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Saturday 14th May 2016

 * Barnes, Beverley Brook: Iberian Chiffchaff, it sings as Iberian Chiffchaff, it calls as Iberian Chiffchaff, it looks as Iberian Chiffchaff...if you havent caught up with that, its neither here nor there...tiresome (R.Kaye) I fully agree with the appearance being an Iberian Chiffchaff, on several short elusive views in about 3 hours and only one view in open for four seconds. Not having heard recordings of call, I was saying how different it was to Common Chiffchaff being nasal and longer. I assumed song was critical diagnostic feature for Iberian Chiffchaff. It did not respond to song playback.On reading Advanced Birding it is most likely to be an Iberian Chiffchaff. I was most impressed with supercillium. Did not see upperpart colour well, except for four second view when head took all my attention. Underparts seen well and white below apart from diffuse yellow-brown throat and upper breast, paler yellow on flanks and undertail coverts. An excellent find.!! Had to use "possible" and asked for your number to discuss id, as unsure of all features before reading literature.(FJM) (So why comment if you lack the field experience or knowledge!!! pointless) (Don't be so rude! His a good birder, caution first and foremost is always key. Also a very experienced & knowledgeable man. As you will note Iberian chiffchaff records are now annual, why, because of knowledge & awareness in recent years We are all still learning!) "As no else put out any news on this site when I updated this am."Visibly it looks v good, prominent super, no eyering, brown legs. It's a bright looking chiff. The call sounds good but I wouldn't like to call it on that. Would love to hear it sing (AF)" Still in sycamores on N side of brook beyond first tarmac bridge W of River Thames. Also in large cherry above brick out building on playing field side of fence. Calling but not singing. 08.30 till 10.40 at least. Still calling mid pm per Justin Quail. Nearby Chiffchaff and Cettis Warbler both singing (Franko J. Maroevic, Steve Woolfenden, Alan ? surname, Bob Watts.) Park near cemetery on Mill Hill Road. Or walk from Putney Bridge Station. c.300m along the brook from the Thames, favours the Cherry and Elser just inside the fence of the cricket pitch, just past the first bridge, also gets in first large Sycamore after bridge. Very elusive but heard often from 14:00-16:30 (Paul Whiteman, Rupert Kaye, Garry James, et al.) Lets face it, it's not exactly an adult male Siberian Rubythroat is it?
 * Brent Reservoir: Turnstone on rafts late morning, pair of Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, single male Lapwing, Snipe (latest ever date 15th), 3rd summer Great Black-backed Gull, max 12 Common Tern, 100+ Swift, 6 Swallow, 10+ House Martin, 2 Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap, 4 Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, 5 Reed Warbler (Brent Birders) Turnstone still present at 3 pm. Single Jackdaw feeding around mud on North Marsh (Eddie Wang)
 * Clapton Square,E5: Buzzard overhead. (Marcus Mitchell)
 * Covert Way LNR: Hobby N 14:10 hrs (Robert Callf)
 * Crayford Marsh (Landfill) Hobby, Cuckoo (Ralph Todd)
 * East India Dock Basin: 6 Shelduck, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Common Tern, 1 male Grey Wagtail, 3 Blackcap, 1 Garden Warbler, 9 Reed Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff (1 lacking olive tones looking very brown but not tristis) 3 Linnet (Nick Senior)
 * Elm Park Road, N21: Hobby flew NE at 15:39 (Katy McGilvray)
 * Enfield Lock, Albany Park: 2 Linnet feeding with Starlings (Martin Shepherd)
 * Fairlop: Kestrel, 2 Common Terns, Skylark, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, several Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Willow Warblers and Whitethroats, House Martin, Sand Martins, Swifts, Swallow, 3 Missle Thrushes, Linnets, Jackdaw, 2 Egyptian Geese, Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker. (Simon Worsfold). BirdsMBS Local Outing saw/heard most of the above + Magpie, Crow, Starling, Greylag with goslings, Canada Geese with goslings, Tufted Duck, Mallard, pair Gadwall, Mute Swan, Coot with young, Moorhen, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Robin, Wren, Wood Pigeon, 2 Great crested Grebe, Green Woodpecker, Blackbird, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Jay, House Sparrows, 2 Pied Wagtails and 1 Hobby. (MH4BirdsMBS)
 * Greenwich Ecology Park: Common Buzzard, Kestrel, 2 Swift, 2 Sand Martin, Swallow (Conrad Ellam)
 * Kentish Town NW5:  Red Kite over low NW following the railway line heading towards Hampstead Heath at 17:35 (Frank Nugent).
 * Lamorbey Park : Great Crested Grebe, Pair Mute Swan, c10 Tufted Duck, 3 Stock Dove , Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay , 3+ Blackcaps singing, 2 Chiffchaff, Common Whitethroat, Long tailed Tit, Chaffinch , Goldcrest 2 ,Swifts (Mike Amos).
 * Pinner (HA5): female Sparrowhawk, 13 Swift, a slightly unseasonal Black-headed Gull here, 6 Goldfinch, Coal Tit, Pied Wagtail, singing Goldcrest & a handful of Ring-necked Parakeets still left (Jon Ridge).
 * Rainham RSPB: 2 m Garganey (ad male + 1st Y), Marsh Harrier, Hobby, 4 Whimbrel first thing, Barn Owl., Short-eared Owl, Yellow Wagtail (Neil Anderson/P+T. Rawlins). Also Black Tern with Common Terns along the river between Aveley Bay and the Stone Barges (Alan Hobson).
 * Staines Moor: 4 Hobbies, 1 Common Tern, 1 Redshank, 6+ Sedge Warblers (Paul Goodman)
 * Staines Reservoir: 6 Arctic Tern, 1 Black Tern, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Oystercatcher (Paul Goodman
 * Stanwell Moor: 1 Spotted Flycatcher (along footpath from Hithermoor Road), 1 Reed Warbler (Paul Goodman)
 * Streatham High Road: 3 grey wagtail & probable nest behind block of flats' disused open air pool (A La Pietra)
 * Tulse Hill (SW2): 1 Little Egret, 21.15 (flying over quite low SE). Garden tick (Matthew J. Bradbury)
 * Wathamstow Resevoirs: at least 2 poss 3 Red Kite over West, Hobby hunting in channel north of Lockwood, 2 Yellow wags briefly landed on east warwick bank, 100's of swifts, 2 RC pochards, (Jamie Partridge)
 * Welling Way Common Buzzard over [Ron Turner]
 * Woodberry Wetlands:  7 singing Reed Warblers, Single Sedge and Cetti's. Little Egret showing well on water edge and in trees, 75 swifts (Pete Mantle); Common Sandpiper at 06:30 at West Res, Common Buzzard over S, Common Whitethroat, Reed Bunting (Frank Nugent). 2 Swallow, m. Red-crested Pochard & regular 2cy Yellow-legged Gull present early a.m. (Chris Farthing)

Friday 13th May 2016

 * Alexandra Park: 12+ House Martin, 4+ Swift Wood Green Res 1730 (Bob Watts)
 * Amwell: 5 Hobby (Twitter)
 * Barking Bay: c.70 Shelduck, 2 Gadwall, 6 Oystercatcher, 4 Ringed Plover, 2 Lapwing, 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Whimbrel N, 95 Common Tern, 3 Arctic Tern upstream (2 ad 1 first-summer), 1 Turtle Dove N, 1 Short-eared Owl, 2 Sand Martin, 8 Swallow W/N, 3 Yellow Wagtail; 4+ Harbour Porpoise (Nick Senior)Pics
 * Barnes, Beverley Brook: Iberian Chiffchaff, 3rd day. Very elusive this afternoon in the wind, but calling. Take footpath W from Thames along brook, view sycamores beyond first footbridge (R.Kaye)
 * Brent Reservoir: Turnstone flew in 07:15 fed with 2 Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, also 2 Lapwing, sub-adult Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Egyptian Goose, 18 Common Terns, male Peregrine 09:05, 70+ Swift, 6 Swallow, 8 House Martin, 2 Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, 3 Reed Warbler (Steve Leeke, Andrew Verrall); Turnstone still present at 13:00 hrs on raft (Leo Batten); 1 Common Snipe appeared 11:30 (Leo Batten, Andrew Haynes).
 * Crossness: Summer plumage Knot, (Conrad Ellam & Mike Robinson
 * Dartmouth Park: at 11.30 am, a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the Hawthorn tree in my back garden (whose back garden?)
 * Fisher's Green: Honey Buzzard, quite high and moving slowly but steadily into N. Wind up Lee Valley, 12.00 hrs, + 3-4 Hobbies, 3+ singing Nightingales and several Garden Warblers (Jonathan Cooke).
 * Hampstead Heath: 3 Common Buzzard N two of which just above treetops over Cohen's Field at 15:40, Peregrine NW (Frank Nugent).
 * Hilfied Park Reservoir: Black Tern seen from observation platform (Twitter)
 * Horsenden Hill: Garden Warbler singing on summit. (Martin Smith)
 * Kensington Gardens: fem Teal, Hobby over, c.10 Swift, Cetti's Warbler (Des McKenzie-Twitter)
 * Kentish Town, Red Kite flew WSW over Arctic Street at 1440 (Pete Mantle)
 * Mudchute: 3 Blackcap. 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Chiffchaff (Nick Senior)
 * Oxleas Wood: Chiffchaff, Blackcap[m], Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Stock Dove[pair], Kestrel[pair], Red Kite, Common Buzzard[pair displaying], Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldfinch, Chaffinch[m], Mistle Thrush, Swallow, Nuthatch (Ron Turner)
 * Pinner (HA5): Red Kite north, Common Buzzard over, Swallow north-west, 4 Swift, 4 Goldfinch, Coal Tit, singing Goldcrest & Pied Wagtail (Jon Ridge).
 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: Glossy Ibis (Birdguides)
 * Regent's Park: Common Scoter N 1830 (Dante Shepherd via Twitter - pics)
 * Roding Valley (Woodford) Kestrel, Little Egret, Garden Warbler, 2 Reed Buntings, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, several Whitethroats and heard a Grasshopper Warbler. (Simon Worsfold)
 * Staines Reservoir: 1 Black Tern, 2 Oystercatcher, 4 Common Tern, 1 Black Necked Grebe, 80+ Swift, 30+ Swallow, 15+ House Martin, 3 Great Crested Grebe (Thomas Gibson)
 * Tooting Commons: possible Whitethroat singing (not seen) 5pm by railway sheds W of Triangle Playground (western apex of "Triangle Field") (Nick Granger-Taylor).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: M Garganey flew low over West Warwick then S towards Walthamstow Marshes - 7.35 am (looked to drop down S of Car Park). Kingfisher flew over Upper Maynard. 6+ Singing Reed Warbler on W. Warwick & 28 Common Terns there. (Davey Leach)
 * Wanstead Flats: Red Kite drifting south, 2-4 Garden Warbler in SSSI (2 singing and 2 sources of alarm calling from elsewhere), Willow Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, singing Reed Bunting, Linnet, 3 Swallow,, 4 + House Martin, 20 + Swift, Peregrine Falcon, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 5 Pochard, 2 Black-headed Gull, 2 Meadow Pipit carrying food (+ another singing), 3 singing Skylark (Nick Croft/Sean Kerrigan/John Whele/Bob Vaughan)
 * Wanstead Park: singing Reed Warbler, Little Egret, Lesser Whitethroat, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 3 Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe (Nick Croft/John Whele/Bob Vaughan)
 * Woodberry Wetlands: Hobby SW at 07:35, Common Sandpiper (east res.), Peregrine flying amongst cloud of Swifts, pr Red-crested Pochard (New River), 3 Sedge Warbler, 3 Swallow, Little Egret, Grey Wagtail, Egyptian Goose. 15:00 visit: 2cy Great Black-backed Gull (Chris Farthing)

