow Warbler, some singing, (same tit flock west of centre road 09:30), 10+ Chiffchaff, Kestrel sparring with Sparrowhawk, Black-headed Gulls making the most of the ants again, on the model airplane runway and other unusual sites (for them), 1 Common Gull, 1 Stock Dove again on the dead tree in Long Wood, no repeat of yesterday's mystery singer (Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe)


 * Wanstead Park: In an attempt to vindicate my Probable/possible Wood Warbler back to chasing Long-tailed Tit flocks (5 in the area encompassing SoM, Heronry and Perch), struck out with WWs but good numbers of Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and a couple of Blackcap. I wasn't the only thing interested in the flocks as twice a Sparrowhawk male crashed through leaving empty handed. Also Heron, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, 6 + House Martin, 8 + Sand Martin over Heronry (Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe)

Sunday 8th August

 * Brent Reservoir: Wood Sandpiper showing from Heron Hide; also Greenshank, 2 Green Sands, 8 Lapwing, Snipe & 2 Common Sands (Andrew Self & Andrew Verrall). Wood Sand moved to mud opposite main hide, East Marsh and still presnt 1255, also 2 Swift, 3+ Willow Warbler (Bob Watts). Wood Sand still present from main hide at 17:25 - many thanks (JR).
 * Alexandra Park: 15 Swifts north over Pitch n Putt early pm (Gareth Richards).


 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: 1 Heron, 18 Mallard, 7 Moorhen, 6 Coot, 1 Black-headed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 4 Woodpigeon, 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 4 Wren, 4 Robin, 3 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, Blue & Great Tit flock, 1 Magpie, 4 Carrion Crow, 6 Goldfinch, 2 Greenfinch. (Conrad Ellam)


 * Crayford Marshes: 2 Marsh Harrier, one of which flew straight over going sw at 1.55pm, Common Buzzard west over, Peregrine, Hobby, Avocet, Turnstone, 5 Whimbrel, Ringed Plover, 2 Greenshank, Curlew, 11 Common Sandpiper, 3 Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe,3 Yellow-legged Gull, 3 Little Egret, 10+ Common Tern (KJM/RDW).


 * Crossness: juv Mediterranean Gull, juv Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Green Sandpiper, 9 Common Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, juv Cuckoo, female Ruddy Shelduck, 3 Shoveler, 26 Teal (John Archer & Kev Jarvis).


 * Dagenham Chase LNR: 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 male Bullfinch, several Lesser Whitethroat. No waders as the slack is very near dry. ( V.Halley-Frame ).


 * Forest Lane Park (Forest Gate): male Lesser Whitethroat, male Willow Warbler, juv Chiffchaff, 3 Long-tailed Tit (S Fisher)


 * Hampstead Heath: Highgate Pond No 1 and Men's Bathing Pond: pr Great-crested Grebe + 2 juveniles, 2 Common Terns and Pr Mute Swans with 2 cygnets very exciting ;) but got to keep up with the BTO NRS records (Michael Mac).


 * Kenwood: 1 Hobby airbourne and perched, Green Woodpecker feeding a juvenile, noticable abscence of Ring-necked Parakeet, Egyptian Geese and Jackdaws from the area (Michael Mac).


 * Hornsey: 2-3 Swift (Bob Watts).


 * Ingrebourne Valley: 3 Green Sandpiper, 3 Teal, Lapwing (Shaun Harvey)


 * Mayesbrook Park: 2 Common Sandpiper.(Paul Hawkins)
 * Mitcham Common: Kestrel (young male bird on ground for long spell in field south of Ecology centre), 2 Green Woodpecker, 6 Swift, c25 Goldfinch around Seven Islands Pond, 24 Canada Goose plus 1 Fox (Stuart M)


 * Paddington Green: Lapwing east 08:40 (Des McKenzie).


 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Hobby, 1 Little Owl, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, Swallow, Chiffchaff & 41 Canada Goose (Jon Ridge).


 * Rainham Marshes (05:50 to 09:40): Grasshopper Warbler (east side of Wennington Mound), Hobby, 2+ Chiffchaff (with finch flock!), 2 Whimbrel, Avocet, Common Sandpiper, 6 Yellow-legged Gulls, Turnstone, 2 Green Sandpipers, female Teal, Great Crested Grebe, a distant seal sp. on Thames (thought to be Common), plus large numbers of common finches, Reed Buntings and marshland warblers feeding on the marsh on the east side of the mound (David Callahan).


 * Regent's Park: 2 Willow Warbler, possible Wood Warbler? but light fading, 10 Swifts and 6 House Martins hunting insects low over lake - this was Saturday evening (Michael Mac).
 * Ruislip: Red Kite over garden at 14.35 followed by Hobby at 18.50 (Steve Pash)


 * South Norwood Lake: Kestrel, Mute Swan, 20+ Tufted Duck, 4 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Collared Dove, c4 Nuthatch, 8 Chiffchaff (pair at nest feding young) 2 Blackcap, 1 Coal Tit, c8 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Ring-necked Parakeet, 3 Jay, (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)


 * Springfield Park: House Martin, Swallow, Swift (MJP); nearby in Clapton, Common Buzzard over, Hobby hunting dragonflies (Jamie Partridge per MJP)


 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 12 Willow Warblers, 10 Chiffchaffs, 10+ Reed Warblers, 2 near ad Great Black-backed Gulls, c30 Swifts, 4 Swallows, House Martin, c10 Common Terns, c30 Black-headed Gulls (Mark Pearson)


 * Vauxhall BT: 1 perched adult Peregrine, pr ready to fledge Woodpigeon's in tree on corner (Michael Mac).


