LatestNews

Please list sightings in alphabetical order by site. Only report sightings that are of wider interest, rather than listing all common birds. However, DO NOT post details of nesting by scarce breeding birds (those included in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended). Any such reports will be removed. Please submit them instead to the appropriate London Natural History Society bird recorder. ''Note that records submitted here may be added to the LNHS database for use in the London Bird Report; by posting news here you agree to have your records copied by the LNHS recorder. Further information HERE.''

Wednesday 8th August 2012

 * Alexandra Park: 1 Wood Warbler (near the middle platform at 5.55 p.m.), 1 Common Sandpiper (on New River) (James Palmer).
 * Bankside SE1: 5 Willow Warbler in the birches at west end of Tate Modern (Simon Fogg).
 * Blackheath: 1 Willow warbler (James Lowen)
 * Brent Reservoir: 3 Green Sands, 9 Common Sands, 3 Lapwing, 12 Chiffchaffs & 11 Willow Warblers (Brent Birders)
 * Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Sparrowhawk, Coal Tit, 2 Chiffchaff (Conrad Ellam)
 * Crayford Marshes: Wheatear, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Green Sandpiper, 11 Common Sandpiper, Little Owl, Corn Bunting, Hobby, 14 Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Willow Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, 3 juvenile Sedge Warbler, 17 Dunlin. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Crossness: Bearded Tit again in protected area but very elusive (Steve Carter per JA).
 * Ewell (Hogsmill Open Space): 4 Stock Dove, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Beautiful Demoiselle, pair of Common Darter mating and egg laying (Neil Batten).
 * Hampstead Heath; 20 Mistle Thrush feeding on athletic track.07:30.(Allan Stewart).
 * Hampstead (Flask Walk, NW3): Willow Warbler feeding and calling in birch. Very unusual here (Sash Tusa).
 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir: 1 Chiffchaff, 1f Blackcap, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Egyptian Goose, 2 juv Pochard still (Rich Petley) small Tit flock including 3 Goldcrest and 4 Long-tailed Tit, juv Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff & Blackcap; also 7 Teal and 20 House Martin @ 9am (M Bournat) In addition, f Sparrowhawk over eastern reedbed at 12:40, and at least 7 terrapins basking in warmth, including a very young one probably hatched this spring (Matt Reed). Apparently they don't breed in UK yet it's too cold, so it could be a new "throw in" - ?(Michael Mac). Nests have apparently been found in the UK and I suspect that they do breed at this site in particular, although I have no proof, as I have also seen very small specimens there, often several at once. The warmer micro-climate in London may have an influence (Martin Honey). This is v interesting as at least one herp expert i chatted to was adamant that terrapins cannot breed here due to climate. What sp terrapin - red-necked slider? (James Lowen)
 * Lee Valley: Wood Sandpiper still at Cornmill Meadows for 5th day (Birdguides).
 * Regent's Park: 1 Garden Warbler, 8 Willow Warbler, 1 Common Whitethroat, 2 Reed Warbler (summer residents, at NW end of area-5 reed bed), 1 Chiffchaff (the last of the dwindling summer residents, calling from its territory in the grounds of The Holme, area 10 at 08:15), 135 Black-headed Gull (one juvenile; some of the local mob have flown the coop, at least temporarily, now that half of the moored rowing-boats they roosted on have been removed to clean off the 'whitewash'), 7 House Martin, 1 Swift (birdman_euston).
 * Richmond Park (Pen Ponds): 2 Common Tern, 2 Little Owl (1 adult, 1 owlet in oaks by car park). 4 Willow Warbler in large 50+ tit flock by car park (Billy Dykes).
 * Snaresbrook Crown Court and Eagle Pond: 4 Crossbill in Norway Spruce before heading west (mid morning), Willow Warbler calling, juv Sparrowhawk, fem/imm Kestrel, Coal Tit, 3 Brown Hawker, Southern Hawker, 5 Common Darter, 40+ Red eyed Damselfly, 100+ Common Blue Damselfly (Stuart Fisher).
 * Stepney: 3 House Martins Cable Street 3pm (Bob Watts).
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: Sedge Warbler in bullrushes Scrapyard Meadow pond (my 2nd record both at this site), Southern Hawker (Bob Watts).
 * Wanstead Flats: 2 Spotted Flycatcher - Long Wood (Dan Hennessy/Tony Brown), Sedge Warbler (TB), 2 Garden Warbler, 20 + Chiffchaff, 20 + Common Whitethroat, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 3+ Willow Warbler, 3 Swallow, 10 + House Martin, 20 + Swift, 14 Mistle Thrush, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, 6 Meadow Pipit, Kestrel (Dan Hennessy/Tony Brown/Jonathan Lethbridge/Steve Thorpe/Nick Croft).
 * Whitechapel; 2 Swift west 1030 (Bob Watts).

