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'''Please do not post details of scarce breeding birds (those included in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, amended 2000). Any such reports will be removed. Please list rarest sightings at top rather than alphabetically.'''

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Sunday 5 December 2010

 * Lower Chingford: Several Goosander flying to and fro, Redshank, Green Sandpiper, Dunlin, mixed flock of Goldfinch and Linnet (James Palmer).
 * Broadwater Lake: Imm male Velvet Scoter; also 1 Little Egret, 3 Egyptian Geese, 20 Goldeneye, 6 Chiffchaff, 60+ Siskin and 3 Bullfinch (Simon Buckingham).
 * Crayford Marshes: 6 Bearded Tit four near Landfill site,Two near Yacht Club, Woodcock, 9 Yellowhammer, 2 Corn Bunting, Little Owl, 14 Grey Plover, Kingfisher, c 2000 Dunlin, c 400 Linnet. (Kev Jarvis & Steve Carter).
 * East India Dock Basin area: Merlin (male) upriver then over west at 09.40. 2 Common Snipe (roost), 2 Common Sandpipers, Gt Spotted Woodpecker. (Gary A James).
 * Tyttenhanger GP's: Bittern. in small reedbed NE of main pit. (Steve Blake)
 * Alexandra Park: 0740-0845, 18 Fieldfare and 3 Redwing north, Water Rail conservation pond, drake Gadwall briefly Wood Green Res (Bob Watts).
 * Greenwich Park: 4+ Goldcrests and at least 1 Firecrest (f) present late morning. Good to see after the cold weather. Also Meadow Pipit heard going over (Joe Beale).
 * Hampstead Heath: Adult Mediterranean Gull on south side of Parliament Hill 0915 and later on High' No.1 pond. 10 Siskins (S) and 10 Meadow Pipits over ( Pete Mantle)
 * Horsenden Hill: Peregrine, Snipe, Coal Tit, Grey Wagtail, Little Owl (Andy Culshaw & David Howdon)
 * Rainham Ferry Lane area: male Ring Ouzel in scrub along promenade north west of Tilda rice factory, then flew into industrial estate (09:45), Dunlin, 2 Curlew, 25 Black-tailed Godwit, c80 Redshank, fem Yellowhammer, 20 Fieldfare, 6 Redwing, ad Yellow-legged Gull, 17 Shelduck, male Stonechat, 60+ Gadwall 5 Wigeon, c2 Water Pipit (Stone Barges) with c8 Meadow Pipit and Rock Pipit, 6 Snipe, 5 Song Thrush, plus Chiffchaff at Rainham Station (S Fisher)
 * Walthamstow Marsh: 2 Stonechat (pr) 3 Snipe, Woodcock flushed from Horseshoe Thicket, 6 Linnet and a small flock of Chaffinch in Horse Field, Little Owl in usual tree, 1 Fieldfare. (Paul Whiteman)

Saturday 4 December 2010

 * Alexandra Park: Woodcock flew from cricket scrub up slopes; Common Snipe flew from balancing pool; Jackdaw east; Treecreeper on slopes with tit flock; 2 Water Rail in fenced area to north of conservation pond; 2 Greylag seemingly resident on WG Res, Mipit west, 7 Shoveler Boating Lake - Alan Gibson reported a recent record 16 present about 2 weeks ago (Andrew Gardener, Gareth Richards, Bob Watts). 3 Water Rail seen, 1 Chiffchaff near Garden Centre, Common Snipe first flushed from ditch south of cricket field (James Palmer).
 * Bedfords Park LNR: 2 Firecrests, including cracking male, in evergreens along bridleway near Nursery late afternoon, also several Goldcrests; drake Shoveler circled lake (still completely iced-over) at dusk (Colin Jupp).
 * Brent Reservoir: 2 Little Egrets, 6 Snipe, 90+ Pochard, 350+ Tufted Duck, 2 Water Rail, 4 Wigeon, Cetti's Warbler, drake Goldeneye & pair of Goosander which flew off southeast at 09.17 (Brent Birders)
 * Bromley-by-Bow/Abbey Creek: 7 Snipe, 8 Redshank, 2 Woodcock (1 near industrial estate), 150 Teal, 6 Gadwall, 15 Cormorant (3 Mills lock), 9 Linnet, 4 Meadow Pipit, 17 Chaffinch, Reed Bunting, female Sparrowhawk, male Kestrel (S Fisher)
 * Burgess Park: adult Mediterranean Gull still on the lake 8.40am; also 2 Egyptian Geese (Richard Bonser)
 * Crayford Marshes: Lapland Bunting feeding on the landfill site. 4 Bearded Tit in reed bed near landfill site, Woodcock flushed early a.m. 2 Yellowhammer, Green Sandpiper, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Little Owl,c 300 Linnet, 14 Grey Plover, 11 Pintail, Kingfisher (Kev Jarvis).
 * Cummings Hall Farm, Noak Hill (private site): 3(2m,1f) Mandarin, 153 Mallard, 50 Canada Geese, 16 Moorhen, Coot, 21 Black-headed Gull, 5 Common Gull, 2 Common Snipe all farm res; also Woodcock, 2 Red-legged Partridge, 7 Pheasant, 38 Fieldfare SW, 2 Redwing, 5 Goldfinch, 3 Goldcrest with mixed tit flock, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Colin Jupp).
