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.

Tuesday 11th March 2014

 * Beddington SF: Northern Wheatear [Ldn yr-1st] reported 0730 (BirdGuides)
 * Blackheath: Redwing at dawn, 2 Blackcap (James Lowen)
 * Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Yellow-legged Gull, Kingfisher, Redwing (Conrad Ellam)
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Shelduck, 6+ Redshank, Mediterranean Gull, 2 drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, 39 Redwing W/NE, 2 Chiffchaff (WWT website)
 * Rainham RSPB: 2m Ruff scrape early am (RSPB blog)
 * Richmond Park: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker -Ham Cross Plantation, 2 Stonechat pr -Pond Slade (M.Lewis).
 * Walthamstow Forest: Chiffchaff h singing (D.Briggs)

Monday 10th March 2014

 * Alexandra Park: Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming near Muswell Hill entrance 11.00 (Brian Price); Chiffchaff singing Conservation Area, Meadow Pipit N 7am (Bob Watts).
 * Blackheath: 1 Redwing at dawn, 2 Blackcap (James Lowen)
 * Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Kingfisher, Redwing, 2 House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam)
 * Bow Creek: 3 Redshank (James Palmer)
 * Buckhurst Hill: m Lesser Spotted Woodpecker feeding in back garden am (I Lycett)
 * Bushy Park: 2 Chiffchaffs, 36 Redwings (Tony Duckett).
 * Camden N1C 4BE (Canal Reach): 8-10 Jackdaw 0740-0810 rendezvous on hi-rise roof - cf c70 on 26 Feb (birdman_euston)
 * Crayford Marshes: 1st-winter Caspian Gull, Spotted Redshank, 8 Corn Bunting, Green Sandpiper, 8 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Little Egret, Kingfisher, 4 Oystercatcher (Kev Jarvis)
 * Croydon: Park Lane derelict office buildings - m Sparrowhawk, 2 Peregrine pr (with a very noisy food exchange & prey feathers flying from plucking) (Tony Kennelly)
 * Deptford: Peregrine soaring high over Stn early pm (Patrick English).
 * East India Dock Basin: 2 Greylag Goose, 100 Teal, 27 Tufted Duck, 10 Goldfinch, 5 Linnet (James Palmer)
 * Gallions Reach: Little Grebe, 2 Oystercatcher, 14 Redshank, 2 Stock Dove (James Palmer)
 * Kensington Gardens: lunchtime - no sign of either owl sp but 2 Nuthatch pr being fed near leaf yard, 2 Long-tailed Tit pr with half-completed nest (Martin Honey)
 * London Wetland Centre: Mediterranean Gull ad still present on main lake am, 3 Redshank, 26 Lapwing, 3 Chiffchaff, 8 Redwing (Adam Salmon).
 * Margravine Cemetery: m House Sparrow (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Middlesex Filter Beds: Firecrest showing well by canal entrance, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Little Grebes (Sue Barry); 2 Kingfisher pair performing display flight, 3 Grey Wagtail, 2 Jay (Jonathan Nasir)
 * Mudchute Farm: 4 Monk Parakeet (Stuart Fisher)
 * Pinner: Starling with ring on leg has returned to garden for the 3rd successive year. Curious to where it was rung (Richard Francis). Richard has it got colour rings if so what combination as up until 2011 we were colour ringing starlings in Surrey but ironically only 2 sightings since out of over 300 ringed [Glyn Nicholson-Ross]
 * Pinner Park Farm: Red Kite NE at 14:25, 2 Common Buzzard (one calling) at 13:45, 3 Little Egret, 153 Redwing, 54 Fieldfare, 15 Jackdaw, Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Meadow Pipit, Grey Heron (Jon Ridge).
 * Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 58 Pochard and 140 Tufted Duck (cf 125 & 225 on 5 Mar), 5 Little Grebe pr bldg nest in reedbed opp Goose Pen area 33, Red Kite [site yr-1st] NE 1140, 4 Kestrel, 3 Common Gull (18 on 8 Mar), 210 Black-headed Gull (450 on 5 Mar), c300 Woodpigeon N, 3m Blackcap, 6 Fieldfare NE 0650, 28 Redwing incl 12 NE 0705, 3 Pied Wagtail over, 58 Chaffinch incl 38 N/NW - first signif passerine spring vismig here 0640-0840 (birdman_euston)
 * Stanmore Place: Buzzard over mobbed by 2 Crows (Neil Anderson)
 * Swanscombe Marsh: 2 Ravens on pylon, 1 of which mobbed a passing Common Buzzard, Yellowhammer, Rock Pipit, Curlew, 7 Turnstone, 8 Cetti's Warblers singing, 3 Stonechat, 3 Chiffchaff (Andrew Self)
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: 4 Redwings - totally lacking through the winter so presumably migrating birds (Bob Watts).
 * Town Park, Enfield: female Smew Carr's Basin 16:40 hrs - presumably the same escaped tame bird which has frequented Alexandra Park & Grovelands Park (Robert Callf).
 * Wanstead Flats: 2 Rook patch tick (NC), 25+ Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 5-6 singing Chiffchaff, c20 Chaffinch N, 9 Linnet, 6 singing Skylark, 10 Meadow Pipit 2 singing & 8 others, 25 Tufted Duck, 3 Shoveler, 3 Little Grebe, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, c100 Woodpigeon N, 6 Stock Dove (Wanstead Birders)
 * Woodside Park: 1+ Kingfisher along Dollis Brook am (Ian Ellis).

