January 2013

Highlights of the month[]

For the second month running, London’s headline species was Buff-bellied Pipit. December’s bird at Queen Mother Reservoir had been joined by a second on the 26th, but then they both disappeared. However, they must have been lurking locally unnoticed because they reappeared a fortnight later (9th January), moving between the reservoir and nearby Horton Gravel Pits and Kingsmead Quarry. Both stayed around until the 22nd. QMR’s long-staying Long-tailed Duck also remained till the 22nd and an 11-day Slavonian Grebe was replaced on the 12th by an 11-day Black-throated Diver. Other Long-tails and Slavs visited Lee Valley reservoirs, and another Slav spent a few days on a lake in Dartford. Staines Moor was the place to see rarer raptors, with up to six Short-eared Owl regularly quartering the site, joined at times by a Barn Owl and a ring-tailed Hen Harrier. The wintering Spotted Redshank remained at Crayford Marshes, again with the odd day trip to Rainham Marshes. Waxwing were reported all over the area, the most twitchable being a small group in South Ealing throughout the month (two of which died, on different dates, by flying into the glass of a bus shelter — probably Sprawk-spooked). The flock was sometimes joined by a Blackcap —one of at least a couple of dozen reported around London. Other wintering passerines of note included Firecrest, which settled into about 20 known sites, and a rare wintering Common Whitethroat at Leyton. Two female Bearded Tit (both ringed at Rye Meads in November) were originally found in the Serpentine’s small reedbed on December 11th. As the first Beardies ever recorded in inner London, these confiding birds proved popular for the rest of the month and were featured in local and national media reports. Brent Reservoir’s handsome male Beardie remained through the month, and a Beardie or two popped into view occasionally at the London Wetland Centre.

Thursday 31st January 2013[]

Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Little Grebe, Mandarin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest, Coal Tit (Conrad Ellam)
Crayford Marshes: 2 Caspian Gull (2nd winter & 3rd winter) on the Thames foreshore, Spotted Redshank, male Ruff, 2 Siskin, Green Sandpiper, 3 Curlew. (Kev Jarvis).
Danson Park Bexleyheath: Ferruginous Duck with c28 Tufted Duck and 16 Pochard around small island (where cormorant & diving duck usually gather) west end of Lake (Ralph Todd with Ian Stewart, Phil Cliffe & Steve Carter). Still present near island at 4.30pm (Peter Beckenham).
Enfield: ridgeway near Culloden road approx dozen Waxwings coming to feed on berry bush 1400 (Brian Dawton).
Ewell Village (Lower Mill): 1 Little Egret, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Herring Gull over (Neil Batten).
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: both Bearded Tit still present in Diana Memorial reedbed, also 2 Red-crested Pochard, 2 2nd-winter Great Black-backed Gull (D. McKenzie).
Hammersmith: Peregrine with pigeon in talons over A4 flyover 08.05 then settled on building near Hammersmith Apollo (Alex Randall).
Harmondsworth, Hillingdon UB7: 44 Lapwing, 21 Teal, 3 Fieldfare, c30 Goldfinch on flooded field (Nigel Sluman)
Harrow HA5 (Hatch End Playing Fields): 2 Little Egret along the River Pinn - not thought to be the two birds at Pinner Park Farm (Jon Ridge).
Heathrow: 1 Woodcock (Adam Cheeseman). Whereabouts at Heathrow? (W.Marks)
Lee Valley RP (Middlesex Filter Beds): 1 Firecrest, very mobile in the trees and undergrowth near the entrance from the towpath at about 11.00 (Alastair Dent)
Paddington Green: Peregrine Falcon a.m. (D. McKenzie).
Pinner Park Farm: 2 Little Egret, 5 Snipe, Fieldfare, Redwing & Jackdaw (Jon Ridge).
Rainham Marshes: Iceland Gull ad flew west along river towards landfill 1320 (James Lowen). 20 Curlew, 1 Grey Plover among 1000s birds on Purfleet etc at high tide; also 1 Bittern near cordite, drake Garganey (Ldn yr-1st) Butts Hide, 1 Waxwing centre (from logbook)
Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve: first winter Kittiwake on island in east lake till 16.30 at least, male Goosander on east lake, 12 Common Snipe, Water Rail, Kingfisher, 7 Fieldfare, 20+ Redwing, pair Bullfinch, Reed Bunting (Ian Stewart).
Wanstead Flats: 60+ Gadwall, 15 Shoveler, 25+ Tufted Duck (all Alex), 3 Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Kestrel, singing Chaffinch, Goldcrest (Nick Croft).
Wanstead Park: 100+ Gadwall, 9 Shoveler, 6 Pochard, 40+ Tufted Duck, trilling Little Grebe on Shoulder of Mutton (Nick Croft).
Westminster: pair Peregrine superbly along the Thames west of Palace of Westminster and away over MI6 at 14:45 (Frank Nugent).
Whitewebbs Wood: 32 (20m 12f) Mandarin Duck on ornamental lake 15:10 hrs; 3(2m 1f) Shoveler 15:10 hrs; 1 Woodcock flushed 13:35 hrs; 1 Green Woodpecker; 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker; 2 Coal Tit including singing male; 1 Nuthatch; 4+ Treecreeper; 13+ Chaffinch (Robert Callf).
Worcester Park: Little Egret on field, 60 Fieldfare (Bob Smith)

Wednesday 30th January 2013[]

Banstead Woods: Woodcock, Lesser Redpoll (David Campbell).
Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Little Grebe, drake Mandarin (Conrad Ellam).
Carshalton, Sutton SM5: approx 12 Waxwings on corner of the Lane and Surrey Grove, flying over road to feed on berries in private front garden 15.00. ('Susan Sammons)
Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, Turnstone, Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Green Sandpiper, Lesser Redpoll, Cetti's Warbler, 174 Fieldfare. (Kev Jarvis).
Dartford Marshes : 10 Curlew (Andy Meaton)
Ewell Village (Lower Mill): 1 Little Egret present 14.00 until dusk (Neil Batten).
Greenhithe, Kent: Firecrest still at station on London side in ivy (Ian Stewart).
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: both Bearded Tit still present in Diana Memorial reedbed; also female Wigeon, 6 Gadwall, 27 Shoveler, 10 Red-crested Pochard, female Sparrowhawk, trilling Little Grebe, 71 Common Gull, 2nd-winter Great Black-backed Gull, 11 Stock Dove, Tawny Owl showing well again (D. McKenzie).
London Wetland Centre: female Scaup, Bittern, Sparrowhawk, 5+ Siskin, female Smew (N. Thomas).
Marble Arch: Peregrine Falcon on Odeon tower 08:00 (D. McKenzie).
Northfields Station (W13): female Blackcap in bushy cover opposite Platform 4 08:50 (L. Pawley)
Pinner Park Farm: 2 Little Egret, 3 Shoveler (including two drakes) on the main pond, 5 Snipe, Sparrowhawk, the usual high numbers of Fieldfare & Redwing, 45 Jackdaw; also at Headstone Moat: Sparrowhawk, 10 Goldfinch, 1 Goldcrest (Jon Ridge).
South Croydon: 25+ Waxwings feeding in bush by front door of a private house in Selsdon Road (opposite Upland Road) - appear to have been in the same general area since January 13th at least (Croydon Birders).
South Ealing Station, W5: 8 Waxwings still present 0830 (Richard Woolley). 30th day.
Stanmore, Middx: Great White Egret (Ldn yr-1st) reported flying low west over gardens behind Kipling Place near Brockhurst Corner at 0917 (BirdGuides).
Surbiton, Seething Wells (KT3): 3 Lapwing - the first I have seen there since the basins were drained (GTW).
Trent Park: 1 Woodcock, seen in flight over set-aside field near Oakwood entrance, 14:15 hrs (Robert Callf & Robin White).

Tuesday 29th January 2013[]

Amwell NR: 1w Glaucous Gull in roost between 3.45-5.00 p.m. at least from viewpoint; also Bittern flew into large reedbed to roost (Simon West).
Battersea Railway Bridge over River Thames: 2 (1m 1f) Gadwall (A Saunders)
Bittacy Park (Mill Hill): 11 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing, 2 Siskin over, Lesser Redpoll (D. McKenzie).
Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Little Grebe, Mandarin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Goldcrest, 6 Siskin (Conrad Ellam)
Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, Turnstone, Grey Plover, Golden Plover, 3 Cetti's Warbler, Kingfisher, Green Sandpiper, adult Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Rock Pipit, 12 Curlew, 70 Fieldfare. (Kev Jarvis).
Denham, Bucks: 2 Red Kites over Harefield Place golf course (Ian Stewart).
East Wickham open space (LB Bexley): Woodcock south at 07:30 (Gus Wilson)
Ewell Village (Lower Mill): 1 Little Egret present early afternoon, 1 Kingfisher (Neil Batten).
Heathrow: Peregrine hunting along A4 corridor. (Adam Cheeseman)
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: at least 17 Shoveler (Round Pond not checked), male Kestrel, both Bearded Tit still present in Diana Memorial reedbed (D. McKenzie). Both birds gave excellent views 11:30-12:30 feeding on the ground next to the fence (Nigel Sluman). Both showing well and pinging at 13.45 (Ian Stewart).
Maple Cross, Herts WD3 (Maple Lodge NR): 3+2 Little Grebe, c50 Fieldfare spooked by Sparrowhawk, c50 Redwing (Roger Dewey).
Margravine Cemetery: 3 Fieldfare, 1 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush, 1 Goldcrest (Nathalie Mahieu).
Marylebone (Balcombe Street): Grey Wagtail over (Ian Stewart).
Pinner Park Farm: 5 Shoveler (including two drakes) on the main pond, 2 Little Egret, Fieldfare (flocks rather mobile today), 22 Redwing, 15 Jackdaw, 3 Snipe, 2 Grey Heron (Jon Ridge).
Redbridge Lakes and Roding Valley Park: up to 2 Skylarks [a lifer for me on these local patches], Snipe, Green Woodpecker, Goldcrest, Song Thrush, 3 Long-tailed Tits (Alan Hobson).
Ruislip Woods: c100 Fieldfare W over Coteford Junior School 09:45 (Nigel Sluman)
South Ealing: Waxwings still (BirdGuides); no sign 4-4.55pm. Thinking it might be good to note times spotted.
Staines Moor: 1 Water Pipit along banks of Colne before flying high to KGV reservoir, brief distant views of pale owl sp. in tree line on E side of moor - most likely Barn Owl, 2 Bullfinch, 1 Common Snipe, 15 Linnet, 5 Skylark (including 3 in song-flight), 12 Meadow Pipit, 1 Kestrel (Bill Dykes).
Sydenham Hill Woods: at least one Firecrest still in ivy-covered trees in hollow under bridge by Wildlife Trusts storage container (A Garvey).
Tottenham, Bruce Grove (Bruce Castle Park): 1 Waxwing seen at W end on treetop before flying W at 7.50 am - others heard nearby in same direction but not relocated; also 12 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, Green Woodpecker, 4 Stock Dove and 2 Nuthatches 7.45-8.15am (Davey Leach).
Tottenham, Northumberland Park: m & f Peregrine on Gas Tower behind Ikea Edmonton low down sheltering from wind and rain 12.35-1.00pm (Davey Leach).
Wanstead Flats: 5 Pochard, 6 Shoveler, 5 Gadwall, 10 Tufted Duck, 2 Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Fieldfare, 2 Goldcrest, Reed Bunting, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Grey Heron (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: 100+ Gadwall, 60+ Tufted Duck, 2 Shoveler, 7 Pochard, 2 Stock Dove, 2 Goldcrest, 30+ Goldfinch, 10+ Siskin, Bullfinch, Grey Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtail, 3 Redwing (Nick Croft)
Wembley/Sudbury: 2 Ring-necked Parakeets near Barham Park (not sure if these are common here) (Ian Stewart). Have seen up to 40 in a pre-roost flock in Alperton. So maybe common! (Phil Jackman).
Yiewsley (Philpotts Farm): 1 Red Kite (Roger Dewey).