 * Ealing Broadway: 1 juv Peregrine (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * East India Dock Basin area: Black Redstart, 6 Lapwing, 1 Common Snipe, 3 Common Sandpipers, 14 Redhank (Roost), 410 Teal, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet. (Gary A James)
 * Fairlop Gravel Works: 2 Jack Snipe, 70 Lapwing, 6 Snipe, 16 Golden Plover, Sparrowhawk, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, 2 Grey Wagtail, Linnet, Little Egret, 200 Redwing/Fieldfare (London Birdwatching)
 * Fairlop Waters: 2 Goosander, 6 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, 6 Little Grebe, Skylark, Snipe, Lapwing, Meadow Pipit, (London Birdwatching)
 * Five Oaks Lane, Chigwell: Sparrowhawk, 4 Little Egret, 4 Snipe, 2 Yellowhammer, 50 Redwing, Fieldfare, 10 Meadow Pipit, 12 Skylark, Bullfinch (London Birdwatching)
 * Fulham Reach: 5 Skylark, 1 Kestrel, 2 Goldcrest with 15-20 tit flock in Queen Caroline Estate + 1 in Margravine Cemetery, 2 Redwing, 1 Mistle Thrush (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park: Goosander over SE @ 10.20, Common Buzzard W at 12.50, 1 Sparrowhawk, Grey Wagtail, 10 Coot, 4 Moorhen, 19 Mallard, 10 Goldfinch, f Chaffinch, 40+ Black-h Gulls, 2 Lapwings showing well, 10 Snipe some showing well, 1st-w Common Gull, Teal on Thames nearby, Reed Bunting (Conrad Ellam, John Bushel, Joe Beale, Yu-Hsuan Lin).
 * Greenwich Park: Skylark over @ noon, 10 Redwings W/around (Joe Beale, Yu-Hsuan Lin)
 * Hampton Court Park: 3 fem/juv Goodander NE, 15 Wigeon, 13 Lapwing (6 N-NE), 23 Redwing (18 E), 1 Snipe E, 2 Skylark (1 S), 1 Siskin N (Andrew Skotnicki).
 * Hatch End Playing Fields: 1 Little Egret along the River Pinn & later sitting up in trees (JR).
 * Hertford: 16 Waxwings on Merchant Drive, Mead Lane Ind Est early morning (in LNHS Area) before moving to Kings Meads north of river near A10 viaduct (outside of Area) (Birdguides)
 * Holyfield Lake: c20 Goosander, Chiffchaff with tit flock (Mike Oakland)
 * Horsenden Hill: 1 Jack Snipe in brook on west side of Berkeley Fields with 4 Snipe - flushed by Fox and flew E. Also 3 Lapwing over, 6 Skylark inc. 4 down, 2 Nuthatch, 1 Grey Wagtail (Andy Culshaw).
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 8 Egyptian Goose, 15 Shoveler, pr Gadwall, 2 Water Rail, 4 Great Black-backed Gull west, Tawny Owl showing well, 2 Meadow Pipit (Buck Hill), Song Thrush, 15 Mistle Thrush, 2 Coal Tit, 2 Nuthatch, redpol sp heard (Des McKenzie, Nick Tanner).
 * Ingrebourne Valley: 2 Bittern, Little Owl, 3 Fieldfare, 2 Snipe, 30 Redpoll sp, 4 Water rail .(Shaun Harvey)
 * KGVI Res: Velvet Scoter and Common Scoter still present, 1 Great Northern Diver, 13 Dunlin, 2 Knot, 2 Sanderling, 2 Redshank, single Green and Common Sandpipers (Peter Naylor).
 * Paddington Green: Common Snipe deftly spotted by Mr. Tanner underneath my kitchen window, c20 metres from the Edgware Road 11:37, 4 Ring-necked Parakeet flew toward Regent's Park (DMc, NT).
 * Pages Wood, Harold Wood: 2 Yellowhammer, 1 male Pheasant, 4 Goldcrest, 3 Redwing, 2 Goldfinch, 10 Long Tailed Tit (Millicent Harper)
 * Pinner Park Farm: 3 Snipe, 2 Skylark, 6 Meadow Pipit, 2 Fieldfare, 2+ Redwing, 10 Jackdaw, 1 Jay, 5 Long-tailed Tit, 10 Common Gull, 4 Herring Gull & 3 Grey Heron (Jon Ridge).
 * Pyrgo Park, Havering-atte-Bower: 1 Mealy Redpoll with 30 Lesser Redpoll, 8 Goldfinch, 2 Siskin, Common Buzzard, 2 Common Snipe, calling Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (south park plantation), 4 Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, 2 Stock Dove, 50-60 Chaffinch in maize crop (Colin Jupp).