Thursday 12th May 2016

 * Alexandra Park: Hobby hunting between Cricket Scrub and lower car park 1828 and 1840 at least, also 20+ Swift, 4 House Martin (Bob Watts)
 * Barn Elms Playing Fields: yesterday Todds or Lesser Canada Goose on the running track (R.Kaye)
 * Brent Reservoir: pair of Shoveler, Little Ringed Plover only wader present, 12 Common Terns, 2 Swift, Swallow flying north, 3 local House Martins, Chiffchaff Staples woods and Heron Hide, 4 Blackcap, 2 Reed Warblers singing Heron Hide, one at Main (Steve Leeke, Andrew Verrall)


 * Colliers Wood (River Wandle): 1 Reed Warbler male, 1 Whitethroat male both towards Plough Lane, 1 Green Woodpecker (Keith Bates)
 * Greenwich Ecology Park: 6 Common Tern, House Martin, Sand Martin, Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 5 Reed Warbler Jackdaw over, Oystercatcher on Thames foreshore (Conrad Ellam),
 * Hampstead Heath: early am visit only; Hobby over Parliament Hill c8:00, 2 Common Tern NW, Reed Warbler at Highgate 1 Pond, singing Willow Warbler at Sanctuary Pond where also 2 Kingfisher, c50 Swift, 2 Swallow NW, Linnet SE (Frank Nugent).
 * Kentish Town, Arctic Street: A Little Egret flew NW at 0740 (Pete Mantle)
 * KGV Res: 1 Black Tern (Tony Clancy)
 * Otford: Oriental Turtle Dove showed at 5.55-6.05am (Simon Papps); [Lesser Spotted Eagle] reported, sent in 10,46 (BirdGuides) Details: I did not see it but was there just after. Apparently It drifted over heading west mobbed by crows. Observers present headed off to see if they could find it over nearby wetlands. However I understand there is some sort of eagle sanctuary nearby. (Jim Fell) There are at least 2 Falcon Flying Experience companies not far that also have eagles (Dan Barrett)
 * Pinner (HA5): Little Egret north-west at 17:24 & 4 Goldfinch on the feeders, Linnet east at 18:10, 5 Swift, 2 Swallow north-west & 3 Pied Wagtail over (Jon Ridge).
 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: Great White Egret and 2 Black Terns (Aveley Pools), Stone-curlew from the Serin Mound at 1.30 pm (per Howard Vaughan). Plus am: 3 Marsh Harriers, up to 10 Hobbys, Barn Owl, Bearded Reedling, Numerous Reed, Sedge Warblers, Whitethroats, Blackcaps, 4 Lesser Whitethroats (Nick B)
 * Regent's Park: Hobby flew over low at 09:57 (Joe Taylor)
 * Rotherhithe: Whimbrel calling over Rope Street at 00.05 (Richard Bonser)
 * South Lodge Farm, Enfield: 20 Stock Dove 1530 (Robert Callf)
 * South Woodford: 5 swifts screaming through Derby Road 0900. Returning to last year's territory. (Steve Howey)
 * St James's Park: 1 Reed Warbler singing in reeds at the Buckingham Palace end of the lake 0820. Probable Lesser Whitethroat in bushes behind small pond near Horse Guards Parade 1430. (Jo Lawrence)
 * Staines Moor: 2 Bar-tailed Godwit still beside Colne 13:39, Grasshopper Warbler, 3 Hobby (Lee Dingain-Twitter - godwit pics and video here)
 * Staines Reservoirs: Great Northern Diver, 4 Black Tern, 2 Sanderling (Twitter)
 * Stoneleigh KT17: 1 Red Kite s. over The Glade at 19:00. Also 10 Common Swift (Neil Batten)
 * Tooting Common: Nightingale singing in Bedford Wood 13:30 (Magnus Andersson via Twitter) Garden Warbler singing in usual location (James Hudson)
 * Totteridge Valley: Lapwing, Pheasant, Whitethroat, Treecreeper, Coal Tit, Young Fallow Deer, Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker. (Simon Worsfold)
 * Victoria Park: 3m 1f Red-crested Pochard with 3 ducklings, 2f 1m Common Pochard, pair Great Crested Grebe, 3 Cormorant, 15+ Sand Martin, 2 House Martin, 4+ Swift West Lake (Bob Watts)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: 2 Black-necked Grebes on Lockwood, m Garganey on West Warwick (Deiniol Owen)
 * Wanstead Flats: Common Sandpiper (Alex), 2 Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, singing Reed Bunting, 2 Linnet, Sarrowhawk, Kestrel, 3 Pochard, 4 Little Grebe, 2 Meadow Pipit, 3 Skylark, 2 Swallow, 6+ House Martin, 10+ Swift, Brimstone and many Green Hairstreak (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan)
 * Wanstead Park: singing Reed Warbler (Shoulder of Mutton), singing Reed Bunting there too, Great Crested Grebe with one chick, Little Grebe, 2-3 Hobby, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan)

Wednesday 11th May 2016

 * Amwell: 4 Black Tern (Herts website)
 * Argos-Balham: 2 Swift local, 2 Swallow through (Michael Mac)
 * RT Barking Bay: 40 Shelduck, 5 Common Scoter (1 drake) on the river, 1 Little Egret, 4 Oystercatcher, 28 Ringed Plover mostly East with a few dropping in briefly, 11 Grey Plover (4 on flats and 7 East), 1 Turnstone, 3 Sanderling, 2 Greenshank, 4 Snipe, 1 Little Gull 2cy, 2 Sandwich Tern E, c80 Common Tern, 3 Black Tern NE, 1 Short-eared Owl lingering, 15 Swift, 6 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Wheatear (Nick Senior) photos
 * Beddington Farmlands: 3 Black Tern flew north, Little Gull (1st summer), 6 Common Tern flew east, 8 Ringed Plover north, 3 Dunlin north, 4 Redshank (Twitter)
 * Brent Reservoir: Little Egret off Res Staples Cnr, drake Scaup landed next to few Tufted and Pochard near rafts for 10 mins during heavy shower, after a while swam off on own, took off. flew north, new flock of 10 Ringed Plover, 3 Dunlin, Snipe, 5 Common Sandpiper and pair of Little Ringed Plover, max 12 Common Tern, 4 on rafts, mating seen, Garden Warbler singing near hide (Steve Leeke, Andrew Verrall)
 * Danson Park: Hobby, 3 Common Sandpiper, 8 Egyptian Geese (6 goslings), 3 Little Grebe, 4+ Great Crested Grebe (1 juv), c10 Swift, 2 Swallow, 2+ Blackcap, 2+ Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, 2 Jay, 2 Jackdaw (Ian Stewart)
 * Gallions Reach: 24 Arctic Tern downriver into Barking Bay, 15 Common Tern, 6 Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper. (Gary A James).
 * Hampstead Heath: Parliament Hill, singing Skylark at 0745 soon flew N, Yellow Wagtail NW, 2 Linnets NW (Pete Mantle)
 * Homerton, Mabley Street: Red Kite (tatty plumage) 13.30 approx (Adam C)
 * KGV Reservoir: 6 Black Tern (Neville Smith).
 * London Wetland Centre: 15 Greylag, 2 Shelduck - pair, 4 Great Crested Grebe, Little Egret E, Buzzard N, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, 2 Common Sandpiper, Snipe, Lapwing - one new nest five more failures, 14 Common Tern - including 12 flew in from W and a pair scraping on island in front of obs, Black-headed Gull - 4 more nests on newly installed rafts, Sand Martin - 29 holes being used in nest bank, Yellow Wagtail (H.Bradshaw, D.Widdowson, J.Wilczur)
 * Otford: Oriental Turtle Dove still (Birdguides) Visible again at 18:55 but difficult viewing in conifer (James Hudson)
 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: Wood Sandpiper on Purfleet scrape [tel:[tel:[tel:0648-0735 0648-0735] 0648-0735] 0648-0735] at least, 4 Greenshank, 3 Whimbrel, c25 Dunlin over (Fraser Simpson); Grasshopper Warbler, Short-eared Owl, Hobby (J & J Cadera); Garganey on Purfleet scrape (BirdGuides)
 * Rainham – Ferry Lane: 3 Cuckoo in tandem, m Marsh Harrier, Grasshopper Warbler ( J & J Cadera)
 * Southfields, SW18: a first for the garden this morning at 7am - a singing Willow Warbler (Martin Honey).
 * South Norwood Lake: Hobby hunting bats at dusk (Deiniol Owen)
 * Stocker's Lake: Black Tern, Hobby, drake Goldeneye (Twitter)
 * Sutcliffe Park: Blackcap, Whitethroat, 6 Reed Warbler (Conrad Ellam)
 * Tooting Commons: Garden Warbler singing in same location as yesterday (James Hudson); 2 Garden Warbler at 6pm, singing Chiffchaff (Michael Mac)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Greenshank on East Warwick at 0730 (Paul Whiteman, David Bradshaw); Ringed Plover, Redshank & 2 Black-necked Grebes on Lockwood (Dave Callahan); Little Tern flying around East Warwick with Common Terns 12.20 - 12.25pm then flew high towards No. 5, Greenshank still present, M Peregrine flew over West at 12.40pm, Garden Warbler in scrub by Canal (Davey Leach)
 * Wanstead Flats: 2 Dunlin (first for 2 years) on Alex (Bob Vaughan), Yellow Wagtail, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Swallow, 8 House Martin, singing Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler and Willow Warbler, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 4 Pochard, plastic fantastic Barnacle Goose, 3 Skylark, Linnet (Birthday Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft)
 * Wanstead Park: tatty or bedraggled Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, singing Reed Warbler, pr of Reed Bunting, 8 House Martin, 20+ Swift, Coal Tit (Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft)
 * Woodberry Wetlands: Common Sandpiper (west res), Garden Warbler, 2cy Yellow-legged Gull, Swallow (Chris Farthing)

