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Friday 8th January 2016

 * Alexandra Park: Tawny Owl calling ranging from Cricket Scrub to Conservation Area 07:00-07:05, also small Redwing passage (Bob Watts)
 * Bexleyheath, Danson Park. Common Buzzard(11.45am), Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, Little Grebe, Gt Crested Grebe, 8 Mute Swans. (Eric Brown)
 * Blackwall Beach (O2): 1 2cy/1w Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Rock Pipit, 3 Meadow Pipits, 2 Goldcrests, 6 Siskins over (Nick Senior)
 * Brent Reservoir:(Neasden Rec area) 1 Fem Bulfinch, 5 Lesser Redpoll (3 flew over, 2 in Alders), 3+ Goldcrest & Chiffchaff near mixed Tit & Chaffinch flocks. Water Rail heard. M Sparrowhawk flew through over A406 - 13.50 -2.20pm (Davey Leach).
 * Greenwich Ecology Park: 2 Grey Wagtails, 1 Chiffchaff, 9 Greenfinches, 14+ Siskins in Alders, also adult Yellow-legged Gull off Yacht Club (Nick Senior)
 * Hampstead Heath: f.Peregrine being chased by a C.Crow over Kenwood, 12 Siskins at the Sanctuary Pond, Kingfisher here too (Pete Mantle)
 * Leatherhead Crematorium: 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Nuthatch, 12 Redwing, 1 Grey heron, 106 Black-headed Gull, 2 Common Gull, 1 Coal Tit (Neil Batten).
 * Lewisham: Peregrine circling around Citibank Tower (Tom Moulton via Sue Gore)
 * Middlesex Filter Beds: 10.30: 1 male Kestrel, 1 Goldcrest. River Lee: 11Tufted Duck,10 Teal, 1 Little Grebe.
 * Millfields E5: 07:45: ~100 Common Gull, ~10 Black-Headed Gull (Alastair Dent)
 * Petts Wood: 3+ Firecrests 2 near end of Riverwood Lane by compost heap, in hollies, 1-2 by Little Thrift (Ian Stewart)
 * Rainham Marshes: Whooper Swan (BirdGuides)
 * Scadbury Park: Firecrest just inside park near Perry Street entrance (Ian Stewart)
 * Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): Male Blackcap on fat balls in my garden (Ian Stewart)
 * Stoke Newington Resrs: 7 Lesser Redpoll, Sparrowhawk, Grey Wagtail, Mistle Thrush, 5 Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Cetti's Warbler, Reed Bunting (Chris Farthing)
 * Thames Barrier Park: male Peregrine, 1 2cy/1w Caspian Gull, 2 2cy/1w Yellow-legged Gulls, 3 Siskins, 26 House Sparrows (Nick Senior)
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: 2 Firecrest 30m NW of High Glade Pond 0815 also 5+ Goldcrest (Bob Watts)
 * Trent Park: 5 Pochard 3m 2f, 7 Tufted Duck 4m 3f lower lake, 5 Goldcrest, 2 Firecrest feeding in holly & laurel NE edge of Rough Lot 12:55 - 13:40, f Greenfinch, c30 Siskin feeding in alders, 4 Bullfinch 3m 1f (Robert Callf)
 * Tyttenhanger GPs: Bittern (main pit), Goosander (fem Fishing Lake), 4+ Little Egret, Green Sandpiper, Peregrine Falcon (eating prey), Red Kite, 2 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 20 Redpoll, 5+ Tree Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, many Linnet @ Chaffinch and a few Skylark, flyover Yellowhammer around Willows Farm. (S Blake/R Coombes/R Evershed/M Upstone.
 * Walthamstow Marshes: 08:00 to 09:00: 2 (probably 3) Stonechat on Bomb Crater Field, 1 Egyptian Goose on front paddocks (Alastair Dent)
 * Wanstead Flats: Woodcock, Great Black-backed Gull (Bob Vaughan) 2 Gadwall, Kestrel (Nick Croft)
 * Wanstead Park: 120 Gadwall, 28 Shoveler, Teal, 2 Egyptian Goose, 15 + Tufted Duck, f Pochard, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, 20 + Redwing, Grey Wagtail, 6 Goldcrest, 2 Siskin, 5 Redpoll, Kingfisher (Nick Croft)

