NewsDec2004

Dec 31 Iceland Gull, 1st winter at Beddington SF (Johnny Allan) Little Egret, 34 roosted at Broadwater Lake, also 3 Yellow-legged Gulls (Birdguides) Common Redstart, male at Wormwood Scrubs, in southern paddock (David Lindo)

Dec 30 Red Kite over Queen Elizabeth II Res at 15.05 (Dave Harris) Common Redstart, male at Wormwood Scrubs, in southern paddock (Sacha Barbato) Water Pipit, 2 at Staines Res, also 3 Goosander (Birdguides) Scaup at Island Barn Res (Steve Spooner) Smew, 2 at Amwell GP, also Caspian Gull & Cetti's Warbler (Birdguides) Smew, 3 at Belhus Woods CP (JP Elmes)

Dec 29 Little Egret, 33 roosted at Broadwater Lake, also 8 Yellow-legged Gulls (Birdguides) Black-necked Grebe, 2 at Staines Res, also 2 Water Pipits (Birdguides) Common Redstart, male at Wormwood Scrubs, in southern paddock (David Lindo) Smew, 5 at Amwell GP, also Med Gull & 3 Little Egrets (Birdguides) Penduline Tit, 3 at Rainham Marshes RSPB in restricted area (Howard Vaughan)

Dec 28 Iceland Gull, adult roosted at Broadwater Lake at 15.00, also 32 Little Egrets & 14 Yellow-legged Gulls (John Edwards) Waxwing at Highbury, in Mountgrove Road (Birdguides) Smew, 4 at Stocker's Lake, also Goosander (Birdguides) Common Redstart, male at Wormwood Scrubs, in southern paddock (David Lindo) Firecrest, 2 at Trent Park CP, in Moat Wood TQ287982 (Pete Lowman) Smew, 9 at Chertsey, east of A320 and south of roundabout at Penton Marina (Birdguides) Shag at Hampstead Heath (Thomas Shannon) Smew at Lee Valley, Holyfield Lake, also 2 Goosander, 2 Goldeneye & 4 Barnacle Goose (Nigel Willits)

Dec 27 Iceland Gull, adult roosted at Broadwater Lake, see photo also 32 Little Egrets & 13 Yellow-legged Gulls (Andrew Moon) Avocet, 10 at West Thurrock, also adult Med Gull & 13 Curlew (David Darrell-Lambert) Black-necked Grebe, 2 at Staines Res (Birdguides) Greenshank at Tyttenhanger GP (Birdguides) Caspian Gull at Dartford, on A206 gravel pit before flying to Crayford Tip TQ532756 (Birdguides) Smew at Stocker's Lake, also 4 Goosander (Birdguides) Common Redstart, male at Wormwood Scrubs, in southern paddock (David Lindo) Smew, 2 at South Ockenden on Mollands Lane Pits (Birdguides) Scaup, 3 at Fairlop Waters CP on main lake (Birdguides) Smew at Moorhall Lake (Andrew Moon) Firecrest at Trent Park CP, in Moat Wood TQ287982 (Pete Lowman)

Dec 26 Mediterranean Gull, 1st winter at Crayford Tip TQ532756 (Birdguides) Common Redstart, male at Wormwood Scrubs, in southern paddock (David Lindo) Scaup, 3 at Fairlop Waters CP on main lake (Birdguides) Little Egret at River Pinn, Ruislip Golf Course TQ080875 (Steve Pash)

Dec 25 Smew, 3 at Stocker's Lake, also 11 Goosander (Andrew Moon) Golden Plover, 885 at Maple Cross (Andrew Moon) Scaup, 3 at Fairlop Waters CP on main lake, also Northern Bullfinch (Birdguides)

Dec 24 Waxwing, 12 at Mill Hill (Wendy Davis) Common Redstart, male at Wormwood Scrubs, in southern paddock (David Lindo) Black-necked Grebe at Staines Res (Ken Purdey)

Dec 23 Waxwing, 12 at Mill Hill (Wendy Davis) White-fronted Geese, 9 at Lee Valley, Holyfield Lake TL376045 (Birdguides) 'Northern' Bullfinch, 5 at Thorndon CP in silver birches TQ612913 (Birdguides) Common Redstart, male at Wormwood Scrubs, in southern paddock (David Lindo) Firecrest at Trent Park CP, in Moat Wood TQ287982, also 10 Goosander (Birdguides)