Tuesday 10th May 2016

 * Some superb wader records today - well done all.
 * Amwell: 2 Sanderling, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Redshank, Shoveler, Gadwall, 1 Little Egret, Common Tern, 1 Cuckoo, Cetti's Warbler, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting, also at least 10 Roman Snails N part of site (Nigel May); Little Tern seen (Herts website).
 * Beddington Farmlands: 10 Ringed Plover possibly gone down on lagoons, Dunlin, Short-eared Owl, Arctic Tern flew north, Common Tern (1 main lake, 1 flew north), Sandwich Tern flew south, 6 Redshank, 3 Greenshank (Twitter).
 * Brent Reservoir: flock of 17 Ringed Plover 09:45-11.20 (2nd largest flock in history - highest count in 150 years), pair of Little Ringed Plover, 7 Common Sandpiper, Redshank (Steve Blake); saw 2 of Ringed Plover fly off East 12:15 and Redshank fly off East 12:10, pair of Little Ringed Plover mating on raft - male cleaner looking bird with much brighter yellow eye-rings, then 1 of Ringed Plover flock still feeding on mud, 12  Common Terns, 70+ Swift flock counted, Swallow, 2 House Martin - 11:45 visit with Steve Blake (Andrew Verrall and Steve Blake)
 * Broadwater GP: 3 Black Tern & Cuckoo (Simon Buckingham); Black Terns still present mid afternoon, plus a Common Sandpiper (John Edwards)
 * Bushy Park: f Mallard (with 9 ducklings), 2 Shelduck, Skylark (Ian R Watson)
 * Horsenden Hill: Cetti's Warbler still singing frequently and showing occasionally at Paradise Fields in willows and scrub adjacent Bullibrook and S of the tarmac path (Andy Culshaw).
 * KGV Res: am - Hobby, through drizzle looked like female Garganey hiding behind buoy (A. Middleton)
 * London Wetland Centre: 80 Redshank - including a flock of c.75 circling low for several minutes before flying off downriver at 11.10, Knot  - with Redshank flock, Whimbrel - grounded, 4 Arctic Tern flew E, 2 Common Sandpiper, Common Gull 2cy, 50+ Swift, 30+ House Martin, f Yellow Wagtail, m Pied Wagtail carrying food, 5 Ring-necked Parakeet - one entering nest-hole at visitor centre (J.Wilczur); 7 Godwit sp NE, presumably Bar-tailed (LWC web-site); 5 Grey Plover E, 5 Ringed Plover, 6 Yellow Wagtail (P. Knox per LWC per JW)
 * Otford: Oriental Turtle Dove in tree in garden on The Old Walk viewable from The Butts 07:15 & 18:00 (BirdGuides)
 * Paternoster Square, City of London: Free flying Harris Hawk to deter pigeons (flying one to two days a week during Summer) (Alan Lewis)
 * Queen Mother Res: (permit only) Sanderling and 2 Greenshank (Twitter)
 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: COLLARED PRATINCOLE low E over river wall & Purfleet village at visitor centre 2005 but no further sign by 2100 (Fraser Simpson via Twitter); 2 Little Tern, 4 Black Tern, 4 Arctic Tern, 24 Grey Plover, 7 Sanderling (BirdGuides)
 * Regent's Park: Common Tern, 30+ Swift, 30+ House Martin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 8 Blackcap, Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff (Conrad Ellam)
 * Ruislip Lido: 2 Common Tern, good view of singing Garden Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler and mixed flock of 40+ House Martins and Swifts (Martin Smith)
 * Ruxley GPs: (permit only) 2 Mute Swan, 13+ Greylag (6 goslings), 3 Gadwall (2m 1f), c30 Tufted Duck, 3+ Great Crested Grebe (f with 2+ juv on back), Green Woodpecker, 2 Garden Warbler, 3+ Blackcap, 3+ Whitethroat, Cetti's Warbler, 7+ Reed Warbler, 4+ Chiffchaff (all warbler singing reduced today due to rain I guess but also many Blackcaps now paired), Long-tailed Tit family, Bullfinch, Reed Bunting (Ian Stewart)
 * Southwark Park: 1 Collared Dove, 2 Little Grebe, Blackcap (John Cadera)
 * Staines Reservoirs: Little Tern early morning, 1 Black Tern, 1 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Oystercatcher (Twitter)
 * Stocker's Lake: Cuckoo, 15 Arctic Terns (Paul Lewis - Herts website)
 * Tooting Commons: Garden Warbler still in small glade SE of lake singing and showing well with Blackcaps, Cormorant over (James Hudson).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Sanderling on Lockwood, plus Common Redshank (per A. Winstanley); also Turnstone on East Warwick (A. Winstanley); 7+ Common Sandpipers, 2 Common Redshank & pr Black-necked Grebes on Lockwood, fem Wheatear by NE Corner, 1 Yellow Wagtail flew over calling. Saw very small distant wader on Lockwood which then flew S over Upper Maynard towards No. 4. Worth a look... (Was near 1 of the Common Sandpipers & clearly smaller but didn't have my scope with me - probably the Sanderling do u think Davey? LB) 12.20 - 13.20 visit (Davey Leach); Black Tern West Warwick res (per A. Winstanley); still present at 13.25. (D Barrett); also Greenshank East Warwick 18.00, but no sign of Black Tern among 60+ Common Terns, Lockwood - Sanderling still 19.00 along with Little Ringed Plover & Redshank. Our best wader tally in years! (Lol Bodini)
 * Wanstead Flats: 2 Greenshank low and calling east over Alex, Common Sandpiper, singing Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 10 + Whitethroat, 14 House Martin, Swallow, 20 + Swift, Little Egret, 7 Little Grebe, 3 Pochard, 2 Meadow Pipit, 3 Skylark, male Sparrowhawk, Kestrel (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan)
 * Wanstead Park: singing Reed Warbler (Shoulder of Mutton), Kingfisher, 3 Little Egret, 4 House Martin, Swallow, 20 + Swift, Kestrel (Nick Croft)
 * Woodberry Wetlands: m. Northern Wheatear (among islands viewable from boardwalk), 2 Common Tern, 3 Common Sandpiper (West Res east bank) (Chris Farthing)

Monday 9th May 2016

 * Alexandra Park: Common Tern pair with fish display Wood Green Res, also 4 Swift, little Egret over station 0700 (Bob Watts)
 * Bow, Three Mills: 2 Common Tern, 4 Sand Martin, Grey Wagtail (JW Davies)
 * Brookmill Park: Common Sandpiper, 3 Blackcap 2m 1f (Conrad Ellam)
 * Hampstead Heath: brief am visit only - Reed Warbler back at Highgate 1 Pond, Common Whitethroat at 2nd hedge, Kingfisher at Sanctuary Pond, 4 House Sparrow using island hedge up from running track and taking food somewhere off site (approx 3 pair sparrows breed in Roderick Road NW3 just over railway line off the Heath (Michael Mac); c50 Swift, some of which mating (Frank Nugent)
 * Horsenden Hill: 11 Blackcap, 7 Chiffchaff, 3 Whitethroat (Martin Smith).
 * Lamorbey Park: Hobby (year 1st), Sparrowhawk, 2+ Swift, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4+ Blackcap, Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Jackdaw (Ian Stewart)
 * Lee Valley CP: 3 Lapwing, 2 Little Egret and a Jackdaw on Hall Marsh Scrape and a Cuckoo calling in woods nearby (Harringay Birder)
 * Oxleas Wood: Chiffchaff, Blackcap (m), Firecrest, Common Buzzard, Stock Dove (pair), Hobby, Kestrel, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Ron Turner).
 * Richmond Park: Pen Ponds area - 9 Great Crested Grebe including brood of 3 young, Water Rail heard, 2 Common Sandpiper, 10 Common Tern including 3 pairs on rafts, Reed Warbler heard, Linnet, 11 male Reed Bunting (J.Wilczur)
 * Ruxley GPs: (permit only) 3 Mute Swan, 14 Greylag inc 4 goslings, pair Gadwall, c30 Tufted Duck, 6+ Great Crested Grebe inc 2+ fledglings on back of female, 2 Great Black-backed Gull S, Swift, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, c10 Blackcap, Garden Warbler, 4+ Whitethroat, Cetti's Warbler, 16+ Reed Warbler, 4+ Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Jay, 4+ Jackdaw over, 2+ Bullfinch, Reed Bunting (Ian Stewart)
 * Shoreditch: Egyptian Goose west over junction of Shoreditch High Street and Commercial Street at 08.00 (Patrick Baglee)
 * Staines Reservoirs: Little Tern reported at 0636hrs (DM per Dominic Pia Twitter)
 * Tooting Commons: Garden Warbler in small copse SE side of lake (Will Rose via Twitter)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Little Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper on north end of East Warwick at 7.30 (David Bradshaw); Lockwood - 4 Black-necked Grebe 2pr moving from S end to middle at 12.40pm, Hobby over Upper Maynard & 1 M Shoveler & Little Egret on Lower Maynard (Davey Leach)
 * Wanstead Flats: 8 House Martin, Swallow, 5 Swift, Linnet, 5 Little Grebe, 2 Pochard, Skylark (Frank Nugent/Nick Croft); Common Buzzard NW (FN).
 * Wanstead Park: 1 possibly 2 Cetti's Warbler by Roding, 2 Little Egret, Hobby, 2 Kestrel, 2 Shelduck, 3 adult Great Crested Grebe, f Banded Demoiseller (Frank Nugent/Nick Croft/Marco Johnson)
 * Woodberry Wetlands: Common Sandpiper, 3 Shelduck, 3 Red-crested Pochard, Great Crested Grebe courtship display (Chris Farthing).