Tuesday 7th August 2012

 * Bexleyheath - Red kite circling over Horsham Road garden for a couple of minutes at 1.30pm
 * Brent Reservoir: 2 Green Sandpipers, 10 Common Sandpipers, 2 Lapwing & 13 Chiffchaffs (Andrew Self)
 * Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Coal Tit, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff (Conrad Ellam)
 * Canada Water (Opposite Library) Reed Warbler
 * Chiswick Pier: Pochard pair with 4 75% grown youngsters (unlikely to be the Lonsdale Rd birds despite the close proximity) (Matt Reed)
 * Crayford Marshes: 2 Whimbrel, 16 Yellow-legged Gull, Black-tailed Godwit, Corn Bunting, 8 Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 14 Dunlin, 5 Ringed Plover, 5 Little Egret. (Kev Jarvis, Phil Cliffe).
 * East India Dock Basin: Willow Warbler, Swift, 1+ House Martin, 2+ Sand Martins (John Archer).
 * Ewell Village (Bourne Hall): 1 Cormorant, 25 Black-headed Gull, new brood of 3-4 tufted duck chicks on lake (Neil Batten).
 * Regent's Park: 1 Pied Flycatcher (in dead elm thicket in middle of Cricket Pen, area 31 at 07:35, not seen again by the time I left at 09:30; probably the same bird as yesterday but two brief views in quick succession were insufficient to confirm this), 8 Little Grebe (three adults feeding five young; three successful pairs this year, with a total of seven young currently being fed), 2 Garden Warbler, 1 Common Whitethroat, 7+ Willow Warbler (one singing), 3+ Chiffchaff, 5 House Martin (birdman_euston). I paid a brief lunchtime visit to the area and found a Spotted Flycatcher with a mixed flock of tits and warblers (mostly willow). This could have been a different bird though. (Andrew Birks) Nice one, Andrew. If anything, the PF I saw this morning had more white in the wing than the one yesterday. Birds in the Pen were noticeably more elusive today, sheltering as they were from the local Sparrowhawk, a chill morning breeze - and me! (b_e). I am not suggesting your PF was an SF!(apologies for abbreviations), but that is what I saw, definitely spotty, in the area with a small avenue of Rowans, if that makes sense? Where exactly do you mean by Cricket Pen?(AB) Sorry, Andrew, I didn't realise you were elsewhere than the Cricket Pen, which is marked by the number 31 in this weblink: Regent's Park Bird-Sightings Map. Your rowans, I believe, are in the Old Golf School (number 39 on the map) - historically a favourite haunt of migrant SFs (b_e). I see now, I was in the wrong spot! cheers (AB). Yes, the Cricket Pen is named after the insect, not the sport - a fact I was unaware of until recently myself! (b_e).
 * Purley, Tesco: A stunning little Stock Dove feeding in the lawn near the store entrance. (Charlie L)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: East Warwick, Wheatear (KJMcmanus).
 * Wanstead Flats: Wheatear (first returning bird of the autumn and 2 days later than last year) with 12 Mistle Thrush on playing fields, also singing Willow Warbler (Jonathan Lethbridge)

