LatestNews

By posting news here you agree that your reports may be added to the London Natural History Society database for use in the London Bird Report. A scalable map of the London recording area can be found here.

Please list sightings alphabetically by site, following our standard format to assist automatic compilation of records into the database. Only report sightings of wide interest rather than listing all common birds but 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 LNHS bird recorder.

More London bird news can be found on Twitter by searching for sightings from many different observers using the #londonbirds hashtag or by visiting the London Bird Club page (no Twitter account is necessary for either).

To join the London Bird Club and support our work please visit the LNHS website. The 2011 London Bird Report is now out - to get a copy please click here.

Saturday 8th February 2014

 * Barn Owls: Please support the Barn Owl Trust's anti-poisoning campaign - info & petition here.

Friday 7th February 2014

 * Bow Creek: 4 Redshank, Common Sandpiper (James Palmer).
 * Bushy Park: 34 Gadwall, Water Rail, Woodcock, 8 Meadow Pipits, 50 Redwings, 1f Reed Bunting (Tony Duckett).
 * Crayford Marshes: 6 Corn Bunting, 7 Yellow-legged Gull, Green Sandpiper, fem Peregrine, Kingfisher, Cetti's Warbler, 3 Little Egret (Kev Jarvis).
 * East India Dock Basin: 34 Shelduck, 41 Tufted Duck, Grey Wagtail (James Palmer).
 * Gallions Reach: Kestrel, 26 Redshank, Oystercatcher, Curlew (James Palmer).
 * Grovelands Park, Southgate:  2 Siskin, c30 Redwing, 4 Egyptian Geese (John Colmans).
 * Little Britain Iver/Cowley: 7 Little Egrets, 2 Wren, 2 Buzzards over, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Gull, Song Thrush, 5 Greylags, Kingfisher (Sue Giddens).
 * London Wetland Centre: 1 Golden Plover (flew over during rain 0715 towards the marsh), 1 Bittern (main lake S shore), 1 Caspian Gull 1st winter(resr lagoon) a.m., 3 Redpoll, 16 Redwing, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Shelduck (Adam Salmon); Also 1 Bittern flew to roost on N side main lake from S shore, 5 Snipe, 2 Jack Snipe (Oscar Dewhurst).
 * River Lee CP: Hall Marsh; male Stonechat, 1 Little Egret. Friday Lake; 2 red-head Smew. Seventy Acres Lake; 2 Ravens landed briefly on the pylons in the middle of the lake then flew off west, 1 Water Rail, 1 drake Goosander (Mike Oakland).
 * Mayflower Park Wetland: Water Rail (Bob Smith).
 * Staines Moor: 3+ Skylarks singing, 4 m Reed Bunting, m Kesterel, 1 Little Egret, 30+ Pied Wagtail, 1 Stonechat, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 15 Fieldfare (Thomas Gibson);  Short-eared Owl (from 15.30) (Peter Carlill).
 * Sydenham Hill Wood LNR: Firecrest, 11:30, in holly along top path - Sydenham Hill Wood, not Cox's Walk - when entering from Cox's Walk footbridge and up steps with handrail (Daniel Greenwood).
 * Trent Park Golf Course: Little Egret along Merryhills Brook (Robert Callf).
 * Walthamstow Marshes : 3 Stonechat (pr Bomb Crater/Cow field, f North Marsh) Water Rail by Marina, 50+ Chaffinch, 6 Linnet Back Paddock, 5 Redwing Front Paddock. (Paul Whiteman, Mike Messenger) North Marsh: Pheasant (JW Davies).
 * Waterworks NR: Goldcrest, 2 Snipe, c50 Teal (Paul Whiteman, Mike Messenger).
 * Worcester Park: Little Egret on Beverley Brook (Bob Smith).

