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Monday 5th May 2014

 * Blackheath: 6-7 Swifts, 1 Swallow, 1 f Whinchat, Linnet low over (Joe Beale) f Wheatear with Whinchat 10.30 (Conrad Ellam)
 * Brent Reservoir: Turtle Dove north 09.40, Cetti's Warbler, 2 Lapwing, 2 Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, 30 Swifts, Peregrine & 2 Egyptian Geese (Andrew Self & Andrew Verrall)
 * Hampstead Heath: Yellow Wagtail N at 08.30, 6 Swallow NW, 2 House Martin NW, 2 Linnet NW, 12 Swift, 2 Common Tern at Men's Pond, 2 House Sparrow, 5 singing Whitethroat (Frank Nugent).
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Bar-tailed Godwit on the wader scrape (Mike Caiden) Hobby, Little Egret, Common Sandpiper, Greenshank, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 5 Common Tern, 3 Little Tern SE 11.30, Rook SE, Swallow holding territory Peacock Tower. (R.Kaye M.Honey)
 * Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: escaped Cackling_Goose arr'd 0645 fr E then feeding Holme Grn area 11 till 0900 at least - unringed but tame, 3 single Buzzard (high NW 1125 & low NW 1140 & high W 1300), Hobby E 0810, Peregrine W 0950, 4+ Swift - returning locals, 5 Swallow N 1350-1355 (RPBirders)
 * Richmond Park: 2 Whinchat- Bog, Lesser Whitethroat- Hawthorn Valley (J.Wilczur et al).
 * Ruislip Lido/Poors Field: pr Egyptian Geese, 3 Red Kite (1 low over field almost landing twice on ground but mobbed by Crow, then 2nd kite swooped at first kite + disappeared into trees; these 2 kites then played in air getting higher with third bird high in distance, Hour later a kite seen low over trees of Park Wood), 3 Buzzard together + later 1 Buzzard on its own, high Hobby, Little Ringed Plover briefly on raft, pr Black-headed Gull prospecting on raft, 2 pr Common Tern, 5 Swift, Swallow, 15+ House Martins (visiting nests in Reservoir Rd), 5 singing Garden Warbler, 3 Whitehroat, Willow Warbler, 3 Grass Snake, Mother Shipton (Neil Anderson)
 * Walthamstow: Lockwood - 2 Sandwich Tern, Little Gull (KJMcmanus).
 * Walthamstow Marshes: rear paddock: Whinchat (JW Davies)
 * Wanstead Flats: Whinchat (male) still present 10.20 - 10.40. Also half a dozen Skylarks and Mistle Thrush (Alan Hobson).