 * Rainham Marshes: imm drake Eider flew west past along Thames at 14.45 (Birdguides); first-winter Lapland Bunting briefly on the ground with mixed flock of Linnets, Reed Buntings, etc, 11.22 am, plus pair Yellowhammer, Bar-tailed Godwit (Kent shore), 12 Pintail, Water Rail (David Callahan, Dominic Mitchell); Barn Owl West Marsh 07.40, 7 Corn Buntings, 10 Rock Pipits (saltings), 4+ Grey Plover, leucistic Black-headed Gull, third-winter Caspian Gull, 5+ Yellow-legged Gulls (dump), 2 Black-tailed Godwits (DCn); 5 Goosander (2f and 1m west, pr east) at about 08:20 (P Hawkins, J Lethbridge, D Morrison)
 * Rotherhithe: 10 Pochard and 306 Tufted Ducks (241 Canada Water, 65 Surrey Water); 3 Shovelers Southwark Park (Richard Bonser)
 * Staines Reservoir: redhead Smew on N basin (Peter Naylor)
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Cetti's Warbler, 3 Red-crested Pochards, 120+ Tufted Ducks, 50+ Common Pochards, 40+ Gadwall, 19 Shovelers, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls (2nd winter and adult), 4 Water Rails, 4 Reed Buntings, 5 Fieldfares, plus the usuals (Mark Pearson)
 * Sutcliffe Park: 8-10 Common Snipe, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Redwing (James Lowen)
 * Teddington: 19 Waxwings in large berry bush along Park Lane (off Park Road), opposite the Police Station. Seen 12:30 according to BirdGuides, but apparently disturbed by passing Sparrowhawk and not seen whilst I was there (14:15-15:00pm). Large number of berries still on bush so hopefully they'll be back in the morning when I'll try again! (Billy Dykes)
 * Tyttenhanger GPs: Bittern, Water Rail, 2 Snipe, Little Egret, 2 Egyptian Goose, Goldeneye, 33 Wigeon, 16 Gadwall, Woodcock. (Steve Blake)
 * Wanstead Flats: 2 Egytian Goose (west @7:30), 13 Shoveler (6m, Alex), 5 Tufted Duck, 3 Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail (Forest Gate - yup desperation!), 4 Mistle Thrush, 12 Redwing (north), 20+ Blackbird, Fieldfare (north), 2 Skylark (s), Siskin, 4 Chaffinch, 10+ Goldfinch, 20 L Redpoll (east), Reed Bunting, 2 Cormorant, 150+ Wood Pigeon (south), Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Ring-necked Parakeet (NC)
 * Wanstead Park: 43 + Pochard, 44 Tufted Duck, 46 + Gadwall, 6 Shoveler, 6 Little Grebe, 3 Grey Heron, 7+ Goldcrest, Coal Tit, 20 + Redwing, Song Thrush, Siskin, Goldfinch, Snipe (south), Green and Great Spot Woopecker, 10+ RN Parakeet, 2 Sparrowhawk (NC)
 * Woodford Green: Lapwing (London Birdwatching)
 * Wormwood Scrubs: Female Bullfinch in Southern Copse, 14 Skylark on short grassland, 1 Common Snipe into long grassland, 2 Reed Bunting, 9 Lapwing south, 14 Meadow Pipit, 22 Fieldfare, 13 Redwing, 3 Goldcrest, 30+ House Sparrow, 65+ Woodpigeon NE (Rob Ayers). Missed all of that but did see juv m Kestrel perched in trees on Lester's embankment, m Sparrowhawk, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail over + 4 unidentified geese/swans over (Charlie Farrell)
 * Wraysbury Res: Red-necked Grebe, Slavonian Grebe, 2 Great Northern Divers, 5 Goosanders and a Green Sandpiper; also 238 Great Crested Grebes (Dave Morris, Pete Naylor).
 * York Avenue (Sidcup): Woodcock west, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, 8+ Redwings, 3 Long-tailed Tits, Wren, pr Chaffinch, 3 Goldfinch, Herring Gull west, Skylark north-east, Sparrowhawk. (Ian Stewart).

Friday 3 December 2010

 * Alexandra Park: 7 Bewick's Swans (3 ads and 4 juvs) circled calling and landed upon Wood Green Res at 06:50 (Bob Watts), still present until 08:13 at least (Gareth Richards, Dominic Mitchell, David Callahan et al), plus ad argentatus Herring Gull, Pochard x Tufted-type Aythya hybrid, Little Grebe but no sign of yesterday's Common Goldeneye. Also 2 Egyptian Geese west (DCn) and Skylarks and Fieldfares on the move.; all 7 Bewick's Swans flew north at 10:28 following much head-bobbing and calling, also Jackdaw over (heard) (Des McKenzie); Firecrest stlll, showing well by 3rd viewing platform at Wood Green Res in ivy-clad trees on right hand side (DCn).
 * Amwell GPs: 2 Smew, Bittern ,Ruff, 2 Yellow-legged Gull (Birdguides).
 * Barking Outfall: Black Redstart, Grey Plover, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 18 Snipe, 182 Redshank, 4 Black Tailed Godwits, 514 Tufted Duck, 26 Pochard, 409 Shoveler, 304 Gadwall, 116 Shelduck and 700 Teal.(Dave Morrison)
 * Beddington: 1 first winter female Snow Bunting Photos here
 * Brent Reservoir: 1 male Goldeneye, 2 Lapwing, 2 Snipe, 2 Skylark, 8 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 3 Mistle Thrush, 8 Jackdaw. Other counts incl: 11 Little Grebe, 14 Great Crested Grebe, 80+ Gadwall, 55 Pochard, 89 Teal, 44 Shoveler, 3 Ruddy Duck, 38 Mute Swan. (Rob Ayers).
 * Bromley-by-Bow and Abbey Creek: 12 Egyptian Geese on edge of creek (site record), 10 Snipe, Green Sandpiper, 3 Redshank, m Lapwing, Water Rail, 12 Gadwall, Pochard, 6 Tufted Duck, 10 Meadow Pipit, Chiffchaff, 25 Chaffinch, Song Thrush, 4 Redwing, 90 Teal (S Fisher)
 * Bookham Common: 2 Hawfinch in hotel car-park mid-p.m. (Birdguides).