Monday 6th August 2012

 * Alexandra Park: Honey Buzzard low SE over Top Field pursued by LBB Gull 16.47, 2 Green Sand N 1752, 2 Willow Warblers in mixed tit flock alongside Wood Green Res, 80+ Swifts (Bob Watts).
 * Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Chiffchaff (Conrad Ellam)
 * Crystal Palace Park - Stage Pond: 1 Swift, f Mallard 12 1wk ducklings. Boating Lake - 1 Great-crested Grebe carrying 1 chick, f Mallard 3 ducklings, 4 Brood of Moorhen, 2 Green Woodpecker - blackberries also late (Michael Mac).
 * Lee Valley: Wood Sandpiper still at Cornmill Meadows for 3rd day, thanks for the find john. (Rich Stead).
 * Crayford Marshes: 3 Whimbrel, 10 Little Egret, 6 Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper, Willow Warbler, 7 Common Sandpiper, 11 Dunlin. (Kev Jarvis).
 * East India Dock Basin area: Oystercatcher, 4 Common Sandpiper (Bow Creek), 1 Swift, 3 Sand Martin, Great-spotted Woodpecker, 2 Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff. 2 Jersey Tiger Moths (Eco Park). (Gary A James).
 * Grand Union Canal: (Uxbridge Rd - Hayes & Harlington station) eclipse Mandarin, Mute Swan on nest and a seperate pair with 6 cygnets, Mallard brood, Moorhen brood and another nest building, 8 Canada Goose (Matt Reed)
 * Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: Crossbill over early morning, Hobby, Common Sandpiper somewhere on Eagle Pond, 2 juv Swallows south west, Sparrowhawk, 6+ Chiffchaff, Grey Heron, Mistle Thrush, 8+ Swift (S Fisher)
 * London WWT: Cetti's Warbler, 4 Black-tailed Godwit (M Bournat), Peregrine (Steven Robinson).
 * Lonsdale Road barnes; 7 teal, 2 Shoveler, 2 juv Pochard 4 Juv Tufted duck, Familys of Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, and Reed Wablers, 2 Pied Wagtail;(john gordon) 10 House Martin and 1 Swift at 9am (M Bournat)
 * North Finchley: at least 3 Swift over house during day (John Colmans)
 * Regent's Park: 1 adult (middle tertials with narrow though unworn, clean white feather-edgings of even width - it was a very accommodating bird!) female (no forehead spots; no contrast in light sooty colouration of inner v outer tail feathers and upper tail coverts) Pied Flycatcher (in silver birches at NE end of Cricket Pen, area 31 at 09:25; found with the only flock of warblers I saw all morning), 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Common Whitethroat, 1 Reed Warbler, 6 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 13 House Martin, 5 juv Black-headed Gull with the usual mob of 150+ adults (birdman_euston).
 * Richmond Park: 7 Common Terns plus 2 juveniles(pics at www.regentsparkbirds.blogspot.com) 10 Swifts, 5 Grey Wagtails (Tony Duckett).
 * South Norwood Lake: pair Great Crested Grebe with 1 young, 18 Tufted Duck + total of 27 young from 6 broods, Mallard with late brood of 6, 2 Cormorant,1 Swift S/E, 3 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, pair Bullfinch (rare at this site) (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
 * Totteridge Valley: Sparrowhawk: 3 Swift: House Martin: Swallow: 4 Mistle Thrush: many Chiffchaff (John Colmans)
 * Wanstead Flats: Common Sandpiper, Little Egret, Grey Heron, 9 Mistle Thrush, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Sparrowhawk, House Martin, 6 Swift (Nick Croft/Jonathan Lethbridge)
 * Wanstead Park: 3 + Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler, Grey Wagtail, 5 Great-crested Grebe, 4 Sand Martin, House Martin, 20 + Swift, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel (Nick Croft)
 * Willowtree Marina: Mute Swan on nest, Mallard brood (nature area), 2 Coot broods (1 in nature area), Reed Warbler (nature area), Grey Heron, 10 Lesser Black-Backed Gull (both in nearby flooded paddock) (Matt Reed).