Thursday 6th February 2014

 * Beddington Farm: adult Glaucous Gull, juvenile Iceland Gull and 2 Caspian Gulls (adult & 1st-winter), also Shelduck and 2 Egyptian Geese (David Campbell et al) (pics).
 * Brookmill Park: Mandarin drake on R Ravensbourne (John Archer).
 * Crayford Marshes: 1st-w Caspian Gull, Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Yellow-legged Gull 3rd-w, 4 Rock Pipit, Curlew, 2 Green Sandpiper, Kingfisher, 3 Little Egret (Kev Jarvis).
 * East India Dock Basin: 20 Shelduck, 20 Teal, 35 Tufted Duck (John Archer).
 * Ewell Village: Grey Wagtail, 3 Kingfisher, 59 Mallard, 7 Redwing (Neil Batten).
 * Lee Valley, Hooks Marsh: 9 Goosander (Simon Papps).
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Shelduck, Siskin, Brambling, 5 Redpoll, 11 Redwing (Adam Salmon); 330 Canada Goose, 14 Greylag, 3 Shelduck, 53 Egyptian Goose, 2 Pintail, 174 Tufted Duck, 21 Pochard, 2 Mandarin, Bittern, 9 Snipe, Green Sandpiper, 5 Water Rail, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 30 Redwing, 6 Fieldfare, Chiffchaff only glimpsed & no call but appeared to be of an eastern origin (R.Kaye)
 * Lonsdale Road Barnes: Water Rail, Sparrowhawk, Redwing (John Gordon)
 * Lower Morden: Kingfisher on Pyl Brook, 100 Lesser Black-backed Gulls on fields (Bob Smith)
 * Regent's Park: 2+ Grey Heron incubating on Heron_Is area 8 - brief visit (birdman_euston)
 * Sutcliffe Park: Little Egret, Water Rail (Conrad Ellam)
 * Sydenham Hill Wood LNR: Firecrest, 14:30 & c40 Redwing. (Julian Snowdon, Daniel Greenwood).
 * Walton-on-Thames: adult Mediterranean Gull still on Thames at Cowey Sale by Walton Bridge at 10am (Twitter).
 * Wanstead Flats: 7 Skylark 2 singing, 20+ Linnet, 5 Meadow Pipit, Kestrel, 2 Pochard, 14 Mute Swan (Jub) (Nick Croft).
 * Wanstead Park: Water Rail, 10 Gadwall, 6 Tufted Duck (Shoulder of Mutton), Redwing, 4 Stock Dove (Nick Croft).
 * Worcester Park: Little Egret on Beverley Brook (Bob Smith).

Wednesday 5th February 2014

 * Brookmill Park: Little Grebe, Mandarin, Kestrel, 2 Redwing (Conrad Ellam)
 * Crayford Marshes: adult Caspian Gull, 4 Yellow-legged Gull (2ad 3rd-w 1st-w), Corn Bunting, male Peregrine, Curlew, Green Sandpiper, 2 Rock Pipit, c450 Dunlin (Kev Jarvis)
 * East India Dock Basin: 21 Shelduck, 12 Teal, 39 Tufted Duck (John Archer).
 * Foots Cray Meadows: Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk, 3 Little Grebe, 20 Tufted Duck, 2 Mute Swan, 200+ Black-headed Gull, 10 Redwing (Andy Meaton)
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Shelduck, 91 Teal, 59 Wigeon, 2 Pintail, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, 5 Snipe, 8 Redpoll (WWT website); Brambling (C.Beazley)
 * Middlesex Filter Beds: Firecrest in Bed1b/Bed2 c1015 (DJP Miller)
 * Richmond Park: 4 Grey Heron - 2 pairs nesting upper pen pond island (one pair started nesting there last year) (J.Wilczur).
 * Staines Moor: 4 Water Pipit, 2 Goosander, 50 Pied Wagtail, 4 Little Egret, Reed Bunting, Linnet, 10+ Meadow Pipit (Twitter)
 * Walton-on-Thames: 2 Mediterranean Gull (ad & 2cy - both attaining hoods) showing very well & coming to bread on Thames just south of Walton Bridge 0830-0940 (park in Cowey Sale car park on Walton Ln on Walton side of river) - Meds also getting onto flooded field across river at Thames Meadow where watched displaying amongst 1500 Black-headed Gulls (park on Walton Ln on Shepperton side of river & walk south to Thames Meadow to view - note Thames Meadow is a private road so please view from entrance) (Lee Dingain).
 * Wanstead Flats: 45 Linnet, 5 Skylark, Little Owl (Josh Selfe)
 * Wanstead Park: Bullfinch, Chiffchaff, 15+ Redwing chased by Sparrowhawk (Josh Selfe)

