LatestNews

'''Please do not post details of scarce breeding birds (those included in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, amended 2000). Any such reports will be removed. Please list rarest sightings at top rather than alphabetically.'''

Note that records submitted here may be added to the London Natural History Society database for use in the London Bird Report; by posting your news here you are agreeing to have your records copied by the LNHS recorder.

Wednesday 30 June 2010

 * Ham: Golden Oriole singing for an hour this morning just south of Thames Young Mariners in poplars (via FJM)


 * Crayford Marshes: Green Sandpiper, Little owl, Hobby, male Corn Bunting, 12 Swallows, 8 Housemartins, 3 Blackcaps, Chiffchaff. (Kev Jarvis).


 * East India Dock Basin NR: Mistle Thrush (local rarity), 6+ Sand Martins, Blackcap. (Gary A James)


 * London W1: singing Black Redstart still (James Astley)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Little Owl showing well in the disaster area, Swallow family party, 4 House Martin & 20 Swift (Jon Ridge).


 * South Norwood Lake: 3 Mute Swan, pair Great Crested Grebe (nest building) 20+ Tufted Duck, 1 Cormorant, c12 Swifts, 4 House Martin, 2 singing Song Thrush, 1 Green Woodpecker, 5 Great Spotted Woodpecker (2 juv), 5singing Blackcap, 4 singing Chiffchaff, 4 Jay, 1 Coal Tit, 5 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Ring-necked Parakeet, 20+ Goldfinch. (John Watson)


 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: near-adult Great Black-backed Gull, Hobby seen off by resident male Kestrel, 18+ Common Terns, 2 Shovelers, 12 Pied and five Grey Wagtails on West Res bank, plus the usuals (Mark Pearson)


 * Wanstead Flats (07:00-11:00): Common Sandpiper (briefly on Alex), Nuthatch (heard in wood behind the Esso garage - patch mega), 35 Cormorant, 13 Mistle Thrush, 9 Ring-necked Parakeet, 7 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, c.150 Carrion Crows on the playing fields, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, 5 House Martin, 1 Sand Martin, c.30+ Swift, 3 Sparrow Hawk, 4 Linnet, 1 Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Pied Wagtail and the usuals (Nick Croft).


 * Wanstead Park: 8 Chiffchaff, 10+ Blackcap, C. Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat (sewage works), Swallow, numerous Swift, 2 Collared Dove, 1 Stock Dove, 2 Sparrow Hawk, Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, G. Heron etc. (Nick Croft).

Tuesday 29 June 2010

 * Golders Green: Red Kite flying N at 19.00 over Golders Gardens at height, mobbed by 2 Carrion Crows (James Levy).
 * Iver: Red Kite (10.40 - Palmers Moor Lane), Red Kite (15.15 - Swallow Street. (Roger Dewey)
 * Thamesmead: probable Caspian Gull (see http://www.surfbirds.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7104).
 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: 1 Heron, 2 Moorhen, 5 Coot, 1 Black-headed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 1 Swift, 8 Woodpigeon, 5 Dunnock, 2 Robin, 8 Blackbird, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, Blue & Great Tits (mixed flock of 10+) 4 Wren, 1 Starling, 3 Jay, 3 Magpie, 8 Carrion Crow, 1 Goldfinch & 2 Greenfinch.


 * Crayford Marshes: Little Owl, 7 Black-tailed godwits, male Corn Bunting, Curlew, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Lesser Whitethroats. (Kev Jarvis).


 * Little Britain Lake area: 5 young Tufted Duck, 4 young Greylag Goose, 2 young Canada Goose, 2 Common Tern, Swallows, Swifts. (Roger Dewey)


 * London EC4: Black Redstart again singing this morning. (David Bradshaw)


 * London W1: singing Black Redstart still (James Astley)


 * Mile End Park: Reed warbler singing in reed bed adjacent to Ecology Centre


 * Mitcham Common: Kestrel (male bird hunting all around Bidder's Pond. Lovely.), Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Jay, 2 Ring-Necked Parakeet, Grey Heron (at Seven Islands Pond plus 42 Canada Goose & 15 young, 6 Tufted Duck, several Moorhen & Coot + young), 3 Greenfinch, House Sparrow, 4 singing Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, 12 Swift, 11 Whitethroat plus usuals. (Stuart M)


 * Packet Boat Marina: 2 LBB Gull, 1 BH Gull, 1 Whitethroat, 1 GS Woodpecker. (Roger Dewey)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Hobby, 1 Little Owl, family party of Swallow, 4 House Martin, 20 Swift, 5 Grey Heron, 6 young Canada Goose on the main pond still & 1 Green Woodpecker (Jon Ridge).


 * Regent's Park: ad Common Sandpiper, Common Tern, 9th male Reed Warbler, Common Whitethroat and for those botanists severa Common Spotted and Bee Orchids have been found (Tony Duckett).
 * Rye Meads RSPB: 2 Green Sandpiper, 1 LR Plover, 1 Hobby, 2 singing Willow Warbler (TeRNS).


 * South Norwood Lake: 1m Pochard. Great Crested Grebe, 12 Tufted Duck, 6 Swifts, 2 House Martin, 12 Ring-necked Parakeet, 3 singing Blackcap. 2 singing Chiffchaff, 1 Song Thrush, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 8 Long-tailed Tit, 3 House Sparrow, (John Watson)


 * Wormwood Scrubs: c35 Stock Dove on playing fields - an unusually large gathering. Plus c25 Swift & usuals. (David Lindo)
 * Loughton: Jay taken young Blue Tit from my garden today....poor fella (B.Anderson)
 * Burgess Park Lake: pr Egyptian Geese still have brood of 3, pr Mute Swans don't seem to have produced young, 1 deformed Moorhen chick, clip on this link, with 4 others and thought it was small when it came off perch became apparent it was deformed on spine - fed by adult and eventually got back on perch, I've never seen one like this before (Michael Mac).
 * Cowley, Brunel Bicentenary Gardens. Two juvenile Lesser Whitethroats, pair of Bullfinches and a Red Kite over at 14.00. Also first Brown Hawker dragonfly of the year and the now past their best Bee Orchids. (Roger Morton)

Monday 28 June 2010

 * Bounds Green, N11: singing Black Redstart @ 7am (also single Lapwing on the Lockwood res 19.00) - (LB)


 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: 1 Heron, 7 Moorhen (3 adults & 4 chicks) 5 Coot, 8 Woodpigeon, 1 Collared Dove, 1 Robin (juv), 8 Blackbirds, 1 Song Thrush (heard singing), 1 Blackcap (female), 1 Chifchaff (heard singing), 3 Great Tits, 3 Blue Tits, 4 Wrens, 1 Jay, 2 Carrion Crows, 2 Goldfinch & 6 Greenfinch. (C.E)


 * Crayford Marshes : Corn Bunting, Curlew, Common Sandpiper, Peregrine, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Little Egrets, fem Sparrowhawk. (Kev Jarvis).


 * Fulham Reach: 1 Kestrel hunting between Margravine Cemetery and Greyhound Rd, 1 juv Great Spotted Woodpecker fed by male in cemetery (Nathalie Mahieu).


 * Lambeth/Vauxhall: RSPB Web Cam Peregrines successfully fledge 4 juveniles(Michael Mac - Eyes2the Skies UK).


 * Mitcham Common: Sparrowhawk (f soaring, circling and diving commonside east), Grey Heron (at One Island Pond with usual 4 Canada Goose plus several Coot, Moorhen and Mallard), 3 Greenfinch, 8 Whitethroat, singing Chiffchaff, c20 Swift (Stuart M)


 * Pinner Park Farm : 1 Hobby, 7+ Swallow (inc juvs), 10 Swift, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker & 2 Black-headed Gull (both adults) - the first returning birds for some weeks now (Jon Ridge).


 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs : Hobby successfully hunting dragonflies for 10 mins 1540 onwards, 8 Black-headed Gulls and 4 Swallows west, 2 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, Lesser Black-backed Gulls with 2 chicks on the tern raft (plus three other local pairs with at least one chick each) (MJP)

Sunday 27 June 2010

 * Morden: Honey Buzzard 9.25 (Birdguides).


 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: 1 Heron, 5 Mallard (4 adults & 1 duckling) 2 Moorhen, 5 Coot, 7 Woodpigeon, 1 Collared Dove, 2 Robins, 8 Blackbirds, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Great Tits, 4 Blue Tits, 4 Wrens, 1 Jay, 7 Magpies, 2 Carrion Crows, 1 Goldfinch & 6 Greenfinch.


 * Ingrebourne Valley: 2 Green Sandpiper, Little Egret. (Shaun Harvey)


 * London Wetland Centre: Redshank with 2 chicks, Hobby hunting (LWC website).


 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Hobby, 1 Little Owl, 7+ Swallow (inc juvs), 2+ House Martin, 4 Grey Heron, 8 Swift & 1 Green Woodpecker (Jon Ridge).


 * Ruislip Lido/Woods: High flying Red Kite heading east over Lido 10.10; also 99 Mute Swan, 133 Mallard (+3 broods), pr Common Tern, 4 Grey Wagtail, 2 singing Garden Warbler, 3 singing Willow Warbler, 12 White Admiral (Mad Bess/Bayhurst Woods), 2 Marbled Whites (meadow edge border Bayhurst), c20 Narrow-bordered 5-spot Burnet (Neil Anderson). 3 Common Buzzard (including pale individual) over Mad Bess Wood @ 13.30 (Steve Pash).


 * Sainsbury's Nine Elms Car Park: m Kestrel tried to catch a Blue Tit but failed, 2 fledglings on TV aerial (Michael Mac)


 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Lapwing (several circuits of East Res, eve - v unseasonal here and only second record of the year), c12 Common Terns, c300 Swifts late eve, small build-up of ducks, single Painted Lady amongst commoner leps (MJP)

Saturday 26 June 2010

 * Crossness: 5 Sandwich Terns east along Thames. one at 07:00 and 4 at 11.15, 5 Mediterranean Gulls (4 adults and 1st summer) east 12.55. Turtle Dove. ad Common Gull. (Kev Jarvis, Ian Miller. A.W).


 * Rickmansworth, several (ie more than one) Crossbills heard flying over the garden at 10.10 am - not seen (Andrew Moon)


 * Springfield Park, Hackney: Goshawk east pursued by 2 Carrion Crows 15.50, over Walthamstow Marsh; then soaring and plummeting into Epping Forest. Also c10 Sand Martins, 100+ Swifts (mainly over filter beds), 20 adult Black-headed Gulls (Mark Pearson).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 9 Shoveler, 12 Common Pochard, 8 Gadwall, 13 Tufted Ducks, 6 Common Terns, 3 Small Tortoiseshells (Mark Pearson)


 * Alexandra Park: 2 adult B H Gulls briefly 8am Wood Green Res, Small Tortoiseshell perimeter Cricket Pitch (Bob Watts).


 * Battersea Park Lake: 5+ Gadwall - but no broods, last year at this time were at least 6 broods and previous year 3+ at this time - this year nothing, 1 Great-crested Grebe with juvenile, 1 Little Grebe (heard), 1 Black-headed Gull - 1st this summer, pr Egyptian Geese (Michael Mac).


 * Brent Reservoir: 2 White-letter Hairstreaks, Purple Hairstreak, 6 Marbled Whites & Ringlet; fairly quiet birdwise (Brent Birders)


 * Brookmill Park, Lewisham: 1 Heron, 3 Mallard, 5 Coots (2 adults & 3 chicks, one adult sitting on second clutch of eggs) 6 Woodpigeon, 1 Stock Dove (unusual for this site) 2 Swift, 1 Dunnock, 1 Robin, 8 Blackbirds, I Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff (both the warblers were singing), 1 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tits, 3 (singing) Wrens, 1 Starling, 1 Jay, 6 Magpies, 4 Carrion Crows, 2 Chaffinch, 7 Goldfinch & 6 Greenfinch. (Conrad Ellam, It was me that saw the Hobby in Wandsworth yesterday, I forgot to include my name due to lack of sleep.)
 * Hutchinson's Bank (New Addington): Common Buzzard, Common Lizard, c30 Small Blue (Des McKenzie, Nick Tanner).


 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir: 1 Common Tern, 1 Grey Wagtail, Pochard with 3 ducklings, 3 Gadwall (M Bourne)


 * Rotherhithe: Mediterranean Gull (adult) with influx of Black-headed Gulls on River Thames off Greenland Pier 13:25 until 13:50 when drifted east; also 1st-summer Common Gull (Richard Bonser)


 * Ruislip: LS Woodpecker (female) on Poors Field then flew into Ruislip LNR. 3 singing Garden Warbler on Poors Field and Common Buzzard over Mad Bess Wood (Steve Pash)


 * Tooting Broadway: Goldfinches now regularly seen singing from roof aerials in Khama Rd and surround. (Stuart M)


 * Tyttenhanger GPs: 6 Wigeon (4 ad males + 2 imm) 2 Egyptian Geese (Steve B)


 * Wandsworth Town Hall: 1 adult Pied Wagtail with 2 Juveniles came off roof and feeding on stretch of grass (Michael Mac).