Monday 28th January 2013[]

Barnehurst, Bexley DA7 (Thirlmere Rd): 1 male Blackcap in my back garden (site tick) feeding on fat cake on bird table (Chris Rose)
Bentley Priory: 4 drake Goosanders on Summerhouse Lake at 14.45 (Tony Blake)
Bexleyheath, Hall Place North: 2 (possibly more) Jackdaw, 4 Stock Dove, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Mistle Thrush, 20+ Goldfinch, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Grey Heron (low over or flew out of tree), 13 Common Gull, 4+ Ring-necked Parakeet (Chris Rose).
Bexleyheath, The Mall: 1 Pied Wagtail, c40 House Sparrow in grown-out Cotoneaster 'hedge' by Magistrate's Court (Chris Rose).
Borough: 8 House Sparrow emerging from tree roost in small public space off Swan_Street (Tony Stones)
Brent Reservoir: 1 Green Sandpiper, Lapwing, 32 Snipe, 24 Fieldfare, Water Rail (Derek Turner)
Broadwater Lakes, Harefield: Kingfisher, Goldeneye, 2 Treecreeper, mixed flock of c100 birds - mostly Siskin with some Great, Blue & Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest, Chaffinch & Dunnock, other mixed tit flocks around, 13 Lapwing, Reed Bunting, 10 Blackbird, Jay, 2 Grey Heron (Nigel Sluman).
Brookmill Park, Lewisham: drake Mandarin, Sparrowhawk, Goldcrest, Jackdaw, 2 Siskin (Conrad Ellam).
Canbury Gardens, Kingston: 1 Grey Wagtail; also, one of the park's Goldcrest's briefly singing. (S. Neal)
Canons Farm: Golden Plover, Red-legged Partridge, 4 Siskins (David Campbell).
Charlton (Hornfair Park): 16+ Goldfinches, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tits, 3+ House Sparrows (Joe Beale)
Charlton (Pallet Way): 16 House Sparrows in a front garden (Joe Beale)
Chingford (Long Deacon Road): 12 Waxwings (Tony Brown)
Cockfosters, (Games Road / Chalk Lane Playing Fields - near Cockfosters Stn): Adult winter Mediterranean Gull with Black-heded and Common Gulls - flew off at 14.15hrs (Bob Husband & Robin Morden).
Crayford Marshes: 2nd winter Caspian Gull near the recycling centre, Spotted Redshank, 4 Grey Plover, Turnstone, 2 Green Sandpiper, c230 Fieldfare, 40 Redwing, 2 Little Egret. (Kev Jarvis).
East Barnet: 9 Waxwings at bottom of Rushdene Avenue (S.Javes). No sign at 15:00 (Katy McGilvray).
Edmonton N18 (Pymmes Park): 2 Fieldfare, pair Shoveler on Pond, 3+ Nuthatches calling and active, 1 Stock Dove on Playing Field - 7.45-8.20 (Davey Leach).
Ewell Village (Lower Mill): 2 Little Egret present on and off this morning in the Hogsmill (Neil Batten).
Finsbury Park, N4: 90+ Fieldfare (TeRNS)
Greenhithe, Kent DA9: 2 quite vocal Firecrests at the station on London side in ivy at 12.25, Sparrowhawk over (Ian Stewart).
Ham Common Pond: one pair Shoveler, Mandarin (2m 1f), 10 Egyptian Geese (GTW)
Hayes (Lake Farm CP): 14 Fieldfare, 9 Common Gull, 11 Reed Bunting, 3 Stonechat, 1 male Blackcap, 2 Song Thrush, 16 House Sparrow, 1 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Ring-necked Parakeet (W.Marks) Edit by myself - the two Song Thrush are actually two Mistle Thrush (W.Marks)
Hyde Park: both Bearded Tit still present in Diana Memorial reedbed (D. McKenzie, D. Howdon), also Lapwing south, 3 Great Black-backed Gull and at least 10 Fieldfare (DMc).
Lee Valley RP: 2 Goldeneye (Bowyers Water); 1 Shelduck, 1 Green Sandpiper (Goosefield); 7 Goosander (1m 6f) Holyfield Lake (Mike Oakland), 6 Smew all red-heads (2 on 70 Acres Lake; 1 each on Hooks Marsh Lake, Police Pit, Bowyers Water & Friday Lake), 1f Goldeneye on Hooks Marsh Lake, 1 Woodcock flushed from edge of 70 Acres Lake, Water Rail feeding for several minutes in front of the Bittern hide (Alastair Dent).
Littlebrook Lake: Slavonian Grebe near Management Centre with 3 Pochard, 15 Tufted & Cormorant, also 6 Redwing, 15 Fieldfare & 3 Rose-ringed Parakeets in trees near Wimpey centre (Peter Graham). Where is Littlebrook Lake? Please click the just-added blue hyperlink for directions.
Margravine Cemetery: 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker (1f+2m chasing each other), 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Fieldfare, 2 Peregrine Falcon on hospital (Nathalie Mahieu).
Moorgate: 10+ Fieldfare feeding on muddy area of HAC Ground off Bunhill Row (Gareth Richards).
Orpington (North Drive off Sevenoaks Road [A223]): 19 Waxwing in tree at 11.45am - not seen at 13.30pm (Barry Wooding).
Pinner (Eastcote Road): 1 Siskin over (Jon Ridge).
Pinner Park Farm: 1 Little Owl being chased around by a Carrion Crow, Fieldfare (still a huge amount), 3 Redwing, 6 Snipe, 1 Grey Wagtail, 18 Goldfinch, Jackdaw & Green Woodpecker; also a pair of Canada Goose & 1 Jay at Headstone Moat (Jon Ridge).
Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 2 Shelduck, 1♀ Wigeon, 31 Gadwall, 28 Shoveler, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 29 Common Gull, 58 Fieldfare on playing fields, 5 Redwing, 1 Chiffchaff, 6 Siskin; fewer Wrens and no Little Grebes since snowfall (birdman_euston). Excellent views of Water Rail in reedbed opposite Boathouse Cafe at 1430-1500 (Peter Charles). pr Firecrest (Tony Duckett) seen p.m. in bay laurel tree left of NE entrance to Queen Mary's Gardens (QMG) area 17 and then pine grove at W border of Marylebone Green a.16; evidently three Firecrests are wintering in the Park - one ♂ near Hanover Bridge a.1 and two (♂&♀) near QMG (b_e).
St James's Park: 25+ Fieldfare, 2+ Mistle Thrush (D. Howdon)
Sidcup DA15: probable Waxwing heard near York Avenue but not found in brief search, also Lesser Redpoll over (Ian Stewart).
Sidcup (Lamorbey Park): no sign of Mandarin but male Wigeon still, Little Grebe, Goldcrest (Ian Stewart), 6 Siskin feeding with 20 Goldfinch, female Kingfisher dived to catch fish from branch near golfers bridge, 3 Nuthatch, Peregrine (Eric Brown).
South Ealing Station, W5: 7 Waxwings still present 0830 (Day 28!). (Richard Woolley). 9 present 14.30 corner of Sunderland Road and South Ealing Road (Barry Jones).
South Norwood Lake: c75 Fieldfare, 2 Goldcrest (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
Tottenham: 50+ Waxwings in tree on Great Cambridge Rd by junction of Wier Hall Avenue before flying down to roof of flats to bathe at 9.00 (I Lycett). No sign at 14:10 in local area. (Katy McGilvray). 28 still on A10 just down from Cambridge roundabout mid afternoon (per RBA)
Tottenham Marshes: 1 m Goldeneye flew from Lockwood N towards Banbury Reservoir - 12.45pm. Also 2 Meadow Pipts in area, 1 m Peregrine on Gas Tower behind Ikea but lower down due to the wind - 1 pm (Davey Leach).
Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: 9 Teal, 6 Mandarin, Redwing, Reed Bunting, Cormorant over (scarce here), Treecreeper (John Colmans)
Trent Park: 2(m&f) Goosander, Upper Lake (Robert Callf, Helen Shore and Robin White).
Victoria Park E9: 40+ Fieldfare, Great Spotted Woodpecker on east side; Shoveler and drake Mandarin on east lake (Richard Drew)
Wandsworth Common: 80+ Fieldfare (B. Mills)
Wanstead Flats: 10 + Fieldfare, 3 Mistle Thrush, 10 + Tufted Duck, 5 Shoveler, Skylark, 3 Meadow Pipit (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: singing Coal Tit, 15 + Siskin, 2 Teal, 6 Pochard, many Gadwall, Grey Heron (Nick Croft)
Westminster: pair Peregrine showing very well around the Palace of Westminster, the tiercel putting on a spectacular show over the Thames and the hospital 08:30-9:00 (Frank Nugent).
Wormwood Scrubs: c50 Fieldfare, Redwing (Charlie Farrell)
Worcester Park: Little Egret near Hamptons on field, possibly same one later Green Lane, 80 Fieldfare, 2 Gadwall, Little Owl (Bob Smith). Hi Bob, where exactly is the Little Owl? {Lee Dingain}. It's a difficult one, in battersea new cemetery lower morden usually hear one in evening.(Bob Smith)

Sunday 27th January 2013[]

Alexandra Park: male Peregrine scattered c150 mostly Black-heads from cricket pitch 0950, also c40 Fieldfares, Redwing, pair Shoveler still partly frozen Conservation Pond, 17 Tufted Ducks, Pochard Wood Green Res/Tunnel Res (Bob Watts). Peregrine sitting on ledge of tower at S (Palm Court end) of palace frontage, noon (Chris Madden). Peregrine later chased pigeons in front of the Palace giving spectacular display (RSPB BGB & Peregrine Watch Bob Husband, Robin Morden, Fay Broom, Marian Rastelli, Ken Brook et al NW London RSPB Group).
Archbishop's Park, Lambeth: 4 Greenfinch, 2 Song Thrush (Chris Elders & Rich Horwood).
Brent Reservoir: juv Marsh Harrier 08.40-08.45 circling in front of hide, mobbed by 9 Carrion Crows and 6 large gulls, flushed flock of Teal, Shoveler, other gulls. It gained height and went off south-east. High flood water level, no mud but 1 Lapwing on raft, 1 Snipe on log (Andrew Verrall). 70+ Fieldfare (Charlie Farrell)
Brockwell Park: 40 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull (Charlie Kitchen)
Burgess Park: c22 Fieldfare, no sign of Skylark seen on Friday, thanks for encouraging advice offered (Chris Elders & Rich Horwood).
Chingford: 5 Waxwings feeding on berries in front garden of 42 Long Deacon Rd this moning (Harry Lacey)
Clissold Park, N16: 18 Waxwing by North Lodge 13.50-13.55 then flew towards Lordship Rd, also 3 Fieldfare (TeRNS).
Cockfosters (Chalk Lane Sports Ground): 1 adult-winter Mediterranean Gull feeding with a small mixed flock of Black-headed and Common Gulls, 15:20 - 15:35 hrs (Robert Callf).
Crossness: 1st-winter Kittiwake lingering off golf centre 9.40-10.15am at least; also Grey Plover, 3 Yellow-legged Gulls, 200 Dunlin (Richard Bonser).
Dagenham Chase LNR: 1 Skylark over, 30+ Waxwings again briefly at 3:30pm, 2 Woodcock flushed, 3 Reed Bunting, 4 Jackdaw, 13+ Pochard, 3 Wigeon. ( VHF & S.Drake ).
Ealing Rugby Club Vallis Way: Green Woodpecker and about 25 Fieldfares at 10.00am. (Alex Randall)
East Barnet: 11 Waxwings back in Rushdene Avenue feeding on rose hips; arrived late afternoon (S.Javes).
Eltham, Oxleas Woods: Common Buzzard flying W 2.05pm (John Reid)
Foots Cray Meadows: 3 Shoveler (male + 2 females, first here this year), 10 Gadwall, 20 Tufted Duck, 8+ Little Grebe, Kestrel, 2 Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Siskin (Ian Stewart).
Fryent Country Park: c300 Fieldfare (inc flocks of 60 and 180), 1 Redwing (Charlie Farrell).
Greenford UB6: m Blackcap in garden (Neil Anderson)
Greenwich Peninsula: no sign of the Firecrest by the Ecology Park, 10+ Redwing, 10+ Fieldfare & 1 Goldcrest in Central Park in the afternoon (unconfirmed report of Firecrest there at 10.00 am) 5 Lapwing on the foreshore at low tide (Conrad Ellam)
Hampstead Heath (Kenwood): 20 Jackdaw (James Palmer). Skylark over and 1 feeding on Parliament Hill, c.75 Fieldfare over (40+35) with c15 feeding on Parliament Hill, 3 Redwing, Little Grebe & Kingfisher Mens Pond and Little Grebe Highgate 1 Pond, Kingfisher at Sanctuary Pond (Frank Nugent).
Hyde Park: both Bearded Tit still present in Diana Memorial reedbed plus 3 Meadow Pipit and c.60 mobile Fieldfare on Parade Ground (with a further 15-20 scattered around the site) (D. McKenzie). 48 Egyptian Geese (Richard Bonser).
Lee Valley RP - Middlesex Filter Beds: 3 Goldcrest, 8 Little Grebe, 2 Gadwall, 1 Jay (Jonathan Nasir)
Lee Valley RP - Waterworks NR: 2 Common Snipe, 45 Teal, 8 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, 2 Tufted Duck, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Jonathan Nasir)
Littlebrook Lake: Slavonian Grebe still, 15 Waxwing over (Rich Bonser), 1 Jack Snipe on field east of 'grebe pool' (James Lowen)
Margravine Cemetery: 2 Peregrine Falcon on hospital, 3 Fieldfare, 1 Redwing, 1 m Great Spotted Woodpecker (Nathalie Mahieu, Ruth Savery).
Mudchute Farm: 26 Fieldfare, 8 Redwing, one Goldcrest (Sean Huggins)
Northolt and Greenford CP: 5 Shoveler (4 males) on scrape (1st seen here for few years + record count ), imm Sparrowhawk, 11 Fieldfares (Neil Anderson)
Pinner (Suffolk Road): 2 Siskins in an Alder tree (Jon Ridge).
Pinner Park Farm: 736 Fieldfare (a huge count, with 225 in just one paddock), just 7 Redwing, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Little Egret, 9 Snipe, 51 Jackdaw, Great Spotted Woodpecker & Green Woodpecker (Jon Ridge).
RAF Northolt: Buzzard over A40 about 10.20 am (Alex Randall).
Regent's Park: 5 Wigeon, 1 Teal, 22 Gadwall, 60+ Mandarins, 60+ Red-Crested Pochards, 3-4 Water Rails (reedbeds in areas 2 & 5), Yellow-legged Gull, 50 Fieldfares, 25 Redwings, pr Blackcaps area 3 (Tony Duckett).
Richmond Park: Woodcock flushed Sidmouth Wood 11.30am, Kingfisher fishing on edge of reed beds Upper Pen Ponds 12-12.15 (Steve Woolfenden)
Sidcup DA15: Great Black-backed Gull N, Grey Heron low NE mobbed by local gulls and corvids, Green Woodpecker heard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, a pathetic Big Garden Birdwatch of 25 total birds (5 of which were Feral Pigeons) - this always seems to happen! (Ian Stewart).
Sidcup (Lamorbey Park): male Mandarin, male Wigeon, Little Egret, 2 Mute Swan, 1 Greylag, 16 Canada Geese, 1 Canada x Greylag, 16 Mallards, male Tufted Duck, 2 or 3 Little Grebe, 1 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 18 Moorhen, 16 Coot, 20+ Black-headed Gull, 3+ Common Gull, Nuthatch, Siskin (Ian Stewart).
South Ealing: 9 Waxwings (W.Marks)
Staines Reservoir: long-staying drake Scaup still present and 15 Common Goldeneye this morning (Dominic Mitchell). Late afternoon drake Scaup still on the N basin and long-staying Black-necked Grebe still S basin; Red Kite W across Ashford and Staines; hordes of gulls were pouring in to the roost at Q Mary Res to the S and at 1625hrs - I picked up a white-winger (Glaucous/Iceland type) among them briefly - far too distant to identify - fwiw it looked very white and not particularly large so my guess would be not the recent Glaucous Gull from Beddington (Rob Innes).
Stockley Park: Red Kite seen at 08.45 over the A408 (TN)
Totteridge Valley: Peregrine and Sparrowhawk over Woodside Park; Buzzard, Kestrel, Little Owl, 2 Meadow Pipit, 5 Teal, 3 Mandarin in Darlands Lake area (Ian Ellis).
Uxbridge Common: 30+ Fieldfares 10.30 (Alex Randall).
West Drayton near Heathrow: Red Kite over at 9.35am and again at 1.15pm, 2 Coal Tits in my garden (Sue Giddens).
West Ealing: male Blackcap in garden (Bill Haines).
Wimbledon: 9 Fieldfare low flying over Oxford Avenue at 2pm heading South. (J. Dickerson)
William Girling Reservoir: 1 Slavonian Grebe, 5 Black-necked Grebe, Long-tailed Duck (Birdguides).

