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.

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 (sightings of a more general nature may be recorded on the General sightings page). 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

Saturday 6th May 2017

 * Alexandra Park: Red Kite NNE 1105 high, Northern Wheatear filter beds, Little. Egret NW 1000, 35+ Swift, 5 Swallow NNW, 2 House Martin, Willow Warbler m west of ski slope, 3m 2f Pochard Boating Lake (Gareth. Richards, Bob Watts)
 * Amwell: Black Tern, 100+ Swift (Twitter)
 * Beddington Farmlands: Iceland Gull 2cy, Wood Sandpiper, F Ring Ouzel, Greenshank, 13 Common Sandpiper, c150 Swift, 3 Yellow Wagtail (Twitter)
 * Brent Reservoir: 3 Oystercatcher on mud for 5 mins, 4 Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Snipe, Lapwing for 15 mins, c200 Swift feeding, 40+ Swallow, 6 House Martin, 4 Sand Martin, Cetti's Warbler, Garden Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 4 Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, male Peregrine (Brent Birders)
 * Clapham High Street SW4: 13 swifts overhead (OSL)
 * Clapton E5: 30+ Swifts over Powerscroft Rd/Chatsworth Rd junction at 1500 (Alastair Dent)
 * Cowley, Uxbridge UB8: 1 Swift over (at last!). (Roger Dewey)
 * Finchley: Garden N3 - 2 Swift, 6 Starling, 5 Stock Dove, 2 Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Samuel Levy)
 * Greenford UB6: circling Sparrowhawk over garden, 12+ Swift (Neil Anderson)
 * Hampstead Heath: Parliament Hill, 70+ Swifts feeding at 1100 + 5 Swallows and 3 House Martins over, drake Gadwall still on Highgate 1 (Pete Mantle)
 * Hyde Park: possible Iberian Chiffchaff 10 metres NW of Henry Moore Arch singing and showing until 3.20 at least, plumage & bare part tones and structure all spot on, classic ibericus short trill song & call - no collybita type song or call heard, 60 Swift, 4 Swallow, 2 Wheatear, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Common Chiffchaff (Nick Senior) No sight or sound of possible Iberian Chiffchaff between 17.40-1855. 1 Little Egret flew NW @18.30, 2 Hobby over. (Bob Watts, Franko J Maroevic.)
 * Island Barn Reservoir: 250+ Swift, 2 Greenshank, 5 Common Sandpiper, 1 Yellow Wagtail. Chris Turner)
 * Lilly's Wood, Chelsfield: 7 Blackcap, 10 Chiffchaff, 1 Sparrowhawk (female), 2 Bullfinch, 3 Goldcrest, 3 Treecreeper, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Nuthatch, 3 Song Thrush - 09.00-10.45 (Jamie Fletcher)
 * North Finchley (N12): 4 Swift over Hutton Grove/Nether Street (Samuel Levy)
 * Kingston Hospital: 4 Swift over (P.Redmon)
 * Lamorbey Park : Pair Mute Swan, Grey Heron, Pair Tufted Duck , Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming, Common Whitethroat, 4 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Black-headed Gulls over, 3 Goldcrest singing, Pied Wagtail (Mike Amos). 5-10 Swift early pm (Ian Stewart)
 * London Wetland Centre: Grey Plover still, 2 Common Tern briefly, Wheatear (WWT); Jack Snipe, Ringed Plover, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 8 Common Sandpiper, m Wigeon, 3m 1f Shoveler, 2 Teal - a pair, 8 Mandarin Duck, 170 Herring Gull, 15 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull 2nd summer, 150 Swift, 25 Swallow, Grey Wagtail over, m Ring Ouzel, Whitethroat. (R.Kaye, J.Wilczur) m Pochard x Tufted Duck paired with a fem Tufted Duck x Scaup (!), Little Egret, 5 Yellow Wagtail, fem Blue-headed Wagtail (RK, JW, W. Newnham & Martin Honey)
 * Plumstead Common SE18: 19:00 6 Common Swift circling over and calling, then at 20 minute intervals groups of about 15 higher above N. 1992 at least 10 pairs breeding in 4 local streets of terraced housing. About 4 pairs in area 2006 (Patrick English). Two Swift calling seen heading NW just NW of Shrewsbury Park 12pm (Tim Rymer).
 * Rainham Marshes: Singing QUAIL on hill near Aveley car park 100m west of car park (Shaun Harvey-Twitter); Quail was at 9.45 (BirdGuides) still present 10:30 (Shaun Harvey-Twitter) heard calling at 16:00. 5 Wood Sandpipers (3 Target Pool, 2 Winter Pool), Jack Snipe (Purfleet Scrape) (Sean Huggins) 32 Grey Plover, 2 Knot, 10 Common Sandpiper, 8 Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, 8 Whimbrel, 30 + Dunlin, Ring Ouzel, 7 Wheatear, 2 Hobby, 2 Cuckoo (Nick Croft/James Heal)
 * Ruislip Lido: 3 Oystercatcher attempted to land on large raft but seen off by feisty Mallard, 15 Herring Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Garden Warbler, Goldcrest, good numbers of House Martin and Swallow (Martin Smith)
 * Scadbury Park: Cormorant over, 2+ Pheasant, 20+ Swift NW, 3+ Swallow, Garden Warbler showed v well near Perry St entrance, 8+ Blackcap, 12 Whitethroat, 6+ Chiffchaff, Bullfinch (Ian Stewart, Mike Amos) Lesser Whitethroat, 4+ Bullfinch (Bill Whitaker per Ian Stewart)
 * Sidcup DA15: Reed Warbler singing in small hedgerow at Old Farm Park along path to footbridge over railway, highly unusual location for this species (Ian Stewart)
 * Swanscombe Marshes: 2m 1f Marsh Harrier, 1m 1f Bearded Tit, calling Cuckoo (Rob Tomalin)
 * Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: 22 Singing Chiffchaff, 27 House Martin, 4 Swift, 21 Swallow, 4 Herring Gull, 30 Stock Dove, 22 Singing Common Whitethroat, 26 Ring-necked Parakeet including 20+ on the ground near Folly Farm, 2 Singing Blackcap, 4 Singing Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Common Buzzard, Kestrel, 2 Mandarin Duck + Mallard with 3 ducklings on Darlands Lake, Reed Bunting, 8 Rook, Pheasant, Kingfisher flew up stream near Folly Farm, Goldcrest, Lesser Black Backed Gull, 3 Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grasshopper Warbler Reeling still. Video Here.  (Samuel Levy)
 * Trent Park: 2 Common Buzzard, 25+ Swift feeding, 1 Swallow, Lesser Whitethroat singing male, 2 singing male Garden Warbler (Robert Callf)
 * Twickenham: Common Sandpiper flying from riverbank at Marble Hill over to Ham House side, 11:45 (Mike Foster)
 * Walthamstow Marshes: 6 Stock Dove, 4 Mistle Thrush, 2 Linnet on rear paddocks, 2 Swallows heading N at 1430 (Alastair Dent)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Hobby, 50+ Swifts, 30+ Swallows, f Teal, pr Shoveler, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Common Sandpipers, 10 Common Terns, Yellow Wagtail over, 3 Wheatear, singing Willow Warbler (Lol Bodini).
 * West Finchley Station: 4 Swallow N 13:00. (Samuel Levy)