Sunday 9th March 2014

 * Banstead Woods: male Firecrest near Piddly Pond pm (Paul Goodman et al).
 * Beckenham: garden - Blackcap singing, Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming, Green Woodpecker; Comma and Peacock butterflies (Bob Beaumont)
 * Brent Reservoir: 29 Snipe, Reed Bunting, Little Egret, Water Rail; also Brimstone and Peacock butterflies (Brent Birders).
 * Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush (Conrad Ellam)
 * Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, 2 Corn Bunting, 8 Cetti's Warbler, Green Sandpiper, 3 Oystercatcher, 2 Chiffchaff, Curlew, 48 Fieldfare (Kev Jarvis)
 * Crossness: Garganey f at sewage outfall, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, 3 Curlew, 3 Oystercatcher, 15 Shoveler, 21 Wigeon (John Archer).
 * Fortis Green: 4 Mealy Redpolls (2 photographed) and c20 Lesser Redpolls in garden - one Mealy had BTO ring & 2 Lessers with rings (Henry Wyn-Jones). TQ280896
 * Greenwich Peninsula: 2 Shelduck, Kestrel, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Meadow Pipit, 3 Linnet (Richard Green)
 * Hackney Downs Park: 135 Common Gull, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker (Jonathan Nasir)
 * Hampstead Heath: Water Rail showing well at Viaduct Pond, 2 Chiffchaff 1 in Pryors Field & 1 singing at Vale of Heath, where also Peregrine over at 12:20, 13 Shoveler, 2 Kingfisher, Wood Duck of unknown origin on Wood Pond Kenwood, where also 2 Little Grebe; also Comma, Peacock and Brimstone (Frank Nugent).
 * Hanwell: 2 Coal Tit actively feeding unusually in my back garden (Rob Mills)
 * Harrow: Brimstone butterfly (Shailesh Patel).
 * Headstone Moat: 2 Green Woodpecker pr in courtship 'dance' (Jon Ridge).
 * High Elms CP: Buzzard soaring & calling eventally landing on top of conifer, Tawny Owl calling 13:00, 6+ Nuthatch calling (Ray Tuck)
 * Holmethorpe SPs: 2 Little Grebe on Mercers Lake; Brimstone, 3 Tortoiseshell (A La Pietra)
 * Ilford: garden - Blackcap singing (Barbara Miller)
 * London Wetland Centre: Mediterranean Gull adult, 36 Wigeon, 4 Redshank, 9 Snipe, 6 Reed Bunting, 3 Chiffchaff, Siskin, 2 Redpoll (Adam Salmon); 6 singing Cetti's Warbler (one displaying to female), Brambling (seen by feeders); also Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and Brimstone butterflies (Martin Honey)
 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir: Tawny Owl, 9 Shoveler, 7 Pochard, 16 Teal, 2 Mistle Thrush, 8 Redwing, 2 Greenfinch (John Gordon)
 * Middlesex Filter Beds: Firecrest, Kingfisher, Red Kite S, Chiffchaff; Peacock, Comma, Tortoiseshell, Brimstone (Susan Huckle)
 * Motspur Park: f Ring Ouzel [Ldn yr-1st] on playing fields early morning but flew off W (S. Haslem) Where was  this -it's my local patch [Bob Smith] Noticed it in the tall trees directly behind Marina Avenue first then flew towards the playground in the park but flew off (S Haslem)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 3 Little Egret, male Pheasant, singing Skylark, Cormorant over, 26 Jackdaw, 34 Fieldfare, 7 Redwing, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Coal Tit, 5 Stock Dove, Grey Heron; Peacock and 6 Small Tortoiseshell butterflies (Jon Ridge).
 * Richmond Park: m Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and singing Chiffchaff in Prince Charles Spinney; 4+ Brimstone, 4+ Peacock (Steve Woolfenden)
 * Ruislip Woods: 2 Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawk, f Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 7 Nuthatch (1 plastering nest cavity); Grass Snake, 5 Brimstone, 4 Peacock, 3 Comma, Small Tortoiseshell (Neil Anderson)
 * Ten Acre Wood area: 2 Sparrowhawk one with prey, Buzzard, Lapwing, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Stock Dove, Kingfisher, Redwing (Nigel Dodd)
 * Thorney CP: Bullfinch m, Jay, Sparrowhawk over, 2 Greenfinch, Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Siskins; also 2 Comma, Brimstone, 2 Peacocks (Sue Giddens)
 * Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: Chiffchaff, 2 Treecreeper pr, 2 Kestrel pr, 2 Buzzard, 3 Redwing, Fieldfare, 8 Teal, drake Mandarin; also Small Tortoiseshell (John Colmans)
 * Trent Park: 5 Common Buzzard; Brimstone, 3 Comma, Red Admiral (Pete Lowman).
 * Twickenham: Buzzard being mobbed by single j'ckdaw, Red-crested Pochard on Thames by Marble Hill Park (Tom Gillard)
 * Walthamstow Marshes: nr Riding School - Redwing (David Collins)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: singing Cetti's Warbler, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll over, fem Stonechat (W Warwick), Water Rail, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kingfisher, 12+ Goldeneye, 19 Fieldfare, c30 Shelduck, 20+ Teal, 7 Gadwall, 2-3 singing Chiffchaff (Stuart Fisher/Paul Whiteman)
 * Walthamstow E17 - Garden.  Long eared tawny owl.  Been here since 8am. [which is it? Where? And who?]
 * Wanstead Flats: Common Buzzard drifting N, c4 singing Chiffchaff, Skylark, Meadow Pipit; Brimstones (David Lindo, Geoff & Kim Gramlick)
 * Waterworks NR: singing Cetti's Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, Sparrowhawk; Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell (David Collins)
 * West Harrow: 1+ Red Kite 1 drifted over to north 11:35 & same or another seen 14:35; also Brimstone, Peacock, unidentified white butterflies seen (Alex Massey)