 * Wanstead Flats (06:00-12:00): c.70 Black-headed Gull in day roost next to Alex, then a group of 70+ scoffing grounded flying ants north of Long Wood @18:00, 1 Common Gull, 12 Lesser Black-backed Gull 3 juv), 1 Herring Gull, 1 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 3 Swift, 6+ House Martin, Carrion Crow, 22 Jackdaw, 7 Jay, Magpie, Wood Pigeon, 1 Stock Dove, 1 Collared Dove, 20+ Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Wren, 20+ Common Whitethroat, 10+ Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat (east of Long Wood), and a very peculiar sounding bird with a sub song somewhere inbetween blackcap and whitethroat (here we go again!) - shared this experience by phone with Stuart who agreed "peculiar!", never did catch sight of the bird which although very mobile kept hidden, 5 Cormorant, Great Tit, Blue Tit, c.100 Starling, 6 Green Woodpecker, 4 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 7 Mistle Thrush, 6 Robin, 3 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, Dunnock, 4 Meadow Pipit, 2 Skylark (yay!), Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Mallard, Shoveler, Coot, Moorhen, Little Grebe, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, and 16 "quiet" Ring-necked Parakeet (Nick Croft).


 * Wanstead Park (12:00-18:00): Probable/possible Wood Warbler in with one of many roaming LTT flocks (why is there never a grown-up around when you need one), 20+ Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Hobby west over SoM, then 2 calling over Reservoir Wood/Bush Wood, 1 Sparrowhawk ( juv SoM) - so 2 families it is then! c .50 Black-headed Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 5 House Martin, Little Grebe (4 in the latest brood south of the main island on Heronry), 3 Tufted Duck, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (heard Bush Wood), Green Woodpecker, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Cormorant and the Turacao (Nick Croft).


 * Wimbledon Common: two vocal Common Crossbill south over the Causeway (David Wills).
 * Coppetts Wood: Honey Buzzard over East at 15.30( Tony Clancy)