 * Westway/ Westbourne Green (19:50 seen from car): 1 Sparrowhawk drifting towards Paddington Green. (Louis Freeland-Haynes)


 * Willows Farm Pool: 4 Oystercatcher 2 adult + 2 juvs (now flying) (Steve B)

Friday 25 June 2010

 * Crayford Marshes: Red-breasted Merganser female still on River Thames at 08:30, Little Owl, 2 Corn Buntings, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Blackcaps. (Kev Jarvis)
 * Duke's Meadows, Chiswick: 3 Whitethroat (at least 1 juv). (Louis Freeland-Haynes)
 * Fulham Reach (quick scan at Crabtree Wharf, 7.30am): 1 Common Tern, 2 Black-Headed Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 9 Herring Gull, 1pr Tufted Duck, 1 Mute Swan, 33 Canada Goose and lots of House Sparrows heard in back streets along Thames (Nathalie Mahieu)


 * London EC1: Black Redstart seen singing (David Bradshaw)


 * London EC4: Black Redstart still singing regularly (David Bradshaw)


 * London W1: singing male Black Redstart still (James Astley)


 * London W2 (location withheld): Black Redstart singing intermittently 08:15-09:50; present since at least the first week in May (Des McKenzie).
 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir: quick visit late afternoon: 1 Egyptian Goose, fem Pochard with 3 ducklings, 4 Swift, Reed Warbler (Rich Petley)


 * M25, western stretches: 1 Little Egret W over carriageway just N of J13 at 06.15 (Andy Culshaw).
 * Paddington Green: Peregrine Falcon (probably m) over 17:27 (DMc).
 * Pinner, Cannon Lane: Grey Wagtail along the River Pinn again - almost certainly breeding here (Jon Ridge).


 * Wandsworth: Hobby hunting over Wandle Creek at 5.30
 * Wandsworth Common Ponds: 1 Dunnock, 2 broods Coot - nesting Coots down about 3 nests compared to last year, 2 broods Moorhen, Mute Swans no longer at these ponds - Video of pair from last year with 4 cygnets, this year Pen on eggs, killed by vandals and then Cob swan flew away (Michael Mac). Mac is a very unusual surname (it's not in my "The Oxford Names Companion" for example), is it short for something like MacTavish?: just curious (Nick Tanner).
 * Wandsworth Road nr Vauxhall: today confirms Herring Gull sitting on nest between chimneys on house roof (Michael Mac).
 * Stockwell Housing Estate: pr fledged Kestrels on block of flatsacross from where I live at 7:30pm (Michael Mac).

Thursday 24 June 2010

 * Hampstead Garden Suburb: Red Kite north-west c13:10hrs (Des McKenzie).
 * Brent Reservoir: 1 Redshank (sub-adult), 3 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Teal (m), 1 Stock Dove; 1 Sand Martin (Andrew Haynes).


 * Canary Wharf: pair Mute Swans nest building again after losing 1st brood of 6, Adult and juv Great Crested Grebe - at least the 3rd successful brood locally, 10 coot (1 brood of 5 juv & 2nd brood of at least 2) & 2 Moorhen Adult & juv all on same nesting platform (Richard Harrison).
 * Headstone Moat: 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Coot chicks & 10 Swift (Jon Ridge).
 * Isle of Dogs (excluding Canary Wharf above): Adult & 2 juv Great Black Backed Gull, 2 Great Crested Grebe, Common Tern, 2 House Martin, 2 pairs of Coot at nests, 2 singing Blackcap (Richard Harrison).
 * Mitcham Common: Kestrel (on ground eating vole on high ground to south of Seven Islands pond - seemed happy for me to be very close; looked like a male in 1st summer plumage with some barring still on rump/uppertail but back and upper wing redder and spotted - left a nice feather behind after wash and brush up), Grey Heron, 3 Green Woodpecker, 2 Linnet, 2 Dunnock, 3 Song Thrush, 3 singing Chiffchaff, 5 Whitethroat, 7 Greenfinch, 6 House Sparrow, Swift, Jay, Wren. 3 Rabbits. (Stuart M)
 * Paddington Green: m Peregrine Falcon from 18:45 joined by fem from 19:50 and both remained to 21:55, 4 House Sparrow inc singing male (the last in the area that I'm aware of) (Des McKenzie)
 * Park Royal Industrial Site: Min, 10 unfledged Lesser Black back Gull chicks (5 families) at edge of large flat roof (most of roof not visible from street level, so potential for more being present), 20+ adults on this + surrounding roof tops, 10+ Herring + 1 Great BB (Neil Anderson)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Hobby, 1 Little Owl, Swallow, House Martin, 15 Swift, 4 Grey Heron, 1 Green Woodpecker & 1 Comma (Jon Ridge).
 * Gunnersbury Triangle LNR (brief visit 18:00): 2 Chiffchaff singing, 1 Blackcap singing, 2 Wren, 5 Robin (3 juvs), 6 Blackbird (2 juvs), 3 Jay, c7 Great tit (4 juvs), 4 Blue tit, 1 Dunnock, c7 Goldfinch, c3 Chaffinch, 3 Carrion Crow, 4 Magpie over, c10 Swift. Also 1 Meadow brown, c5 Blue damselfly sp (Azure/commons). (Louis Freeland-Haynes)
 * Battersea Rise Cemetery: 2 Swifts, flock of Starlings with squawkers, 2 Stock Dove, 1 Jay, 2 Woodpigeon nests with young (Michael Mac).
 * Bolinbroke Stock Pond: pr Egyptian Geeese have 2nd brood after 1st failed, 1 House Sparrow, 6+ Starlings, Brood of 5 Coots, 3 Mallard broods, pr Moorhen keep failing to raise young even though they try (Michael Mac).
 * Wandsworth Road nr Vauxhall: At dusk - Herring Gull being very agitated calling and diving at 2 Magpies on chimney stacks, suggests nest close by? (Michael Mac).
 * Staines Res: 3 Black Tern - south basin. Wigeon, drake - north basin (KLP).

Wednesday 23 June 2010

 * Borehamwood: Red Kite over Tesco Superstore at 16:30 (Rex Dunwoody)
 * Bow Creek Ecology Park (E16): Pair of Sparrowhawks, Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Blackcap (PF)
 * Crayford Marshes: fem Red-breasted Merganser viewed towards Rainham then close to the Crayford side early afternoon, 2 singing male Corn Buntings, Cetti's Warbler, Little Egret, Oystercatcher, 10 Redshanks, several Common Terns, Lesser Whitethroat (Kevin McManus and David Campbell). Cetti's Warbler, male Corn Bunting, Little Egret, Curlew, Oystercatcher, 2 Blackcaps, Chiffchaff. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Fairlop Gravel Works: Grey Heron, 2 Gadwall, LGrebe, Lapwing, pr Redshank with 2 chicks, 6 Reed Warbler, 3 Sedge Warbler, 2 m Reed Bunting, f Yellow Wagtail, Sparrowhawk, Little Owl, 2 Swallow (DEH)
 * Forest Gate (09:00-11:00): To avoid the potential for disappointment on Wanstead Flats (after yesterday's good morning) opted for the near certainty of failure on the roof: 27 Wood Pigeon, 20 Cormorant, c. 30 Swift, 17 Starling, 17 Carrion Crow, urhhg... but on the bright side 2 Grey Wagtail, 3 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Blackcap singing to the north and south, 4 singing Wren and 2 Goldfinch. I am putting back plans to open a visitors centre... (Nick Croft).
 * Fulham Sands End (Thames): 1 Common Tern (flying down river), 1 Black-headed Gull (flying up river) (Nathalie Mahieu)
 * Horsenden Hill: 4 Little Owls inc. 2 fairly advanced juvs. Also 2+ White-letter Hairstreak viewable from cycle track adjacent Horsenden Lane (Andy Culshaw).
 * John Buckle Books/Wandsworth Road: House Sparrow colony of approximately 5 pairs using holes and cracks in walls as nest sites at back of building - what's the secret? (Michael Mac) Must be the same secret as Marks & Spencers Long Acre, Covent Garden which also has a thriving sparrow colony (Hugh Bradshaw).
 * Larkhall Park/Stockwell: House Sparrows - approximately 3 pairs nesting in holes in houses that back onto the park, heard daily but often hard to see blending into stonework (Michael Mac).
 * London EC2: female Black Redstart again (David Bradnum)
 * Margravine Cemetery: at least 1 juv Great Spotted Woodpecker at nest, 1 Kestrel (Nathalie Mahieu)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Hobby, 1 Little Owl, 7+ Swallow (inc juvs), 15 Swift, 2 House Martin, 5 Grey Heron & 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (Jon Ridge).
 * River Wandle, Wimbledon (near Plough Lane, quick lunchtime visit): 2 Grey Wagtail, Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker (over), Wren, plenty of: House Sparrow + juves, Moorhen, Mallard, Blue & Great Tit, Robin (Stuart M)
 * St James's Park: WeBs Count from yesterday - 1 Grey Wagtail, 5+ Swifts, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 2 Great-crested Grebe but don't appear to be a pair? pr Mute Swan with 4 cygnets, 6 fledged and 1 adult Egyptian Geese, 2 broods Pochard (3 + 2), brood 7 fledged Mallard with one adopted Red-crested Pochard duckling, Red-crested Pochard broods a 4 and 2 singles, 30 occupied Coot nests, 3 Moorhen broods, 1 juvenile Heron, Herring Gull with rotten pigeon - all pretty common Your Majesty (Michael Mac).
 * Stockwell Housing Estate: f Peregrine and Kestrel circling to great heights (14:30 - 14:45) - I hope they don't meet (Michael Mac).
 * Tyttenhanger GPs: 2 Ringed Plover, 34 + B H Gull (no juvs yet), 86 Lapwing (numbers building). (Steve B)
 * Willows Farm Pool: 4 Oystercatcher (2 ad + 2 Juv) 9 Lapwing. (Steve B)

Tuesday 22 June 2010

 * Tyttenhanger GPs : Osprey 09.25 (Birdguides).
 * Shepperton: two Red Kites flew north at 12:30 (Birdguides)
 * Crayford Marshes : Little Owl, Cetti's Warbler, male Corn Bunting, 18 Common Terns, Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, 2 Sedge Warblers. (Kev Jarvis).


 * Fairlop Gravel Works: Little Owl, 2 Pheasant, Hobby, 45 Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 2 House Martin, 2 singing Skylark, 11 Stock Dove, 8 Linnet, m Reed Bunting (DEH)


 * London W1W: singing Black Redstart. Unsure if this is amongst the others on the board but has been here for at least 2 weeks (Paul Hyland).
 * Mitcham Common: 2 Kestrel (usual female around Bidder's Pond plus a fine male bird over factory site heading east the nest is probably in a hole in the factory somewhere? - Michael Mac), Great Spotted Woodpecker, 11 Swift, 6 Whitethroat, 5 Greenfinch plus usual suspects. Quiet. (Stuart M)


 * Palmers Green, Broomfield Park: f Mandarin with 2+ chicks, 29 Mallard, 1 Canada goose, 21 Coot, Goldcrest brood, Coal tit brood (Ian Woodward).


 * Pinner Park Farm : 2 Hobby, 1 Little Owl, 20+ Swift, 5+ Swallow, 1 House Martin, 1 juvenile Blackcap along the River Pinn in the wooded area & 6 young Canada Goose on the main pond, where the water level is finally starting to evaporate - hopefully this may attract the odd wader (Jon Ridge).


 * Wanstead Flats (07:00-11:00): Hobby (over Alex), Shelduck (West over Alex), c. 100 Swifts over Alex (more elswhere) after flying ants I presume, later joined by two groups of Black-headed Gull totalling c.50-60) and numerous Starlings, 32 Cormorant, 14 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 7 GreatSpotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, c.135 Carrion Crow on the playing fields, House Sparrow, Blackbird, 3 Mistle Thrush, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Skylark, Wren, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Reed Bunting, Wood Pigeon, 1 Stock Dove, Herring Gull, Magpie, Jay, Meadow Pipit, Dunnock, 3 Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Canada Goose, Mallard, 10 Tufted Duck, 1 Gadwall, Mute Swan (+4 cygnets), Ring-necked Parakeet, m Kestrel, Pied Wagtail, 5 House Martin, Moorhen, 4 Lttle Grebe (no young seen), and Coot (the predictable has happened no coot to be seen on the rapidly diminishing round pond, even the froglets were evacuating in their thousands, I wonder how many people will go home today with frog on their shoes) (Nick Croft).