Sunday 8th May 2016

 * Brent Reservoir: 4 Little Ringed Plover, Snipe, 2 Common Sandpiper, 4 Lapwing with some display flying, 11 Common Tern, Swift, 6 House Martin at West Hendon colony, male White Wagtail on mud, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, Reed Warblers both hides; Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Red Admiral and Large White (Roy Beddard, Andrew Verrall)
 * Bushy Park: Tawny Owl (calling 9.10pm) (Ian R Watson)
 * Claybury Park, Woodford Bridge: Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff (good/very good views of all 4 species of warbler), Kestrel, Song Thrush (Alan Hobson).
 * Crossness: Serin flew low E over paddocks calling at 08:20, 4 Sanderling briefly in Barking Bay then flew E at 09:55, Grey Plover 1st summer off outfall, Hobby north at 08:35, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Teal, 3 Lapwing, 2 Lesser Whitethroat singing, 2 Swallow E, 2+ Sand Martin (John Archer & Richard Bonser)
 * Dulwich Park: Reed Warbler singing from reed bed on bend of lake (Martin Stevens per. Dave Clark)
 * E3 Antill Road: Blackcap singing in back garden and our Great Tits have fledged at least 5 fledglings, trying to protect the smallest which is being attacked by male Blackbird! (Harry Harrison)
 * Farningham Woods: Nightjar flushed by dog at 10 am (Lee A)
 * Greenway adjacent to Olympic Park: 2 Swift, 5 Sand Martin, Reed Warbler, 4 Blackcap, 4 Whitethroat, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Linnet and 1 House Sparrow the first for ages (Harry Harrison)
 * Greenwich Peninsula: 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, 4 Linnet Ecology Park, 4 Common tern Pairs, Collard Dove, 4 Swift, 2 Sand Martin, 1 Chiffchaff, 4 Reed Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 4 Whitethroat, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Linnet (John Bushall, Richard Green)
 * Horsenden Hill fields: Cetti's Warbler (1st I've heard on site), 6 Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap, 5 Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, 5 Song Thrush, 2 Greenfinch, 17 Herring Gulls on Plough, plus 2 Stock Dove, Coot with 6 juv on canal (Martin Smith); Cetti's still present mid afternoon, also Reed Warbler (David Howdon)
 * KGV Reservoir: Turnstone at 11:50 on causeway north side, Oystercatcher (Martin Shepherd)
 * Mote End (Private) Farm, Mill Hill, NW7: Swallows have returned but staff say in low numbers. I only counted max. 3 in flight, Stock Doves displaying, male Pied Wagtail on stables roof. Pair of Common Buzzards towards Arkley (Bob Husband MHPS / RSPB Birdwalk).
 * Margravine Cemetery: (monthly count) 28 Blackbird, 13 Robin, 4 Wren, 3 Dunnock, Greenfinch, Goldcrest, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coal Tits & Starling feeding young at nests, m Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Crow 2pr on nests, 4 Swift over CXH (Nathalie Mahieu, Ruth Savery).
 * Mudchute: Peregrine which predated a Monk Parakeet, 2 Common Tern, 4 Swift, 1 Swallow E, 9 singing Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 11 House Sparrow, 1 Linnet (Nick Senior)
 * Oakwood Park, N14: first-summer male Common Whitethroat in sub-song 1015 (Robert Callf)
 * Otford: WESTERN RUFOUS TURTLE DOVE still 0540 & 1855 (Bob Watts et al)
 * Pinner (HA5): Hobby, 2 Swallow over north-west, 7 Swift, 4 Goldfinch & singing Goldcrest; also a male Orange-tip & Large White butterfly (Jon Ridge).
 * Purfleet: 2 Sanderling, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Short-eared Owl, 2 Whimbrel, 12 Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Arctic Tern, 2 Hobby, 1 Cuckoo, 19 Shelduck, 1 Little Egret (Fraser Simpson)
 * Queen's Woods, Wood Vale, Muswell Hill: 3 Red Kites, 1 Common Buzzard drifting south east all at 1140-1145, Hobby (Matt Evans)
 * Rainham RSPB: 2 Med Gulls briefly on pools, 1 Black-Tailed Godwit, 1 Turnstone, 3+ Ringed Plover, several Cuckoo, 3+ Hobby, usual selection of warblers and other small birds (Nick S, M Parker)
 * Roxeth Rec, South Harrow: Red Kite drifted over south-east (site first for me), singing Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat (Alex Massey).
 * Ruxley GPs: (permit only) 2 Mute Swan, 10 Greylag (4 goslings), pair Gadwall, c20 Tufted Duck, Swift, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Swallow S, 3-4 Garden Warbler, 5+ Blackcap, 3+ Whitethroat, Cetti's Warbler, c10 Reed Warbler inc 3+ trapped and ringed by Dartford ringing group, 4+ Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Jay, 7 Jackdaw over, House Sparrow (my first inside the complex), 2 Lesser Redpoll S, 1-2 Bullfinch and thanks to the DBRG (Ian Stewart)
 * Swanscombe Marsh: Nightingale, 2-3 Cuckoo, Marsh Harrier mobbed by one of 3 Raven, 2 Stonechat, 2 Little Egret among myriad Warblers and best of all 2 Wall Butterfly (Frank Nugent).
 * Ten Acre Wood area: 4 Pheasant (2 heard only), 2 Little Egret (1 high over), probably 4 Buzzard (3 soaring together), Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, Little Ringed Plover, 6 Lapwing, c12 Stock Dove, 4+ Swift, 2-3 singing Skylark, Swallow, 30 Whitethroat, 13 Blackcap, singing Garden Warbler (scrub near Gutteridge pool), 3 singing Chiffchaff, 2 Sedge Warbler (1 chasing off Linnet), min 6 Rook over, 5 Reed Bunting, m Linnet, 5 Bullfinch (2m 1f feeding in sallows south of wood & pr by Gutteridge pool); Small Copper, 5 Orange Tip (Neil Anderson/G. Westley)
 * Tooting Commons: 8+ Swift, Swallow NE, Coal Tit (James Hudson); Male Sparrowhawk, Egyptian Goose with 3 young (Peter White via Twitter)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Little Tern 10.30-12.30, Oystercatcher (East/West Warwick (Pete Lambert/David Bradshaw/Lol Bodini/Jamie Partridge/Gary James) http://walthamstowbirders.blogspot.co.uk
 * Wanstead Flats: Yellow Wagtail, Skylark, singing Reed Bunting, 2 Linnet, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, Whitethroats, Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 10+ Swift, 3 Swallow, 6 House Martin (Wanstead Birders)
 * Wanstead Park: Cetti's Warbler singing and showing early by the Gates of Mordor (Richard Rae), Lesser Whitethroat, 8+ Whitethroat, Goldcrest, 2 Gadwall, Kingfisher, 3 Little Egret, 8 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Grebe, pr of Hobby, Grey Wagtail, 2 Swallow, House Martin, 10+ Swift (Nick Croft)
 * Wimbledon Common: 14:45 Common Buzzard thermalling above windmill mobbed by crows (James Hudson)
 * Woodberry Wetlands: Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, 4 Shelduck, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat, Egyptian Goose, Little Egret, Grey Wagtail, 2 Sedge Warbler, 15+ Reed Warbler, c5 Cetti’s Warbler (Chris Farthing); also 2 Common Tern, Reed Bunting (ADH & Tony Butler)

Saturday 7th May 2016

 * Brent Reservoir: 5 Teal lingering, Little Ringed Plover, 3 Snipe, 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Lapwing, 3 Common Tern, 4 Swift, Swallow, 4 House Martin, 4 Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, 12 Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, Reed Warblers both hides & Staples Corner end and north bank, also male Peregrine over scattered all large gulls; Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Brimstone and Speckled Wood (Brent Birders)
 * Bushy Park: Skylark, Song Thrush, 2 Swift, Stock Dove, male Teal (Mat Hare)
 * Bushy Park: Buzzard, 2 Housemartin, Kestrel, Skylark, 4 Swallow, 4 Swift, 2 Whitethroat. (Ian R Watson)
 * Cranford CP: Hobby, Buzzard, Red Kite, c10 Stock Doves, c10 Common Whitethroat, 4 Blackcaps, 2 Mistle Thrush, 3 Song Thrush plus the usual woodland birds, butterflies - Brimstone, Comma, Peacock, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Green-veined White (Wendy Marks)
 * Crossness: 2 Arctic Tern downriver 11:35, 1 Wheatear f, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Ringed Plover, 2 Lapwing, 2+ Oystercatcher, Buzzard high NE 13:00, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 12 Whitethroat, 6 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler, 6 Reed Warbler, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Sand Martin, 3 Swift, 1 Skylark singing, 2 Egyptian Goose, 1 Little Egret (John Archer).
 * East India Dock Basin: 5 Shelduck, 2 Egyptian Geese, 5 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 9 Common Tern, 1 Arctic Tern E 15.23, 1 Yellow-legged Gull 2cy, 3 Blackcap, 4 Reed Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Chiffchaff; nearby 1 male Black Redstart singing (Nick Senior)
 * Covent Garden: House Sparrows present in both Long Acre/Neal Street and Drury Lane/Russell street areas (John Colmans)
 * East Molesey: (by river) 2 Arctic Tern, 3 Common Tern, 2 Chiffchaff, 7 Swift, 1 Blackcap (Arjun Dutta)
 * Foots Cray Meadows: Mute Swan on nest, 4+ Tufted Duck, Kestrel, Swift, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Swallow, Blackcap, 4 Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest (Ian Stewart)
 * Fulham, Craven Cottage: Buzzard over at 12.30 (J.Wilczur)
 * Greenford UB6 (River Brent Ruislip Road Bridge): 3 Mandarin Ducks 2m 1f (Martin Smith)
 * Hampton Court (Home) Park: Garden Warbler, 2 Common Tern stood on small raft on Hampton Wick Pond (Spencer Neal); dozens of Sand Martins, 2 House Martin, 2 Swift, 10+ Swallow, 29 Egyptian Goose, 2 Meadow Pipit, several Stock Dove, Skylark, male Blackcap, singing Skylark, Song Thrush (Mat Hare)
 * Hanwell W7: Little Egret over West 06:40 first for me in the area. (Rob Mills)
 * KGV Reservoir: Little Ringed Plover, Short-eared Owl flew from inside the North basin at 0825hrs circled off high East, Cuckoo (Neville Smith/Martin Shepherd); Whinchat (m), Spotted Flycatcher (Neville Smith).
 * Lamorbey Park: Great Crested Grebe, female Mute Swan on nest, pair Egyptian Geese, 4 Tufted Duck, Coot with chick, pair Stock Dove, pair Collared Dove, Song Thrush, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Chaffinch (Mike Amos); Spotted Flycatcher still present N side of lake c11am (Eric Brown per Ian Stewart); Buzzard distant to SE c12.30, 2 Peregrine, 2 Swift, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Whitethroat singing, Nuthatch (Ian Stewart)
 * London Wetland Centre: Dunlin, Little Ringed Plover, 30+ Lapwing - 16 territories (no young 2 nests raided today by Crows 8 other birds sitting on nests 16+ nest failures several pairs have failed twice a few making their third attempt), 4 Redshank, 125+ Black-headed Gull - including 58+ nests, Little Egret, 5 Egyptian Goose, 6 Greylag Goose, m Teal, m Shoveler, 10 Gadwall - including 3 pairs, 2 Stock Dove, Cetti's Warbler singing from cafe pond - new location? (been singing there all week and moving from there to Pond Zone/Duck Tales (MRH), 5 singing Reed Bunting, 12 Jackdaw, 81 Carrion Crow (J.Wilczur); Spotted Flycatcher and 1f Redstart reported first thing but not relocated, common Sandpiper main lake, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull pr seen mating on Grazing Marsh (Martin Honey)
 * Otford: ORIENTAL TURTLE DOVE reported early morning (Birdguides).
 * Oak Hill Woods LWT NR, East Barnet / Cockfosters, Herts EN4: Blackbird (NE corner of wood) with most unusual song - assumed mimicry, 5 Swifts overhead, Common Buzzard high overhead, 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, Pied Wagtail with food on Pavilion, Grey Wagtail on Pymmes Brook East Barnet (Bob Husband, Fay Broom, Elspeth Chaplin, Trevor Wyatt)
 * Pinner (HA5): 3 Swallow through, 7 Swift, 4 Goldfinch, singing Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Song Thrush & 2 Pied Wagtail; also 2 Holly Blue butterflies (Jon Ridge).
 * Purfleet: 1 Turnstone, 1 Whimbrel, 11 Ringed Plover, 2, Dunlin, 1 Mediterranean Gull (1st-cy), 1 Arctic Tern (Fraser Simpson)
 * Queen's Wood, Wood Vale, Muswell Hill: 2 Hobbies, 11.15 - still around at 1920 (Matt Evans)
 * Richmond: Common Sandpiper flying by Flowerpot Island on Thames (Mike Foster)
 * Richmond Park: 2 Meadow Pipit - in last year's breeding area, 10 singing Skylark - first survey of the spring (J.Wilczur)
 * Rotherhithe: Buzzard high over Rope Street at 17.10 (Richard Bonser)
 * Russia Dock Woodland: 1 Chiffchaff singing, 2 Blackcap, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Heron, House Sparrow (John Cadera)
 * Sewardstone Marsh: Hobby hawking over Patty pools, Garden Warbler singing for second week along relief channel East side of Nights pits (Neville Smith).
 * Sidcup: Buzzard sp over Lansdown Rd. (Patrick English)
 * Sidcup DA14 (Chalk Wood): 6+ Swift, Green Woodpecker, Skylark singing, 10+ Swallow, 4 Mistle Thrush, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Linnet (Ian Stewart)
 * Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): Red Kite drifting W 14.10 (year 1st), Buzzard E, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Grey Wagtail S, Blackcap singing, Goldcrest (Ian Stewart)
 * Southwark Park: 15 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe, pair Mute Swan, Blackcap, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove, 2 Egyptian Goose with 4 young – lost one in the last two weeks?, pair Canada Goose with 1 young, pair Mallard with 6 young, pair Coot with 1 young, Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming, Grey Heron (John Cadera)
 * Tooting Bec Common: Sedge Warbler heard briefly (but not seen) from glade on east side of pond 11.00am (Nick Moll)
 * Walthamstow Marshes: Lesser Whitethroat singing and showing well in scrub along the Black Path, near the N end of the paddocks, 3+ singing Sedge Warbler and 1 singing Reed Bunting from the Boardwalk 10:00 - 11:00 (Alastair Dent)
 * Wanstead Flats: singing Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 15+ Whitethroat, Redpoll, Linnet, 10+ Swift, 8 House Martin, 2 Swallow, 4 Yellow Wagtail, 4 Skylark, 2 Pochard, 5 Little Grebe, Little Egret, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel (Wanstead Birders)
 * Wanstead Park: Cetti's Warbler 05:40 in Old Sewage Works (Jonathan Lethbridge); Spotted Flycatcher (Tony Brown); 5 Little Egret, 5 Common Buzzard, 2 Hobby, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Great Crested Grebe with 3 chicks, 3 Little Grebe, Kingfisher, Black-headed Gull (Wanstead Birders)
 * William Giriing Reservoir: Black Tern (Neville Smith).
 * Woodberry Wetlands: (Stoke Newington Res as was) 2 Shelduck, Sedge Warblers and Reed Warblers (seen and heard), Cetti's Warbler (seen and heard), 3 Reed Buntings 2f m, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Gull, 10+ Swifts (Sue Barry); Glad to hear reports from the site other than from me!, Was that a definite Common Gull? (Yes certain it was SB)(CF)