Friday 5th May 2017

 * Bankside SE1: Garden Warbler in community garden east of Tate Modern (G Sawtell)
 * Barnes Pond: 3 Swift over early morning (Rich Petley)
 * Beech Hill Lake, Monken Hadley Common: Great Crested Grebe, 2 male Mandarin Duck, 8 Coot pr and six chicks (Robert Callf)
 * Clapton E5: 3 Swift. Swifts returned last year on 04.May (M.Kempa)
 * Crayford Marshes: Arctic Tern upriver 15.38, 3 Gadwall, m Wigeon with damaged wing, 2 Teal, Little Egret, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 2 Oystercatcher, Lapwing, 5 Common Sandpiper, 4 Greenshank, 3+ Whimbrel, 2 Common Tern, Cuckoo, 10+ Swift, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Wheatear, 2 Blackcap, 10+ Whitethroat, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, 3+ Cetti's Warbler, 4+ Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff (Ian Stewart)
 * Dalston: 10 Swift. Swifts returned last year on 3 May (Jon Agar)
 * Dollis Brook, Holders Hill: 6 Swift Low NE 07:05, singing Chiffchaff, Stock Dove, Mallard with 3 Ducklings in the Brook. (Samuel Levy)
 * Eastcote (Field End Recreation Ground): 2 Swift heading north, 1 Swallow north west (Tim Rymer).
 * Finchley: Garden N3 - 34 Swift through between 17:00- 18:15 mainly NE, 6 Starlings, 5 Stock Dove + 30 S 17:00-1815, 2 Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker. (Samuel Levy)
 * Finsbury Park: Finsbury Park swifts have returned (day later than last year) (reported to G Sawtell)
 * Foots Cray Meadows: 1 Common Buzzard, 4 Common Swift, 1 Barn Swallow. (Patrick English)
 * Hyde Park: Wheatear on Parde Ground briefly at 11.30am. (Dave Jordan); 1 Yellow-legged Gull 3cy, Black Tern briefly at 11.20 then high NE, c.260 Swifts in at 11.30 the drifted E, 7 Barn Swallow W, 2 House Martin, 3 Grey Wagtail, Lesser Whitethroat, 11 Blackcap, 2 Garden Warbler, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 6 Reed Warbler (Nick Senior)
 * Greenwich: Swift (Ray Crouch)
 * KGV Reservoir: S Basin - 1 Black Tern with 30+ Common tern, Oystercatcher flew N, 3 Greenshank (1 on N Basin), N basin: 1 Turnstone, 2 L R Plover, 8+ Common Sandpiper on Both Basins. 1 - 1.30pm (Davey Leach).
 * Leatherhead, Randalls Way: 1 Common Swift ne 09:05. Two more Swifts distantly at 12:40. Common Buzzard 12:50 Another swift ne at 13:10 second Common Buzzard 13:35 (Neil Batten)
 * Lewisham. Swift 8.30 (Conrad Ellam)
 * London Olympic Park : Kingfisher, Sedge Warbler, 3 Sandmartin, Song Thrush, Blackcap (Roger Keith)
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Wood Sandpiper, Grey Plover, Jack Snipe, 4 Common Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull 2cy, 240 Herring Gull, 25 Lesser Black-backed Gull, juv male Peregrine low over reserve, 100 Swift, 2m Ring Ouzel still, Yellow Wagtail (J.Wilczur, R. Kaye) 1f Whinchat (anon et al), Ring Ouzel, Grey Plover, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Common Sandpiper, 12 Shelduck (Shailesh Patel) 6 Common Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe, 1 Wheatear (Martin Honey) 1 Whimbrel main lake (Sam) 1 Brent Goose main lake (V.Picken)Grey_Plover.jpg
 * Mile End: Kestrel north 1220 (Bob Watts)
 * Mayflower Park: Hobby, 5 Swifts, 2 singing Sedge Warblers, 6 Reed Warbler territories (Bob Smith)
 * Oxleas Wood 40 Swift 8 Swallow 2 Hobby Whitethroat Kestrel[m] Jackdaw Goldfinch Coaltit Greenwoodpecker Blackcap[m] Chiffchaff Common Buzzard [John Bushell Ron Turner]
 * Palmers Green, N13: Hobby and Swift flew SE over River Avenue at 19:20 (Katy McGilvray)
 * Petts Wood: Swift, 3 Swallow, 4 Blackcap, Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff, Treecreeper, Bullfinch (Ian Stewart)