Sunday 4th May 2014

 * Lee Valley: 5 Hobbies and one singing Cuckoo. (Jean-Patrick Elmes)
 * Alexandra Park: 7 Swallows, 5+House Martins, Swift, 2 Greylag (Bob Watts)
 * Brent Reservoir: Turtle Dove north at 08.40, c50 Swifts, 15 Swallows, 2 Common Sandpipers & Little Ringed Plover (Brent Birders)
 * Brookmill Park: Stock Dove, Great Spotted Woodpeker, 2 Blackcap (Conrad Ellam)
 * Greenwich Park: 1 Red Kite initially mobbed by crow, at Vanbrugh Park flew west across Greenwich Park at 1900 (Mike Paice).
 * Greenwich Peninsula: 2 Oystercarcher, 4 Common Tern, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Reed Warbler, 2 Meadow Pipit, Reed Bunting (Conrad Ellam)
 * Ealing (W13): Yellow Wagtail NE over Garden at 07:15 - garden tick (Bill Haines).
 * Hampstead Heath: Red Kite very low over Parliament Hill Fields at 06.55 then away NW (Frank Nugent).
 * King George V Res: 1 Arctic Tern, 8 Common Tern,1 Common Sandpiper, Sand Matrins, Swallows, 1 Common Buzzard (Tony Clancy)
 * Lloyd Park, Walthamstow: Blackcap, c10 House Sparrow, Mistle Thrush, Little Egret W at 0740 (Peter Beckenham -TCV dawn chorus walk)
 * London Wetland Centre: Red Kite (landed in sheep field 1150 then gained height over reserve), 6 Common Tern, 16 Lapwing, 8 Redshank, 4 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Whitethroat (Adam Salmon). 2 Shelduck, Mandarin, 5 Sparrowhawk, Goshawk flew S 11.15, 3 Buzzard, 3 Red Kite in total, Peregrine with starling prey, Marsh Harrier cream crown, NW 13.15, Snipe, 40 Swift,16 Swallow, Grey Wagtail, House Sparrow m flew towards Fulham, Hairy Dragonfly. (R.Kaye, S.Fogg)
 * Mayflower Park: Peregrine flying over carrying prey, Kingfisher(Bob Smith)
 * Pinner Park Farm: Little Owl, Cormorant over, 3 Blackcap (inc pair building), 2 Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, 22 Jackdaw, 10 Stock Dove & 4 visible Coot chicks (Jon Ridge).
 * Priest Hill, Ewell: 1 Peregrine, 1 Hobby, 5 Common Swift, 2 Northern Wheatear (Steve Gale, Steve Thomas)
 * Rainham: 2 Swift - 1st returning local birds (Richard Harrison).
 * Richmond Park: Little Egret SW, Red Kite at 12.55, 2 Hobby, Buzzard, 9 Common Tern on & around rafts, Pied Wagtail with food (J.Wilczur).Also c25 Swift, 8 Swallow, 3 House Martin + 6 Sand Martin (Neil Anderson) Were the Hobbies over Pen ponds? I saw 1 over Pen Ponds NA
 * Rammey Marsh: 1 Cuckoo, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 4 singing Willow Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat (Neville Smith).
 * Rotherhithe: 2 singing Reed Warblers Canada Warbler; 30 Tufted Ducks Surrey Water/Canada Water (Richard Bonser).
 * Staines Moor: Grasshopper Warbler SE corner, Cuckoo NE corner, Lapwing, Little Egret, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Common Whitethoat, Common Tern, Redshank, (Shaun Ferguson)
 * Stoneleigh: Red Kite west at 0645 during BTO Breeding Bird Survey(Bob Smith)
 * Ten Acre Wood area: 3 Pheasant, 2 Little Egret, 2 Sparrowhawk together, 2 Hobby,m Kestrel, 4 Lapwing, 3 possibly 4 Little Ringed Plover, 12 Stock Dove, 2 Kingfisher, 3 Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipit,, 21 Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 19 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 8 Rook, 2 Reed Bunting, Linnet (Neil Anderson/G. Westley)
 * Totteridge Valley: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Little Egret, pr Tufted Duck over, 7 Mandarin (6m, 1f, tried unsuccessfully to prevent the last duckling of a brood being taken by a Grey Heron), 6 Lapwing, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, c15 Common Whitethroat (Ian Ellis).
 * Walthamstow: Low Maynard Little Gull.Luckly for the others i am only speaking about you whiteman My_thoughts_on_Walthamstow_birders.jpg(KJMcmanus).
 * Wanstead Flats: 2 m Whinchat, Red Kite, 3 Common Buzzrd, Hobby, 20 + Swift, 10 Swallow, 5 House Martin, 3 Sand Martin, 3 Linnet, Garden Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, possible Cuckoo heard briefly (Wanstead Birders/Gideon Knight)
 * Wanstead Park: Reed Warbler singing in gorse bush Heronry, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, Common Buzzard, Hobby, Peregrine Falcon, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2-3 Little Egret, 2 Swallow, House Martin (Paul Davis/Nick Croft)
 * Uxbridge, Little Britain lake: male Mandarin Duck 09.45. (Alex Randall)