 * Wanstead Park: 4 Cormorant, 5 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Green Woodpecker, c.50-100 Swift over Heronry, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull, large numbers of Black-headed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 1 Stcok Dove, Mistle Thrush, 8 Song Thrush, 2 Ring-necked Parakeet, c. 20 Jackdaw, 2 Jay, 6 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, numerous Blackcap and Whitethroat, 2 Garden Warbler, 6 Lttle Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe, Sand Martin and 2 House Martin, Mute Swan (2 broods of 11 cygnets). No sign of the Reed Warbler (Nick Croft).


 * Wormwood Scrubs : c40 Stock Dove feeding in the playing fields with c30 Wood Pigeon, Willow Warbler brood seen - 1st proven breeding record. Plus the usual stuff. (David Lindo & Roy Nuttall.)
 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir (19:00-20:00): 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Reed Warbler (none singing), 2 Blackcap, 31 Tufted Duck, 2 Stock Dove, 5 Heron + usuals. (Louis Freeland-Haynes)
 * Ruislip: Raptor feast over my garden between 12 - 13.00 hrs, 2 Red kite, Common Buzzard, Hobby and Sparrowhawk (Steve Pash).
 * Wandle Delta Creek. Grey Wagtail fledged for second year running (at least). (Michael F). blog post

Monday 21 June 2010

 * Crayford Marshes: Avocet on Thames foreshore at 09:20.Still present at 11:00; female Red-breasted Merganser still on River Thames; male Corn Bunting. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Mardyke, Orsett - Davy Down; Long-eared Owl, 8 Skylark, 2 Yellowhammer, 13 Reed Warbler,, Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting, Cetti`s Warbler, Kingfisher, 4 Pheasant, 3 R L Partridge, 8 Chiffchaff, 14 Whitethroat, 9 Blackcap, 30 Blue Tit, 21 Great Tit, 10 L T Tit, 8 Robin, 15 Wren, 5 Dunnock, 5 Grn woodpecker, 2 G S Woodpecker, 13ad 2juv R N Parakeet, S Thrush, Little Egret, 10ad 5juv Swallow, pr Kestrel, f Sparrowhawk,4 Buzzard, f Peregrine (ELBF).


 * Bromley-by-Bow: Little Ringed Plover over south early am, c8 Stock Dove, 2 Grey Wagtails, Reed Warbler singing, 4 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Collared Dove, 12+ Sand Martin, 1 Buzzard north 11.50, dived at by a female Peregrine which then dived at a Carrion Crow which was following the Buzzard whilst a Kestrel hovered nearby, 2 Pied Wagtails, Song Thrush (S Fisher)


 * Chiswick House Grounds: 1 Common Tern, c4 Blackcap, 2 Nuthatch, 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Pied Wagtail, 2 Stock Dove + usual species. 1 Large Skipper. (Louis Freeland-Haynes)


 * Fairlop Gravel Works: Hobby (DEH)


 * Forest Gate (sky view 10:30-11:45): c.30 Swift, 15 Cormorant, 9 Wood Pigeon, 3 Collared Dove, 13 Starling (singles), 8 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Herring Gull, 4 Wren (h), 9 Carrion Crow, 2 Jay, 1 Magpie, 4 Blackbird, 1 Robin (h), House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Blue Tit, Great Tit (either the young have fledged in the down pipe or something rather unpleasant remains there!), Blackcap (h North), 3 Grey Wagtail (family group), 2 Kestrel (female with tatty wings did rather splendid stoop for nowt) (Nick Croft).


 * London W2: singing Black Redstart. This bird has been present since 27 April at least and heard almost daily during that time. Also during this period there have been two singing Black Redstarts half a mile east of that site and another one or two half a mile to the north. There could be some overlap, but I suspect that there are at least three singing males in this area. It does look like there has been a little influx into London this spring, as was suggested last week (Simon Papps); Agreed, there does appear to be three males. The W2 singing male I've been monitoring doesn't move around much and has now been seen accompanied by a female type on two occasions (and once independently of the male but in the same territory) (Des McKenzie).


 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir: fem Pochard with 3 ducklings, Swift, House Martin, Egyptian Geese, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, plus usuals (M Bourne)


 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Hobbies, 1 Little Owl, 60+ Swift, 8 Swallows including 4 juveniles, 4+ House Martin, Great Spotted Woodpecker & 1 Red Admiral (Jon Ridge).
 * Richmond Park: Little Owl adult with nearby fledgling Owlet in SW quadrant of park. (T Forster)


 * Tooting Common: one Mistle Thrush (RB)


 * Tyttenhanger GPs: Little Egret, Ringed Plover, 3 Redshank, Ruddy Shelduck, 3 Herring Gull, 7 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Black-headed Gull, 4 Pochard, Teal (m). (Steve B)


 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: 2 Redshank at north end of Lockwood Res all day; also 2 Little Egrets + male Kestrel (Lol Bodini).


 * West Horndon, BBS square (just within LNHS area): 3 male Yellowhammer, 2 Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Swallow, (James Astley)


 * Willows Farm Pool: 4 Oystercatcher (2 ad + 2 young) (Steve B)

Sunday 20 June 2010

 * Rainham Marshes: Red-breasted Merganser still. Viewed from Wennington car park although was drifting towards the visitor centre at 8.30am (B.Anderson and J.Anderson); Hobby, fem Marsh Harrier, 4 Common Tern (John Richardson) 31 Gadwall, 4 Tufted Duck, 10 Mallard, 15 Shelduck, 4 Little Egret, 142 Coot, 5 Little Grebe, G C Grebe, 10 Mute Swan, 5 Reed Bunting, 4 Redshank, 14 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher, 9 Grey Heron, 7 Linnet, 20 Sand Martin, m Kestrel, Little Ringed Plover (ELBF).
 * Barking Bay: Ruddy Shelduck (ELBF)
 * Romford: 3 Ravens north at 1515 calling (ELBF)
 * Brent Reservoir: Peregrine, Hobby, Redshank, Lapwing & 4 LRPs (Brent Birders)
 * Canons Farm and Banstead Woods: ♀ White Wagtail still with ♂ Pied Wagtail and 2 freshly fledged hybrid young, 2 Common Buzzards, Little Owl, c.10 House Martins, 7 Mallards, 1+ juvenile Grey Heron, Nuthatch, 4 Yellowhammers (3♂, 1♀), Kestrel, 4 Linnets, c.5 Skylarks, 3 Rose-ringed Parakeets, 4 Swallows, 2 Blackcaps, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpeckers, Pheasant, 2 Stock Doves, Chiffchaff, 4+ Common Whitethroats (David Campbell, Kevin McManus and Roy Weller).
 * Crossness: female Ruddy Shelduck still in Barking Bay late morning, 2nd summer Yellow-legged Gull off Golf Centre (John Archer).
 * East India Dock Basin: Shelduck, eclipse drake Gadwall, 39 Tufted Duck, 2 pairs Common Tern, 6+ Sand Martin, singing warblers; 2 Reed, Common Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap (Nick Tanner).
 * Hammersmith (Furnival Gardens area): 1 Housemartin feeding young at nest, 2 Mute Swan + 3 cygnets (from 5 initially) (Nathalie Mahieu)
 * Limehouse Park Golf course (Northolt): pr + 5 young Mute Swan, Dabchick, Kestrel, Little Ringed Plover, 3 Stock Dove, Great-spotted Woodpecker, c10 Swifts, Swallow (Neil Anderson)
 * Navestock Church: Spotted Flycatcher (Alan Hobson).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Swallow, 1 singing Whitethroat, 5 Grey Heron & 1 Cormorant. Strangely no Swifts seen at this site today (Jon Ridge).
 * Pinner, Cannon Lane: 1 Grey Wagtail over calling (Jon Ridge).
 * Nine Elm's Sainsbury's Car Park: pr Kestrels, 1 Black-headed Gull - 1st for a few months, 5 Lesser-black Backed Gulls, 18:15pm f Kestrel dived over a wall after either a young feral pigeon or Pied Wagtail suprise tactics but didn't catch either (Michael Mac).
 * Ruislip Lido: 97 Mute Swan, 5 ad, 1 juv Great-crested Grebe, c120 Mallard, Sparrowhawk, Common Tern, 10+ Swift, 15+ House Martin, pr + 2 juv Grey Wagtail, 6+ juv Pied Wagtail (Neil Anderson)
 * Stapleford Tawney Church: 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Yellow Wagtails, Goldfinch, GS Woodpecker (Alan Hobson).
 * Theydon Mount Church: Lesser Whitethroat, Goldfinch, Song Thrush (Alan Hobson).
 * Vauxhall Park: Greenfinch nest built, council came along and cut the hedge back exposing the nest but the bird persisted and laid 2 eggs, today someone seems to have attached some plane tree leaves across the nest to camaflouge the nest, the adult seems much more nervous now, were as before even though exposed, it seemed more happy to sit even if someone passed close by (Michael Mac).
 * Tyttenhanger GPs: 5 Oystercatchers on scrape; 2 Redshank (juveniles?) at pits; Peregrine Falcon overhead; 1 Little Egret on fishing lake. (Geoff Crabtree & Lewis) 35 Lapwing on pits and scrape; Garden Warbler east side of pits; 7 House Martin; 35 Sand Martin (John Palmer)
 * Walthamstow Marshes (near Waterworks, Leyton): 20+ House Martins (Finally! The first for me this Summer in the north-east London area) having fun flying with 4 'resident' Sand Martins and 20+ Swifts. Later another flock of Swifts, this time 60+. Hobby (my first for patch), 3 Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Green Woodpecker, 2 Kestrel, Common Tern, Stock Doves, Pied Wagtail, plus most the obvious others (Dave C).
 * Wanstead Flats (21:30-22:45): 3 Cormorant (yay!), 6 Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Green Woodpecker, Meadow Pipit, Coot, Little Grebe, Canada Goose, Mallard, c.100 frenzied Swift (over Alex), and when it was too dark for the Swift, 4 Noctules (thanks TH for the ID) superb! (Nick Croft).

Saturday 19 June 2010

 * Barking Bay: Ruddy Shelduck, 20 Common Tern, 6 Oystercatcher, Cuckoo (Paul Hawkins).


 * Rainham Marshes : Red-breasted Merganser, Yellow-legged Gull (2nd year), 2 Oystercatchers, over half a dozen House Martins, Sand Martin, over half a dozen Swifts, many Shelducks, 4 Grey Herons, 3 Lapwings, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Skylarks, Reed Bunting, 3 Linnets, several Whitethroats, quite a few GBB Gulls & LBB Gulls (Alan Hobson); also 6 Yellow-legged Gulls (4 1st-summers, 2 2nd-summers on dump and Wennington), Cuckoo (mound), Grasshopper Warbler, and a juvenile Black-headed Gull on the foreshore already (David Callahan).


 * Brent Reservoir: Lesser Black-backed Gull (with young to feed) seen carrying adult Common Tern, which it released, apparently unharmed, when mobbed by other terns; also 1 Lapwing, 6 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Teal, 4 Black-headed Gull, 2 Sand Martin, lots of House Martin, hundreds of Swift (Brent Birders).


 * Cowley (Nursery Lane, near Brunel Univ. Bicentenary Garden): 2 Bullfinch. (Roger Dewey)


 * Crossness: female Ruddy Shelduck in Barking Bay this afternoon, 1st summer Common Gull flew west, 21 Lapwings, 9 Oystercatchers (John Archer).


 * Leyton 11:45; What appeared to be a medium sized raptor being mobbed by 8 LBB/Herring Gulls flew off in the direction of Walthamstow Reservoirs . If I had to put a name to it I would say male Marsh Harrier, but as I need it for the patch I won't, unless someone else gets it further up the valley:-) (Paul Whiteman) Thinking further about it, why not Montagues Harrier....Pallid Harrier, getting too fanciful now, probably just a Gull! (PW) - Male Marsh Harriers can be very, very perplexing, particularly second year (or retarded third year) birds in transitional plumage, so your original claim/thoughts are probably not far off the mark (Jon Ridge). Not so much a claim as a plea for someone else to clinch whatever it was. It was slim, gull sized and not dark. (PW) Just trying to help (JR). Appreciated.


