NewsAug2003

Aug 31 Bittern, 2 at Lee Valley, Bittern Watchpoint (Birdguides) Ring-billed Gull at Woolwich, in front of Military Academy at 07:00 (Birdguides) Pied Flycatcher, 2 at Dagenham Chase (Birdguides) Harrier sp. over Regent's Park at 12:50 (Birdguides) Black-necked Grebe at Staines Res (Birdguides) Spotted Flycatcher, 11 at Weald Park (Stephen Harris) Little Stint at Fairlop Water, also Dunlin, 3 Whinchats, Wheatear & 6 Spot Flys (Birdguides) Meadow Pipit over Horsenden Hill, also 3 Hobbies; 2 Spot Flys at Perivale Wood (Andy Culshaw) Little Gull past Isle of Dogs on Thames at 12:25 (Nick Tanner) Knot at Beddington SF, also 2 Ruff, Garganey & Greenshank (Johnny Allan)

Aug 30 Black Kite flew NE over Barnes WWT then Regent's Park at 12:45 (Birdguides) Whinchat at Brent Res, also Spot Fly, 40 Chiffchaffs, 10 Willow Warblers, 5 Lesser Whitethroats, 43 Swifts, 150 House Martins, 70 Sand Martins & 5 Swallows (WHCG) Pied Flycatcher at Dagenham Chase (Birdguides) Little Egret at Staines Moor, also 2 Whinchat & 5 Yellow Wagtails (Birdguides) Black-necked Grebe at Staines Res (Birdguides) Smew at King George V Res (Phil Vines) Redstart, 2 at Hampstead Heath, also Tree Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, 2 Spot Flys, 4 Lesser Whitethroats & 2 Hobbies (Dave Porritt) Redstart at Horsenden Hill, also 3 Hobbies (Andy Culshaw) Osprey, a probable flew over East Ham at 16:20 (Birdguides) Pied Flycatcher at Beddington SF, also 9 Green Sands, Ruff, LRP, Ringed Plover & 2 Greenshank (Johnny Allan) Yellow Wagtail, 2 at Walthamstow Res, also 5 Common Sands & 2 Wheatears (Stephen Harris) Sanderling at QE2 Res (Dave Harris) Red-crested Pochard at Walton Res (Dave Harris)

Aug 29 Purple Sandpiper at Staines Res (Birdguides) Arctic Tern at Queen Mother Res, also 3 Little Gulls (Birdguides) Redstart at Harold Wood, 200m south of Pages Farm (Birdguides) Red-necked Grebe at Walton Res, also Arctic Tern (Dave Harris) Marsh Harrier over Nazeing Knot at QE2 Res, also Turnstone (Dave Harris)

Aug 28 Black-necked Grebe at Staines Res, also Little Gull, 3 Black Terns, 2 Ringed Plovers, LRP & 2 Hobbies (Ken Purdey) Little Egret at Hornchurch CP, also 2 Greenshank & 3 Water Rail (Dave Morrison) Turtle Dove at Tylers Common, Upminster (Dave Morrison) Garganey, 2 at Beddington SF, also 17 Green Sands, 2 Ruff, 2 Greenshank & LRP (Johnny Allan) Greenshank at Walton Res, also Red-crested Pochard & Hobby (Dave Harris)

Aug 27 Black-tailed Godwit at Barnes WWT, also 2 Whinchat & Garganey (Martin Honey) Black Tern at QE2 Res (Dave Harris) Black-necked Grebe at Walthamstow Res, on No. 5 Res, also Common Sand & Yellow Wagtail (David Darrell-Lambert) Garganey, 2 at Beddington SF, also 16 Green Sands, 2 Ruff & 4 Greenshank (Johnny Allan) Whinchat at Richmond Park, also 4 Spot Flys & 8 Stonechats (Hugh Bradshaw)

Aug 26 Night Heron, sub-adult at Bushey, on duck pond by Three Crowns pub at 13:00 TQ145943 (Birdguides) Little Stint at Barnes WWT, also Garganey, 2 Hobbies & Yellow-legged Gull (John Arbon, Birdguides) Pied Flycatcher at Bedfords Park, also Tree Pipit & 4 Spot Flys (Birdguides) Black Tern at QE2 Res (Dave Harris)

