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 rarer sightings first.'''

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.

Tuesday 14 December

 * Alexandra Park: Water Rail (conservation pond) (David Callahan).
 * Belmont: 20 Waxwing in the Balmoral Way / Brasted Close junction (Birdguides); 60 Waxwing at Chiddington Close at noon with 30 still present 13:15 (Birdguides).
 * Brent Reservoir: Bittern in east marsh viewable from main hide at 11.45, appeared without warning at reed edges right of willow island, then walked along edges into the channel, followed by a Crow; also 31 Snipe (Roy Beddard, Leo Batten, Pete Lowman, Andrew Verrall).
 * Bromley: 5 Cormorants feeding in the Ravensbourne at the bottom of Churchill Gardens nr Bromley Town center at 7.45am. Not seen here before (Observer?).
 * Brookmill Park (Lewisham) 1 Heron, 13 Mallard, 1 Mandarin, 7 Moorhen, 1 Coot, 20+Black-headed Gull, 15+ Woodpigeon, 2 Kingfisher, 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 3 Wren, 2 Dunnock, 6 Robin, 30+ Blackbird, 10+ Redwing, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Goldcrest, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 6 Great Tit, 6 Blue Tit, 3 Starling, 2 Jay, 8 Magpie, 4 Carrion Crow, 10+Goldfinch, 4 Greenfich, 10+ Chaffinch (Conrad Ellam).
 * Cheshunt: 200 Waxwing opposite the Co-op (Birdguides). Again flew north-east to roost just before 15.30. The berries here will only last for a couple more days (Roy Woodward.
 * Crayford Marshes: Turnstone, 18 Grey Plover, 2 Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 3 Rock Pipit, 3 Goldcrest, 17 Ringed Plover, 8 Curlew (Kev Jarvis).
 * Epping Town Centre: 35 Waxwing (ELBF).
 * Grays: Grey Phalarope still on the foreshore opposite the marina, 300m east of the Wharf pub (Birdguides); no sign at 12:20 (Birdguides); Sparrowhawk, Peregrine Falcon (ELBF).
 * Hertford: 19 Waxwing in tall trees behind 24 Tanner's Crescent 11:20 (Birdguides).
 * Hyde Park / Kensington Gardens: fouth-winter argentatus-type Herring Gull, Tawny Owl showing well, fem Blackcap, 2 Lesser Redpoll; also colour-tagged Mute Swan (fluorescent pink on right 0691), 17 Egyptian Goose, pr Gadwall, 10 Shoveler, Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine Falcon, 200+ Coot, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Coal Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, 20+ Goldfinch (Des McKenzie).
 * Lee Valley CP: pair of Smew on Friday Lake also pair of Goldeneye present (Observer?); Seventy Acres Lake: 2 Egyptian Goose, Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Bittern, Water Rail, Common Snipe, 2 Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest (ELBF).
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Shelduck, 242+ Teal, 7 Pintail, 200+ Tufted Duck, Peregrine Falcon, 42 Lapwing, Jack Snipe, 2 Meadow Pipit, 11 Siskin (LWC website).
 * Mardyke (Stifford-Davy Down): 28 Canada Goose, 3 Gadwall, 4 Teal, 25 Mallard, Little Grebe, m Kestrel, 2 Moorhen, Water Rail, 4 Stock Dove, 140 Woodpigeon, 30 Ring-necked Parakeet, 3 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 11 Wren, Goldcrest, 16 Long-tailed Tit, 28 Blue Tit, 14 Great Tit, 36 Jackdaw, 12 Goldfinch (ELBF).
 * Mill Hill: 76 Waxwing by 15-19 Grahame Park Way (Steve Blake).
 * Nine Elms (Sainsbury's car park): female Sparrowhawk flew in low and circled to pin size toward south- east direction 13:00 (Michael Mac).
 * Osterley Park: 1 (f) Goosander, 16 Shoveler on the middle lake and 1 Common Snipe feeding at waters edge, 16 Siskin and 17 Goldfinch in Alders around lake, a pair of Gadwall on the small lake, 1 Little owl, 2 Goldcrest, 3 Coal Tit, 3 Nuthatch, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Meadow Pipit, 2 Mistle Thrush (N.Smith).
 * Queensmead Recreation Ground (Bromley BR2): 50+ Waxwings in trees, 2 Gt Spotted woodpeckers, 5 Cormorants high in tree nearby (Barry Wooding).
 * Redhill: 19 Waxwing by the railway by Euro Car Parts on Holmethorpe Industrial Estate; park at Water Colours housing estate, off Nutfield Road, South Merstham and walk past Water Colour Lagoons to railway line, under bridge and stand at the end of the path to view. Do not park on the industrial estate (Birdguides).
 * Rickmansworth: 15 Waxwing at Mill End at the Shepherd's Lane / Chiltern Drive junction (Birdguides); 21 Waxwing now at junc. Chiltern Drive and Shepherd's Lane, Mill End 13.00 (J. Edwards, C. Besant).
 * Royal Albert Dock: Great Crested Grebe (ELBF).
 * Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve: Red-necked Grebe, Black-necked Grebe (Birdguides).
 * Snaresbrook (primary school): 8 Waxwing again this morning (London Birdwatching).
 * South Norwood CP: Pheasant, 3 Water Rail, Common Snipe, 5 Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Grey Wagtail, 5 Siskin (Croydon Birders).
 * South Norwood Lake: 2 Mute Swan, 1 Little Grebe, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 17m 11f Shoveler, 2f 1m Pochard, 20 Tufted Duck, c150 Black-headed Gull, 11 Common Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 8 Ring-necked Parakeet, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 20+ Goldfinch, 2 Goldcrest, c15 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Coal Tit (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Common Buzzard 1153-1205 low overhead (first Dec record - now recorded in all months of the year); odd 'Yellow-legged' Gull, photos to follow; 3 Water Rails, plus the usuals; Jack Snipe east between tower blocks at c10 metres height 12:30 (Mark Pearson Hackney Wildlife)
 * Sunbury: 9 Waxwing still in the trading estate next to Tescos (Tony Sweetland).
 * Sutton: 50 Waxwing in Cheam by the junction of Sommerville Avenue and Cheam Road (Birdguides).
 * Walthamstow Filter Beds: Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Grey Wagtails (D Barrett).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: juvenile Shag still on East Warwick reservoir from the hide 9.05 (Birdguides); still present at 11am, viewed from hide (David Callahan, Dominic Mitchell).
 * Wanstead Flats: 14 Shoveler (5m), 2m Pochard, pr Gadwall, m Teal, 7 Tufted Duck, 10 Greylag Goose (all Alex), 2 Reed Bunting (SSSI), 2 Linnet, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 3 Skylark (Jub), Fieldfare, Heron, 2 Cormorant, 2 Goldcrest, House Sparrow (groups at Capel Pt., Jub, north of SSSI), Kestrel (first for over a month) (NC).
 * Wanstead Park: pr Wigeon (R Roding), Teal (male SoM, 2 females still in the Dell), 45 Tufted Duck, 44 Pochard, 69 Gadwall, 2 Egyptian Goose, 9 Shoveler, 6 Little Grebe, 4 Heron, Siskin (flocks of 10+ and 20+), Redwing, 2 Coal Tit, 6 + Goldcrest, Skylark (over north) et les autres (NC).

Monday 13 December

 * Alexandra Park: Water Rail (conservation pond) plus Aythya hybrid still present on tunnel reservoir (David Callahan).
 * Banstead Downs Golf Course: 2 Firecrests along wooded footpath at west side by post 1, access from Burdon Lane (David Campbell).
 * Bedfords Park LNR: 30 Redpolls in birches near Damselfly Pond, flushed by male Sparrowhawk (3 Mealy Redpolls here on 9/12). Also Brambling over, Siskin, several Goldcrests, 2 Redwing, Song Thrush, 35 Long-tailed Tit (3 flocks), 3 Dunnock under feeders near Visitor Centre (Colin Jupp, Roy & Marion Wyatt).
 * Belhus Woods CP: 47 Wigeon, 5 Teal, 29 Shoveler, 30 Lapwing, 9 Fieldfare, 8 Redwing, 7 Goldcrest, Marsh Tit, 26 Siskin, 2 Linnet, 53 Lesser Redpoll (ELBF).
 * Bexleyheath: 14 Waxwing in park at the end of Parkhurst Gardens mid-a.m. (Birdguides).
 * Biggin Hill: 30 Waxwing in large conifer by main road opposite Barclays Bank (Birdguides).
 * Brookmill Park (Lewisham): 1 Heron, 13 Mallard, 1 Mandarin, 1 Sparrowhawk, 9 Moorhen, 1 Coot, 1 Snipe, 30+ Black-headed Gull, 15+ Woodpigeon, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Wren, 6 Robin, 20+ Blackbird, 20+ Redwing, 3 Mistle Thrush, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 5 Great Tit, 5 Blue Tit, 4 Starling, 4 Magpie, 2 Carrion Crow, 10+Goldfinch, 2 Greenfinch, 10+ Chaffinch (Conrad Ellam).
 * Cheshunt: Waxwings - large mobile flock of between 50 to 60 birds, centred around Cheshunt High Street/Church Lane junction. Often congregating in tall bare tree 100metres behind Co-Op Supermarket. (Mike Oakland); 99 birds at 15.00 hrs - flew NE to roost at 15.29 (17 yesterday flew NE to roost at 15.26)(Roy Woodward).
 * Crayford Marshes: 2 Bearded Tit in reedbed near landfill site, Coal Tit, 2 Yellowhammer, Little Owl, 6 Pintail, 5 Grey Plover, Green Sandpiper, 15 Ringed Plover (Kev Jarvis).
 * Croydon: c20 Waxwing at Forestdale, over Kent Gate Way by Gravel Hill Roundabout (roughly opposite BP garage) 08:25 (Birdguides).
 * Dartford: 30 Waxwings at Leigh Technology College (Chris Wilkinson).
 * Epping Town Centre: 13 Waxwing (ELBF).
 * Ewell: 20 Waxwing in tree next to A24 Ewell Bypass at the crossroads with London Road (Neil Randon).
 * Fairlop Waters: m Merlin hunting, pr Teal, 25 Gadwall, m Shoveler, 10 Pochard, c10 Tufted Duck, Cormorant, c50 Common Gull, c20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 100s of Black-headed Gulls, 20 Herring Gull, 8 Little Grebe, Greylag Goose, 220 Lapwing, 17 Golden Plover, Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 30+ Redwing, 30+ Fieldfare, 2 Pied Wagtail, 3 Song Thrush, 2 Dunnock, Long-tailed Tit (2 parties), Goldcrest, 27 Goldfinch (London Birdwatching).
 * Gabriel's Wharf (SE1): 40+ House Sparrows in public garden next to this place, very noisey and very well hidden in bushes (Michael Mac).
 * Grays (The Wharf PH): Grey Phalarope (ELBF).
 * Grovelands Park (Southgate): 4 Stock Dove including a singing male; 1 male Kingfisher, perched; 3 (2m,1f) Great Spotted Woodpecker; 1 female Firecrest feeding in Holly 12:17-12:20 and 13:22-13:25 hrs (Robert Callf).
 * Hatch End: Little Egret over station (Birdguides).
 * Hatfield: 50+ Waxwing at Longmead / Hillfield Junction (Birdguides).
 * Hertford: 6 Waxwing in Tanner's Crescent this a.m. (Birdguides).
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens (water still mainly frozen over): Firecrest in Alders nr Ranger's Lodge 11:30 (almost certainly the same bird as that in the Hudson Memorial area on 25/11 and 03/12); also 12 Egyptian Goose, 3 Gadwall, 13 Shoveler, ad-type Great Black-backed Gull west, m Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, 3 Pied Wagtail, 2 Song Thrush, Redwing, 9 Mistle Thrush, 2 Coal Tit, c40 Great Tit, 2 Nuthatch, Treecreeper, c200 Starling, 10+ Goldfinch in Alders (Des McKenzie).
 * Lambeth Bridge: possible Shag (very small cormorant type bird with black face flying and perched round this area mid-day (Michael Mac).
 * London Wetland Centre: 45 Greylag Goose, 35 Wigeon, 230+ Teal, Pintail, Peregrine Falcon, 3 Bittern, 4 Common Snipe, Water Pipit, Cetti's Warbler (LWC website / Birdguides).
 * Margravine Cemetery: pr Great Spotted Woodpecker (feeding together), 3 Jay, 3 Redwing, numerous Blackbird, c40 Woodpigeon (1 missing tail, most odd looking in flight), pr Peregrine Falcon (separately) (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Mill Hill NW7: 40+ Waxwing at Pentavia Retail Park (A1/A41 north of Fiveways junction) at 14:50 (Steve Blake).
 * Oakwood Park (N14): 6 Lesser Redpoll, including two males, feeding in Birch 14:00 hrs (Robert Callf).
 * Osterley Park: 1 (f) Goosander on the middle lake, 4 Egyptian Goose, 1 Little Owl, 1 (f) Sparrowhawk, 1 (m) Kestrel, 6 Goldcrest, 2+ Coal Tit, 2 Nuthatch, 1 Siskin over, 4 Mistle Thrush, 2 Pied Wagtail. (N.Smith).
 * Queen Elizabeth II Res: ad Mediterranean Gull in roost (SBC).
 * Rainham Marshes: fem Marsh Harrier, first-winter Ring Ouzel, Bearded Tit (ELBF).
 * Snaresbrook, Primary School: 5 Waxwing again this morning (London Birdwatching)
 * South Norwood CP: Water Rail, 5 Snipe and Skylark in wet meadow, 4 Fieldfare, 10+ Redwing, Sparrowhawk chasing Blackbird, Goldcrest and 5 Common Gull (Steven Robinson).
 * South Woodford: Waxwing in private garden (London Birdwatching)
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Common Snipe, ad Great Black-backed Gull, Chiffchaff, plus the usuals (MJP)
 * Sunbury: 9 Waxwing briefly in trading estate by Tescos until 16:00 then flew towards M3 (Tony Sweetland).
 * Sutton: Waxwing south west over Hulverstone Close at 8.09am (David Campbell).
 * Tate Modern (Bankside): 1 Peregrine Falcon on tower, 1 Great Black-backed Gull (in the river) - 10:30am on way back from hospital (Michael Mac).
 * Teddington: 38 Waxwing beside railway 200yds north of High Street railway bridge 12.45 (Roger Unite).
 * Thorpe Park: 2 Smew (m and red-head) on Manor Lake (SBC).
 * Tooting: 3 Waxwing south over Abbotsbury Road (Birdguides).
 * Vauxhall BT: 1 Peregrine Falcon at 8:55am (Michael Mac).
 * Waltham Cross: c50 Waxwings at c13.30 (D Hutley via R Woodward).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: juv Shag on East Warwick at 15.30 around tern raft/island. Also 12 Lapwing, Common Snipe & 2 f Goldeneye on Lockwood (L Bodini).
 * Walton Res: Shelduck, first-winter m Scaup, m Smew, Curlew (SBC).
 * Wanstead Flats: 6 Reed Bunting (SSSI), 11 + Goldfinch, Snipe (Jub), 3 Meadow Pipit (by Capel pt foraging on the verges), 11 Tufted Duck, 3 Shoveler, SKylark, 6 Mistle Thrush (1 singing), Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk (NC)
 * Wanstead Park: Water Rail (perch), 45 + Tufted Duck, 54 + Gadwall, 30 + Pochard, 6 Shoveler, 5 Teal (3 River Roding, 2 the Dell), 5 Little Grebe, 30 + Siskin (west of Perch in alders), 3 Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, Grey Wagtail, 2 Grey Heron (NC)

