LatestNews

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

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

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).
 * Borehamwood: 10 Waxwing (Birdguides).
 * Bookham Common: Hawfinch (SBC).
 * 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).
 * 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 Woodpecke with 'pinkish' forehead patch - a woodpecker with gender issues? 13:45-13:50 hrs (Robert Callf).
 * 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).
 * Harold Hill (Dewsbury Gardens): 1 male Blackcap feeding on berries in gardens, 1 Goldcrest (Millicent Harper).
 * Hertford: 35 Waxwing by 24 Tanner's Crescent but flew south 15:30 (Birdguides).
 * 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).
 * Redhill: 19 Waxwing p.m. on west side of Holmethorpe Lagoons LNR, in trees by railway line (Birdguides).
 * 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?
 * 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).


 * Waltham Cross: 5 Waxwings until early afternoon at least (at end of Abbey Road, near the KFC) (R. Woodward).
 * 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 RN Parakeet, 51 Tufted Duck, 10 Shoveler, 43 Gadwall, 54 Pochard, 20+ Teal (R Roding), 4 Little Grebe, 3 Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk (NC).

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

 * 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, redpol 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)
 * 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).