Aug 25 Whimbrel over Ashford at 20:00 (Paul Lewis) Black-necked Grebe, 2 at Staines Res, also 2 Garganey, 2 Black Tern, Arctic Tern, 7 Sandwich Terns, 2 Sanderling & 2 Greenshank (Birdguides) Little Egret, 2 at Beddington SF, also 2 Garganey, 33 Green Sands, 2 Ruff & 2 Greenshank (Johnny Allan) Redstart at Dagenham Chase (Birdguides) Common Sandpiper, 3 at Brent Res, also 25 Chiffchaffs & 5 Swallows (Andrew Self) Black Tern at QE2 Res (Dave Harris)

Aug 24 Ring-necked Parakeet, 6918 at Esher RFC (Dave & Paul Harris) Temminck's Stint at Beddington SF, before flying off SW, also 2 Garganey, 18 Green Sands, 3 Ruff, 2 Greenshank & 2 Hobbies (Johnny Allan) Marsh Harrier, immature over Essex Filter Beds at 12:00 (Birdguides) Harrier sp, ring-tailed over Dartford Marsh at 06:00 Sandwich Tern, 9 past Rainham Marsh on Thames, also 27 Yellow Wagtails, 5 Golden Plover, 4 Greenshank, 16 Dunlin, Curlew, Turnstone, 3 Ringed Plovers & 3 Common Sands (Dave Morrison) Spotted Redshank, 2 at King George V Res (Phil Vines) Black-necked Grebe at Staines Res, also 5 Common Sands, Green Sand, Golden Plover, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Whimbrel & Hobby (Andrew Moon, Frank Cannings) Goldeneye at King George VI, also Green Sand & 5 Common Sands (Andrew Moon) Red-crested Pochard at Queen Mother Res, see photo, also 7+ Common Sands, Sanderling & 5 Greenshanks (Andrew Moon, Birdguides) Little Egret at West Thurrock, also 2 Sandwich Terns (Des McKenzie, Stephen Harris) Yellow-legged Gull, 5 at Dartford Marsh, also probable 1st winter Caspian Gull, 2 Sandwich Terns, 4+ Whinchat, 2 Wheatears & Yellow Wagtail (Des McKenzie, Stephen Harris) Sandwich Tern, 5 at Greenhithe, also Yellow Wagtail & Wheatear (Des McKenzie, Stephen Harris) Common Sandpiper, 3 at Brent Res (Andrew Self) Black-necked Grebe, 3 at Staines Res (Jim & Tony Sweetland) Whinchat at Staines Moor, also 6 Yellow Wagtails, Greenshank & 2 Green Sands (Jim & Tony Sweetland) Golden Plover at QE2 Res, also Red-crested Pochard (Dave Harris)

Aug 23 Hobby at Brent Res, also 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 22 Chiffchaffs & 2 Common Sands (Andrew Self) Garganey at Stanwell Moor, also 2 Green Sands & 6 Yellow Wagtails (Birdguides) Garganey, 2 at Beddington SF, also 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 11 Common Sands & 22 Green Sands (Johnny Allan) Black-necked Grebe at Staines Res, also Turnstone & Hobby (Birdguides) Wheatear in Richmond Park (Neil Anderson) Black-necked Grebe at Walthamstow Res, also 2 Black Terns & 6 Common Sands (Stephen Harris)

Aug 22 Wood Sandpiper at Cornmill Meadows, also 8 Green Sands (Tim Hill) Sanderling, 2 at Staines Res, also 2 Green Sands & Common Sand (Cliff Watson) Common Buzzard over Streatham at 17:30 (Birdguides)