Saturday 8th March 2014

 * Alexandra Park: 2 Siskin Grove (Henry Wyn-Jones).
 * Beddington Farmlands: female Lesser-spotted Woodpecker 0945-1015 after long wait! Only called once, drummed very briefly, good views but mobile - seen from path from Goat Road (F Tusa)
 * Brent Reservoir: 120+ Tufted Duck, 10 Pochard, Little Egret,  Peregrine, Green Sandpiper, 24 Common Snipe, Reed Bunting, singing Blackcap (Roy Beddard, Andrew Self, Andrew Verrall)
 * Cowley Peachey: Red Kite over High Rd (Roger Dewey) DT - alternate spelling for site list [b_e]
 * Crayford Marshes: Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Spotted Redshank, 3 Rock Pipit, 7 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Oystercatcher, Curlew, c70 Redshank, c20 Skylark, c34 Meadow Pipit (Kev Jarvis)
 * Ewell Village: Common Buzzard low N over London Road Rec Gd at mid-day; also 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Neil Batten)
 * Grovelands Park: any sign of the Smew anyone? Yes it was on the boating lake early evening Thanks Katy, also 15 Redwing and 7 Stock Dove on pitch & putt (Katy McGilvray)
 * Gutteridge Wood: Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, mixed flock of 200+ Redwing & Fieldfare (G Westley) GW - could you est ea thrush sp sep'y pls?
 * Hampstead Heath: 7 Shoveler, 2 Kingfisher, 6 Greylag Goose on Boating Pond, drake Pochard (Frank Nugent).
 * Highams Park: Chiffchaff (Joe Dickens)
 * Ingrebourne Valley: WeBS Count - 7 Grey Heron (2 nests occupied), 52 Greylag Goose, 54 Canada Goose, 79 Mallard, 88 Coot, 55 Moorhen, 6 Water Rail, 16 Gadwall, 26m Cetti's Warbler, 62 Teal, 8 Little Grebe, 10 Mute Swan, 6 Cormorant, 17 Pochard, 47 Tufted Duck, 80 Black-headed Gull, 7 Common Gull, 2 Herring Gull, 2 Shoveler, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Lapwing, Little Egret, 3 Red-crested Pochard 2m f, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 5m Chiffchaff, 2m Yellowhammer, 40+ Fieldfare (bottom paddock), 2 Redwing, 2 Jackdaw, Kestrel, Stock Dove - all resident common species singing now - tot 57 spp (Tony Kennelly).
 * London Wetland Centre: am - adult Mediterranean Gull, 7 Common Snipe, Sparrowhawk, m Kestrel, 2 Pintail pr, m Shelduck, 4 singing Cetti's Warbler, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Redshank, 3-4 singing Reed Bunting (Martin Honey)
 * Lonsdale Road Reservoir: 2 Egyptian Geese pr, 17 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall pr, 11 Pochard, 3 Stock Dove, 2 Jackdaw pr; 2 Grey Wagtail pr nearby Barnes Bridge (Neil Anderson)
 * Northolt & Greenford CP: 5 Shoveler, Kestrel, 3 Snipe, Redwing, Reed Bunting, 40+ mating Common Frog (Neil Anderson)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 4 Little Egret, Little Owl, Common Buzzard over, male Kestrel, 16 Meadow Pipit, 21 Jackdaw, 9 Stock Dove, 26 Fieldfare, 5 Redwing, Green Woodpecker, 2 Grey Heron (Jon Ridge).
 * Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 17 Shoveler (38 winterers 2days ago - most have prob'y migrated), f Peregrine over QM Gdns area 19 at 1135, 2m Blackcap 1 subsong a1 & 1 at Wetland Pen fdr a32 (birdman_euston)
 * Richmond Park: Grey Heron- 1st pair have hatched 2 young, 9 singing Skylark recently, singing Chiffchaff, male Stonechat, 5 singing Reed Bunting (H. Bradshaw, J.Wilczur).
 * Southfields: singing (overwintering) Blackcap, 2 House Sparrow pr at garden feeder (first record for garden) (Martin Honey)
 * Staines Moor: Short-eared Owl (flew in high from N at c17.55hrs), 2 Water Pipit, 3-5 Goosander (pr landed briefly on Colne/3 flew over/2m c10min later), 8 Lapwing, 2 Buzzard, Cetti's Warbler, 4 Little Egret, c50 Redwing and c50 Fieldfare coming into roost; also 1 small bat probable Pipestrelle sp at 18:20hrs (Jim and Tony Sweetland); 2 Red Kite, Peregrine and 2 Goosander (Andrew Peel, Toni Menezes and Shailesh Patel) Great to hear of a bat record - very rare here [Lee Dingain].
 * Staines Reservoir: Great Northern Diver and Scaup still (Frank Nugent).
 * Stockley Park, West Drayton: Skylark singing, Egyptian Goose, Cormorant (Roger Dewey)
 * Ten Acre Wood area: 8 Lapwing, 6 Skylark, 4 Meadow Pipit, Little Egret, Buzzard, 3 Mute Swan, 3 Kestrels, 2 Reed Bunting (G Westley)
 * Totteridge Valley: female Peregrine over south-east section/Woodside Park 09:25-09:30 then glided off towards Mill Hill East (Ian Ellis).
 * Trent Park: 7+ Redpoll sp, incl at least two (male & female) showing characteristics of Mealy Redpoll feeding in larches Williams Wood, also 3 Siskin 2m f here, female Bullfinch, 2 singing male Goldcrest (Robert Callf).
 * Uxbridge: Grey Wagtail R Frays at Hale Hamilton factory (regular nest site) (Roger Dewey)
 * Vicarage Farm: 2 Little Egret over, 3 Common Snipe (Robert Callf & Robin White).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: singing Cetti's Warbler by bridge, Curlew S calling, Skylark over, 12 Goldeneye, 3 Grey Wagtail, 7 Stock Dove, 2-3 singing Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Kingfisher, Little Egret, 13 Gadwall (Stuart Fisher)
 * Wanstead Flats: Curlew SSSI 0700 (heard only), 2 Chiffchaffs, Reed Bunting, c6 Linnet and Pied Wagtail police scrape (Bob Vaughan)
 * West Harrow: Common Buzzard over 16:10 (Alex Massey)