 * Brunel University Bicentenary Gardens: Woodcock over at 14.10 and appeared to land in the university campus, near the river. Also 25+ Redpolls, including one slightly larger bird with longer primary projection, other features not seen (Roger Morton).
 * Crayford Marshes: imm male Eider west along Thames mid-a.m., 27 Bewick Swan ,fem Goosander east along Thames a.m., 2 Marsh Harrier fem and imm male, 2 Little Gull (ad and 1st winter), Short-eared Owl, 2 Yellowhammer, Water Pipit, 12 Grey Plover, 2 Golden Plover, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Pintail, Water Rail (Kev Jarvis & A.W).
 * Ewell: 2 Waxwing west over Priest Hill (Birdguides).
 * Fairlop Waters: 17 Bewick's Swans NW at 12.30, pr Goosander still, yesterdays Scaup is still present 1.15 but may indeed be a Scaup/Tufted hybrid (Steve Bacon) (via London Birdwatching)
 * Grange Waters:Red Head Smew, 70 Redwing, 120 Fieldfare feeding on Hawthornes, Marsh Tit in treeline by Scuba Diving Lake, 161 Tufted Duck, 94 Pochard, Woodcock walked up, 2 Water Rail, 4 Siskins, Redshank, Drake Gooseander overhead and 47 Teal.Also Muntjac flushed from feet(dont know who jumped higher, him or me) Dave Morrison.
 * Greenwich Peninsula: 1 Lapwing & 12 Wigeon flying west, 6 Reed Bunting in reed terraces, 1 Peregrine flying north. 1 Redshank, 2 Dunlin & 1 Sanderling feeding on foreshore by Beckham Academy. All seen between 13.00 & 14.00 (Conrad Ellam & John Bushel)
 * Banstead Downs: Siskin (David Campbell).
 * Hampstead Heath: 7 Golden Plover flew S over P. Hill at 1335. Reed Bunting flushed flew W ( Pete Mantle)
 * Hatch End (New River Pinn): 1 Little Egret sitting up in trees along the River Pinn by the railway embankment (JR).
 * Hatch End Playing Fields: 1 male Kestrel sitting up in trees next to the A410 (JR).
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens (p.m.): 2 Peregrine Falcon circled over Longwater then west, 2 Lapwing (1 on Buck Hill and another which flew a few feet above our heads at Serpentine), Woodcock flushed off Buck Hill and flew across Longwater 14:12, Skylark, Firecrest still in Hudson Memorial area, 3 Siskin in Alders with five Goldfinch; also at least 450 Greylag Goose, Egyptian Goose reduced to 4, pr Gadwall, 32 Shoveler, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Redwing, Nuthatch, 2 Treecreeper (DMc, Noel Lever).
 * Ingrebourne Valley: 15 Bewick's Swan north-west 08:30 (Birdguides).
 * Isle of Dogs: one Dunlin on the mud at Saunders Ness till 3.15pm at least (my first for IoD). Also three Gadwall, Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipit (Sean Huggins).
 * London Wetland Centre: Bar-headed Goose (esc), 46 Wigeon, Pintail, 95 Shoveler, Sparrowhawk, 2 Bittern, 3 Meadow Pipit, 6 Fieldfare, 2 Chiffchaff (LWC website).
 * Lordship Recreation Ground: 3 Jack Snipe in stream gully east of footbridge near logs 11:30-12 circling and resettling (Jeremy Richardson).
 * Mapledale Avenue (Croydon): Common Snipe (Croydon Birders).
 * Margravine Cemetery: 2 Redwing, pr Peregrine Falcon, 11 Long-tailed Tit flock, calling f Great Spotted Woodpecker (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Minet CP: Jack Snipe in flood relief channel a.m. (Birdguides).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Snipe flew off from the main pond (98% frozen over), 1 Little Owl back in the disaster area, 10 Fieldfare (9 over north), 9 Jackdaw & 6 Grey Heron (Jon Ridge).
 * Rainham Marshes: 27 Bewick's Swan in Aveley Bay to 12:15 when they flew off, fem Eider in Aveley Bay to 12:15 at least.; Note: the reserve is closed today so view from seawall or cycle track (Birdguides).fem Eider is a imm drake bird! (Paul Hawkins, pics here on blog http://www.hawkysbirdingblog.blogspot.com/); fem Goosander, imm m Marsh Harrier, Grey Plover, 5 Corn Bunting (ELBF).
 * Roding Valley Park: RN Parakeet, 2 Jay, GS Woodpecker, 4 Song Thrush, LT Tits, Chaffinches, 12 Common Gull (London Birdwatching)
 * Ruislip: Dunlin on shore of Lido in front of Water's Edge pub. Also, Common Snipe, 60+ Wigeon, 80+ Gadwall, Shoveler, Pochard and 50+ Common Gull. 100+ Redpoll in Birch on Willow lawn and 8 Bullfinch feeding in Bramble scrub. 2 Little Egret, 2 Kingfisher and Teal on R.Pinn near Ruislip GC. (Steve Pash).