Sunday 12 December

 * Bedfords Park LNR: 2 Firecrest & 6 Goldcrest in EWT car park and Bridleway / Nursery area late afternoon (Colin Jupp, John Millar).
 * Bexley Village: 50 Waxwing until 3:30pm when they flew south in general direction of Joydens Wood. Originally reported on pager. Thanks to J Archer for text (AW).
 * Brent Reservoir: 30+ Common Snipe, 4 Water Rail, male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Chiffchaff, 4 Siskins on alders (Roy Beddard + RSPB walk).
 * Bromley-by-Bow: 12 Snipe, c150 Teal, 20+ Gadwall, female Shoveler, 2 Water Rail, Reed Bunting, 14 Chaffinch, Skylark (on the deck at 3 Mills Mud before heading north west), 14 Cormorant, 45 Coot, Little Grebe 2 Stock Dove, Chiffchaff, 4 Pied Wagtails, 2 Redwings and the usual dark matter (Stuart Fisher)
 * Canon's Farm: 1+ Waxwing clearly heard 3-4 times amongst flushed Starlings and thrushes near Lunch Wood at 9.24am; all birds scattered and bird not relocated - probably involved in the 6 seen nearby at Epsom (David Campbell).
 * Chafford Hundred: 12 Waxwing in Rushdon Close (ELBF).
 * Connaught Water: many Mandarin, Shovler, Teal, Pochard (London Birdwatching).
 * Crayford Marshes: 2 Turnstone, Avocet, 2 Little Owl, 2 Green Sandpiper, 4 Rock Pipit, 6 Grey Plover, 4 Pintail, 6 Curlew (Kev Jarvis); Merlin flew over landfill site at 12.20 (Conrad Ellam).
 * Dartford Marshes: Marsh Harrier (female) south of University Way 14.00 (Conrad Ellam).
 * East India Dock Basin area: Black Redstart, Blackcap, 3 Great Crested Grebes (2 on dock), 390 Teal, 4 Redshank, 2 Reed Buntings (Gary A James); 6 Shelduck, c430 Teal (personal best count), 2 Chiffchaff (Nick Tanner).
 * Epsom: 6 Waxwings along Tattenham Way, c.200 yards from junction with A217 (R.B.A.).
 * Fairlop Waters CP: f Goosander still (London Birdwatching).
 * Grays (The Wharf PH): Grey Phalarope 15:30 (ELBF).
 * Greenwich Park: 7 Fieldfare, 1 Meadow Pipit, 10 Nuthatch (in a single group), 15 Goldcrest (James Lowen).
 * Hampstead Cemetery & UCL Sports Grounds: 26 species; regulars including c6 Black-Headed Gull, 4 Common Gull (on fields), Herring Gull, Goldcrest, Green Woodpecker interacted with a GS Woodpecker, Coal Tit (heard), 3 male House Sparrow, c20 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush (not regular for site) 1240-1350 (Marcus Hunt).
 * Hampstead Heath: 2 House Sparrows (patch tick for me! - Chris Bird).
 * Hatch End (New River Pinn): 1 Little Egret in trees along the River Pinn, 1 Green Woodpecker & several Siskin in the Alders (JR).
 * Holmethorpe SPs: 10 Waxwing but elusive (SBC).
 * Ingatestone Gardens Centre: 50 Waxwing (ELBF).
 * Lea Valley Park (Fishers Green Bittern Info Centre): 2 Bittern comprising 1 at 10.30 for 15 minutes, another at 12.00 (a third reported as flying over to reeds at back earlier); also 20+ Siskin, 2 Egyptian Goose, Gadwall, Shoveler, Teal (Nigel May); male Smew on Friday Lake (Geoff Crabtree); 2 Goldeneye near Teal Hide (Mike Benyon).
 * London Wetland Centre: 36 Wigeon, 330+ Teal, 50 Shoveler, Bittern, 14 Common Snipe, 350+ Black-headed Gull, Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff (LWC website).
 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir (very quiet on the water, with plenty of ice still): mostly just Black-headed Gulls and Grey Herons on and around the water; large mixed tit flock but no crests again; not much else (Rich Petley).
 * Loughton: 75 Waxwing on main road by Loughton Golf Course this afternoon (Birdguides).
 * Margravine Cemetery (8am): groups (c15+2+8) of thrushes flyover N, 6+ Redwing (1 calling), 1 Fieldfare, 3+ singing Robin, Blackbirds everywhere (13 in one ground sweep, at least as many in bushes and other parts), the 1 Starling roosting in a tree singing at its hole (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Mill Hill (NW7), Bunns Lane: 1 Waxwing 12:15 (garden tick - seen through my bedroom window while ill in bed and feeling sorry for myself!) (Andrew Haynes).
 * Osterley Park: 1 (f) Goosander, 2 Little Grebe, 22 Shoveler all on the middle lake, also a Common Snipe on the island. 1 Gadwall on the small lake, 1 Little Owl, 4 Siskin, 6 Goldcrest, 1 Nuthatch, 2 Coal Tit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 3+ Stock Dove (N.Smith).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 5 Fieldfare, 18 Jackdaw, 12 Greenfinch & 6 Grey Heron (JR).
 * Rainham Marshes: 600 Wigeon, 7 Pochard, 2 Tufted Duck, fem Marsh Harrier, fem Peregrine Falcon, Avocet, 3 Grey Plover, 5 Curlew, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 sub-ad Caspian Gull, 16 Ring-necked Parakeet, 55 Redwing, Chiffchaff, 4 Bearded Tit, Brambling (ELBF).
 * Rainham Stone Barges: pair of Yellowhammer along approach rd (Paul Hawkins).
 * Richmond Park: 6 Egyptian Geese, 50+ Mandarin, 11 Gadwall, 6 Shoveler, 10 Pochard, 2 Kestrel, 1 Snipe, f Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (surprisingly not a single Great Spot in over 4 hours!), 8 Green Woodpecker, 8 Redwing + 1 Fieldfare E, m Stonechat, 3 Goldcrest, 15 Siskin, 4 Lesser Redpoll + amazingly 2 Pipistrelle sp flying just after midday (Neil Anderson). Neil - whereabouts was the LSW? Will try for one this week if I can (Rich Petley). Rich- she was in Ham Cross Plantation- have seen a pair here before.
 * South Norwood CP: 2 Kestrel, 2 m Pheasant, 4 Water Rail, 3 Common Snipe, 11 Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove, 2 Grey Wagtail, 5 Fieldfare, 25+ Redwing, Goldcrest, 5 Siskin, 20+ Linnet (Croydon Birders).
 * Stanwell Moor: 6 Goosander, Jack Snipe (SBC).
 * Teddington: 38 Waxwing commuting between Blackmores Grove and Field Lane midday (Roger Unite)
 * Valentines Park (Ilford): Mediterranean Gull, 4 Egyptian Geese, 13 Pochard, 2 Goldcrest (LondonBirdwatching).
 * Waltham Cross (round-about E of town centre): 11 Waxwing (Nigel May).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs (just before dusk): juvenile Shag on West Warwick then appeared to go to roost on tern raft on East Warwick, plus two probable immature Scaup on West Warwick with Tufted Ducks (news from Pete Lambert).
 * Walton Res: first-winter m Scaup, Velvet Scoter still (SBC).
 * Waterworks NR: Bittern seen briefly out on the ice, in first reedbed on the right, the bird then flew in the direction of Walthamstow Res' only to return to the reserve again. Seen flying once more at 11.33 out over River Lea and into Hackney boundries then returning to Waterworks (Jamie Partridge, Richard, David, Zack et al) appologies for lack of surnames.
 * Wimbledon Common: Jack Snipe (Dave Wills).
 * Wyvil Estate (Inner London): 2+ Common Gull scavenging with Black-headed gulls while I was waiting for a bus (Michael Mac).

Saturday 11 December

 * Watford: 23 Waxwing north over Cardiff Road private gardens 08:20, Siskin over (Des McKenzie, Joanne Biscomb).
 * Barking A13: Little Egret over (London Birdwatching)
 * Brent Reservoir: 3 Siskin over (Andrew Self)
 * Broadwater Lake: 2 Egyptian Geese, 8 Goldeneye, 2 Goosander, 1 Grey Wagtail, 70+ Siskin, 3 Bullfinch & 5 Chiffchaff (Simon Buckingham).
 * Chiswick Eyot: 1 Probable Sub-Adult Caspian Gull at 11:25, returned later with camera and the bird was predictably gone, 1 Sparrowhawk being mobbed by 12 Goldfinch, 1 Kestrel, 1 GBB Gull and the usuals. (Louis Freeland-Haynes)
 * Creekmouth: Waxwing (birdguides)
 * Crossness: Bearded Tit (birdguides)
 * East India Dock Basin / Bow Creek Ecology Park: 16 Shelduck, c370 Teal, female Pintail (my first record since January 22nd 2006), 2 Little Grebe, 3 Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Meadow Pipit west, 1st-winter type Black Redstart, 2 Redwing, Chiffchaff (Nick Tanner).
 * Fulham Reach (8am-tide going down): 100 Teal, 4 Gadwall, 31 Mallard, 26? Tudted Duck (being the ones staying predominantly in the middle of the Thames they kept on being disturbed by the boats), 1f Pochard, 120+ Black-headed Gull, 3 Common Gull,1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 5 Herring Gull, 1 Cormorant, 2 Moorhen, 2 Coots, 1 Grey Heron, 1 juv Mute Swan, 2 Dunnock, ? House Sparrow in bush by Crabtree Wharf + 10+ at nests in side streets + 8+ at nests/bushes in Abbey Gardens + 10 in a tree off Margravine Rd (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Greenwich Ecology Park: 1 Snipe, 3rd-w Yellow-legged Gull on Thames off yacht club (James Lowen) Also Meadow Pipit over, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 2 Chiffchaffs nearby along Thames path, Siskins (heard over and seen in Ecology Park), Teal on River, 3 Lapwing on foreshore (Joe Beale, John Bushel, Conrad Ellam, Yu-Hsuan Lin)
 * Horsenden Hill and Perivale Wood: Sky Lark, Little Owl, Teal, Firecrest (Andy Culshaw and David Howdon)
 * Ilford: Sparrowhawk attempting to take out a Great Spotted Woodpecker (London Birdwatching)
 * Margravine Cemetary: 15 Redwing, 10 Goldfinches, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (female), 1 Peregrine, Greenfinch, Long Tailed Tits (M Ruscoe) pr Peregrine Falcon (female most of day, male at times) (Nathalie Mahieu)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Golden Plover in fields, 2 Fieldfare, 3 Jackdaw & 11 Grey Heron (Jon Ridge).
 * Rainham Marshes: 2 Water Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Curlew, pr Stonechat, Water Rail, Skylark, 2f Reed Bunting, Cetti's Warbler, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 3 Shelduck, 3m Pintail, pr Bearded Tits, Yellow Legged Gull, Avocet, Grey Plover, Redshank (London Birdwatching)
 * Rickmansworth: 6 Waxwing in the garden for 10 minutes at 10.05am, then flew off south (Andrew Moon)
 * Ruislip Lido/Woods:drake Smew, 116 Mute Swan, 95 Canada Geese, 137 Mallard, f Teal, 57 Gadwall, 5 Shoveler, 5 Pochard, 28 Tufted Duck, Little Egret (along stream on golf course), c450 Coot, 43 Moorhen, Sparrowhawk, c310 Black-headed Gull, 15 Common Gull, Grey + 6 Pied Wagtail, 7 Redwing, singing Mistle Thrush, 3 Goldcrest, 8 Jackdaw, c30 Siskin (Neil Anderson)
 * Roding Valley Park: Snipe, 20 Common Gull, Long Tailed Tits, Jay (London Birdwatching)
 * Valentines Park, Ilford: 20 Siskin with the Goldfinch flock in the alder corridor (London Birdwatching)
 * Waltham Cross - round-a-bout E of town centre (Eleanor Cross Road): 4 Waxwing at 13.35hr (Nigel May) shortly flushed thereafter, then 24 Waxwing south over KFC heading south. J.Murray & C.freddi.
 * Wanstead, my garden: Teal over ENE (JL)
 * Wanstead Flats: 5 Pochard (jub), 9 Tufted Duck (2 jub, 7 Alex), 9 Shoveler, 5 Greylag Goose (west), Barnacle Goose (really wary allowed me to within 2 feet, which I think is the norm), Yellow-Legged Gull, Greater Black-backed Gull, Redwing, 3 Fieldfare, 20 + Blackbird, 2 Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Pied Wagtail, 4 Meadow Pipit, 2 Snipe (SSSI), 7 Skylark (east), Collared Dove, 9 Stock Dove (north), Goldcrest etc. (46sp NC)
 * Wanstead Park: 2 Water Rail (Ornamental Waters - Tim Harris, 1 Perch), 44 Pochard, 34 Tufted Duck, 9 Shoveler, 54 Gadwall, 4 Teal (including JL's garden tick), 2 Egyptian Goose, 7 Little Grebe, 5 Lesser Redpoll, 28 + Siskin, 15-20 Redwing (north), Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, 4 Grey Heron, Coal Tit, 10 + Goldcrest, Chiffchaff (46 sp [57 sp in total] TH/NC).
 * Teddington: 22 Waxwing at 3.15pm in Blackmores Grove. Flew off at 3.30 but undoubtedly still in area. (Roger Unite)
 * Tyttenhanger GPs: Bittern, Little Egret, 23 Wigeon, 80+ Siskin, Tree Sparrow, Brambling, Buzzard, Red Kite. (Steve B)
 * Lee Valley C P :1 Bittern and Water Rail at 70 Acres Lake bittern watchpoint, 2 drake Smews and 4 Goldeneyes (3drakes) at Friday Lake, 16 Egyptian Geese on Goose Fields with other "plastic" waterfowl and at least 2 Cettis Warblers calling/singing (Ian Bradshaw)
 * WWT LWC: 3 Bittern visible late am, Main Lake - 1 north side, 1 south side, 1 Sheltered Lagoon. 5 sighted on Friday (Angus Innes).