Aug 21 Wood Sandpiper at Cornmill Meadows, also 3 Green Sands (Ian Kendall) Garganey at Barnes WWT, also Greenshank (Birdguides) Little Egret, 2 at Hornchurch CP, also 4 Greenshank (Birdguides) Green Sandpiper, 2 at Stanwell Moor, also 2 Greenshank (Birdguides) Black-necked Grebe at Walthamstow Res, on No. 5 Res (Birdguides) Whinchat at Regent's Park, also 7 White Wagtails (Tony Duckett, Dave Johnson) Black Redstart at Waterloo, Imax Cinema (Birdguides) Spotted Flycatcher at Dagenham Chase (Birdguides) White-headed Duck at Broadwater Lake (Birdguides) Bittern at Rye Meads (RSPB) Marsh Harrier over Amwell Quarry NR (Phil Ball)

Aug 20 Little Egret, 3 at Hornchurch CP, also 3 Greenshank, 2 Green Sands & Common Sand (Birdguides) Redstart at Horsenden Hill, also 5 Lesser Whitethroats & 5 Reed Warblers plus good numbers of other warblers (Andy Culshaw, Rachel Terry) Green Sandpiper, 4 at Sevenoaks WR, also 2 Common Sands & 16 Chiffchaffs (Birdguides) Little Gull, 2 at Staines Res, also Black-necked Grebe, Turnstone, Dunlin, 4 Common Sands & 24+ Yellow-legged Gulls (Pete Naylor, Birdguides) Greenshank at Kempton NR, also Green Sand (Pete Naylor) Yellow Wagtail, 4 at Staines Moor, also Hobby (Pete Naylor) Green Sandpiper at Stanwell Moor (Pete Naylor) Green Sandpiper at King George VI Res, also Common Sand (Pete Naylor)

Aug 19 Little Egret, 3 at Brent Res from 09.25 for an hour then flew south (Andrew Verrall) Black-necked Grebe at King George VI Res, also 12 Common Sands, Dunlin & Wheatear (Ken Purdey) Black-necked Grebe at Staines Res, also 3 Ruff, Dunlin, Ringed Plover & 2 LRPs (Ken Purdey) Bittern at Lee Valley, Bittern Watchpoint (Birdguides)

Aug 18 Red-crested Pochard, 2 at Walthamstow Res, also 5 Common Sands (Stephen Harris) Greenshank at QE2 Res (Dave Harris) Red-necked Grebe at Walton Res (Dave Harris)

Aug 17 Long-tailed Skua, juvenile at Queen Mother Res from 12.30 - 14.30 (Chris Heard) Ring-billed Gull, adult by Millennium Dome on Thames (Gary McGuire) Golden Plover at QE2 Res, also Sanderling, 2 Red-crested Pochards & Whinchat (Dave Harris) Greenshank at Island Barn Res (Dave Harris) Garganey at Beddington SF, also 6 Greenshank, 8 Common Sands, Dunlin & Yellow Wagtail (Johnny Allan)

Aug 16 Garganey at Beddington SF, also Ruff, Greenshank & 22 Green Sands (Johnny Allan) Oystercatcher at QE2 Res (Dave Harris) Greenshank at Walton Res (Dave Harris)

Aug 15 Goshawk over Cornmill Meadows (Roy Woodward) Garganey at Beddington SF, also Ruff, Greenshank, 31 Green Sands & Little Egret (Johnny Allan)

Aug 14 Arctic Tern at Wimbledon Park Lake (John Coughlan) Ruff at Barnes WWT, also 2 Black-tailed Godwits & 2 Greenshank (Birdguides) Little Egret at Laleham Park, on Thames bank near to M3 bridge, also Egyptian Goose (David Combes) Dunlin, 5 at QE2 Res (Dave Harris)

Aug 13 Little Egret at Kempton NR, also 2 Green Sands & Greenshank (Birdguides) Little Egret at Laleham Park, on Thames bank near to M3 bridge (David Combes) Black-necked Grebe at Staines Res, on north basin, also 2 Hobbies & Common Sand (Jim & Tony Sweetland) Spotted Flycatcher at Horsenden Hill (Rachel Terry) Turnstone at QE2 Res (Dave Harris)