Friday 7th March 2014

 * Beddington Farmlands: female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in old oaks at north of site again - seen from footpath between A237 & railway footbridge 09.20 (Paul Sell). Grateful for more precise instructions from Hackbridge Station if local birders have a moment to jot them down [MPB] From Hackbridge Station go north up the A237 until you pass Mill Green, where Goat Road meets the A237 there is a footpath on the right hand side of the road leading through the wooded area (this is the south side of Mitcham GC). The LSW is seen in the oak trees along this path. I saw it half way down. It would be quicker to get to this path by heading south down the A237 from Mitcham Junction train station [P Sell] This path continues over the footbridge to Beddington Lane tram stop. It's marked as a footpath on the OS map (see Bing maps). There are usually scrambler bikes on the adjacent field at weekends but if you go early you should miss them & have the best chance of connecting with the woodpecker. [J Hudson]
 * Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Kingfisher, Redwing, House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam)
 * Crayford Marshes: 1st-winter Caspian Gull, Sand Martin, Spotted Redshank, 2 Corn Bunting, Chiffchaff, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Oystercatcher, Curlew (Kev Jarvis)
 * Hampstead Heath: 2 Kingfishers pr at sandbank in Bird Sanctuary Pond for second day running (Liz Valentine)
 * Hyde Park: Grey Wagtail back on territory Dell waterfall (KG&HP Birds blog)
 * Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: male Firecrest, 30 Redwing, Nuthatch, 8 Shoveler (Stuart Fisher)
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Redshank, Brambling (Catherine Beazley); also 3 Redpoll, Redwing, 5+ Snipe (Nick S) full surname pls Nick? Senior?
 * Putney Lower Common: singing Blackcap (David Wills)
 * Rammey Marsh: singing Skylark (James Palmer)
 * Richmond Park: singing Chiffchaff (S.Read); 7 Egyptian Goose pair with 5 young Lower Pen Pond, 4 Grey Wagtail 2 pairs Beverley Brook (M.Lewis); female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker calling & showing well - from Robin Hood gate follow road toward pen ponds carpark - approx half way is a sandy track on the left & bird was in large trees by roadside at 8am, Peregrine over, Little Egret and 2 Mandarin pr on Beverley Brook from Roehampton gate (J.Murray & J.Murray Snr). Hi, whereabouts were the wagtails on the brook? At both ends. (M.Lewis)
 * Staines Moor: 5 Goosander, 4 Skylark, 34 Fieldfare, 6 Reed Bunting, 2 Little Egret, 13 Meadow Pipit, 7 Lapwing, Little Grebe, 3 Shelduck over, 4 Shoveler over, 7 Redwing, 98 Starling, 3 Linnet (Keith Kerr).
 * Stoke Newington Res: Peregrine soaring over West Reservoir at midday (Pete Mantle)
 * Trent Park: singing male Firecrest SW edge of Moat Wood, 2f Siskin Rough Lot, male Bullfinch (Robert Callf).
 * Twickenham Riverside: 6 Red-crested Pochard 4m 2f (Bill Budd)
 * Vicarage Farm: 5 Common Snipe - my highest count here since 23rd March 1996 when there were 9, 3+ Skylark incl two singing males, 3 Yellowhammer incl singing male, (Robert Callf); Little Egret over (Robin White).
 * Wanstead Flats: 2 Pochard pr, 20+ Tufted Duck, Shoveler, 3 trilling Little Grebe, Linnet, 7 Skylark 3 singing & 4 others, 2 Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Stock Dove, Sparrowhawk, 5 Redwing (Nick Croft)
 * Waterworks NR: 40 Teal, 7 Shoveler, 4 Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, female Sparrowhawk (Daniel Whitelegg).