 * South Norwood CP: Sparrowhawk, 4 Water Rail, Jack Snipe, 3 Common Snipe, Grey Wagtail, 8 Siskin (Croydon Birders).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: immature Goldeneye (presumably yesterday's Ally Pally bird; second here in three days, fourth this decade); 3 Red-crested Pochards still, 2 Egyptian Geese, wildfowl numbers slightly down and both Res half frozen; 4 Common Snipe, 3 Meadow Pipits (one down); v.m. from Lincoln Court roof - nothing of note (Mark Pearson)
 * Totteridge Valley: 1 Woodcock: c25 Redwing: 7 Fieldfare: 2 Bullfinch, plus Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail along the brooks (John Colmans)
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery: 2 Firecrests SE of Monument Glade 1pm, 5+ Goldcrests, Redwing (h) (Luke Tiller, Bob Watts).
 * Town Park (Enfield): 2 (male and female) Shoveler, Carr's Basin; 1 imm Grey Heron; 1 adult male Sparrowhawk, perched, with full crop, Carr's Basin, 15:42 hrs; 10 Moorhen; 13 Coot; 17 Long-tailed Tit, flock (Robert Callf).
 * Vauxhall BT: 1 Peregrine plucking prey at 9:25am seen from distance, 1st time for over 1 month (Michael Mac).
 * Vicarage Farm, Enfield: 1 Common Snipe, flew low W, 15:15 hrs (Robert Callf).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs (11:00-15:00): 1+ Curlew (Lockwood and Banbury), 1+ Redshank (Lockwood and overflow channel), 18 Golden Plover flew West, 2 Green Sandpiper overflow channel West of Banbury, 22+ Snipe on West Warwick plus at least 12 more around the site. 6-8 Lapwing. 5 Goosander Banbury/Lockwood. 12 Egyptian Geese, 10 Shelduck. Generally Duck numbers down. 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, Skylark, 8 Meadow Pipits, 1 ‘scandinavian’ Rock Pipit, 2 Reed Buntings, Chiffchaff. 5 Waxwings flew East towards Walthamstow. 62 species in all (Paul Whiteman, Lol Bodini)
 * Wanstead Park: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (London Birders Yahoo Group).
 * Wormwood Scrubs: 1 Snipe, 1 male Reed Bunting, c5 Meadow Pipit, 5 Fieldfare plus 2 Great Black-back, c3 Lesser Black-back, c300 Herring Gull, c150 Common Gull, c400 Black-headed Gull - all part of a movement from the north-west (The Scrubbers).

Thursday 2 December 2010

 * Alexandra Park: juvenile/first-winter (bird still had black rear neck markings) Kittiwake circled over Wood Green Res, then headed north over Blandford at 08.25; also Little Grebe on res; lunchtime - first-winter Goldeneye on WGR, Pochard x Tufty-type Aythya hybrid, 3 Little Grebes (David Callahan). Peregrine Falcon heading West over cricket pitch 1.15pm (Mike Benyon)
 * Avenue Road (SE25): Kestrel (Croydon Birders).
 * Barnes Common: 2 Lapwing ->SW at ~250 feet, 14.40 (Stefan Czapski)
 * Beddington Farmlands: 1 Grey Plover, 3 Ruff, 5+ Redshank, 1 Dunlin, 10+ Snipe, 1 Little Egret, 450+ Woodpigeon Shorebird photos here, Jack Snipe, 2 Curlew, 5 Redshank (SBC).
 * Boxer's Lake (Enfield): 8 (5 adults, 3 '1st-winter') Mute Swan; 6 (3 males, 3 females) Shoveler; 4 (2m, 2f) Pochard; 1 female Kingfisher; 1 male Great Spotted Woodpecker; 1 Pied Wagtail; 1 female Blackbird, feeding on sloes; 1 Fieldfare, flew over calling; 1 male Nuthatch; 1 male Siskin, feeding in Alders; 6 Goldfinch (Robert Callf).
 * Bromley-by-Bow and Channelsea: Lapwing still, 4 Redshank, 10 Gadwall, 3 Tufted Duck plus usuals (S Fisher)
 * Burgess Park: adult Mediterranean Gull still on lake 12.15pm; no sign of Ferruginous Duck despite lake being ice free (Richard Bonser).
 * Crayford Marshes: imm m Eider drifting east on the Thames, Spotted Redshank flew west calling, 2 drake Goldeneye, 4 Pintail, Chiffchaff, Bar-tailed Godwit, 16 Grey Plover, Oystercatcher, c 1400 Dunlin (Kev Jarvis).
 * Crossness: 6 Brent Goose west 12:03, red-head Red-breasted Merganser west 14:35, Grey Plover, Turnstone, 2 ad Little Gulls west, ad Mediterranean Gull west (Ian Miller per JA).
 * Dagenham Chase LNR: 2 Mistle Thrush nr Sanoffi aventis, 10 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 2 Green Woodpecker, 3 Snipe (2 flying over The Slack and one over Black Poplar Wood), 60 Lapwing and 9 Grey Heron on The Slack, Water Rail in reeds at Hooks Hall Pond (D Allen).
 * East India Dock area: 4 Common Snipe (1 in roost), 7 Redshank (Roost), Gt Crested Grebe, 40+ Common Gulls (influx of this species), 200 Teal. (Gary A James).
 * Fairlop Waters: fem Scaup, pr Goosander (via London Birdwatching).