Saturday 26th January 2013[]

Alexandra Park: 50+ Fieldfare, Meadow Pipit, 2+ Shoveler Wood Green Res (Bob Watts).
Amwell GP: 1 Bittern, 2 Water Rail (James Palmer).
Brent Reservoir: 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 Lapwing, 6 Lesser Redpoll (Andrew Verrall); Water Rail and drake Pintail from main hide (Andrew Haynes, John Gravatt); 12 Lapwing flew NW, 33 Snipe, Bearded Tit heard, main hide (Roy Beddard).
Brookmill Park: Mandarin Duck, 3 Goldcrest, 6+ Siskins, Coal Tit (P Kite, J Foot)
Burgess Park SE5: 8 Pochard, 20 Fieldfare (Richard Bonser).
Chingford: still 4 Waxwings feeding on rose hips in garden opp school on Kings Rd 9.30-9.40 then flushed; seen again briefly on Larkshall Rd at 10.50 (Ian Lycett), then again on Long Deacon Rd at 11.00 (per RBA).
Clapham Common: 30 Fieldfare over, 13 Shoveler, 5 Tufted Duck, good numbers of Common Gull. Very active Blue and Great Tits - spring is here! Song Thrush singing. (Mark H)
Clapton Common: 25 Egyptian Geese (Harringay Birder)
Collier Row, Romford (Ferndale Road): Fieldfare in tree in back garden (G J Francis)
Dagenham Chase LNR: 61 species recorded. 30+ Waxwings briefly by visitor centre, male Firecrest by River Rom, 42+ Pochard, 15+ Shoveler, 5 Wigeon, 78 Lapwing, (55+ Fieldfare, 21+ Redwing, 3 Blackbird, 1 Mistle Thrush & 1 Song Thrush all in 2 small paddocks), 4 Siskin, Redpoll heard, 5 Linnet, 2+ Goldcrest, 2 Reed Bunting, several Snipe flushed, 7 Stock Dove, 1 Water Rail seen on Wheelers pond, 1 Kingfisher (VH-F & S.Drake).
East India Dock Basin: Chiffchaff, Reed Buntings, 21 Shelduck, 250+ Teal, 6 Redshank in roost well before high tide (Paul Hyland)
Ewell Village (Lower Mill): Little Egret in the Hogsmill again and a male Kingfisher also present (Neil Batten)
Fairlop Waters: 50 Wigeon, 1 Shoveler, 1 Grey Heron, 6 Pochards plus usuals on main Boating Lake; 2 male Gadwall, 2 Cormorants, 2 Mute Swans plus usuals on Angling Pond (Mick Charles).
Finsbury Park: 2 male Shoveler, 1 male Mandarin duck (Clare Stringer)
Fishers Green, Lee Valley: Bittern and Water Rail showing well mid afternoon (Phil Rhodes)
Gallions Reach: 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 3 Grey Plover, 5 Common Snipe, Oystercatcher, 35 Lapwing, 4 Gadwall (Gary A James).
Greenford UB6: m Blackcap still present in garden (Neil Anderson)
Greenford (Ravenor Park): min 10 Fieldfare - unusual here on deck; normally Redwing more regular but this species scarce at the moment locally (Neil Anderson)
Greenwich Ecology Park: Firecrest from 09.45 - still present 1115 frequenting scrub between reserve entrance and road, 1 Chiffchaff, 10 Lapwing plus one earlier (Joe Beale, James Lowen)
Hackney N1 (Northchurch Road): steady stream of Fieldfares in our garden - a new garden tick (also seen by my wife Esther yesterday) (Michael Rank)
Hampstead Heath: Red Kite flew N over Parliament Hill at 1245, c.100 Fieldfare here and on football pitches at lido, 10 Meadow Pipits and Skylark here too, 2 Kingfishers at Sanctuary Pond (Pete Mantle, Frank Nugent)
Hornchurch: male Blackcap again this evening in my garden (Shaun Harvey)
Horsenden Hill: 1st winter Mediterranean Gull on sports pitches early afternoon (looked like the bird from Jan 1st), 1 Little Egret flew SE at 16.50, 1 Woodcock in Perivale Wood, 2+ Snipe, 2 Meadow Pipit, 450+ Fieldfare, 6 Redwing, 1 Shoveler, 1 Little Owl, 2 Sparrowhawk; co-ordinated count of Carrion Crow roost in Perivale Wood produced 1282 birds - less than 2012 but broadly in line with counts over the last few years (Andy Culshaw, David Howdon and Martin Smith).
Hyde Park: (very brief a.m. visit) - both Bearded Tit showing well in Diana Memorial reedbed, 3 Meadow Pipit on Parade Ground (D. McKenzie). Also in pm, plus small flock of Fieldfare flying over near Flower Walk (Martin Honey).
Kew Bridge: 4pm - pr Peregrine Falcon, dozens Ring-necked Parakeet going W in flocks of 4 to 15 (Nathalie Mahieu).
Kingston Cemetery: 15 Waxwings flew west 14.25, male Sparrowhawk, 3 Goldcrest, 2 Coal Tit, 9 Teal on the Hogsmill, 20 Fieldfare, 7 Redwing, 2 Stock Dove, Cormorant; 38 species (M Bournat).
Ladywell Fields SE6: 20 Fieldfare, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail (T. Wilson).
Leyton Sidmouth Park: Common Whitethroat seen twice at west end of Park near the childrens play area - presumed ad female, also 1 Fieldfare on the deck and a Redwing (Stuart Fisher)
Little Venice: Peregrine Falcon low toward Maida Vale 10:18, singing Grey Wagtail (D. McKenzie).
London Wetland Centre: (am) - 6 Bittern, redhead Smew, 6 Skylark over SSW, m+f Sparrowhawk, 6 Common Snipe, 1 Fieldfare, some Siskin, 2 Redpoll, 1 Dunlin (M. Honey/A. Innes).
Mudchute Farm: 30+ Fieldfare, 12+ Redwing, Lesser Redpoll, Green Woodpecker (P Kite J Foot)
New Covent Garden Market - Vauxhall: 1 Meadow Pipit on soil after digging works (Michael Mac).
North Hayes UB4 (Ten Acre Wood NR area): Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 2 Lapwing over, 14 Stock Dove, 21 Skylark (flock 16 + 5), 70+ Fieldfare (golf course + field by stables), 24 Linnet, m + f Bullfinch separately (Neil Anderson).
North Hayes UB4 (Yeading Brook Meadows NR): 4 Meadow Pipits, 125 Fieldfares feeding on turf,1 Redwing, 5 Reed Buntings (Neil Anderson)
Norwood Green, Osterley Lane: Little Owl (Rob Mills)
Osterley Park: 1 Water Rail, 2 Little Owl, 3 Linnet, 1 Stonechat, c50 Redwing, exceptional numbers of Fieldfare - no westerly movements noted but 1000+ feeding in the horse paddocks (K.Fisher). A passing Sparrowhawk put a good number of the Fieldfare to flight early pm, Goldcrest, Nuthatch (Rob Mills).
Pinner (Paines Lane): 1 Little Egret along the River Pinn (Jon Ridge).
Pinner Park Farm: 9 Snipe, 3 Linnet, Skylark over, 115 Fieldfare, Redwing, 5 Jackdaw; also at Headstone Moat: 2 Nuthatch, 2 Coal Tit & 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (Jon Ridge).
Rotherhithe: 2nd-winter Yellow-legged Gull on River Thames by Hilton Hotel 9am; 2 Egyptian Geese South Dock; 2 Fieldfare Durands Wharf; 112 Tufted Duck (47 Greenland Dock, 41 Canada Water and 14 Surrey Water); 10 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker Russia Dock Woodland (Richard Bonser).
Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 2 Shelduck, 5 Wigeon, 64 Mandarin, 26 Gadwall, 1 Teal, 39 Shoveler, 64 Red-crested Pochard, 216 Pochard, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Water Rail (one in Rail Ditch at Hanover Bridge end of area-2 reedbed while another squealed from the reeds), 1 Woodcock (over Leaf Yard Wood, area 40 at 09:15), 300+ Black-headed Gull (all feeding on Primrose Hill slope early a.m.), 22 Common Gull, 1 Chiffchaff, 1♀ Blackcap, 155 Fieldfare (Hill & Park playing fields), 7 Redwing; no sign of Park's evanescent Firecrests (birdman_euston). 7 Great Black-backed Gull W 09:05 (fide Regent's Park Birds blog).
Rye House Marsh: 1 Bittern - seen flying twice but presumably the same bird each time (James Palmer).
Shepperton (Upper Halliford): c40 Fieldfares in horse paddocks behind Bugle pub, Red Kite over at 15.30 (W.Marks)
Sidcup DA15: pair Peregrines hunting Pigeons, 6+ Fieldfare, 2+ Redwing, female Blackcap in garden, Goldcrest, 7+ Siskin east with one in garden (Ian Stewart).
Sidcup (Lamorbey Park): male Mandarin still, 2 Little Egret, Nuthatch, 5+ Siskin (Ian Stewart).
South Ealing: 8 Waxwings - 26th day (BirdGuides). 9 at 14:00 (Nathalie Mahieu).
Staines Moor: ringtail Hen Harrier again at 14:00, 5 Short-eared Owl and Water Pipit [Twitter - click on this link for all news #londonbirds; no Twitter account required]. 1 Little Owl, 2 Stonechat (V.Williamson, R Woolley). Hi, whereabouts was the Little Owl? (Lee Dingain). In Oak tree on right side of paved path, 50m before kissing gate, where path leads to boardwalk and the moor (RW). Nice one, thanks! (LD).
Stocker's Lake: Bittern (BirdGuides).
Sutcliffe Park, Kidbrooke: female Pochard, 2 Water Rail, 2 Common Bird [?], drake Wood Duck, 21 Fieldfare, 2 Mistle Thrush (John Bushell per Conrad Ellam).
Tottenham Hale (Ferry Lane Estate): 3 Redwing, 3 Fieldfare seen on BGBW (Quentin Given)
Tyttenhanger GP: Peregrine Falcon, Red Kite, Buzzard, Kestrel, 34 Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Song Thrush, 4 Fieldfare (Steve Blake).
Victoria Park E9: group of ~60 Fieldfare plus one or two Redwing on the grass at 10:30 near the Royal Inn on the Park (Alastair Dent)
Walthamstow Marshes: 150 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing both on horse stable field (Jon Agar)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: 2 Goldeneye (1 on Reservoir no. 1, 1 on Warwick East), Teal, 12 Shelduck, Shoveler, 11 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail (Jon Agar)
West Harrow: minimum 70 Fieldfare in recreation ground 08:45 (Alex Massey)
Whitewebbs Wood: 56 (34m,22f) Mandarin Duck on ornamental Lake 16:30 hrs (TQ328997) (Robert Callf).
Worcester Park: Peregrine over The Hamptons, Little Egret on Green Lane 11.20 (S.Osborn).