Dec 22 Dartford Warbler at West Thurrock, by burnt out car inland of river, also 18 Black-tailed Godwits (Birdguides) Little Egret north over Barnes WWT (Martin Honey) Common Redstart, male at Wormwood Scrubs, in southern paddock (David Lindo) Smew at Bedfont Lakes CP, also Firecrest (Frank Clark) Hawfinch, 3 at Broxbourne Woods (Birdguides) Scaup, 2 at Fairlop Waters CP on main lake (Birdguides) Firecrest, 2 at Trent Park CP, in Moat Wood TQ287982, also 4 Goosander (Birdguides) Black-necked Grebe, 2 at Staines Res (Birdguides)

Dec 21 Smew, 6 at Thorpe Park on Manor Lake (Birdguides) Smew, 2 at Bedfont Lakes CP (Birdguides) Smew, 3 at Amwell GP, also Goosander (Birdguides) Common Redstart, male at Wormwood Scrubs, in southern paddock (David Lindo)

Dec 20 Possible Arctic Redpoll at Thorndon CP, also 10 'Northern' Bullfinches in Silver Birches at TQ585921 (Birdguides) Common Redstart, male at Wormwood Scrubs, in southern paddock (David Lindo) Black-necked Grebe, 2 at Staines Res (Ken Purdey)

Dec 19 Common Crane over Theydon Bois, south over golf course at 09.15 (Birdguides) Bewick's Swan, 10 at Walthamstow Res, also 3 Goldeneye (Nigel Willits) Iceland Gull, adult at Broadwater Lake, roosted at 15.50, also 5 Yellow-legged Gulls (Birdguides) Red Kite over Brent Res, NE at 11.05, also 1st winter Mediterranean Gull (Ian Ellis, Andrew Self) Red Kite at South Norwood CP (per John Birkett) Common Redstart, male at Wormwood Scrubs, in southern paddock (David Lindo) Bittern at Berwick Ponds (Birdguides) Bittern at Barnes WWT (John Arbon) Long-tailed Duck at Stubbers OPC, NB. Sign in at reception (David Darrell-Lambert) Dartford Warbler at West Thurrock, at west end of saltings, also Jack Snipe, adult Med Gull, 8 Black-tailed Godwits & 7 Curlew (David Darrell-Lambert) Scaup, 3 at Fairlop Waters CP, at west end of main lake (Birdguides)

Dec 18 White-fronted Geese, 9 at Lee Valley, Holyfield Farm Goose Fields (J. Murray) Dartford Warbler at West Thurrock, on saltings near orange crate (Birdguides) Little Egret over Dartford (Birdguides) Common Redstart, male at Wormwood Scrubs, in southern paddock (David Lindo) Firecrest at Trent Park CP, in Moat Wood TQ287981 (Birdguides) Mealy Redpoll at Thorndon CP, also 4 'Northern' Bullfinches TQ585920 (Birdguides) Jack Snipe, 2 at Barnes WWT (Martin Honey)

Dec 16 Waxwing at Denmark Hill, opposite Ruskin Park (Birdguides) Firecrest at Bedfont Lakes CP, also Cetti's Warbler & Smew (Adam Cheeseman) Scaup at Fairlop Waters CP (Birdguides) Smew, 2 at Staines Res (Birdguides) Common Redstart, male at Wormwood Scrubs, in southern paddock (David Lindo) Hawfinch, 2 at Broxbourne Woods (Birdguides)

Dec 15 Tundra Bean Goose at Staines Res, also Smew (Birdguides) Common Redstart, male at Wormwood Scrubs, in southern paddock (David Lindo) Hawfinch at Broxbourne Woods, also Mealy Redpoll (Steve Connor)

Dec 14 Slavonian Grebe at Isle of Dogs, on Millwall Dock (Birdguides) Common Redstart, male at Wormwood Scrubs, in southern paddock (David Lindo) Hawfinch, 7 at Broxbourne Woods (Steve Connor) Smew, 2 at Staines Res, also Black-necked Grebe (Birdguides)

Dec 13 Common Redstart, male at Wormwood Scrubs, in southern paddock (David Lindo) Smew, 2 at Staines Res, also Black-necked Grebe (Ken Purdey) Firecrest at Trent Park (Birdguides) Smew, 2 at Lee Valley, North Met Pit (Birdguides)