 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir LNR : House Martin 15, Swift 30, Egyptian Goose, Reed Warbler, female Pochard with 3 ducklings (M Bourne)


 * Mitcham Common: 2 Kestrel (usual hen hunting near Redhouse Rd/Croydon Rd but her mate not seen for some days now), Grey Heron (spooked by dog at Bidder's Pond), Green Woodpecker, 11 Whitethroat, 8 Greenfinch, 11 Swift, Long-tailed Tit, singing Chiffchaff. 3 Rabbits plus a black Rabbit on footpath opposite old factory site. Quiet. (Stuart M)


 * Paddington Green: Peregrine Falcon (Des McKenzie, Nick Tanner).
 * Richmond Park: (Roehampton Gate) 1 Treecreeper, 1 Goldcrest, 3 Nuthatch (M Bourne)


 * South Norwood Lake: Mute Swan, pair Great Crested Grebe, 12 Tufted Duck, 2 Green Woodpecker, 6 Great Spotted Woodpecker, c20 Swifts, 2 House Martins, 3 singing Blackcap, 2 singing Chiffchaff, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Nuthatch, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Coal Tit, (John Watson)


 * Vauxhall/RSPB Monitored site: 6 Peregrines 14:00 still can sometimes be seen on the web cam(Michael Mac). (but webcam now smeared with baby peregrine doo-doo) that's what I thought but this morning I had a look and one was sitting under the camera and one in front nibbling each other (for a moment I thought one was trying to eat a live pigeon?), then one climbed on top of the camera and for about 5mins seemed to be trying to disconnect the web cam, good views of it's tail though (Michael Mac).


 * Horsenden Hill. Non-bird news, first Purple Hairstreak (butterfly) of the year in Horsenden Wood.

Friday 18 June 2010

 * Roehampton : 2 Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers (juveniles) contact calling and showing Danbury/priory lane area
 * London W1: 2 singing Black Redstarts (James Astley)
 * London W2 (location withheld): singing Black Redstart (Des McKenzie).
 * London SE1: Singing Black Redstart again at 08:45 (Andy Holden)
 * London E1: Black Redstart on roof (not singing) 14:30 (Louis Freeland-Haynes)
 * Pinner Park Farm: Hobby, 1 Little Owl, 5+ House Martin, 2+ Swallow & 12 Swift (Jon Ridge, Jon Reveley, Bob Beazley).
 * North Harrow: Peregrine, moving fast up Pinner Road towards central Harrow at 08:45, having a look at pigeons along the way, occasional stoop diving (John Palmer)
 * Rainham Village: Common Buzzard drifted N at 16:50 (Richard Harrison).
 * Roding Valley Park and surrounding area: 3 Song Thrushes, 2 Whitethroats, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, over a dozen Swifts, Great Spotted Woodpecker, LBB Gull (Alan Hobson).
 * River Wandle (lunchtime walk near Plough Lane,Wimbledon): 4 Grey Wagtail together, Grey Heron, 8 House Sparrow, Mallard (f) with young defending them against the Heron, several Moorhen, Blackbird and Wood Pigeon, Robin with 2 juves (Stuart M)
 * South Norwood Lake: 3 Mute Swan, pair Great Crested Grebe (1 young) 20 Tufted Duck, c30 Swifts, 2 House Martins, 5 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Nuthatch, 6 Ring-necked Parakeet, 3 singing Song Thrush, 4 singing Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 singing Coal Tit, 7 House Sparrow, (John Watson)
 * Oakwood Park, N14: 2(m&f) Tufted Duck and two ducklings, Conservation Pond - My first confirmed breeding record here! (Robert Callf).

Thursday 17 June 2010

 * Greenwich Observatory: Red Kite slowly north, 1549-1553 (Mark Pearson & Amity Dunn)


 * Brent Reservoir: East Marsh - 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Lapwing, 2 Stock Dove, 1 hovering police helicopter (luckily, they didn’t spot me) (Andrew Haynes). Male Peregrine quartering over N Marsh 11.30 (Roy Beddard); numerous Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet, 2 Cinnabar, Burnet Companion (Des McKenzie).


 * Bromley-by-Bow (week roundup) 7 Mute Swan (5 chicks on Monday, gone Tuesday), 1-2 Grey Heron, 1 RNP on Tues, 26 Sand Martin, 1 prob juv G S Woodpecker, 2 Peregrines over on Monday, 3+ G Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 20+ Coot with young, 3 Reed Warblers, c8 House Sparrow, 6 Stock Dove, 5 Mistle Thrush, 2 Grey Wag, 2 Pied Wags, 16 Long tailed Tit (mainly juvs), several young Great and Blue Tits, 3 Song Thrush, Greenfinch, 4 Goldfinch, Collared Dove, Dunnock nest (S Fisher)


 * Chiswick Eyot: 1 Great Crested Grebe, 18 Canada Goose, 1 m Grey Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtail. (Louis Freeland-Haynes)
 * Fairlop Waters: 3 Green Sandpipers, Lapwing, 3 Teal, Gadwall, Shoveler, Pied Wagtail, Green Woodpecker (Alan Hobson).


 * Forest Gate, roof top (09:45-11:30): c. 90 Starling (3 large groups and individuals), c. 40 Swift, 20 Cormorant, 19 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 19 Wood Pigeon, 6 Canada Goose (south), 7 Blackbird (1 juv), 11 Carrion Crow, 3 Jay, 4 Magpie, 2 Robin (h), Blackcap (h), Great Tit (getting a bit worried for the downpipe chicks only 1 visit in the time I was out), Blue Tit, 4 Collared Dove, Dunnock (h), 2 Wren (h), House Sparrow, 1 Greenfinch, 1 PiedWagtail, 3 Sand Martin. While I realise this is in no way a scientific survey I am coming to the conclusion that there is naff all about in the way of "garden birds" round here, which in my blinkered way I put down to the number of cats, the destruction of suitable overgrown gardens by landlords to tight to look after them (paving over them etc.), and the limited variation in habitat plants/trees. Rant over (Nick Croft).


 * London EC2: female Black Redstart feeding in courtyard within my workplace! (David Bradnum)


 * London EC4: Black Redstart heard singing - as it has been for a month - from my desk. There seems to be a pattern building here.....(I checked my desk but no Black Redstart singing, so not such an extensive pattern PW) (David Bradshaw). That may well be the same as heard singing in the square near my office in EC4 - keep an eye on the rooftop TV aerials! (Neil Batten)


 * London W1: 2 singing male Black Redstarts at locations half a mile apart for several weeks now (I live at one and work at the other). (Toby Robertson)


 * London Wetland Centre Cetti's Warbler with 2 juveniles (LWC website)


 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir: 1 m Teal, 2 Egyptian Geese, 7 Heron, 4 Cormorant, 2 Swan juvs, 2 Moorhen juvs, 1 f Sparrowhawk, 2 Jay, 1 Song Thrush, 5 Blackcap, 1 Reed Warbler singing, 2 Stock Dove, 1 Pied Wagtail + usuals. (Louis Freeland-Haynes)


 * Mitcham Common: 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, 12 Whitethroat, 3 Greenfinch, 2 Ring-Necked Parakeet, singing Chiffchaff, singing Song Thrush, 2 Jay, 8 Long-Tailed Tit, 11 Swift, flock of c10 House Sparrow mixing with Starling around Bidder's Pond area. At the scrape nr golf course: 8 House Martin, 6 Sand Martin, 2 Black Headed Gull, Pied Wagtail, Cormorant (over), 2 Lapwing plus usuals. One Fox. (Stuart M)


 * Pinner: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at 20:00 (R. Francis).


 * Pinner Park Farm: Hobby, several Little Owl seen, including an indoor encounter in the disaster area (no access here for safety reasons), still no juveniles confirmed, 4+ Swallow, 3+ House Martin, 50+ Swift, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker & 1 Whitethroat (Jon Ridge).
 * Roding Valley Park and surrounding scrub and cemetery: Common Pheasants [female and chick], Little Egret, Blackcaps [male and female, in different places], Song Thrush, Whitethroats [several], Chiffchaff, flock of Long-tailed Tits, Pied Wagtail, 2 Swifts (Alan Hobson).


 * Sainsbury's Nine Elms Car Park: Kestrels to the West, Peregrines to the East (Michael Mac).


 * Tyttenhanger GPs: Ringed Plover, 3 Redshank, 3 Hobby, 5 House Martin, 6 Reed Warbler (inc 2 Juvs). Garden Warbler, 4 Sedge Warbler, shed loads of Whitethroat, Barnacle Goose, Shelduck. (Steve B)


 * Wanstead, Bush Wood: Little Egret flew east over Blake Hall Road at 9:20am (J Lethbridge)
 * Wanstead Flats, Jubilee Pond: 4+ House Martin, 1 Sand Martin, 20+ Swifts (J Lethbridge)


 * Winn's Bridge: 1 Little Egret, flying low over Chigwell Road towards Charlie Brown's Roundabout 15.55 (Millicent Harper) - not a helpful description, since Googling “Winn’s Bridge” produce a bridge on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and a place in South Carolina, but nothing at all in east London (Edgar de Jarnac).

Wednesday 16 June 2010

 * Crayford Marshes: female Red-breasted Merganser still on River Thames this a.m, Little owl, 6 Little egret,male Corn bunting.(Kev Jarvis).
 * Mitcham Common, Raynes Park and Wimbledon Park Vulture: could this be the bird? (Name of poster omitted?) Perhaps it's left South Africa because of the World Cup?(Michael Mac).
 * Fairlop Waters: Hoopoe, 2 Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, 16 House Martin, 2 Skylark, Reed Warbler, 2 Linnet, (google 'Redbridge Birdwatching' for details) (DEH)
 * Tottenham Marsh 05:30-09:00 No sight, nor sound of the Common Rosefinch. (The Rosefinch is no more, it is an ex-Rosefinch, the Rosefinch has ceased to be....well here anyway).(Paul Whiteman +others before and after me)
 * Forest Gate (07:00): Peregrine Falcon past my window (NickCroft).
 * Fulham Reach (my -tiny- balcony): up to 19 juv Starling, 1m Great Spotted Woodpecker (to feed young in nest in Margravine Cemetery, now very noisy) (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Mitcham Common: 2 Kestrel (1m,1f), Grey Heron (over), 18 Swift, 2 Chaffinch, Green Woodpecker, 2 Dunnock, Song Thrush, Ring-Necked Parakeet, 8 Greenfinch, 2 singing Chiffchaff, c15 House Martin & Sand Martin (at scrape near Golf Course plus 2 Shoveler, 2 Lapwing and lots of Tufties, Mallard, Coot etc), 9 Whitethroat, 2 Jay, 2 House Sparrow plus a 1:1 draw in Rabbits v Foxes (Stuart M)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Little Owl, 1 singing Whitethroat, 4 Swallow, 3 House Martin, 1 Green Woodpecker & 15 Swift (Jon Ridge).
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery: Sand Martin, 3 House Martins from Scrapyard Meadow (Bob Watts).
 * Wanstead Flats (07:30-11:00): Round pond Coot with 6 chicks still! 6 Mallard (now if only it were ten times bigger... ), 12 Lesser Black-Backed Gull mostly checking the menu at Alex, 3 Herring Gull, 2 Common Gull, 2 Black-Headed Gull,12 Cormorant, 5 Mistle Thrush, 4 Song Thrush (1 juv), 14 Jackdaw, 4 Greater Spotted Woopecker, 3 Green Woodpecker, oodles of Greenfinch (the correct term I think), 1 Goldfinch, Chaffinch, 1 Reed Bunting, 2 Chiffchaff, c.10 C. Whitethroat with young, 1Stock Dove, 1 Collared Dove and very little else to warrant me getting up so early... (Nick Croft).
 * Battersea Park Lake: 1 juvenile Grey Wagtail, 1 Great-crested Grebe with 1 chick, 4 possibly 6 Egyptian Geese most ever (not sure if two may have flown round the other side), 10 Gadwall but no young seen so far this year which is late, 3 pr Grey Lag Geese with goslings, pr Mute Swan with 3 cygnets, 2 new Mallard broods, 5+ Swifts, 1 singing Blackcap (Michael Mac).
 * Vauxhall: 1 Peregrine young on ledge at 4:10pm flapping wings for 10 mins then went back in(Michael Mac).
 * Boston Manor Park c 19:30. 1 Common Tern feeding over/on lake. 2 Pochard, Chiffchaff singing and still 11 goslings across three pairs of Canada Geese (last year produced 1). (Michael F)
 * St Jude's Court, Woodford Bridge [from my study whilst sitting marking!]: 2 Common Terns [or the same one twice, a few hours apart] [rare round here], Green Woodpecker, 2 Jays, Cormorant, lots of Swifts, Lesser Black-backed Gull, plus everyday birds [Not bad for basically looking up every now and again from my marking! (but with the bins right by me, of course)] (Alan Hobson).