Tuesday 4th February 2014

 * Alexandra Park: 16+ Shoveler Wood Green Res, 2 Common Teal pr Tunnel Res 7am (Bob Watts).
 * Battersea Park Lake: 2 Peregrine on gasometer (1 buzzed a crow by cafe & later male after 2 finches within inches over lake), Grey Heron nests seem down to about 27, 130 Cormorants (with more coming in all the time), 3+ Gadwall, 3+ Shoveler (Michael Mac).
 * Bushy Park: Common Buzzard, 2 Water Rails, Kingfisher, 80+ Redwings, 3 Lesser Redpoll, 26 Siskins, 3 Reed Buntings (Tony Duckett).
 * Cranford CP: Kestrel, Nuthatch, 4 Redwing, Little Grebe, 2 Goldfinch, Dunnock, Greenfinch (Sue Giddens)
 * Harmondsworth Moor: Bateman's Orchard - sub-singing Cetti's Warbler (Adam Cheeseman)
 * Hayes UB4 (Uxbridge Rd): Rook feeding on grass verge (Neil Anderson)
 * Lewisham SE13 (Ladywell Rd): f Sparrowhawk S 10:30 (Patrick English).
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Bittern, 2 Shelduck, 2 Pintail, 190 Tufted Duck, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 54 Lapwing, c20 Redwing N, Brambling, Siskin (WWT website)
 * Regent's Park: 2 Kestrel pr mating Wetland Pen area 32 - 2mos earlier than last yr (birdman_euston)
 * Staines Moor: Short-eared Owl 16:40, Water Pipit, 3 Little Egrets (Surrey Birders)
 * Stoney Wood Lake: Mandarin, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk, Reeves’s Muntjac (Andrew Haynes).
 * Sutcliffe Park: Little Egret, 2 Common Snipe, Water Rail, 2 Chiffchaff, 5 Lesser Redpoll (P Kite).
 * Tyttenhanger GP: Green Sandpiper, c60 Lapwing, 8 Tree Sparrow, Chiffchaff, 2 Bullfinch, 3+ Buzzard, Red Kite (Steve Blake/Alan Gardiner)
 * Wanstead Flats: Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipit, 10+ Redwing, 7 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft)
 * Wanstead Park: Kingfisher, Little Grebe, 16 Pochard, 5 Shoveler, 25 Gadwall, 26 Mute Swan, Redpoll sp, 25+ Redwing (Nick Croft)
 * Wimbledon Common: Firecrest just north of Queensmere 11.50 (Peter Carlill)

Monday 3rd February 2014

 * Brent Reservoir: 45 Pochard, female Scaup/Tufted hybrid still present, 34 Common Snipe, 3 Lapwing, 2 Water Rail, Kingfisher (Roy Beddard, Steve Blake)
 * Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Kingfisher, 7 Redwing (Conrad Ellam)
 * Clapham: purposeful flock of 25+ Lapwing SW over Clapham High St 0800 (Mark H).
 * East India Dock Basin/Bow Creek: 13 Shelduck, 56 Teal, 29 Tufted Duck, Common Sandpiper, 2 Redshank, Cormorant - the Estonian-ringed bird still present (John Archer).
 * Holland Park: Northern Long-tailed Tit reported yesterday (Birdguides). No doubt more info would be very much appreciated by many! [BD]. Bill Haines reported 2 probable europaeus hybrids he ringed here in late 2013 no doubt one of them being this bird. But Northern race is nominate ssp caudatus [b_e]. Is it possible that Birdguides just relayed the forum message about this bird ? [dt]
 * Islington N1 (Mildmay Grove N): 2 Redwing 9.00 (Jon Agar)
 * Lee Valley, Friday Lake: 2-3 Smew (Simon Papps)
 * Lee Valley, Hall Marsh: 20+ Shoveler, 20+ Gadwall, 18 Wigeon, 150+ Golden Plover high N, 100+ Lapwing, Kingfisher, Treecreeper, male Stonechat, 2 Siskin (Simon Papps)
 * Lee Valley Riding Centre: 9 Blackbird, Fieldfare, 21 Redwing, 5 Mistle Thrush, Chaffinch, 15 Magpie (Daniel Whitelegg); Kestrel on roof of entrance (Sue Barry)
 * London Wetland Centre: Brambling, 9 Redpoll, 7 Redwing, 6 Fieldfare, 2 Bittern, 2 Shelduck (Adam Salmon).
 * Redbridge Lakes and Roding Valley Park: 2 Snipe, Grey Heron, 6 Goldfinches, 2 Herring Gulls, Common Gull (Alan Hobson).
 * Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 2 Peregrine (m SE 1150 & f S 1310) (birdman_euston)
 * Staines Moor: Short-eared Owl at north end from 16.45, Merlin f caught & devoured pipit, 10 Little Egret (6 feeding & 4 W at roosting time), 4 Water Pipit on floods, Water Rail on river at base of bushes c200yd south of northern concrete bridge (Roger Morton). 7 Water Pipit (Twitter).
 * Tooting Commons: Tooting Graveney Common - 40+ group of Magpies 3pm (Steve Woolfenden)
 * Walthamstow Marshes: 200 Starlings, Dunnock, 2 Pied Wagtail, 25 Carrion Crow, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 350 Black-headed Gulls (Daniel Whitelegg).
 * Wanstead Flats: 54 Linnet, 2+ Lesser Redpoll, Reed Bunting, singing Chaffinch, 20 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, 600+ Common Gull, 400+ Black-headed Gull, 13+ Skylark, 4 Meadow Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail, Sparrowhawk, 10 Gadwall, 7 Shoveler, 3 Stock Dove (Nick Croft)
 * Waterworks NR: 4 Gadwall, 6 Shoveler, 10 Mallard, 43 Teal, 8 Coot, 10 Moorhen, 2 Blackbird, Green Woodpecker, Pochard (Daniel Whitelegg).
 * Woodford: Cricket pitch - 16 Black-headed Gulls (Daniel Whitelegg).