Thursday 6th March 2014

 * Beddington Farmlands: female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in old oaks at north of site again - seen from footpath between A237 & railway footbridge 7:00-7:50. Quite a show this morning; calling, drumming, 'butterfly dancing' & aggressively chasing away Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Also noticed a ring on the bird. (James Hudson & Nick Gardner)
 * Bushy Park: Common Buzzard, 11m Skylarks, 220+ Redwings, 2 Mealy Redpolls pr, 14 Lesser Redpolls, 14 Siskins, 11 Reed Buntings (Tony Duckett).
 * Crayford Marshes: 1st-winter Caspian Gull, Ruff, Spotted Redshank, 2 Corn Bunting, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Green Sandpiper, Curlew (Kev Jarvis).
 * Golders Green: Song Thrush singing 12.25-12.31am Woodstock Ave during illumination of offensively bright security lights (James Levy).
 * Hampstead Heath: Little Grebe on Kenwood Lake, Kingfisher on usual stick, mixed spring chorus of Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Starling and Redwing (subsong) along hedge between Highgate Ponds 1 & 2 (Jo Edwards)
 * Holland Park: Chiffchaff trapped & ringed am - probably 1st of year at this site as I don't think they generally overwinter here (Bill Haines)
 * Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: singing male Firecrest, singing male Blackcap, singing Nuthatch near Gilberts Slade, 2 Goldcrest, Grey Wagtail, 22 Redwing (many in subsong), Siskin over, 8 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, 2 Egyptian Geese over, 5 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Green Woodpecker, 5 Stock Dove - 0720-1000 (Stuart Fisher)
 * London Wetland Centre: Green Sandpiper, 2 Redshank, Brambling (WWT website)
 * Lordship Rec Grd: Reed Bunting (James Palmer) DT this is correct site name [b_e]
 * Muswell Hill N10 (Colney Hatch Ln): Sand Martin over wasteground adjacent to N Circular at 07.10 (Paul Angus)
 * North Sheen Rec Grd: 2 Blackcaps 7.15am (Peter Hart)
 * Osterley Park: Chiffchaff, 30 Fieldfare (K.Fisher)
 * Pinner: male Tawny Owl calling at 19:40 (Jon Ridge).
 * Rainham RSPB: 2 Kingfisher m digging nest hole (RSPB blog)
 * Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 52 Egyptian Goose incl 19yg - coming soon to a water-feature nr you, 11+ Mandarin, 20 Grey Heron incl 1st nestling h Bandstand Is area 8 SE tip, Stock Dove and 50 Woodpigeon straggling N 0710-0745 (birdman_euston)
 * Staines Reservoir: Great Northern Diver (South Basin), 2 Scaup (1 on N Basin & 1 seen by another observer on S Basin), 10 Goldeneye, 2 Shelduck, Common Buzzard (Steven Robinson)
 * Tottenham Marshes: Water Rail, Chiffchaff (James Palmer)
 * Trent Park: singing male Firecrest laurel Rough Lot, 20 Chaffinch, male Bullfinch (Robert Callf); 3 Common Buzzard, Goldcrest, 2 Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker heard drumming & calling Personally not recorded any singing or drumming in Trent Park since 2009 when the last pair attempted to breed [R Callf] Keep your ears open then Robert [PL], Green Woodpecker, 4 Song Thrush, 4 Tufted Duck 3m f (Pete Lowman).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Lockwood- 2 Pintail pr; No1 res- Cetti's Warbler (KJMcmanus & Lol Cumming).
 * Wanstead Flats: Chiffchaff, 6 Fieldfare, 4 Redwing, 6 Skylark, 10 Linnet, Reed Bunting, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Egyptian Goose, Little Grebe, 2 Sparrowhawk pr, Kestrel (Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft)

Wednesday 5th March 2014

 * Beddington Farmlands: female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in patch of woodland at north of site - seen from footpath between A237 & railway footbridge 7:30 (James Hudson).
 * Bushy Park: f Lesser Spotted Woodpecker [site yr-1st] Round Plantation am but no drumming heard (Regent's Pk Birds blog)
 * Crayford Marshes: Raven SW 10:45 (Andy Sayer per Kev Jarvis); Common Buzzard, Spotted Redshank, Little Owl, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Corn Bunting, 2 Rock Pipit, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 6 Oystercatcher, 3 Curlew (Kev Jarvis).
 * Grovelands Park: red-head Smew of unknown origin still catching fish at end of boating lake nearest to pitch & putt, Firecrest in holly behind ranger's hut, 15 Redwing and Stock Dove on pitch & putt (Katy McGilvray)
 * Hampstead Heath: 2 Lesser Redpolls Heath Extension, Kingfisher Seven Sisters Pond, m Wood Duck Wood Pond (Klemens Felder)
 * Kensington Gardens: Round Pond- 43 Egyptian Geese, nearby 4 Mandarin in treetop, near Tawny Owl which showed well, calling Nuthatch, 2 Jackdaw over (Neil Anderson)
 * Mayflower Park wetlands: Kingfisher (Bob Smith).
 * North Sheen: Rec Grd - Blackcap singing at 7.10am - first sighting in 5 years (Peter Hart) TQ192760
 * Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: Buzzard over 1505, 2 Peregrine, m Blackcap subsong Hill north gate, 30 Redwing (birdman_euston)
 * Richmond Park: 4 Buzzard (J.Wilczur & S.Read).
 * South Mimms: Bignell’s Cnr M25/A1 jn - Red Kite drifted S low over rbt at 12:15 (Andrew Haynes).
 * Streatham Common: Fieldfare, Green Woodpecker, 4 Jackdaw over, 9 Redwing (some singing), 4 Stock Dove (Peter Beckenham)
 * Thorney CP: Bullfinch m, 2 Redpoll, Siskin, Jay, Mistle Thrush, 2 Chaffinch, 3 Goldfinch, Green Woodpecker, 3 Ring-necked Parakeets, Dunnock, 3 Wrens, Buzzard over (Sue Giddens)
 * Trent Park: Firecrest, Common Buzzard, Lesser Redpoll, 2 Treecreeper, 2 Song Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, 4 Mandarin 3m f, 10 Jackdaw (Pete Lowman).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Lockwood- 6+ Common Buzzard (KJMcmanus & Lol Cumming); S side- Cetti's Warbler (1 seen/heard singing along channel W of No 1 res), Kingfisher; East Warwick- 8 Goldeneye (2 drakes), 10+ Gadwall, 2 Grey Wagtail pr; No 3 res- 26 Shelduck (Lol Bodini).
 * Wanstead Flats: 10 Skylark, 5 Meadow Pipit (1 singing), 10 Linnet, 2 Lesser Redpoll, Reed Bunting, Fieldfare, 3 Redwing, 4 Shoveler, 2 Stock Dove pr (Nick Croft/Tim Harris).
 * Wanstead Park: Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, 2+ Lesser Redpoll, Kingfisher, 2 Common Pochard pr, 2 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, 10+ Redwing, 6 Stock Dove (Nick Croft/Tim Harris).
 * Wimbledon Common: female Stonechat, cock Pheasant (David Wills).
 * Woodside Park: first Blackcap back on territory, Cormorant over; also Comma and Peacock butterfly (Ian Ellis).