Tuesday 15 June 2010

 * Tottenham Marshes: first-summer Common Rosefinch still around the Stonebridge lock area, showing well on three occasions between 05:40 and 07:00 and singing pretty much continuously (Gareth Richards).From 7 30am to 11 30am The Common Rosefinch did not show, but singing non-stop (KJM). Singing occasionally, and seen briefly between c17.40 & 19.15 (R Woodward). Please do not make paths into the vegetation to try and see this bird to avoid disturbance to breeding warblers.
 * Roehampton : Lesser Spotted Woodpecker calling and showing Danbury Avenue/Priory lane area ( D Benton)
 * Rainham Marshes: female Red-breasted Merganser on Thames opposite visitor centre car park from 10:30 (news from Andy Tweed).
 * Crayford Marshes: Red-breasted Merganser (same bird as Rainham) at 12:20. Cetti's warbler, 3 Little egrets, 3 Lesser whitethroats, Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Jackdaws. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Wanstead Flats (07:00-12:00): Probable Wood Sandpiper (briefly on Alex before flying North), Hobby (West over Alex), 12 Cormorant, 9 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 7 House Martin, c. 30 Swift, numerous Starling, Skylark, Carrion Crow (c. 100 on both playing fields and fairground), Greenfinch, Chaffinch, 3 Linnet, Reed Bunting, Wood Pigeon, Stock Dove, Pied Wagtail, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Green Woodpecker, 5 Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Meadow Pipit, Magpie, Jackdaw, 3 Jay, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Gull, Little Grebe, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Wren, Moorhen, Coot, Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Dunnock (Nick Croft).
 * Wanstead Park: Little Egret (over East), 5 Sand Martin, c. 20 House Martin, 4 Song Thrush, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Ring-necked Parakeet, Reed Warbler (still on Shoulder of Mutton), 5 Chiffchaff, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Long-tailed Tit, Sparrowhawk, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker 2 Cormorant (Nick Croft).
 * London W2 (location withheld): singing Black Redstart (Des McKenzie).
 * London SE1: Black Redstart singing briefly at 17:30 (Andy Holden)
 * Mitcham Common: 2 Kestrel (1m,1f), Grey Heron, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, 17 Swift, Jay, 3 Greenfinch, 4 Whitethroat, 2 Song Thrush, 3 Dunnock, 2 singing Chiffchaff, Ring-Necked Parakeet, 54 Canada Goose + young at Seven Islands Pond, Pheasant calling near Croydon Road again. 2 rabbits. Quiet morning. (Stuart M)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Hobbies, 1 Cormorant, 3 Grey Heron, 1 Whitethroat, 2 juvenile Robin, 1 juvenile Goldfinch, 3 Jay, 4+ Swallow, 2+ House Martin & 14 Swift (Jon Ridge).
 * Raynes Park: Possible sighting of the Vulture. Large black bird without a tail, but flying very high up. Impossible to get a decent ID on it. 20.30. (S Haslem)
 * Chiswick House Grounds: 1 Lesser Whitethroat singing briefly early AM (odd record), 4 Blackcap (3 singing), c8 Wren, 2 Dunnock, 2 Robin juvs, 2 Song thrush (1 juv), 2 Mistle thrush, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, 7 Coal tit (4 juvs), 5 Great tit (3 juvs), c8 Blue tit (c5 juvs), 5 Goldcrest, 1 Pied Wagtail over, 2 Jay, 6 Magpie, 3 Stock dove, Woodpigeons, c8 Chaffinch, c14 Goldfinch, 3 Greenfinch, 1 Heron, 4 Cormorant over, 1 LBB gull, 3 Herring Gull over, Moorhens, Coots, Mallard, 3 Tufted Duck, c40 Swift. (Louis Freeland-Haynes)

Monday 14 June 2010

 * Tottenham Marshes:1st-summer male Common Rosefinch again near Stonebridge Lock (Birdguides). Seen well (picked up by NT) for about 10 seconds perched in a bush on the east side of the relief channel 20 yards south of Stonebridge Lock at 1532; also Chiffchaff and a Common Tern on Relief Channel (Nick Tanner, Des McKenzie); still singing at 17.25 (Andrew Self)
 * Crayford Marshes: Quail Singing from the field next to the fence post numbered 4, on the path from Moat lane to the River Thames. Hobby, Lesser whitethroat, 3 Corn bunting, 2 Curlew, Little egret. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: Marsh Harrier, 2 Hobby, 15 Little Egret, 35 Gadwall, Wideon, Lesser Whitethroat (ELBF website).
 * Crossness: 1st summer Yellow-legged Gull, Ringed Plover, 225 Shekduck, 6 Gadwall, 6 Oystercatchers, singing Lesser Whitethroat (John Archer).
 * Five Oaks Lane Scrubland: Red Kite, 2 Cuckoo, Linnet, (via Redbridge Birdwatching)
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery: 2-3 Sand Martins over Scrapyard Meadow (Bob Watts).
 * Wormwood Scrubs: Male Reed Bunting, c4 Meadow Pipit, c35 Long-tail Tit (inc 30 in a single group), usual singing birds (3 Chiffchaff, 3 Common Whitethroat, 2 Song Thrush, c5 Blackcap, Chaffinch, 4 Wren) (Charlie Farrell)
 * Chase Road, N14: 2 adult Goldcrest (Robert Callf).
 * Forest Gate (up on the roof: 10:30-12:00): 20 Cormorant, c. 30 Swift, 18 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 3 Herring Gull, 1 juv Greater Black-Backed Gull, 3 Sand Martin, 3 singing Blackbird, Robin, BlueTit, Great Tit (doing the cleaning and bringing food to a noisy down pipe), 3 pairs Collared Dove, c. 10 Wood Pigeon, Wren, House Sparrow, Blackacp (h), c. 10 Starling, 3 Goldfinch, c. 13 Carrion Crow, 1 Magpie, 1 Grey Wagtail and loads of Feral Pigeon (Nick Croft).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 5 Mistle Thrush on the cricket pitch, 2 Swallow, 3 House Martin & 12 Swift. Probably the quietest day of the year thus far here.. (Jon Ridge).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: quiet as preceding weeks but for two drake Shoveler fresh in (and moulting into eclipse), 5 Common Terns, LBBG on Bethune Road with two chicks (and divebombing passers-by), c60 Swifts (MJP)
 * London W1: 2 male Black Redstarts singing at each other and generally getting quite worked up (James Astley).
 * Mitcham Common: Kestrel (f), Grey Heron, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, 11 Whitethroat, 7 Greenfinch, 3 Song Thrush, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 4 Long-Tailed Tit, 3 House Martin, 11 Swift, Black Headed Gull (on scrape behind Golf Course), 2 Lapwing, 2 Ring-Necked Parakeet, all the usuals plus 3 Rabbits and a Fox (Stuart M)
 * South Norwood Lake: 3 Mute Swan, 1 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe (1 young on back) c12 Common Swift, 1 House Martin, 2 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 3 singing Song Thrush, 12 Ring-necked Parakeet, c3 Nuthatch, 4 House Sparrow, (John Watson)
 * Ingrebounre Valley: Peregrine Falcon over @ 4.00pm (Shaun Harvey,Steve Smith)
 * Tower Bridge: 1 Adult Kestrel and 2 Chicks nesting in one of the windows on the Tower of London. Both youngsters seem healthy, and are covered in fluffy white feathers. (A Campbell)

Sunday 13 June 2010

 * Tottenham Marshes:1st-summer male Common Rosefinch near Stonebridge Lock in scrub near picnic tables & also visiting scrub near the main road, south of the Stonebridge Lock car park. Found during a monthly bird survey by the Friends of Tottenham Marshes group, now seen by many observers but the bird is very difficult to see and has mainly been seen in flight & heard singing (various observers). Also singing Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and several Sedge Warblers, Common Terns and Swifts (David Callahan).
 * Limetrees Park Golfcourse (Northolt): 2 Red Kite drifting E/NE 11.40, Little Grebe, pr Mute Swan with 5 young, Little Ringed Plover, 100+ mainly Herring Gulls (with a few LBB) wheeling overhead, c20 Swift, singing Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Linnet (Neil Anderson)
 * Staines Res: two Sandwich Terns -> S at 0915hrs; also drake Wigeon still (Rob Innes).
 * South Norwood Lake: 3 Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe (1young on back of adult) 1 imm Herring Gull, 1 adult + 3 juv Green Woodpecker, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Collared Dove, 1 adult 3 juv Nuthatch,2 singing Blackcap + 1 pair feeding young, 2 singing Chiffchaff, 2 House Martin, 8 Long-tailed Tit, 3 House Sparrow, (John Watson)
 * Trent CP: 1 Kingfisher, perched (Robert Callf).
 * Ten Acre/Gutteridge Wood area: f Sparrowhawk, Hobby, Kestrel, 2 Pheasant, 3 Stock Dove, Green + Great-spotted Woodpecker, c50 Swift, singing Skylark, Swallow, singing Lesser Whitethroat, 2 fledged families Whitethroat, 2 singing Willow Warbler, 6 Linnet (Neil Anderson) 2 Little Owl, 2 pr Meadow Pipit (Steve Pash)
 * Ingrebourne Valley: Common Tern,2 Grasshopper Warblers,Sparrowhawk.(Shaun Harvey)
 * London W2 (location withheld): singing Black Redstart (Des McKenzie)
 * Lonsdale Reservoir: Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Grey Wagtail family group, Pochard with young, 10+ Swift, 2 House Martin, LBB Gull, Little Grebe, usuals (Rich Petley).
 * Paddington Green: pr Peregrine Falcon, first young Herring Gull out of the egg at local rooftop colony, Grey Wagtail (DMc).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Little Owl showing well in the usual tree (Jon Ridge).
 * Seventy Acres Lake: c50 Common Terns, 12 Pochard, 2 Cuckoos + a juvenile being fed by Reed Warblers (R. Woodward)


 * Regent's Park: Kestrel still incubating on Primrose hill, 4 Little Owlets, Common Whitethroat, 3 Chiffchaff singing, 3 families of Red crested Pochards (Tony Duckett).
 * Mitcham Common: 2 Lesser Whitethroat in open grassland, 4 Canada Geese broods 7 islands pond, 10+ Swifts - no Vultures (Michael Mac).

Saturday 12 June 2010

 * Brent Reservoir: Summer plumage Little Stint in front of Main Hide, at 10.15, near scaffold pole (Roy Beddard). Still present 17.00 but very distant on furthest patch of mud to left of scaffold pole (Jon Ridge, Andrew Haynes). (First record here since 1996, I think, and first June record since two were shot on 12 June 1871 -- AH.)


 * East India Dock Basin NR: Red Kite over SW at 09.05 (1st site record), 2 House Martins. (Gary A James)


 * Mitcham: A small Vulture species seen flying over north at 5.20pm. (This bird had no tail). Also Red Kite over north-west at 5.50pm.(RDW).per kjm.


 * Wimbledon Park: Vulture sp -- presumably the same tailless bird as in the Mitcham report -- over north at 5.30pm. No idea on species but predominantly blackish plumage and a little larger than a Common Raven. Lack of tail probably affected the way it was flying with relatively fast, deep beats (Martin Daniel).


 * Chiswick Eyot - Barnes Bridge (late PM): 1 Reed Warbler (singing in garden at W end of Chiswick Mall), 1 Whitethroat singing (Duke's Meadows), 8 Wren, 4 Pied Wagtail (2 juvs), 6 Blackcap, 4 Long tailed tit, 7 Blue tit (3 juvs), 4 Greenfinch, c12 Goldfinch, 6 Chaffinch, 8 Robin (4 juvs), 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 38 Canada Geese, 1 Egyptian Goose, 7 Herring Gull, 13 LBB Gull, 2 GBB gull, 1 Common Tern, Coots, Moorhens, c15 House Martin, c30 Swift. (Louis Freeland-Haynes)


 * Crossness: Firecrest (second year male) ringed, Grey Wagtail (Roger Taylor)


 * Five Oaks Lane, Scrubland: 3 Cuckoo, 2 Kestrel, 4 Pheasant, Skylark, 2 Swift, 3 Swallow, 15+ Whitethroat incl fledged young, pr Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 7+ Willow Warbler, 6 Mistle Thrush, 5+ Song Thrush, GWP, GSWP, male Reed Bunting, 12 Yellowhammer (11m, 1f) (Redbridge Birdwatching)


 * Lee Valley, Farm Area: Barn Owl seen hunting early morning, 2 Little Owls, Yellowhammer, 4 Linnets, Goosefields: Redshank, Langridge scrape: 6 LRP's, 2 Lapwing, Green & Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 100+ Swifts, double figures of House Martins & Swallows, Cetti's Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, Kestrel. Plenty of youngsters about including Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Bluetit, Great Tit, Robin, Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Egyptian Goose, and Great-crested Grebe. (James Anderson)


 * Sainsbury's Nine Elm's Car Park: Kestrel on chimney overlooking car park seen while I came out with some shopping and Peregrine on building nearby (Michael Mac).