Saturday 3rd May 2014

 * Alexandra Park: 2 Swifts, 3 House Martin (Bob Watts, Henry Wyn-Jones).
 * Beddington: 15+ Common Buzzard, 1-3 Red Kite, 1 Greenshank, 4 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Wheatear (BFBG, Peter Alfrey) pics
 * Blackheath: 1 Red Kite north 1820 (James Lowen)
 * Brent Res: Black Tern still (Andrew Verrell per Bob Watts). Two Summer Adult Mediterranean Gulls present for 8-10min at 11.20, 21 Common Terns, 2 Common Sandpiper, Cetti's Warbler(Roy Beddard, Andrew Verrall). Also Egyptian Goose, Swallow, Little Egret east from dam end (Bob Watts, Henry Wyn-Jones). Black Tern still at 16.15 (Frank Nugent).
 * Brookmill Park: Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackcap (Conrad Ellam)
 * Hampstead Heath: 3 Swift, 3 Swallow, 1 Linnet, 2 Common Whitethroat, 2 Common Tern at Men's Pond, Collared Dove over (Frank Nugent).
 * Lee Valley (Hall Marsh): Little Egret, Cuckoo,Cetti's Warbler (Neil Anderson)
 * Lee Valley (Fishers Green): Little Egret, up to 4 Buzzard (2 together), 6 Hobby together 15.00, 2 Common Tern, Cukoo,2 Cetti's Warbler, 2 singing Nightingale, 2 Bullfinch, f Muntjac, 2 Hairy Dragonfly, several Banded Demoiselle (Neil Anderson). Also Garden Warbler, Oystercatcher (Alan Hobson)
 * Lee Valley (Holyfield Farm): Red Kite, Cuckoo, 11 Swift through, 4 Swallow, Raven calling over heading E at noon, 2 Yellowhammer, 8 Linnet (Neil Anderson)
 * Lee Valley (Holyfield Lake): 2 Buzzard over, 15+ Common Tern (Neil Anderson)
 * London Wetland Centre: 1 Common Sandpiper, 8 Redshank, 4 Little Ringed Plover, 23 Swift, 8 Swallow and several House Martin through, 5 Common Tern, 2 singing Garden Warbler, 4 Whitethroat, 3 Chiffchaff, several Blackcap, 2 Hobby, 1 Peregrine, 1 Sparrowhawk, singing Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers (Martin Honey); pr Red-crested Pochard, 1 Green Sandpiper p.m. (Adam Salmon).
 * Pinner Park Farm: Little Owl, 2 Swift, 4 singing Blackcap, 2 Green Woodpecker, Grey Heron, 9 Stock Dove & 10 Jackdaw (Jon Ridge).
 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: Whinchat,  14+ Wheatear, m Stonechat, 2 Avocet, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, Greenshank, Whimbrel, Curlew, 3 Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, 5 + Hobby, 4-8 Common Buzzard, 3 Marsh Harrier, m Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, Raven, 2 Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, and singing Cetti's, Sedge, Reed and Common Whitethroat everywhere, 100 + Swift, 3 Swallow, House Martin, Sand Martin, 40+ Common Tern, Kingfisher, pr Bearded Tit, 2 Cuckoo (Dominic Mitchell/Nick Croft/RSPB)
 * Richmond Park: Lapwing SE, Hobby, 2 Buzzard, 4 Common Tern, 4 Swift, 9 Swallow thru, Stonechat family still, Reed Warbler singing, 3 singing Garden Warbler (J.Wilczur).
 * Rotherhithe: 2nd-summer Yellow-legged Gull on barges east of Greenland Pier in evening (Richard Bonser).
 * Staines Moor: 6+ Lapwing, 3 Little Egret, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, Common Whitethoat, Little Owl, 2 Common Tern, 4 Shelduck over, 1 Redshank, Banded Demoiselle (Catherine Beazley & Spike Nicholls)
 * Swanscombe Marsh: 5 Common Buzzards over, Whimbrel up river, 2 Little Egrets, 25 Shelduck, 2 Egyptian Geese, Common Sandpiper, 37 singing Common Whitethroat & 9 Cetti's Warbler; also 2 Wall butterflies (Andrew Self)
 * Tottenham (Broadwater Farm): Red Kite a.m. (James Palmer)
 * Tyttenhanger GP: 2 Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 1st Swift, 2 Red Kite (one carrying large fish)! (Steve Blake)
 * Waltham Abbey: Red Kite, Hobby, 30+ Swift (Simon Papps)
 * Walthamstow: 2nd Annual Patchwatch. 75 species all told (61 breeders & 14 migrants/summerers) Gadwall, Red-crested Pochard, Red Kite, Buzzard, Hobby, Common Sandpiper, Great Black-backed Gull, Woodcock (1st for year), Little Gull (1st for year), Swift, Swallow, Cetti's Warbler, Willow Warbler, Yellow Wagtail. (Paul Whiteman et al.)
 * Walthamstow Marsh: 5 Swift, Swallow, Sand Martin, Little Egret, Whitethroat, Blackcap, 3 Mistle Thrush; Orange-tip butterfly (Michael Rank) Lee Valley Riding Centre and surrounds: 1 Swift, 1 Common Buzzard (high south-east), 1 Yellow-Wagtail, 3 Whitethroat, Stock Dove, 2 Little Egret, 2 Red-crested Pochard (M&F on River Lee near Leyton Marsh), 1 Kestrel (David Collins)
 * Wanstead Flats: 2 Yellow Wagtail, 5 Swift, 3 Swallow, 3 Sand Martin, Garden Warbler, 3 Egyptian Goose, Green Hairstreak (Dan Hennessy/BobVaughan/Jonathan Lethbridge)
 * WaterWorks NR: 1 singing Cetti's Warbler, 4+ Reed Warblers, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat (David Collins)
 * Woodlands Farm: Common Buzzard n, Kestrel, Stock Dove, Green Woodpecker, 4 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, 3 Chiffchaff (Conrad Ellam)