 * Purfleet: 1 Little Tern, 1 Arctic Tern, 4 Sanderling, 17 Grey Plover, 1 Turnstone, 6 Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Ringed Plover, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 1 Whimbrel, 3 Dunlin, 3 Oystercatcher, 1 Redshank, 1 Lapwing (Fraser Simpson)
 * Rainham Marshes: 4 Oystercatcher, 21 Grey Plover, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 6 Ringed Plover, 2 Whimbrel, Curlew, 11 Bar-tailed Godwit, 17 Black-tailed Godwit, 30 Dunlin, 2 Knot, 2 Ruff, Common Sandpiper, 5 Wood Sandpipers (2 Winter pool, 3 Target pools), 5 Wheatears, Ring Ouzel (fem on lower path at Aveley Bay) (Sean Huggins)  Little Tern (at same time as Fraser), 22 Grey Plover, 40 + Ringed Plover, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 50 + Dunlin, 2 Sanderling (as above), Curlew Sandpiper (HV), 10 + Whimbrel, 3 + Ruff, 2 Hobby, 2 Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, 3 Pintail, 2 Cuckoo, House Martin, many Swallow coming across the river, Sand Martin, many Swift, 3 Lesser Whitethroat (RSPB/Howard Vaughan et al)
 * Richmond Park: 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Common Tern (S.Read per JW); Red Kite (Friday Group) 4 Sandpipers at 6:15pm. 3 were Common but not sure about fourth (Phil Davies). 2 Stonechat at gorse enclosures (Richard Goodman). 1f.Wheatear (Nigel Jackman).
 * Romford (Collier Row) 2 Swift's 17:30 (G J Francis)
 * Staines Moor: Grasshopper Warbler reeling (near Bonehead Ditch), 4 Hobby, 2 Kestrel, Red Kite, Wheatear, 3 Little Egret, 2 Shelduck (Colne), Redshank (Colne), 2 Linnet, 2 Green Woodpecker, lots of singing warblers inc 3 Cetti's & Lesser Whitethroat, Skylarks in song-flight, 3 House Martin, lots of swallows and swifts - personal total 48 species. Bar-tailed Godwit and Lapwing reported by another birder ("Bob") (Alex Massey)
 * Thames off Pimlico gardens SW1: 196 Herring Gull 7 Great Black Backed Gull, 23 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 1 Caspian Gull 3cy, 1 Yellow-legged Gull near adult, Wheatear male leucorhoa on shore (Nick Senior)
 * Tooting Commons: Grey Wagtail feeding on muddy margin at south end of lake, Swallow north 15:40, 2 Swift near lake, Sparrowhawk over Bedford Wood, 2 Pied Wagtail over cricket pitch, 2 Mistle Thrush (James Hudson)
 * Tottenham N15: 5 - 6 Swift over w. end Philip Lane and a Little Egret heading east low over West Green Road j/w Black Boy Lane @ 6:15pm (HarringayBirder)
 * Totteridge Valley: Swift, 2 Swallow, three singing Lesser Whitethroat, usual numbers of Whitethroat, Blackcap and Chiffchaff, 2 Common Buzzard, Kestrel, 4 Rook, pair of Tufted Duck and pair of Coot on Totteridge Long Pond, also two broods of Mallard and one of Canada Goose in area (John Colmans)
 * Thames Ditton (KT7): 1 Swift E, 1 Green Woodpecker (Billy Dykes)
 * Victoria Park: 5+ Sand Martin, Pochard m & f West Lake (Bob Watts)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs (Lockwood): Arctic Tern and Redshank (both High Maynard), plus 200+ Common Swifts, 16 + Sand Martins, 4 House Martins, 3 Swallows, 4 Common Terns, 4 Common Sandpipers, Lesser Whitethroat (David Callahan). east warwick - 3 Greenshank, yellow wag, wheatear (Jamie Partridge)
 * West Harrow: first Swift of the year - one day later than 2016 (Alex Massey)
 * Woodberry Wetlands: Peregrine, Common Sandpiper, Shelduck, 29 Swift (Chris Farthing) Our first annual patch count takes place on Sunday 7th May. To help, just turn up during open hours (09:00-16:30), or contact nlegall@wildlondon.org.uk to join in any time from 06:00-18:00. Sightings can be posted here or on Twitter with hashtag #WWPC17. Our target is 60 species.
 * Wormwood Scrubs: 2 Swift, 1 Swallow, 1 m Kestrel, c12 Whitethroat, c10 Blackcap, 6 Chiffchaff, 2 Canada Geese - rare to have them on the ground here (Char