 * Fulham Reach: 1 Redshank, good numbers Teal & Tufted Duck, 1f Pochard, 1 Shelduck (south), c30 House Sparrow (in usual bush by Crabtree Wharf), pr Peregrine Falcon - Margravine Cemetery: 1 Mistle Thrush (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Grovelands Park (Southgate): 12 (6 males, 6 females) Pochard; 4 (1m, 3f) Tufted Duck; 1 Common Snipe, flew around and landed at waters edge, 14:37 hrs (very few records for this site!); 8+ Moorhen; 17 Ring-necked Parakeet; 1 Redwing; 3 Goldcrest; 2 (m&f) Firecrest, feeding in Holly, 15:01-15:30 hrs; 6 Long-tailed Tit (Robert Callf).
 * Hampstead Heath: 150 Woodpigeons N at 0930, 20 Common Gulls, 5 Herring Gulls, 300+ Black heads, 3 Gadwall, 15 Shoveler, Pochard, Lapwing on ice, Highgate No.1, 2 GC Grebes,15 Cormorants (Pete M).
 * Holmethorpe Sand Pits: 4 Pink-footed Goose for 1.5hrs before flying south-west (SBC).
 * Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens (brief visit): Common Snipe flushed off Buck Hill and over West Carriage Drive; also 2 Gadwall, 13 Shoveler, 3 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe numbers down, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Redwing, 10+ Mistle Thrush attending Mountain Ash with a similar number of Blackbird, 4-5 Jay, 5 Goldfinch in Alders (Des McKenzie).
 * Ingrebourne Valley: Kestrel, 2 Woodcock, 15 Fieldfare, 10 Redwing, Siskin (ELBF).
 * Isle of Dogs: Peregrine south then north over Thames at Saunders Ness. No sign of a hard-weather influx of ducks on Millwall Docks, West India Docks, or Blackwall Basin. (Sean Huggins).
 * King George V Res. (14.00-15.00): 2 Goosander, 2 Goldeneye, 7 Ruddy Duck, 2 Pochard, 2 Teal, 38 Wigeon, 36 Canada Geese, 40+ Meadow Pipit, 20+ Lapwing, 8 Mute Swan, 4 Green Woodpecker, 2 GS Woodpecker, Chiffchaff and 2 Goldcrest with large tit flock (Rob Ayers).
 * Lesnes Abbey Woods: 1 Sparrrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 3 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing, Song Thrush, 6+ Goldcrest with mixed tit flocks including good numbers of Long-tailed Tits, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2+ Nuthatch (AW).
 * Lewisham: Woodcock flew low south at 8.30 (John Archer).
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Bittern, Water Pipit, 6 Waxwing west, Lapland Bunting west (Birdguides); Shelduck, 190 Teal, Pintail, Peregrine Falcon, 13 Common Snipe, Redshank, 4 Meadow Pipit, 4 Cetti's Warbler, Redpoll south (LWC website).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 1 Woodcock roaming the River Pinn area, disappeared into a private garden (Hatch End side), 2 Snipe in a ditch, 1 Little Egret along the river, 1 Reed Bunting over the rubbish tip (heard only), 1 Little Owl, 5 Redwing over, 7 Jackdaw, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Canada Goose & 6 Grey Heron. Also: 1 Kingfisher at Headstone Moat (Jon Ridge).
 * Purley (Buttermere Gardens): Ring-necked Parakeet, 2 Woodpigeon, Robin, 3 Blackbird, Song Thrush, Coal Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, Jay, Magpie, 3 Carrion Crow, 10 Starling, 7 Chaffinch, Greenfinch, 12 Goldfinch (Croydon Birders).
 * Regent's Park: 4 Common Snipe, 103 Mandarin Ducks, 57 Red crested Pochards, 16 Shoveler, 3 Teal, 9 Gadwall, 240 Pochards, 185 Tufted Ducks (Tony Duckett).
 * Rainham Marshes: imm m Eider on Thames by flood barrier a.m. (Birdguides); still present 13.30, but drifting downstream with the tide (Dominic Mitchell et al); 6 (Dark-bellied) Brent Goose, m Goldeneye, 5 Grey Plover, Turnstone, 3 Little Gull (ELBF).
 * Rotherhithe: pair of Gadwall Canada Water plus 1 Little Grebe, 7 (5 drake, 2 female) Pochard and 238 Tufted Ducks (Richard Bonser).
 * South Norwood CP: Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 2 Water Rail, Common Snipe, 14 Common Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 6 Collared Dove, 4 Redwing, 3 Jay, 11 Siskin; Pied Wagtail (Love Lane) (Croydon Birders).
 * South Norwood Lake: 8 Mute Swan, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 14m 9f Shoveler, pair Pochard, 25 Tufted Duck, 10 Cormorant, c60 Black-headed Gull, 7 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Common Gull, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, c30 Goldfinch (John Watson).
 * Stockwell (Hemans Estate Community Garden): 6 Greenfinch in bird-feeder tree (Michael Mac).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs (both reservoirs and v.m. session from Lincoln Court roof): Curlew over (personal first at site), total of 16 Common Snipe (1 East Res, 1 west, 7 north, 6 north and one watched landing in very small garden off Dunsmure Rd), c200 Woodpigeons, a few dozen Redwings and Fieldfares, 3 Meadow Pipits on the deck, 3 Red-crested Pochards still; more wildfowl on East Res, but no sign of Wigeon flock or Goldeneye today (interestingly the latter not the bird at Ally Pally today - yesterday's was an adult female); distant flock of c150 ducks, including c10 larger birds, far to the north, heading north-east and just out of ID range at 12:01 (Mark Pearson)
 * Thorney CP: Buzzard, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Dunnocks, 2 Goosanders, 1 Wigeon, 15+ Pochards, 2 Redwings, 2 LBB Gulls, Stock Dove flew over, 3 flocks of Long-tailed Tits (Sue Giddens).