Dec 12 White-headed Duck, drake at Broadwater Lake, also 26 Little Egrets, Med Gull & 7 Yellow-legged Gulls (Andrew Moon) Common Redstart, male at Wormwood Scrubs, in southern paddock (David Lindo) 'Northern' Bullfinch, 11 at Thorndon CP TQ612913 (Birdguides) Smew at Lee Valley, North Met Pit (Birdguides) Dartford Warbler at Beddington SF, also 2 Jack Snipe & 2 Water Pipits (Johnny Allan)

Dec 11 Richard's Pipit at Staines Moor, just south of River Colne see photo (Rob Innes) Tundra Bean Goose, 2 over Barnes WWT, also 2 Bitterns present (Birdguides) Smew, 3 at Belhus Woods CP (Birdguides) Mediterranean Gull, 2 at Beddington SF, also Water Pipit (Johnny Allan) Little Egret, 7 at Amwell GP, also 2 Smew (Birdguides) Crossbill, 2 at Broxbourne Woods (Steve Connor)

Dec 10 Smew, 2 at Stockers Lake, also 2 Goosander, nearby Red-breasted Merganser at Stockwell Lake (Birdguides)

Dec 9 Tundra Bean Goose at Staines Res, but flew off at 15.45 also 2 Water Pipits (Oliver Metcalf) Red-throated Diver at QEII Res (Dave Harris) Little Egret, 8 at Amwell GP in roost (Birdguides) Firecrest at Trent Park, in Moat Wood (Birdguides)

Dec 8 Tundra Bean Goose at Staines Res, flew off NW at 14.40 (Pete Naylor) Glaucous Gull, 1st winter at Amwell GP in roost, also Smew (Birdguides)

Dec 7 Common Whitethroat at Thurrock, Lakeside (Birdguides) Smew at Thorpe Park, St Ann's Lake (Birdguides) Smew at Bedfont Lakes CP (Birdguides) Ring-billed Gull at Woolwich, on common by Royal Military Academy (Birdguides)

Dec 6 Leach's Petrel at QEII Res, also 2 Black-necked Grebes (Birdguides) Smew, 3 at Bedfont Lakes CP (Birdguides) 'Northern' Bullfinch, 6 at Thorndon CP TQ612913 (Birdguides)

Dec 5 Green-winged Teal at Barnes WWT, also 2 Bitterns & Cetti's Warbler (Birdguides, Steve Spooner) Waxwing at Hatfield Park (Birdguides) Lesser Whitethroat at Chafford Hundred, one still present 100m down footpath past school at the end of Gilbert Road, possibly an eastern race (David Darrell-Lambert) Smew at Amwell GP (Birdguides) Ring-billed Gull at Isle of Dogs, off slipway at end of Glen Affric Avenue (Birdguides) Cetti's Warbler at Lee Valley, Bittern Watchpoint (Birdguides) Red-crested Pochard at Stoke Newington Res (Garry James) Smew, 2 at Bedfont Lakes CP (David Combes) Woodcock at Kensington Gardens (Des McKenzie) Green Sandpiper, 5 at Walthamstow Res, also 2 Common Sands (Nigel Willits)

Dec 4 'Northern' Bullfinch, 6 at Thorndon CP TQ612913 (Birdguides) Lesser Whitethroat at Chafford Hundred, one still present 100m down footpath past school at the end of Gilbert Road, possibly an eastern race (David Darrell-Lambert) Long-tailed Duck at Stubbers OPC, NB. Sign in at reception (Birdguides)

Dec 3 Waxwing at Northaw Great Wood (Birdguides) Smew, 4 at Bedfont Lakes CP (Adam Cheeseman)

Dec 2 Tundra Bean Geese, 2 at Rye Meads RSPB (Birdguides) Bittern, 2 at Barnes WWT (Birdguides) Smew, 2 at South Ockenden, at Mollands West Pit (Birdguides) Smew, 3 at Bedfont Lakes CP, also Cetti's Warbler & Firecrest (Adam Cheeseman) Long-tailed Duck at Stubbers OPC (Birdguides) Med Gull, adult at Nazeing GP in roost (Adam Wilson)

Dec 1 Tundra Bean Geese over Rainham Marshes RSPB with 7 White-fronts (Birdguides) Red-breasted Merganser at King George VI Res, also 4 Black-necked Grebes & 3 Water Pipits (Pete Naylor) Little Egret at Stanwell Moor (Pete Naylor) Bittern, 2 at Barnes WWT, also Jack Snipe & 2 Cetti's Warblers (John Arbon, Birdguides)