Friday 25th January 2013[]

Brent Reservoir: Bearded Tit heard by Main Hide 08.50, Woodcock flushed by Dump and drake Pintail in North Marsh (Andrew Self). 26 Snipe put up by unseen bird of prey; 23 Pochard, pr Pintail apparent mating North Marsh, 3 Gadwall, 2 Little Grebe, few Fieldfare passed by (James Levy).
Burgess Park: 24 Fieldfare feeding on ground, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, query sighting of a Skylark - how likely is this - classic vertical flight then cascade down to ground - anyone else seen one at this time of year in inner London? Plus possibly 2 Chaffinch - did not have binoculars to verify (Chris Elders). I think it's possible Chris, during snowy weather Skylarks can turn up on any patch of green. Mostly they are passing overhead singly or in small groups but some also go to ground (Pete Mantle). Skylarks are very prone to cold weather & a small group were even recorded taking refuge in someone's house for the night in 1965!! - they also create roosting tunnels under the snow.... & yes, they do move over inner London (Jon Ridge).
Canons Farm: Red Kite over at 3.10pm (Jamie McKenzie per David Campbell).
Canary Wharf: f Peregrine over Bank Street (Nick Croft)
Chingford: 20+ Waxwings opposite shops on Kings Parade on roof/garden of Kings Rd, 100 yards before junction of Larkshall Rd at 8.45 (Ian Lycett)
Connaught Water, Epping Forest: 62 Teal, 2 Egyptian Goose, 79 Mandarin Duck - anyone know the highest number recorded within the LNHS boundary? (Tony Brown). 180 at Grovelands Park, A. Self. Month & year? The year was 2005 'per London Bird Report 2006.
Cowley: Stock Dove on feeding station in my garden, also 5 Fieldfares (Alex Randall).
Crayford Marshes: Bar-tailed Godwit, 17 Grey Plover, 18 Pintail, 6 Yellow-legged Gull, 35 Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Curlew, Little Owl, 3 Rock Pipit, Lesser Redpoll, c230 Fieldfare. (Kev Jarvis).
Ewell Village (Lower Mill): 1 Little Egret in the Hogsmill 11.00 to 11.30 and again from 14.00 onwards (Neil Batten).
Finsbury Park: 9 Shovelers, pair of Gadwalls,1 drke Mandarin and 15+ Fieldfares (Ian Bradshaw)
Foots Cray Meadows: 12+ Gadwall, 6+ Little Grebe, Water Rail, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, 12+ Fieldfare on deck, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Lesser Redpoll over, 30+ Siskin, pair Bullfinch near Bexley Lane/Farwell Road gate (Ian Stewart).
Hackney (Millfields Pk. South): 14 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing (TeRNS).
Hackney E5 (Springfield Park): Nuthatch - first seen here (Jean-Patrick Elmes)
Harmondsworth\Sipson: 12 Lapwing, 3 Fieldfare, Teal on flooded field north of Holloway Lane (Nigel Sluman)
Hilly Fields SE4: singing Chaffinch, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker (Phil Laurie)
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 2 male Goosander south-west over Round Pond 10:47, 2 Peregrine Falcon, Water Rail briefly at the west side of Serpentine Island, both Bearded Tit still in situ and showing well, 2 Meadow Pipit, c.110 Fieldfare on site, 12 Redwing, male Blackcap (Flower Walk), 3 Siskin; also 68 Mute Swan, 116 Greylag Goose, 175 Canada Goose, 85 Egyptian Goose (site record), 9 Gadwall, 40 Shoveler, 58 Pochard, 147 Tufted Duck, 3 Little Grebe, 252 Coot, c.350 Black-headed Gull, 45 Common Gull, 9 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 17 Herring Gull, 2nd-winter Great Black-backed Gull, 11 Stock Dove (2 singing), c40 Ring-necked Parakeet, Grey Wagtail, 6 Pied Wagtail, 25-30 Blackbird, 5 Song Thrush, 9 Mistle Thrush, 5 Goldcrest, 4 Coal Tit, 2 singing Nuthatch, 3 Treecreeper, 3 singing Greenfinch (D. McKenzie)
Kingston (KT2): 20+ Siskin in a large tree in a residential back garden (GTW)
London Wetland Centre: 2-3 Bittern on main lake, redhead Smew by Dulverton Hide, Peregrine low over, 2 (m) Pintail, 25 Siskin, 1 Lesser Redpoll over (Bill Dykes).
Lower Clapton: 5 Waxwings still in the Powerscroft Road area. Seen in back gardens from Rushmore Road (Richard Drew)
M25, Cobham: Common Crane flew down into small reedbed on south side of M25, approx. 2 miles east of Cobham Services; a Buzzard was flying just above it which must've flushed it (Nigel Sluman). There is a free flying collection of Cranes, etc. in that area so there is the likelihood of it being a feral bird, unfortunately (Neil Batten). Doh! I'm glad you said that thanks :-) (NS).
M25 J12: Red Kite (Nigel Sluman)
Osterley Park: a flock of c50 Stock Doves, c15 Lapwings, 2 Skylark, c100 Redwing, 500+ Fieldfare (a conservative estimate, 2 large flocks present and minor numbers passing over heading W or SW) (K.Fisher)
Peckham Rye Park: c20 Common Gull, c30 Fieldfare, 2 Coal Tit, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Chaffinch inc. one male singing, Greenfinch, 4 Goldfinch, 5 Goldcrest, Nuthatch, 3 Jay, 1m Sparrowhawk feeding on small passerine (Martin Stevens).
Regent's Park: 5 Wigeon, 200 Fieldfares, 70 Redwings, Firecrest m (near Boathouse Cafe area 1), 6 Siskins (Tony Duckett).
Sidcup DA15: Skylark heard am, Sparrowhawk in Garden, Fieldfare, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Jackdaw W (Ian Stewart).
Sidcup (Lamorbey Park): male Mandarin (2nd site record to my knowledge), male Wigeon, pair Egyptian Geese, 2 Little Grebe, Kingfisher, 10+ Fieldfare and 7 Redwings on deck near Burnt Oak Lane with Song and Mistle Thrushes, 6+ Goldcrest, Nuthatch, 20+ Siskin (Ian Stewart, Phillip Cliffe).
Sidcup: Skylark flew NE over Longlands Road @9.15 am (Ian Stewart).
South Ealing Station, W5: 8 Waxwings still present, 0830 (Day 25!), (Richard Woolley).
Staines Moor: 2 Water Pipit along the river,1 Short-eared Owl 1030-1200 (Jim Sweetland). 1 Cetti's Warbler (cross west over north bridge, walk right along Colne for 300m & view vegetation along bank), 2-3 Short-eared Owl, 1 Water Pipit, 70 Fieldfare (mainly S), 1 Little Egret, 2-3 Common Snipe, 1m Stonechat, 1 Chiffchaff (Lee Dingain - few pics ). Ringtail Hen Harrier quartering the moor at 16.30 (Twitter).
Stanwell Moor: 1 Water Rail by burnt-out car 1030-1200 (Jim Sweetland).
Staines Reservoir: Black-necked Grebe, 2 Common Sandpiper, Common Snipe, 2 Redshank, male Kestrel (John Bushell & Conrad Ellam) All seen on south basin, we were told that the Scaup was on the north basin but were too cold to search for it, having seen a few in Kent this year.
Wanstead Flats : Brambling east (possible 2nd bird Alex), 10+ Linnet, singing Stock Dove, 100+ Fieldfare, Redwing, Kestrel, 4 Shoveler, Gadwall, Pochard (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Woodcock (old sewage works), Kingfisher, Lesser Redpoll, Bullfinch, 90+ Gadwall on Perch, 2 Shoveler, Fieldfare, Redwing (Nick Croft)
Yiewsley (Philpotts Farm): 1 Red Kite - no longer a novelty in the area. Local paper is asking readers to report sightings! (Roger Dewey).

Thursday 24th January 2013[]

Alexandra Park: 6 Fieldfares, 4 Goldfinch, c. 60 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Common Gulls, Grey Heron, 4 Pochard, Tufted Duck, Long-tailed Tit and Great Spotted Woodpecker calling high in the trees (HarringayBirder)
Banstead Downs: Firecrest still along wooded footpath on west side of golf course, around 60 yards from the clubhouse (David Campbell).
Blackheath: 1 Lapwing on the ground briefly; possibly the same one later over Greenwich Park (Joe Beale).
Brent Reservoir: Bearded Tit (main hide 11:15), Great Black-backed Gull (adult) (Steve Blake). c.60 Jackdaw in pre-roost gathering (James Levy).
Bushy Park: 7 Lapwings, 98 Fieldfares, 56 Redwings (Tony Duckett).
Collier Row, Romford: 34 Waxwings on telephone wire, corner of Lawns Way/Mashiters Hill, also feeding in garden at 9:20 (G J Francis).
Crayford Marshes: Slavonian Grebe on the Thames; Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Spotted Reshank, 2 Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, 18 Grey Plover, 12 Pintail, 45 Black-tailed Godwit, Little Owl, Lesser Redpoll, male Stonechat, 2 Rock Pipit, Green Sandpiper 170 Fieldfare (Kev Jarvis). Spotted Redshank showing well about 150m east of Erith yacht club on foreshore 14.30, 6 Grey Plover, 10+ Black-tailed Godwit, 300+ Dunlin, Common Snipe on foreshore, Curlew, Rock Pipit near Erith yacht club, Little Egret along creek, c200 Fieldfare, Kestrel, 6+ Yellow-legged Gull, poss first winter Caspian Gull flew east along Thames (Ian Stewart).
Crayford, Perry Street Farm: 24+ Fieldfare, 1 Redwing, 8+ Lapwing, 2 Pied Wagtail, 164+ Starling, several Common Gull (12 in adjoining Stoneham Park) (Chris Rose).
Crayford, Thames Road Wetland: Buzzard landed on pylon in adjoining Stanham Farm before circling over TRW then heading south (site tick), 2 Lesser Redpoll (site tick), 1 Water Rail seen then 2 more called straight after from other parts of site, 1 Snipe, 6 Teal, 2 Chaffinch, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Redwing, 1 Jay; also 7 Long-tailed Tit and 2 Mute Swan by Thames Rd bridge over River Cray (Chris Rose).
Dartford (Dartford Top/Wilmington): 30 Skylark feeding in field with 300 Woodpigeon; no sign of Slavonian Grebe at Littlebrook, moved to Crayford! (Andy Meaton).
Ewell Village (Lower Mill): Little Egret present from 15.50 until dusk (Neil Batten).
Gallions Reach: 5 Gadwall, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, Oystercatcher, 3 Grey Plover, 12 Common Snipe (Gary A James).
Greenwich Ecology Park: 2 Little Grebe, 2 Snipe (James Lowen)
Greenwich Park: 1 m Gadwall (patch tick and the first I know of for the Park) until c 11.00, also 1 Siskin over, Nuthatches, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker. 1 Lapwing over from Blackheath (Joe Beale).
Ham Lands: f. Bullfinch (Spencer Neal)
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: both Bearded Tit showing well in Diana Memorial reedbed a.m., 1st-winter Yellow-legged Gull, adult & 2nd-winter Great Black-backed Gull, Meadow Pipit, several Fieldfare and Redwing on site, Linnet on Buck Hill (D. McKenzie).
Kensal Green Cemetery and St Mary’s Cemetery: 3 Meadow Pipit, 5 Green Woodpecker, c12 mixed Fieldfare and Redwing, Coal Tit, 4+ Goldcrest (Charlie Farrell)
Larkhall Park - Stockwell: 16 Fieldfare (in recent years - since 2009 - I've only seen Redwing at this park), 5 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush, 100 Starling, 5 House Sparrow, 40 Feral Pigeons - do you want to take part in a pigeon survey then please go to website: http://feralpigeonproject.com/ (Michael Mac).
Leyton Dagenham Brook: Jack Snipe still present down to about 15 feet and photographed (Stuart Fisher)
London Wetland Centre: 1 Smew, 1 Bittern, 50 Siskin, 4 Redpoll, 4 Meadow Pipit, 2 Skylark, 110 Fieldfare (on site plus moving through W), 12 Redwing (Adam Salmon)
Lower Clapton E5: 5 Waxwings in trees around 32a Powerscroft Road and feeding on pyracantha berries in the hedge 1215-1230. Birthday garden tick! One or more of these birds present on and off all afternoon, last bird left at ~1545. Still some berries left. (Alastair Dent)
Lyndsey Park (Wembley): c50 Fieldfare on school playing field (Neil Anderson)
M25/M3 junction: 1 Red Kite west at 13:20 (Lee Dingain).
Margravine Cemetery (15.30): 3 Fieldfare, 1 Peregrine on Novotel then Ark (Nathalie Mahieu).
Marylebone: Peregrine Falcon west over the High St. 13:45 (D. McKenzie).
Northumberland Park: 5 Fieldfare on playing field by Brancaster Road/Willoughby Lane. Great Black-backed Gull on factory roofs nearby, 2 Meadow Pipits flew over, m Peregrine on Gas Tower by Ikea - 12.15-12.50 (Davey Leach).
Osterley Park: 4 Wigeon, 1 Water Rail, 9 Lapwing, 1 Little Owl, Tawny Owl H, 400+ Fieldfare, 25+ Redwing, 1 Stonechat (K.Fisher).
Rainham (Stone Barges): 1 Jack Snipe, 25 Common Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Ruff, 2 Caspian Gull (ad and 3rd w), ad Mediterranean Gull, 2 Corn Bunting (Ian Lycett)
Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 1 Shelduck, 4 Wigeon, 29 Gadwall, 186 Fieldfare (Park & Hill playing fields), 21 Redwing, 3 Siskin (birdman_euston). 1 Teal, 68 Shoveler, 21 Common Gull; also 1 Chiffchaff (first sighting this year), 1♀ Blackcap both near Hanover Bridge feeder - area 1 (fide Regent's Park Birds blog).
Sidcup: Grey Wagtail over Sidcup station (Ian Stewart).
Sidcup DA15: female Blackcap still present in garden (Ian Stewart).
Sidcup (Lamorbey Park): pair Egyptian Geese, male Wigeon, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Little Egret, Redwing, Goldcrest (Ian Stewart).
Slade Green: 3 Rooks flew SE over station 14.45 (Ian Stewart).
South Ealing Station W5: 8 Waxwings still present, 0830. (Richard Woolley).
Staines Moor: 1 Short-eared Owl showing well hunting in NE corner at 13:50 (Lee Dingain).
Stanwell Moor: 1 Water Rail along Colne Valley Way footpath to Staines Moor at 14:10, also male Sparrowhawk. Birder seen trespassing on Stanwell Moor at 14:00 - approaching the reedbed near boardwalk by entrance to Staines Moor. Please stick to the path! Trespassing will disturb the Bittern, reduce the chance of other birders seeing it, and annoy the landowner! (Lee Dingain)
Streatham Comon & Norbury Grove: 80 Fieldfare and 3 Redwing on site (Peter Newmark).
Sydenham Hill Wood LNR: 1 Firecrest at Crescent Wood Road entrance feeding on cherry laurel oppsite on housing estate (Ernie Thomason). At 3pm in holly and ivy along fence by path over the top of tunnel.
Totteridge Valley: 1 Woodcock, 1 Snipe, 13 Fieldfare, 2 Bullfinch, 17 Canada Geese (John Colmans)
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: 6+ Redwing (Bob Watts).
Trent Park: 16(8m,8f) Mandarin, Lower Lake, briefly at 15:45 hrs, before flying off (Robert Callf).
Tyttenhanger GPs: 2 Buzzard, 1 male Bullfinch, 1 Fieldfare, 4 Snipe, 2 Lapwing, Shovelers, Pochard, 1 Black-headed Gull in summer plumage (all others were not), 2 Teal flying across frozen fishing lake, -- one hit overhead cable and plummeted onto the ice with a thud; it can be seen lying dead on the ice under the cables. I saw it die - very sad. (Geoff Crabtree).
Wanstead Flats: 7 Snipe SSSI (record for site), 100 + Fieldfare, 6 Redwing, 9 Meadow Pipit, 4 Gadwall, 7 Shoveler, Pochard (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Reed Bunting, Teal, 70 Gadwall, Sparrowhawk, 10+ Redwing, 20+ Fieldfare, Meadow Pipit (Nick Croft). 7 Teal (3m 4f) - River Roding (Tony Brown).