Friday 10 December

 * Bonnetts Wood (Upminster): 2 Woodcock, 3 Snipe, Kingfisher, 14 Linnets, 18 Redwing, 16 Fieldfare (London Birdwatching)
 * Bromley-by-Bow: 2 Jack Snipe, 15 Common Snipe (Abbey Creek), 2 Common Sandpiper (3 Mills), 28 Moorhen, 56 Coot, 300+ Black-headed Gull (several feeding on mud during work to create new Green), 8 Common Gull, 200+ Mallard, 120+ Teal, 36 Gadwall, female Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, 12 Long-tailed Tit and the usual weird things (S Fisher)
 * Brookmill Park (Lewisham) 1 Heron, 21 Mallard, 1 Mandarin, 8 Moorhen, 1 Coot, 2 Snipe, 40+ Black-headed Gull, 10+ Woodpigeon, 2 Kingfisher, 6 Wren, 1 Dunnock, 8 Robin, 30+ Blackbird, 3 Redwing, 5 Song Thrush, 6 Mistle Thrush, 1 Goldcrest, 10 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 6 Great Tit, 8 Blue Tit, 5 Starling, 2 Jay, 6 Magpie, 4 Carrion Crow, 20+ Goldfinch, 10+ Greenfinch, 10+ Chaffinch (Conrad Ellam).
 * Crayford Marshes: m Dartford Warbler flew from scrub and along creek a.m. 2 Bearded Tit pair in reed bed near landfill site, Avocet, Turnstone, 4 Green Sandpiper, 8 Pintail, 12 Grey Plover, 5 Yellow-legged Gull. (Kev Jarvis & Ian Stewart)
 * Crossness: 4 Grey Plover, Sanderling (Birdguides).
 * Fulham Reach (Thames): 1 Redshank & the usual (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Hertford: 22+ Waxwing on Davies Street 08:20; also 36 Waxwing at 24 Tanner's Crescent 09:15 but no further sign of the Davies Street birds; 2 still on Davies Street but south at 10:00 (BirdGuides).
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: no sign of recent red-head Goosander but first-winter Yellow-legged Gull and Tawny Owl showing well; also 73 Mute Swan, 20 Egyptian Goose, pr Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, 95+ Common Gull, Green Woodpecker, 3 Pied Wagtail, Nuthatch at feeders (Des McKenzie).
 * London Wetland Centre: Shelduck, Bittern, 2 Fieldfare north, 36 Redwing west, 2 Siskin, 7 Lesser Redpoll (LWC website).
 * Osterley Park: 1145-1250hrs, 38 Lapwing on horse paddocks plus 3 Meadpw Pipit, 1 Little Owl, 1 (f) Sparrowhawk, 4 Siskin, 4 Goldcrest, 4 Stock Dove. (N.Smith)
 * Paddington Green: Peregrine Falcon in area 09:10, flock of 15 Fieldfare west (Des McKenzie).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 15 Fieldfare, 1 Redwing, 13 Jackdaw & 6 Grey Heron (JR).
 * Rainham Marshes: Snow Bunting still present and on river wall 10:15 photo(Birdguides); otherwise, the dullest day for weeks, with just a Grey Plover and an Avocet of note (David Callahan); ~250 Blackwit on mud on south side, 8+ Rock Pipit foreshore, 3 Water Pipit stone barges, Brambling on edge of Silts where pipes cross 'valley' (JL)
 * Regent's Park: female Wigeon, 55 Shovelers, 24 Gadwall, 88 Red-crested Pochards, 82 Mandarins rearing pond at 7.30am, a very nervous drake Carolina main lake 8.05am, Water Rail, Tawny Owl (Tony Duckett).
 * Roding Valley Park: Redwing, Song Thrush, flock of Long-tailed Tits, 5 Common Gulls, Cormorant (Alan Hobson).
 * Romford Golf Course: Firecrest, 3 Goldcrest, 10 Long-tailed Tit, Mistle Thrush, Sparrowhawk over, 35+ Magpies in pre-roost gathering (Colin Jupp).
 * Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve: Red-necked Grebe still on East Lake; also Black-necked Grebe (BirdGuides).
 * South Woodford: Sparrowhawk carrying House Sparrow, Blue Tit investigating titbox (London Birdwatching)
 * Wanstead Flats: 20 + Goldfinch, 2 Linnet, Brambling, Lesser Redpoll, 3 Meadow Pipit, 6 Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare, 10 Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit etc. 2 Stock Dove, 2 Collared Dove, (Snipe seen by the Central London RSPB group) (NC).
 * Wanstead Park: 10 Lesser Redpoll, 16 Siskin, 13 + Goldcrest, 6 Rewing, 2 Song Thrush, 3 f Teal, 15 Shoveler, 49 Tufted Duck, 53 Gadwall, 49 Pochard, 2 Egyptian Goose, 2 Little Grebe, 3 Grey Heron, 2 Pied Wagtail, Coal Tit, 2 Cormorant, m Sparrowhawk (NC).
 * Wormwood Scrubs: 2 Lapwing, Mediterranean Gull, c3 Skylark, c7 Meadow Pipit, c110 Fieldfare, c70 Redwing, 2 Linnet (The Scrubbers).

Thursday 9 December

 * Aldenham CP: 12 Mandarin Duck, 2 red-head Smew (Birdguides).
 * Amwell GPs: fem Red-crested Pochard, pr Smew (Birdguides).
 * Bedfords Park LNR: 3 Mealy Redpoll, 20 Lesser Redpoll - good comparison of the Mealies with several Lessers (preening in bushes under birches near Damselfly Pond). Also Little Owl, Skylark over, 12 Redwing, 8 Goldcrest, 25 Long-tailed Tit (single flock), Treecreeper, Coal Tit and Nuthatch (Colin Jupp).
 * Brent Reservoir: 9 Lapwings flew in from east and landed on playing fields to feed, 16 Snipe, Water Rail in the open on ice, 50+ Fieldfare west, 20+ Redwing west (John Gravatt, Andrew Verrall).
 * Broadwater GP (Hillingdon): drake Smew in NW corner by the sailing club, but no sign of the Velvet Scoter today. Also seen, Woodcock flew over the fishermans car park, 1 Little Egret, c5 Chiffchaff on River at N end behind the sailing club, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 GBB Gull, Water Rail (heard along the river), c40 Siskin, 12+ Goldeneye and a colour-ringed "argenteus"-type Herring Gull - further details awaited (Bill Haines).
 * Bromley-by-Bow: Jack Snipe, 3 Common Snipe, Water Rail (Abbey Creek), Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Redshank, c120 Teal, 40 Gadwall, female Shoveler, Linnet over, 5 Mistle Thrush, Canada Goose, 65 Coot, 2 Pied Wagtail, 3 Grey Wagtails, 13 Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff and others (Stuart Fisher)
 * Brookmill Park (Lewisham): 1 Heron, 10 Mallard, 8 Moorhen, 1 Coot, 2 Snipe, 20+ Black-headed Gull, 10+ Woodpigeon, 2 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Wagatil, 3 Wren, 5 Robin, 16 Blackbird, 1 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush, 10+ Mistle Thrush, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Great Tit, 4 Blue Tit, 3 starling, 1 Jay, 4 Magpie, 2 Carrion Crow, 15+ Goldfinch, 6 Greenfinch, 2 Chaffinch (Conrad Ellam).
 * Cheshunt: 9 Waxwings over Cadmore Lane/High Street junction at 15.20 (R Woodward).
 * Claybury Park: Coal Tit, 2 Redwings, 2 Common Gulls, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 flocks of Long-tailed Tits and one lone one, Jay, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, LBB Gull (Alan Hobson).
 * Crayford Marshes: 4 Bearded Tit in reed bed near landfill site, Water Pipit, Turnstone, Little Owl, 2 Yellowhammer, Green Sandpiper, 14 Grey Plover, 11 Pintail, Peregrine (Kev Jarvis & Philip Cliffe).
 * Dagenham Chase LNR: 1 Kestrel being chased by Magpie on Fels Field, 1 Green Woodpecker, 10 Redwing on Fels and approx another 8 in hedge near Millennium Centre, around 50 Pochard, 2 Little Grebes, 4 Greylags and numerous Coots, Mallards and Canada Geese all on front lake; 2 Goldfinch near Hooks Hall, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 4 Blue Tit. Also 3 Lapwing on playing fields of Central Park (D. Allen).
 * East India Dock Basin area: Curlew (on mud) (1st site record), Dunlin (both Bow Creek), Shoveler (Dock), Mistle Thrush, 300+ Teal (Gary A James).
 * Euston area: over railway tracks 1 Peregrine (Michael Mac).
 * Foots Cray Meadows: fem Goosander, Jack Snipe, m Wigeon, 2 Snipe, 2 fem Teal, 6 Shoveler, c 60 Gadwall, 9+ Little Grebe, Little Egret, Grey Heron,Water Rail, Grey Wagtail, Cormorant (Ian Stewart).
 * Hainault Farm: 100+ Lapwing, 2 f Kestrel (London Birdwatching).
 * Hampstead Heath: 15 Shoveler, 2 Common Gull, 2 Dunnock, 10 Mute Swan, 1 Kestrel (Michael Mac, Ron Vester).
 * Hatfield (Hertfordshire): Red Kite crossed Southway (A1001) from Welwyn Hatfield District Cemetery at 14:10 (Andrew Haynes).
 * Hertford: 45 Waxwing in town centre in large tree behind the outdoor garden section of Focus (Birdguides).
 * Holmethorpe SPs: Little Egret, 5 Curlew south, 30 Waxwing (SBC).
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: pr Gadwall, 6 Shoveler, red-head Goosander showing well at Serpentine Island, 2 Little Grebe, Tawny Owl showing well, mixed thrush flock on Buck Hill (primarily Blackbird and Mistle Thrush) (Des McKenzie, Ralph Hancock).
 * Lee Valley CP: 5 Goldcrest, 4 Siskin, Bullfinch (f), 2 Treecreepers, c24 Redwing & 11 Fieldfare, 2 Water Rail, 11 Lapwing, plus all the usuals (majority of all the lakes still frozen over), also 3 Muntjac deer seen (J Anderson).
 * London Wetland Centre: 5 Pintail on river, 4 Bittern, Dunlin, Jack Snipe, 2 Woodcock, 5 Meadow Pipit, Water Pipit, 3 Fieldfare north-west, 60 Redwing W/NW, 5 Siskin, Bullfinch (Birdguides); Waxwing (Birdguides). 15 Lesser Redpolls, 1 Goldcrest (AJS)
 * Lower Bedfords Road (Romford): Woodcock flushed from setaside field, 18 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare (CRJ).
 * New Malden: fem Ring Ouzel in private garden (SBC).
 * Orsett Fen: 4 Common Buzzard, 2 Peregrine Falcon, 250 Stock Dove, 1500 Woodpigeon, 8 Ring-necked Parakeet, Green Woodpecker, 2 Skylark, 53 Fieldfare, Song Thrush, 20 Redwing, 300 Jackdaw, 150 Rook, 70 Chaffinch, 4 Brambling, 16 Goldfinch, 4 Yellowhammer
 * Rainham Marshes: Snow Bunting still present and commuting between river wall - showing down to just a few feet away here at 14:00 (JR) and visitor centre feeders (Birdguides). 7 Waxwing briefly, ring-tail Hen Harrier east (Birdguides); also on & along the River Thames: 640 Dunlin mainly in groups flying west, 120 Black-tailed Godwit on the stone barges, 16 Redshank, 15 Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Curlew, 1 Water Pipit, 42 Shelduck, 90 Wigeon, 50 Teal, 1 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk & 1 Pheasant (Jon Ridge); 9 Fieldfare, 6 Rock Pipt, 6 Song Thrush, 8 Corn Bunting (ELBF).
 * South Norwood CP: Common Snipe, 2 Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Herring Gull, Grey Wagtail, 5 Long-tailed Tit (Croydon Birders).
 * South Norwood Lake: 2 Mute Swan, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 15m 11f Shoveler, 1m Pochard, c30 Tufted Duck, c100 Black-headed Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 8 Common Gull, c30 Redwing, 8 Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Song Thrush, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker (1 drumming), c20 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Jay, c40 Goldfinch, 8 Greenfinch, 2 Pied Wagtail, 3 House Sparrow (John Watson).
 * Stapleford Tawney: m Kestrel, 4 Red-legged Partridge, 100 Rook (Daniel Erickson-Hull).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 2nd winter Yellow-legged Gull on the ice of East Res, 2 Water Rails, c25 Lesser Redpolls in trees of neighbouring school, c210 Redwings north, plus a few Fieldfares and plenty of Starlings over; very low numbers of wildfowl (MJP).
 * Thorpe Park: red-head Smew on Manor Lake (SBC).
 * Upminster: Buzzard (London Birdwatching)
 * Waltham Cross: 11 Waxwing at 09.35 commuting between tree perch on roundabout near the KFC and the white berry bush which is rapidly being stripped (Martin Shepherd).
 * Walton Res: 43 Barnacle Goose (as per last winter-period), first-winter m Scaup, Velvet Scoter, 5 Curlew roosted (SBC).
 * Wanstead Village: Waxwing flew NNW over Ashbourne Avenue at approx 10.30am (J Lethbridge).
 * Watford: Waxwing flew over Vicarage Road Cemetery 09:40 (Birdguides); several Redwing over nearby Cardiff Road during early hours of morning (Des McKenzie, Joanne Biscomb).
 * Wormwood Scrubs: 2 seperate Common Buzzard east, 4 Lapwing, 2 Common Snipe, c10 Meadow Pipit, c120 Fieldfare, c60 Redwing, Jackdaw, c25 Linnet, m Reed Bunting (The Scrubbers); 1 leucistic Linnet with a flock of 10 (Baybrook St side of grassland area), 2 Peregrine on a building east of the Scrubs, 1 (f) Sparrowhawk drifting east n/e of the Scrub, 1 Goldcrest by Old Oak Common Road, 1 Skylark over east, 1 Siskin over (N.Smith).