 * Wimbledon Common: Buzzard circling high before heading south, Hobby briefly mobbed by Swift, Cuckoo heard several times from trees near Blue Gate Pit, pr Stock Dove, 15+ Great-spotted (but surprisingly no Green) Woodpeckers, 20+ Swift, many singing Blackcaps + Chiffchaffs, few Whitethroats, singing Goldcrest. Also several Emerald Damselflies, Common Heath + 2 Rose Chafers (Neil Anderson)
 * South Norwood Lake: 3 Mute Swan, Great Crested Gebe (1 young on back) 12 Tufted Duck, 8 Ring-necked Parakeet, 2 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, c8 Swift, 2 House Martin, c4 Nuthatch, 2 singing Song Thrush, Long-tailed Tit, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 6 House Sparrow, (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
 * Hornchurch Country Park: Imm Marsh Harrier, male Peregrine, Little Egret, Shelduck, 3 Teal, Yellowhammer, Bullfinch, 2-3 Lesser Whitethroats (R & I Woodward & others).

Friday 11 June 2010

 * Royal Albert Dock, E16: Black Tern (Daniel Erickson-Hull).
 * South Woodford: Great White Egret (over, low @ 11.15am) (Redbridge Birdwatching).
 * Beckton A13: Hobby (Daniel Erickson-Hull).
 * Canon's Farm and Banstead Woods: Red Kite flew west 3.58pm, ♀ White Wagtail still feeding on Legal & General playing field with ♂ Pied Wagtail, 2 Little Owls, 2 House Martins, singing ♂ Goldcrest, 3+ Treecreepers, 3 Coal Tits, Swallow, Kestrel, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 2 Pheasants, Willow Warbler, 5+ Common Whitethroats, 7+ Chiffchaffs, 4+ Blackcaps, 7+ Green Woodpeckers, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 9 Stock Doves, c.20 juvenile Starlings, 4+ Linnets, 5+ Rose-ringed Parakeets, family groups of Blue Tits and Great Tits Also the following butterflies: 2+ Large Skippers, Red Admiral, Large White, Speckled Wood etc (David Campbell).
 * Crayford Marshes: 2 Corn Buntings, 16 Reed Warblers, 25 Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blackcaps, 18 Linnets, 8 Redshanks, 2 Oystercatchers, 4 Gadwall. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Fairlop Gravel Works: Shelduck, female Teal, 4 Tufted Duck, Pheasant, Cormorant, Stock Dove, 3 adult Lapwing and some chicks, 6 LRPlovers (3 prs), 1 pr Redshank, 3 Linnet, 2 Skylark, 5 House Martin, Swallow (DErickson-Hull)
 * Greensted: singing Turtle Dove, Red-legged Partridge, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 singing Yellowhammers (Dominic Mitchell).
 * Navestock area: Red-legged Partridge, singing Willow Warbler, Bullfinch, 2 singing Yellowhammers, plus several Brown Hares (Dominic Mitchell).
 * London W2 (location withheld): singing Black Redstart (Des McKenzie).
 * Hinchley Wood: Hobby flew west over private garden at 9pm.
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Reed Bunting, 1 Ruddy Duck drake, 2 Teal drake, 3 Redshank, 4 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Hobby, 2 Blackcap, 1 Green Woodpecker, c60 Sand Martin, c10 House Martin + usuals. c20 Broad-bodied Chaser. (Louis Freeland-Haynes) + 7 Pochard duckling, 1 Shoveler, 4 Teal drake, 12 Common Tern, 10 Mute Swan cygnets, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Cetti's warbler. (WWT Website)

Thursday 10 June 2010

 * Burgess Park Lake: pr Gadwall, pr Egyptian Geese with 3 medium grown young, 1 pr Tufted Duck, Mute Swan on nest, 5 Coot broods, pr Moorhens with 1st and 2nd broods, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Herring and 1 Lesser-black Backed Gull, 8+ Swifts, 50 Carrion Crows not near lake (Michael Mac).
 * Chertsey: no sign of Hoopoe 05:40-07:10 (Birdguides). What Hoopoe? This Hoopoe.
 * Isle of Dogs: Pair of Great Black-backed Gulls at possible nest site (Richard Harrison).
 * Islington: Black-headed Gull over, ad fem Grey Wagtail accompanied by single juv on pavement along Upper Street (Des McKenzie).
 * Kensington Gardens: m Sparrowhawk, m Kestrel, Hobby pitched into tree on Buck Hill at 15:15 then flew low north c15:20, Peregrine Falcon (very small looking bird) west 15:35, Jay; also Burnet Companion and c125 Blue-tailed Damselfly (DMc); injured m Pheasant still present (lawns near Orangery) (Noel Lever per DMc).
 * London W2 (location withheld): singing Black Redstart (DMc).
 * Mayfair: 25-30 Swift (DMc).
 * Mitcham Common: Kestrel (female eating vole in tree near Bidder's Pond), Cormorant (over), 2 Jay, 2 Chiffchaff, Greenfinch, 6 Whitethroat, Song Thrush, 11 Swift, and at One Island Pond: 5 Mallard, 4 Canada Goose, 6 Coot, 4 Moorhen. Street lamp Blue Tits still being fed. Quiet, windy & wet. (Stuart M)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Hobby, 1 Little Owl (usual bird), 3+ Lesser Whitethroat in the middle hedge, 1 Whitethroat, 14 Swift, 4 House Martin, 2+ Swallow & 2 Green Woodpecker (Jon Ridge).
 * Silvertown E16: Peregrine at Silvertown Way 11.30am (DEH)
 * Stockwell (Nine Elms) Estate Community Garden: Goldfinch singing for 4th day, 2 Swifts over, Kestrel over (Michael Mac).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Hobby 1410-1420, House Martin, c300 Swifts arrived on the cusp of stormclouds 1415 (MJP)
 * Chase Rd., Southgate: 2(ad feeding juv) Goldcrest, 18:55 (Robert Callf).

Wednesday 9 June 2010

 * Canons Farm and Banstead Woods: see yesterday for interesting info on breeding White Wagtail. Today's sightings: 2-3 Little Owls, House Martin, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, 2 Linnets, 8+ Common Whitethroats, 7 Mistle Thrushes including 4 juveniles, 2+ Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Stock Dove, 3 Yellowhammers, 4 Green Woodpeckers, 3+ Skylarks, c.30 juvenile Starlings, Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Swallows, Pheasant. Also Roe Deer (DKC/KJM).
 * Crayford Marshes: Cetti's Warbler, 5 Little Egrets, Female Cuckoo calling, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Tern, Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 12 Redshanks, 2 Oystercatchers. pr Gadwall. (Kev Jarvis)
 * Fulham Reach: 50+ Swift above Charing Cross Hospital briefly around 8:30am, freshly fledged Great Spotted Woodpecker brought by male to my balcony (Nathalie Mahieu)


 * Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens: 61 Mute Swan (1 of which tried drowning an Egyptian gosling), 17 Egyptian Goose (inc 2 broods of 9 and 3), 4 Gadwall, 6 Red-crested Pochard (inc 1 duckling), 6 Pochard, 28 Tufted Duck, 9 Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine Falcon, 6 Stock Dove, Tawny Owl, 2 Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Mistle Thrush, 5 Blackcap, singing Goldcrest, Nuthatch, 3 Treecreeper, 10 Chaffinch, 2 Goldfinch; also Red-eared Terrapin, Small White, 2 Speckled Wood, at least 1 Yellow-legged Clearwing (at bramble flowers on Buck Hill), 5 Silver Y, 7 Burnet Companion, 14 Blue-tailed Damselfly, 3 Common Blue Damselfly, 5 Broad-bodied Chaser http://hpkg.blogspot.com (Des McKenzie).


 * London EC4: Singing Black Redstart still present (Neil Batten).


 * London W1W: singing Black Redstart (Paul Hyland)


 * London W2 (location witheld): singing Black Redstart (Des McKenzie).
 * Mitcham Common: Sparrowhawk (f), 2 Kestrel (1m,1f), Grey Heron, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, House Martin, 15 Swift, 3 Lapwing (along with 26 Mallard, 8 Tufted Duck, 5 Coot & 4 Moorhen and a Fox at scrape just South of Golf Course), 7 Greenfinch, 9 Long-Tailed Tit, 5 Chiffchaff, 8 Whitethroat, Chaffinch, Tree Sparrow, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Jay, 5 Ring-Necked Parakeet, c50+ Canada Goose (inc young) plus 12 Rabbits and a further 6 Foxes (inc a very close encounter with a Vixen and three large cubs at One Island Pond). Pheasant still calling from thick undergrowth alongside Croydon Road and street lamp Blue Tit nest quiet. Cracking visit all round. (Stuart M)


 * Muswell Hill: 8 + swifts- Colney Hatch Lane. Nesting -Chester House. Redshank heard 23.00 last night passing over (P.Angus)


 * Northaw Great Wood: 1 female Kestrel; 1 Tawny Owl, heard hooting; 1 singing male Cuckoo; 6 Great Spotted Woodpecker, including at least four juveniles and an occupied nest-hole; 1 singing male Spotted Flycatcher; 6 Coal Tit,(4 singing males, 2 juveniles); 6 Marsh Tit,(2 adults, 4 juveniles); 1 male Bullfinch; Female Pale Tussock, settled on Oak trunk; Speckled Yellows; Brown Silver-lines (Robert Callf).


 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Hobby, 2 Little Owl (inc a probable young bird in heavy rain, being mobbed by a Swallow - confirmation to follow..), 1 singing Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 8 Swift, 4+ House Martin, 2 Swallow, 5 Grey Heron, 6 young Canada Goose still doing well, 3+ Coot chicks & 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (Jon Ridge).


 * Regent's Park: Little Owl, the first owlet has left the nest (photos), also today Common Tern, 7 singing Reed Warblers, Chiffchaff, 7 Goldcrests, 3 Kestrels (Tony Duckett).


 * Sainsbury's Nine Elms Car Park: f Sparrowhawk carrying small bird briefly persued by Magpie towards Battersea Park 12:25 Plus Kestrel very visible latter in the afternoon on buildings (Michael Mac).


 * Town Park, Enfield: 1 ad Grey Heron, with large fish; 3 male Mandarin Duck, Carr's Basin; 1 female Pochard; 1 Common Tern, fishing; 1 ad Coot with 3 young; 1 ad Mistle Thrush; 40(18 ad., 22 juvs) Starling, feeding; 3(ad male feeding two juveniles) Blackcap (Robert Callf).


 * Tyttenhanger GPs: 1 Little Owl young, 5 Redshank (inc 2 young), Ringed Plover. (Steve Blake)


 * Wanstead Flats 08:00-11:00: m + 1 young Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Little Owl, Coot with 6 chicks on round pond (also 1 Moorhen there too), 13 Cormorant, 13 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 1 adult Herring Gull, 4 singing Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, numerous Whiterhoat, 6+ Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Reed Bunting (2 male), Jay, Jackdaw, Magpie,Carrion Crow, Kestrel, families of Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-Tailed Tit, Skylark, Meadow Pipit (c.6 singers), c.100+ Swift, 2 House Martin, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Little Grebe, 2 Ring Necked Parakeet, Dunnock, Wren, several large "schools" of Starling, House Sparrow, Wood Pigeon, Green Woodpecker, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, and a Heron (Nick Croft)


 * Willows Farm Pool: 4 Oystercatcher (inc 2 young), Barnacle Goose, 2 Egyptian Goose, 10 Canada Goose, Redshank, 2 Lapwing. (Steve B)
 * Duke's Meadows, Chiswick (11:00): 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 singing Whitethroat, 1 Common tern over W, 1 Mistle Thrush over W, 4 Pied Wagtails (2 Juvs), 1 Blackcap. (Louis Freeland-Haynes)
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: c230 Swifts, Peregrine (MJP)


 * City of London: Hobby SE towards Thames c. 11:30 (Stuart Harrington/LPP)

Tuesday 8 June 2010

 * Canons Farm and Banstead Woods: ♀ White Wagtail still seen collecting food and presumably taking it to young at nest, Rook, Bullfinch, c.17 Stock Doves, 8 Common Whitethroats (including 3 fledglings), 3 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Linnets, Skylark, Swallow, 6 Blackcaps, 6 Chiffchaffs, 2 singing ♂ Goldcrests, singing ♂ Willow Warbler, Pheasant, Jay unsuccessfully attempting to take any 1 of 3 presumably fledgling Blue Tits on the wing. Also Grizzled Skipper butterfly (DKC).


 * Crayford Marshes: 3 Corn Bunting, Cetti's Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Little Egret, 2 Oystercatchers, 12 Reed Warblers. (Kev Jarvis).