Wednesday 23rd January 2013[]

Alexandra Park: 7 Shoveler Wood Green res 12pm (Dawn Painter)
Bentley Priory: c75 Fieldfare, c30 Siskin, 1 Redwing, 1 Treecreeper (Derek Turner)
Blackheath: 1 Fieldfare feeding briefly in middle of open heath (Joe Beale).
Brookmans Park: Moorhen in garden clambering through grapevine and over shed roof, well away from any water (Andrew Haynes).
Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Red Kite east 10.00, Cormorant, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 10 Fieldfare south west (Conrad Ellam)
Collier Row (Ferndale Road): at least 1 Fieldfare commuting between gardens, single male (and pair) of Great Spotted Woodpecker on feeder in back garden (seen for last 5 days). (G J Francis)
Crayford Marshes: Bar-tailed Godwit, 18 Grey Plover, Spotted Redshank, 56 Black-tailed Godwit, 16 Pintail, Little Owl, male Stonechat, 2 Rock Pipit, c260 Fieldfare (Kev Jarvis).
Dagenham Brook, Leyton: 2 Jack Snipe again with 3+ Common Snipe, 1 Green Sandpiper (Lol Bodini/Stuart Fisher/Paul Whiteman).
Dartford: Littlebrook Lake: Slavonian Grebe showing well near management centre. Did a circuit of lake and approached to within five yards. visible 10.15am to 11.00am at least; also Shoveler, 12 Fieldfare, 8 Redwing, Little Grebe; no sign waxwings at nearby Holiday Inn (Eric Brown, Phil Cliffe). Slavonian Grebe still showing well at 14.30 also Waxwing heard, Woodcock flew south over Bob Dunn Way 14.00, Peregrine, Water Rail, 40+ Fieldfare, 20+ Redwing, 2 Siskin, 3 Lesser Redpoll, 30+ Linnet, Kestrel, 2 Meadow Pipit, Lapwing over, 6 Shoveler, 2 Green Woodpecker (Ian Stewart).
Dulwich Park: 1m Shoveler, 2 Common Gull, 2 Lesser Redpoll (Martin Stevens).
East Barnet: 7 Waxwing on TV aerial at bottom of Rushdene Avenue (S Javes)
Eltham (Sutcliffe Park): Kingfisher (f), 10 Common Snipe (no Jack), Wood Duck, Water Rail (7 sightings maybe three birds), Pochard (f), 2 Redwing, 4 Fieldfare, Green Woodpecker, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 12+ Goldfinch (Eric Brown, Phil Cliffe), In addition to above 1 Lesser Redpoll (Paul Moss, John Reid).
Erith Quay: 3 Dunlin, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Grey Plover, 150+ Redshank & 3 Snipe (also on foreshore). (Paul Moss, John Reid)
Greenwich Park: 1f Shoveler (only the 2nd here in decades), also 1 Siskin over, 1 Kestrel (Joe Beale).
Holland Park: 20 Fieldfare Sportsfield, 3 Redwing North Lawn, first on ground this winter (David Jeffreys)
Hyde Park: lunchtime in awful weather (heavy snow/sleet) - both Bearded Tit showing well with just me watching; no sign of any owls - but I didn't stay long (Martin Honey). Both still showing well mid p.m.; also 64 Shoveler and at least 17 Fieldfare on site (D. McKenzie). Over 50 Fieldfare in park around midday after seeing Bearded Tits, plus several hundred Starlings (John Colmans).
Isleworth: 11.15am Red Kite flying west mobbed by crows (Les Mccallum)
Kennington: 9 Fieldfare south over Kennington Park 11:30 (Tony Stones).
KGV Reservoir: 5 Sanderling, 5 Dunlin, 1 Redshank, 2 Green Sandpiper, 5 Lapwing, c80 Wigeon, 3 Goosander, 20+ Goldeneye, c70 Meadow Pipit, c50 Fieldfare (R. Woodward).
Lamorbey Park: Common Buzzard NW 8.30, male Wigeon, pair Egyptian Geese, 2 Little Grebe, Peregrine over causing havoc among 100+ Black-headed Gulls 13.10, 7+ Fieldfare, Nuthatch (Ian Stewart).
Leytonstone (Jersey Rd/St. Anne's Rd): Goldcrest and Blackcap (m) in back gardens (G Sutton).
London Wetland Centre: 6 Bittern, redhead Smew (J.Wilczur et al). Also Peregrine low over, Sparrowhawk taking Meadow Pipit, Woodcock in flight & 2 Bearded Tits (et al only). Hi Jan, do you have any info on where the Bitterns were? (Oscar Dewhurst). Hi Oscar. One in usual place N side Res Lag; two N side Lake opp Dulverton Hide; one NW corner of Lake opp Obs; two S side of Lake seen from Peacock Tower. Cheers, J
Margravine Cemetery: 9:30/10 20 - Fieldfare, 3 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Greenfinch, 1 m Great Spotted Woodpecker (Nathalie Mahieu)
Middlesex Filter Beds, Hackney: 2 Firecrest, 6+ Goldcrest, 4 Chiffchaff, Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher, c10 Teal, c8 Gadwall, 6 Little Grebe, c15 Redwing (Lol Bodini/Paul Whiteman).
Paddington Green: 14 Fieldfare S/SW prior to 09:00 (D. McKenzie).
Pendennis Road (SW16): 1 grey heron dropped into a back garden (R Bell).
Regent's Park: 1 Reed Bunting (first of the year, feeding on thistle heads near area-36 gorse), 300+ Fieldfare S a.m. (fide Regent's Park Birds blog).
Ruislip Woods\Lido: 7 Bullfinch (4m 3f), 6 Blackbird, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Heron (Nigel Sluman)
Sidcup: Peregrine over King Georges Field, Longlands Road 16.00 (Ian Stewart)
Sidcup DA15: female Blackcap in garden (Ian Stewart).
Sidcup, Footscray Meadows: Redwing, Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Blackbird all feeding on Goldsmith's College sports ground together; 2 Mute Swans, 4 Gadwall, 6 Little Grebe, Green Woodpecker, 3 Aylesbury-type ducks, Grey Heron, Lapwing (on ground near Five Arches bridge). (Eric Brown)
Stanwell Moor Village: 2 Common Buzzard. (Adam Cheeseman).
Stocker's Lake: Bittern 15.16 (BirdGuides correction update). RBA map has this down as Little Bittern. Any ideas which is correct? (Nigel Sluman). RBA issued a correction at 16:11, it is a Bittern.
Stoneleigh (The Glade): Greylag west with 6 Canada Geese 08.30, 1 Common Gull, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull (Neil Batten).
Sydenham Hill Wood LWT: pair of Siskin, 8 Goldfinch, 11 Goldcrest, 2 Firecrest, 3 Treecreeper, c10 Redwing, 4-5 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tit, 7 Nuthatch (Martin Stevens). Could you give a little more detail about the location of the Firecrests please, favoured bushes/ trees etc? (Andrew Birks). Most of the sightings have been at the Crescent Wood Road end. My first encounter last week was just to the right of the notice board. Anywhere down the right hand track is likely, I have seen two at the first set of steps. One of today's was seen just behind the folly (Martin Stevens).
Thorney CP: Bittern flew over lake being mobbed by 2 Black-headed Gulls and a Magpie then flew down into reeds, 3 Wigeon, Kingfisher, 2 Grey Heron, 3 Redwing, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Gadwall (Sue Giddens).
Tottenham Marshes: Rock Pipit calling flew E over bank of Banbury Reservoir before landing on edge of water - 12.30. Also 2 Fieldfare, 1 Redwing and Yellow Legged Gull flew over Chalk Bridge. Meadow Pipit and Grey Wagtail on Water overflow channel. No sign of any Goosander or Peregrine today. (Davey Leach).
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: Common Buzzard mobbed by 4 Crows (Richard Glasgow), also 7+ Goldcrest, 2 Redwing (Bob Watts)
Walthamstow: High Maynard ad Caspian Gull (KJ Mcmanus).
Wanstead Flats: 16 Waxwing over visi mig site, Brambling east, 2 Skylark, 50 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing (NC/Tim Harris), Buzzard south over Alex (probably the one later at Tower Hamlets Cemetery), 5 Shoveler, 2 Pochard (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Woodcock south end of Old Sewage Works, 6 Siskin, 60 + Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, Little Egret (Nick Croft).
Waterworks NR (Leyton E10): 1 Firecrest, 4 Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff, c8 Shoveler; on nearby golf course: Little Owl, 2 Green Woodpecker (Lol Bodini/Paul Whiteman).
Westminster: 5 Fieldfare SW over Thames at 08:40 (Frank Nugent).
Yiewsley (Philpotts Farm): 1 Kestrel hovering (Roger Dewey).