Thursday 7th January 2016

 * Barnes Waterside Pond: Water Rail, Cetti's Warbler singing (R.Kaye).
 * Brent Reservoir: Neasden Rec side - 1 Siskin & 4 Goldcrest in mixed flock, 12 Pochard & 1 Little Grebe on Reservoir. 2pm (Davey Leach).
 * Crayford Marshes: 2 Bearded Tit, Spotted Redshank, 109 Golden Plover, 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Rock Pipit, Curlew, 8 Black-tailed Godwit, c500 Dunlin, 480 Lapwing.(Kev Jarvis).
 * Crossness: 20+ Shelduck, c40 Wigeon, 100+ Gadwall, 300+ Teal, 20+ Shoveler, 6 Great Crested Grebe, Sparrowhawk, pair Peregrines, 14 Ringed Plover, 100+ Lapwing, c200 Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, c50 Redshank, 2+ Snipe, Yellow-legged Gull, Rock Pipit, Grey Wagtail (Ian Stewart).
 * Erith riverside: Black Redstart by Conway pier, 2 Shelduck, 2 Dunlin, c50 Redshank, 228 Black-tailed Godwit, Grey Wagtail, 2 Rock Pipit (Ian Stewart).
 * Fairlop Waters: Great Northern Diver still fishing on the main lake. (Luca Robinson).
 * Millwall Outer Dock: 1 2cy/1w Yellow-legged Gull, 18 House Sparrows, 2 Siskins. (Nick Senior)
 * St Katherine's Dock: Blackbird, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Grey Wagtail (call), Mallard,Tufted Duck (Kieron Palmer)
 * South Dock, Canary Wharf: 12 Cormorants, 8 Great Crested Grebe (Simon Robinson).
 * Trent Park: 3 Firecrest (1 Shaws Wood, 2 feeding in Holly & Laurel NE edge of Rough Lot), 25+ Siskin on ground by Lower Lake (Robert Callf).
 * Victoria Park: west lake - 9 Red Crested Pochard, 8 Ring-Necked Parakeet (Luca Robinson).
 * Wanstead Flats: Fieldfare, Redwing, Goldcrest, 6 Gadwall, 4 Shoveler (Nick Croft).
 * Worcester Park: Little egret on horse field (Bob Smith).
 * Wraysbury GPs: 4m3f Goldeneye, 2m Goosander, 3 Shoveler, 25 Pochard, 2 Snipe, 35+ Fieldfare, 100 Redwing, 16 Gadwell, 8 Wigeon, 9 Great Crested Grebe, 100+ Tufted Duck, 80+ Coot, 3 Heron (Thomas Gibson)

Wednesday 6th January 2016
Walthamstow E17: 1m Blackcap, 1 Goldcrest, 1f Chaffinch, 20 Goldfinch, 35 Starling, 6 Herring Gull(all different ages).(Daniel Whitelegg)
 * Alexandra Park: Water Rail Conservation Pond, 25 Shoveler (13 Boating Lake, 12 Wood Green Res), 12 Pochard Boating Lake, Redwing (Dominic Mitchell per Bob Watts)
 * Bow Creek: Kingfisher, 83 Teal, 3 Redshank (John Archer)
 * Brent Reservoir: 44 Pochard (29m 15 f), Little Egret, 31 Snipe, Water Rail, Cetti's Warbler (main hide), 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Goldcrest (Roy Beddard).
 * Crayford Marshes: Avocet, 2 Marsh Harrier, 120 Black-tailed Godwit, 26 Golden Plover, 2 Common Sandpiper, Water Rail, 2 Stonechat, 2 Yellow-legged Gull, 350 Dunlin. (Kev Jarvis)
 * College Road Dulwich SE21: Tawny Owl 2m counter calling either side of road at approx TQ333726 and TQ335728 at 1845 (Richard Gowing)
 * East India Dock Basin: 45+ Teal, 10+ Tufted Duck, 2 Egyptian Geese, 5 Reed Bunting, Dunnock, Grey Heron (Mark Wardman); Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk, 2 Shelduck, 54 Teal, Goldcrest (John Archer)
 * Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): incl. a Black Redstart, 70+ Black-tailed Godwit, 175+ Redshank, a Grey Wagtail and 2 Rock Pipit (Mike Robinson ~ seen between 10.30 am and 11.45 am or thereabouts)
 * Greenwich Ecology Park: Little Grebe, 2 Gadwall,  Kingfisher, 10 Siskin (John Bushell per Conrad Ellam)
 * Hilfield Park Reservoir: Note for Tues 5th was 17 Little Gull (BirdGuides weekly update)
 * King George V Reservoirs: Slavonian Grebe, red-head Smew, 2+ Goosander, 10+ Goldeneye, 2 Lapwing, 6 Siskin, 8 Meadow Pipit, 20+ Redwing (Chris Farthing)
 * Leyton Flats/Snaresrbook: Firecrest near Court but very elusive, at least 6 Goldcrest, Kingfisher (Hollow Pond), Siskin, 10 Gadwall on Eagle Pond, 3 Redwing (Stuart Fisher)
 * Leatherhead, River Mole: 4 Fieldfare, 25 Redwing, 2 Grey Heron, 5 Herring Gull, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Pied Wagtail (Neil Batten)
 * Hackney Marshes, on river Lee from Homerton street to Friends Bridge: 10.00 - 11.00, 47 Teal, 58 Mallard, 14 Gadwall, 9 Tufted Duck, 50 Coot, 27 Moorhen, 13 Little Grebe, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 male Sparrowhawk, 3 Goldcrest (Marcin Kempa).
 * London Wetland Centre: Bittern N shore of reservoir lagoon (B. Page); 3 Common Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe, 1m 1f Stonechat, 1 Fieldfare, 3 singing Song Thrush, c.20 Siskin, 2 Water Rail (Martin Honey)
 * Pinner (HA5): Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest, Pied Wagtail & Collared Dove (Jon Ridge).
 * Sutcliffe Park: Little Egret, Green Sandpiper, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
 * Rainham, Ferry Lane to Stone Barges 1.40pm - 2.40pm: 3 Short-eared Owls and 2 Marsh Harriers in the air together, 6 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Green Sandpiper on pit near tip, 4 Black-tailed Godwit over (Stuart Fisher)
 * Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: c150 Redwing, c25 Fieldfare, 5 Teal, 1pr Mandarin, c150 Common Gull, male Bullfinch (John Colmans)
 * Victoria Park: west lake - 9 Red-crested Pochard, 11 Shoveler, 14 Gadwall, 2 Little Grebe, Mistle Thrush (JW Davies)
 * Walthamstow Marshes: 09:30 to 10:30: 2 Stonechat in Bomb Crater Field, 6 Little Egret, ~60 Chaffinch, ~40 Linnet and ~10 Pied Wagtail in the paddocks (Alastair Dent); Chiffchaff, Fieldfare (D Barrett)
 * Walthamstow Res: Drake Scaup on No4 & Kingfisher along river (J.Murray); ad Little Gull - No4 res from at least mid afternoon until dusk (Paul Whiteman/Lol Bodini and later Stuart Fisher)
 * Wanstead Flats: Firecrest Long Wood still (Twitter), 6 Goldcrest, Stonechat still (first wintering bird for over 5 years), Chiffchaff (centre copse), 8 Fieldfare, Redwing, 20+ Song Thrush, 6 Linnet, 9 Redpoll, 4 Meadow Pipit, Coal Tit, 10+ Pied Wagtail, 4 Gadwall, 4 Pochard 12+ Shoveler, Egyptian Goose, Little Grebe, 2-3 Kestrel (Nick Croft, Bob Vaughan)