 * Duke's Meadows - Chiswick Eyot (19:00-20:00): 2 Mute swan, 3 Gadwall (2m, 1f), 13 Tufted Duck, 17 Canada Goose, 3 Egyptian Geese (2 West), 5 Grey Heron (3 on River, 2 East), 4 LBB Gull, 1 GBB gull downriver, 3 Herring Gull, 3 Common Tern (1 back and forth between Chiswick House + Barnes, 2 upriver), 5 Great tit (3 juvs.), 2 singing Dunnock, 3 Robin, 5 Blackbird, 1 Blackcap, 2 Greenfinch, 5 Goldfinch, c15 House Sparrow, 3 Chaffinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, c40 Swift, 11 House Martin. (Louis Freeland-Haynes)
 * Fairlop Gravel Works: Shelduck, 2 f Teal, 5 Gadwall, pr Pochard with 6 ducklings, 20 Tufted Duck, male Shoveler, 2 GCGrebe, 11 Lapwing, pr Redshank, pr Little Ringed Plover, pr Yellow Wagtail, 3 pr Stock Dove, 2 singing Skylark, Whitethroats, Blackcaps, 9 Reed Warbler (3 prs, 1 of whom has 2 fledged young, 4th male singing) mSedge Warbler, 2 male Reed Bunting, 6 Linnet, Little Owl, 4 Swallow, 6 Sand Martin (DErickson-Hull)


 * Forest Gate (sky watching) 11:00-12:00: 15 Cormorant, 11 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 1 Herring Gull (nr Adult), 15 Swift, 1Swallow, 1 Sand Martin, 5 Collared Dove, Wood Pigeon, 20 Starling, 5 Greenfinch, 1 Goldfinch, 6 Blackbird, Robin, Wren, House Sparrow, Magpie, Jay, Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Blue Tit (Nick Croft).


 * Kensington Gardens (brief visit to scan Longwater): Egyptian Goose, 7 Mandarin Duck (1m, 3f and 3 ducklings), 3 Gadwall (1pr, 1m), 9 Red-crested Pochard (6m, 2f and 1 duckling) - all males going into eclipse; also 8 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Treecreeper (Des McKenzie).


 * Kenwood Ponds: 1 Little Grebe (Patch tick - frequented all Hampstead Heath ponds for over 10 years and this is 1st time seen this species at any pond), Kestrel, 5+ Swifts when the sun came out, 15+ Jackdaw, 20 Mandarin Duck, 6 Egyptian Geese including 3 full grown young, 3 broods Coot, 1 Moorhen on nest (3 eggs) (Michael Mac).


 * London W1: male Black Redstart singing, again (James Astley).


 * London W2 (location withheld): singing Black Redstart (Des McKenzie).


 * Mayfair: 2pr Mallard flew low east along Woods Mews at about 10ft altitude (Des McKenzie).


 * Mitcham Common: Hobby 16:15 - 16:30 over and around Seven Islands Pond, Kestrel (m), Grey Heron, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker (present), 3 Jay, 3 Greenfinch, 4 Mallard and plenty of Coot, Moorhen & Canada Goose + young, 15 Swift, 3 singing Chiffchaff, 8 Whitethroat, 2 Ring-necked Parakeet, 5 House Sparrow, Song Thrush plus 2 Rabbits and today and yesterday have heard a Pheasant (Stuart M)


 * Paddington Green: Peregrine Falcon over 09:00, ad-type Great Black-backed Gull north-west (Des McKenzie).


 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Hobby, 2 Little Owl, 3 Lesser Whitethroat (inc 1 juvenile around the rubbish tip), 1 Whitethroat, 1+ Sand Martin with 7+ House Martin, 2 Swallow, 12 Swift, 7 Grey Heron, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Mistle Thrush over, 25+ Herring Gull & 5+ Lesser Black-backed Gull in an assortment of age groups. Also nearby in Pinner: 1 Stag Beetle on the road in Church Lane, which was then moved to the comparative safety of the vicarage (Jon Ridge).


 * Royal Free Hospital: 3+ Swifts (Michael Mac).


 * Staines Res: Six Common Scoter north basin - evening (KLP).


 * City of London: Common Buzzard W along Thames around noon, 1 Common Buzzard and 2 Red Kites over on Monday (Stuart Harrington/LPP)

Monday 7 June 2010

 * Crayford Marshes: Little Owl, 2 Corn Buntings, Cetti's Warbler, fem Sparrowhawk, 2 Rooks. (Kev Jarvis).


 * Enfield, Boxers Lake: 6 Mute Swan (+4 cygnets), 1 Mandarin (m), 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff (Ian Woodward)


 * Inner London/Wandsworth Road: Collared Dove flying south east low over buildings - area personal 1st (Michael Mac).


 * Kensal Green: 2 juvenile Dunnock, 1 juvenile Song Thrush + Greenfinch, Blue Tit, Starling & House Sparrow @ the feeders (Charlie Farrell)


 * London W2 (location withheld): singing Black Redstart (Des McKenzie).


 * Mitcham Common: (09:30- 11:00) 2 Grey Heron, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, kill site of Green Woodpecker, 9 Swift, flock of 12 House Sparrow, 2 singing Song Thrush, 4 Greenfinch, 15 Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, 4 Ring-Necked Parakeet plus a rabbit. Blue Tit nest in street lamp bulb still going strong. Quiet visit. (Stuart M)


 * Nine Elms - Estate Community Garden: 4 Goldfinch, 2 chasing, 1 singing, 2+ fledged Great Tits and 1 Kestrel in Sainsbury's car park (Michael Mac).


 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Hobby, 1 Little Owl, 1 Lesser Whitethroat started singing again, 1 Whitethroat, 45+ Swift, 5 House Martin, 2+ Swallow & 7 Grey Heron (Jon Ridge).


 * Rainham Village: Cetti's Warbler singing, 3 Common Tern over, Red Kite @ 13:30 (seen by someone else while I was getting my hair cut!!!, unidentified large raptor @ 15:30, Sparrowhawk (Richard Harrison).


 * Richmond Park: No sign of Red-backed Shrike before 08.00. Kingfisher flew E over Hawthorn valley at 07.00. (FJM)


 * South Norwood Lake: Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe (on nest) 8 Tufted Duck, 2 Common Swift, single House Martin, 5 singing Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Song Thrush, 1adult +3 juv Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, 8 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Collared Dove, 5 House Sparrow, (John Watson)


 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Hobby 0920, 2 Common Buzzards thermalling then SE 1115, Swallow north, c6 Common Terns (Mark Pearson)
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery: Sand Martin SW 0815 (Bob Watts).


 * Wormwood Scrubs: Pied Wagtail + usual singing birds (Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Chifchaff, Song Thrush, Chaffinch, Wren); 4 Meadow Pipit including 1 singing bird. (Charlie Farrell)
 * Sainsbury's Nine Elm's Car Park: male Peregrine low down onto housing estate 7pm (Michael Mac).

Sunday 6 June 2010

 * Richmond Park: Red-backed Shrike male, in Hawthorn Valley at 9.15 am (Ron Herbert) c.400m NW of Holly Lodge, N of Conduit Wood. Cambrian Gate is nearest entry to Park. (J.Wilczur). Singing, at 12.36pm. Park at Sheen Gate and walk W. Present 4.30 (Louis F-H). Still present @ 6.30pm sitting on a fence in the area(P Bursche).Present till 20.55 appeared to go to roost. (FJM) Photographers should not attempt to stalk bird. Thanks to all dog walkers who kindly diverted of their route on request.


 * Barnes village: 4 Red Kites over, drifting south, 09:55 - 10:05 (Rich Petley).


 * Blackheath: Reed Warbler 1 subsinging in my (small, decidly urban, reed- and water-free) garden (James Lowen)


 * Brent Reservoir: Sanderling for 2nd day, 21 pairs Common Terns, 2 Sand Martins and 15 House Martins feeding (Brent Birders).


 * East India Dock: (pm) Hobby circling west over Fat Boy's Diner at 15:18 (patch tick), Oystercatcher up the Lea, 2 LRP, singing Reed Bunting, 9+ Sand Martins (2 resident), 2 Shelducks, 5+ imm GBB Gulls, 2 singing Blackcaps (David Callahan).


 * London Wetland Centre: Red Kite 10.00 (Birdguides).
 * Lake Farm CP, Hayes: Red Kite overhead for 10 minutes, 09.35 to 09.45 before moving high to W (Pete Naylor, Glenn Longstaff).


 * Mile End Road E3: two Egyptian Geese flew S at c20:00hrs (Nick Tanner).


 * Paddington Green: Grey Wagtail (Des McKenzie).


 * Richmond: 2 Kingfishers flew N calling over Pagoda Avenue at 06.05 (FJM)


 * South Norwood Lake: Common Buzzard drifting S/SW 11:20hrs, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, 10 Tufted Duck, 1 Herring Gull, 2 Cormorant, 1 Swallow, 6 Swifts, 2 Nuthatch, c4 singing Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 singing Song Thrush, 2 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Jay, 3 House Sparrow, (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)


 * Staines Reservoir: Red Kite 10.45 (Birdguides).


 * Totteridge Valley: Turtle Dove at 08:00 (my first here), Cuckoo, 30+ Swifts, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, Bullfinch, plus usual stuff (Ian Ellis).


 * Tower Bridge: Buzzard circling up high above the bridge and a Kestrel flying amongst the trees at the Tower. (Katy M.)


 * Wanstead Flats: Little Owl plus usuals. Having trouble locating nesting Lesser Spot, precise location i.e West Copse etc would be most appreciated. (Dan Barre
 * Wormwood Scrubs: Common Tern high over the playing fields, several singing Chaffinch, Common Whitethroat. (Charlie Farrell)
 * Teddington: Red Kite low overhead, gained height and headed north at 1.30pm (James Millett)

Saturday 5 June 2010

 * Brent Reservoir: Sanderling 0800 on mud/rafts till 09.15 at least, 4 Lapwings, Sand Martin (Roy Beddard, John Gravatt, A.Verrall). Sanderling still present early afternoon (Andrew Haynes). Sanderling present at 14:30, many thanks. (Jon Ridge).
 * Alexandra Park: Common Buzzard west 1415 (Gerry Rawcliffe, Andrew Gardener, Dominic Mitchell, Gareth Richards, Mark Pearson, Bob Watts). No Sedge warblers.


 * Camden Town - Gloucester Road and Oval Road: pr Lesser Black-backed Gull defending 1 chick on chimney stack, 2 other adults sitting and possibly 2 more but area not visible from ground. pr Herring Gull with 2 chicks and possible 2 more nests not visible from ground. NO sign of House Martins(2) that bred on office building back in 2007 (Michael Mac).


 * Horsenden Hill: 1 Red Kite arrived from east at 11.05, circled around until ca. 11.10, gaining height and then drifted NW towards Harrow-on-the-Hill. Also 1 Painted Lady, 1 Mother Shipton, ca. 100 Damselfly sp. (probably Azure), 1 Four-spotted Chaser (Andy Culshaw).
 * London Wetland Centre - 2 Drake Garganey, LRP, Ring Plover, Dunlin, 3 Redshank, Drake Ruddy Duck, good numbers of the usual ducks : Pochard, Tufted, Gadwall.


 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 singing Whitethroat, 2+ Swallow, 2+ House Martin, 20 Swift & 1 Painted Lady (Jon Ridge).


 * Regent's Park: 2 Kestrels, f Red-crested Pochard with 2+ in bushes, f Pochard with 3 young, 2 pr Great-crested Grebes with pr young each, numerous Coot broods, 3 Moorhen broods recently hatched, 1 singin' Reed Warbler, only a few Swifts very high up (Michael Mac).


 * Roslyn Road, N15: Hobby over yesterday afternoon. (Katy M.)


 * Ruislip Woods NNR and Ruislip Lido: Buzzard, Sparrowhawk + Hobby all seen high from Poor's Field, 3 Common Tern, c20 Great-spotted Woodpecker (calling everywhere with family groups), 2 Grey Wagtail, 15 juv + 1 adult Pied Wagtails (feeding mainly on rafts) c20 House Martin (collecting mud at shore), 1 Swallow, 2 Nuthatch families fledged, Goldcrest (Neil Anderson)


 * Trent Park: 1 female Sparrowhawk, perched; 3(adult feeding two juveniles) Coal Tit (Robert Callf).


