LatestNews

By posting news here you agree that your reports may be added to the LNHS database for use in the London Bird Report. A scalable map of the London recording area can be found here. (Q for admin: the scalable map seems centered around Croydon, is that right? See pic on right. /MA) Please list sightings alphabetically by site, following our standard format to assist automatic compilation of records into the database. Only report sightings of wide interest rather than listing all common birds but DO NOT post details of nesting by scarce breeding birds (those included in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended). Any such reports will be removed; please submit them instead to the appropriate LNHS bird recorder. More London bird news can be found on Twitter by searching for sightings from many different observers using the #londonbirds hashtag or by visiting the London Bird Club page (no Twitter account is necessary for either). To join the London Bird Club and support our work please visit the LNHS website. The 2014 London Bird Report is now out - to get a copy please click here

Please feel free to add more general sightings to Samuel's Sightings, I am trying to get the name changed to general sightings, so if anyone knows how to do that then please do tell me. Thank you (SL)

Tuesday 4th October 2016

 * Barnes, Barn Elms Playing Fields: 20 Wigeon onto LWC from W, Shag flew W 07.40, 3 Tawny Owl, very showy here at dawn, 14 alba Wagtail S, 44 Meadow Pipit S/SE and in, 4 Redwing SW/N, 14 Song Thrush SE and in, 24 Linnet SE/NW, 4 Red Admiral SW. (R.Kaye)
 * Brent Reservoir: Best of vis-mig 06:45-08:45: 20 Redwing, 4 Fieldfare, 7 Song Thrush, 15 Meadow Pipit, 8 Pied Wagtail, also male Peregrine over Dump (Andrew Self, Andrew Verrall)
 * Finsbury Park: 7 Gadwall, Red-crested Pochard, Shoveler, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail. RSPCA in attendance to deal with Greylag Geese covered in red EPDM rubber from the relaying of the athletics track (Chris Farthing)
 * Gunpowder Park: Yellow-browed Warbler with tit flock on western perimeter path, mid-morning (Birdguides)
 * Leatherhead, Common Meadow: 2 juvenile Little Grebe, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Kestrel, 4 Stock Dove, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Meadow Pipit (Neil Batten)
 * Purfleet: 3 Golden Plover, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 21 Dunlin, 9 Ringed Plover, 43 Redshank, 29 Lapwing, 40 Teal, 12 Wigeon, 7 Yellow-legged Gull (Fraser Simpson)
 * Ridgeway (Mill Hill): 12 Redwing over heading East, also Coal Tit. (Samuel Levy)
 * Snaresbrook Crown Court: Yellow-browed Warbler in trees on front lawn (Stuart Fisher)
 * Woodberry Wetlands: Common Buzzard circling to the SW @10:30, Kingfisher, 3 Wigeon, Little Egret, 2 Teal (Chris Farthing)
 * Common buzzard flying east over Brixton (John Newton)

Monday 3rd October 2016

 * Alexandra Park: Whinchat 08.30 cricket scrub, 5 Meadow Pipit over (Brian Milligan). 2 Redwing south 0655, also Meadow Pipit. Stonechat  fem/1w around SW perimeter 1815 at least (1st of year), 5 Chiffchaffs in mixed tit flock, 65 Ring-necked Parakeets went to roost flying east over Wood green Res 1810. - record for site(Bob Watts). Stonechat still 1845 (Gareth Richards) Grey Wagtail. Kestrel [Peter Corley]