Sunday 5th August 2012

 * Alexandra Park: 30+ Swift, House Martin, 2 Common Terns, some large mixed tit flocks containing Nuthatch but very few warblers, just 1 Chiffchaff and a few Blackcaps, also new Mallard brrod of 5 ducklings Boating Lake, Southern Hawker Nuclear Bunker (Bob Watts).
 * Barking Bay: 14 Swift, 2 Common Tern, 19 Black-tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper, 2 Ringed Plover, 4 Oystercatchers and Ruddy Shelduck Hybrid. Also pair of adult Great Black-backed Gulls with juvenile that most certainly came from Lesser/Herring colony 1/4 mile upriver (Dave Morrison).
 * Battersea Park Lake: 3 Swifts feeding at dusk, f Pochard +1 young, pr Great Crested Grebe appear to have failed, Mallard 5 small young, 50 Cormorants starting to use roost again, pr ringed Egyptian Geese (Michael Mac).
 * Brent Reservoir: 9 Common Sands, 2 Green Sands, 3 Lapwing, juv Shelduck, Greylag Goose 3 Willow Warblers (Andrew Self & Andrew Verrall)
 * Brookmill Park: Mandarin, juvenile Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam).
 * Crossness: 2 Garden Warblers (first site records for the year), 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 30+ Swifts, Black-tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpipers, 14 Lapwings, juv Yellow-legged Gull, hybrid Ruddy x Common Shelduck (John Archer).
 * Dagenham Chase LNR: 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2-3 Bullfinch, 2 Shoveler, 1 Common Tern, 50+ Black-headed Gull, a few Swifts and 1 Swallow. ( V.Halley-Frame & Steve Drake ). Coal Tit at far end of reserve by YMCA in a private garden. ( V.Wakeling per VHF ).
 * Gallions Reach: Red Kite NW 10.40, 12 Common Sandpiper, 4 Lapwings, 1 ad Mediterranean Gull, 140 Common Terns, 270 Swift, 23 Sand Martins, 3 Swallows, 3 Meadow Pipits (Gary A James & Nick Tanner).
 * Hampstead Heath: 2 Willow Warblers early morning (Pete Mantle). At least 4 Chiffchaff & 2 ad & at least 2 juv Reed Warbler, Highgate 1 pond; 1 Shoveler, Sanctuary Pond; Kingfisher, Hampstead 1 Pond (Frank Nugent).
 * High Barnet: Herring Gull being pursued by Red Kite over the Hospital at 8.00pm.(seen from my garden - Kite a garden tick for me) Geoff Crabtree.
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 13 Teal, 14 Shoveler, 8 Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, 1 Kingfisher, 8 Cetti's Warbler (Adam Salmon). A further 9 Black-tailed Godwit there this evening (Martin Honey).
 * Lee Valley: Wood Sandpiper still at Cornmill Meadows for 2nd day (Birdguides).
 * Minet CP (Hayes): Little Egret feeding in brook, 2 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 2+ Whitethroat families, c10 Linnet (Neil Anderson)
 * North Finchley: c20 Swift moving S around 20.45 (John Colmans).
 * Regent's Park: 1 ad Lesser Whitethroat (W end of Cricket Pen, area 31 at 09:20; Park's first of 'autumn' migration), 1 juv Common Whitethroat (location same as for LW above), 2 Garden Warbler (adult in Leaf Yard Wood, area 41 at 08:20 - greyish cast to plumage and not noticeably buffy below; another bird in Cricket Pen fide Tony Duckett), 4+ Willow Warbler, 6 Chiffchaff, 2 Common Tern (adult feeding juvenile). Calm morning - after brisk S winds so far this month (birdman_euston).
 * Ten Acre Wood area: - Where is Ten Acre Wood??? Hobby, 23 Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover successfully bred, Skylark, 2 Treecreeper, m Reed Bunting, 11 Linnets (Neil Anderson)
 * Totteridge Valley: fem Sparrowhawk, 20+ Pied Wagtail, 30+ Swallow, 21 House Martin, 10+ Swift, 30+ Goldfinch, 4 Bullfinch (Ian Ellis).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: 20+ Common Sandpiper, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat (KJMcmanus).
 * West Molesey: Common Sandpiper over my garden in Hurst Road, calling at 07.30 (Adam Cheeseman).
 * Yeading Brook: Pheasant heard, f Kestrel, Sparrowhawk juv heard +then both parents + 1 juv in air, 2 Swift, Skylark, 6+ Meadow Pipits, Willow Warbler, Bullfinch (Neil Anderson).

