LatestNews

'''Please list sightings in alphabetical order by site. 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 report them instead to the appropriate London Natural History Society bird recorder.''' Note that records submitted here may be added to the LNHS database for use in the London Bird Report; by posting your news here you agree to have your records copied by the LNHS recorder.

Saturday 4th June 2011

 * Hi again, this is a link to the bird whose song I cannot identify at Imber Court - from June the 1st - http://www.mediafire.com/?183pj9l7bnq9sx9 - it should work for people who have ITunes installed.... Let me know what you think...Thanks.. 'I am assuming you didn't actually see this 'bird' as, unless there is something else I am missing, you have got yourself a Frog (maybe Marsh but I am not a herper) Paul Whiteman. It certainly is a Marsh Frog - we have them at one of our ringing sites so I hear them rather a lot - Bill Haines. Thanks Guys, had a look on Youtube - Brilliant - that solves that mystery... 
 * Brent Reservoir: Common Buzzard flew low northwest at 09.42 (Andrew Self), 1 Little Egret, 1 Green Sandpiper, 4 Lapwings, 1 Little Ringed Plover, plus first White-letter Hairstreak of the year (Roy Beddard, John Gravatt.
 * Crossness: Greenshank and 2 Ringed Plovers in Barking Bay, 3 Teal, 8 Lapwings including one on nest (first confirmed breeding attempt for several years), 5 Oystercatchers, 16 Gadwall (John Archer).
 * East India Dock Basin NR: 1 1st sum Mediterranean Gull upriver 14.00, 1 Swift, 2 Oystercatchers. (Gary A James).
 * Hatch End Playing Fields: singing Whitethroat along the River Pinn, 1 Cormorant over east, 1 Green Woodpecker, 22 Swift, 2 Jackdaw over & 1 Fox by the railway track (JR).
 * Hemans Estate Community Garden: see Peregrine on building at Vauxhall, also last week I reckon the cat has eaten Magpie chicks when they came out - the adults have gone - if they have young that fledge, they usually can be heard in the area for a few weeks with the adults there is now silence and there were feathers all over the pavement, must have only been 1 or 2 chicks that left the nest (Michael Mac).
 * Isle of Dogs: Cuckoo singing at Millwall Park 7am (Sean Huggins)
 * London Wetlands Centre: Hobby, Reed Warbler, 2 Redshank, 4 Shoveler, Pochard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Common Tern (A. Luscombe)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 House Martin around the cattle sheds - giving me some hope they're still breeding, 4 Swallow, 15 Swift, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Blackcap, Jackdaw & 12 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge).