Tuesday 5th January 2016

 * Battersea Park Lake: 115 Gadwall, 63 Tufted duck, 14 Shoveler, 5 Pochard, 2 Little Grebe, 3 Egyptian Geese, 6 Cygnets from last year still present, 122 Cormorant, Sparrowhawk (Michael Mac).
 * Bedfont Lakes C.P: Male Smew on South Lake at 10.00am (Jim Sweetland).
 * Brent Reservoir: 20 Common Snipe, Water Rail, Little Egret, 2 Song Thrush, Goldcrest (Steve Blake); M Sparrowhawk flew through, 1 Treecreeper, 4 Goldcrest & 1 Chiffchaff in Wooded Area East of East Marsh 13.40 - 14.20 (Davey Leach).
 * Bow Creek@ 2 Egyptian Goose (John Archer)
 * Brookmill Park: Cormorant, Mandarin, 2 Kingfisher, 2 Song Thrush, 3 Mistle Thrush, 4 Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam & Anita Gwynn)
 * Chislehurst ponds: Male Mandarin on bottom pond (Ian Stewart)
 * Cornmill Meadows: Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, 2 Stonechat, 4-5 Reed Bunting, 25+ Siskin, Linnet, Bullfinch (Simon Papps)
 * Crayford Marshes: Avocet, Short-eared Owl, 2 Bearded Tit, Spotted Redshank, imm Marsh Harrier, 85 Golden Plover, 2 Common Sandpiper, 7 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Rock Pipit, Water Rail, c500 Lapwing. (Kev Jarvis) Little Egret, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Kestrel, Short-eared Owl carrying mouse (apologies for pedantry,but its a short-tailed vole, RK - not at all, thanks for pointing this out!)(David Mills)
 * East India Dock Basin: Siskin male singing in the Copse, Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, Sparrowhawk (John Archer)
 * Fairlop Waters: Great Northern Diver still showing well on main lake. Also Little Owl, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets (Alan Hobson).
 * Haddon Grove, Sidcup. Little Egret, Grey Wagtail on River Shuttle, Gt Spotted Woodpecker and at least 20 Ring Necked Parakeets in woods (Eric Brown)
 * Hilfield Park Reservoir: 17 Little Gull (BirdGuides)
 * Lamorbey Park: Pair Mute Swan, Greylag, 5 Egyptian Geese, 5 Tufted Duck, 3 Little Grebe, 4 Cormorant, Peregrine, 2 Mistle Thrush, 6+ Redwing, 6+ Goldcrest, Nuthatch, Jay, Jackdaw, 4+ Siskin (Ian Stewart)
 * Leatherhead Crematorium: 3 Pheasant, 1 female Kestrel, 1 Redwing, 1 Coal Tit, 6 Ring-necked Parakeet (Neil Batten) Neil - would you be able to e-mail me at rab@budd.demon.co.uk to discuss dragonfly sightings on the Hogsmill? (Bill Budd)
 * Pinner (HA5): Redwing, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Green Woodpecker & a Greenfinch over (Jon Ridge).
 * Regent's Park ZSL: Kingfisher (Gorilla enclosure moat) also Great Spotted Woodpecker and Goldcrest. (Alex Randall)
 * Richmond Park: Goldeneye still, 28 Shoveler, Buzzard (J.Wilczur)
 * Scadbury Park: c20 Pied Wagtail, 2 Redwing, 20+ Goldcrest, Nuthatch, 3+ Jay, 4 Bullfinch (Ian Stewart)
 * Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): Sparrowhawk, Stock Dove E, Great Spotted Woodpecker, singing Song Thrush, 2 Coal Tits (Ian Stewart)
 * South Norwood Country Park:Bearded Tit, Water Rail 3 pm. (Roy Weller) Bearded Tit, Cetti’s Warbler late morning (very good views of both, the former was in the large reedbed, the latter next to the path in the wet meadow, near to the pool and fallen tree) (Steven Robinson)