Tuesday 22nd January 2013[]

Alexandra Park: 10+ Shoveler, 50+ Aythya (mostly Tufties) 7am (Bob Watts). Peregrine circling the slopes of Ally Pally about 1.20pm (Dawn Painter). 2 Common Snipe flushed from wet patch between overflow pond and 1st observation post, 11.00am (Jonathan Cooke), and male peregrine across Redston field 11.30. Peregrine 4pm: flew up to palace from racetrack direction, backwards and forwards above front of palace for several minutes, then disappeared in racetrack direction (Chris Madden). green Sandpiper flew from Tunnel Res (Alan Gibson).
Beddington SF: 1 ad Caspian Gull, 4 Jack Snipe, 4 Green Sandpiper, 1 Stonechat, 143 Lapwing, 477 Fieldfare (Peter Alfrey and BFBG) Casp pics
Blackheath: Snow Bunting overhead, west 10h30 (James Lowen). Not relocated on ground during later check of the heath; also 2 Fieldfare SE and 55 Common Gull (Joe Beale).
Brent Reservoir: 2 drake & 1 female Pintail in North Marsh; main res mostly frozen & diving ducks have left (Andrew Self)
Bushy Park: 4 Snipe flushed from boggy area on north side of Canal Plantation (R. Gowrley). 3 Lapwing, 410 Fieldfare, 12 Redwing, 28 Meadow Pipit (Tony Duckett).
Clapham Junction Station: 34 Fieldfare SW 13.30 (Barry Jones)
Crayford Marshes: 1st winter Knot, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, Spotted Redshank, male Marsh Harrier, 12 Grey Plover, 22 Pintail, 21 Curlew, 45 Black-tailed Godwit, Little Owl, Green Sandpiper, female Peregrine, 3 Yellow-legged Gull (ad, 3w & 2w), Rock Pipit, Lesser Redpoll, c160 Fieldfare (Kev Jarvis, Dominic Mitchell).
Dartford: c70 Waxwing at Holiday Inn Express 13.00 (James Lowen)
Ealing Station south: bus stop 10 Waxwing on berry-laden bush which is defended by Mistle Thrush, male Blackcap in the same bush, 40 Fieldfare flew over 3pm - Waxwing close enough to touch amazing (Les Mccallum). South Ealing?
Eltham (Sutcliffe Park): 1 Jack Snipe (P KIte). 11:40-12:15 - 10 Common Snipe, 2 Lesser Redpoll (John Bushell).
Ewell Village (Lower Mill): 10 Fieldfare SW, 2 Redwing, 2 Kingfisher, 6 Stock Dove, Grey Heron, Nuthatch (Neil Batten).
East Dulwich, Centre for Wildlife Gardening, London Wildlife Trust: 8 Fieldfare feeding on rosehips/ground + flock of c30 over, Lesser Redpoll, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, Common Gull, Sparrowhawk (Daniel Greenwood and Steven Robinson).
Foots Cray: 2 probable Common Snipe flew over Maidstone Road and came down in field north of Edginton Way, 6 Gadwall on lake south of Edgington Way also 20+ Tufted Duck (Ian Stewart).
Foots Cray Meadows: pair Egyptian Geese, 6 Gadwall, 5 Little Grebe, 4 Cormorant (not exactly regular here), Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 3 Water Rail (2 in reeds below five arches), at least 8 first-winter Common Gulls, 4 Lapwing on deck just south of lake, Common Snipe just SW of lake at edge of river Cray, Grey Wagtail, 20+ Fieldfare mainly south but 2+ on deck, 2 Siskin, possible Firecrest near old Foots Cray Place building (behind Cleve Park school).(Ian Stewart).
Greenwich Park: 2 Lapwings (two singles N and NE both early pm low from Blackheath, looked to be trying to land), also 2 Fieldfares over (Joe Beale).
Grovelands Park (Southgate): 1 Little Grebe; 1 Woodcock, flew past, 14:15 hrs; 8 Stock Dove; 7+ Redwing (Robert Callf).
Gunnersbury Park: 30+ Gadwall, 8 Wigeon all on the Potomac (Tom Gillard).
Ham: 60+ Fieldfare passed over the YMCA Hawker Centre alongside the Thames towpath at 1 pm (Phil Davies).
Hammersmith: 3 Teal (2m, 1f) on River Thames by Furnival Gardens (Michael Robinson)
Heathrow Airport: 40+ Lapwing, 4 Golden Plover, 500+ Fieldfare, 5 Skylark, 21 Linnet, 5 Goldcrest. (Adam Cheeseman)
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 2 Bearded Tits showing well 08.30 (K.Fisher et al) and at 12.15 (Barry Jones). Barnacle Goose (uo), 63 Pochard, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine Falcon north-west 09:33, 5 vocal Green Woodpecker, Skylark over, c.70 Fieldfare west 09:27 plus 3 on site, several Redwing heard, 7 Coal Tit (4 at feeders, 3 singing), 2 Nuthatch, 2 Treecreeper, 2 Siskin (D. McKenzie). (p.m.) 18 Lapwing south-west, Yellow-legged Gull, 69 Fieldfare, male Blackcap, c.15 Siskin (R. Ayers per DMc).
Isle of Dogs: 5 Lapwing, 45 Fieldfare and three Mistle Thrushes at Mudchute Farm; 129 Tufted Ducks on Millwall Dock (hard-weather influx, up from c40 last week) (Sean Huggins).
Lambeth, Archbishop's Park: 2 probably 3 Goldcrest, 7 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Mistle Thrush, 4 Goldfinch (Chris Rose).
Leyton Oliver Road and Orient Way: 3 Jack Snipe (2 in Dagenham Brook and 1 in small pond near Leyton Asda), 7+ Common Snipe, 1 Green Sandpiper, 6 Lapwing NW, 48+ Fieldfare over, Redwing, Kestrel, 30 Chaffinch (Stuart Fisher)
Littlebrook Lake: Slavonian Grebe (lake west of Beefeater/Premier Inn - ie has moved), Bittern (flushed from scrappy vegetation on south shore of the grebe's previous lake), 12 Shoveler, 1 Peregrine, 3 Snipe, 350 Fieldfare, 10 Redwing (James Lowen)
Margravine Cemetery: 2 Fieldfare + 17 over SW at 14:20, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Redwing, 1 Goldcrest with Long-tailed Tits, 2 m Great Spotted Woodpecker chasing each other, 1 f Blackcap at edge, 2 Peregrine Falcon on hospital (Nathalie Mahieu).
Molesey: 1 redhead Smew on River Ember associating with Tufted Duck SW of Met Police sports club below Island Barn Reservoir. Also 1 drake Pintail, 7 Wigeon, 5 Shoveler, Gadwall, 2 Great Crested Grebe, singles of Lapwing and Siskin over (Bill Dykes).
Paddington Basin: Kingfisher 08:40 (D. McKenzie).
Pinner Park Farm: Kestrel male, Little Owl, Fieldfare, Redwing, Jackdaw (Nick H).
Rainham Marshes: 3 Caspian Gull near the stone barges (adult, second-winter and first-winter) & 7 Yellow-legged Gull (2 adults, third-winter and four first-winters), Barn Owl hunting W of Wennington Marshes, Cetti's Warbler & Common Chiffchaff West Marsh (Dominic Mitchell via @birdingetc).
Queen Mother Reservoir: 2 BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT, Sanderling, Long-tailed Duck, Dunlin, 3 Green Sandpiper, 5 Wigeon, 2 Gadwall, 3 Goldeneye, Reed Bunting, 2 Redwing, 40+ Fieldfare (Nigel Sluman). Black-throated Diver distantly towards the castle but under water more than above, Long-tailed Duck showing well by sailing club (John Edwards).
St James's Park: flock of 25 Fieldfare overhead, 3 Little Grebes; probable resident exotic ducks - 6 Red-crested Pochard, 2 Pintail, 2 Ruddy Duck, pair of Smew, pair of Goldeneye (Wilbo and Gibbo).
The Shard, London Bridge: Peregrine from 72nd floor viewing area around mid-day - lucky enough to be having a private tour before public opening (John Colmans)
Sidcup DA15: Female Blackcap in garden, 20+ Fieldfare South, 7+Redwing South, male Sparrowhawk, Goldcrest. (Ian Stewart).
Staines Moor: 1192 Fieldfare S, 1 Curlew E, 2-3 Short-eared Owl, 2 Water Pipit, 40 Siskin N, 1 Lapwing W, 3 Common Snipe, 3 Stonechat, 1 Little Egret (Lee Dingain - pics here ).
Staines Reservoir: no sign of Jack Snipe after reported sighting early am, Green Sandpiper and a couple of Common Snipe in the NE corner of South basin, Black-necked Grebe (John Edwards).
Stanwell Moor: 1 Bittern, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Little Egret, 1 Stonechat, 3 Water Pipits, 50 + Fieldfare. Great few hours birding until and group of grey hound type rabbiting ? (observer, name please) ... Where abouts is the Bittern exactly please Lee Dingain? my name is stuart king and the bitten was over the other side of the stream by the old car wreck as you go on to the moor ! This bird has been seen a couple of times around the lake by the barb wired gate and flying into the reedbed by Bonehead Ditch in the old cow field near to the burnt out suzuki jeep (Adam Cheeseman). Many thanks, Lee Dingain.
Stanmore Place: c30 Fieldfare S (Neil Anderson)
Sutcliffe Park, Kidbrooke: drake Wood Duck, Jack Snipe, 10 Common Snipe, 4 Lesser Redpoll (Peter Bird & John Bushell)
Tottenham Marshes (NE section only): 2 Water Rail, 2-3 Goosander, 10+ Teal, 3 Meadow Pipit, 4 Song Thrush, Redwing (Lol Bodini)
Thames Ditton: 2 Fieldfare feeding on apples in garden; also f Blackcap and a further c70 Fieldfare over S (Bill Dykes).
Valentines Park: Green Woodpecker, 2 pr Egyptian Geese - one pair back on nest tree (Barbara Miller)
Walthamstow Reservoirs (N end Lockwood only): 2 Lapwing, 9 Goosander (7f on res + 2 over S), 6 Goldeneye (1 drake), pr Gadwall, 2 Meadow Pipit (Lol Bodini)
Wanstead Flats: 'possible' Serin (small yellowish finch with yellow rump, no discernible wing bars in the brief moment I saw through the bins, size of a linnet, and twittering rather linnet-like) briefly over Centre Path but didn't look like it was flying far - may have been associating with 15 Linnet new in today, also Snipe Long Wood, Lapwing, 60+ Fieldfare, 20+ Meadow Pipit, Skylark (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: 10 Skylark south, 70 Gadwall Perch, 30+ Goldfinch, 20 Siskin, 2 Bullfinch (Nick Croft)
Westminster: pair Peregrine low over Victoria Tower Gardens next to Palace of Westminster at 08:45 (Frank Nugent).
Woodford Bridge: Waxwing on Snakes Lane East eating berries about halfway down the south-western side of the road (Alan Hobson).
Wormwood Scrubs: Sparrowhawk, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest, m Reed Bunting, c30 Fieldfare over (Charlie Farrell).

Monday 21st January 2013[]