Saturday 4th August 2012

 * Alexandra Park: Common Tern, 35+ Swifts, new Mallard brood of 8 ducklings New River (Bob Watts).
 * Brent Reservoir: 11 Common Sands, 3 Lapwing, 5 Wilow Warblers, juv Shelduck & c150 Swift (Brent Birders)
 * Bromley-by-Bow (Abbey Creek): Common Sandpiper, 5 Swift over (Stuart Fisher)
 * East Dulwich (Dunstans Road, Back Garden): 2 Hobby over together (1 with prey) in direction of Dulwich Wood (Martin Stevens).
 * Fulham Reach (Thames 8/8.40): 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Swift heading West, 1 juv Lesser Black-backed Gull with parent (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Horsenden Hill: 5 Crossbill E/SE at 10.10. Also apparently 2 Sparrowhawk broods and Small Red-eyed Damselfly (Andy Culshaw).
 * Hyde Park/Serpentine: 1 very nervous Coot took flight as I watched start of Olympic Triathlon on TV - as I have contributed to the BTO NRS Scheme for last 5 years - I just wonder what damage has been done by the Olympics being held in Hyde Park/Serpentine. They started actual games today and no birds seen in usual nesting areas from what shown on TV! So wonder what impact it's had? Just a thought?(Michael Mac).
 * King George V Res: 50+ Common Sandpiper ( 1 flock of 18 birds flew south together), large flock of House Martins drifted South,10 Sand Martin, 50+ Swifts (Tony Clancy)
 * Lee Valley: Wood Sandpiper (adult), 2 Green Sandpiper & 15 Lapwing at Cornmill meadows, Also 4 Green Sandpipers & 3 Little Egrets at Hall Marsh scrape (J.Murray & Snr).
 * London Wetland Centre: 1 (mainly) summer plumage Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2+1 Common Tern flying SW, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, c.20 Swift, c.12 Sand Martin, lots of Reed Warbler, 1/2 Chiffchaff, 2 Cetti's Warbler plus Peregrine seen (Martin Honey).
 * Rainham Marshes area: Marsh Harrier, 2 juvenile Cuckoo, summer plumaged Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Whimbrel, 3 Common Sandpiper, 5 Oystercatcher, 10+ Yellow-legged Gull, 10 Swift (Stuart Fisher).
 * Stoneleigh (Broadway, Cuddington Rec. Shadbolt Park & Auriol Park): 101 Common Swift west in 2 1/2 hours, 17 Herring Gull, 7 Black Headed Gull, 3 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 32 Ring Necked Parakeet, female Kestrel, Chiffchaff and Blackcap (Neil Batten)

Friday 3rd August 2012

 * Alexandra Park: Swift, Common Tern 0630 (Bob Watts).
 * Olympic Park - Greenway Entrance - 1 Swallow enjoying the insects over the planted wallflower beds (jo East)
 * Brent Reservoir: 7 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Lapwing, juv Shelduck (Brent Birders)'
 * Catford SE6 River Pool: 4 Sparrowhawks, 2 young 2 adults, great views (Terry Wilson).
 * Crayford Marshes: female Garganey flew along the creek, then flew over to University Way; Whimbrel, 22 Yellow-legged Gull, Green Sandpiper, 3 Greenshank, 12 Common Sandpiper, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 juvenile Sedge Warbler, Corn Bunting, 16 Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plover, 3 Little Egret (Kev Jarvis).
 * Ewell Village (Lower Mill): 4 Common Swift (Neil Batten).
 * Leyton, Marsh Lane: f Crossbill flew West @ 13:10 (Paul Whiteman) Yay House/patch tick!
 * Little Britain Lake: Kingfisher, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff, Grey Heron, Swallow, 2 Swift, 8+ Greylag, not a good sight coot strangled by fishing line hanging on from a bush (Sue Giddens).
 * Mile End: 4+ Swift west 11am (Bob Watts).
 * Greenwich Peninsular Ecology Park: 2 Little Grebe with four young, Common Tern feeding chick, 1 Water Rail calling, 1 Reed Warbler, 150+ Black-headed Gull on foreshore, 1 Swift. Also 2 Red-eyed Damselfly (Ben Green).
 * Regent's Park: 2 juv Garden Warbler, 1 juv Common Whitethroat (both in Cricket Pen, area 31), 1 juv male Kestrel (Wetland Pen, area 32), 135 Black-headed Gull (only one juv), 9 House Martin, 5 Swift, 3 summer-resident Chiffchaffs calling, 2 Willow Warbler calling. Little obvious passerine migration observed in the Park during brisk S winds of the last few days, except for a few Willow Warblers moving through and out (birdman_euston).
 * South Kensington: Peregrine over Queen's Gate Gardens at roof-top level heading NE at 18.30 (Martin Honey).
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: 6+ Swifts 1245 (Bob Watts).
 * Tyttenhanger GP: Little Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Buzzard (Steve Blake).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: (Lockwood) Crossbill, Redshank, Hobby (K. J. Mcmanus).
 * Wanstead Flats: 14+ House Martin, 30 + Swift, 20 + Chiffchaff, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 10 + Common Whitethroat, 3 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk (male + juv), Grey Heron, Little Grebe, 8 Meadow Pipit, 1 Skylark (NickCroft/Steve Thorpe).
 * Woodside Park N12: four Sand Martin flew south over Westbury Road gardens (garden tick :) at 10:30. (Ian Ellis).