Wednesday 8 December 2010

 * Osterley Park: 2 Jack Snipe (seen since Monday 6th Dec), 16 Shoveler, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Little Owl, 1 Tree Creeper (Dennis Berry)
 * Aldenham CP: 2 red-head Smew (showing well), red-head Goosander. Mandarin. (Steve Blake)
 * Bonnetts Wood, Upminster: 12 redwing, 4 snipe, Kingfisher, 3 fieldfare, 2 bullfinch, 7 linnets, Pheasant, Red legged partridge, 17 pied wagtail, 2 grey heron, Mistle thrush, 4 Jay, Kestrel (London Birdwatching)
 * Bushy Park (Heron Pond): 1 male Shoveler, 2 Grey Heron, 4 Red-crested Pochard (Penelope Paxer)
 * Bromley-by-Bow: 35+ Snipe on island on Abbey Creek (high tide), Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 5 Redshank, 3 Lapwing South-west, c300 Teal, 47 Gadwall, c150 Mallard, fem Shoveler, 2 Tufted Duck, 62 Coot, Little Grebe, Water Rail, female Great-spotted Woodpecker, Chiffchaff, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, c350 Black-headed Gulls, Jay, 9 Cormorant, 7 Common Gull and stuff (S Fisher)
 * Brookmill Park (Lewisham): 1 Heron, 17 Mallard, 8 Moorhen, 1 Coot, 30+ Black-headed Gull, 10+ Woodpigeon, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Wren, 7 Robin, 16 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Redwing, 4 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Great Tit, 10 Blue Tit, 6 Starling, 1 Jay, 4 Magpie, 4 Carrion Crow, 6 Goldfinch, 4 Greenfinch, 2 Chaffinch (Conrad Ellam).
 * Crayford Marshes: fem Merlin perched on a fencepost near landfill site. 4 Bearded Tit in reed bed near landfill site, Marsh Harrier east 10:55, 2 Avocet, Turnstone, m Peregrine, 3 Water Rail, 3 Yellowhammer, Corn Bunting, 14 Grey Plover, 7 Pintail, Common Sandpiper. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Fulham Sands End: 1 Tufted Duck, 56 Mallard, c110 Black-headed Gull, 4 Common Gull, 2 Herring Gull (1 is 2W A6LK from East Sussex), 57 Cormorant on Battersea Reach side +1 fishing (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Hampstead Heath: Lapwing on ice High No. 1 pond, 6 Common Gull, 4+ Nuthatch, 2 Goldcrest, Treecreeper, large N's of tits and finches throughout (Chris B)
 * Harold Hill: Curlew over, heard calling at 18.35hrs (Colin Jupp).
 * Hertford: 15 Waxwing near 24 Tanners Crescent 08:30 before flying off (BirdGuides).
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens (water 90% frozen): wildfowl and gulls much reduced but a red-head Goosander showed well at north side of Serpentine Island to 08:30 at least (probably still there), Water Rail, Curlew very low north 08:18; 13 Egyptian Goose, pr Gadwall, 6 Shoveler, Little Grebe, fourth-winter argentatus-type Herring Gull, 7 Redwing, 17 Mistle Thrush, Chiffchaff, 3 Siskin north-west (Des McKenzie).Goosander still present at 4pm on un-frozen part of lake (suspiciously tame individual, viewable to within 10 feet) (D.Jordan). Go to http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/londonbirders for a discussion on this duck's credentials.
 * London Wetland Centre: 40 Greylag Goose, Shelduck, 61 Wigeon, Bittern, 48 Lapwing, Water Pipit (LWC website).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Common Buzzard over, 3 Fieldfare, 2 Jackdaw & 7 Grey Heron (Jon Ridge).
 * Rainham Marshes: Snow Bunting still at feeders near visitor's centre 10:10, then 200m west of visitor centre until dusk (DCa, JL, ATw, PSt et al); Yellowhammer along sea wall (JL); Snow Bunting again on sea wall near new hide building site next to visitor centre until 15:30 at least, plus second-winter Caspian Gull foreshore, several Yellow-legged Gulls, 4 Yellowhammers, Water Pipit, 3 Avocets, 2 Grey Plovers, 2 Corn Buntings, 30+ Snipe, Ringed Plover, Black-tailed Godwit (David Callahan).
 * Snaresbrook: 14 Waxwing in a Cherry tree at Snaresbrook School, Meadow Walk (do not enter school grounds) (3 have now flown into the school window and died instantly!) (London Birdwatching). putting deterrents on the windows, e.g. cut-out shapes of hawks, would seem like a good idea as a matter of urgency. (MJP) - MJP, after the firs casualty the spotter got to it right away, cutting out silhouettes, but by the time they were affixed there were 2 more casulties, no more since however!)
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: brief visit a.m. - three Water Rails, Common Snipe; Red-crested Pochards and plenty of other wildfowl departed overnight. 4 Siskins over SN station 15:00 (MJP)
 * Tyttenhanger GPs: Bittern flew across the scrape 10:15. 19 Wigeon. (Steve B)
 * Uxbridge: Brunel University Bicentenary Garden c30 Redpoll, 2 Siskin, 1 Fieldfare, Lots of Redwing and Goldfinch and Kestrel (Steve Pash).
 * Waltham Cross: single Waxwing in trees by No.40 Eleanor Cross Road at around 8.30 this morning (J Anderson & J Anderson snr); eight in trees opposite KFC at 12.55 (BirdGuides)
 * Wanstead Flats:4 Lapwing (north), Snipe (SSSI), 4 Meadow Pipit, 4 Fieldfare, 8 Redwing, Song Thrush, 3 Mistle Thrush, 3 Lesser Repoll, Reed Bunting, Pochard (jub), 9 Shoveler (1 jub), 11 Mute Swan (8 jub), Stock Dove (NC)
 * Wanstead Park: 2m Wigeon (R Roding), 4 Teal (m on Roding + 3 f The Dell), 52 Pochard, 32 Tufted Duck, 14 Gadwall, 10 Shoveler, 8 Mute Swan, 3 Little Grebe, 2 Grey Heron, 3 Siskin, 4 L Redpoll, 4 + Goldcrest, 3 Fieldfare, 4 + Redwing (NC)
 * Woodford Green: 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tit in the garden (via London Birdwatching)
 * Wormwood Scrubs: Woodcock 08:40 at least (The Scrubbers).
 * Nine Elms Sainsbury's Car Park - Inner London: 3 Common Gull with Black-headed Gulls (Michael Mac).

Tuesday 7 December 2010

 * Aldenham CP: m Mandarin Duck, red-head Goosander, 2 red-head Smew mid-p.m. at least
 * Beckton Alps: Lapwing (north) (London Birdwatching).
 * Beddington Farmlands: juvenile Common Crane present again up to 13:50 at least - many thanks to JA. Also: 1 Curlew over at 13:40 (JR).
 * Bedfords Park LNR: 15 Waxwing flew N over Visitor Centre at 11.15 (Colin Jupp).
 * Bookham Common: Hawfinch (SBC).
 * Borehamwood: 10 Waxwing (BirdGuides).
 * Brent Reservoir: 21 Snipe, 2 Wigeon, Chiffchaff, res 90% iced up (Andrew Verrall).
 * Bromley-by-Bow: Common Sandpiper (Bow Locks), Green Sandpiper, 7 Redshank, 12 Snipe, 2 Water Rail, c220 Teal, 80+ Mallard, 20 Gadwall, fem Shoveler, fem Tufted Duck, Buzzard (landed on island late morning mobbed by 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls), 51 Coot, 16+ Moorhen, 2 Little Grebe, 5 Meadow Pipit, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtail, 12 Goldfinch, 21 Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, fem Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 5 Mute Swan, 2 Canada Geese and things (S Fisher).
 * Chiswick, Private Garden: Flock of 2 Coal Tits, 12 Long-Tailed Tits, 8 Blue Tit, 7 Great Tit, 1 Fem. Blackcap. (Louis Freeland-Haynes)
 * Claybury Park: Treecreeper, mixed flock of around 20 Siskins and Redpolls, 3 Coal Tits, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 3 Jays, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Stock Dove (first one I've seen here for months), and an extraordinary parliament of around 350 Carrion Crows around the new play area (Alan Hobson).
 * Crayford Marshes: 4 Waxwing east, Turnstone, Avocet, 2 Brambling, Common Buzzard, 6 Yellowhammer, Little Owl, Green Sandpiper, 2 Water Rail, 14 Grey Plover (Kev Jarvis).
 * Enfield: 1 female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker with 'pinkish' forehead patch - a woodpecker with gender issues? 13:45-13:50 hrs (Robert Callf).
 * Fulham Reach (Thames at very high tide, 3-3:30pm): 75 Mallard on boat pier, very noisy House Sparrows well inside their bush, 19 Tufted Duck, 1 Teal, 1m+1f Pochard, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Coot, 1 Moorhen, 4 Common Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 3 Cormorant, 50+ Black-headed Gull (Nathalie Mahieu)
 * Gants Hill: Coal Tit starting 10th week in garden today, (London Birdwatching)
 * Greenwich Peninsula (by O2 Arena 10.00-10.30): 1 female Pochard west, 80+ Teal on Thames, 1 Rock Pipit on foreshore. Ecology Park 11.00-11.30: 1 Little Egret south, 3 Lapwing on shingle bank, flew south @ 11.20, 1 female Brambling in willows by feeders, 1 Chiffchaff etc (Conrad Ellam & John Bushel).
 * Hampstead Way, NW11: Flock of 25 Cormorant north at 11.30am - largest I've seen over London. Plus 1 redpoll sp. (Rob Ayers)
 * Harold Hill (Dewsbury Gardens): 1 male Blackcap feeding on berries in gardens, 1 Goldcrest (Millicent Harper).
 * Hertford: 35 Waxwing by 24 Tanners Crescent but flew south 15:30 (BirdGuides).
 * Ingrebourne Valley: 3 Cetti's Warblers, 12 Water Rail, 5 Redwing, Sparrowhawk. (London Birdwatching)
 * London City Airport: 7 Lapwing still, 6 Coot on Royal Albert Dock (unsusual) (London Birdwatching).
 * London Wetland Centre: Goosander on main lake, 2 Bittern, 14 Common Snipe, 7 Redwing, 2 Chiffchaff, 5 Siskin (LWC website).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Swan sp. over south at 09:50 (Mute Swan still on Headstone Moat), 1 Lapwing, 1 Little Owl, 4 Jackdaw, 1 Jay & 2 Grey Heron (Jon Ridge).
 * Rainham Marshes: female Merlin perched near target pools, then hunting before flying east (Jonathan Lethbridge, Dominic Mitchell, Howard Vaughan via Twitter), plus 4+ Caspian Gulls at tip, inc. one with colour rings, 6 Yellow-legged Gulls; Snow Bunting near visitor centre and Mardyke Bridge at 15:00 (Keith Rayment, HV et al); 2 Jack Snipe, Ring Ouzel still by Stone Barges (BirdGuides). 2 Bearded Tit photos(via London Birdwatching)
 * Redhill: 19 Waxwing p.m. on west side of Holmethorpe Lagoons LNR, in trees by railway line (BirdGuides).
 * Regent's Park: 2 Lapwings, 70+ Mandarins feeding together, drake Wigeon, 5 Teal, 45 Shovelers, 24 Gadwall (Tony Duckett).
 * South Norwood Lake: Peregrine, Kestrel, 2 Mute Swan, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 15m 11f Shoveler, 2f 1m Pochard, 2 Cormorant, c50 Black-headed Gull, 10 Common Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 5 Collared Dove, 2 Jackdaw (over), c30 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush, c40 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Coal Tit, 1 Pied Wagtail, House Sparrow (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood).
 * Stockwell (Hemans Estate Community Garden): 1 Dunnock - not seen throughout year after council cut back all the bushes (bred in 2009), 2 Great Tit on feeder (Michael Mac).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 2 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Red-crested Pochards, Chiffchaff, 5 Lapwing west, plus the usuals; also 5 Lesser Redpoll, female aythya hybrid (presumably TD x CP but not one of the previous female individuals of that combination here, or the bird at Ally Pally the other day), 2 Teal (male and female) on the ice of West Res (Mark Pearson)
 * Sutcliffe Park (Kidbrooke) 8.00-8.30: 1 Little Egret, 10+ Snipe,1 male Pochard, 1 female Wigeon (Conrad Ellam & John Bushel). What time was the Green Sandpiper seen on Sunday?
 * Valentines Park, Ilford: Mediterranean Gull still present, Egyptian Geese, Shoveler, Gadwall, Pochard, 5 Mistle Thrush (London Birdwatching)
 * Waltham Cross: 5 Waxwings until early afternoon at least (at end of Abbey Road, near the KFC) (R. Woodward).
 * Walton Res: first-winter m Scaup, Velvet Scoter (SBC).
 * Wanstead Flats: 13 Waxwing (west), 11 Lapwing (south), 6 Shoveler, 2 Duck sp (north), 2 Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, 7+ Goldfinch, 2 L Redpoll, 5 Goldcrest, Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush etc (NC).