Alexandra Park: Woodlark north with 23 Skylarks at 09.39, plus 2 Fieldfare (Dominic Mitchell); 2 Common Snipe Wood Green Res (David Callahan); Woodcock south over pitch and putt at 10.30 & flock of 50 Fieldfares over (Alan Gibson); 13 more Fieldfares flew W into park at 12:12 & a female Sparrowhawk flew north (David Callahan, Ian Lycett, Dominic Mitchell); 2 Peregrine Falcons from c13:15 initially one over the reservoir (David Callahan) then an adult perched on a nearby gasometer with a second bird circling (Ian Lycett, Dominic Mitchell). Recently up to 4 Blackcaps and 2 male Bullfinches in garden within study area (Andrew Gardener per Bob Watts).
Beddington: 500 Fieldfare W, 100+ Skylark W, 3 Grey Plover, 1ad 1 1st-win Caspian Gull, 1 ad Mediterranean Gull (Peter Alfrey and BFBG) pics
Bexleyheath (Horsham Road Garden): male Blackcap, 8 Fieldfare, Song Thrush (all rare visitors) and Great Spotted Woodpecker; over - two flocks of Fieldfare c70 north c150 SW, two flocks Lapwing 9 & c60 SW, 6 Cormorant NW (Ralph Todd).
Blackheath: 50 west Fieldfare (James Lowen). Also 42+ Fieldfare W mainly over the Standard but includes 1 at the village & 4 over there, Meadow Pipit heard over the Heath, 2+ Siskin heard over the Standard and just 1 Redwing W (Joe Beale).
Brent Reservoir: male Bearded Tit showing & pinging left of main hide 9.15; 2 drake Pintail N.Marsh, 3 Wigeon, 24 Snipe, 4 Lapwing, 2 Water Rail, Redwing, 9 Fieldfares (Andrew Verrall).
Brixton: 15 Fieldfare E over Brixton Hill 09.15 (Tony Stones).
Broadwater Lakes: Shelduck, 5 Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Lapwing, Goldeneye, 5 Teal, 2 Wigeon, 2 Redwing, Fieldfare (Nigel Sluman)
Bromley, Hayes Farm: Common Buzzard still in residence around fields near end of George Lane, Treecreeper (first for a while) near fishing lake and 5/6 Little Grebe on Fishing Lake (Skinna).
Canons Farm: Peregrine landed in Lunch Wood, 29-30 Lapwing flew south and c305 Fieldfare flew west (David Campbell).
Chigwell, Old Farm: Red Kite SE 15.30. (Barry Jones).
City EC2A: Falcon sp (prob Peregrine) flew past, to the north of Liverpool Street station in the Broadgate area, appeared to be seeking to land on top of one of the taller buildings here (T. Donegan).
Crayford Marshes: male Merlin along Moat Lane & the creek, Jack Snipe on the foreshore below the Radar Tower, 2 Dark-bellied Brent Goose down river, Spotted Redshank on the foreshore near Erith Yacht Club, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 8 Grey Plover, Turnstone, 22 Pintail, 31 Black-tailed Godwit, 10 Golden Plover, 3 Lesser Redpoll, male Stonechat, Kingfisher (Kev Jarvis).
Dagenham Chase LNR: Bittern mobbed by gulls over Bardag Lake at 2pm (Park Ranger Steve per S.Drake & VH-F). Also seen about 1pm by Stan Brown by Chase Waters West per VH-F ).
Danson Park: 7m 5f Shoveler, 10 Pochard, 6 Tufted Duck, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Mute Swan, 5 Egyptian Geese, approx 121 Coot, 28 Ring-necked Parakeet in tree by mansion, 27 later flew into park from east (Chris Rose).
Dartford (Littlebrook): Slavonian Grebe still on small pool by fast-track, Bittern in reeds behind management centre (Chris Wilkinson).
Dulwich Park: 2m Shoveler, Common Gull, c12 Redwing over W, c32 Fieldfare over W, Kestrel (Martin Stevens).
East Dulwich (LWT Centre for Wildlife Gardening): c22 Fieldfare N/NW 1030-1100 (4 alighting briefly), Redpoll heard over (Peter Beckenham).
Ewell Village (Lower Mill): 2 Cormorant low south over 08.45, Little Egret 15.10 to 15.45 (Neil Batten).
Foots Cray Meadows - Five Arches-Pennyfarthing bridge - mid/late afternoon visit looking for snipe/woodcock to no avail. Of note were 4 pr gadwall, 9 little grebe, 1 grey heron, 1 cormorant, 1 teal, 4 common gull, 1 lapwing on deck, 14 siskin and 14 fieldfare. Ralph Todd
Fulham: female Blackcap for third day in garden just off North End Rd. (Matt Reed).
Gillespie Park: 1 Firecrest in wooded area, 3 Feildfare south, 1 Redwing, 9 Chaffinch (Chris and Pete Langsdon).
Greenford UB6 9UB: m Blackcap in garden, calling Skylark over NW (Neil Anderson)'
Greenwich Park: 26+ Fieldfare W ish and 10 Skylarks NW from Blackheath, also 2 Egyptian Goose, brief check only (Joe Beale).
Hampstead Heath: Bullfinch flew E and Skylark W over the tiny spring pond at 0830. Also, two flocks of Fieldfare N (90 & 30) plus a straggler being chased by a Kestrel (Pete Mantle), Peregrine over Kenwood at lunchtime (Chris Bird).
Harefield Village: 2 Red Kite, c10 Fieldfare, c70 Canada Goose, 28 Greylag Goose (Nigel Sluman).
Hendon: 22 Fieldfare W over Brent Street at 09:15 (Fraser Simpson).
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: both Bearded Tit showing well in Diana Memorial reedbed; both came down onto mud for about 2 mins at 3:40pm (Michael Mac). also 4 Gadwall, 60 Shoveler, c.170 Tufted Duck, 2 Lapwing north, Meadow Pipit, 63 Fieldfare north and west, 11 Redwing, c.45 Long-tailed Tit (D. McKenzie). 2 Skylark including one that landed briefly by the Round Pond mid-day (Bill Haines). Kestrel at dusk flew off and alarm calling in distance (Michael Mac).
Islington Green: 3 Fieldfare W at 10:30 (Tim Harris).
Lambeth Bridge: drake Red-crested Pochard landed on Thames at 12.30 (Andrew Self) Also, a single Fieldfare W, alighted in tall tree near St Thomas's Hospital before landing in Lambeth Palace Garden (Frank Nugent).
Leyton Oliver Road and Orient Way: 1 Green Sandpiper, 3 Snipe, 1 Reed Bunting over, 1 Lesser Redpoll in birch, 40+ Fieldfare west, 6 Skylark north, Green Woodpecker, 2 Stock Dove (Stuart Fisher).
London Wetland Centre: 2 Bearded Tit (calling on marsh 1610hrs), 120 Fieldfare W all through the morning, 16 Skylark S/SW + on marsh, 1 Smew, 4 Bittern, 11 Redwing, 7 Meadow Pipit, 40 Siskin, 4 Reed Bunting (Adam Salmon). 1 Waxwing seen 16:15 (website).
North Finchley: 5 Fieldfare W over Lodge Lane car park this am (John Colmans).
Northumberland Park: 7.45am - ad Caspian Gull & 2 Yellow-legged Gulls in large gull roost on roof of Venus Wines Warehouses. No gulls present when returned at 12.30pm but m Peregrine on Gas Tower behind Ikea as usual (Davey Leach).
Osterley Park: 2 Little Owl, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker (inc. 2 drumming), 1 Kingfisher, 2 Skylark, 2 Stonechat, a flock of c50 Siskin (K Fisher).
Queen Mother Res: Black-throated Diver, Long-tailed Duck, Sanderling, Green Sandpiper and BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT (C Lamsdell).
Paradise Fields (Greenford): pr Pheasant, 1st-w m Shoveler, Kestrel, c50 Fieldfare S, m + then pr Bullfinch (Neil Anderson).
Redbridge Lakes and Roding Valley Park: Waxwing, 4 Snipe, up to 20 Lapwings, Sparrowhawk (male), Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest, up to 15 Fieldfares, up to 4 Song Thrushes (Alan Hobson).
Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 2 Shelduck, 5 (3♂ 2♀) Wigeon, 8 Gadwall, 11 Shoveler, 2 Little Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1♀ Blackcap, 5 Fieldfare (birdman_euston). 1 Skylark SW, 13 Fieldfare, 14 Redwing (fide Regent's Park Birds blog).
Sidcup DA15: 23 Lapwings SW (11 and 12), Skylark SE 07.52 (both home year ticks), 110+ Fieldfare mainly W also 1 in garden very close, 22+ Redwing over, female Blackcap in garden, 4 Jackdaw N, 20+ Common Gull around retirement home inc. 3 first-winter, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk (Ian Stewart).
Southgate (Dalrymple Close): 17 Waxwing, perched in Birch, dropping down to feed on hips, flew off calling 09:20 hrs (Robert Callf).
St John's Wood: 21 Fieldfare west 12:32 (D. McKenzie).
Staines Reservoir: 1 Jack Snipe north east corner of north basin, 2 Scaup m&f north basin, 1 Black-necked Grebe south basin, 29 Fieldfare and a Green Woodpecker along the causeway, 15+ Goldeneye (Jim Sweetland). 1 Dunlin, 1 Green Sandpiper (C. Lamsdell).
Thames Ditton: 1 f Blackcap feeding on apples in garden. Also c.20 Redwing over W (Bill Dykes).
Tottenham Marshes: Water Rail from Sandpiper Bridge in River; 7+ Fieldfare, Grey Wagtail and Meadow Pipit on Concrete Canal; 2f & 1m Goosander on Canal by Chalk Bridge - 8.15-9.00am (Davey Leach).
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: Redwing, male Green Woodpecker (Bob Watts).
Walthamstow Marsh: Siskin with Goldfinches, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 5 Lapwing (Dan Barrett).
Walthamstow Reservoirs: Slavonian Grebe on Banbury Reservoir (seen from road on hill E of Chalk Bridge), also 2 Goldeneye - 8.30am (Davey Leach). No sign of Slavonian Grebe (15-16.00), pr Peregrines on & around nearby gasometer, 5 f Goosander, pr Gadwall, m Teal, 2 Meadow Pipit, 10 Lapwing over S, c30 Fieldfare over, 1 Green Sandpiper flood relief channel (Lol Bodini).
Wanstead Flats: (0745-0830) 23 Meadow Pipits in brooms plus c.10 flying W, 150 Fieldfares in the brooms, 5 Redwing (Tim Harris, Josh Selfe). Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, 17 Waxwing (briefly on hawthorn in broomfields where I've strategically placed apples), 3 Lapwing, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel (Nick Croft/Josh Selfe). 4 Reed Buntings (Dog & Cat - Bob Vaughan). pics http://wansteadbirding.blogspot.co.uk/
Wanstead Park: Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 3 Lapwing, Little Grebe, Reed Bunting (Nick Croft/Josh Selfe).
Whetstone (Raleigh Drive): Red Kite circling overhead being mobbed by a Crow; meandered off to the south west 10:35 hrs (David Roberts).
Worcester Park/Lower Morden: Peregrine on pylon, Kingfisher, Snipe, 120 Fieldfare SW (Bob Smith).
Woodford Green: 1 female Blackcap on fatball feeder - a first for my garden (Steve Howey).

Sunday 20th January 2013[]

Alexandra Park: Common Snipe flew S from Tunnel Res 1040 then flushed from flooded path near Platform 1 at 1047, also 19 Shoveler Wood Green Res, 40+ Tufted Ducks, 14 Pochard, Little Grebes New River & Boating Lake, 7 Lesser Redpoll Boating Lake, 2 Redwing (Dominic Mitchell, Gareth Richards, Bob Watts).
Beddington: 1 Red Kite, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Golden Plover, 2 Jack Snipe, 10 Common Snipe, 1 Wigeon, 40+ Siskin (Peter Alfrey and BFBG) pics
Brent Reservoir: Knot, Dunlin & Turnstone over this morning; also Bearded Tit seen from main hide and 3 Pintail in North Marsh; 89 Jackdaw in N marsh late afternoon, more arriving to roost (Brent Birders).
Brentford: f Blackcap feeding on apples in small back garden seeing off all other small birds (S Riedlinger)
Bromley-by-Bow (Abbey Creek): Jack Snipe, 2 Common Snipe, 2 Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, Redshank, c150 Teal, 350+ Mallard, Common Sandpiper (3 Mills) (Stuart Fisher)
Crayford Marshes: Woodcock, Spotted Redshank, 11 Grey Plover, 11 Pintail, 34 Black-tailed Godwit, Little Owl, 6 Yellow-legged Gull. (Kev Jarvis).
Dagenham CHase LNR : redhead Smew on Chase Waters from 9:28am until 1:10pm but flighty at times, Woodcock flushed, 23 Pochard, 7+ Teal, 2 Gadwall, 5+ Common Snipe, 50+ Lapwing, 30+ Linnet, many Fieldfare, 1 Goldcrest. ( VH-F & S.Drake ).
Dartford: Slavonian Grebe showing well on small pool at Littlebrook beside busway (David Bradnum, Mick Southcott, Richard Smith, John Tilbrook, Barry Wright, Rich Bonser et al)
East India Dock Basin: 30 Shelduck, 11 Tufted Duck, 2 pairs Teal (25 more probable Teal over), 3 Greylags flew in with 14 Canada, 1 Grey Heron (Chris Rose).
Finsbury Park: 1 drake Mandarin duck, 15 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 1 Pochard (Aaron C-Partridge).
Gallions Reach: 1 Kittiwake 1W, 4 Grey Plover, 43 Lapwing, 2 Dunlin, 2 Curlew, 1 Black-taiked Godwit, 80 Redshank, 1 Oystercatcher, 21 Common Snipe, 10 Wigeon, 2 Gadwall, Kingfisher, Firecrest, 55 Fieldfare. (Gary A James & Paul Davis).
Greenford UB6 9UB: male Blackcap still dominating back garden + eating wide variety of foods + 1 Fieldfare perched on roof opposite (Neil Anderson)
Greenford UB6 OPG: a.m. - male Blackcap on my garden feeders, with Dunnock also taking seed. 20 House Sparrows at one time on feeders and in immediate vicinity to them plus others in close by vegetation (Martin Smith)
Greenwich Peninsula: 1 Common Buzzard (Conrad Ellam per James Lowen), 5 Common Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe from east hide at Ecology Park (Richard Green et al)
Gunnersbury Triangle: Lots of Goldcrest and Long-tailed Tits, c15 Fieldfare flew in, but were scattered by a Sparrowhawk within 5 minutes of arriving and flew North (Andy Sunters)
Hampstead Heath: Skylark over Parliament Hill, Meadow Pipit touched down briefly, 8 Fieldfare, 7 Shoveler, 2 Little Grebe,1at Highgate 1 pond & 1at Men's Bathing Pond (Frank Nugent).
Harold Hill: 20 Waxwings Dagnam Park Drive near Myplace Centre 10.30am and 24 at Fairford Way mid-afternoon. Flock(s) mobile on the estate in past few days. Also 4 Fieldfare, 1 Meadow Pipit over (C.Jupp).
Horsenden Hill/Perivale Wood: 1 Firecrest in Perivale Wood (following one on Horsenden Hill yesterday), 1 Skylark down and then low N, 24 Fieldfare, 1 Teal, 1 Shoveler, 1 Kingfisher; 1 Jack Snipe and 1 Snipe in ice-free ditch alongside Grand Union Canal; 1 Siskin E and Lesser Redpoll feeding in weeds (Andy Culshaw and David Howdon).
Hounslow (Gunnersbury Park): 3 Common Gull, 2 Shoveler (m & f) on Lake, 10+ Gadwall on Potomac Pond, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Nuthatch. (Richard Woolley).
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens (a.m.): 8 Golden Plover over (1 & 7 - the first appeared to come down onto Parade Ground but not refound there), Dunlin low west over Serpentine (from Fisherman's Keep area), Common Snipe flushed from edge of Round Pond, Woodcock flushed from Buck Hill, 4 Meadow Pipit over, 11 Fieldfare, c.10 Redwing, both Bearded Tit still in situ and showing well (D. McKenzie); a further 15 Fieldfare over p.m. (DMc); both Bearded Tit flew from the regular reedbed to the minuscule patch of reeds immediately east and gave incredible views 13:20 (DMc, D. Darrell-Lambert et al). A few Pochard, 2 male Shoveler, 18 Egyptian Geese (Chris Rose).
King George V Reservoir: 1 male Goosander on flood relief channel, 1 Shelduck north, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail (M.Harper). Also 1 Dunlin, 1 Green Sandpiper, 15 Lapwing, 20+ Wigeon. (David Bradnum)
Kingston Cemetery: 4 Gadwall & 5 Teal on the Hogsmill (M Bournat)
Leyton (Dagenham Brook): 3 Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper (Stuart Fisher)
Limehouse Basin: 8 male & 7 (one with light bluish nasal saddle) female Tufted Duck (Chris Rose).
Merrivale, Oakwood, N14: c15 Fieldfare feeding on Cotoneaster 14:30 (Robert Callf).
Mill Hill NW7: 20 Fieldfare, 1 Goldcrest, 1 male Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Lesser Redpoll, 12+ Siskin. (Xav)
Mitcham Common: bizarrely a Gannet over at 13:15 in the heavy snow over Carshalton Road (Mark Hiley), See Surrey website: an adult Gannet left Tices Meadow Surrey c10.30. Excellent, thought I was seeing things! (Mark Hiley).
Oakwood Park, N14: 8 Siskin (Robert Callf).
Osterley Park; Red Kite low NW being harrassed by gulls (Rob Mills)
Richmond Park: 1pm Woodcock flushed in Sidmouth Wood (Steve Woolfenden)
Rotherhithe: Yellow-legged Gull on foreshore by Hilton Hotel; 5 Redwings Russia Dock Woodland, 2 Egyptian Geese and 5 Shoveler on lake at Southwark Park, 120 Tufted Ducks on the water bodies (Richard Bonser)
South Ealing Station W5: 1 Mistle Thrush, 7 Waxwings still present. (Richard Woolley).
Staines Moor: 2 Water Pipit, 17 Lapwing, 4 Gadwall, 2 Teal, 5 Common Snipe, 3 Stonechat, 3 Fieldfare early morning (Lee Dingain). A Barn Owl was hunting near the SE corner between 15.45 and 16.15 (Jeremy Soane). 2 Jack Snipe reported but no further details (Twitter)
Staines Reservoir: 08.45-10.25 1 Jack Snipe (S. Basin causeway bank), 1 Common Redshank, 1 Black-necked Grebe (S. Basin), 2 Reed Bunting, 25+ Fieldfare, 5 Meadow Pipit, 50+ Goldeneye (A.Luscombe, et al). 2 Bar-tailed Godwits circled south basin and departed east 3.38pm, Black-necked Grebe (s.basin) 2 Redshanks (s.basin) (Liam Langley, David Campbell & Joshua Burch).
Sutcliffe Park: Water Rail, 2 Grey Heron, 10 Common Snipe [no Jack... :( ], 2 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Meadow Pipit. Also drake Wood Duck which failed the 'bread test' so I won't mention it again (James Lowen)
Sydenham Hill Wood: 9-9.30 Firecrest with Goldcrests Crescent Wood Road End (Steve Woolfenden).
Walthamstow Reservoirs: No sign of Long-tailed Duck this afternoon. (Leo Reich)
Wanstead Flats: Woodcock, 6 Lapwing, 60 + Fieldfare, 3 Redwing, 17 Meadow Pipit, 6 Skylark, Goldcrest, Linnet (Nick Croft/Jonathan Lethbridge/Bob Vaughan/Marco Johnson/Dan Hennessy)
Wanstead Park: 2 Snipe, 7 Teal, 80 + Gadwall, 6 Shoveler, 6 Siskin, Goldcrest, Fieldfare, Kestrel (Nick Croft/Jonathan Lethbridge/Bob Vaughan/Marco Johnson)
Woodford Green: Waxwing ? details (BirdGuides). Greenstead Avenue, 14 feeding on cotoneaster berries 15:15 (SE Essex RSPB website)
Wormwood Scrubs: 3 White-fronted Goose over west at 07.55. Also 5 Fieldfare, c15 Redwing, 1 Meadow Pipit, large movement of gulls east with over 400 Herring Gull, c200 Black-headed Gull, c60 Common Gull and 35 Lesser Black-backed Gull (R Ayers).