Thursday 4th May 2017

 * Alexandra Park: 5+ Swift mostly east of. Wood. Green Res also Swallow 1745 (Bob Watts)
 * Bankside SE1: Garden Warbler; Common Whitethroat at east end of Tate Modern. (Simon Fogg)
 * Barn Elms playing fields SW13: 66 Stock Dove - including a territorial bird and probably a record flock for the site (J.Wilczur)
 * Bentley Priory NR, Stanmore, Middx: Grey Wagtail feeding fledgling by weir, Garden Warbler, 3 Common Buzzard, Red Kite (Bob Husband, Brian Hunter et al)
 * Brent Reservoir: 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Snipe, 50+ Swift feeding for an hour, 25+ Swallow, 8 House Martin, 2 Sand Martin, Cetti's Warbler, 2 Garden Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Reed Warbler, male Peregrine (Brent Birders)
 * Crayford Marshes: Hobby, 2 Gadwall, Little Egret, m Marsh Harrier, 2 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 3 Oystercatcher, Lapwing, 8 Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Redshank, 3 Greenshank, 5-8 Whimbrel, 2-3 Cuckoo, Swift N, 3+ Skylark, 2 Swallow, 2+ Meadow Pipit, Wheatear, 3 Blackcap, 10+ Whitethroat, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Sedge Warbler, 5+ Reed Warbler, 4+ Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Bunting (Ian Stewart)
 * Eastcote (Field End Recreation Ground): 3 Swift over, heading north (Tim Rymer).


 * Finchley: Garden N3 - 5 Stock Dove, 5 Starling, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Cormorant + Lesser Black Backed Gull E 19:02. (Samuel Levy)
 * Hilfield Park Reservoir: 2 Slavonian Grebe, view from Hogg Lane obs platform (Twitter)
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: Mandarin male, 3 Red-Crested Pochard males, 12 Gadwall, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Whimbrel ENE @ 16.45, 2 Swift, 1 Barn Swallow, 1 Meadow Pipit, 6 Pied Wagtail, 4 Yellow Wagtail ESE, 2 Garden Warbler 8+ Blackcap, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 7 Reed Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Linnet East (Nick Senior)
 * Ickenham, Riverside Open Space: 2 Red Kite, 2 Common Buzzard, 2 Bullfinch, 1 Little Egret feeding on River Pinn, Kingfisher, 5 Grey Wagtail, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Common Whitethroat, 3 Swift, 4 Swallow (Frank Nugent)
 * Isle of Dogs: 2 Swifts 1600 just south of Canary Wharf (Bob Watts)
 * Islington, Thornhill Square, Linnet NW 2pm (Pete Mantle)
 * KGV Reservoir: Black Tern, 20 + Common Tern, Kittiwake (not looking entirely great, found sleeping up against the retaining wall on the west side, but then disappeared), 2 Hobby mingling with a few hundred Swift and many Swallow and Sand Martin, up to 10 Common Sandpiper, Lesser Whitethroat singing along overflow drain, 2 Wheatear and 2 Yellow Wagtail reported to us as present (Nick Croft/Marco Johnson)
 * Kingston: Common Sandpiper on bank opposite Trowlock Island 0900 (Mike Foster)
 * Lee Valley, Fishers Green: 3 Nightingales, 1 Cuckoo, Kingfisher and rather surprising for the time of year; 1 male Wigeon accompanied by 2 females (Mike Oakland)
 * Lee Valley, Holyfield Hall Farm: 1 Yellow Wagtail (Mike Oakland)
 * Lee Valley, Langridge: 2 pairs of Shelduck, 6 Barnacle Geese, 1 male Teal, 1 male Shoveler (Mike Oakland)
 * Leatherhead Station: 1 singing Lesser Whitethroat, 1 singing Blackcap. 1 Common Swift low ne 16:10. 1 Female Sparrowhawk carrying apparent Long-tailed Tit prey item (Neil Batten)
 * London Wetland Centre: 4 Whimbrel high E at 09.00, Ring Ouzel (male) Res Lagoon NE corner, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 7 Swift (Twitter) m Garganey, Buzzard, 3 Whimbrel NE at 11.15, 3 Greenshank E at 11.45, Jack Snipe, 3 Common Snipe, Caspian Gull 2cy - a new bird, 5 Yellow-legged Gull - four 2cy and one 3cy, Common Gull 2cy, 520 Herring Gull - more than usual, Commic Tern - over high, Swallow - a bird present for a few days, 6+ Yellow Wagtail, 2m Ring Ouzel (R.Kaye, J.Wilczur); 2 Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper (anon); 14 Yellow Wagtail late afternoon (Martin Honey, Yvonne Simmons) 2 Peregrine on Charing Cross Hospital, 1 Swallow on electric fence round grazing marsh, 5 Common Snipe and a pair of Lapwing with 1 chick on grazibg marsh (Martin Honey)
 * Pinner (HA5): Swift at last, Coal Tit & Goldfinch (Jon Ridge)
 * Purfleet: Little Stint, Turtle Dove flew E 0816, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit, 3 Ringed Plover, 3 Dunlin, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Wheatear (Fraser Simpson)
 * Rainham Marshes: Wood Sandpiper (BirdGuides). Thieves operate in car park. Still no sign of birders rucksack, Zeiss 10x40B binoculars, Canon digital camera, fieldguides, irreplaceable notebooks etc.
 * Thames Ditton: 1 Swift N 17:40 (Martin Stevens)
 * Trent Park: 3 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Common Whitethroat, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldfinch, m Bullfinch, Garden Warbler, pair Tufted Duck, 3 m Mandarin, Speckled Wood. ( Pete Lowman).
 * Twickenham: 3 Swift over Thames by Marble Hill at 1715 (Mike Foster)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Turnstone on East Warwick (Barry Jones). Hobby, Whimbrel, 2 Lapwings, Skylark, Whinchat, Lesser Whitethroat, 50+ Swifts & Sand Martins, 6 House Martins, 10 Swallow (Paul Watts, Lol Bodini, Lol Cummings)
 * Upper College Farm, Bexley: Red Kite drifting south-west 10.20 (Jim Butler)