Friday 3rd June 2011

 * Brookmill Park (Lewisham) 1 Heron, 20 Mallard, 6 Moorhen, 5 Coot, 6 Woodpigeon, 1 Stock Dove, 5 Wren, 1 Dunnock, 3 Robin, 10 Blackbird, 4 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 4 Great Tit, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Starling, 3 Magpie, 4 Carrion Crow, 5 Goldfinch, 3 Greenfinch. (Conrad Ellam)
 * Crayford Marshes: 2 adult Mediterranean Gull, Little Owl, 2 Sedge Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Ringed Plover. (Kev Jarvis).
 * East India Dock Basin NR: 1 1st sum Mediterranean Gull, Oystercatcher, 2 House Martins. (Gary A James & ELBF).
 * Fulham Reach (Thames, 7:30am): 2 Black-headed Gull (!), 1 Great Black Backed Gull, 1 pr Pochard, 28 Canada Goose (only around in numbers when moulting) (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Lamorbey Park (Sidcup) Common & Soprano Pipistrelles & Daubentons Bats feeding around the lake at dusk. No sign of any Noctules though, there used to be a roost here. (Conrad Ellam)
 * London EC1: Male Black Redstart in office courtyard again at 5.30 (Tom Smith)
 * Margravine Cemetery: 1 young Ring Necked Parakeet at nest + adult (first time breeding here), 1 young Great Spotted Woodpecker, up to 5 Swift around hospital (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Northaw Great Wood: 6 (including four recently fledged juveniles) Great Spotted Woodpecker; 1 singing male Garden Warbler; 1 Willow Warbler; 1 singing male Goldcrest; 4(2 adults, 2 juveniles) Nuthatch; 6 Treecreeper, including at least two juveniles (Robert Callf).
 * New River Path, Winchmore Hill: Pair of Pochards between Farm Road and Firs Lane - I've never seen them here before. Patch tick. (Katy M.)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Little Owl - appeared to be carrying food, 1 Grey Wagtail along the River Pinn (first for some weeks), Whitethroat, 15 Swift, 2 Swallow, 4 Coot chicks after five weeks & 1 Grey Heron which was ferociously seen off by one of the adult Coots after it dropped in for a snack (Jon Ridge).
 * Putney: 2 Little egrets flying west at 6.30am (Ian Strickland).
 * South Norwood CP: 4 Common Tern (1 fishing successfully and then preening on the island; 3 others over in a south easterly direction) and 2 House Martin (Steven Robinson).
 * Wanstead Flats: 2 Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Skylark (now with young), Meadow Pipit, 2 House Martin, 1 Sand Martin, many Swift (over Bush Wood predominantly), Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft) Last night Noctule, Soprano Pipistrelle, Pipistrelle over Alex (Tim Harris and bat detector)
 * Wanstead Park: 2 pr Gadwall (Garganey claim was erroneous, and costly; £4.10 for a copy of Birdwatching), Kingfisher (h), Little Egret, Moorhen (at it on the Roding), no activity under the 2 sitting Great Crested Grebe, Swallow (east), House Martin, Reed Warbler - a much quieter individual of late (Nick Croft)
 * Woodside Park, N12: Hobby over my garden at 8pm ~ garden tick #66 (Ian Ellis).
 * Tyttenhanger GPs: 2 Greenshank, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 2 ringed Plover. (Steve Blake)

Thursday 2nd June 2011

 * Alexandra Park: fledged broods of Coal Tit and Whitethroat, plus still many singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, and 40+ Swifts (David Callahan).
 * Barking Bay: 2 Avocet 10:50 (Ian Miller per JA).
 * Barnehurst Golf Course: approx 26 Swifts over west end of site and Northall Rd, 1 Song Thrush seen singing. (Chris Rose).