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery: 2 Firecrest still south end Sanctuary Wood 8am, also 5+ Goldcrest dotted around, Redwing (h) (Bob Watts).
 * Tyttenhanger GPs: Goosander (f) (Steve Blake).
 * Valentines Park (Ilford): 2 Egyptian Geese, Pochard, 10 Shoveler, Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher, 2 Siskin (via London Birdwatching)
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: 5 Scaup (2m, 3f)), 37 Wigeon, 8 Gadwall, c100+ Teal, 3 Goldeneye (fs), pr Egyptian Geese, 1 Redshank, 5 Snipe, 3 Green Sands, 2 Lapwing, Skylark, 3 Meadow Pipits (+ another pipit sp. poss Rock/Water) & 2 Buntings sp (most stuff on Lockwood 11-14.00 - Lol Bodini).
 * Walton Reservoirs: Velvet Scoter still present (SBC).
 * West Molesey: 2 Waxwing opposite 52 Pool Road (SBC).
 * William Girling Res (13.00-14.00): 1 ad fem Velvet Scoter, 1 male eclipse Scaup, 6 Black-Necked Grebe, 12+ Great Crested Grebe, 4 Goldeneye, 1 Dunlin, 1 Peregrine, 1 Sparrowhawk, 45 Lapwing, 5 Medow Pipit. (Rob Ayers).
 * Wormwood Scrubs: 1 Peregrine, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Snipe heading west, c16 Fieldfare, c4 Redwing, 1 Linnet, 4 Chaffinch, 100 Woodpigeon east & c1,000 Rose-ringed Parakeets (The Scrubbers).
 * York Avenue (Sidcup): 2 Goosander (1 west with 20 Mallard), Woodcock, 8 Snipe, 40+ Lapwings south, 7 Golden Plover, 4 Greylag Goose north-east, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 15+ Redwing, m Blackcap, 30+ Goldfinch, 3 Jackdaw, Sparrowhawk, Wren (Ian Stewart).

Wednesday 1 December 2010

 * Alexandra Park: c10 Waxwing low east over filter beds (Dominic Mitchell) and then past Birdwatch office window (David Callahan, Ian Lycett); also c100 Lapwing west over radio mast (Gareth Richards); plus 3 Skylarks, 2 Reed Buntings, Fieldfare, 8 Lapwing, Meadow Pipit, first-winter Aythya hybrid (Tunnel Res) (DMi).
 * Beddington SF: 14 Bean Goose flew east this morning (Birdguides).
 * Bromley-by-Bow/Channelsea: 6 Snipe, Redshank, Lapwing on river edge, Chiffchaff, fem Goldcrest (S Fisher)
 * Brookmill Park (Lewisham): 8 Mallard, 5 Moorhen, 2 Coot, 50+ Black-headed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 10+ Woodpigeon, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Wren, 3 Robin, 8 Blackbird, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Great Tit, 1 Blue Tit, 5 Starling, 1 Jay, 3 Magpie, 7 Carrion Crow, 20+ Goldfinch, 1 Greenfinch (Conrad Ellam).
 * Brunel University Bicentenary Gardens: 30+ Redpolls, 5 Bullfinches, many Goldfinches and Redwings. Also, nearby in my Cowley Garden, at least 6 different Blackcaps (4 males, one with a metal ring) in the last week, four (3 males) were present together today, feeding on berries (Roger Morton).
 * Crayford Marshes: juv Pomarine Skua west along Thames at 12:30. 14 Grey Plover, c2000 Dunlin, 2 Rock Pipit, 4 Curlew, 176 Black-tailed Godwit (Kev Jarvis).
 * Dagenham (Peartree Gardens): 3 Chaffinch (ELBF).
 * East India Dock Basin area: Woodcock (copse) 1st record for site, 13 Redshank (roost), 3 Common Snipe (1 in roost), 225 Teal, 5 Meadow Pipit (Gary A James).
 * Fairlop Waters: 3 female Goosander,1 fem Red-breasted Merganser at 1pm on main lake (Steve Bacon).
 * Fulham Reach (rising tide): 7 Gadwall, 78 Teal (+46 South of Crabtree Wharf), 1f Pochard, 38 Tufted Duck, 41 Mallard, 2 Coot, 2 Moorhen, 2 Grey Heron, 5 Cormorant, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 10 Herring Gull, 2 Common Gull, c200 Black-headed Gull (and hovering/going round military helicopters) (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * Hampstead Heath: 5 Lapwing over (NW), 2 Wigeon (m,f) and 13 Shoveler Highgate No. 1 pond, c50 Redpolls and 4 Siskin in single flock near Stock pond (CB) + 2 juv. Pomarine Skuas W over Parliament Hill at 1230 (Pete Mantle)
 * Highgate Woods: 1 Waxwing nr Rangers cottage, mobile and calling 08.00 (P. Angus).
 * Holmethorpe SPs: 3 red-head Smew (Birdguides).