Saturday 7 August

 * Lea Valley: Turtle dove, Green sandpiper, Little ringed plover, Yellowhammer and Hobby at Landridge scrape (J.murray).
 * Alexandra Park: Little Egret SE over Wood Green Res 0745, Willow Warbler Conservation Pond (Bob Watts), Swift (Andrew Gardener).
 * Crayford Marsh: 3 Turnstone, 2 Ruff, 2 Whimbrel, Black-t-Godwit, Curlew, 2 Greenshank, Ringed Plover, 4 Little Egret. TWITTER:@londonbirder (KJM).
 * Brent Reservoir: Wood Sandpiper still in East Marsh from hide to at least 10.00, also 2 Greenshank, 8 Lapwing, 3 Common Sands, Green Sand, Snipe & Hobby (Brent Birders).
 * Crossness/Barking Bay: sum plum Grey Plover, Sanderling, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Curlew, 5 Blackwits, 19 Common Sandpipers, female Ruddy Shelduck (Kev Jarvis & Dave Morrison per JA).
 * Crossness: Ad Yellow-legged gull, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff. (Kev Jarvis).
 * East India Dock Basin NR: 2 Arctic Terns north, 3 Peregrines, Sparrowhawk, 2 Sand Martins,Gt Spotted Woodpecker. (Gary A James).
 * Rainham RSPB: 3 ad Turnstone in aveley bay mid morning also 3 Ruff, 2 Whimbrel, 5 Common Sand, 2 Green Sand, Blackwit, 2 Oystercatcher, 8 Dunlin, 2 Wheatear (also Jersey tiger trapped last night (Paul Hawkins, Jono Lethbridge). Female Serin briefly on east side of Wennington Mound at 18:30, then heard calling twice with huge finch flock feeding on the marsh (but could not be relocated when searched for until 20:00), plus 5 Green Sandpipers over during showers, 2 Whimbrel, Chiffchaff, Water Rail, 200+ Goldfinches and Linnets in one flock with many juveniles (David Callahan).
 * Thameside Nature Park – Restore, Recreate and Reconnect: Essex Wildlife Trust needs to raise vital funds to turn the largest landfill site in Essex into a superb nature park, where wildlife will flourish and people will have open access to a wonderful green space. This is a UNIQUE project. Essex WT needs to raise £100,000 to unlock grants of £2.85m (currently the total stands at £87,400 - so hands in pockets time). Just copy following into your browser http://www.justgiving.com/michele-kench or follow the instructions (and to find out more details) on the Essex WT home page (Nick Croft).
 * Bushy Park: 1 Sedge Warbler, 6 Willow Warbler, 11 Whitethroat, 2 Sand Martin, all in or over the area of bracken south of Heron Pond (Roger Unite).
 * Moscow Road W2: Grey Wagtail (Des McKenzie).
 * Ingrebourne Valley: 5 Green Sandpiper (Shaun Harvey)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1+ Hobby, 1 Little Owl, several Chiffchaff, 1+ Willow Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 4 Grey Heron, 30 Goldfinch, Green & Great Spotted Woodpecker (Jon Ridge).
 * Queen Mary Res: Little Egret, Ad Yellow-legged Gull, Common Sandpiper, 11 Reed Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 4 Willow Warbler, 15 Blackcap, 8 Whitethroat, 3 Sedge Warbler, 2 Garden Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat (Steve Chastell)
 * Staines Res: 1 juv Black-necked Grebe on the North basin,1 juv Little Gull on the South.
 * Tyttenhanger GP's: Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 4 Common Snipe, 3 Teal, 6+ Common Tern, 4 little Grebe,(2 ad+2 Juv) (Steve Blake)
 * Woodside Park Station, North Finchley: 3 Swifts NW this am (John Colmans)
 * Wanstead Flats (12:30-18:00): c.80 Black-headed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 4 Herring Gull (3 juv), 1 Great Black-backed Gull over west), Hobby, 2 Sparrowhawk (over cemetry to south and cemetry to north), Kestrel, c. 30 Swift, 10 House Martin, Carrion Crow, c. 30 Jackdaw, 4 Jay, c. 20 Magpie, Wood Pigeon, 1 Stock Dove, 3 Collared Dove, 2 Greenfinch, Wren, 4 Common Whitethroat, 6 Chiffchaff (2 young), 5 Cormorant, Great Tit, Blue Tit, c.100 Starling, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 14 Mistle Thrush, 4 Robin, 1 Blackbird, Dunnock, 3 Meadow Pipit (yay!), Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Mallard, Shoveler, Coot, Moorhen, Little Grebe, House Sparrow (Nick Croft).
 * Wanstead Park (18:00-21:00): Hobby calling over Reservoir Wood, 1 m Sparrowhawk ( 2 juv SoM) and there could be a second family on Rook Island on the Ornamental Waters as a juv was heard calling there, 1 large brown female/juv hawk (about the same size as a Carrion Crow) flew languidly westward just north of Perch @ 19:30 (I am not going to say the "G" word), c .20 Black-headed Gull, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, House Martin, Little Grebe (a new family south of the main island on Heronry), Great Crested Grebe on Heronry), Wood Pigeon, Chiffchaff c. singles calling with many more latched on to Long-tailed Tit flocks (why do they always chase them?), Willow Warbler again with tit flocks (and a few that could have looked good for Woody's if only I'd got more than a fleeting glimpse), 7 f Tufted Duck, 7 Gadwall (Ornamental Waters), Mallard, Mute Swan (3 families), Canada Goose, Magpie, Jackdaw, Jay, Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit and lots of Long-tailed Tit (whom I chased round the park all afternoon!), Robin, Song Thrush, Wren, 2 Heron, 3 Greenfinch, Green Woodpecker, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Cormorant and no Nightjar on the way back over the flats - just rain (Nick Croft).
 * Walthamstow res (Lockwood): 1 juv Black-necked Grebe, 6 Common Sandpipers, 350+ Tufted Ducks, 24 Mute Swan (High Maynard), Garden Warbler (Billet Rd access path by allotments), Blackcap & Chiffchaff heard & a steady 'trickle' of Sand Martins S but no Swifts (also Redshank yesterday - Lol Bodini).