 * Staines Moor. 18 Stonechat (6 prs. plus singles) present over the moor . A definite count without duplication. Birds counted over the whole of the moor both sides of the R. Colne. Also 2 Water Pipit along the river and 13 singing Song Thrush between the northern concrete bridge and Hithermoor Road plus 3 Chiffchaff together by the burnt out car ( John Edwards).
 * Staines Res: 3 Scaup and a Black-necked Grebe. (Adam Cheeseman)
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 4 Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher, Water Rail, 2 Reed Bunting, Cetti's Warbler (Chris Farthing/Tony Butler)
 * Uxbridge; Brunel University Red Kite over Cleveland Road. (Alex Randall)
 * Wanstead Flats: 1 Skylark (last year we had 8 wintering resident birds–looks like the end is near for the last central London breeding site); On the subject of Skylark, last year I only had one record of one bird - tragic. (JR); Chiffchaff, Redpoll, 4 Great Black-backed Gull east, 3 Teal, 5 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, Coal Tit, 4 Goldcrest (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan)
 * Wanstead Park: 10 + Redwing, 150 + Gadwall, 40 + Shoveler, Pochard, 6 Egyptian Goose, Little Egret, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, 10 + Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Water Rail (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan)
 * Worcester Park: Little Egret on horse field (Bob Smith)

Monday 4th January 2016

 * Bow Creek Ecology Park: Chiffchaff, 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Redshank, c60 Teal (John Archer)
 * Brookmill Park: Mandarin, 2 Kingfisher, Song Thrush, 2 Goldcrest, Coal Tit (John Bushell & Conrad Ellam)
 * Crayford Marshes: Short-eared Owl, 2 Bearded Tit, Spotted Redshank, 2 Marsh Harrier, 105 Golden Plover, Yellow-legged Gull, Peregrine, Common Sandpiper, c800 Lapwing, 2 Kingfisher. (Kev Jarvis & Ian Stewart)
 * East India Dock Basin: Goldcrest, Shelduck, 3 Tufted Duck, c60 Teal (John Archer).
 * Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): incl. a Black Redstart, 100+ Black-tailed Godwit, a Collared Dove, 70+ Redshank, a Grey Wagtail, a Marsh Harrier (over), 2 Rock Pipit, 4 Shelduck and 13 Teal (Mike Robinson ~ seen between 8.30 am and 10.30 am or thereabouts)
 * Ewell, Hogsmill Open Space: Little Egret, Song Thrush 4 (two singing) Redwing 6, Grey Wagtail, Nuthatch, Goldcrest, Kestrel (Colin Manville)
 * Lamorbey Park, Sidcup: 2 Mute Swan, 39 Canada Geese, 2 Egyptian Geese, Little Grebe, 3 Cormorant, Moorhen, Coot, Green Woodpecker and Grt Spotted Woodpecker pair on same branch, Song Thrush, Nuthatch, 3 Redpoll(rear of golf course), Goldfinch 6, Goldcrest 7, Peregrine (Eric Brown)
 * London Wetland Centre: Tawny Owl calling, 5:20pm (Mike Caiden)
 * Pinner (HA5): Common Buzzard, 5 Redwing, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Jay & singing Song Thrush (Jon Ridge).
 * Pinner Park Farm: Little Egret, 5 Snipe, 9 Meadow Pipit, 57 Redwing, 17 Fieldfare, 31 Jackdaw, 5 Jay, 7 Stock Dove, Green Woodpecker, Nuthatch, 9 Chaffinch & 7 Canada Goose (Jon Ridge).
 * South Norwood,Country Park: Bearded Tit showing well at 11am (David Mills)
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Water Rail, pair Shelduck, Kingfisher, Cetti's Warbler, Sparrowhawk, Little Egret, Grey Wagtail, 39 spp total (Chris Farthing)
 * Walthamstow Marshes: 2 Stonechat (1 m, 1 f) by footpath in bomb crater field, Grey Heron, Kestrel, 3 Long-tailed Tit (Michael Rank