Wednesday 3rd May 2017

 * Alexandra Park: 3 Swallow 0700 (Bob Watts)
 * Arnos Park: Little Egret over at 14:00 and Kingfisher (Frank Nugent).
 * Bankside SE1: Common Whitethroat in birch trees at east end of Tate Modern. (Simon Fogg)
 * Beddington Farmlands: 1 Black Redstart, 2 Dunlin, 5 LRP, 1 Snipe, 1 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 8 Lapwing, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Hobby, 1 Peregrine, 1 Pochard, 1 1st s Caspian Gull, 1 Glaucous Gull, 1 Wheatear, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 5 Sedge Warbler, 40+ Swallow, 2 House Martin, 8 Swift. pics here(Peter Alfrey, BFBG)
 * Brent Reservoir: Common Sandpiper, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 7 Swallow, 2 Cetti's Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat in allotments (Andrew Self); plus 2 more Swallow, 9 Sand Martin, 6 House Martin, 4 Black-headed Gull, singing Garden Warbler by Main Hide, singing Lesser Whitethroat opposite Heron Hide, singing Reed Bunting, Black Swan (Andrew Haynes); Brent Birders, could I have contact info to obtain hide keys please? (Mark F); Hi Mark – info about keys is on the Welsh Harp Conservation Group website (AH). Thanks.
 * East Barnet: 2 Little Egret together over Brunswick Park at 10:15 (Frank Nugent).
 * Finchley: Garden N3 - 5 Stock Dove, 5 Starling, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Jay, 2 Mallard N + 1 Cormorant N 16:20, 20 Ring-necked Parakeet (Samuel Levy)
 * Grovelands Park: 4 Great Crested Grebe pr with two small chicks, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, 6 Canada Goose pr and four goslings, 5 Egyptian Goose pr and three goslings, 4 male Mandarin Duck, 4 Eurasian Teal 2m 2f - my latest spring record in the Enfield area! 24 Tufted Duck 15m 9f, Green Woodpecker, 11 Barn Swallow, 2 Grey Wagtail pair (Robert Callf)
 * Isle of Dogs, Saunders Ness: Yellow-legged Gull (3cy) (Sean Huggins)
 * KGV Reservoir: S Basin 3 Black Tern, 1 Kittiwake, 6 Arctic Tern, 12 Common Tern, 60+ Swift, 6 House Martin, 8 Swallows. 7 - 7.30am (Davey Leach); pm 6 Black Tern,100+ Swift, 50 Swallow, 50 House Martin, 30 Common Tern (Tony Clancy)
 * Kingston Hospital: Pied Wagtail on roof (P.Redmond)
 * Oxleas Wood: Goldcrest, Common Whitethroat, Stock Dove, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Goldfinch, Chiffchaff, Blackcap (m), 2 Green Woodpecker, Chaffinch (fm) (Ron Turner)
 * Rainham Marshes: Little Tern downriver 08:28 (Dante Shepherd), passing Purfleet at 08:29 (Fraser Simpson); Also Curlew Sandpiper, 43 Dunlin, 4 Ringed Plover, 15 Bar-tailed Godwit, 10 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Whimbrel, 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Caspian Gull (all 2cy), Mediterranean Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Arctic Tern, 3 Cuckoo, 9 Swallow, 15 Sand Martin, 2 Bearded Tit, Grasshopper Warbler, Ring Ouzel (pic here), 4 Wheatear (Dante Shepherd)
 * Rotherhithe: 5 (4 drake) Red-crested Pochard on Greenland Dock/South Dock (Richard Bonser)
 * Swanley Park : Common Sandpiper, 3 swallow, 2 Egyptian Geese, 2 Grey Wagtail (Andy Meaton)
 * Sutcliffe Park: Little Grebe pair with 2 chicks, Little Egret, 2 Stock Dove, 2 Sand Martin, 2 Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 2 Linnet (Conrad Ellam)
 * The Ridgeway, Mill Hill: singing Willow Warbler, 4 singing Chiffchaff, 3 Mistle Thrush, 2 Stock Dove, Green Woodpecker (heard), 2 Jay, 20+ Ring-necked Parakeet (Samuel Levy)
 * Totteridge Valley:1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling, 6 Lesser Whitethroat singing,10 Rooks (Tony Clancy)
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: 1/2 singing Blackcap (Charlie Farrell)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: 3 Arctic Terns N over Lockwood @19.30, also Oystercatcher & 2 Swallows (Lol Bodini/Jamie Partridge).
 * Westbourne Park, Meanwhile Gardens: 2 singing Blackcap, 1 singing Goldcrest, 1 singing Grey Wagtail, Mute Swan, Coot and Moorhen all incubating (Charlie Farrell)