Friday 6 August

 * Brent Reservoir: Wood Sandpiper in east marsh from main hide at 08.45, also Greenshank (Andrew Verrall per AS), Wood Sandpiper stayed all morning, to at least 12.00, plus 2 Greenshank, 3 Green Sands, 4 Common Sands, 5 Lapwings, 1 Snipe, 1 Swallow (A. Verrall, Lydia, Ruth).
 * Rainham Marshes: Marsh Harrier, juv Mediterranean Gull, 10+ Yellow-legged Gulls, juv LRP, juv Avocet, Curlew, 5 Whimbrel, 2 Ruff, 6 Dunlin, 3 Green Sandpipers, 9 Common Sandpipers, Greenshank, 2/3 Redshank, 10 Oystercatcher, Common Snipe, 50+ Northern Lapwing, 15+ Little Egrets, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Hobby, Peregrine, male Eurasian Wigeon, Great Crested Grebe on river (Dominic Mitchell and Roy Beddard via Twitter).
 * Crossness: Sanderling Barking Bay this afternoon, Turnstone briefly off Golf Centre midday then in Barking Bay, Hobby, 2 Ringed Plovers, Dunlin, 14+ Common Sandpipers (John Archer & Ian Miller).
 * Canons Farm and Banstead Woods: Tree Pipit at Canons along track running south from derelict barns, Hobby in Banstead Woods, 3 Yellowhammers (2 singing males +juv), 35+ Swallows, 4 House Martins, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Treecreeper, Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaffs, Coal Tit, Rose-ringed Parakeet, c.30 Linnets, 2 Common Whitethroats, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Stock Doves (David Campbell).
 * Hyde Park ; Hobby over Meadow, mid afternoon (D.Jordan)
 * London Eye: Common Sandpiper (Steve Chastell)
 * Rainham: Common Buzzard over heading SE @10:15 (Richard Harrison).
 * Regent's Park: Wood Warbler still present (Birdguides)
 * Crayford Marshes:Marsh Harrier, Avocet on Far bank of Thames, Wheatear, Little Owl, 2 Greenshanks, Willow Warbler, Ringed Plover, Peregrine, Great Crested Grebe, 7 Common Sandpipers, 6 Little Egrets, Redshank, Curlew, Whimbrel. (Kev Jarvis, KJM).
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: 2 Heron, 4 Mallard, 1 Mandarin, 4 Moorhen 7 Coot, 1 Black-headed Gull, 6 Woodpigeon, 4 Wren, 1 Dunnock, 4 Robin, 7 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Starling, 3 Magpie, 2 Carrion Crow, 6 Goldfinch, 4 Greenfinch. (Conrad Ellam)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Little Owl, 5 Swallow, Chiffchaff, Green & Great Spotted Woodpecker - the windy conditions didn't help (Jon Ridge).
 * Tooting, Figge's Marsh: 6 Black-Headed Gull (Stuart M)
 * Tyttenhanger GP's: 9 Little Egrets. 10 Common Tern. 2 Egyptian Goose. (Steve Blake)
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 2 Teal (first of year), female Tufted Duck x Common Pochard, 3 Willow Warblers; 43 Sand Martins battling south late on (first hirundine movement of the autumn here), 3 Swifts (MJP)
 * Greenwich: Yellow-legged Gull on Thames foreshore by the O2 arena at low tide. (Conrad Ellam)
 * Staines Reservoir: 1 Oystercatcher over North Basin at 0905hrs. 1 Juv Black-necked Grebe. 5 ad Yellow-Legged Gulls (on pier at King George VI (but viewable from Staines causeway). (Richard Seargent)
 * Beddington Sewage Farm: 21 Green Sandpipers, 2 ad Yellow-legged Gulls. (Richard Seargent)
 * Wanstead Flats (15:30-19:00):c.100 Black-headed Gull (including two roosts), 2 Common Gull, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull (juv), 2 Sparrowhawk (over cemetry to south), Kestrel (Still hunting at 21:00 in the gloom), 9 Swift (south), 5 House Martin, 3 Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Stock Dove, Carrion Crow, Magpie, c. 20 Jackdaw, Jay, Starling (c. 150), Moorhen, Coot, juv Little Grebe, Mallard, Shoveler, Canada Goose, Mute Swan family, 2 Robin, 3 Mistle Thrush, Great Tit, Blue Tit, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 c. Whitethroat, 3 Green Woodpecker, 2 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Wren, 2 Cormorant and no Skylark, Meadow Pipit,or even a Blackbird and all-in-all a lack of small things (Nick Croft).
 * Wanstead Park (19:00-21:00): Hobby calling over Reservoir Wood, then 4 over Heronry at 20:30 (presumably ad and juv), 3 Sparrowhawk (1 ad + 2 juv SoM), c .40 Black-headed Gull (including two roosts), 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, 3-5 Sand Martin, 5 House Martin, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Jackdaw, Jay, Starling, Moorhen, Coot, 5 juv Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Mallard, Canada Goose, 2 Mute Swan families, Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit (parties in Bush Wood, SoM, Perch, and at the old sewage works), 3 Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Wren, Cormorant, 2 Heron, and Dunnock (Nick Croft).
 * Camden to Regent's Park: in this area out of 5 Lesser-black Backed and Herring Gull nests only 1 Herring Gull chick still at nest site others fledged (Michael Mac).
 * Stoke Newington Station: Hobby west, 1945 (MJP)

Thursday 5th August

 * Crayford Marshes: Marsh Harrier female being mobbed early a.m. 3 Greenshanks, Green Sandpiper, 3 Little Egret, Curlew, 6 Common Sandpipers. (Kev Jarvis). 2 Marsh harrier (f) Late Afternoon,Curlew, Whimbrel,Greenshank,8 Common Sandpiper.(KJM)


 * Alexandra Park: 2 Garden Warblers, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 8 Whitethroat, 6 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaffs Cricket Scrub 7am (Bob Watts). Very yellow Willow Warbler Cricket Scrub 1.30pm (Mike Benyon) Swift & 2 House Martins 1830 (Bob Watts).


 * Brent Reservoir: 2 Greenshank in afternoon, 1 at each hide morning, 3 Green Sandpipers together, 4 Common Sandpiper, 5 Lapwing (Roy Beddard, Andrew Verrall, John Gravatt). All four wader species still present late afternoon - many thanks (JR).
 * Staines Reservoirs: 2 Arctic Terns ad & juv till 17.15 only also 1st W Little Gull S basin and juv Black-necked Grebe N basin.4 Common Sandpipers ( Dave Morris, Pete Naylor and FJM.)


 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: 1 Heron, 19 Mallard, 1 Mandarin, 3 Moorhen, 6 Coot, 2 Black-headed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 6 Woodpigeon, 3 Collared Dove, 1 Grey Wagtail, 4 Wren, 1 Dunnock, 4 Robin, 7 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Blackcap, 2 Great Tit, 1 Blue Tit, 2 Magpie, 5 Carrion Crow, 5 Goldfinch, 1 Greenfinch. (Conrad Ellam)


 * Chorleywood Common: 3 Chiffchaff, Spotted Flycatcher by the Black Horse public house (Des McKenzie, Joanne Biscomb).
 * Colliers Wood: 16:00 Sparrowhawk circling over small park/children's playground near tube stn - seen from car (Stuart M)
 * Dagenham Chase LNR: 2 sparrowhawks calling and soaring nr river rom/ wet meadow (Dominic Allen)T


 * Holyfield/Langridge: 2 Buzzards, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Turtle Dove. The Turtle Dove seems to be hanging around Langridge, two visits in the last week, two sightings. On both occasions it has been on the telephone wires that cross the scrape. (Mike Oakland)


 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Wheatear (the first autumn bird) by the electric gate, 1 Hobby, 1 Little Owl, Chiffchaff & Swallow (Jon Ridge).