 * Brent Reservoir: 3 Little Egret, Pintail, 6 Egyptian Goose, 2 Green Sandpiper, 13 Common Snipe, same juv fem Peregrine as yesterday 08:20, 21 Redwing, 1st 3 Fieldfare, 5 Chiffchaff (Andrew Verrall, Andrew Haynes); 45 species 11:58-14:34 hrs, including 75 Northern Shoveler, 114 Eurasian Teal, 153 Tufted Duck (but no sign of Ferruginous Duck), 44 Moorhen, 151 Eurasian Coot, 3 Green Sandpipers, 1 Common Gull, 264 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Kingfisher, 4 Goldcrest, 3 Common Chiffchaff, and 2 Meadow Pipit and 2 Siskin over (Dominic Mitchell)
 * Cowley, Uxbridge: 4 Common Buzzards displaying/fighting over garden at 14.45 (Roger Morton)
 * Dollis Brook (Between Fursby allotments and Playground): Kingfisher, 3 Grey wagtail. (Samuel Levy)
 * East India Dock Basin: 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 97 Teal (John Archer).
 * Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 25 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Common Gull, 1 Dunlin, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Redshank, 13 Teal (Mike Robinson)
 * East Dulwich SE22: 5 Common Buzzard over my garden - 4 together in one group circled for a couple of minutes before drifting south (Steven Robinson)
 * Hampstead Heath: 15 Song Thrush, 4 Linnets, 4 Swallows (S), 30 Meadow Pipits, 10 alba Wagtails, 15 Chiffchaffs, Single Skylark and Siskin (Pete Mantle) Also 2 Stonechats (G.Grandad)
 * Lake Farm Country Park, Hayes: 2 Redwing over, 36 Song Thrush, 9 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap (Dave Morris per FJM). Juvenile Black Redstart on playing field fence S of school at 16:00 (earlier reported on Birdguides). (Bill Haines).
 * Leatherhead, Randalls Way: 3 Common Buzzard circling distantly to the east (Neil Batten)
 * London Wetland Centre: 7 Snipe, 62 Wigeon, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Wheatear, 2 Peregrine, 3 Water Rail, 20+ Meadow Pipit (SW) (WWT Website)
 * Oxleas Wood Common Buzzard Sparrowhawk Tawney Owl[calling] Jackdaw Whinchat[m] Nuthatch Goldcrest Coaltit Great Spotted Woodpecker Chiffchaff Willow Warbler Mistle Thrush [Ron Turner]
 * Richmond Park: 11 Common Buzzard [includes 8 thermalling together at 13:45], 9 Stonechat [excludes Pond Slade and environs], Hobby still, hunting over Pen Ponds, Peregrine through, 3 Skylark and at least 50 Meadow Pipit on the Bog, 1 but probably 2 Kingfisher, 100+ Swallow and 20 or so House Martin noted afternoon, 6 Teal, 4 Gadwall, Reed Bunting, a Linnet lingered over Lawn Field, a charge of Red Admirals through, Small Copper and Small Heath still on the wing (Frank Nugent).
 * Rotherhithe: 2 Little Grebe, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Egyptian Goose, 3 Jay at Southwark Park. Kingfisher, 10 Chiffchaff, Great Spotted Woodpecker at Russia Dock woodland (J & J Cadera )
 * Stoneleigh Broadway KT17: Redwing over calling at 19:00 (Neil Batten)
 * Thames Ditton, KT7: 1 Swallow flying south (Billy Dykes)
 * Woodberry Wetlands: Water Rail, Stonechat, 3 Wigeon, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, 2 Reed Bunting, Yellow-legged Gull (Chris Farthing)
 * Woodford Green: 3 Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, male Sparrowhawk through garden with a Rook going South at 9.25am, plus 5 Common Buzzards passing over between 11.10-11.15am. and my first Redwings of the Autumn, flights of 20, 12 and 4 over (Ken Murray)