Tuesday 2nd May 2017

 * Alexandra Park: 4+ Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap, 2 Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Swallow, Wheatear (male Greenland race, cricket pavilion), 2 Whitethroat (Bruce Carson); Wheatear still 1730 east of cricket pavilion, also Swallow, 3 House Martin Wood Green Res 1800 (Bob Watts)
 * Bankside SE1: Sedge Warbler singing in bushes just east of Anchor pub; Garden Warbler singing in community garden east of Tate Modern (G Sawtell)
 * Barnes Waterside: 4 Swift high N, singing Cetti's Warbler, Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap (Neil Anderson)
 * Brent Reservoir: Whimbrel (E Marsh), Lapwing, Snipe, 2 Common Sandpiper, Common Buzzard, 2 Cetti's Warbler, Garden Warbler (Steve Leeke per Roy Beddard)
 * Broadwater Lake: Cuckoo somewhere along adjacent canal (Dan Pinkham)
 * Covet Wood & Poverest Park, Orpington: 7 Chiffchaff, 8 Blackcap, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker - 11.30-12.00 (Jamie Fletcher)
 * Croxley Common Moor: Little Egret, 2 Red Kite, female Sparrowhawk, 4 Common Buzzard (1 bird displaying), pair of Kestrel, Black-headed Gull, 2 Common Tern along canal, Swallow over, House Martin over, 2 Sedge Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, plenty of Common Whitethroat and Blackcap, 3 Garden Warbler, several Chiffchaff (Des McKenzie).
 * Deptford: 2 Sandwich Tern East down river 17:30 Greenland Dock (Gus Wilson)
 * East Barnet: Little Egret over Pymmes Brook at East/West Walk (Frank Nugent).
 * Edgware Road: Red Kite south mid morning (Jamie Partridge)
 * Frays Farm Meadows LWT: Grasshopper Warbler, 3 Sedge Warbler, 2 Common Whitethroat, 3+ Garden Warbler (Dan Pinkham)
 * Gallions Reach: 3 adult Kittiwake downriver (KJM)
 * Hyde Park: House Martin (Ray Crouch); Little Ringed Plover circled then West, 4 Swift, Spotted Flycatcher - WH Hudson memorial, 2 Garden Warbler, 8 Blackcap, Cetti's Warbler, 3 Reed Warbler, 4 Sedge Warbler, 1 Whitethroat (N P Senior)
 * Ingrebourne Valley: 3 m Cuckoo, pair Yellowhammer, 2 Sedge Warbler, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 9 Whitethroat, 8 Blackcap, 6 Chiffchaff, 6 Willow Warbler, 9 Cetti's Warbler, 7 Reed Warbler, pair Kestrel, 3 Linnet (DMcG)
 * Isle of Dogs, Millwall Inner Dock: 5 Red-crested Pochard 4m 1f (Richard Harrison).
 * KGV Reservoir: Greenshank on N. Basin (S Bank), 12+ Common Sandpiper, 2 Arctic Tern, 12 Common Tern & 1 Little Ringed Plover on S. Basin. 12.20 - 12.50pm (Davey Leach); 2 Lesser Whitethroat, f Goldeneye (Chris Farthing)
 * Mayflower Park: Sedge Warbler, Swift 3 (Bob Smith)
 * Mill Hill, Angel Pond, Milespit Hill, NW7: Pair of Egyptian Geese with 8 goslings per Gill Taylor (Bob Husband)
 * Purfleet: 9 Bar-tailed Godwit on mud at mouth of River Darent/Dartford Creek (Fraser Simpson)
 * Rainham RSPB: Curlew Sandpiper, 4 Ruff, 10 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Whimbrel, 2 Greenshank, 2 Snipe, 2 Oystercatcher, 30 Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, 2 Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, 2 Hobby, Peregrine Falcon, 2 Marsh Harrier, 3 Buzzard, 4 Kestrel, 2 Cuckoo, Grasshopper Warbler, 6 Common Tern, 10+ Swift, Wheatear, m Stonechat (Nick Croft)
 * Staines Reservoir: Black Tern, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 3 Little Gull (2 ads & 1 2nd yr). 20+ Common Tern, 2+ Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, small northerly passage of Swift (c10), Swallow (6+) & Sand Martin (12+) during period of low cloud mid afternoon (Bill Haines)
 * Swanscombe Marsh: 21 Shelduck, Marsh Harrier, 3 Whimbrel, Greenshank, 2 Mediterranean Gull, Cuckoo, Yellow Wagtail, Nightingale, 2 Bearded Tit, Raven (Andrew Self)
 * Stave Hill/Russia Dock Woodland: 4 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker (John Cadera)
 * Thames Barrier Park: Whimbrel feeding on the foreshore at 15:00 (Frank Nugent).
 * Tooting Bec Common: 1 Buzzard NE at 12:15, 2 Swifts (Alan Wilkinson)
 * Trent Park: 2 Garden Warbler by lower lake (Robert Callf)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: c55 Swifts, 6 Common Terns, Jackdaw west, Common Sandpiper (Jamie Partridge, David Bradshaw)
 * Wanstead Flats: f Wheatear, 6 Swallow, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 pair of Linnet, 5 Skylark, 4 m Meadow Pipit (Wanstead Birders)
 * Wanstead Park: Bee-eater reported by one of the locals (Nick Croft)
 * Westbourne Park Grand Union Canal: Grey Wagtail displaying, Peregrine (Francis O'Sullivan)