 * Rainham (Ferry Lane to Wennington): 77 Cormorant, 2 Peregrine, Hobby, 5 Kestrel (incl juvs), Cetti's Warbler, young Reed Warblers heard calling, 4 Common Sandpiper, 2 Whimbrel, 1 Curlew over, ad Yellow-legged Gull, c80 Goldfinch (many juvs), c1500 Black-headed Gulls, brood of Pheasant (2 chicks seen), Song Thrush, pair of Stonechat (Ferry Lane) (S Fisher)
 * Roding Valley Park: 2 Sparrowhawks, gd views of the male. The other may have been a juvenile, but only saw it fleetingly. Very interestingly, they were calling to each other - Sparrowhawks are normally silent outside early breeding season, I gather (certainly I've hardly ever heard them call before). Also Green Woodpecker, Herring Gull, LBB Gull, LT Tit (Alan Hobson).


 * South Norwood Lake: Mute Swan, 20 Tufted Duck +(1 brood of 7 and 1 of 9) 2 Cormorant, 2 Black-headed Gull, 5 Green Woodpecker (2 juv) 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Nuthatch, 2 Collared Dove, 1 Song Thrush, 5 Ring-necked Parakeet, 4 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 2 House Sparrow, 1 Jersey Tiger, 4 Common Blue, c30 Gatekeeper, 1 Cinnabar, ( John Watson)


 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: ad Great Black-backed Gull, Sedge Warbler, c20 Reed Warblers, 3 Willow Warblers, 15 Swifts (Mark Pearson)


 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery: 3 Swifts west 1220 (Bob Watts).


 * Tyttenhanger GPs: Green Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, 171 Lapwing, Wigeon (eclipse male), Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 2 Kingfisher (FL), Little Grebe. (Steve B)


 * Wanstead Flats & Wanstead Park (05:30-11:00): Hobby (over Heronry 09:30), 2 Kestrel, 3 Sparrowhawk (+ 2 vocal juveniles SoM), c.50+ Black-headed Gull, 12 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 7 Herring Gull (4 juv), 30+ Common Whitethroat (Long Wood and SSI), Chiffhcaff, Blackcap (South of Heronry), parties of Long-tailed Tit in Long Wood, by Jub, Bush Wood and N/S of Heronry, Little Grebe (family of 4 chicks on H, 2 SoM), Great Crested Grebe (H), Swallow (west over Alex), House Martin over H, 2 Tufted Duck (Alex), Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Mistle Thrush, 8 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 7 Green Woodpecker, 3 Ring-necked Parakeet, and not very much of the usuals (No signs of any Skylark or Meadow Pipit on the flats), 3 new scorched areas including a smouldering one in Bush Wood (I used my initiative, which sadly having used my initiative before I left the house was not the greatest of help!), 1 headless Canada Goose on the playing fields (Nick Croft).

Wednesday 4th August

 * Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve: juvenile Black Stork flew southwest at 12:30 (Birdguides)
 * Regent's Park: Wood Warbler from 7.45-10.30am at least, Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Garden Warblers, plus other warblers (Tony Duckett)
 * Staines Reservoirs: 19 Bar-tailed Godwits flew over, then S at 19.30. 1 juv Little Gull on S basin roost. 1 juv Black-necked Grebe N. basin and 5 Common Sandpipers. (FJM)


 * Alexandra Park: Willow Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat, Cricket Scrub (James Palmer), 2 Lesser Whitethroats Cricket Scrub 6pm (Bob Watts).
 * Brent Reservoir: 2 Greenshank, 4 Common Sands, 4 Lapwings (AGV per AS). In addition 2 Green Sands 2045, with at least 1 Greenshank still present East Marsh, 4 Ruddy Duck NM (Dominic Mitchell, Bob Watts)


 * Bruce Castle Park N17: 9 Mistle Thrush (James Palmer).
 * Fairlop Gravel Works: 3 Teal, 3 broods of Little Grebe, 18 Lapwing, Snipe, 8 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper, several Stock Dove, fKestrel, Whitethroat (DEH)
 * Tottenham Cemetery: family of Little Grebes (James Palmer).