 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Paddock by reservoirs no. 4/5 - female Brambling, reservoir no.4: Cetti's Warbler, drake Scaup, reservoir no.5 - Barnacle Goose, Common Sandpiper, Shelduck, Great Crested Grebe, West Warwick: c15 Common Gull, Lockwood: female Goldeneye, Kingfisher, c20 House Sparrow (G Howie)
 * Wanstead Flats: No sign of Snipe, 14 Redpoll, 7 Linnet, 5 Teal, Shoveler Gadwall, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, 4 Goldcrest (Nick Croft)
 * Wanstead Park: Blackcap, 2 Nuthatch, 8+ Goldcrest, 2 Coal Tit, 4 Gadwall, Shoveler, 2 Little Grebe (Nick Croft)

Sunday 3rd January 2016

 * Brent Reservoir: 2 Chiffchaffs in East Marsh, no sign again of Yellow-browed Warbler (Andrew Self); dying 1st winter Kittiwake in front of main hide 12.15 (Roy Beddard).
 * Burnt Oak: Kingfisher at 10.45 (Deb Jackson).
 * Crayford Marshes: Short-eared Owl, 2 Bearded Tit, Spotted Redshank, 5 Yellow-legged Gull, Corn Bunting, Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, c650 Lapwing. (Kev Jarvis)
 * Fairlop Waters: Great Northern Diver, 58 Golden Plover, Red-legged Partridge, Siskin, Kingfisher, Little Owl (Neil Twyford)
 * Kentish Town, NW5: Peregrine over N in the rain at 14:05 (Frank Nugent).
 * King George V Reservoir: Slavonian Grebe, at least 4 Goosanders and 12 Goldeneye, no sign of GN Diver but viewing conditions not ideal (Quentin Given).
 * Lamorbey Park: Pair Mute Swan, Egyptian Goose, 6 Tufted Duck, 4 Cormorant, Little Grebe, 2 Peregrines, 2+ Stock Dove, 5 Mistle Thrush, 2 Redwing, 6+ Goldcrest, Jackdaw (Ian Stewart)
 * Pinner (HA5): 4 Redwing, singing Song Thrush, Goldcrest & Coal Tit (Jon Ridge).
 * Putney: Beverley Brook near river - singing Cetti's Warbler (Mark Ruscoe).
 * Richmond Park: Upper Pen Pond - drake Pintail morning only, Goldeneye still, 24 Shoveler, Little Grebe, juv male Peregrine, Kingfisher (J.Wilczur)
 * Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): Peregrine, 3 Stock Dove E, singing Song Thrush, Redwing S, Goldcrest (Ian Stewart)
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Little Egret, Kingfisher, Cetti's Warbler, Mistle Thrush, 10 Gadwall, 8 Shoveler, 3 Pochard, 2 Little Grebe, Grey Wagtail, 40 spp. in total. (Chris Farthing)
 * Surbiton: Seething Wells area - 5 Gadwall, 10 Little Grebe, 13 Lapwing, 8600 Black-headed Gull (2000 N, 6500 E), 56 Lesser Black-backed Gull E, 200 Herring Gull E, 220 Jackdaw, 160 Redwing, 26 Goldfinch (Andrew Skotnicki)
 * Totteridge Valley : 2 Firecrest still at Oakfields, Mill Hill.  Male Peregrine flushed c30 Lapwing from waterlogged  fields at Frith Manor at 15:40; also 2 Little Owls (Ian Ellis).
 * Tower Hamlets Cemetery: Sparrowhawk, 4 Goldcrest, 2 Firecrest (Harry Harrison).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: female Brambling (in trees around grassy area between nos. 4 and 5), 2W Yellow-legged Gull and Common Sandpiper (no4), pair Stonechat (East Warwick), drake Scaup, 3 Goosander and fem Goldeneye (Lockwood) (David Callahan).
 * Wanstead Flats: Snipe sp–flew across from Alex to the scrub to the east and pitched down, dark form (lacking any clearly visible white on belly), slow flight reminiscent of Woodcock, but not so bulky.  Flushed from between birches at under 5 metres, it showed prominent white on outside of spread tail and prominent wing bars white over dark black and lacked prominent stripes on back, appeared larger and broader winged than Common Snipe, didn't call but made audible wing noise on takeoff. Quickly out of sight low behind trees (so no views of head from my position) we couldn't relocate it (any suggestions of what else it might be barring the wished for species?). (NC); Firecrest still Long Wood, 5 Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, 10 + Redwing, 10 + Shoveler, Gadwall, Kestrel, Great Black-backed Gull, 40 + Herring Gull (Wanstead Birders)
 * Wanstead Park: 10 + Goldcrest, Nuthatch, 2 Coal Tit, 20 + Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, Little Grebe (Wanstead Birders)
 * Wandsworth Common: Redpoll, 10 Siskin, Nuthatch (Nick Rutter)