Friday 6th May 2016

 * Barking Bay: 2 Egyptian Geese, 82 Shelduck, 8 Oystercatcher, 7 Ringed Plover, 3 Little Ringed Plover E, 2 Grey Plover E, 3 Knot, 5 Dunlin, 2 Greenshank, 6 Common Sandpiper, 6 Whimbrel (4 on mudflats & 2E), 3 Snipe, 1 Mediterranean Gull 2cy, 3 Yellow-legged Gull, c60 Common Tern, 1 Cuckoo, 13 singing Skylark, 4 Swallow E, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 9 Reed Warbler, 4 Sedge Warbler (Nick Senior)
 * Brent Cross Shopping Centre: Little Egret flying E up River Brent oblivious to masses of people, traffic, many buses (Andrew Verrall)
 * Brent Reservoir: Little Ringed Plover, Kingfisher, 3 Common Tern (Stephen Branley); pm Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Reed Warblers both hides, Orange Tip, Holly Blue and 2 Speckled Wood (Andrew Verrall)
 * Crayford Marshes: Shelduck, 2 Little Egret, 2 Common Buzzard plus another looking a bit different, Kestrel, Peregrine, 2 Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing, 3 Common Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Cuckoo, Swift, Green Woodpecker, 8+ Skylark, 2+ Swallow, 10+ House Martin, Meadow Pipit, c10 Pied Wagtail, 5+ Blackcap, c20 Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, 6+ Cetti's Warbler, 10+ Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff, Jay, Corn Bunting (Ian Stewart)
 * Dartford Marshes: 11 Ringed Plover at River Darent mouth - viewed from Purfleet (Fraser Simpson)
 * East India Dock Basin: 4 Shelduck, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Blackcap, Garden warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Sedge Warbler, 4 Reed Warbler (Nick Senior)
 * Eaton Park Road, N13: Common Buzzard flew NW at rooftop height pursued by 4 Carrion Crows at 16:22 (Katy McGilvray)
 * Foots Cray: 3 m Common Whitethroats singing and displaying in Foots Cray Meadows. 1 Barn Swallow about stables along Parsonage Lane, Common Buzzard high over Chalk Wood, 20 Common Swifts spiralling high over Foots Cray (Patrick English)
 * Lower Hampstead: Common Buzzard circling over my house then departing N. At 8.00 pm. Bit late observer?
 * Hackney: my first year sighting of 5 Swifts over Colverstone Crescent/Ridley Rd Market 18:00 (Sue Barry)
 * Holmethorpe SPs: Wood Sandpiper briefly over Water Colour Lagoon 1 then N 05:30 (BirdGuides)
 * Ingrebourne Valley: Cuckoo, Wood Sandpiper, Little Egret, Lesser Whitethroat, 10 Common Whitethroat, 8 Chiffchaff, 3 Lapwing (Jon Agar); m Garganey still fr viewing area late-pm (BirdGuides)
 * Islington Ecology Center: 2 Swift, singing Blackcap & Lesser Whitethroat (Conrad Ellam)
 * Lamorbey Park: Spotted Flycatcher feeding from trees on private side of lake, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Sparrowhawk (Ian Stewart)
 * Leatherhead, Common Meadow: 1 Common Whitethroat, 8 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff (Neil Batten)
 * Limehouse E14: 4 Common Sandpiper 08.30 (Paul Hyland)
 * London Wetland Centre: many Blackcap, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Common Tern, 2 Dunlin, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 6 Redshank, pair Shelduck, 2 Stock Dove, several Swift, 2 terrapins - presumed to be red-eared and yellow-bellied sliders (Mat Hare)
 * Otford: Oriental Turtle Dove in garden on The Old Walk viewable from The Butts TN14 5PR. Appeared this evening at 18:26 after being absent since early morning, showed well for at least ten minutes (Nick Tanner).
 * Oxleas Wood: 3 Common Buzzard, Red Kite, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Nuthatch, 2 Swift, Stock Dove [pair], Jackdaw, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Ron Turner)
 * Pinner (HA5): Swallow north-east, 9 Swift, Green Woodpecker, 4 Goldfinch, singing Goldcrest, Jackdaw & 2 Pied Wagtail (Jon Ridge).
 * Putney, Huntingfield Road SW15: 2 Red Kite 13.10, 4 Buzzard, Peregrine, 2 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 40 Swift, 2 Sand Martin, House Martin, 3 Swallow, Linnet NE (J.Wilczur, R.Kaye)
 * Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): Grey Plover over calling at 00.01, site and Sidcup first (Ian Stewart) - brilliant & I just want to lunge my bins into the middle of Ruislip Lido now! (JR).
 * Staines Reservoirs: Black Tern (see pics from today on Twitter)
 * Teddington: Sandpiper (I assume Common) flying around Thames by Stevens Ait 11:00, Sparrowhawk circling above Normansfield Avenue 12:30 (Mike Foster)
 * Thames Barrier Park: early aft - 3 Ringed Plover, 1 Black Tern lingering, 4 Common Tern, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Willow Warbler, 25 House Sparrow (Nick Senior)
 * Tooting Bec Common: 1 Garden Warbler (in bushes behind playground) (Nick Moll)
 * Tottenham Marshes: Grasshopper Warbler, Willow Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, singing Cetti's Warbler, Reed Warbler, 18 Common Whitethroat, 14 Blackcap (Stuart Fisher)
 * Town Park, Enfield: Garden Warbler Carr's Basin - superb views (Robert Callf)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: 3 Black Tern on East Warwick then flew high over to No. 4 - 12.20pm, Fem Peregrine on Pylon, Fem Sparrowhawk over Railway Line, Usual Warblers including 1 Cetti's Warbler (Davey Leach)
 * Wanstead Flats: 2 Shelduck east over Alex, 5 Pochard, Garden Warbler, 2 Willow Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 10 + Whitethroat, Linnet, singing Reed Bunting, 2 Hobby tag-teaming a Swift (don't fancy its chances), 8 House Martin, Sand Martin, 2 Swallow, 5 Swift, 2 Kestrel, Yellow Wagtail, 5 Meadow Pipit, 3 Skylark (Wanstead Birders)
 * Wanstead Park: Cetti's Warbler relocated to the Roding, 4 Little Egret, Common Kingfisher and a report of a 'partridge' north at new allotments (Bob Vaughan)