 * Tottenham Marsh: Egyptian Goose, 2 Green Sandpiper (James Palmer).
 * Hyde Park / Kensington Gardens: 16 Egyptian Goose (inc. 2 juv suffering from angel-wing), 2 Mandarin Duck (fem and juv), 22 Red-crested Pochard, juv Pochard, pr Gadwall, ad Little Grebe, ad Common Gull, 3 juv Lesser Black-backed Gull, 10 Herring Gull, Common Tern, 6 Stock Dove, Collared Dove, Kingfisher, at least 10 House Martin, Common Whitethroat, 6 Blackcap, 10 Chiffchaff, 4 Willow Warbler, 3 Goldcrest, Treecreeper; also 7 Meadow Brown, 3 Common Blue, Silver Y (Des McKenzie). By the way, is there any news about the ill GC Grebe that was taken into care? (Joe Beale) Hi Joe, although it was meant to be collected by the RSPCA it was eventually taken into care by the wildlife officer from St. James' Park and, according to Hyde Park staff, is still alive (DMc). Hi, thanks for the update! (JB).
 * London Wetland Centre: 6 Teal, 5 juv Little Grebe, juv Great Crested Grebe, 39 Lapwing, 4 Common Tern (3 ads and a chick), singing Cetti's Warbler (LWC website).
 * Crayford Marshes: 12 Yellow-legged gulls, 3 Greenshanks, Whimbrel, 2 Little egret, Common Sandpiper,6 Swallow, 2 Oystercatcher. (Kev Jarvis)
 * (Locality withheld) Hobbies passing prey (David Wills)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Hobby, 1 Little Owl, Chiffchaff & Swallow. Quiet again (Jon Ridge).


 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: small arrival of warblers inc. Sedge Warbler (first since spring), 6 Willow Warblers, 4 Chiffchaffs and 3 Blackcaps; also 80+ Tufted Duck and 60+ Common Pochard. breeding pairs of Great Crested Grebes have two full-grown and three still young chicks respectively. (MJP)thumb|right|300px|Hobby pass

Tuesday 3rd August

 * Regent's Park: Wood Warbler still in small enclosure at north-east end of lake (Birdguides) No sign between 1.00 and 1.30, but plenty of Willow Warblers. It's probably still there... (James Astley). Possibly 2 Wood Warblers reported at 3.00pm, seen this morning 20 Willow Warblers, 10 Chiffchaffs, Common Whitethroats, 6 Blackcaps (Tony Duckett).
 * Alexandra Park: Willow Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat Cricket Scrub, also 5+ Blackcaps, 3+ Whitethroats 7am. Willow Warbler Cricket Scrub, whilst in mixed tit flock adjacent to Wood Green Res Willow Warbler, Coal Tit, Whitethroat and 2 Chiffchaffs 6pm (Bob Watts).
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: 1 Heron, 12 Mallard, 1 Mandarin, 5 Moorhen, 6 Coot, 2 Black-headed Gull, 10+ Woodpigeon, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Wren, 3 Robin, 5 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, Blue & Great Tit flock, 2 Magpie, 3 Carrion Crow, 6 Goldfinch, 2 Greenfinch. + 2 Jersey Tiger Moths (Conrad Ellam)
 * Canons Farm and Banstead Woods: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Hobby showing well on top of pine, 2 Bullfinches (male +fem), 2 Goldcrests, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, 2 Yellowhammers, 27 Linnets, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 5 Green Woodpeckers, Mallard, 40 House Martins south, 2 Rose-ringed Parakeets, Common Whitethroat, 2 Blackcaps, 4 Chiffchaffs, 4 Stock Doves. 2 Roe Deer (David Campbell).
 * Clapton Common: Reed Warbler singing from meagre stand of phragmites (MJP)
 * Crossness: Green Sandpiper, ad Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Black-Tailed Godwit, Chiffchaff, 12 Common Sandpipers. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Dagenham East: Hobby over low by the station about 7.20 am. (V.Halley-Frame).
 * East India Dock Basin NR: 1 ad Mediterranean Gull west 08.20, 2 Teal (1st since April), Peregrine, 1 Garden Warbler, loads of juv Reed Warblers. (Gary A James).
 * Hampstead Heath: Hobby chasing crow and calling, pr Kestrels (Parliament Hill Fields) (Michael Mac).
 * Hampstead Ponds Number 1 and 2: 1 Common Tern, 20+ Black-headed Gulls winter plumage, 3 Egyptian Geese, 1 fishing Cormorant later seen flying high towards Walthamstow,Pr Mute Swans with 4 big cygnets, Great Crested Grebe sitting on nest other feeding single chick (Michael Mac).
 * Highgate Pond Number 1: f Red-crested Pochard (yesterday report from Ray Swan, never seen species here), 2 broods Tufted Duck, pr Mute Swans + 2 small cygnets, pr Great Crested Grebe and 2 young gone after young appear to have been predated, pr Sparrowhawks high up of Parliament Hill Fields (Michael Mac and the Swan Men).
 * Margravine Cemetery: pr Peregrine Falcon (evening) (Nathale Mahieu).
 * Mill Hill NW7: 15 Ring-necked Parakeet over SW toward Brent Res @ 1935. (Steve B)
 * Paddington Green: pr Peregrine Falcon a.m. (fem with a kill) (Des McKenzie).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Hobby, 1 Little Owl & 1 Sparrowhawk. Very quiet on the Warbler front (Jon Ridge).
 * Rainham Marshes: Green Sandpiper, 2 Ruff, 6 Dunlin; Peregrine with damaged leg trailing (Tom Smith)
 * Roding Valley Park: Great Spotted Woodpecker, Common Tern (Alan Hobson).
 * South Norwood Lake: Peregrine Falcon, Mute Swan, 12 Tufted Duck (1 with brood of 9), 3 Cormorant, 1 Black-headed Gull, 2 Herring Gull, 3 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Swift, 5 Nuthatch, 6 Ring-necked Parakeet, 4 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 House Sparrow, 1 Jersey Tiger Moth, (John Watson)
 * Springfield Park: Oystercatcher low and west, 0913 (a very big deal around here), c50 Swifts, 12 House Martins, five Blackcaps, Chiffchaff singing, families of Green Woodpecker and Sparrowhawk among the usuals (Mark Pearson Hackney Wildlife)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Dunlin and juvenile Little Ringed Plover together on Lockwood Reservoir this evening. Also, Common Terns have chicks on one of the rafts and are quite happy to dive-bomb hapless birdwatchers. (Katy M.)
 * Wanstead Park: Hobby, 19 Swift, 5 House Martin, 2 Goldcrest and not a lot else (S Fisher)