Saturday 2nd January 2016

 * Arnos Park: 30 Siskin (James Palmer)
 * Bentley Priory: Hawfinch. Wow - first I’ve seen here since Feb 1981!  In clump of three silver birches and hawthorn at roughly TQ153930.  That’s about 70 metres west of the steep dip in the concrete top path and about 30 metres south of the path into the area the information board calls “Spring Meadow”.  Perched for about 20 seconds in poor light but could see massive bill, black bib and grey nape.  Dropped out of sight, then flew NE (towards grounds of house) about 5 mins later, showing broad white bands at base of primaries.  (Tony Blake). The last Hawfinches I saw myself on this site were in 1989. Despite combing the area extensively for the past four years, I've yet to see another. A great record. I'm in New Zealand right now, so suitably gripped (Richard Francis). I'll be back.
 * Brent Reservoir: no sign of Yellow-browed Warbler this morning; 18 Snipe, Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff (Andrew Self)
 * Brookmill Park:Mandarin, Kingfisher, 2 Song Thrush (Conrad Ellam)
 * Crayford Marshes: 6 Yellow-legged Gull, Spotted Redshank, 52 Golden Plover, Common Sandpiper, c520 Lapwing, 480 Dunlin, 18 Black-tailed Godwit, 32 Redshank. (Kev Jarvis) 2 Little Egrets on Creek, 2 kestrels, 3 mute swan, 80 teal (Simon Robinson)
 * Crossness: Marsh Harrier male, 2 Rock Pipit, Stonechat male, 58 Wigeon, 21 Shoveler, Little Egret, Snipe (John Archer)
 * Dartmouth Park (NW5): Firecrest in back gardens along Laurier Road. Also fem blackcap and 2 siskin (Tim Blackburn)
 * Fairlop Waters: Great Northern Diver (John Cadera); Great Northern Diver, Great White Egret flew over and then flew North, 6 Common Redpoll, Greater White-fronted Goose (Don Pepper).
 * Friday Lake: first-winter male Smew, 12+ Siskin (Simon Papps)
 * Fulham Reach: ca 30 Siskin (Bayonne Park - inner London) - Thames: 74 Teal, Grey Wagtail, 150 Black-headed Gull, 3 Gadwall, 4 Moorhen, 2 Egyptian Goose (Nathalie Mahieu).
 * KGV Reservoir: Great Northern Diver (S end of S Basin), Slavonian Grebe (NW end of South Basin), Brent Goose (middle of N Basin briefly), 9 (5 m, 4 f) Goosander, 18 Goldeneye (Stuart Fisher); Dark-bellied Brent Goose initially on south basin, then moved to north (Simon Papps). Yes, looked as though it had just landed in the water, I took my eyes off it for a few seconds and it had gone. (SF)
 * Lamorbey Park: Pair Mute Swan, Egyptian Goose atop beech tree in college grounds, 6 Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, 3 Cormorant, 2 Peregrines, Pied Wagtail, Redwing, 6+ Goldcrest, Jay, Jackdaw (Ian Stewart)
 * London Wetland Centre: 2 Bittern, 1m 1f Pintail, 1m 1f Sparrowhawk, c.20 Siskin, Goldcrest, 2 Reed Bunting, Coal Tit, 1m Stonechat, 2 Common Snipe, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Water Rail, 1f Pheasant, plus Peregrine on Ch X Hospital (Martin Honey)
 * Pinner (HA5): 7 Redwing, Coal Tit, Green Woodpecker, Jackdaw, 11 House Sparrow & 3 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge).
 * Rainham Marshes: 4 ad Little Gulls Aveley Bay, 5 Brent Geese on RSPB reserve plus one Aveley Bay (Fraser Simpson-Twitter)
 * Richmond Park: f Goldeneye, Kingfisher (Steve Woolfenden) juv male Peregrine perched by Upper Pond above sandmartin wall, siskin x 10 (f.mck)
 * Rickmansworth: 2 Ravens flew low over the garden heading SSW at 10:50 (Andrew Moon) Don't times change along with Red Kites and Buzzards (Richard Francis).
 * Walthamstow Reservoirs: 3 Goosander (1 m, 2f), 4 Goldeneye, Stonechat (Stuart Fisher) drake Scaup on Lockwood, Common Sandpiper No4/5, Lapwing over, Barnacle Goose and Fieldfare on playing fields (David Bradshaw).
 * Wanstead Flats: Firecrest still Long Wood (Richard Rae), Skylark, Chiffchaff (Tony Brown) Great Black-backed Gull (Jono Lethbridge)
 * Wanstead Park: 2 Nuthatch (Jono Lethbridge) 2 Firecrest (Bush Wood and north of Heronry), 10 + Goldcrest, 4 Siskin, 100 + Gadwall, 20 + Shoveler, 2 Teal (Nick Croft)
 * William Girling Reservoir (viewed from Mansfield Hill): 9+ Black-necked Grebe (Simon Papps)
 * Wraysbury GPs, (Wraysbury 1 lake): 1M Smew, 2M1F Goosander (Horton Complex): 8 Goldeneye, 12 Shoveler, 11 Great Crested Grebe, 45 Redwing, 6 Fieldfare, 14 Linnet (Thomas Gibson)