Sunday 2nd October 2016
*What happened to Lonsdale R records today?? (Pete Mantle)
 * Alexandra Park: 10 Meadow Pipit, Siskin Top Field, 6 Swallows SW, Jackdaw(Dominic Mitchell, Gareth a Richards)
 * Barnes, Lonsdale Road Reservoir: reposting after a deletion... 4 Great Skua circled 13.40 then up into cloud base, Osprey S 10.40, male Hen Harrier S 11.20, Goshawk circled then into cloud base 13.40, 2 Marsh Harrier S, 11.45 and 15.05, 2 Buzzard S, 2 Kestrel S, Water Rail (R.Kaye) - This post exemplifies why London birders are amongst the very best - fantastic work (JR)
 * Belvedere, Thames (off Crabtree Manorway North): 1 Lapwing, 1 Redshank, 18 Ringed Plover (Mike Robinson)
 * Brent Reservoir: drake Ferruginous Duck just south of Cool Oak Lane bridge, Pintail, Common Buzzard over at 10:09, 2 Peregrine, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 20 Snipe, 1st Brambling and Siskin of Autumn over, also Redwing, 264 House Martin, 46 Swallow (Brent Birders); 1 Little Egret and Jack Snipe showing well at 15:15 (Frank Nugent).
 * Bushy Park: 20-30 House Martin flying west 9.45 am (Ian R Watson)
 * Canons Park (& Seven Acre Lake - Private site), Edgware, Middx. HA8: 4 Common Buzzard migrating west, 18 Swallows briefly over lake, perched female Kingfisher, 4 Great Crested Grebe - 2 adults & 2 stripy young - 5 Cormorants, 3 Grey Heron (Bob Husband et al, NW London RSPB Group - regular Birdwalk)
 * Chiswick, W4: 2 Buzzard SW, 1 Hobby high over, 1 imm Gannet flew very low SW 14.06, was then picked up over Chiswick Bridge going SW by FJM at 14.08 (Oscar Dewhurst).
 * Crossness: Spoonbill flew high NE @ 12:00, probable_Red-footed Falcon fem circled then flew S @ 12:10, 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Wigeon, 2 Shoveler, 2 Stonechat male + female, 8 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Snipe, 1 Little Egret, 1 Yellow-legged Gull adult, 8 Chiffchaff, 6 Goldcrest, 1 Blackcap, 1 Hybrid Shelduck (John Archer)  my records, along with others from George Kalli, were deleted along with other stuff. I can't put George's records back.
 * Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 23 Black-tailed Godwit, 11 Teal (Mike Robinson)
 * Fryent Country Park: 2 Redwing, 2 Grey Wagtail, Common Buzzard (Joe Taylor).
 * Hackney E8 Buzzard circling high over Dalston area 13:20 (Sue Barry)
 * Hackney Marshes : 0930 to 1030: Little Egret below end of flood relief channel, juv Stock Dove north end, Kingfisher,  Sparrowhawk near Middlesex Filter Beds (Alastair Dent)
 * Lake Farm Country Park, Hayes: 1 Black Redstart imm, near school fence (Dave Morris per FJM)
 * London Wetland Centre: 1 Stonechat, 1 Wheatear, 1 Pintail, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Peregrine, 5 Snipe, 3 Swallow (SW) (WWT Website)
 * Lower Clapton E5: 4 Redwing over high east at 1315 (Alastair Dent)
 * Purfleet: 39 Dunlin, 14 Ringed Plover, 32 Teal, 7 Yellow-legged Gull (Fraser Simpson)
 * RSPB Rainham Marshes: 3cy Caspian Gull (pics here) (Dante Shepherd); 2 Whinchats, Marsh Harrier, 3 Greenshanks, 3 Ruffs, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits (Ian Bradshaw); also 2 Pied Wagtail, 308 Teal, Cetti's Warbler, 40 Lapwing, 405 Greylag, Marsh Harrier, 2 Bearded Tit, 42 Swallow, Peregrine, 6 Kestrel, Fieldfare, 2 Grey Wagtail, 4 Ruff, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 21 Shovelers, 20 Gadwall, 5 Snipe, 3 Stonechat, 26 Linnet, 4 Pochard, Kingfisher, 2 Buzzard, 2 Redwing, 2 Sparrowhawk, Willow Warbler, 51 House Martin (Samuel Levy)  
 * Ruislip Lido/Woods: Little Egret, 37 Pochard, Meadow Pipit, 80+ House Martin (possibly many more drifting over), 10 + Swallow, Siskin over (Neil Anderson/K. Bull)
 * Sewardstone, Mott Street,Trueloves, grid ref. TQ391976; Yellow-browed Warbler, calling several times 11:45-12:15 in pine belt (Andrew Middleton) and calling again & seen briefly along hedge near west end of belt at 14:35 (with Neville Smith).
 * Sewardstone Marsh: Stonechat on Patty Pool meads (Neville Smith).
 * Stratford, Olympic Park: Wheatear, 21 Meadow Pipit, f Yellow Wagtail, 4 Redwing N (Stuart Fisher)
 * Totteridge Valley: 5 Teal, 33 Swallow (inc. flock of 32 flying South at dusk 18:50), Linnet, 2 Chiffchaff, Tawny Owl (Ian Ellis)
 * Walthamstow: Lockwood: Grey Plover still (Stuart Fisher)
 * Woodford Green: Osprey high over forest at 9.40am heading SSW.(Ken Murray)