Monday 2nd August

 * Alexandra Park: 2 Common Terns flew in from west 0635, Lesser whitethroat, 5 Whitethroat, Blackcap Cricket Scrub, Willow Warbler 7pm, also pair of Zebra Finches (Bob Watts).


 * Beddington SF: Wood Sandpiper (Birdguides).


 * Brent Reservoir 1 juv Black-necked Grebe, 5 Lapwing, 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper (Roy Beddard) No sign of Black-necked Grebe at 15.00 but adult Yellow-legged Gull (North Marsh) and substantial warbler flock including Lesser Whitethroat and Willow Warbler. (Oliver Simms)


 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: 1 Heron, 16 Mallard, 4 Moorhen, 6 Coot, 2 Black-headed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 10+ Woodpigeon, 1 Stock Dove, 1 Grey Wagtail, 4 Wren, 1 Dunnock, 7 Robin, 6 Blackbird, 5 Blue Tit, 1 Starling, 1 Jay, 5 Magpie, 3 Carrion Crow, 12 Goldfinch, 6 Greenfinch. (Conrad Ellam)


 * Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens: 14 Egyptian Goose, 2 fem / imm Mandarin Duck, pr Gadwall, 10 Red-crested Pochard, 46 Tufted Duck, ad Great Crested Grebe taken into care (appeared to be suffering from botulism and wasn't helped by two youths trying to hit it with sticks), 202 Black-headed Gull, Tawny Owl, c30 House Martin, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 4 Willow Warbler; also 2 Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Holly Blue, 13 Silver Y (Des McKenzie).


 * Leyton Flats: 1 ad Mediterranean Gull, small fall of migrants, 4 Willow Warblers, 5+ Chiffchaffs, 2 Blackcaps. (Gary A James).


 * London Wetland Centre: 23 Teal, 8 Shoveler, Hobby, 51 Lapwing, 2 Common Snipe, Redshank, Kingfisher, Yellow Wagtail east, 7 Chiffchaff (LWC website).


 * Paddington Green: m Peregrine Falcon in area a.m.and still present p.m., joined by fem at 18:12, Common Sandpiper heard passing over 01:20, 4 Goldfinch (DMc).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Hobby, 1 Little Owl, 1 Garden Warbler in the middle hedge, several Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 1+ Whitethroat, 4 Swallow, 2 Swift & the usual charm of Goldfinch (Jon Ridge).


 * Rainham Marshes : 6 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Greenshank, 20 Common Sandpiper, 40 Yellow-legged Gull, juv Arctic Tern (Birdguides).


 * Regent's Park: 2 Wood Warblers between enclosure at NE end of lake and St Johns Lodge, plus 2 Garden Warblers, 5 Common Whitethroats, 4 Blackcaps, 12 Willow Warblers, 8 Chiffchaffs, Yellow Wagtail and 80 Swifts(Tony Duckett).


 * Roding Valley Park: Kingfisher, Blackcap, Jay, Kestrel, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Common Tern, small flock of Long-tailed Tits (Alan Hobson).


 * South Norwood Lake: (10:35) Peregrine Falcon, 3 Mute Swan, 4 Cormorant, 8 Tufted Duck,2 Common Swift, 5 Green Woodpecker (2juv) 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, c5 Nuthatch, 1 Pied Wagtail 7 Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Song Thrush, 6 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 6 Long-taileed Tit, 4 House Sparrow, (John Watson)
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery: 6+ Swifts (Bob Watts).


 * Tyttenhanger GPs: Wood Warbler, in trees behind car park by the snack bar - present around 9:30am. (Herts Bird Club website) Hobby, 3 Buzzard. (Steve B)


 * Vauxhall BT: adult f Peregrine same time every day perched (Michael Mac).
 * Walton Res: adult Caspian Gull on causway 1500-1600 when flew off north, thought to be same as KGVI bird (DMH).


 * M25/M40 intersection, Bucks: 3 Common Buzzard circling at 5.15pm (Andy Culshaw).

Sunday 1st August

 * Crayford Marsh: Avocet, whimbrel, 3 greenshank, 6 oystercatcher, 6 common sandpiper, 3 lrp.(KJM).
 * Alexandra Park: Wheatear briefly perched on bramble in SW corner cricket pitch before being flushed into oblivion by dogwalker 8am, also Common Sandpiper (only 2nd of year) Wood Green Res on water feature before flying high off south 0838, Lesser Whitethroat 'Whitethroat' tree near Cricke Pavilion car park, also 20+ Swifts (mostly very high), c4 House Martins (note pair still nesting opposite bus stop near vet/fish n chip shop Hornsey High Street (Bob Watts). Garden Warbler and Willow Warbler Cricket scrub 6pm (Gareth Richards).