Thursday 2nd August 2012

 * Alexandra Park: 16 Swifts, 2 Common Terns (Bob Watts).
 * Brent Reservoir: Little Egret, 2 Green Sandpiper, 6 Common Sandpiper, 2 Lapwing (Andrew Self).
 * Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Kingfisher, Stock Dove, Coal Tit, Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap (Conrad Ellam) + first Jersey Tiger Moth of the year.
 * Catford SE6 (River Pool): Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, 3 Sparrowhawk 2 young, 5 Swifts, Jersey Tiger (terry Wilson)
 * Chiswick House: 1 Black-headed Gull, 3 Coot broods (including a tiny chick and an almost full size juv sharing a nest) & 2 more nests, 2 Grey Heron, 8 Mute Swan (2 adults, 6 cygnets), 6 Tufted Duck (Matt Reed).
 * Crayford Marshes: 36 Yellow-legged Gull, Whimbrel, 4 Greenshank, 2 Green Sandpiper, 10 Common Sandpiper, 4 Corn Bunting, 19 Dunlin. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Crossness: 2 Black-tailed Godwits on flooded paddock, 8 Common Sandpipers, 1 Common Tern (the cooling water outflow from Barking Power Station, which is in the middle of the river off the golf centre, has been modified this year and no longer attracts large feeding flocks of gulls and terns), 1 Lesser Whitethroat (John Archer)
 * Dartford Crossing (M25): Group of 9 ducks (Shoveler-sized) bobbing on the high tide beneath the QE2 Bridge on the Essex side, black heads and white fronts/breast, poss sawbilled. Did anyone else see these? What were they? (Geoff Crabtree). Juvenile Sheld-duck (Tony Clancy). Thanks, Tony --GC.
 * East Finchley Allotment: Willow Warbler 11am ish (Dawn Painter)
 * Galllions Reach: 1 Turnstone, 1 Ringed Plover, 4 Redshanks, 10 lapwing, 8 Common Sandpiper, 4 Oystercatcher, 1 Common Tern, 11 Swift, Chiffchaff. (Gary A James).
 * Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park: Common Tern pair with 1 young, Coot and Moorhen broods, Little Grebe with 1 young. Also Red-eyed Damselfies, Brown Hawkers. Jersy Tiger just outside park (Joe Beale)
 * Hampstead Heath: 3 Crossbills SW at 0725, 2 Linnets over, 50 Swifts circling over fairground site, Kingfisher at Ham.1 ( Pete Mantle)
 * Hanwell W7: 12+ Swift hawking overhead my garden which is hardly a record number but better than the 2 I usually see each evening, Hobby drifted West around 19:30 (Rob Mills)
 * Heathrow Airport: 2 Black Redstart (m, juv) this juv appeared to be developing white wing patches so presumably m? If you are reading this and are the person(s) that entered the gates at the end of Exeter Road into the Babcock compound early this morning to look for the Black Redstart and a friend(s) of the gent I watched wandering the car park until asked to leave please do consider Heathrow is a highly security conscious area (Rob Mills). So much for high security!
 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir: fem Pochard with 2 juv, 2 Blackcap, 2 Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff, Teal (juv), Grey Wagtail (juv) (M Bournat)
 * New Cross: Hobby seen from train just NW of New Cross Station at 1803hrs (Rob Innes).
 * Pinner, Ruislip Woods & Haste Hill Golf course. Nine miles at sub 8 min mile pace this morning, 5 miles later. Saw a few dogs en route and also saw the Ruislip lido and plenty of litter. Totally irrelevant in keeping with yesterdays post about fish in a pond (Richard Francis UK ranked runner and birder) Did actually come across a flock of 21 Mistle Thrushes on the golf course.
 * Southmere Lake, Thamesmead: 2 Egyptian Geese (John Archer).
 * Stoneleigh Broadway: Probable flock of 7 Crossbills flew low west over at 08.20 heading towards Ewell Court. Not viewed through optics and only present for say, 20 seconds, but the flight call sounded very good for this species (although I haven't seen or heard a crossbill for a long time. Apologies) (Neil Batten).
 * Totteridge Valley: 2 Common Buzzards, one a juvenile, together on dead tree, Sparrowhawk, male Kestrel, 2 Swift, 4 Swallow, fem Mandarin with one duckling o Darlands Lake, 1 Common Gull (John Colmans).
 * Wanstead Flats: Singing Willow Warbler (+2 others), 3 Lesser Whitethroat, Tufted Duck with 7 chicks (Alex), f Shoveler, 2 Egyptian Goose, 10+ Swift, 4 House Martin, Kestrel (Nick Croft/Dan Hennessy)
 * Wanstead Park: Spotted Flycatcher, Nuthatch, Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Sparrowhawk with 2 juv birds, Kestrel, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Common Tern, 5 Sand Martin, 3 Great-crested Grebe (Nick Croft) Common Sandpiper, Heronry (Dan Hennessy) Friday: 2 Crossbill over garden (J Lethbridge)