Sunday 2nd February 2014

 * Bowyer's Water: drake Goosander (Ian Bradshaw)
 * Brent Reservoir: Greylag Goose, c200 Tufted Duck, 37 Pochard, 24 Snipe, 3 Lapwing - hides fully accessible now (Andrew Self, Roy Beddard & Andrew Verrall).
 * Brookmill Park: Little Grebe, Mandarin, Kingfisher, Song Thrush, 5 Redwing, Goldcrest, House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam).
 * Cheshunt: 3 Siskins alders by dog circuit (Ian Bradshaw) Ian where is the dog circuit please = just north of Cheshunt Stn
 * Hall Marsh: male Stonechat, 2 Raven over (SE Herts RSPB)
 * Hooks Marsh Lake: 3 drake Smews (2ad & 1st-w), 3 Goosanders (drake & 2 ducks) (Ian Bradshaw).
 * Lee Valley - Friday Lake: 2 red-head Smew (SE Herts RSPB, Ian Bradshaw)
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Shelduck, Jack Snipe, 5 Snipe, 44 Lapwing, Tawny Owl, Brambling (WWT website).
 * Middlesex Filter Beds: Firecrest m at 1305 & 1315 just south of north pipe, 2-3 Chiffchaff, Grey Wagtail, 2 Ring-necked Parakeet, 5 Little Grebe, Jay, 2 Teal pr, Goldeneye (Alan Hobson).
 * Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 41 Greylag, 16 Egyptian Goose -nesting under way, 3 Shelduck, 2 Mandarin pr, 20 Gadwall -pr mating, 48 Shoveler, 34 Red-crested Pochard, 152 Pochard, 192 Tufted Duck, 29 Grey Heron, 4 Kestrel 2pr, Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe pr salvaging flooded nest, 12 Redwing (birdman_euston).
 * Richmond Park: 2 Stonechat pr Martin's Pond (3 other prs recently), 1200 Woodpigeon (J.Wilczur).
 * River Lee CP: south side - small mixed flock of c4 Lesser Redpoll and c4 Siskin, Common Buzzard over (SE Herts RSPB).
 * St James's Park: Coot on nest, 2 Little Grebe trilling, 5 Cormorant, 2 Teal (are they part of the collection?) (Matt Reed).
 * Staines Moor: 2 Cormorant over, Grey Heron, 7 Little Egret, 3 Little Grebe, 15+ Meadow Pipit, Short-eared Owl quartering the moor at 1630, 9 Skylark, Stonechat (Richard Woolley). Hi Richard, whereabouts on the moor did you see the SEO?  Thanks. It was hunting in the North East corner near the wooden footbridge (RW).
 * Staines Reservoir: m Scaup (N basin), 20+ Goldeneye, Great Northern Diver (S basin), 2 Black-necked Grebe (S basin), Slavonian Grebe seen earlier by others (N basin), Red Kite western bank, Buzzard NW corner (Neil Anderson).
 * Tooting Commons: north end ('Triangle Field') - c50 Redwing, Nuthatch, singing Song Thrush, calling Green Woodpecker (heard only), Common Buzzard over N (mobbed by 4 Carrion Crow) (Nick Granger-Taylor).
 * Trent Park: 3 Buzzard (James Palmer); Woodcock (Robin White per RM Callf).
 * Waltham Abbey: 4 Common Buzzard at 1235 over Beach Hill Pk [TQ403988] between Avey Ln & A121 (Martin Shepherd).