 * Hyde Park / Kensington Gardens (water bodies c40% frozen): m Goosander low west along Serpentine and toward Longwater 10:03 but not refound either there or at Round Pond (the first since February 1988), 5 Lapwing west, 2 Meadow Pipit flushed from Parade Ground, fem Blackcap, 7 redpoll sp west; also 317 Greylag Goose, 36 Egyptian Goose (new site-record), 3 Gadwall, 10 Shoveler, Little Grebe, m Kestrel, good number of Common Gull (though no count made), Green Woodpecker, 3 Pied Wagtail, 5 Goldcrest, Nuthatch, 2 Treecreeper (Des McKenzie).
 * King's Meads: 17 Waxwing at Tansy Mead a.m. (Birdguides). (surely not in London? between Hertford and Ware so within recording area).
 * KGV Reservoir: Black-necked Grebe, 2 Egyptian Goose, 25 Goosander south towards the Girling, Shelduck, c30 Meadow Pipit (Martin Shepherd).
 * Little Britain: 2 Little Grebe, 3 Lapwing in field, 25+ Gadwall, 3 Goldcrest, 1 Nuthatch, Chiffchaff, 1 Chaffinch, Song Thrush (Sue Giddens).
 * London Wetland Centre: 16 Eider north-west (Birdguides); Shelduck, 62 Wigeon, 177 Teal, 2 Peregrine Falcon nearby, Fieldfare, Rook west (Goosander and Woodcock yesterday) (LWC website).
 * Margravine Cemetery: 3 poss Curlew over at 11:15 going E, pr Peregrine Falcon (stuffed) in area (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * New Covent Garden Market (Inner London): 8 - 10 Waxwing heading north east at 9:05am (Michael Mac).
 * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Golden Plover, 3 Snipe, 1 Lapwing, 19 Jackdaw, 1 Canada Goose & 8 Grey Heron. Also at Headstone Moat: 1 Kingfisher, 1 Mute Swan, 73 Mallard & 2 Coot (Jon Ridge).
 * Rainham Marshes RSPB: 14 Tundra Bean Goose north 10:00 (see Beddington report), 42 Shelduck, 21 Gadwall, 2 Pintail, 18 Cormorant, 7 Golden Plover, 2 Grey Plover, 800 Lapwing, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Knot, 250 Dunlin, 5 Curlew, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, 112 Common Snipe, Woodcock, 82 Redshank, Green Sandpiper, leucistic Black-headed Gull, 3 ad Yellow-legged Gull, juvenile Iceland Gull flew from River Thames to rubbish tip at 12:50, 3 juv Pomarine Skua comprising 2 west past Coldharbour Point 11:40 and another west 12:30 (still 2 lingering in Aveley Bay 15:18; see Crayford Marshes / Hampstead Heath reports), 16 Skylark, 8 Rock Pipit, 2 Water Pipit, 18 Fieldfare, 22 Redwing, 2 Waxwing briefly at the car park then flew west 08:55, 2000 Starling, 80 House Sparrow, 85 Chaffinch, 40 Greenfinch, 50 Goldfinch; Note: the reserve car park is closed today but footpath access still available along seawall (ELBF / Birdguides).
 * Regent's Park: Jack Snipe flushed 8.15am, 3 Common Snipe down (park record), 51 Lapwings west 8.45am, Water Rail (Tony Duckett).
 * South Norwood CP: 9 Canada Goose, 11 Coot, 5 Common Gull, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Robin (Croydon Birders).
 * South Norwood Lake: 1 Dunlin (G H) 8 Mute Swan, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 10m 8f Shoveler, pair Pochard, 5 Cormorant, c70 Black-headed Gull, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Common Gull, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 8 Ring-necked Parakeet, c15 Goldfinch (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood).
 * Stocker's Lake: 2 Smew (1 drake) mid-morning (Birdguides).
 * Stockley Park: 3 Lapwing on grass near lake (Roger Dewey).
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Greenshank south, 1158; 11 Common Snipe in from NW, 1156; 3 Red-crested Pochards still; Linnet, Siskin, several Skylarks and small Redwing numbers over; Jack Snipe low and west 12:57 (presumably flushed by works staff); female Goldeneye fresh-in on East Res 13:00; Rock Pipit (almost trodden on) along southern flank of East Res, 14:45; 7 Wigeon, fresh in, 14:40 (Mark Pearson Hackney Wildlife)
 * Trent Park: 1 Woodcock, flushed, Williams Wood, 12:43 hrs; 1 Teal, Lower Lake (Robert Callf).
 * Tyttenhanger GP: 4 Curlew briefly 11:20 before flying off north (Herts Birding).
 * Valentines Park (Ilford): 4 Egyptian Geese, 4 Pochard, Grey Wagtail, 6 Siskin (via London BIrdwatching).
 * Walton Res (permit access): Velvet Scoter still present (Birdguides).
 * Wormwood Scrubs: 8 Goosander west (1st ever record), c50 Lapwing in 2 flocks heading SW, 1 Golden Plover with Lapwings, 1 Snipe, 1 Peregrine, 1 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk high heading west, c20 Skylark, c25 Fieldfare, c8 Redwing, c3 Linnet, 1 Pied Wagtail & c1,000 Rose-ringed Parakeet leaving the roost. (The Scrubbers).
 * York Avenue (Sidcup): 8 Goosander west (5 males), 50+ Lapwing south/south-west, 2 Snipe west, 2 fem Siskin, male Blackcap, 30+ Goldfinch, 6+ Chaffinch (Ian Stewart).