 * Wanstead Park: Treecreeper, Grey Wagtail (Steve Thorpe), 13 + Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, 2 Coal Tit, 30 + Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, 4 Bullfinch, 3 Skylark (1 north, 2 south), 3 Stock Dove, 17 Ring-necked Parakeet, 51 Tufted Duck, 10 Shoveler, 43 Gadwall, 54 Pochard, 20+ Teal (R Roding), 4 Little Grebe, 3 Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk (NC).
 * Woodlands Farm Trust: 4 Cormorant flew over, Goldfinch, Kestrel, 2 Lapwing in Old Coals field
 * Wormwood Scrubs: 07.30-0900. 2770+ Rose-ringed Parakeet leaving Central Copse roost. 1 Snipe, 1 Skylark, 1 male Reed Bunting, 9 Meadow Pipit. (Rob Ayers)

Monday 6 December 2010

 * Beddington Farmlands: juvenile Common Crane on south lake from 08.45 onwards; can be viewed by entrance gate or on footbridge at Hackbridge station (Andrew Self, JA & Beddington Birders); moved to main lake mid-morning, where present until at least midday (J Lethbridge).
 * Broadwater Lake: Velvet Scoter still; 100+ Siskins ; 10+ Goldeneye (David Bradshaw)
 * Bromley-by-Bow/Channelsea/Abbey Creek: Dunlin (site record), Redshank, 9 Snipe, 120 Teal, Lapwing, Water Rail, 24 Gadwall, 3 Tufted Duck, f Pochard, Kestrel, Peregrine N in afternoon (S Fisher)
 * Crayford Marshes: fem Merlin north over landfill site, fem Marsh Harrier hunting east along the creek, Brambling, 3 Yellowhammer, Bar-tailed Godwit, 16 Grey Plover, 8 Pintail. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Rainham 'Serin' Mound: Large finch flock still present, including at least 2 each of Brambling and Yellowhammer. Aborted early due to blizzard reducing visibility to next to nothing (James A).
 * Rainham Marshes: 12.20 to 12.40 - male Merlin hunting over Wennington Marshes, first flushed from pathside fencepost then landing on ground on the rough grass halfway to the A13; Ring Ouzel in gorse scrub to the north of the barges, also pair Yellowhammers with the Reed Bunting flock there; third-winter Caspian Gull on Thames (different bird than previous), 2 Water Rails, 2 Water Pipits, 2 Chiffchaffs feeding on seawall, Green Sandpiper on dump away from water, 3 Grey Plovers, Jack Snipe, c30 Snipe, 7+ Yellow-legged Gulls (David Callahan); Waxwing opposite New Tank Hill Road/A1306 junction at 2.30pm-ish (JL, HV); m Marsh Harrier on Silts, 150+ Linnet from Serin Mound (JL)
 * Waltham Cross: 2 Waxwings by the main roundabout near the bus station, feeding on shrub with white berries, 12:30 (Ian Woodward per MJP)
 * Ealing Broadway: Peregrine Falcon on the spire of Christ the Saviour church at 9am. First sighting in over a week.(Andrew Birks) (saw it there twice & on another building on Saturday - Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Fulham Reach: 15 Linnet, 1 Mistle Thrush on yew by Crabtree, numerous Teals & Tufted Ducks, a few Gadwalls, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 pr Peregrine Falcon (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Hatch End (New River Pinn): 2 Snipe flushed along the River Pinn & 25+ Siskin in Alders behind the supermarket (JR).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Snipe (probably the Hatch End birds seen earlier - the only thing that separates the two sites is the railway line), 2 Fieldfare, 4 Jackdaw & 9 Ring-necked Parakeet (Jon Ridge).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Bittern (flushed by fox, then back into reedbed) 10:45, Cetti's Warbler, 3 Red-crested Pochard still, waterbirds concentrated onto small area of unfrozen water (5% of surface) (Mark Pearson)
 * Thorney C P: 1 Common Snipe, 3 Treecreepers, 1 Chiffchaff, 7+ Siskins, Gt Spotted Woodpecker,2 L B B Gulls, Little Grebe, 8 Shovelers, Green Woodpecker. 6 Gadwall, 20+ Pochards, 1 Chaffinch. (Sue Giddens)
 * Wanstead Park: Woodcock, Water Rail, Kingfisher (London Birdwatching)
 * Wormwood Scrubs: 5 Waxwing north along Scrubs Lane 07.55. Found again briefly at 08.55 in NE corner but then flew north. 3 Skylark, 2 Jackdaw, 5 Mallard, 6 Meadow Pipit, 38 Redwing mainly west, 5 Fieldfare, 3 Canada Geese, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Jay, 4 Goldfinch. (Scrubbers)
 * Leyton Flats: 10 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, 32 Lesser Redpolls. (Gary A James).
 * London City Airport: 7 Lapwing on the grass by the runway (London Birdwatching)
 * Roding Valley Park: Snipe (first one I've ever seen here), 2 Song Thrushes (Alan Hobson).
 * Brookmill Park (Lewisham) 2 Heron, 34 Mallard, 12 Moorhen, 1 Coot, 50+Black-headed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 10+ Woodpigeon, 1 Collared Dove, 1 Kingfisher, 4 Wren, 7 Robin, 13 Blackbird, 1 Redwing, 1 Great Tit, 3 Blue Tit, 1 Starling, 4 Magpie, 2 Carrion Crow, 1 Goldfinch, 4 Greenfinch, 1 chaffinch (Conrad Ellam)
 * Lee Valley CP: single (m) Goosander on Friday Lake, single (m) Goldeneye on Bowyers water, 6 Goldcrest seen, c15 Siskin, 30+ Lapwing in field just before Hooks Marsh car park. 4 Green & 3 Great spotted Woodpeckers, (J Anderson)
 * Parkside Farm/Res., Enfield: 1 Woodcock, flushed from Res banking, 14:59 hrs (Robert Callf).
 * Vicarage Farm, Enfield: 1 Woodcock, flushed, 15:44 hrs (Robert Callf).
 * Tyttenhanger GP's: Goosander (f) 11 Wigeon, Kingfisher. (Steve B)
 * South Norwood Lake: 2 Mute Swan, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 17m 11f Shoveler, 2f 1m Pochard, c100 Black-headed Gull, 6 Common Gull, 2 LesserBlack-backed Gull, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (1 drumming) mixed party of c40 Long-tailed Tit & Blue Tit, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, 6 Ring-necked Parakeet, (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)

Sunday 5 December 2010
1 Common Snipe, Green Woodpecker, Goldfinch. Greenfinch, Chafinch, 2 Sparrowhawks (male and female), 1 Redwing, 1 female Phesant (Ron Turner)
 * Beddington Farmlands: Common Crane on lake from 10.30 onwards (per JA). Still present and looking settled at 15.45. Thanks Johnny. (JA, GJ.) Crane video http://vimeo.com/17497303
 * Broadwater Lake: Imm male Velvet Scoter; also 1 Little Egret, 3 Egyptian Geese, 20 Goldeneye, 6 Chiffchaff, 60+ Siskin and 3 Bullfinch (Simon Buckingham).
 * Burgess Park: adult Mediterranean Gull on lake still 10.05am (Richard Bonser).
 * Crayford Marshes: 6 Bearded Tit four near Landfill site,Two near Yacht Club, Woodcock, 9 Yellowhammer, 2 Corn Bunting, Little Owl, 14 Grey Plover, Kingfisher, 10 Pintail, c 2000 Dunlin, c 400 Linnet. (Kev Jarvis & Steve Carter).
 * East India Dock Basin area: Merlin (male) upriver then over west at 09.40. 2 Common Snipe (roost), 2 Common Sandpipers, Gt Spotted Woodpecker. (Gary A James). Late afternoon visit: 9 Shelduck, c280 Teal, 4 Little Grebe, Lapwing NE, Common Snipe N, Common Sandpiper, Chiffchaff (Nick Tanner).
 * Fairlop Waters: 8 Waxwing, f Goosander, 12 Golden Plover, Shoveler, Gadwall, 200 Fieldfare, Kestrel, (London Birdwatching)
 * Crossness: 3 Grey Plovers off Golf Centre early morning, then 14 flew high E @ 10.20am (not sure if these included the 3), also 2 Ruff (one by Outfall, one in paddocks) (John Archer).
 * Lower Chingford: Several Goosander flying to and fro, Redshank, Green Sandpiper, Dunlin, mixed flock of Goldfinch and Linnet (James Palmer).
 * Brent Res Cetti's Warbler, 4 Wigeon, 80+ Pochard, 300+ Tufted Duck, 25 Snipe, 2 Lapwing, 3 Water Rail (Brent Birders)
 * Tyttenhanger GP's: Bittern. in small reedbed NE of main pit. (Steve Blake)
 * Alexandra Park: 0740-0845, 18 Fieldfare and 3 Redwing north, Water Rail conservation pond, drake Gadwall briefly Wood Green Res (Bob Watts).
 * Gants Hill: Sparrowhawk, Coal Tit (London Birdwatching)
 * Greenwich Park: 4+ Goldcrests and at least 1 Firecrest (f) present late morning. Good to see after the cold weather. Also Meadow Pipit heard going over (Joe Beale).
 * Isle of Dogs: Second-winter Yellow-legged Gull on Thames at high tide (Sean Huggins).
 * Hampstead Heath: Adult Mediterranean Gull on south side of Parliament Hill 0915 and later on High' No.1 pond. 10 Siskins (S) and 10 Meadow Pipits over ( Pete Mantle) Also Kingfisher between High No.1 and Boating Pond 14.00, 12 Shoveler on No.1, 10+ Jackdaw. No sign of Med gull. (Rob Ayers)
 * Horsenden Hill: Peregrine in hunting flight around lower fields 10.50am disappeared N over summit, 3+ Snipe, 2 Coal Tit, 3 Nuthatch, 19 Linnet flew W, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Little Owl, 1+ Water Rail, 2 Teal, 4 Meadow Pipit over, 1 Chiffchaff Paradise Fields (Andy Culshaw & David Howdon)
 * Limetrees Park Golf Course (Northolt): Low Buzzard mobbed by Crows + pr Ring-necked Parakeets- dropped to ground in vertical dive + stayed put for c15 minutes before headed south followed by corvids c11.15, Kestrel (Neil Anderson)
 * Margravine Cemetery: 2 Song Thrush, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker chasing each other (Nathalie Mahieu),
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Little Owl in the usual tree, 2 Meadow Pipit, 13 Jackdaw, 1 Jay & 4 Grey Heron. Also: 1 Kingfisher at Headstone Moat (Jon Ridge).
 * Rainham Ferry Lane area: male Ring Ouzel in scrub along promenade north west of Tilda rice factory, then flew into industrial estate (09:45), Dunlin, 2 Curlew, 25 Black-tailed Godwit, c80 Redshank, fem Yellowhammer, 20 Fieldfare, 6 Redwing, ad Yellow-legged Gull, 17 Shelduck, male Stonechat, 60+ Gadwall 5 Wigeon, c2 Water Pipit (Stone Barges) with c8 Meadow Pipit and Rock Pipit, 6 Snipe, 5 Song Thrush, plus Chiffchaff at Rainham Station (S Fisher)
 * Roding Valley Park (Woodford Bridge): Kestrel (London Birdwatching)
 * Roding Valley Park (South Woodford): Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker (London Birdwatching)
 * Rotherhithe: 2nd-winter Y-l Gull on Greenland Dock mid a'noon. Meadow Pipit west over Greenland Pier 09.30am; 4 Pochard and 178 Tufted Duck Canada Water; 28 Tufted Duck Norway Dock; 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 4 Goldcrest Russia Dock Woodland (Richard Bonser).
 * Ruislip Lido: 2 Smew (drake & redhead), Little Grebe, Chiffchaff, 6 Bullfinch, Sparrowhawk & Kestrel (Steve Pash)
 * Valentines Park (Ilford): 4 Egyptian Geese, Pochard, Shoveler, 2 Grey Wagtail, 4 Siskin (London Birdwatching)
 * Walthamstow Marsh: 2 Stonechat (pr) 3 Snipe, Woodcock flushed from Horseshoe Thicket, 6 Linnet and a small flock of Chaffinch in Horse Field, Little Owl in usual tree, 1 Fieldfare. (Paul Whiteman)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs (Lockwood and Maynards). Little Egret, 2 Green Sandpipers, 3 Redshank, 16 Lapwing, 4+ Fem Goldeneye, 5 Gadwall, 100s of Teal, 1 Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, plus 1 Chiffchaff and 1 Weasel (Tott Marshes)
 * Walthamstow Village: 1 ad winter Mediterranean Gull flew low over the village at c1500hrs. (Penny Hayhurst & David Lindo)
 * Wanstead Park: 2 Egyptian Geese, 5 Ring Necked Parakeet (London Birdwatching)
 * Rainham Marshes sea wall : Jack Snipe, 2 Grey Plover, 5 Snipe, 2 Bearded Tit, 2 Cetti's Warbler, Green Sandpiper,Ruff, 6 Corn Bunting,Brambling over.(Shaun Harvey)
 * Yeading Brook: Sparrowhawk, c50 Redwing, 13 Fieldfare, 11 Jackdaw, pr Bullfinch (Neil Anderson)
 * Dagenham Chase LNR: Woodcock flushed, 3 Golden Plover on Eastbrook playing field, 27 Pochard, 25 Shoveler, 3 Goldcrest. ( V.Halley-Frame ).
 * Harold Hill (Sedgefield Crescent): Song Thrush, Nuthatch, Grey Wagtail over (CRJ).
 * Romford Golf Course: 3 Redwing, Song Thrush, Treecreeper, 3 Goldcrest, 5 Long-tailed Tit (CRJ).
 * Wormwood Scrubs: 1 Goldcrest with 1 Long Tailed Tit, 1 Green Woodpecker + 1/2 Great Spotted Wooodpecker, 1 Meadow Pippit, 8 Greenfinch (on Little scrubs) + large numbers of Magpies (30+) (Charlie Farrell)
 * Woodland's Farm: 1 female Pheasant, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Goldcrest. (Conrad Ellam & John Bushel)
 * Grovelands Park, Southgate: 13(8 males, 5 females) Mandarin Duck; 4(1m,3f) Pochard; 3, probably 4 Firecrest, feeding in Holly, 13:20 - 16:00 hrs (Robert Callf).