Tuesday 4th March 2014

 * Beddington Farmlands: female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in old oaks at north of site - seen from footpath between A237 & railway footbridge 7:10-7:30 (James Hudson); 2 Raven (4th record for site), male Mandarin (14th site record), 2 Mediterranean Gull, 10 Common Buzzard (Peter Alfrey, BFBG) pics here
 * Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Redwing, Song Thrush (Conrad Ellam).
 * Crayford Marshes: Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 2 Corn Bunting, Spotted Redshank, 2 Rock Pipit, 5 Cetti's Warbler, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 48 Fieldfare, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Curlew (Kev Jarvis).
 * East India Dock Basin/Bow Creek: 3 Shelduck, 24 Tufted Duck, 58 Teal, 3 Redshank (John Archer).
 * Grovelands Park: red-head Smew still (BirdGuides).
 * Hampstead Heath: 2 Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher (Dawn Painter).
 * Kensington Gardens: 2 Buzzard over (KG&HP Birds blog)
 * Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: 11 Shoveler, 40 Tufted Duck, Kingfisher, Goldcrest, 2 Mistle Thrush, Grey Wagtail, Redwing, female Kestrel over (Stuart Fisher).
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Redshank, 5 Snipe, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 5 Cetti's Warbler all singing (WWT website).
 * Mayflower Park wetlands: first returning Little Grebe trilling (Bob Smith).
 * Middlesex Filter Beds: 2 singing Chiffchaff, m Reed Bunting, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Teal pr on river (A Smith)
 * Redbridge Lakes: Snipe, Song Thrush, 2 Goldfinches (Alan Hobson).
 * Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: Buzzard soaring high over area 28 at 1255 then gliding NW, 6 Great Black-backed Gull chevron NE 1555, 15 Redwing (birdman_euston)
 * Staines Moor: 24 Common Snipe, 2 Red Kite (display flying), 7 Reed Bunting, 5 Skylark, Stonechat, Buzzard, 2 Jay (Thomas Gibson)
 * Staines Reservoir: Great Northern Diver (S Basin), Scaup, Slavonian Grebe, 3 Little Grebe, 4+ Great Crested Grebe (pr displaying), Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Gadwall, Skylark over (Roger Dewey).
 * Stoke Newington Res: Kingfisher 1300h, Sparrowhawk and 10 Redwings pm on West R (Pete Mantle)
 * Sutcliffe Park: 2 Common Snipe, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Conrad Ellam); Little Grebe, 2 Water Rail, Blackcap (P Kite)
 * Tyttenhanger GPs: Stonechat, 7 Tree Sparrow, 2 Chiffchaff (Steve Blake).
 * Vicarage Farm: Jack Snipe, 200+ Redwing (Robert Callf).
 * Wanstead Flats: 13 Linnet, 4 Lesser Redpoll, 4-5 Reed Bunting, 8 Skylark, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 5 Fieldfare, 4 Redwing, 2 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 20 Tufted Duck, Shoveler, 2 Egyptian Goose, 3 Little Grebe, 3 Blackcap (1 singing Belgrave Rd & pr off Capel Rd), 4 Stock Dove (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan/Rose Stephens).
 * Woodford GC: Little Egret (Daniel Whitelegg).
 * Worcester Park: Green Sandpiper still on Green Lane floods (Bob Smith).
 * Wraysbury GPs: 11 Goldeneye, Pochard, 3 Great Crested Grebe (Thomas Gibson)