Thursday 5th May 2016

 * Alexandra Park: Ring Ouzel flushed from ditch at south side of cricket pitch at 0845 (James Palmer); Common Sandpiper on reservoir, Whitethroat singing on east side of cricket pitch (Brian Milligan)
 * Brayside Farm, Enfield: Sand Martin E 1649 (Robert Callf)
 * Brixton: 1 Swift (Michael Mac).
 * Bentley Priory: Hobby, (1) Common Whitethroat. Must be the slowest spring passage on record, almost nothing about (Richard Francis).
 * Blythe Hill Fields: Red Kite heading slowly south, 10+ Swifts, Swallow 1115am (Andrew Birks)
 * Brent Reservoir: 2 Little Ringed Plover, Snipe, 8 Common Tern, 3 singing Garden Warblers (Andrew Self); 23 Common Tern at dam end mid-afternoon, singing Common Whitethroat nr North Hide, no Teal seen on north Marsh today - must have all gone, pair Pochard N Marsh, singing Reed Warbler North Marsh (Bill Haines).
 * Bushy Park: 2 Green Woodpecker, Reed Bunting, 2 Shelduck, 2 Swallow (flying west) (Ian R Watson)
 * Crystal Palace Park: f Wheatear on stonework opposite path down from bus station at 1635, feeding happily on grass in fenced off area - first for the site and for my local patch (Martin Stevens).
 * Dartford Marshes: Short-eared Owl at 0730, Whimbrel on river viewed form Purfleet (Fraser Simpson)
 * Dulwich: m Wheatear on Alleyn's playing fields, first local swifts over (Tom Smith)
 * East Barnet, EN4: Swifts screaming near Library - Swift Box installed on rear of building in 2015, also Goldcrest calling (Bob Husband) Is that a corporal work of mercy, Bob?
 * Gallions Reach: Cuckoo, Common Buzzard (KJMcmanus)
 * Greenwich Ecology Park: Little Grebe pair, 8 Common Tern, Blackcap, Whitethroat pair, 3 Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler (John Bushell).
 * Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens: Reed Warbler singing in reeds next to Diana fountain, also 2 Swift, 4 House Martin there (James Hudson)
 * North Finchley: 4 Swifts over (John Colmans)
 * Greenford UB6: c20 Swifts high east over garden 1325 (Martin Smith)
 * Islington Ecology Center: 4 Swift, singing Blackcap & Chiffchaff (Conrad Ellam)
 * Leatherhead: 32 Common Swift circling above train station at 18:15 (Neil Batten)
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Shelduck m f, 2 Little Ringed Plover displaying and scraping, Buzzard over high N at 11.45, 1f Sparrowhawk same direction, 16 Swift high over Reservoir lagoon, 1 Swallow, usual warblers (Martin Honey)
 * Otford: ORIENTAL TURTLE DOVE (meena) still N of Sevenoaks on S side of Otford in tree on The Old Walk viewed from The Butts early am TN14 5PR
 * Pinner (HA5): male Tawny Owl heard (albeit distantly) at 0255 - I almost smiled; later, Common Buzzard over, Swallow north-east, 5 Swift, 5 Goldfinch & singing Goldcrest (Jon Ridge)
 * Ruislip Lido: 3 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Common Tern (Dan Pinkham)
 * Putney, Huntingfield Road, SW15: 5 Barnacle Goose high E 0845, hesitant, searching for a route, 2 Hobby N, Peregrine, 2 Buzzard S, 5 Collared Dove NW, 12 Swift, Swallow N, Linnet SE (R.Kaye, J.Wilczur)
 * Richmond Park: m Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Hobby - pen ponds area (J.Few, B.Murray per JW)
 * St James's Park: male Common Whitethroat still at the shrubs and trees west of the bridge, north side (Frank Nugent).
 * Scadbury Park: Pheasant, pair Moorhen with 2+ chicks, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Swallow, 2 Grey Wagtail, 20+ Blackcap, 9 Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, 10+ Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Nuthatch, Treecreeper; also Common Buzzard seen from N of park along A20 13.10 (Ian Stewart)
 * Smithfield area: Black Redstart calling (Francis Tusa)
 * Staines Reservoirs: 6 Black Terns on S basin prior to 0900 (Ken Purdey per FJM); Black Terns still present also on N basin until at least 1209 - still present 1435; 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Dunlin, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Greenshank flew over KG VI res late am (Franko J Maroevic)
 * Strayfield Road, EN2: 4 Pied Wagtail pr and two juveniles (Robert Callf)
 * Tooting Commons: (Bedford Woods) Garden Warbler, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Swift, Stock Dove, 2 Jackdaw (Phil Bull)
 * Totteridge Valley: singing Garden Warbler, singing Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Swallow N, pair Bullfinch, 15 singing Whitethroat plus good numbers of Chiffchaff and Blackcap, 3 Kestrel incl a pair, Common Buzzard, pair Coot still at Darlands, butterflies included a Painted Lady, also a Muntjac (John Colmans); 2 Lapwings, singing Goldcrests, Pheasants (Simon Worsfold)
 * Walthamstow: 3 Swift screaming low over Higham Hill Road at 0815 (Andrew McCafferty)
 * Wanstead Flats: Short-eared Owl SW over Forest Gate, Garden Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 10+ Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, 3 Meadow Pipit, 4 Skylark, Reed Bunting, Linnet, 7 Pochard, 4 Tufted Duck, 3 Little Grebe, Little Egret, 3 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 3 Swallow, up to 6 House Martin, 5 Swift (Nick Croft/Tim Harris)
 * Wanstead Park: 2 Little Egret, 30+ Swift, 2 Swallow, 10+ Common Whitethroat, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft)
 * Wimbledon Common: 3 Common Sandpipers feeding on the north shore of Kingsmere (David Wills).

Wednesday 4th May 2016

 * Barn Elms, SW13: Buzzard over, Cetti's Warbler singing by pond (J.Wilczur)
 * Beddington Farmlands: 2 Red Kite, 6 Common Buzzard, 1 Hobby, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover (yesterday evening 2 Wheatear, 30+ Swift) (Peter Alfrey) BFBG pics here )
 * Brent Reservoir: 3 Little Ringed Plover (until c0800), Dunlin, 5 Common Tern including 2 pairs displaying on rafts (Andrew Haynes).
 * Clapham Common: 2 Swift through (Michael Mac).
 * Cranford Park: Wryneck heard only 1400 (C.Smart)
 * East India Dock Basin: 5 Shelduck, 2 Teal, 2 Oystercatchers E, pr Little Ringed Plovers, 5 Common Terns, 1 Swallow N, 3 Wheatear on island then pushed by LRPs to nearby wasteground, 1 Garden Warbler, 5 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Reed Warblers, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Linnets (Nick Senior)
 * Finsbury Park: local Swifts returned this morning (George Sawtell)
 * Greenwich Ecology Park: Little Grebe pair, 8 Common Tern, 2 Sand Martin, Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff (John Bushell)
 * Home Park, Long Water: 2 Wheatear m f, 1 Stonechat, 1 Meadow Pipit, several Skylarks (Nigel Jackman)
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: Wood Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher (Des McKenzie via Twitter)
 * Island Barn Reservoir: 0700 2 BLACK-WINGED STILT (not present 0730) (Dave Harris via Twitter). Stilts reported again 1500, 1712, 1808, 2015 (BirdGuides)
 * Leatherhead, Common Meadow: 1 female Wheatear, 2 Little Egret, 3 Common Buzzard, 2 Common Whitethroat, 7 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff (Neil Batten)
 * Limehouse E14: Oystercatcher east 0935 (Paul Hyland)
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Whinchat m f, 1f Wheatear, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Common Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper, several Swift, 1 Swallow, lots of House Martin & Sand Martin, 6 Redshank, 2 terrapin (red-eared and yellow-bellied sliders), plenty of Reed Warblers and Sedge Warblers, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow and Cetti's Warblers (Martin Honey); 1m Black Redstart reported near Peacock hide but not relocated (BirdGuides)
 * Middlesex Filter Beds: 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Reed Warbler, several Blackcaps and Whitethroats (Toni Piccolo)
 * Northolt/Ruislip: 28 Swift, Buzzard towards RAF Northolt (Deiniol Owen)
 * Otford: 16:10 ORIENTAL TURTLE DOVE (Western, race meena) ex Rufous (Birdguides)
 * Parkland Walk, N4: singing Garden Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff (Harringay Birder)
 * Pinner (HA5): Sparrowhawk mobbed by Carrion Crows, House Martin north-west, 11 Swift, singing Goldcrest, Pied Wagtail & 4 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge).
 * Putney SW15: 3 Little Egret flew S along Roehampton Lane (J.Wilczur)
 * Rainham Marshes: 3 Whimbrel Aveley Bay / Coldharbour Point / concrete barges, 2 Cuckoo concrete barges / Rainham West (Fraser Simpson)
 * Regent's Park: 2 Little Egret, 2 Whimbrel, Common Sandpiper, Cuckoo, Spotted Flycatcher (Twitter)
 * Richmond Park: 3 Whinchat (S.Read, F.Maroevic); f Wheatear - Greenland type, Linnet over (J.Wilczur); Lesser Whitethroat (M.Lewis)
 * Roxbourne Park/Field End Rec: Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff (Tim Rymer)
 * Ruxley GPs (permit only): 3 Mute Swan, 4 Greylag, c30 Tufted Duck, 2+ Great Crested Grebe, Common Buzzard, Water Rail, 5+ Swift, pair Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, 2 Swallow, House Martin, Grey Wagtail, 1+ Garden Warbler, 15+ Blackcap, 8 Whitethroat, Cetti's Warbler, 7+ Reed Warbler, 5+ Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, 2+ Bullfinch (Ian Stewart)
 * South Norwood CP: Whinchat (R D Weller)
 * Staines Reservoir: 6 Shelduck, 4 Ringed Plover, 11 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Greylag Goose, 1 Heron, 3 Swallow, 2 Swift (Thomas Gibson); 1 Little Tern 8.00 PM (Gordon Shaw)
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Common Sandpiper, Garden Warbler, Coal Tit, 3 Shelduck, few Swift, 10+ Reed Warbler, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Sedge Warbler, c5 Cetti's Warblers (Chris Farthing)
 * Tolworth: 6 Swift, first sighting away from water this year (Mat Hare)
 * Tooting Common: Pond area Green Woodpecker, f Kestrel, Grey Heron, Jackdaw (Phil Bull)
 * Upminster: Honey Buzzard 1515 (BirdGuides)
 * Wanstead Flats: f Whinchat still, Cetti's Warbler called once (Alex), Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 10+ Whitethroat, 5 Swift, 4 House Martin, pr Reed Bunting, Linnet, 2 singing Meadow Pipit, 3 Skylark, 3 Kestrel, pr of Sparrowhawk, 2 Pochard, 3 Little Grebe, 5+ Green Hairstreak (Nick Croft/Peter Brinton)
 * Wanstead Park: Spotted Flycatcher (between Shoulder of Mutton and Heronry–showing well), singing Garden Warbler, 10+ Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Redpoll, 2 Little Egret, Kingfisher, Great Crested Grebe with one young, 20+ Swift, Nuthatch, Painted Lady (Nick Croft)
 * West Harrow: first Swift of the year back on site 1915 - four days earlier than 2015, but four days later than my earliest local record (30th April 2012) (Alex Massey) - The earliest London record appears to be 20th March in 2010, an unthinkably early record (JR).
 * Woodford Green: Blackcap in my garden ivy (second appearance this week) (Steve Howey)