Saturday 4 December 2010

 * Alexandra Park: Woodcock flew from cricket scrub up slopes; Common Snipe flew from balancing pool; Jackdaw east; Treecreeper on slopes with tit flock; 2 Water Rail in fenced area to north of conservation pond; 2 Greylag seemingly resident on WG Res, Mipit west, 7 Shoveler Boating Lake - Alan Gibson reported a recent record 16 present about 2 weeks ago (Andrew Gardener, Gareth Richards, Bob Watts). 3 Water Rail seen, 1 Chiffchaff near Garden Centre, Common Snipe first flushed from ditch south of cricket field (James Palmer).
 * Bedfords Park LNR: 2 Firecrests, including cracking male, in evergreens along bridleway near Nursery late afternoon, also several Goldcrests; drake Shoveler circled lake (still completely iced-over) at dusk (Colin Jupp).
 * Brent Reservoir: 2 Little Egrets, 6 Snipe, 90+ Pochard, 350+ Tufted Duck, 2 Water Rail, 4 Wigeon, Cetti's Warbler, drake Goldeneye & pair of Goosander which flew off southeast at 09.17 (Brent Birders)
 * Bromley-by-Bow/Abbey Creek: 7 Snipe, 8 Redshank, 2 Woodcock (1 near industrial estate), 150 Teal, 6 Gadwall, 15 Cormorant (3 Mills lock), 9 Linnet, 4 Meadow Pipit, 17 Chaffinch, Reed Bunting, female Sparrowhawk, male Kestrel (S Fisher)
 * Burgess Park: adult Mediterranean Gull still on the lake 8.40am; also 2 Egyptian Geese (Richard Bonser)
 * Crayford Marshes: Lapland Bunting feeding on the landfill site. 4 Bearded Tit in reed bed near landfill site, Woodcock flushed early a.m. 2 Yellowhammer, Green Sandpiper, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Little Owl,c 300 Linnet, 14 Grey Plover, 11 Pintail, Kingfisher (Kev Jarvis).
 * Cummings Hall Farm, Noak Hill (private site): 3(2m,1f) Mandarin, 153 Mallard, 50 Canada Geese, 16 Moorhen, Coot, 21 Black-headed Gull, 5 Common Gull, 2 Common Snipe all farm res; also Woodcock, 2 Red-legged Partridge, 7 Pheasant, 38 Fieldfare SW, 2 Redwing, 5 Goldfinch, 3 Goldcrest with mixed tit flock, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Colin Jupp).
 * Ealing Broadway: 1 juv Peregrine (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * East India Dock Basin area: Black Redstart, 6 Lapwing, 1 Common Snipe, 3 Common Sandpipers, 14 Redhank (Roost), 410 Teal, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet. (Gary A James)
 * Fairlop Gravel Works: 2 Jack Snipe, 70 Lapwing, 6 Snipe, 16 Golden Plover, Sparrowhawk, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, 2 Grey Wagtail, Linnet, Little Egret, 200 Redwing/Fieldfare (London Birdwatching)
 * Fairlop Waters: 2 Goosander, 6 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, 6 Little Grebe, Skylark, Snipe, Lapwing, Meadow Pipit, (London Birdwatching)
 * Five Oaks Lane, Chigwell: Sparrowhawk, 4 Little Egret, 4 Snipe, 2 Yellowhammer, 50 Redwing, Fieldfare, 10 Meadow Pipit, 12 Skylark, Bullfinch (London Birdwatching)
 * Fulham Reach: 5 Skylark, 1 Kestrel, 2 Goldcrest with 15-20 tit flock in Queen Caroline Estate + 1 in Margravine Cemetery, 2 Redwing, 1 Mistle Thrush (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park: Goosander over SE @ 10.20, Common Buzzard W at 12.50, 1 Sparrowhawk, Grey Wagtail, 10 Coot, 4 Moorhen, 19 Mallard, 10 Goldfinch, f Chaffinch, 40+ Black-h Gulls, 2 Lapwings showing well, 10 Snipe some showing well, 1st-w Common Gull, Teal on Thames nearby, Reed Bunting (Conrad Ellam, John Bushel, Joe Beale, Yu-Hsuan Lin).
 * Greenwich Park: Skylark over @ noon, 10 Redwings W/around (Joe Beale, Yu-Hsuan Lin)
 * Hampton Court Park: 3 fem/juv Goodander NE, 15 Wigeon, 13 Lapwing (6 N-NE), 23 Redwing (18 E), 1 Snipe E, 2 Skylark (1 S), 1 Siskin N (Andrew Skotnicki).
 * Hatch End Playing Fields: 1 Little Egret along the River Pinn & later sitting up in trees (JR).
 * Hertford: 16 Waxwings on Merchant Drive, Mead Lane Ind Est early morning (in LNHS Area) before moving to Kings Meads north of river near A10 viaduct (outside of Area) (BirdGuides)
 * Holyfield Lake: c20 Goosander, Chiffchaff with tit flock (Mike Oakland)
 * Horsenden Hill: 1 Jack Snipe in brook on west side of Berkeley Fields with 4 Snipe - flushed by Fox and flew E. Also 3 Lapwing over, 6 Skylark inc. 4 down, 2 Nuthatch, 1 Grey Wagtail (Andy Culshaw).
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 8 Egyptian Goose, 15 Shoveler, pr Gadwall, 2 Water Rail, 4 Great Black-backed Gull west, Tawny Owl showing well, 2 Meadow Pipit (Buck Hill), Song Thrush, 15 Mistle Thrush, 2 Coal Tit, 2 Nuthatch, redpoll sp heard (Des McKenzie, Nick Tanner).
 * Ingrebourne Valley: 2 Bittern, Little Owl, 3 Fieldfare, 2 Snipe, 30 Redpoll sp, 4 Water rail .(Shaun Harvey)
 * KGVI Res: Velvet Scoter and Common Scoter still present, 1 Great Northern Diver, 13 Dunlin, 2 Knot, 2 Sanderling, 2 Redshank, single Green and Common Sandpipers (Peter Naylor).
 * Paddington Green: Common Snipe deftly spotted by Mr. Tanner underneath my kitchen window, c20 metres from the Edgware Road 11:37, 4 Ring-necked Parakeet flew toward Regent's Park (DMc, NT).
 * Pages Wood, Harold Wood: 2 Yellowhammer, 1 male Pheasant, 4 Goldcrest, 3 Redwing, 2 Goldfinch, 10 Long Tailed Tit (Millicent Harper)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 3 Snipe, 2 Skylark, 6 Meadow Pipit, 2 Fieldfare, 2+ Redwing, 10 Jackdaw, 1 Jay, 5 Long-tailed Tit, 10 Common Gull, 4 Herring Gull & 3 Grey Heron (Jon Ridge).
 * Pyrgo Park, Havering-atte-Bower: 1 Mealy Redpoll with 30 Lesser Redpoll, 8 Goldfinch, 2 Siskin, Common Buzzard, 2 Common Snipe, calling Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (south park plantation), 4 Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, 2 Stock Dove, 50-60 Chaffinch in maize crop (Colin Jupp).
 * Rainham Marshes: imm drake Eider flew west past along Thames at 14.45 (BirdGuides); first-winter Lapland Bunting briefly on the ground with mixed flock of Linnets, Reed Buntings, etc, 11.22 am, plus pair Yellowhammer, Bar-tailed Godwit (Kent shore), 12 Pintail, Water Rail (David Callahan, Dominic Mitchell); Barn Owl West Marsh 07.40, 7 Corn Buntings, 10 Rock Pipits (saltings), 4+ Grey Plover, leucistic Black-headed Gull, third-winter Caspian Gull, 5+ Yellow-legged Gulls (dump), 2 Black-tailed Godwits (DCn); 5 Goosander (2f and 1m west, pr east) at about 08:20 (P Hawkins, J Lethbridge, D Morrison)
 * Rotherhithe: 10 Pochard and 306 Tufted Ducks (241 Canada Water, 65 Surrey Water); 3 Shovelers Southwark Park (Richard Bonser)
 * Staines Reservoir: redhead Smew on N basin (Peter Naylor)
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Cetti's Warbler, 3 Red-crested Pochards, 120+ Tufted Ducks, 50+ Common Pochards, 40+ Gadwall, 19 Shovelers, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls (2nd winter and adult), 4 Water Rails, 4 Reed Buntings, 5 Fieldfares, plus the usuals (Mark Pearson)
 * Sutcliffe Park: 8-10 Common Snipe, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Redwing (James Lowen)
 * Teddington: 19 Waxwings in large berry bush along Park Lane (off Park Road), opposite the Police Station. Seen 12:30 according to BirdGuides, but apparently disturbed by passing Sparrowhawk and not seen whilst I was there (14:15-15:00pm). Large number of berries still on bush so hopefully they'll be back in the morning when I'll try again! (Billy Dykes)
 * Tyttenhanger GPs: Bittern, Water Rail, 2 Snipe, Little Egret, 2 Egyptian Goose, Goldeneye, 33 Wigeon, 16 Gadwall, Woodcock. (Steve Blake)
 * Wanstead Flats: 2 Egytian Goose (west @7:30), 13 Shoveler (6m, Alex), 5 Tufted Duck, 3 Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail (Forest Gate - yup desperation!), 4 Mistle Thrush, 12 Redwing (north), 20+ Blackbird, Fieldfare (north), 2 Skylark (s), Siskin, 4 Chaffinch, 10+ Goldfinch, 20 L Redpoll (east), Reed Bunting, 2 Cormorant, 150+ Wood Pigeon (south), Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Ring-necked Parakeet (NC)
 * Wanstead Park: 43 + Pochard, 44 Tufted Duck, 46 + Gadwall, 6 Shoveler, 6 Little Grebe, 3 Grey Heron, 7+ Goldcrest, Coal Tit, 20 + Redwing, Song Thrush, Siskin, Goldfinch, Snipe (south), Green and Great Spot Woopecker, 10+ RN Parakeet, 2 Sparrowhawk (NC)
 * Woodford Green: Lapwing (London Birdwatching)
 * Woodlands Farm Trust: 2 Nuthatch, 1 Jacksnipe, a charm of Goldfinches, 1 Tree creeper, Kestrel, Peregrine hunting over golf course.
 * Wormwood Scrubs: Female Bullfinch in Southern Copse, 14 Skylark on short grassland, 1 Common Snipe into long grassland, 2 Reed Bunting, 9 Lapwing south, 14 Meadow Pipit, 22 Fieldfare, 13 Redwing, 3 Goldcrest, 30+ House Sparrow, 65+ Woodpigeon NE (Rob Ayers). Missed all of that but did see juv m Kestrel perched in trees on Lester's embankment, m Sparrowhawk, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail over + 4 unidentified geese/swans over (Charlie Farrell)
 * Wraysbury Res: Red-necked Grebe, Slavonian Grebe, 2 Great Northern Divers, 5 Goosanders and a Green Sandpiper; also 238 Great Crested Grebes (Dave Morris, Pete Naylor).
 * York Avenue (Sidcup): Woodcock west, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, 8+ Redwings, 3 Long-tailed Tits, Wren, pr Chaffinch, 3 Goldfinch, Herring Gull west, Skylark north-east, Sparrowhawk. (Ian Stewart).