Monday 3rd March 2014

 * Brookmill Park: 2 Kingfisher, Stock Dove, Song Thrush, 10 Redwing, Goldcrest, House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam).
 * City of London: Grey Wagtail, Magpie with nesting material (Alan Lewis)
 * Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, 3 Corn Bunting, 4 Oystercatcher, 2 Curlew, 2 Rock Pipit, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 52 Fieldfare, 70 Redshank, c250 Dunlin (Kev Jarvis).
 * Dagenham Chase: Sand Martin [Ldn yr-1st] (Birdguides/RBA/Twitter)
 * Ealing: Blackcap singing in neighbours garden am - also heard briefly yesterday (Bill Haines).
 * Enfield Lock: singing Grey Wagtail on lock house roof (Martin Shepherd).
 * Greenwich Peninsula: Green Woodpecker, 4 Redwing, 2 Meadow Pipit (Richard Green)
 * Grovelands Park: female Smew very approachable - of suspect origin, 12 Mandarin Duck 7m 5f, 20 Tufted Duck 14m 6f, 3 Pochard 2m f, 2 Great Crested Grebe pr displaying & nest-building (Robert Callf); Smew also coming to bread as per Alexandra Palace bird (observer?).
 * Hampstead Heath: Chiffchaff Pryors Field (Klemens Felder)
 * High Barnet: Red Kite circling to gain height then gliding off high SW at 12.15 (Roy Beddard)
 * Horton: 6 Little Egret (C.Lamsdell)
 * London Wetland Centre: Green Sandpiper, Redshank, 230 Black-headed Gull (WWT website); 4 Snipe island on main lake from Observatory (Catherine Beazley)
 * Mayflower Park wetlands: 2 Reed Bunting pr, Water Rail h (Simon Osborn).
 * Redbridge Lakes: 4 Snipe, 2 Reed Buntings pr, 2 Tufted Ducks pr (unusual round here), Jay, Long-tailed Tit (Alan Hobson).
 * Rickmansworth: 2 Raven SE calling & 'tumbling' at 10.01 (Andrew Moon). Was that an addition to your London list Andrew? Gav Haig thought you might not have had one. [Richard Francis]
 * Sewardstone Marsh: singing Reed Bunting on Patty Pool Mead (Martin Shepherd).
 * Wandsworth Common Station: Redwing singing at 7am in poplar; in nearby garden singing Blackcap, 2 Goldcrest pr (Neil Anderson)
 * Wanstead Flats: 10 Linnet, 6 Lesser Redpoll, 15 Goldfinch, 2 Reed Bunting, 8 Skylark, 6 Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 3 Sparrowhawk, 4 Stock Dove, 30 Tufted Duck, 4 Little Grebe, 3 Heron W (Nick Croft).

Sunday 2nd March 2014

 * Alexandra Park: Blackcap male singing in gardens from The Grove, also 2 Mute Swan including new 1st summer with adult, 17 Shoveler (Bob Watts).
 * Brent Reservoir: c180 Tufted Duck, 10 Pochard, Lapwing, 16 Common Snipe, 2 Water Rail (Roy Beddard).
 * Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
 * Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Corn Bunting, 2 Curlew, 4 Oystercatcher, 2 Rock Pipit, 4 Cetti's Warbler, Green Sandpiper (Kev Jarvis)
 * Crews Hill: 2 Yellowhammer in field next to station, c20 Redwing, 6 Fieldfare (Frank Nugent).
 * Crossness: 2 Yellow-legged Gull ad & 2cy, 15 Wigeon, 200+ Teal, Chiffchaff (Richard Bonser)
 * Grovelands Park: female Smew (maybe the one that was in Alexandra Park last month) (James Palmer)
 * London Wetland Centre: Shelduck, 2 Pintail, 3 Mandarin, Bittern, 4 Peregrine 2pr - local pr plus pr circling to NW - all in air together - no aggression, Redshank, 5 Snipe, 2 Caspian Gull both 1st winter, Great Black-backed Gull the local pr display-flying very high over site, Blackcap the wintering bird, 4 Lesser Redpoll, Brambling (R. Kaye).
 * Mayflower Park wetlands: Kingfisher 4pm (Simon Osborn).
 * Middlesex Filter Beds: Firecrest near River Lea in wooded bed c50 yds downriver of end of cross-path at 13.30 (Alastair Dent).
 * Oakwood Park: Nuthatch, 4 Siskin (James Palmer).
 * Regent's Park: Kingfisher flew across QM Gdns lake 0830 [site yr-1st] (Regent's Pk Birds blog)
 * Stanwell Moor: 3 Jack Snipe, 2 Shelduck (C. Lamsdell).
 * Ten Acre Wood area: 4 Pheasant, 2 Little Egret (1 feeding in horse field), 3 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel pr (male doing active aerial displays before joining female where he entered tree cavity), 5 Sparrowhawk (female appeared low over edge Gutteridge Wd then 2 males came low towards her quickly followed by another 2), 22 Lapwing (flock 10 & 12), Snipe, Green Sandpiper, 7 Stock Dove, Kingfisher, 2 singing Skylark, f Stonechat, c55 Redwing, c25 Fieldfare, 2 Rook, 4 Reed Bunting (2 singing), 2m Bullfinch, 25+ Linnet (flock 5 by wood/20+ horse field) (Neil Anderson/G. Westley).
 * Tooting Common: 27 Redwing, 3 Jackdaw, 3 Nuthatch, 2 Shoveler, 2 Egyptian Goose pr with goslings (Nick Rutter).
 * Victoria Rec Grd: ad Mediterranean Gull (in almost full breeding plumage but with white forehead), 28 Black-headed Gull, Common Gull - pm (Bob Husband). TQ266964
 * Wanstead Flats: 2 Peregrine Falcon pr, f Kestrel, 5 Linnet, Reed Bunting, 5+ Skylark, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 4 Redwing, 8 Shoveler, m Teal, Little Grebe, 100+ Starling (on police scrape) (Nick Croft).
 * Wanstead Park: 2 Goldcrest, Grey Wagtail, 6 Gadwall, Shoveler, 20+ Tufted Duck, Kingfisher, Siskin, 2 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel (Nick Croft).
 * Wraysbury GPs: 2 Goosander, Woodcock, 5 Shoveler, 5 Common Snipe, 11 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Green Woodpecker, 2 Treecreeper, 2 Buzzard, 5 Heron (2 on nest), 45+ Fieldfare, 9 Redwing, Kestrel (Thomas Gibson).