Wednesday 1st August 2012

 * Brent Reservoir: 3 Green Sandpiper, 8 Common Sandpiper, 3 Lapwing, c130 Swifts (Brent Birders).
 * Canons Farm: Oystercatcher flew NE and Sedge Warbler near farmhouse (both 1st site records), fem Peregrine (David Campbell).
 * Crayford Marshes: Whimbrel, 3 Greenshank, 18 Yellow-legged Gull, 6 Oystercatcher, 11 Common Sandpiper, Little Owl, Peregrine, 2 Corn Bunting, 22 Dunlin. (Kev Jarvis).
 * Dalston: Swifts still around (Jon Agar).
 * East India Dock Basin: 15+ Swifts SW at 12:45, 1 Sand Martin, just 1 Tufted Duck, House Sparrow over East India DLR station this morning (John Archer).
 * Ewell Village (Bourne Hall): 1 Cormorant, 8 Black-headed Gull (Neil Batten). p.s. persons unknown appear to be dumping ornamental fish into the Hogsmill between Bourne Hall and the Lower Mill. Species include Koi, Common and Mirror Carp, Chub, and most bizarrely a small Sturgeon. There is also a Red-eared Terrapin at the Lower Mill. This is a widespread problem, We had Lavender Pond local nature reserve drained and the fish were removed. A local came over and boasted that him and his mates were going to restock the pond so that they could continue to fish there. Sure enough, the next day another local was seen tipping a bucket of fish in to the pond (Conrad Ellam) 
 * Gallions Reach retail park, Beckton: 3 Peregrines over together (Lol Bodini).
 * Me Cemeteryargravin: Hobby over east at 5pm (M Bournat)
 * Marylebone (Balcombe Street): 2 House Martins in flight and only saw 1 nest in brief visit to the area (Michael Mac).
 * North Finchley: c9 Swifts this am (John Colmans).
 * Osterley Park: 8 Swifts, 8 Egyptian Geese (inc 3 juv), Pochard, Common Tern, 2 Coal Tit, 2 Goldcrest, 8 Mandarin, Little Owl. 44 species in total (M Bournat)
 * Thorney CP: Green Woodpecker, Grey Heron, 2 Common Terns, Jay, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, 2 Swallows, Song Thrush, 2 Collared Doves, 2 Dunnocks, Greenfinch, 2 Swifts, Herring Gull.(Sue Giddens)
 * Tyttenhanger GP: 3 Green Sandpiper (Steve Blake)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Whimbrel south over Lockwood Reservoir calling (KJMcmanus).
 * West Thurrock Marshes: 14 Common Terns up river, 11 Oystercatchers, Little Egret and 8 Swifts (Dave Morrison).
 * Woolwich (Royal Victoria Gardens): 1 Common Gull (Ben Green)

Archived News
LONDON BIRDING NEWS FROM EVERY PREVIOUS MONTH SINCE NOVEMBER 2005 {C}