 * Barnet - near Dyrham Park -- Buzzard swooping low over trees, then rested on pylon crossbar. (Geoff Crabtree)


 * Brent Reservoir: Black-necked Grebe, Little Egret, Green Sandpiper, 5 Common Sandpiper, 5 Lapwing (Brent Birders)


 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: 1 Heron, 19 Mallard, 5 Moorhen, 7 Coot, 2 Black-headed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 6 Woodpigeon, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Wren, 4 Robin, 7 Blackbird, Blue, Great & Long-tailed Tit flock, 2 Magpie, 1 Carrion Crow, 8 Goldfinch, 4 Greenfinch, 1 Chaffinch. (Conrad Ellam)


 * Crossness: Sandwich Tern east along Thames, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, juv Med Gull, juv Cuckoo, ad Yellow-legged Gull, Dunlin. (Kev Jarvis & I. Miller).


 * Grays Chalk Pit: Little Grebe with 3 well-grown young, Reed Warbler, 2 Willow Warbler; also Painted Lady, Fritillary sp (probably Silver-washed), Ringlet, 2 White-letter Hairstreak, Purple Hairstreak (Des McKenzie, Nick Tanner).


 * Hampton Ferry: Hobby, calling very loudly as it flew upstream. (Adam Cheeseman)
 * Holyfield Farm, Lee Valley 15.00:Turtle Dove, first observed perching in dead tree along footpath towards watch point, 150 yards North of farm. Flew towards farm and down into grass field north of farm house. Also 3 Common Buzzard, 2 Yellowhammer, 1 Little Owl. (N.Smith)


 * Ingrebourne Valley: Peregrine over @ 6.40pm(Shaun Harvey), Hobby circling and calling, 3 Swift (west, just north of Rainham), c. 30 Lapwing, f Red-crested Pochard on Berwick Pond, Great Crested Grebe (on Berwick and Albyne Farm pond), Bullfinch, and 4 Little Egrets (Albion pond, something missing...) Wasp Spider (nasty piece of work it looks too) (Nick Croft)


 * Iver village: 1 Red Kite low over; also on 27 July. (Roger Dewey)


 * Limetrees Park Golf Course (Northolt): Mute Swan + 4 juv, pr Little Grebe + 3 well grown juv, 2 Hobbies hunting dragonflies, f.Kestrel, 6 Stock Dove, c10 Swift, 2 calling Chiffchaff (Neil Anderson)
 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir: 3 Reed Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 1 Pied Wagtail, 3 Pochard, 4 Cormorant, 1 Song Thrush, 3 Stock Dove plus a flock of 80-100 gulls above the reservoir at high tide (mostly Lesser Black-backed and Black-headed Gulls, from what I could see). (Rich Petley).


 * Lower Chingford (footpath off Russell Road): 14 Green Sandpiper, 2 juvenile Shelduck, 1 Teal, 2 Lapwing, Stock Dove, lots of Sand Martin, several House Martin (James Palmer).


 * Pinner Park Farm: Hobby, 1 Garden Warbler around the main pond, several Chiffchaff, 1+ Willow Warbler, 2+ Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Whitethroat, 35+ Goldfinch & 33 Canada Goose (Jon Ridge).


 * Rainham Marshes 10.30-11.30: 3 Marsh Harrier, 1 adult with what looked like a white tag on right wing and light blue on left wing, and two other birds that looked like juveniles. Adult bird circled very high and dissapeared South over river, the other two birds remained hunting, observed from shooting butt hide west side. (N.Smith) 2 Avocet, 1 Black wit, 4 Whimbrel, Ruff, 5 Green Sand, 2 Common Sand, 6 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 3 Snipe, 8 Dunlin, 6 LRP, 12 little egret, 5 teal, 3 shoveler, 1 wigeon.(Paul Hawkins) Yellow-legged Gull, Curlew, 4 Common Sand, 2 Ringed Plover, Peregrine east, bag fulls of Linnet and Goldfinch, Common Whitethroat with a wagtail's tail (hmmm!) Water Vole north of flyover (Nick Croft 14:00-20:00 - threw myself out this time).


 * South Norwood Lake: m Peregrine Falcon, 3 Mute Swan, 12 Tufted Duck, c12 Swifts, 4 Chiffchaff, c4 Nuthatch, 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, c8 Long-tailed Tit, 12 Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Jay, 2 House Sparrow (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)


 * Tufnell Park (Anson Road N7) 1 Sparrowhawk (juvenile) today - 7.30am and perched in open for 1 hour+ this afternoon (Adrian Platt)


 * Wanstead Flats (04:30-09:00) Saturday figures (1): Saturday beaten to the flats by a man with an ironing board, as for the birds not much to see, too early for Larks and pipits (sensible creatures). 1 Swift (circling over Alex), Willow Warbler (1), possible Crossbill (probable slow Greenfinch), 20 Ring-Necked Parakeet (10), 3 Kestrel (2), Shoveler (1), 1 Heron (2), gulls, woodpeckers and very little else to tempt me out of bed early this week (at least till I forget - Nick Croft) - ooh and a Noctule (over Jub Jub).


 * Warren Gorge (Chafford Hundred): 9 Little Egret, 2 Gadwall, Kingfisher, Reed Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler; also 2 Painted Lady (Des McKenzie, Nick Tanner).