Monday 1st May 2017

 * Alexandra Park: Sedge Warbler singing near cricket pavilion car park, Swift, 3 Swallow, Little Egret NW (Gareth Richards, Bob Watts); Little Egret W, Swallow, Sparrowhawk N (early PM) (Sam Jones)
 * Brent Reservoir: 2 Snipe, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Common Sandpiper, 6 Common Tern, 20 Swift, Yellow Wagtail, 2 Cetti's Warbler, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat (Brent Birders)
 * Canons Farm: 1 Ring Ouzel, 1 Hobby, 1 Wheatear, 1 Meadow Pipit, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 8 Swallow, 9 Whitethroat (CFBWBG).
 * Crossness: Wigeon, 2 Teal, 50 Gadwall, Little Egret, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Whimbrel, 50 Common Tern, 3 Arctic Tern, 4 Swallow, 2 Sand Martin, Yellow Wagtail, Black Redstart, 9 Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, 15 Reed Warbler, 6 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Bunting (Conrad Ellam)
 * Eastcote (Roxbourne Park along Yeading Brook): 2 Grey Wagtail, Swallow, Sparrowhawk (Tim Rymer); 2 Swift (Frank Nugent).


 * Hampstead Heath: 4 Whitethroats holding territory (Cricket hedge, Hedge 1, Hedge 2 and another on Pryors) Also Lesser Whitethroat singing occasionally from Hedge 1 and still one Willow Warbler, Swallow SE + juv. Blackbirds on cricket pitch (Pete Mantle)
 * Fairlop Waters: Common Sandpiper, 2 Common Tern, 2 Yellow Wagtail, Sedge Warbler, Swift. (Alan Thomas/Neil Twyford)
 * Finchley: Garden N3 - 5 Stock Dove, 5 Starlings, Jay, Sparrowhawk N 11:20, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Samuel Levy)
 * Gutteridge Wood: 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Whitethroat, Red Kite, Bullfinch, Swallow (Nigel Dodd)
 * Ickenham Marsh: Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Whitethroat, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Swallow (Nigel Dodd)
 * KGV Reservoir: Kittiwake, 4 Black Tern, Dunlin, 10 Common Sandpiper, Whimbrel dropped by for 10 minutes then off north 1915hrs (time corrected), Greenshank, Black Redstart singing, 7 Wheatear, 5 House Martin, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Sedge Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler, 3 Lesser Whitethroat (Neville Smith).
 * Kingston Hospital: Pied Wagtail on roof (P. Redmond)
 * London Wetland Centre: Caspian Gull 2cy - one of yesterday's birds, 2 Yellow-legged Gull - both 2cy, 380 Herring Gull, f Wheatear (Greenland) still, m House Sparrow (J.Wilczur, R. Kaye); 1 Jack Snipe, 3 Common Snipe, 1 Common Whitethroat, Swallow, House Martins, Sand Martins, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 11 singing Reed Warblers, 3 Sedge Warbler, 3 Blackcap (E. side only), Ring Ouzel and Yellow Wagtail also seen, by others (Martin Honey); singing Chiffchaff (B. Whiskin)
 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir, Barnes; 1 Little Egret, 1 Whitethroat; 2 Cetti's Warbler, Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler (John Gordon);  John, was the Egret feeding or flyover? Thanks it was resting at Barnes end of reservoir
 * Oxleas Wood: Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Jackdaw, Common Buzzard, Song Thrush, Blackcap (m), Chiffchaff, Green Woodpecker, Tawny Owl (calling 14.15) (Ron Turner)
 * Pimlico Gardens & river: 2 Gadwall, Yellow-legged Gull 2cy, 3 Common Tern downriver, Blackcap, Garden Warbler (N P Senior)
 * Pinner: Red Kite low over Pinn Way/St Martin's Approach at 10:15 (Frank Nugent).
 * Purfleet (obs across river to Darent mouth): Sandwich Tern downriver at 1801, 2 Little Gull upriver at 1558, 4 Mediterranean Gull, 14 Bar-tailed Godwit, 7 Greenshank, 4 Whimbrel, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, min 5 Arctic Tern, f Whinchat, 14 Common Tern, 19 Swift north, Cuckoo, Wheatear, 1 Yellow-legged Gull, ad m Marsh Harrier, Common Sandpiper (Fraser Simpson)
 * RSPB Rainham Marshes: Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Grey Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Greenshank, 30 Dunlin, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Oystercatcher, 4 Whimbrel, Black Tern, 2 Little Gull, 2 Cuckoo, Marsh Harrier, Short-eared Owl (RSPB) (Birdguides); 4 Arctic Terns, 6 Wheatears (Sean Huggins); Redshank brood, Grasshopper Warbler, 3 Corn Buntings (landfill) high tide roost on Purfleet Scrape 12 Whimbrels, 15 Bar-tailed Godwits & 8 Greenshanks (Ian Bradshaw)