Saturday 1st February 2014

 * Brent Reservoir: Main & Heron_hides inaccessible due to extremely high water level - 2 Egyptian Geese, Canada x Greylag hybrid ('Granada Goose'), 35+ Pochard, 170+ Tufted Duck, Tufted x Scaup hybrid, 11 Snipe, 2 Water Rail, 14 Grey Heron, 15+ Redwings (Brent Birders, Bob Watts, Henry Wyn-Jones et al).
 * Brookmill Park: Little Grebe, Mandarin, 7 Redwing (Conrad Ellam).
 * Bushy Park: fem Stonechat, c10 Lesser Redpoll, 50+ Siskin (Bill Dykes).
 * Canons Farm: 400 Fieldfare, 200 Redwing, 450 Linnet (Steve Gale).
 * Crayford Marshes: Corn Bunting, Green Sandpiper, 2 Curlew, Kingfisher, 4 Little Egret, 2 Little Grebe, c1000 Dunlin, c70 Redshank, c350 Lapwing (Kev Jarvis & Ralph Todd)
 * Ewell Village: adult Yellow-Legged Gull low SW over London Rd c12.20 - part of large continuous sw gull movement 11.00-12.30 (flocks of 30-80) (Neil Batten).
 * Finsbury Park: 6 Shovelers, 2 Red-crested Pochard, 8 Gadwalls (boating lake) (Ian Bradshaw)
 * Globe Town: 2 Mute Swan, 2 Canada Goose on canal (Matt Reed).
 * Grovelands Park: 6 Lesser Redpoll in birch trees nr Broadwalk entrance (Phil Rhodes).
 * Haggerston Park: 3 Moorhens on tiny pond (Matt Reed).
 * Holyfield Hall Farm: Red Kite W at 1110, 2 Common Buzzard, c2000 Black-headed Gull (Martin Shepherd).
 * Kilburn: Jay over St Cuthberts Rd (Matt Reed).
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Shelduck pr, 2 Pintail pr, 3m Mandarin Duck, 2 Peregrine pr - f landed on marsh to bathe, Kestrel m caught a Blue_Tit, 4 Snipe, c70 Lapwing, c120 Herring Gull incl 2 with NTGG rings, Chiffchaff h, Brambling - S route feeders (J.Wilczur, O.Dewhurst & M.Honey et al).
 * Mile End Park: Ecology Pavilion - 2 Mallard, 2 Coot, Moorhen; Millenium Park - Coot (Matt Reed).
 * Northolt UB5 5AX (White Hart Rbt): 40+ House Sparrow at roost at dawn (Neil Anderson).
 * Pinner Green HA5: Red Kite over 1430 (Charlie Farrell)
 * Regent's Park: pinioned Smew, pinioned Scaup, 2 Kestrel m&f together in tree, Red-crested Pochard (Sue Huckle).
 * Swanscombe Marsh: Raven over at 0900 & 1135, also Peregrine with prey on pylon, 14 Shelduck, Curlew, 30 Redshank, 7 Turnstone, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff (Andrew Self).
 * Ten Acre Wood area: (parts of wood under deep water from overflowing brook) - 8 Teal, Buzzard, f Sparrowhawk, 45 Lapwing, Snipe, 50+ Redwing, 40+ Fieldfare, Nuthatch, 28 Linnet (Neil Anderson).
 * Thorney CP: Bullfinch m, Kingfisher between two bridges, Dunnock, 21 Pochards, 40 Tufted Ducks, 2 Goldfinch, 7 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Mute Swan (Sue Giddens).
 * Totteridge Valley: female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and 50+ Redwings at Oakfields/Mill Hill, Red Kite over Ellern Mede Farm 1215, also 3 Bullfinch, 2 Kestrel, 4 Mandarin, 4 Teal, 4 Meadow Pipit, 2 Treecreeper (Ian Ellis).
 * Wanstead Flats: 40 Linnet, 10+ Skylark (including song-flighting bird), Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, 4 Meadow Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail, Common Snipe, Fieldfare, 6 Redwing, 10 Gadwall, 7 Shoveler - many gulls (mostly Common and Black-headed) (Nick Croft).

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