Friday 3 December 2010

 * Alexandra Park: 7 Bewick's Swans (3 ads and 4 juvs) circled calling and landed upon Wood Green Res at 06:50 (Bob Watts), still present until 08:13 at least (Gareth Richards, Dominic Mitchell, David Callahan et al), plus ad argentatus Herring Gull, Pochard x Tufted-type Aythya hybrid, Little Grebe but no sign of yesterday's Common Goldeneye. Also 2 Egyptian Geese west (DCn) and Skylarks and Fieldfares on the move.; all 7 Bewick's Swans flew north at 10:28 following much head-bobbing and calling, also Jackdaw over (heard) (Des McKenzie); Firecrest stlll, showing well by 3rd viewing platform at Wood Green Res in ivy-clad trees on right hand side (DCn).
 * Amwell GPs: 2 Smew, Bittern ,Ruff, 2 Yellow-legged Gull (BirdGuides).
 * Barking Outfall: Black Redstart, Grey Plover, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 18 Snipe, 182 Redshank, 4 Black Tailed Godwits, 514 Tufted Duck, 26 Pochard, 409 Shoveler, 304 Gadwall, 116 Shelduck and 700 Teal.(Dave Morrison)
 * Beddington: 1 first winter female Snow Bunting Photos here
 * Brent Reservoir: 1 male Goldeneye, 2 Lapwing, 2 Snipe, 2 Skylark, 8 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 3 Mistle Thrush, 8 Jackdaw. Other counts incl: 11 Little Grebe, 14 Great Crested Grebe, 80+ Gadwall, 55 Pochard, 89 Teal, 44 Shoveler, 3 Ruddy Duck, 38 Mute Swan. (Rob Ayers).
 * Bromley-by-Bow and Abbey Creek: 12 Egyptian Geese on edge of creek (site record), 10 Snipe, Green Sandpiper, 3 Redshank, m Lapwing, Water Rail, 12 Gadwall, Pochard, 6 Tufted Duck, 10 Meadow Pipit, Chiffchaff, 25 Chaffinch, Song Thrush, 4 Redwing, 90 Teal (S Fisher)
 * Bookham Common: 2 Hawfinch in hotel car-park mid-p.m. (BirdGuides).
 * Brunel University Bicentenary Gardens: Woodcock over at 14.10 and appeared to land in the university campus, near the river. Also 25+ Redpolls, including one slightly larger bird with longer primary projection, other features not seen (Roger Morton).
 * Crayford Marshes: Fem Eider west along Thames mid-a.m., 27 Bewick Swan ,fem Goosander east along Thames a.m., 2 Marsh Harrier fem and imm male, 2 Little Gull (ad and 1st winter), Short-eared Owl, 2 Yellowhammer, Water Pipit, 12 Grey Plover, 2 Golden Plover, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Pintail, Water Rail (Kev Jarvis & A.W).
 * Ewell: 2 Waxwing west over Priest Hill (BirdGuides).
 * Fairlop Waters: 17 Bewick's Swans NW at 12.30, pr Goosander still, yesterdays Scaup is still present 1.15 but may indeed be a Scaup/Tufted hybrid (Steve Bacon) (via London Birdwatching)
 * Grange Waters:Red Head Smew, 70 Redwing, 120 Fieldfare feeding on Hawthornes, Marsh Tit in treeline by Scuba Diving Lake, 161 Tufted Duck, 94 Pochard, Woodcock walked up, 2 Water Rail, 4 Siskins, Redshank, Drake Gooseander overhead and 47 Teal.Also Muntjac flushed from feet(dont know who jumped higher, him or me) Dave Morrison.
 * Greenwich Peninsula: 1 Lapwing & 12 Wigeon flying west, 6 Reed Bunting in reed terraces, 1 Peregrine flying north. 1 Redshank, 2 Dunlin & 1 Sanderling feeding on foreshore by Beckham Academy. All seen between 13.00 & 14.00 (Conrad Ellam & John Bushel)
 * Banstead Downs: Siskin (David Campbell).
 * Hampstead Heath: 7 Golden Plover flew S over P. Hill at 1335. Reed Bunting flushed flew W ( Pete Mantle)
 * Hatch End (New River Pinn): 1 Little Egret sitting up in trees along the River Pinn by the railway embankment (JR).
 * Hatch End Playing Fields: 1 male Kestrel sitting up in trees next to the A410 (JR).
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens (p.m.): 2 Peregrine Falcon circled over Longwater then west, 2 Lapwing (1 on Buck Hill and another which flew a few feet above our heads at Serpentine), Woodcock flushed off Buck Hill and flew across Longwater 14:12, Skylark, Firecrest still in Hudson Memorial area, 3 Siskin in Alders with five Goldfinch; also at least 450 Greylag Goose, Egyptian Goose reduced to 4, pr Gadwall, 32 Shoveler, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Redwing, Nuthatch, 2 Treecreeper (DMc, Noel Lever).
 * Ingrebourne Valley: 15 Bewick's Swan north-west 08:30 (BirdGuides).
 * Isle of Dogs: one Dunlin on the mud at Saunders Ness till 3.15pm at least (my first for IoD). Also three Gadwall, Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipit (Sean Huggins).
 * London Wetland Centre: Bar-headed Goose (esc), 46 Wigeon, Pintail, 95 Shoveler, Sparrowhawk, 2 Bittern, 3 Meadow Pipit, 6 Fieldfare, 2 Chiffchaff (LWC website).
 * Lonsdale Road Res: mostly frozen, 5 Shovelers in small pool of unfrozen water, 2 large flocks of tits but no sign of any Goldcrests, otherwise the usuals (Rich Petley).
 * Lordship Recreation Ground: 3 Jack Snipe in stream gully east of footbridge near logs 11:30-12 circling and resettling (Jeremy Richardson).
 * Mapledale Avenue (Croydon): Common Snipe (Croydon Birders).
 * Margravine Cemetery: 2 Redwing, pr Peregrine Falcon, 11 Long-tailed Tit flock, calling f Great Spotted Woodpecker (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Minet CP: Jack Snipe in flood relief channel a.m. (BirdGuides).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Snipe flew off from the main pond (98% frozen over), 1 Little Owl back in the disaster area, 10 Fieldfare (9 over north), 9 Jackdaw & 6 Grey Heron (Jon Ridge).
 * Rainham Marshes: 27 Bewick's Swan in Aveley Bay to 12:15 when they flew off, fem Eider in Aveley Bay to 12:15 at least.; Note: the reserve is closed today so view from seawall or cycle track (BirdGuides).fem Eider is a imm drake bird! (Paul Hawkins, pics here on blog http://www.hawkysbirdingblog.blogspot.com/); fem Goosander, imm m Marsh Harrier, Grey Plover, 5 Corn Bunting (ELBF).
 * Roding Valley Park: RN Parakeet, 2 Jay, GS Woodpecker, 4 Song Thrush, LT Tits, Chaffinches, 12 Common Gull (London Birdwatching) Woodcock, Green Woodpecker (Alan Hobson).
 * Ruislip: Dunlin on shore of Lido in front of Water's Edge pub. Also, Common Snipe, 60+ Wigeon, 80+ Gadwall, Shoveler, Pochard and 50+ Common Gull. 100+ Redpoll in Birch on Willow lawn and 8 Bullfinch feeding in Bramble scrub. 2 Little Egret, 2 Kingfisher and Teal on R.Pinn near Ruislip GC. (Steve Pash).
 * South Norwood CP: Sparrowhawk, 4 Water Rail, Jack Snipe, 3 Common Snipe, Grey Wagtail, 8 Siskin (Croydon Birders).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: immature Goldeneye (presumably yesterday's Ally Pally bird; second here in three days, fourth this decade); 3 Red-crested Pochards still, 2 Egyptian Geese, wildfowl numbers slightly down and both Res half frozen; 4 Common Snipe, 3 Meadow Pipits (one down); v.m. from Lincoln Court roof - nothing of note (Mark Pearson)
 * Totteridge Valley: 1 Woodcock: c25 Redwing: 7 Fieldfare: 2 Bullfinch, plus Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail along the brooks (John Colmans)
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery: 2 Firecrests SE of Monument Glade 1pm, 5+ Goldcrests, Redwing (h) (Luke Tiller, Bob Watts).
 * Town Park (Enfield): 2 (male and female) Shoveler, Carr's Basin; 1 imm Grey Heron; 1 adult male Sparrowhawk, perched, with full crop, Carr's Basin, 15:42 hrs; 10 Moorhen; 13 Coot; 17 Long-tailed Tit, flock (Robert Callf).
 * Vauxhall BT: 1 Peregrine plucking prey at 9:25am seen from distance, 1st time for over 1 month (Michael Mac).
 * Vicarage Farm, Enfield: 1 Common Snipe, flew low W, 15:15 hrs (Robert Callf).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs (11:00-15:00): 1+ Curlew (Lockwood and Banbury), 1+ Redshank (Lockwood and overflow channel), 18 Golden Plover flew West, 2 Green Sandpiper overflow channel West of Banbury, 22+ Snipe on West Warwick plus at least 12 more around the site. 6-8 Lapwing. 5 Goosander Banbury/Lockwood. 12 Egyptian Geese, 10 Shelduck. Generally Duck numbers down. 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, Skylark, 8 Meadow Pipits, 1 ‘scandinavian’ Rock Pipit, 2 Reed Buntings, Chiffchaff. 5 Waxwings flew East towards Walthamstow. 62 species in all (Paul Whiteman, Lol Bodini)
 * Wanstead Park: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (London Birders Yahoo Group).
 * Wormwood Scrubs: 1 Snipe, 1 male Reed Bunting, c5 Meadow Pipit, 5 Fieldfare plus 2 Great Black-back, c3 Lesser Black-back, c300 Herring Gull, c150 Common Gull, c400 Black-headed Gull - all part of a movement from the north-west (The Scrubbers).