 * Brookmill Park (Lewisham) 1 Heron, 12 Mallard, 1 drake Mandarin (yesterday's bird was a female, the first time I've seen one here) 6 Moorhen, 5 Coot, 10 Woodpigeon, 1 Swift, 1 Grey Wagtail, 5 Wren, 3 Dunnock, 4 Robin, 10 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 5 Blackcap (4 singing males & 1 female) 1 Chiffchaff, Blue, Great & Long-tailed Tit flock, 3 Magpie, 4 Carrion Crow, 1 Goldfinch, 4 Greenfinch. (Conrad Ellam)
 * City of London, EC2: male Black Redstart singing on my way to work early morning; a pair reported nearby by a colleague yesterday (David Bradnum) (It turns out I'm the colleague in question...Tom Smith)
 * Crayford Marshes: Lesser Whitethroat, Cetti's Warbler, 5 Common Tern, 5 Ringed Plover, Little Egret, 2 Rook. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Crayford (Barnes Cray): Thames Road Wetland - 1 Collared Dove, Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, male Blackcap singing, 2 or 3 male Whitethroat doing display flights, Reed Warblers, 1 Grey Heron, Moorhen + 3 chicks, 2 Little Grebe, 4 male Mallard, 5 Wood Pigeon, 2 Blackbird, 5 Swifts (over), 34 Starling (wheeling over in late p.m.). By-way 105 - male Chaffinch, Chiffchaff singing. Footpath 106 - several House Sparrows. (Chris Rose).
 * East Wickham Open Space (Welling): Green woodpecker, swift (2), wren (4), robin (5), blackbird (6), song thrush, blackcap, common whitethroat (4), long-tailed tit (7 incl. 5 recently fledged young), blue tit (4), great tit (7 incl. 4 young), jay, carrion crow, starlings, house sparrow (20), chaffinch (2), greenfinch (8). Ralph Todd
 * Hampstead Heath (Highgate 1 Pond): 2 Reed Warbler; (Hampstead 1 Pond): Grey Wagtail; elsewhere, Lesser Whitethroat, 3+ Common Whitethroat, pr Little Grebe, 3 pr Great Crested Grebe (2 with chicks), 20+ Swifts (Chris Bird).
 * Lewisham Centre: Grey Wagtail/s (one seen and heard, probably others out of sight) on rooftops (Joe Beale and Yu-Hsuan Lin)
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Common Buzzard high west and north-west 07:45 and 08:40, Hobby, Little Egret west then circled main lake a.m., 16 Common Tern with 2 broods, 3 Reed Warbler broods, 2 Common Whitethroat (LWC website).
 * Lonsdale Road Res:1 Common Tern, 1 Egyptian Goose, 2 Mute Swan with 5 cygnets, 1 Tawny Owl in usual tree, 4 Stock Dove, 4 singing Reed Warbler, 4 singing Blackcap, 5 House Martin, c.20 Swift, 1 Kestrel, 10 Tufted Duck, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Jay, 3 Heron, 1 Cormorant (M Bournat)
 * Paddington Green: male Peregrine Falcon in the area a.m. (D. McKenzie).
 * Pinner Park Farm 1 Common Buzzard (about one mile up) headed off north at 16:21, 35 Swift, 4 Swallow, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 18 Goldfinch, 2 Black-headed Gull (the first in several weeks), 2 Jackdaw & still 6 Canada Goose goslings on the main pond (Jon Ridge).
 * Regent's Park: Little Owl at least 2 chicks, Kestrel 3 chicks plus Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Tony Duckett).
 * Shirley Park GC: 2 pairs of Moorhen have fledged 7 young so far, 2 pairs of Swallow entering a building near Oak's Farm (Croydon Birders).
 * Wandsworth (King George's Park): Common Buzzard over drifting West (MRH).
 * Wormwood Scrubs: 1 quietly singing Reed Warbler (unusual here), 5 Jackdaw, c3 Stock Dove, usual summer migrants plus belated report of a Common Buzzard on 31st May (The Scrubbers).