Saturday 1st October 2016

 * Alexandra Park: 1st w fem Common Redstart late pm on western perimeter of cricket pitches and edge of cricket scrub. Common Whitethroat am (Gareth Richards)
 * Battersea Park late aft: 2 Yellow-legged Gulls on river ad/2cy, 14 House Martins SW, 3 Meadow Pipits W, Spotted Flycatcher (West Island Main lake), 3 Chiffchaff, male Firecrest (40m N of Rowen Gate), 12 Goldcrest, 7 Coal Tit, 38 Long-tailed Tit, 18 Goldfinch (Nick Senior)
 * Brent Reservoir: drake Ferruginous Duck, 2 Jack Snipe, Pintail, Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, 20 Snipe, 300 House Martin (Brent Birders)
 * Brookmill Park: Kingfisher (Conrad Ellam)
 * Cowley, Uxbridge: 3 Yellow Wagtails in field north of Manor Farm off St. Peter's Road at 16.15 (Roger Morton)
 * Dollis Brook (Totteridge): Gull Flock this evening on the field between Brook Farm open space and Wyatt's Farm open space at 1815, 3cy Caspian gull, 3 Herring Gull, 22 Black Headed Gull, and a Green Woodpecker (Samuel Levy)
 * Fairlop Waters: 2 Stonechats, 2 Swallows (Alan Bell)
 * Finchley (Garden): An intermittent flow of House Martins since 17:10 has produced so far 10 birds, heading Southwest. Another 14 over at 1835 heading South-west. Also a Grey Heron over heading North at 18:35 (Samuel Levy)
 * Fryent Country Park: Hawfinch near Barn Hill Pond at 08:45 (Joe Taylor).
 * Fulham Reach (Thames): 12 Eurasian Teal, 1 Tufted Duck, 136 Black-headed Gull, 21 Cormorant (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Hackney Marshes: autumn arrivals - 6 Teal, 2 Little Grebe on the Old River Lea (Alastair Dent)
 * KGV Reservoir: 6 Goosander, Common Snipe, 2 Dunlin, Ringed Plover (Neville Smith).
 * London Wetland Centre: 1 Pintail, 1 Wheatear, 1 Peregrine, 1 Kingfisher, 3 Water Rail, 8 Snipe, 2 Siskin, 40+ Wigeon, 15+ Meadow Pipit (NW/SW) (WWT Website)
 * Pinner (HA5): Chiffchaff at the end of the garden (Jon Ridge).
 * Purfleet: 89 Redshank, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 31 Dunlin, 14 Ringed Plover, 38 Teal, 3 Yellow-legged Gull (Fraser Simpson)
 * Richmond Park: Wheatear, 3 Skylark, 50 Meadow Pipit, 2 Stonechat and 10+ House Martin (all the Bog), 3 Song Thrush, 2 Chiffchaff and Blackcap (Holly Lodge) (Hugh Bradshaw); Autumn bird count 62 species including - 6 Teal, Little Egret, Buzzard, Hobby, 2 Water Rail heard, 2 Kingfisher, c120 House Martin, 17 Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Wheatear, 6 Stonechat, 3 Redwing, 8 Chiffchaff, c100 Goldfinch, 2 Siskin (RPBRG)
 * Rye Meads: Bittern (BirdGuides)
 * Ten Acre Wood area: 2 m Pheasant, 2 Buzzard, 16 Lapwing, 13 Skylark, 15 House Martin, c20 Meadow Pipit, Wheatear, 3 Redwing, 5 Mistle Thrush, 7 local Rook low N, 8-10 Reed Bunting, c30 Linnet (Neil Anderson)
 * Sewardstone Marsh: Water Rail in relief channel, 3 Swallow, 20+ House Martin, Sand Martin, Siskin, Bullfinch (Neville Smith).
 * Stoneleigh KT17: 51 House Martin w, 23 Meadow Pipit s. (Neil Batten)
 * Totteridge Valley: 2 Chiffchaff, 5 Swallow, Sparrowhawk, Grey Wagtail before rain stopped play (John Colmans)
 * Trent Park: 14 Mandarin Duck 9 m 5 f, 2 Teal eclipse m and f, 3 Blackcap 2 m 1 f, 2 Chiffchaff, Goldcrest (Robert Callf)
 * Walthamstow Marshes: 2 Yellow Wagtail bomb crater field, 2 Whinchat at western end of boardwalk, Kestrel, House Martin south (Harringay Birder) Also 1 Stonechat BCF, plus same or 2 more Yellow Wagtail side paddocks, 5 Swallows SW over stables (Alastair Dent) 4 Whinchat at 3.30 3 (f) 1 (m) (Marcus Mitchell )
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: juv. Grey Plover (for 2nd day) on the Lockwood, though flew off to High Maynard briefly. 1 Common Sandpiper. Few Meadow Pipits over. 4+ Cettis Warblers, mostly on South side. 3cy, 2x 1cy Yellow-legged Gulls. 3 Wigeon, few Swallows, 30+ House Martin, 2 Peregrine, Goldcrest. (A Winstanley, J Partridge, P Whiteman)
 * Wanstead Flats: 3 Common Whitethroat, 10 Blackcap, 25+ Chiffchaff, c40 Swallow, 12 Sand Martin, 22 House Martin, 20+ Meadow Pipit, 2 Reed Bunting (Tony Brown)
 * Wimbledon Common: Spotted Flycatcher, Stonechat, Common Buzzard (David Wills).
 * Woodberry Wetlands: Common Snipe, Kingfisher, 3 Teal, Wigeon, 3 Egyptian Geese (Chris Farthing)

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