Thursday 2 December 2010

 * Alexandra Park: juvenile/first-winter (bird still had black rear neck markings) Kittiwake circled over Wood Green Res, then headed north over Blandford at 08.25; also Little Grebe on res; lunchtime - first-winter Goldeneye on WGR, Pochard x Tufty-type Aythya hybrid, 3 Little Grebes (David Callahan). Peregrine Falcon heading West over cricket pitch 1.15pm (Mike Benyon)
 * Avenue Road (SE25): Kestrel (Croydon Birders).
 * Barnes Common: 2 Lapwing ->SW at ~250 feet, 14.40 (Stefan Czapski)
 * Beddington Farmlands: 1 Grey Plover, 3 Ruff, 5+ Redshank, 1 Dunlin, 10+ Snipe, 1 Little Egret, 450+ Woodpigeon Shorebird photos here, Jack Snipe, 2 Curlew, 5 Redshank (SBC).
 * Boxer's Lake (Enfield): 8 (5 adults, 3 '1st-winter') Mute Swan; 6 (3 males, 3 females) Shoveler; 4 (2m, 2f) Pochard; 1 female Kingfisher; 1 male Great Spotted Woodpecker; 1 Pied Wagtail; 1 female Blackbird, feeding on sloes; 1 Fieldfare, flew over calling; 1 male Nuthatch; 1 male Siskin, feeding in Alders; 6 Goldfinch (Robert Callf).
 * Bromley-by-Bow and Channelsea: Lapwing still, 4 Redshank, 10 Gadwall, 3 Tufted Duck plus usuals (S Fisher)
 * Burgess Park: adult Mediterranean Gull still on lake 12.15pm; no sign of Ferruginous Duck despite lake being ice free (Richard Bonser).
 * Crayford Marshes: imm m Eider drifting east on the Thames, Spotted Redshank flew west calling, 2 drake Goldeneye, 4 Pintail, Chiffchaff, Bar-tailed Godwit, 16 Grey Plover, Oystercatcher, c 1400 Dunlin (Kev Jarvis).
 * Crossness: 6 Brent Goose west 12:03, red-head Red-breasted Merganser west 14:35, Grey Plover, Turnstone, 2 ad Little Gulls west, ad Mediterranean Gull west (Ian Miller per JA).
 * Dagenham Chase LNR: 2 Mistle Thrush nr Sanoffi aventis, 10 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 2 Green Woodpecker, 3 Snipe (2 flying over The Slack and one over Black Poplar Wood), 60 Lapwing and 9 Grey Heron on The Slack, Water Rail in reeds at Hooks Hall Pond (D Allen).
 * East India Dock area: 4 Common Snipe (1 in roost), 7 Redshank (Roost), Gt Crested Grebe, 40+ Common Gulls (influx of this species), 200 Teal. (Gary A James).
 * Fairlop Waters: fem Scaup, pr Goosander (via London Birdwatching).
 * Fulham Reach: 1 Redshank, good numbers Teal & Tufted Duck, 1f Pochard, 1 Shelduck (south), c30 House Sparrow (in usual bush by Crabtree Wharf), pr Peregrine Falcon - Margravine Cemetery: 1 Mistle Thrush (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Grovelands Park (Southgate): 12 (6 males, 6 females) Pochard; 4 (1m, 3f) Tufted Duck; 1 Common Snipe, flew around and landed at waters edge, 14:37 hrs (very few records for this site!); 8+ Moorhen; 17 Ring-necked Parakeet; 1 Redwing; 3 Goldcrest; 2 (m&f) Firecrest, feeding in Holly, 15:01-15:30 hrs; 6 Long-tailed Tit (Robert Callf).
 * Hampstead Heath: 150 Woodpigeons N at 0930, 20 Common Gulls, 5 Herring Gulls, 300+ Black heads, 3 Gadwall, 15 Shoveler, Pochard, Lapwing on ice, Highgate No.1, 2 GC Grebes,15 Cormorants (Pete M).
 * Holmethorpe Sand Pits: 4 Pink-footed Goose for 1.5hrs before flying south-west (SBC).
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens (brief visit): Common Snipe flushed off Buck Hill and over West Carriage Drive; also 2 Gadwall, 13 Shoveler, 3 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe numbers down, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Redwing, 10+ Mistle Thrush attending Mountain Ash with a similar number of Blackbird, 4-5 Jay, 5 Goldfinch in Alders (Des McKenzie).
 * Ingrebourne Valley: Kestrel, 2 Woodcock, 15 Fieldfare, 10 Redwing, Siskin (ELBF).
 * Isle of Dogs: Peregrine south then north over Thames at Saunders Ness. No sign of a hard-weather influx of ducks on Millwall Docks, West India Docks, or Blackwall Basin. (Sean Huggins).
 * King George V Res. (14.00-15.00): 2 Goosander, 2 Goldeneye, 7 Ruddy Duck, 2 Pochard, 2 Teal, 38 Wigeon, 36 Canada Geese, 40+ Meadow Pipit, 20+ Lapwing, 8 Mute Swan, 4 Green Woodpecker, 2 GS Woodpecker, Chiffchaff and 2 Goldcrest with large tit flock (Rob Ayers).
 * Lesnes Abbey Woods: 1 Sparrrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 3 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing, Song Thrush, 6+ Goldcrest with mixed tit flocks including good numbers of Long-tailed Tits, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2+ Nuthatch (AW).
 * Lewisham: Woodcock flew low south at 8.30 (John Archer).
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Bittern, Water Pipit, 6 Waxwing west, Lapland Bunting west (BirdGuides); Shelduck, 190 Teal, Pintail, Peregrine Falcon, 13 Common Snipe, Redshank, 4 Meadow Pipit, 4 Cetti's Warbler, Redpoll south (LWC website).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Woodcock roaming the River Pinn area, disappeared into a private garden (Hatch End side), 2 Snipe in a ditch, 1 Little Egret along the river, 1 Reed Bunting over the rubbish tip (heard only), 1 Little Owl, 5 Redwing over, 7 Jackdaw, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Canada Goose & 6 Grey Heron. Also: 1 Kingfisher at Headstone Moat (Jon Ridge).
 * Purley (Buttermere Gardens): Ring-necked Parakeet, 2 Woodpigeon, Robin, 3 Blackbird, Song Thrush, Coal Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, Jay, Magpie, 3 Carrion Crow, 10 Starling, 7 Chaffinch, Greenfinch, 12 Goldfinch (Croydon Birders).
 * Regent's Park: 4 Common Snipe, 103 Mandarin Ducks, 57 Red crested Pochards, 16 Shoveler, 3 Teal, 9 Gadwall, 240 Pochards, 185 Tufted Ducks (Tony Duckett).
 * Rainham Marshes: imm m Eider on Thames by flood barrier a.m. (BirdGuides); still present 13.30, but drifting downstream with the tide (Dominic Mitchell et al); 6 (Dark-bellied) Brent Goose, m Goldeneye, 5 Grey Plover, Turnstone, 3 Little Gull (ELBF).
 * Rotherhithe: pair of Gadwall Canada Water plus 1 Little Grebe, 7 (5 drake, 2 female) Pochard and 238 Tufted Ducks (Richard Bonser).
 * South Norwood CP: Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 2 Water Rail, Common Snipe, 14 Common Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 6 Collared Dove, 4 Redwing, 3 Jay, 11 Siskin; Pied Wagtail (Love Lane) (Croydon Birders).
 * South Norwood Lake: 8 Mute Swan, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 14m 9f Shoveler, pair Pochard, 25 Tufted Duck, 10 Cormorant, c60 Black-headed Gull, 7 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Common Gull, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, c30 Goldfinch (John Watson).
 * Stockwell (Hemans Estate Community Garden): 6 Greenfinch in bird-feeder tree (Michael Mac).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs (both reservoirs and v.m. session from Lincoln Court roof): Curlew over (personal first at site), total of 16 Common Snipe (1 East Res, 1 west, 7 north, 6 north and one watched landing in very small garden off Dunsmure Rd), c200 Woodpigeons, a few dozen Redwings and Fieldfares, 3 Meadow Pipits on the deck, 3 Red-crested Pochards still; more wildfowl on East Res, but no sign of Wigeon flock or Goldeneye today (interestingly the latter not the bird at Ally Pally today - yesterday's was an adult female); distant flock of c150 ducks, including c10 larger birds, far to the north, heading north-east and just out of ID range at 12:01 (Mark Pearson)
 * Thorney CP: Buzzard, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Dunnocks, 2 Goosanders, 1 Wigeon, 15+ Pochards, 2 Redwings, 2 LBB Gulls, Stock Dove flew over, 3 flocks of Long-tailed Tits (Sue Giddens).
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery: 2 Firecrest still south end Sanctuary Wood 8am, also 5+ Goldcrest dotted around, Redwing (h) (Bob Watts).
 * Tyttenhanger GPs: Goosander (f) (Steve Blake).
 * Valentines Park (Ilford): 2 Egyptian Geese, Pochard, 10 Shoveler, Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher, 2 Siskin (via London Birdwatching)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: 5 Scaup (2m, 3f)), 37 Wigeon, 8 Gadwall, c100+ Teal, 3 Goldeneye (fs), pr Egyptian Geese, 1 Redshank, 5 Snipe, 3 Green Sands, 2 Lapwing, Skylark, 3 Meadow Pipits (+ another pipit sp. poss Rock/Water) & 2 Buntings sp (most stuff on Lockwood 11-14.00 - Lol Bodini).
 * Walton Reservoirs: Velvet Scoter still present (SBC).
 * West Molesey: 2 Waxwing opposite 52 Pool Road (SBC).
 * William Girling Res (13.00-14.00): 1 ad fem Velvet Scoter, 1 male eclipse Scaup, 6 Black-Necked Grebe, 12+ Great Crested Grebe, 4 Goldeneye, 1 Dunlin, 1 Peregrine, 1 Sparrowhawk, 45 Lapwing, 5 Medow Pipit. (Rob Ayers).
 * Wormwood Scrubs: 1 Peregrine, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Snipe heading west, c16 Fieldfare, c4 Redwing, 1 Linnet, 4 Chaffinch, 100 Woodpigeon east & c1,000 Rose-ringed Parakeets (The Scrubbers).
 * York Avenue (Sidcup): 2 Goosander (1 west with 20 Mallard), Woodcock, 8 Snipe, 40+ Lapwings south, 7 Golden Plover, 4 Greylag Goose north-east, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 15+ Redwing, m Blackcap, 30+ Goldfinch, 3 Jackdaw, Sparrowhawk, Wren (Ian Stewart).

Wednesday 1 December 2010

 * Alexandra Park: c10 Waxwing low east over filter beds (Dominic Mitchell) and then past Birdwatch office window (David Callahan, Ian Lycett); also c100 Lapwing west over radio mast (Gareth Richards); plus 3 Skylarks, 2 Reed Buntings, Fieldfare, 8 Lapwing, Meadow Pipit, first-winter Aythya hybrid (Tunnel Res) (DMi).
 * Beddington SF: 14 Bean Goose flew east this morning (BirdGuides).
 * Bromley-by-Bow/Channelsea: 6 Snipe, Redshank, Lapwing on river edge, Chiffchaff, fem Goldcrest (S Fisher)
 * Brookmill Park (Lewisham): 8 Mallard, 5 Moorhen, 2 Coot, 50+ Black-headed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 10+ Woodpigeon, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Wren, 3 Robin, 8 Blackbird, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Great Tit, 1 Blue Tit, 5 Starling, 1 Jay, 3 Magpie, 7 Carrion Crow, 20+ Goldfinch, 1 Greenfinch (Conrad Ellam).
 * Brunel University Bicentenary Gardens: 30+ Redpolls, 5 Bullfinches, many Goldfinches and Redwings. Also, nearby in my Cowley Garden, at least 6 different Blackcaps (4 males, one with a metal ring) in the last week, four (3 males) were present together today, feeding on berries (Roger Morton).
 * Crayford Marshes: juv Pomarine Skua west along Thames at 12:30. 14 Grey Plover, c2000 Dunlin, 2 Rock Pipit, 4 Curlew, 176 Black-tailed Godwit (Kev Jarvis).
 * Dagenham (Peartree Gardens): 3 Chaffinch (ELBF).
 * East India Dock Basin area: Woodcock (copse) 1st record for site, 13 Redshank (roost), 3 Common Snipe (1 in roost), 225 Teal, 5 Meadow Pipit (Gary A James).
 * Fairlop Waters: 3 female Goosander,1 fem Red-breasted Merganser at 1pm on main lake (Steve Bacon).
 * Fulham Reach (rising tide): 7 Gadwall, 78 Teal (+46 South of Crabtree Wharf), 1f Pochard, 38 Tufted Duck, 41 Mallard, 2 Coot, 2 Moorhen, 2 Grey Heron, 5 Cormorant, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 10 Herring Gull, 2 Common Gull, c200 Black-headed Gull (and hovering/going round military helicopters) (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Hampstead Heath: 5 Lapwing over (NW), 2 Wigeon (m,f) and 13 Shoveler Highgate No. 1 pond, c50 Redpolls and 4 Siskin in single flock near Stock pond (CB) + 2 juv. Pomarine Skuas W over Parliament Hill at 1230 (Pete Mantle)
 * Highgate Woods: 1 Waxwing nr Rangers cottage, mobile and calling 08.00 (P. Angus).
 * Holmethorpe SPs: 3 red-head Smew (BirdGuides).
 * Hyde Park / Kensington Gardens (water bodies c40% frozen): m Goosander low west along Serpentine and toward Longwater 10:03 but not refound either there or at Round Pond (the first since February 1988), 5 Lapwing west, 2 Meadow Pipit flushed from Parade Ground, fem Blackcap, 7 redpoll sp west; also 317 Greylag Goose, 36 Egyptian Goose (new site-record), 3 Gadwall, 10 Shoveler, Little Grebe, m Kestrel, good number of Common Gull (though no count made), Green Woodpecker, 3 Pied Wagtail, 5 Goldcrest, Nuthatch, 2 Treecreeper (Des McKenzie).
 * King's Meads: 17 Waxwing at Tansy Mead a.m. (BirdGuides). (surely not in London? between Hertford and Ware so within recording area).
 * KGV Reservoir: Black-necked Grebe, 2 Egyptian Goose, 25 Goosander south towards the Girling, Shelduck, c30 Meadow Pipit (Martin Shepherd).
 * Little Britain: 2 Little Grebe, 3 Lapwing in field, 25+ Gadwall, 3 Goldcrest, 1 Nuthatch, Chiffchaff, 1 Chaffinch, Song Thrush (Sue Giddens).
 * London Wetland Centre: 16 Eider north-west (BirdGuides); Shelduck, 62 Wigeon, 177 Teal, 2 Peregrine Falcon nearby, Fieldfare, Rook west (Goosander and Woodcock yesterday) (LWC website).
 * Margravine Cemetery: 3 poss Curlew over at 11:15 going E, pr Peregrine Falcon (stuffed) in area (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * New Covent Garden Market (Inner London): 8 - 10 Waxwing heading north east at 9:05am (Michael Mac).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Golden Plover, 3 Snipe, 1 Lapwing, 19 Jackdaw, 1 Canada Goose & 8 Grey Heron. Also at Headstone Moat: 1 Kingfisher, 1 Mute Swan, 73 Mallard & 2 Coot (Jon Ridge).
 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: 14 Tundra Bean Goose north 10:00 (see Beddington report), 42 Shelduck, 21 Gadwall, 2 Pintail, 18 Cormorant, 7 Golden Plover, 2 Grey Plover, 800 Lapwing, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Knot, 250 Dunlin, 5 Curlew, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, 112 Common Snipe, Woodcock, 82 Redshank, Green Sandpiper, leucistic Black-headed Gull, 3 ad Yellow-legged Gull, juvenile Iceland Gull flew from River Thames to rubbish tip at 12:50, 3 juv Pomarine Skua comprising 2 west past Coldharbour Point 11:40 and another west 12:30 (still 2 lingering in Aveley Bay 15:18; see Crayford Marshes / Hampstead Heath reports), 16 Skylark, 8 Rock Pipit, 2 Water Pipit, 18 Fieldfare, 22 Redwing, 2 Waxwing briefly at the car park then flew west 08:55, 2000 Starling, 80 House Sparrow, 85 Chaffinch, 40 Greenfinch, 50 Goldfinch; Note: the reserve car park is closed today but footpath access still available along seawall (ELBF / BirdGuides).
 * Regent's Park: Jack Snipe flushed 8.15am, 3 Common Snipe down (park record), 51 Lapwings west 8.45am, Water Rail (Tony Duckett).
 * South Norwood CP: 9 Canada Goose, 11 Coot, 5 Common Gull, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Robin (Croydon Birders).
 * South Norwood Lake: 1 Dunlin (G H) 8 Mute Swan, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 10m 8f Shoveler, pair Pochard, 5 Cormorant, c70 Black-headed Gull, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Common Gull, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 8 Ring-necked Parakeet, c15 Goldfinch (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood).
 * Stocker's Lake: 2 Smew (1 drake) mid-morning (BirdGuides).
 * Stockley Park: 3 Lapwing on grass near lake (Roger Dewey).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Greenshank south, 1158; 11 Common Snipe in from NW, 1156; 3 Red-crested Pochards still; Linnet, Siskin, several Skylarks and small Redwing numbers over; Jack Snipe low and west 12:57 (presumably flushed by works staff); female Goldeneye fresh-in on East Res 13:00; Rock Pipit (almost trodden on) along southern flank of East Res, 14:45; 7 Wigeon, fresh in, 14:40 (Mark Pearson Hackney Wildlife)
 * Trent Park: 1 Woodcock, flushed, Williams Wood, 12:43 hrs; 1 Teal, Lower Lake (Robert Callf).
 * Tyttenhanger GP: 4 Curlew briefly 11:20 before flying off north (Herts Birding).
 * Valentines Park (Ilford): 4 Egyptian Geese, 4 Pochard, Grey Wagtail, 6 Siskin (via London BIrdwatching).
 * Walton Res (permit access): Velvet Scoter still present (BirdGuides).
 * Wormwood Scrubs: 8 Goosander west (1st ever record), c50 Lapwing in 2 flocks heading SW, 1 Golden Plover with Lapwings, 1 Snipe, 1 Peregrine, 1 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk high heading west, c20 Skylark, c25 Fieldfare, c8 Redwing, c3 Linnet, 1 Pied Wagtail & c1,000 Rose-ringed Parakeet leaving the roost. (The Scrubbers).
 * York Avenue (Sidcup): 8 Goosander west (5 males), 50+ Lapwing south/south-west, 2 Snipe west, 2 fem Siskin, male Blackcap, 30+ Goldfinch, 6+ Chaffinch (Ian Stewart).