 * Ruislip Golf Course: 6 Common Buzzard and 1 Red Kite over together at 11:00 (Frank Nugent).
 * St. John's Wood: Swallow north-east a.m. (Des McKenzie).
 * Sidcup: The Hollies: Pied Flycatcher in Oaks on bend of Acacia Way, disturbed by joggers and not re-located (Eric Brown)
 * Sidcup: Lamorbey Park: 2 Stock Dove, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chiffchaff, Nuthatch, Song Thrush, Coal Tit, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk (Eric Brown)
 * Staines Moor: 2 singing Garden Warbler on Stanmore Path, 2 reeling Grasshopper Warbler SE Moor, Hobby, 4 Little Egret, 2 Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwit over, 4 Swift (Nick Baker and Seb Sattin).
 * Staines Reservoir: 2 Black Tern, many Common Tern, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, Sanderling, Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail, many Swift, Black-necked Grebe (Jim Fell)
 * Stanmore Bentley Priory: 4 Lapwing, 40 Stock Dove on field south of Summerhouse lake 07:50, 1 m Mandarin on Lake. Mute Swan fly over. Personal site list now on 98 species (Richard Francis).
 * Ten Acre Wood area: 2m Pheasant, Buzzard, probably 2 Little Ringed Plover, 3-4 Lapwing, Little Owl, c15 Stock Dove, 4+ Skylark, displaying Meadow Pipit, c5 Swallow, pr Whinchat, m Greenland Wheatear, singing Garden Warbler, singing Lesser Whitethroat, 18 Whitethroat, 16 Blackcap, displaying Sedge Warbler, 7 Chiffchaff, 4 Rook over, 3 m Reed Bunting, 6+ Linnet, Bullfinch heard (Neil Anderson); Neil - despite volunteering for LWT and having worked on site I confess to not understanding the place - where were the Whinchat if you don't mind? (Dan Pinkham); All 3 chats were not too far from woods on area of dead weedy material by almost dried up pond by long hedge leading to wood on golf course development. Probably came down in the early hours rain (NA); I am grateful for that Neil and know a pond area thank you ok (Dan Pinkham); 1 Swift E at 10.00 (Nigel Dodd)
 * Totteridge Valley: Whinchat on fence at top of Lapwing field, Hobby SE at 08:40, Little Egret, 3 Lesser Whitethroat (Ian Ellis) ​;​3 Herring Gull, 7 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Linnet ('Cow' Field), 19 Stock Dove, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Common Buzzard, Starling, 11 Rook, 10+ Sand Martin N 15:50, 18+ singing Chiffchaff, 14+ singing Common Whitethroat, Mistle Thrush, 6+ singing Lesser Whitethroat, reeling Grasshopper Warbler still, 2+ Singing Blackcap, 3 Teal, 2 Swallow, 18+ House Martin through between 16:45-16:50 mainly NE, Bullfinch (Samuel Levy)
 * Trent Park: Lesser Whitethroat singing male 'The Clump' (Robert Callf)
 * Walthamstow: Oystercatcher between the Warwicks, Dunlin East Warwick, 2 Whimbrel N over No.5, a few Common Sandpipers, 8-10 Common Tern, plenty of Swifts and all 3 Hirundines. Lesser Whitethroat central path. 7+ Wheatears (Paul Whiteman, David Bradshaw)
 * Wanstead Flats: 4 Wheatear, 3 Common Tern, Rook, 2 Willow Warbler, House Martin, Sand Martin, 4+ Swift, Hobby, pair of Reed Bunting (Wanstead Birding)
 * Warren Farm Fields, nr Hanwell: 1 Wheatear and a singing Sedge Warbler (Bill Haines)
 * Woodberry Wetlands: 2 Shelduck, 2 Red-crested Pochard, Willow Warbler, 2 Swift, Sedge Warbler plus 2 Bar-tailed Godwits on the West Reservoir boating pontoons until 06:00 (Chris Farthing)
 * Yeading Brook Meadows: 3 Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler, 6 Whitethroat, Bullfinch (Nigel Dodd)
 * Yeading Valley (Minet CP): Grasshopper Warbler reeling intermittently, Sedge Warbler, 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 15 Whitethroat, 18 Blackcap, 7 Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler, Kingfisher, 2 Little Egret, 2 Skylark, 2 Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Kestrel, 6 Linnet, Bullfinch (Dave Bookless).

Archived News
Link to previous months