Aug 12 Sabine's Gull, adult at King George VI Res (Birdguides) Little Egret at Laleham Park, on Thames bank near to M3 bridge (David Combes) Red-necked Grebe at Walton Res, also drake Red-crested Pochard (Dave Harris) Yellow Wagtail at QE2 Res, also Wheatear & female Red-crested Pochard (Dave Harris)

Aug 11 Garganey at QE2 Res (Dave Harris)

Aug 10 Ring-billed Gull at Isle of Dogs, on Thames shore opposite Lovell's Wharf at 18:00 (Birdguides) Spotted Flycatcher at Horsenden Hill (Andy Culshaw)

Aug 9 Garganey at King George VI Res, also 2 Wheatears (Ken Purdey) Common Sandpiper, 20 at King George V Res, also 2 Green Sands & 2 LRPs (Martin Shepherd) Green Sandpiper at Brent Res, also 2 Snipe - see photo & 5 Common Sands (Andrew Self)

Aug 8 Red Kite over Chiswick (Patricia Rennie) Black Tern at QE2 Res (Dave Harris) Ring-necked Parakeet, 2000+ at Esher Rugby Club (David Combes) Insect News: Lesser Emperor at Bedfords Park Lake (TQ518925) at 12:13 & 12:30 (Birdguides)

Aug 7 Curlew Sandpiper at Beddington SF, also Ruff, 2 Greenshank, Ringed Plover, LRP, 10 Common Sands & 15 Green Sands (Johnny Allan) Green Sandpiper at Brent Res behind dam at in evening (Andrew Self) Black Tern at QE2 Res (Dave Harris)

Aug 6 Black Tern at QE2 Res (Dave Harris)

Aug 5 Ring-billed Gull at Isle of Dogs, from slipway at end of Glenaffric Avenue (Birdguides) Little Egret at Laleham Park, on Thames bank near to M3 bridge (David Combes) Green Sandpiper at Brent Res, also Common Sand (Roy Beddard) Red-necked Grebe at Walton Res (Dave Harris)

Aug 4 Ring-billed Gull at Isle of Dogs, on Thames shore at 12:00 (Birdguides) Greenshank at Brent Res, behind dam at 06:50, also Green Sand (Andrew Self) Black Tern at QE2 Res, also Common Scoter (Dave Harris) Little Gull at Walton Res (Dave Harris)

Aug 3 Red Kite over Chiswick (Patricia Rennie) Honey Buzzard over Dagenham Chase, flew west at 08.30 (Birdguides) Black-tailed Godwit, 7 at Belvedere on Thames, also 3 Common Sands (Birdguides) Little Gull at Purfleet, Aveley Bay, also Whimbrel (Birdguides) Crossbill over Ongar Park Wood (Birdguides) Black Tern at Staines Res (Birdguides) Little Egret at Stanwell Moor, also 7 Green Sands (Birdguides) Turtle Dove at Beddington SF, also 12 Green Sands, 9 Common Sands & 3 LRPs (Johnny Allan) Oystercatcher, 15 east past Millennium Dome at high tide (Gary McGuire) Yellow Wagtail at Walthamstow Res, also 15 Common Sands (Stephen Harris) Greenshank at QE2 Res (Dave Harris) Tree Pipit at Wormwood Scrubs, also Sedge Warbler (David Lindo)

Aug 2 Black-necked Grebe, juv at Brent Res, also 2 Common Sands & 1000+ Swifts (Andrew Self & Roy Beddard) Green Sandpiper, 17 at Beddington SF, also 12 Common Sands, LRP & Yellow Wagtail (Johnny Allan) Black-tailed Godwit, 3 at Stanwell Moor (John Schmidt) Wheatear at Horsenden Hill (Andy Culshaw) Red-necked Grebe at Walton Res, also Little Gull (Dave Harris)

Aug 1 Oystercatcher at QE2 Res, also Red-crested Pochard (Dave Harris) Red-necked Grebe at Walton Res (Dave Harris) Little Egret at Staines Moor, also Garganey & 10 Green Sands (Birdguides) Yellow-legged Gull, 45 at Runnymede (Birdguides)