Friday 1st January 2016

 * Banstead Woods: 21 Bullfinch, including a tight flock of 14 (Steve Gale)
 * Belvedere, R. Thames: 11 Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Ringed Plover (John Archer)
 * Brent Reservoir: YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER behind Heron Hide at least three times, Cetti's Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 2 Treecreeper, 20+ Snipe & 6 Water Rail, total 56 species (Brent Birders)
 * Brookmill Park: 2 Kingfisher, 1 Mandarin (David Mills) Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
 * Canons Farm, Banstead: 1 Tawny Owl, 75 Skylark, 33 Yellowhammer (Steve Gale)
 * Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, c1000 Dunlin, c750 Lapwing, Curlew, Rock Pipit, c28 Wigeon, 60 Teal (Kev Jarvis)
 * Crossness: 2 Yellow-legged Gull ad + 2nd winter, 205+ Lapwing, 8 Curlew, 43 Shoveler, c50 Wigeon, Peregrine, 3 Stonechat, c50 Linnet, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, Redwing (John Archer)
 * Epping to Aimes Green: Brambling over, 2 Bullfinch, 7+ Yellowhammer, Treecreeper, 2 Nuthatch (Stuart Fisher)
 * Fairlop Country Park: Great Northern Diver still on lake, 7 Golden Plover, 2 Meadow Pipit, 4 Redwing, 20+Fieldfare, Lesser Redpoll, 2 Reed Bunting (Conrad Ellam) 4 Red-legged Partridge, Common Buzzard, 2 Yellowhammer, 2 Stonechat, 2 Little Owl, Short-eared Owl, Kingfisher. (Neil Twyford/Alan Thomas/Steve Bacon/Alan Bell)
 * Foots Cray Meadows: Female Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, 4 Little Grebe, Little Egret, Water Rail, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, 2+ Redwing, 2 Chiffchaff, c10 Goldcrest, Nuthatch, c40 Siskin (Ian Stewart)
 * Home Park: Short-eared Owl, Skylark (I Callahan)
 * Kew, Marksbury Avenue: Blackcap singing outside my house - first bird of the year - magical (Peter Hart)
 * Lamorbey Park: pair Mute Swan, 43 Canada Geese, 4 Egyptian Geese, 7 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe, 4 Cormorant, Peregrine, Grey Wagtail, Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush, 10+ Goldcrest, Jay, Jackdaw (Ian Stewart)
 * London Wetland Centre: Bittern, large flock of Siskin, c6-7 Goldcrests, pr Pintail, both resident Peregrines on Charing Cross hospital plus the male made a kill on site and ate prey perched on the Observatory early morning (Wendy Marks, Nathalie Mahieu and others)
 * Pinner (HA5): 5 Redwing, Coal Tit & Goldcrest (Jon Ridge).
 * Pinner Park Farm: Common Buzzard, Little Owl, 2 Snipe, 2 Fieldfare, 5 Redwing, Grey Wagtail, 7 Pied Wagtail, 7 Stock Dove & 2 Grey Heron (Jon Ridge).
 * Rayners Lane: 7 redwing in trees at back of my garden, 16 species in total (Tim Rymer)
 * Regent's Park: my first ever New Years Day bird count yielded an impressive 68 species. The highlights were pr Common Shelduck, 32 Red crested Pochards, pr Wigeon, 28 Mandarins, pr Peregrines, 2 Woodcock, 2 YL Gulls (ad, 3w), 32 Stock Doves, 1m Kingfisher, 2 Fieldfares, Cetti's Warbler, 1m Firecrest (Tony Duckett).
 * Richmond Park: female Goldeneye Upper Pen Pond (R.Dunne per JW); 11 Meadow Pipit on Pond Slade, 3 Reed Bunting by White Ash Pond, Kingfisher, 3 Stonechat and Dartford Warbler (Frank Nugent); female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 16 Siskin (Nick Rutter).
 * Ruislip Lido/Woods: Marsh Tit (astonished when this landed in front of me in large hawthorn in Poor's Field at northern swampy end of LNR, posed motionless for just under minute just a few metres ahead of me, flew into base of nearby scrub + then onto oak on LNR perimeter- my first ever of this species here where it historically bred but unaware of recent records. Just after 13.00). Also 5 Teal (LNR), 8 Shoveler, 5 Little Egret, c20 Redwing (Neil Anderson)
 * Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): 2 Cormorants over, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Stock Dove E, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush singing, 3 Redwing, 2 Goldcrest. 30 species from window, total of 53 in Sidcup. (Ian Stewart)
 * South Norwood Country Park: Kestrel mobbed by crows (David Mills); Cetti's Warbler and Bearded Tit reported again today (Croydon Birders). Was the bearded tit in the large reed beed again? What time was it seen? I was there this morning but no joy (David). From Croydon Birders website today - showed briefly in large reedbed, viewed from the viewing platform. (Croydon Birders)
 * Staines Reservoir: Great Northern Diver (briefly of S basin, flew W @ 11:30- found by Rob and Ken), 4+ Black necked Grebe, Pintail, 3 Scaup (2 imm M + fem), still good numbers of Tufted Duck and Pochard (Jim and Tony Sweetland)1 ad Mediterranean gull,I found the Great Northern Diver first by about 10 minutes, 6 goldeneye (John E. Warren)
 * Stanwell Moor: 15 Siskin, 10 Lesser Redpoll, Chiffchaff, Cettis Warbler, Little Egret (Jim and Tony Sweetland)
 * Staines Moor: 2 Treecreeper (Bonehead ditch), 4 Stonechat, 3 Red Kite, 2 Buzzard (Jim and Tony Sweetland)
 * Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Peregrine, Cetti's Warbler, 39 species in total (Chris Farthing)
 * Stratford, Olympic Park: m Black Redstart, Cetti's Warbler, 3 calling Water Rail, Kingfisher, 5+ Little Grebe, Kestrel, Goldcrest, 2 Reed Bunting, 5 Teal (Stuart Fisher)Hi, Stuart, if it's at all possible, where, approximately, did you see the male Black Redstart in the Olympic Park? Thank you (D.Painter) Hi. It was on the green fence opposite the Great British Garden at appox grid ref of TQ374841. I've had them twice round there recently, it flew into the construction site to the west (SF)
 * Ten Acre Wood area: m Teal, Little Egret, 2 Buzzard, 44 Lapwing, Snipe, 26 Skylark in flock (my highest count here), 5 Meadow Pipit, f Stonechat, c100 Redwing (some in sub-song in hedge), c25 Fieldfare, 2 Rook in paddock with 17 Jackdaw, 5 Reed Bunting, 3 Lesser Redpoll feeding on Meadow Sweet seeds (1 bird with much paler flanks than other 2), c20 Linnet (Neil Anderson)
 * Tottenham Marsh: Peregrine, Goldcrest, 55 Linnet (James Palmer)
 * Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: Little Egret, 2 Mandarin, 10 Teal, c100 Redwing, 8 Fieldfare, pair Bullfinch, Siskin (John Colmans)
 * Walthamstow: Stonechat, Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, Meadow Pipit, Jackdaw, Snipe, Peregrine, Water Rail, Goosander, Reed Bunting (walthamstow birders)
 * Wanstead Flats: Firecrest, Goldcrest, Short-eared Owl, Little Owl, Kestrel, 2 Linnet, 2 Siskin, 2 Redpoll, Reed Bunting, 3 Meadow Pipit, 10 + Gadwall, 2 Pochard, 4 Shoveler, 10 + Teal, Little Grebe, 13 Fieldfare (Wanstead Birders)
 * Wanstead Park: m Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Firecrest, 5 + Goldcrest, Woodcock, Shelduck, 2 Wigeon, 150 + Gadwall, 20 + Shoveler, Teal, 6 Pochard, 10 Egyptian Goose, Great Crested Grebe, 4 Little Grebe, 2 Peregrine Falcon, Kestrel, 10 + Siskin, 3 Redpoll, 2 Nuthatch, 4 Coal Tit, 2 Kingfisher, 10 + Redwing, Water Rail (Wanstead Birders) 69 sp for the combined patch
 * West Putney, SW15: 2 male Blackcap in a garden, Fieldfare, 27 Redwing (J.Wilczur)

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