Friday 2nd May 2014

 * Alexandra Park: 5 Swift, 5 House Martin, 3 Swallow 1800 Wood green Res (Bob Watts). Egyptian Goose Boating Lake (Henry Wyn-Jones).
 * Brent Reservoir: Little Egret, 2 Common Sandpiper, Dunlin summer plumage, Black Tern feeding by dam, 6 + 7 Arctic Tern through, 15 Common Tern feeding by dam, 16 Swifts over, 2 White Wagtails on mud, Cetti's Warbler singing (Andrew Self, Andrew Verrall).
 * Dollis Brook (N3): Cormorant fishing in the brook, Little Egret flew over 19.00 by Waverley Grove bridge (Ben Epstein).
 * Grovelands Park: Willow Warbler (James Palmer)
 * Lee Valley, Holyfield Lake and Goose Field: 200+ Canada Goose, 120+ Greylag Goose, 4 Egyptian Goose, Shelduck, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Yellow-legged Gull, 15+ Arctic Tern, 40+ Common Tern, 2 Cuckoo, 250+ Swift, 100+ Swallow, 30+ House Martin, 300+ Jackdaw, Nightingale, Linnet (Simon Papps)
 * Limehouse Basin: 6 Red-crested Pochard (5m1f) (Paul Hyland)
 * London Wetland Centre: 1 Little Egret, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Wheatear, 3 Snipe, 7 Swallow, 2 Garden Warbler, 4 Common Tern, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 7 Redshank (Adam Salmon).
 * Mile End: Common Whitethroat singing Ecology Pavilion along Regents Canal (Bob Watts).
 * Parkside Farm, Enfield: male Wheatear (Robert Callf).
 * Richmond Park: 5 Stonechat- pair & 3 recently fledged young (M.Lewis).
 * Rotherhithe: Reed Warbler singing Canada Water, Egyptian Goose Greenland Dock (Richard Bonser).
 * Staines Reservoirs: Black Terns (BirdGuides). 1 Black Tern still and 9+ Arctic Terns 6-7pm (Matt Palmer)
 * Vicarage Farm: male Whinchat (Robin White/Robert Callf).
 * Victoria Park: 2 Sand Martin, 2m f Red-crested Pochard West Lake (Bob Watts).
 * Wanstead Flats: f Wheatear, Garden Warbler, 3 singing Lesser Whitethroat, Kestrel, 3 House Martin (Nick Croft/Dan Hennessy)
 * Wanstead Park: 6 Common Pochard (Dan Hennessy)

Thursday 1st May 2014

 * Beddington SF: 2 Great White Egret flew over (11:20), 10 Whimbrel, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, Hobby, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Wheatear, 3 Common Tern, 'Commic' Tern, 3 Dunlin, 1 Greenshank, 1 Redshank, 1 Ringed Plover, 20+ Swift, 50+ Sand Martin, 70+ Swallow  (BFBG via Twitter).pics
 * Brent Reservoir: Common Sandpiper, pair Shelduck, Egyptian Goose, 9 Common Terns, Cetti's Warbler (Andrew Verrall).
 * Ewell (Hogsmill Open Space): 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Common Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Song Thrush. Also unidentified warbler sp. skulking deep in Blackthorn bushes and mimicking a large range of bird song (5/6 plus species) (Neil Batten)
 * Limehouse Basin: 6 Red-crested Pochard (John Archer)
 * London Wetland Centre: Shelduck, 2 Mandarin, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 6 Dunlin - 5 circled and off NW one dropped in, 11 Whimbrel - 9 flew W 11.55 and two others dropped in and out, Arctic Tern circled off NW 11.25, 11 Swift, 20 Swallow, Yellow Wagtail.(R.Kaye); 1 Wheatear, 8 Common Tern, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 16 Swift, 1 Green Sandpiper p.m.(Adam Salmon).
 * King George V Res: 1 Black Tern, 24 Arctic Tern, 16 Common Tern, 30+ Swift 14.30 (I Lycett)
 * New Cross Gate Cutting NR: 1 Swift over NW 1230 (Peter Beckenham)
 * Rainham RSPB: 2 Great White Egret Wennington Marsh from mound 1.48-2pm then flew N (Rare Bird Alert)
 * South Norwood Lake (08:20hrs) 1 Common Sandpiper (John Watson)
 * Staines Moor: 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 15 swift. 2 Cuckoo, 1f Northern Wheatear, 3+ Common Tern, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1+ House Martin, 7+ Barn Swallow, 3+ Redshank, 1 Shelduck W, 2 Little Egret, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Kingfisher (Lee Dingain - cuckoo pics here )
 * Staines Res:  Late morning - 1 Black Tern, Summer Plumage Great Northern Diver, 9 Dunlin, 40+ Common Swift, 2+ Swallow, 2 House Martin, 20+ Common Tern (Bill Haines).
 * Sydenham Hill Wood: Cuckoo reported calling from Beech Grove area 1330 (Julian Snowdon et al)
 * Tyttenhanger GP: Little Tern (through S/SE), 4 Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Oystercatcher, 4+ Common Tern, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Garden Warbler (Simon West/Steve Blake)
 * Wanstead Flats: Garden Warbler (Nick Croft)
 * Wanstead Park: 2 Common Tern, Swift, Swallow, 3 Little Egret, 2 Lesser Whitethroat (Dan Hennessy/Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft)

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