Tuesday 3rd May 2016

 * Barnes Cray (Stanham Marshes): Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming, 4+ Blackcap, Whitethroat, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Reed Bunting (Ian Stewart)
 * Brent Reservoir: 2 Dunlin, 2 Snipe, 5 Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper (Brent Birders)
 * Brookmill Park: Sparrowhawk, 2 singing Blackcap (Conrad Ellam)
 * Camden: Red Kite drifting slowly NW over Camden Road NW1 at 17:40 (Frank Nugent).
 * Chelsea Wharf: pr Gadwall (Michael Mac).
 * Crayford Marshes: Whinchat along path round landfill, seen from Dartford side of Darent (Ian Stewart)
 * Colliers Wood (River Wandle): 1 Lesser Whitethroat singing at the Pumping Station, 1 Goldcrest towards Plough Lane, 1 Green Woodpecker (Keith Bates)
 * Dalston: 2 Swift. Swift arrival dates: 3 May (2016), 4 May (2015), 5 May (2014), 7 May (2013), 6 May (2012) (Jon Agar) (I noted 5 over Graham Road on 1 May, FWIW - Matthew Cunningham)
 * Dartford Marshes: pair Gadwall, Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Egret, Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit (sumplum), 3 Whimbrel, 1S Yellow-legged Gull, Cuckoo, 20+ Swift, 4+ Swallow, 20+ House Martin, 2+ Blackcap, 10+ Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, 5+ Cetti's Warbler, 5+ Reed Warbler, 4+ Chiffchaff, 3+ Corn Bunting (Ian Stewart)
 * Elephant & Castle: 3 Swallow north near BP garage on New Kent Road at 7am (Richard Bonser)
 * Enfield Chase: 5 Red Kite together 12:45 (Robert Callf)
 * Foots Cray Meadows: pair Mute Swan, 4 Tufted Duck, 4+ House Martin, Grey Wagtail, 10+ Blackcap, 4 Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Linnet, 3 Bullfinch (Ian Stewart)
 * Greenwich: Lesser Whitethroat singing Greenwich High Road opposite Greenwich Station (Joe Beale)
 * Greenwich Park: 1 Swallow north, 10 Swift circling high up (Mike Paice)
 * Hampstead Heath: Red Kite over Parliament Hill at 0900, Common Buzzard and Peregrine over Kenwood House mid morning, also 10 Swifts and 5 Swallows through (Pete Mantle)
 * Hounslow Heath: pair Redstart by enclosure (Jim Fell)
 * Leatherhead, Common Meadow: 1 Little Egret, 2 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Goldcrest, 3 Common Whitethroat, 6 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Swallow, 1 Pied Wagtail (Neil Batten)
 * London Zoo: Lesser Whitethroat singing by Regent's Canal at 13.10 (Colin Brooks)
 * New Covent Garden Market: 5 Swallows west (Michael Mac)
 * Northolt: f Sparrowhawk in my garden, 3 Swallow & 1 Swift overhead (Deiniol Owen)
 * North Finchley: 20.25 2 Swift, first local birds and five days earlier than 2015 (John Colmans)
 * Otford: ORIENTAL TURTLE DOVE (Western, race meena) ex Rufous, see yesterday times updates. Oriental Turtle Dove still Otford (near Sevenoaks) in back gardens of street names Old Walk/The Butts (Twitter); seen 05:25, 07:31 (BirdGuides)
 * Oxleas Wood: Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Nuthatch, Firecrest, male Kestrel, Chiffchaff, Blackcap (m/fm), Stock Dove, Swallow, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tit, Goldfinch, Chaffinch (Ron Turner)
 * Pinner (HA5): Common Buzzard over, 7 Swallow through west, 5 Swift, 7 Goldfinch, singing Goldcrest, Pied Wagtail & 3 Long-tailed Tit (Jon Ridge).
 * Rainham Marshes: f Redstart Aveley Bay buddleias, Whimbrel Coldharbour Point, 3 Wheatear Aveley Bay, 70 Swift (Fraser Simpson); 6 Little Egret, 2 Common Buzzard, 2 Marsh Harrier, 4 Hobby from Serin Mound, 1 female Peregrine, 1 Sanderling, 33 Dunlin, 2 Greenshank, 8 Whimbrel, c.40 Common Tern, c180 Swift lingering & light passage W, 13 Wheatear (just 2 males), 1 male Stonechat (Nick Senior); 9 Wheatear (5m), 4 Greenshank, 8+ Lapwing chicks on Ouzel Field plus 2 more on marsh. 1 male Whinchat, 2 singing Grasshopper Warbler one showing very well, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Arctic Tern upriver with c40 Commons at around 1430, Cuckoo (Matt Palmer)
 * Rainham: Lesser Whitethroat and Chiffchaff singing at the railway station (Fraser Simpson)
 * Regent's Park: Reed Warbler singing near Boathouse Cafe by the lake at 13.40 (Colin Brooks); 2 by area 2 at 19:00 also 2 Swallows N (Sam Jones)
 * Roxbourne Park/Field End Rec: Willow Warbler, Common Whitethroat (Tim Rymer)
 * Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): Dunlin N calling 23.10 - site and Sidcup first for me, 2 Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Peregrine, 4 Swift, Swallow, 3+ House Martin, Goldcrest (Ian Stewart) - the Dunlin is a superb record (JR). It did me the favour of calling 7 or 8 times, once directly overhead. I've had several wader species over at night but this is my first this year (IS)
 * Stockley park Hayes: Lesser whitethroat (Jim Fell)
 * Rammey marsh: 2 Short-eared Owl 1752hrs (Neville Smith).
 * Sutcliffe Park: 6 Greylag Geese & 1 Hybrid, 2 Sparrowhawk, Blackcap, 2 Sedge Warbler, 4 Reed Warbler, 6 Swift over, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Yellowhammer briefly calling (1st for site) (P Kite).
 * South Kensington: Natural History Museum wildlife garden - 1 Common Whitethroat feeding (likely 1st record, I'm told), male Kestrel, pair Blackcap (territory) (Joe Beale)
 * Tottenham Marshes: (Southern end - 13.00 - 13.30) Hobby drifting over Lockwood, Garden Warbler in Allotment Hedge, Singing Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Singing Sedge Warblers (Pr. seen mating), M Kestrel hunting over Allotment, AT least 6 Whitethroats holding territory, Weasel ran across Cycle Path (Davey Leach).
 * Totteridge Valley: f Whinchat in `owl' field, Lapwing, 3 Swift, 2 Swallow, 3 Common Buzzard, Kestrel, 3 Coot still, good numbers of singing Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Whitethroat; also 2 m Orange-Tips (John Colmans)
 * Wanstead Flats: Common Sandpiper, Cetti's Warbler, Sedge Warbler (all on Alex), Garden Warbler, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 16+ Whitethroat, Willow (Chiff) Warbler, 20 + Swallow, 3 House Martin, 20 + Swift, 2 Meadow Pipit, 5 Skylark, 3 Kestrel, 3 Reed Bunting, Linnet, 3 Pochard, 4 Tufted Duck, 3 Little Grebe (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan/Peter Brinton)
 * Wanstead Park: Little Egret (Bob Vaughan)

Monday 2nd May 2016

 * Bow, Fish Island (E3): Black Redstart singing on rooftops (Jan Dobbie)
 * Brent Reservoir : Dunlin from Main hide, 100+ Swift, 16+ Common Tern, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Common Sandpiper (Oliver Simms)
 * Fairlop Waters: Wheatear (male), Kestrel, 3-4 Skylarks, 2+ Linnets, 20+ Swifts, 2 Sand Martins, half a dozen House Martins, 3+ Swallows, 4 Green Woodpeckers, Egyptian Goose, Little Grebe, Gadwall, half a dozen Whitethroats, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Jay, Meadow Pipit (Neil Twyford, Mike Messenger and Alan Hobson).
 * Fisher's Green: 3-4 Nightingales but subdued because of the chill, Cuckoo, 3-4 Garden Warbler, 2-3 Lesser Whitethroat (Francis Tusa)
 * Gallions Reach: 3 Common Sandpipers, 10 Common Terns 13.30 (Peter Hart)
 * Greenwich Ecology Park: Little Grebe pair, 10 Common Tern, House Martin, 2 Sand Martin, 2 Blackcap, Whitethroat, 2 Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit pair (Joe Beale & John Bushell)
 * Greenwich Park: Reed Warbler (first of year), 2 lesser Whitethroats (one singing), Common Whitethroat territory, Willow Warbler (silent), Chiffchaff territory, 2 Common Swifts, Linnet over (Joe Beale)
 * Hall Marsh Scrape: Nuthatch in copse next to south end at 07:45 (Martin Shepherd)
 * KGV Reservoir: Little Gull (adult), 2 Artic Tern, 5+ Common Tern, 5+ Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, 3 Sanderling, Hobby, Yellow Wagtail, Wheatear (Neville Smith).
 * London Wetland Centre: 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Common Snipe, 12 Common Swift, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 6 Redshank, 5 Wheatear, 1m Whinchat, 1m Yellow Wagtail, usual warblers (Martin Honey)
 * Mill Hill NW7: att Bob Husband - returning pair of breeding Swift noted this am. (Steve Blake)
 * Mudchute: male Peregrine, 11 Common Tern East, 2 Swallow North, 1 male Common Redstart (briefly on south side of Globe Rope Walk), 10 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Sedge Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Lesser Redpoll South; late aft Hobby West, 6 non-singing Willow Warblers (Nick Senior)
 * Orpington: HOOPOE in garden (Birdguides)
 * Otford: ORIENTAL TURTLE DOVE (Western, race meena) still present on The Butts at 08:15 (Andrew Self); long wait, 7 hours for some, lucky with only 3 hours, but bird re-appeared c4.55 and showed to about 50 observers for 15 minutes, then a heavy rain shower scattered the mob, but bird re-appeared after shower and more pics were taken, also Hobby overhead, then dashed by later; local resident served tea or coffee to birders, would accept no payment, the tea arrived at same time as bird so was too excited to think of any drinking (Andrew Verrall + very many observers)
 * Pinner (HA5): Robin in full song at 03:38 - woke me up, 5 Goldfinch, singing Goldcrest, Song Thrush, 2 Swift & 2 Pied Wagtail (Jon Ridge).
 * Rainham Marshes: 2 Whinchat on Wennington Marsh, 4 Grasshopper Warbler singing (Fraser Simpson)
 * Rammey Marsh: Grasshopper Warbler reeling quietly south end, 2 Lesser Whitethroat NE end (Francis Tusa); displaying Skylark (Neville Smith).
 * Richmond Park: Cuckoo (A.Buxton); 2 Common Sandpiper, 6 Common Tern, m Redstart, Whinchat (RPBRG)
 * Ruislip Lido/Poor's Field: 2 Buzzard, 2 Common Tern, 2 Swift, 4 Swallow, c10 House Martin (4 birds collecting mud in front of Water's Edge Pub), 12+ Blackcap, 2 singing Garden Warbler, Whitethroat, singing Willow Warbler, 5 singing Chiffchaff, pr Bullfinch (LNR); recently killed young Badger on main road opposite Athletics Club (Neil Anderson/Kathryn Bull)
 * Staines Reservoirs: Sanderling, 5+ Arctic Tern, Little Gull, Common Sandpiper, 2 Little Ringed Plover (Dominic Pia-Twitter); 2 Whimbrel, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Dunlin and 1 Oystercatcher (Chris Turner)
 * Stroud Green: very vocal Cuckoo heading north at 5.40am observer?
 * Swanscombe Marshes: 1 Cuckoo, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 15 House Martin N, 8 Swift N (P Beckenham, R Keith)
 * Ten Acre Wood: Lesser Whitethroat, several Whitethroat, Little Egret, Chiffchaff, Great Spotted Woodpecker pair, Greenfinch pair (Tim Rymer)
 * Tottenham Marshes; singing Grasshopper Warbler still, plus Willow Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat (Lol Bodini)
 * Victoria Park: Wood Warbler singing in East Park (Jan Dobbie)
 * Walthamstow Marshes: Lesser Whitethroat singing in the scrub on the E side of the Flood Relief Channel opposite the (very quiet) paddocks, 4 Swallow N up the R Lea 07:30 - 08:30 (Alastair Dent)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: 5 Arctic Tern 3 in mixed flock ahead of showers & 2 other on No4 briefly, Hobby, 700+ Swift and lots of hirundines, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Cetti's Warblers, 7 Sedge Warbler, 5 Common Sandpiper, 2 Yellow Wagtail N (Stuart Fisher); also White Wagtail & Black-tailed Godwit no 4 res (Lol Bodini/Jamie Partridge).
 * Wanstead Flats: Cetti's Warbler (first on patch since 2009), Sedge Warbler, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 13 + Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Whinchat, 10 + Swallow, 2 Sand Martin, 5 House Martin, 10 + Swift, Hobby, Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel, 2 Pochard, 2 singing Meadow Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, 4 Skylark. 2 male Reed Bunting, pr Linnet (Wanstead Birders)
 * Wanstead Park: Cuckoo singing by Shoulder of Mutton, Peregrine Falcon, Hobby, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 5 singing Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Great Crested Grebe with 1 chick, 4 Little Grebe, 5 Swift, 3 House Martin, 10 + Swallow, 2 Little Egret, Grass Snake (Nick Croft)
 * Wimbledon Common: Spotted Flycatcher (David Wills).
 * Woodlands Farm E4: Common Buzzard, Kestrel, 5 Swallows, 5 Whitethroats, 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Garden Warblers, 4 Blackcaps, 3 Linnets and lots of singing Song Thrushes. (Harry Harrison)
 * Woodford Green: 1 solitary Swift (first sighting this year) over my garden 1200, Blackcap (a garden first) on ivy berries (Steve Howey)