 * Tyttenhanger GPs: 2 Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, 7 Redshank (inc 3 recently fledged) 2 fledged Lapwing, 6+ Reed Warbler. (Steve Blake)
 * South Norwood Lake: 3 Mute Swan, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe (on nest) 12 Tufted Duck, 2 Hering Gull, 1 Cormornt, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Common Swift, c5 singing Blackcap (1pair at nest feeding young) 4 singing Chiffchaff, c4 singing Song Thrush, 5 House Sparrow, (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)


 * Willows Farm Pool: 4 Oystercatcher (inc 2 young), 2 Egyptian Goose, Redshank. (Steve B)

Friday 4 June 2010

 * Woodmansterne: no sign of yesterday's male Red-backed Shrike.
 * Alexandra Park: Common Tern (Wood Green Res), Sedge Warbler x2 (David Callahan). 3 House Martins collecting mud Cricket car park, pair nest building North View Road (Bob Watts). Stag Beetle found yesterday by Mark Eavison (Andrew Gardener). Willow warbler seen Weds near Scrub - 1st breeding this century? (James Palmer).
 * Bushy Park: Peregine circled and drifted north at 9.40am (Roger Unite).
 * Hammersmith (Thames by Furnival Gardens): 5 Mute Swan cygnets +2 adults (hatched yesterday), 1 Common Tern, 3 Egyptian Goose, 2 Moorhen incubating (Nathalie Mahieu)
 * London W1 (location witheld): Black Redstart in full song (Des McKenzie).
 * Muswell Hill: 5 Lapwing over 8 am. (P.Angus)
 * St. Mary's Terrace W2: Spotted Flycatcher in private garden 08:00 (Des McKenzie).
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Little Egrets on wader scrape flew East 09.30, 2 drake Garganey main lake (LWC website). 2 drake Garganey moved to the wader scrape late afternoon (Jon Ridge).
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery: 2 Sand Martins, 4+ Swifts 8am (Bob Watts).
 * Wanstead Flats (08:00-11:00): Barnacle Goose (on Alex) briefly before resuming its long migration north er eastwards with 3 Canada Geese, male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Green Woodpecker, 5 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 7 Cormorant, Coots on the small round disappearing pond have 5 chicks (a race now between the pond drying up, Lesser Black-backs and them fledging), Moorhen, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Wood Pigeon, Carrion Crow (c.100 on the playing fields), Jackdaw, 10+ Jay,10 Magpie, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, 2+ singing Reed Bunting (one the wrongside of Centre Road), Starling (mixed flocks of adults and juvs), Blackbird, Song Thrush, 7 Mistle Thrush, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff singers, Wren, 4 House Martin, Swallow, c.20 Swifts, Little Grebe, Dunnock, m Kestrel, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Gull, Pied Wagtail (Nick Croft).
 * Crayford Marshes: male Corn Bunting, 3 Little Egrets, 8 House Martins, 12 Reed Warblers, Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Sedge Warblers, Rook. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Farringdon area EC1: Black Redstart heard singing (Ian Bradshaw)
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: nothing of note (as last few days) but for colour-ringed adult Cormorant on the tern raft - details to follow (MJP)
 * New Covent Garden Market: 2 Kestrel's seen 1/4 mile apart this evening (Michael Mac).
 * Brunel University, Bicentenary Garden: Red Kite over at 13.15, 3 Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, House Martin, 5 Swift and 2 Linnet (Steve Pash)

Thursday 3 June 2010

 * Woodmansterne: male Red-backed Shrike showing well on fence that runs north to south at south west end of Scratch Wood. From Lakers Rise (off Chipstead Way) walk west, south of Scratch Wood, and it was on the first fence that you come to (found by Graham Harris per DMH), still present 8.20pm David Campbell, Mark Stanley, Johnny Allan et al - photos on David Campbell's blog)
 * Alexandra Park: both Sedge Warblers still singing, plus 2 Jackdaws south at 08:35 (David Callahan). 2 Sand Martins 1815-1820, one had strange tail streamers (Bob Watts).
 * Fairlop Gravel Works: Shelduck, 4 Gadwall, Shoveler, 6 Tufted Duck, 2 Lapwing, 4 Little Ringed Plover, Kestrel, Stock Dove, 4 Linnet, 2 Yellow Wagtail (pr), 2 Skylark, 4 House Martin, 4 Sand Martin (DEH) Little Owl (JME)
 * Five Oaks Lane Scrub, Hainault: 4 Cuckoo (3m, 1f), (up to 7 have been seen this week) male Yellow Wagtail, 8 Swallow, 30 Swift, 4 GWP, 4 Linnet, 7 Whitethroat, Blackcap, 3 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 4 Linnet, 5 Pheasant, 10 Yellowhammer (9m, 1f) - holla if wanna know about this site redbridgebirdwatching@hotmail.co.uk or 07862 140777 (Daniel Erickson-Hull)
 * Forest Gate (up on the roof): 5 pairs Collared Dove, pair of Jay (still carrying twigs),c.20 Swift, 2 Pied Wagtail, 5 Blackbird, Blue Tit, 5 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 12 Carrion Crow, Wood Pigeon (some), Great Tit (bringing food to the down pipe),Chaffinch, c.20 Starling (singles and pairs), 4 Cormorant, House Sparrow, Kestrel (hovering over Wanstead Flats), Mute Swan (dropping in on Alex Pond), 2 Magpie, Wren (h), Robin (h), Greater Spotted Woodpecker (h), Green Woodpecker (patch tick for the year), Blackcap (h) (NickCroft).
 * Crayford Marshes: Turtle dove, 3 Corn Buntings, Hobby, Common Buzzard, Lesser Whitethroat. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Wormwood Scrubs: Greater Spotted WoodPecker (in tree by nest, young heard calling), 2 juvenille Common Whitethroat, usual singing birds (Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, Song Thrush). (Charlie Farrell)
 * Isle of Dogs: Pair Mute Swan, Pair Coot with 5 chicks, Pair Moorhen & Pair GC Grebe all on same nesting platform, 7 additional GC Grebe including pair with 2 chicks, 18+ large gull nests mainly LBB but 2+ Herring, possible GBB nest, 10 House Martin collecting mud, 5+ Common Tern, pair Greylag, 2 Blackcap, Whitethroat, plus usuals (Richard Harrison).
 * Rainham Village: Marsh Harrier, Hobby, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 3 Shelduck, 20+ Swift all over (Richard Harrison).
 * Mitcham Common: (11:00 - 13:00) Sparrowhawk (f), Kestrel (distant view only), Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Jay, 8 Swift, 4 Tree Sparrow, 2 Dunnock, 4 Ring-Necked Parakeet, 5 Whitethroat, 2 singing Chiffchaff, 5 Greenfinch. Strangely quiet atmosphere today. (Stuart M)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1+ Hobby, 1 Sparrowhawk, 32 Swift, 2+ Swallow, 2 House Martin, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap & 12 Jackdaw (Jon Ridge).
 * Whitewebbs Wood: 2 Common Buzzard, calling, overhead; 2(m&f) Green Woodpecker, together; Great Spotted Woodpecker, two nest-holes with young calling; 3(ad feeding two juveniles) Goldcrest; 2 ad Nuthatch, carrying food; 2 singing Treecreeper (Robert Callf).
 * Chiswick Eyot + Duke's Meadows: 1 Singing Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 f Sparrowhawk, 1 m Kestrel, 5 Jackdaw stopped on playing fields then flew SE, c15 Swift, 5 House Martin. Very quiet. Large Red Damselfly ovipositing in my garden. (Louis Freeland-Haynes)
 * Nine Elms - Estate Community Garden (where I live): Blue Tits still feeding young in nest box (Michael Mac).
 * Battersea Rise Cemetery: 1 Jay flying on the grave stones allowing close observation, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 3+ Stock Dove, small flock of fledged Starlings and adults, 1 Carrion Crow just left nest (Michael Mac).
 * Bolinbroke Stock Pond: m Egyptian Goose, 3 Mallard broods - small, medium and large, pr Tufted Duck, 1 Greenfinch on island, pr Starling with 2 fledglings, 1 f House Sparrow (Michael Mac).
 * Tooting Bec Common: Sparrowhawk on nest, Blackcap, Mute Swan and Egyptian Geese - no young as yet? 24 Tufted Duck, 1 Swift over the pond (Michael Mac)

Wednesday 2 June 2010

 * Roehampton Danbury avenue/priory lane end male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker feeding fledgling in trees, fledgling constantly calling (D Benton)


 * Undisclosed site, Surrey sector: Nightjar churring and showed well briefly at 8.50pm (David Campbell and Kevin McManus).


 * Roding Valley Meadows: Quail singing from 'Luscious Mead' 9.10 - 9.30pm at least, also heard mid afternoon. Approx 400m north of David Lloyd Centre, on the east side of the river, north of the lake (Jono Lethbridge & David Bradnum - thanks to HV and father for the news)


 * Brent Reservoir: 4 Lapwing, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Greylag, 1 Kingfisher (Andrew Haynes).


 * Duke's Meadows, Chiswick: 1 Whitethroat singing, 1 Blackcap, c20 House Sparrow, 5 Goldfinch, c35 Swift, 4 House Martin, 1 Common Tern over, 5 LBB Gull Downriver, c20 Herring Gull, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Heron, 5 Cormorant + Usuals. 1 Clouded Yellow butterfly through! (Louis Freeland-Haynes).


 * Forest Gate (roof watching, again!): 8 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 5 Cormorant, c. 50 Swift, 3 Swallow, 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Magpie, 3 Jay, fem Sparrow Hawk (Nick Croft).


 * Gloucester Place NW1: at least 1pr House Martin back at Dorset House colony (Des McKenzie).


 * Kensal Green: Singing Chiffchaff, singing Song Thrush, fledgling Dunnock, several Swift and Ring-neck Parakeet over (Charlie Farrell).


 * London Wetland Centre: 5 Pochard ducklings, 2 Common Tern chicks (LWC website).


 * Manchester Square W1: at least 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull on rooftops within area (Des McKenzie).


 * Mitcham Common: Hobby, 3 Kestrel (1m, 2f), c50 Swift, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Jay, 7 Whitethroat, 2 singing Chiffchaff, Dunnock, 6 Ring-necked Parakeet, 6 Greenfinch plus Blue Tit nest inside the lamp of a disused street light - bet it's hot in there. (Stuart M)
 * Mudchute Farm, Docklands: 1 Peregrine soaring late afternoon, also 2 Monk Parakeets seen and heard (Joe Beale).


 * Paddington Green: m Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon over; Red Admiral (Des McKenzie).


 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Common Buzzard (presumed male on size) flew north at 17:08 while being mobbed by a Carrion Crow (first June record for this site). Also 1 Sparrowhawk, 17 Swift, 2+ Swallow carrying food & 1 singing Whitethroat (Jon Ridge, Jon Reveley). Earlier: 2 Hobby, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Grey Heron (record count for June, 133% increase, although all non breeding) & 2 Green Woodpecker (JR).


 * Rotherhithe: 2 pairs of Sand Martins busy going in and out of nest holes on the River Thames; 4 Common Terns Surrey Water and a Reed Warbler singing at Lavender Pond (Richard Bonser).


 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Hobby mid-a.m., 4 Common Terns, GC Grebes with two chicks; Common Pochards with 4 young in nearby Clissold Park (MJP, TB).


 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery: 6 House Martins north over 1pm (Bob Watts).


 * Walton Res: drake Scaup still present (DMH).

Tuesday 1 June 2010

 * London EC2: Singing Black Redstart at both 08:45 and 16:00 (heard on and off for at least the last 10 days) (William Oliver)
 * London EC1: Singing Black Redstart 08.15. (John Pritchard)
 * Alexandra Park: 2 Sand Martin 1755-1812 W G Res (Bob Watts).
 * Bedfont Lakes CP: 25 Common Tern, 83 Black-headed Gull (four pairs with young), Skylark. (Adam Cheeseman)
 * Sidcup: Hobby flew north over Longlands Road at 13:40 (John Archer).
 * London Wetland Centre: news referred to yesterday 31st 1st concrete evidence of Cetti's breeding there (LWC website).
 * Trent Park: 1 Common Tern, fishing, Lower Lake, 12:15 - my first of the year here! 7 Treecreeper,(2 family parties - different from yesterday's).
 * Vicarage Farm, Enfield: 4(2 adults feeding 2 recently fledged juvs) Nuthatch - my first breeding here for many years! (Robert Callf).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 7 Common Terns, 5 Sand Martins, 1 Swallow (MJP)
 * Chiswick Eyot: 1 Common Tern, 6 Canada Geese, 2 Egyptian Geese, 6 Tufted Duck, Pr Gadwall, 3 Heron, 4 Cormorant, 8 Herring Gull, 2 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 2 Dunnock, 3 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 11 Goldfinch overhead, 8 House Martin, c25 Swift. (Louis Freeland-Haynes)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 singing Whitethroat, 2+ Swallow, 4 Grey Heron. Also 1 Cormorant at Headstone Moat. Quiet. (Jon Ridge).
 * Wimbledon, Plough Lane: 11:45 - 2 Grey Wagtail (adult feeding juvenile) in rainy car park on site of the old football ground (Stuart M)
 * Boston Manor Park: Fledged Goldcrests with adults, perhaps 7 birds in total. Chiffchaff singing, Mistle Thrush pair, 11 goslings across 3 pairs of Canada Goose, young Moorhen & Coot (1). (Michael F).