Wednesday 1st June 2011

 * Hi, today I heard a bird in a small reed bed - I couldn't see it but it was making a really loud, strangled crying sound. Has anyone got any ideas as to what bird it might be? Where, When etc maybe someone can check it out or you can try to get a recording? (Bob Husband) If it sounded like a pig being slaughtered, it's probably a water rail. Thanks for getting back, here's some more information: It was in the river infront of Island Barn Reservoir (Near Imber Court Police station) at about 8:30 at night. Just listened to Snipe on the RSPB website - http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/s/snipe/index.aspx - it sounded more like this bird - particularly towards the end. It could be a fox (Andrew Self) Don't think it was a fox as I hear them most nights. Can we rule out very young Moorhens & Coots? - they can deliver a huge range of rather perplexing yelps, grunts & sqeaks (JR). Don't think its a moorhen or coot - I haven't seen any parents coming out of the reeds either.... Managed to get a recording of it though. Have you listened to Little Grebe? Just listened to Little Grebe - too high pitched. Does anyone know how to upload a recording to this website? It's an M4A file off an IPhone... Apparently not, but well done for going back & getting a recording - time will tell.. (JR). I'll see if I can upload it to another website and put a link in here... I heard a sound a few years ago that sounds very similar to what you describe it was a prolonged squealing/gutteral high pitched that sounded like an animal being slaughtered of throttled - that turned out to be a young fox (Michael Mac). It could be a fox - but I don't think it is, although I have posted the noise onto the following website, http://www.mediafire.com/?183pj9l7bnq9sx9 - it should work for people who have ITunes installed.. Please let me know if you have any ideas... Thanks.
 * Bromley-by-Bow: Oystercatcher north over River Lea (05:30), 7 Stock Dove, 5 Blackcap, 7 Whitethroat (including a family), 2 Grey Wagtail, Song Thrush, 6+ Sand Martin (Stuart Fisher).
 * Brookmill Park (Lewisham): 15 Mallard, 1 Mandarin, 6 Moorhen, 5 Coot, 6 Woodpigeon, 1 Stock Dove, 2 Swift, 2 Grey Wagtail, 5 Wren, 3 Dunnock, 3 Robin, 8 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 3 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 juvenile Goldcrest, Blue, Great & Long-tailed Tit flock, 1 Jay, 5 Magpie (2 adults & 3 juveniles), 2 House Sparrow, 1 Goldfinch, 4 Greenfinch (Conrad Ellam).
 * Fleet Street: apparent albinistic Herring Gull perched briefly on roof of Goldman Sachs building at 13.40. Very pale (almost all white) bird showing virtually no black in wing tips or at least a dull pale grey colour rather than black. Size correct for Herring - I am ruling out other 'white' gulls due to season. Could this be the infamous ringed bird SH1T which appears at various other London sites? (Neil Batten).
 * Crayford Marshes: Cuckoo, Lesser Whitethroat, male Corn Bunting, 2 Cetti's Warbler, c50 Swift, 9 Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Grey Wagtail (Kev Jarvis & Steve Carter).
 * East India Dock Basin NR: 1 2nd-summer Mediterranean Gull, 2 Oystercatchers, 4 House Martins, 80+ 1st-summer Black-headed Gulls, 2 Sparrowhawks, Peregrine (Gary A James and ELBF).
 * Harrow Weald - Copse Farm : Kestrel. 8 Swift (Mike Johnson)
 * Holmethorpe SPs: Oystercatcher over, Cuckoo, Lesser Whitethroat (HSP blog).
 * Lloyd Park: 75 Swift (Croydon Birders).
 * London EC1: 2 Black Redstarts feeding in my office courtyard all afternoon. Couldn't see well enough to tell sex but not necessarily a pair - some fairly aggressive chasing going on. (Tom Smith)
 * London Wetland Centre: 4 Mute Swan cygnets, male Shoveler, Sparrowhawk, Great Crested Grebe chick, Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, 12 Common Tern and 3 chicks (LWC website).
 * Margravine Cemetery: 3-4 Mistle Thrush, 1m Great Spotted Woodpecker feeding young, 3 Swift (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Moorgate: male Peregrine perched on red crane, remaining there for a minute or two even when the crane was moving (David Callahan).
 * Paddington Green: male Peregrine Falcon feeding from 18:30, joined by female from 19:15 (D. McKenzie).
 * Rickmansworth: Osprey west over Waitrose car park 18:45 (Birdguides) also seen flying due north low over my garden in Highfield Way, Rickmansworth at 18.49 (Andrew Moon).
 * Wanstead Flats: pr Gadwall, 1m Pochard, pr Tufted Duck, another batch of 6 Greylag goslings, 25 + Swift (over Alex) plus 10+ over cemetry to the south, 4 House Martin, 1 Swallow (north), Lesser Whitethroat (scrub east of Alex), Willow Warbler (SSSI), plenty of young Common Whitethroat, 3 Little Grebe, 2 Stock Dove, Heron and 2 large Terrapin on Alex island (first I've seen here) (Nick Croft).
 * Wanstead Park: pr Gadwall, 2 pr Tufted Duck, Egyptian Goose, 2 Aylesbury ducklings dumped by somebody (caught and boxed up for the park keepers), 5 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Little Grebe (still only 1 visible chick), Little Egret, Kingfisher, Swift, Swallow (north), 2 House Martin, Sparrowhawk, Reed Warbler. Met a fellow birder who had come looking for Garganey - apparently recorded as being present in last month's Birdwatching magazine, off to check (Nick Croft).
 * South Norwood Lake: pair Mute Swan, pair Great Crested Grebe (with 2 young) 1 Cormorant, 12 Tufted Duck, c12 Ring-neckeed Parakeet, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Common Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler, c6 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, c20 Long-tailed Tit, c12 Common Swift, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Nuthatch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, c6 House Sparrow (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood).
 * Wormwood Scrubs: Kestrel, 4 Linnet, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Common Whitethroat, male Blackcap singing, Song Thrush (N Miller).

Archived News

 * }bast