Sunday 1st May 2016

 * Barnet Environmental Centre, Herts. EN5: Dawn Chorus highlights - Bullfinch pair, Goldcrest, distant Cuckoo, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler with unusual song ending in "chiff chiff chiff" (Bob Husband)
 * Brent Reservoir: female Wheatear on playing fields, 4 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Snipe, Common Sandpiper, 5 Common Terns, Peregrine, 3 Sparrowhawks, pair of Kestrels, also prob 80+ Swift, Willow Warbler still centre oakwood, Garden Warbler still not far from northbank pond, 2 Lesser Whitethroat around, then Holly Blue, Green-veined White, Small White, Peacock & 30th Apr males of Orange Tip and Brimstone (Andrew Self, Andrew Verrall)
 * Burnt Oak: male Linnet feeding on the ground at 14:30, also Grey Wagtail and Mallard pair present on garden pond for last two days (Deb Jackson)
 * Bushy Park: pair Blackcap, Chiffchaff, male Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming, Kestrel, 2 Mistle Thrush, Skylark singing, Song Thrush, 2 Stock Dove, male Tufted x Red-crested Pochard hybrid, no gulls (Mat Hare)
 * Bushy Park: Goldcrest, House Martin, Kestrel, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Sparrowhawk, 3 Swallow, 3 Swift. (Ian R Watson)
 * Dartmouth Park (NW5): 1 Red Kite heading S at 11:35, also 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Swift, 6 Swallows and 3 House Martins (Tim Blackburn)
 * Eaton Park Road, N13: Swallow flew N at 13:00 (Katy McGilvray)
 * Greenwich Park: Common Whitethroat nest-building, Redpoll over, Egyptian Geese still with at least 7 small young, 8 Common Swifts over, 3 Goldcrest territories - plenty breeding bird activity many migrants moved on but 37 species recorded a.m. (Joe Beale)
 * Greenwich Peninsula: Common Sandpiper, 2 Oystercatcher on foreshore, Sparrowhawk over dome, Little Egret, 2 Little Grebe, 7 Common Tern, House Martin, at least 2 Reed Warbler in Ecology Park, Blackcap in Southern Park, 3 Common Whitethroat in meadow next to Southern Park (Conrad Ellam et al)
 * Home Park: Chiffchaff, 37 Egyptian Geese, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 4 Mistle Thrush, Pheasant, many Sand Martins, Short-eared Owl mobbed by crow 16:30, Skylark, Song Thrush, 5 Stock Dove, several Swallow, 7+ Swift, no Black-headed Gulls (Mat Hare)
 * KGV Reservoir: 7 Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Greenshank, 4+ Common Tern, 1 Arctic Tern, 2 Northern Wheatear, 4 Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail (Neville Smith et al).
 * Lamorbey Park: No sign of Pied Flycatcher am, pair Mute Swan, at least 9 Canada goslings, c10 Tufted Duck, pair Great Crested Grebes attempting a nest, Sparrowhawk plucking prey, 2 Peregrine, Green Woodpecker, pair Great Spotted Woodpeckers at nest hole, 2 Pied Wagtail, Swallow W, 9+ Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, 2+ Chiffchaff, 4+ Goldcrest, Nuthatch (Ian Stewart, Mike Amos)
 * London Wetland Centre: 2cy Iceland Gull, 225 Herring Gull (J.Wilczur); 2 Shelduck - pair, 2 Shoveler - pair, Little Egret, 3+ Common Sandpiper, 1+ Little Ringed Plover, Snipe, 6 Redshank, 3 Common Tern, 14 Swift, f Lesser Redpoll (M.Andrews, M.Caiden, JW)
 * Mudchute: 2 Yellow Wagtail N, 5 Swallow W, 1 Wheatear, 12 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Chiffchaff; later 1 Garden Warbler, 7 Greenfinch (Nick Senior)
 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir: 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Swift, 2 House Martin (Rich Petley)
 * Otford: ORIENTAL TURTLE DOVE still early am. (Dominic Mitchell et al via BirdGuides - photo here) and again late afternoon (BirdGuides)
 * Oxleas Wood: Green Woodpecker, 2 Kestrel [pair mating], Sparrowhawk, Hobby, Garden Warbler, 2 Blackcap [m/fm], Chiffchaff, Firecrest, Swallow, Goldfinch, 2 Stock Dove [pair], Nuthatch (Ron Turner)
 * Pinner (HA5): 2 Swallow over (north-west at 16:59 & west at 18:46), 2 Swift, 2 Jackdaw north, singing Goldcrest, 4 Goldfinch; Also male Orange-tip, male Brimstone & 2 Holly Blue butterflies (Jon Ridge).
 * Rainham Marshes: 3 Cetti's Warblers (excellent views of one in the bushes by the main car-park), 1-2 Hobbys (landfill), Cuckoo (woodland), 5 Wheatears (landfill), Buzzard, Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Sedge Warblers, 4 Reed Warblers, 2 Blackcaps, 14 Whitethroats, Chiffchaff (making 7 species of warbler I saw here today), 2 Dunlin, 3 Little Egrets, Red-legged Partridge, Oystercatcher (in Aveley Bay), 3 Swallows, 5 Reed Buntings, 3-4 Grey Herons, Wigeon, 9 Pochard, 30+ Shelduck, around 20 Redshank, 3 Snipe, around half a dozen Linnets, 10 Skylarks, 40+ Lapwings (Alan Hobson).
 * Rainham Marshes West: Wryneck still early am. (BirdGuides)
 * Sevenoaks KWT: Shelduck, pair Teal, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 6 Lapwing, Greenshank, 4+ Swift, 50+ Sand Martin, 20+ House Martin, 20+ Swallow, 5+ Garden Warbler, 10+ Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff, 4 Goldcrest, Nuthatch, 4 Treecreeper, Reed Bunting (Ian Stewart)
 * Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): 2 Hobby over, Buzzard E, Sparrowhawk, 5+ Swift, 2 Peregrines, 4+ Swallow, 3+ House Martin, singing Blackcap (Ian Stewart)
 * Staines Moor: 3 Cetti's Warbler, 20+ Whitethroats, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 30 Blackcaps, 10 Chiffchaffs, 3 Sedge Warblers, 1 Reed Warbler (all singing), 2 Pheasant (m), 2 Hobby - one catching dragonflies, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, 4 Kestrels, 3 Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 10 Sand Martin, 20+ House Martins, 50+ Swift - in a huge spiral above the reservoir, 20+ Swallows, Linnets, Meadow Pipits, Skylark, 3 Little Egrets, 4 Reed Bunting, 4 Redshank (Nick B).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: (East Reservoir now known as Woodberry Wetlands is fully open to the public from today) Common Sandpiper, 2 Shelduck, displaying pair of Great Crested Grebes, Whitethroat, Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers, Cetti's Warblers, Reed Buntings, Grey Wagtail, 3 Swift (Chris Farthing)
 * Stratford, Olympic Park: Sedge Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 8 Reed Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, 11 Common Whitethroat, Peregrine over, 10 Blackcap (Stuart Fisher)
 * Ten Acre Wood area: 2 Pheasant m f, Kestrel, 8 Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, 8 Stock Dove, Swift, 6 Skylark, 3 Swallow (pr sat by stables where they usually breed), Meadow Pipit, 14 Whitethroat, 4 singing Lesser Whitethroat, 8 Blackcap, Sedge Warbler, 4 singing Chiffchaff, c5 Rooks back & forth (1 carrying food in throat headed south over wood so not headed for Ickenham rookery), 6 Reed Bunting (Neil Anderson/G. Westley)
 * Thorney C.P.: 6 Common Terns on Raft, Cetti's Warbler. (Sue Giddens)
 * Tooting common: 2 swift circling over the common (Will Rose)
 * Totteridge Valley: 2 Linnet on ground, Rook, 2 Swift over (Ian Ellis)
 * Tufnell Park: 6 Swift, 2 Swallow over the Tube (F Tusa)
 * Victoria Park: 2 Sparrowhawk m f, pair Little Grebe, pair Great Crested Grebe, 7 Red-crested Pochard, 2 Grey Wagtails, Chiffchaff, Swift and 12 Mistle Thrush. 39 species total (Harry Harrison)
 * Walthamstow - Wildmarsh East: Grasshopper Warbler still singing very enthusiastically this evening, thanks to ProfW on Twitter for directions (Andrew McCafferty) Recording here
 * Wandsworth Common: Wheatear, 3 Swift, Swallow, 8 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff (Nick Rutter)
 * Wanstead Park: Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Greylag Goose, pair Gadwall (Ian Ellis)
 * Yeading Brook meadows: 2 Little Egret, 3 Swift, 3 Skylark (2 singing), 5 Whitethroat, 2 singing Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap (Neil Anderson)

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

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