Saturday 1st March 2014

 * Alexandra Park: female Common Teal Wood Green Res (Bob Watts).
 * Black Park: Brambling, Redpoll, Sparrowhawk, Red Kite and Buzzard over, Mistle Thrush, Goldcrest, Nuthatches, Great Crested Grebe, 3 Chaffinches (Sue Giddens)
 * Brent Reservoir: 16 Snipe, Water Rail seen, Kingfisher, later 17 Redwing flew to treetop Cycle Track (Brent Birders).
 * Brookmill Park: Peregrine, 6 Redwing (Conrad Ellam)
 * Crayford Marshes: Yellow-legged Gull 2nd-winter, Spotted Redshank, 6 Corn Bunting, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 4 Oystercatcher, 3 Curlew, Rock Pipit, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Stonechat (Kev Jarvis)
 * Cricklewood NW2 (Cricklewood Broadway): Grey Wagtail male flying around Beacon Bingo rooftop (Andrew Verrall).
 * Hampstead Heath: 3 Siskin and 3 Lesser Redpoll feeding in alders at Sanctuary Pond am, c30 Redwing, Tawny Owl calling at 10:30am near 'Bird Bridge' (Frank Nugent)
 * High Barnet: Tawny Owl calling at midnight near Barnet Hospital bus stop (Geoff Crabtree)
 * Leyton, Jubilee Park: (prob m) Black Redstart on top of tallest tree on east side of park at 1715 - patch year tick but more importantly a house tick (Paul Whiteman)
 * London Wetland Centre: 4 Cetti's Warbler, Bittern N shore main lake, 2 Pintail m f, Redshank, 6 Common Snipe, 3 Buzzard circling c2pm NE of site somewhere over Ch X Hospital (see below), 6 Redpoll, Brambling, Peregrine (Martin Honey)
 * Margravine Cemetery: Buzzard c2pm, chased off N by m Peregrine (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: f Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon, 3 Kestrel, 2 Yellow-legged Gull, 30 Pintail, 100 Golden Plover, 4 Ringed Plover, 100+ Dunlin, 4 Oystercatcher, 100+ Redshank, 14 Curlew, 10+ Little Egret, 4 sharming Water Rail, 2 Chiffchaff, 10+ singing Cetti's Warbler, 6 Rock Pipit, Water Pipit, Kingfisher (RSPB); f Bearded Tit from boardwalk, m Stonechat (Neville Smith).
 * Regent's Park: juv Peregrine low S hunting over lake 0815, Woodcock, 9 Redwing, 27 Goldfinch (birdman_euston)
 * Richmond Park: 2 singing Skylark on Bog (H.Bradshaw); Skylark singing Lawn Field (P.Burrowes-Smith); 18 Meadow Pipit on Lawn Field, Little Owl hooting near Pen Ponds (J.Wilczur); Kingfisher on brook, 6 Redwing Holly Lodge (Neil Anderson/K. Bull); Buzzard low over Isabella plantation 10.30am - heavily mobbed, 2 Stonechat north of Lower Pen Pond (Steve Woolfenden)
 * Staines Moor: Short-eared Owl, 3 Little Egret, 4+ Water Pipit - 1pm (Catherine Beazley & Simon Nicholls)
 * Staines Reservoir: Scaup, Slavonian Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Great Northern Diver, 2 Golden Plover, 2 Redshank, 3 Lapwing, 2 Shelduck - 4pm (Catherine Beazley & Simon Nicholls with help from other birder; thank you)
 * Stockers Lake: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker heard drumming & then seen n/e corner 5.30pm (Tina Stafford).
 * Streatham Hill: High Rd - Grey Wagtail on flat roof of block of flats (A La Pietra)
 * Swanley Park: Cormorant, Coot, 25 Redwing, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 3 Stock Dove (Andy Meaton)
 * Trent Park: Firecrest in holly on ride to obelisk, 5 Treecreeper, 4 Nuthatch, 3 Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk flew over (Stephen Witherford)
 * Uxbridge UB8 (Trumpers Way): Sparrowhawk soaring over (Roger Dewey)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Lockwood - 7 Goldeneye (2 drakes- ad & imm), 2 Teal pr, m Green Woodpecker; High Maynard- 4 Goosander (3 drakes courting f), 4 Shelduck, c10 Teal (Lol Bodini); south of Ferry Lane- Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaffs, Water Rail, 9 Goldeneye, 2 Little Egret, Kingfisher (Joe Dickens).
 * Wanstead Flats: 10 Skylark, 4 Meadow Pipit, 20 Linnet (Tim Harris, Kathy Hartnett)

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