Saturday 19th January 2013[]

Alexandra Park: imm male Peregrine perched at left end of Palace building 0850-0920 then flew strongly SW, 2 Water Rail at the flood behind Conservation Pond, c12 Lapwing E over Wood Green Res where 17 Shoveler, 14 Tufted Duck, 14 Pochard & Little Grebe Boating Lake (Andrew Gardener & Bob Watts). Peregrine again around 3pm flying low around the building on and off for at least 20 minutes. Also 6+ Siskins on Dukes Avenue (P.Angus).
Beddington SF: 1st winter Glaucous Gull and 4 Jack Snipe (BirdGuides). 1 Merlin, 1 Short-eared Owl, 2 Yellowhammer, 37 Golden Plover S, 300+ Lapwing S, 200+ Fieldfare S, 3 Dunlin pics (Peter Alfrey and BFBG)
Brent Reservoir: 2 drake Pintail, 65 Golden Plover flew south (45 at 10.25 & 20 at 10.40), 2 Waxwings over, 49 Fieldfare, 6 Lapwing, 26 Snipe (Andrew Self, Andrew Verrall & Roy Beddard)
Burgess Park: 2 drake Pochard (I've not seen the adult Med Gull this year) (Richard Bonser)
Clissold Park: 2 Lesser Redpoll & 3 Goldfinch by Runtzmere (TeRNS)
Crayford Marshes: Bar-tailed Godwit (Ldn yr-1st), Spotted Redshank, 11 Grey Plover, adult Mediterranean Gull, 19 Pintail, Turnstone, 6 Yellow-legged Gull, 5 Black-tailed Godwit, Little Owl, 20 Golden Plover, Lesser Redpoll, Green Sandpiper, 4 Rock Pipit. (Kev Jarvis).
Dagenham Chase LNR : Woodcock flushed near River Rom, m Pheasant, 2-3 Siskin, 48+ Lapwing, 40+ Fieldfare, 3+ Common Snipe, 17 Pochard, 5 Shoveler, 3 Teal, 1 Great Crested Grebe on small patch of open water on Bardag lake, 1 Little Egret, 2 Egyptian Geese, Chiffchaff heard, 3-4 Meadow Pipit, 3 Goldcrest. ( VH-F, S.Drake & D.Read ).
East India Dock Basin: 25 Shelduck, Gadwall (m) and Great Crested Grebe. First I've seen on basin (Paul Hyland)
Ewell Village: Little Egret, Grey Wagtail, 2 Redwing (Neil Batten).
Fisher's Green, Lee Valley: Bittern, 3 Water Rails (Alan Hobson).
Fulham: f Blackcap in small garden in residential street off North End Rd. (Matt Reed)
Gallions Reach: 3 Grey Plover, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 15 Common Snipe, 82 Lapwing, 60 Redshank, 2 Curlew, 2 Redwing, 128 Fieldfare (Gary A James & Paul Davis).
Greenwich: 2 Ruff and 2 Lapwing on Thames foreshore at mouth of Deptford Creek 1.30pm-1.45pm then pushed off by the tide - Ruffs headed north over Isle of Dogs and Lapwings west over Rotherhithe (Richard Bonser)
Hampstead Heath: Lapwing low over Boating Pond at 10:00 (Chris Bird, Frank Nugent) Also 18 Fieldfare roaming, c25 Siskin around Stock Pond, Kingfisher at Men's Bathing Pond (FN).
Haggerston Park, E2: Lesser Redpoll with Goldfinches near pond, 4 Fieldfare over S and again later in tree, Lapwing high over W (Matthew Cunningham)
Harold Hill: Waxwing (Birdguides).
Herne Hill: 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Stock Dove, 10 Herring Gull (Charlie Kitchen)
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: Common Snipe over, Woodcock flushed near Queen Caroline's Temple 10:33, both Bearded Tit showing well from dawn in Diana Memorial reedbed, 2 Meadow Pipit over, 3 Siskin; also Barnacle Goose (uo), 2 Gadwall, 62 Shoveler, 2 Red-crested Pochard, 127 Tufted Duck, 3 Little Grebe (lots of trilling), 8 Pied Wagtail (D. McKenzie); plus Little Owl seen by another observer near Serpentine Gallery (per DMc).
Kingston Cemetery: Snipe flushed from the Hogsmill. Also 20 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing, 22 Teal (M Bournat)
New Barnet: Woodcock in suburban garden. Flew off towards Hadley Wood - 1745 (R Wallace)
Queen Mother Reservoir: BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT seen earlier at Horton GP (BirdGuides).
Rainham Marshes: 2 Caspian Gull (2nd winter and adult), 3 Jack Snipe, Ruff, 40+ Common Snipe, 5 Corn Bunting, 2+ Water Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Green Woodpecker (David Bradnum)
Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 1♀ Blackcap (evading ♂ Sparrowhawk at Hanover Bridge feeder, area 1), 37 Fieldfare SE, 1 Redwing, 1 Water Rail, 2 Shelduck, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe - and pr Red-crested Pochard mating (birdman_euston). 3 Lapwing, 4 Teal, 19 Gadwall, 31 Shoveler, 66 Mandarin Duck, 74 Red-crested Pochard (fide Regent's Park Birds blog).
Richmond Park, Pen Ponds: Lapwing on ice but no large gulls (J.Wilczur).
Rotherhithe: 2 Lapwings west over River Thames near Greenland Pier (same birds as Greenwich above); influx of Tufted Ducks with 80 spread between South Dock/Greenland Dock/Surrey Water/Canada Water (Richard Bonser).
Sewardstone, Netherhouse Farm: Woodcock in flight along hedgerow at 09.20, Golden Plover north, Buzzard, 5 Meadow Pipit, 3 Reed Bunting (Martin Shepherd).
South Ealing: 8 Waxwings & a male Blackcap in berry tree to right of the bus stop on the opposite side of the road to South Ealing station. Please respect the birds & the householders (Andrew Peel)
Staines Moor: 2 Short-eared Owl and 2 Water Pipits (BirdGuides), PM: 1 Redshank, 4 Common Snipe, 27 Fieldfare, 3 Water Pipit, 2 Reed Bunting. (Lee Dingain)
Stanwell Moor: 1 Short-eared Owl, 3 Reed Bunting (Lee Dingain).
Sutcliffe Park: m Wood Duck (fuly winged, not exactly wary), Water Rail, 7 Snipe, 1 Meadow Pipit (James Lowen)
Sydenham Hill Wood: Firecrest in area near Crescent Wood Rd entrance (Steven Robinson).
Ten Acre Wood area: Barn Owl, Common Buzzard (G Westley).
Thorney CP: Goldcrest, 15 Common Gulls, Grey Heron, Redpoll 1st for me here, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 7 Pochards, 4 Siskins, 8 Cormorants, 11 Fieldfare 5 Gadwall. (Sue Giddens)
Totteridge Valley: a Waxwing on TV aerial at corner of Lullington Garth and Cissbury Ring North at 12:30, 6 Siskins & 2 Lesser Redpolls at Darlands Lake. Also 18 Fieldfare and a Rook (Ian Ellis).
Trent Park: 5(2m,3f) Bullfinch, together, feeding on buds 14:00; 1 Woodcock, flushed (Robert Callf).
Walthamstow Reservoirs (Lockwood end): drake Long-tailed Duck still on Lower Maynard, 5 fem Goosander, 8+ Goldeneye, 14 Little Egret, drake Wigeon, 2 Lapwing (Stuart Fisher). Long-tailed Duck still present to 16.10 near tern raft. Excellent close up views of it preening and calling 10-15m from shore (Steven Robinson). Snipe Low Maynard, near adult Yellow-legged Gull High Maynard c.30 wild swans flew N @ 15:35-50 (almost certainly Bewick's), 4 Lapwing No.4. (Paul Whiteman)
Wanstead Flats: 2 Goosander over Long Wood then west over SSSI (NC), Golden Plover over jub (BV), 121 Lapwing, 2-3 Snipe, 193 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Linnet, 3 Reed Bunting, 23 Meadow Pipit, 4 Skylark, Wigeon, 10 + Gadwall, 10 + Tufted Duck, Pochard, 7 Shoveler, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 4 Goldcrest (Nick Croft/Jonathan Lethbridge/Dan hennessy/BobVaughan)
Wanstead Park: 3 Lapwing, 60 + Gadwall, 12 Shoveler, 11 Pochard, 40 + Tufted Duck, 3 Teal, 6 Siskin, 3 Little Grebe, Little Egret, Fieldfare, Redwing, 6 Goldcrest, Nuthatch, dead dog in Roding (Nick Croft/Jonathan Lethbridge/Bob Vaughan)
West Green Road, N15: lone Redwing in small communal gardens adjacent to main road near to Green Lanes (HarringayBirder)

Friday 18th January 2013[]

Alexandra Park: Tawny Owl calling from Conservation Area 0650, Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, 10 Pochard Boating Lake (Bob Watts).
Barnehurst, Bursted Wood: 14 Ring-necked Parakeet west along railway line apparently emanating from south of it. 202 Ring-necked Parakeet counted flying out from wood towards roost - may have included 10 flying over Thirlmere Rd earlier, and perhaps others aggregating from nearby (Chris Rose).
Beddington SF: 1st winter Glaucous Gull (BirdGuides).
Brent Reservoir: m Bearded Tit (left of main hide), 15 Snipe, 2 Lapwing, ad Great Black-backed Gull (Andrew Verrall).
Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, 2 Grey Plover, 8 Golden Plover, 11 Pintail, Little Owl, Kingfisher, 2 adult Yellow-legged Gull, Rock Pipit. (Kev Jarvis).
Harold Hill: Waxwing (BirdGuides).
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: both Bearded Tit showing well from dawn; also Barnacle Goose (uo), 2 Red-crested Pochard, 2 adult Great Black-backed Gull, 3 Redwing, Chiffchaff (D. McKenzie, C. Langsdon). (Can anyone tell us where the tawny owl is exactly: beech tree near the Speke Memorial? Tina and Tony Stafford) On this map http://www.planetware.com/map/hyde-park-kensington-gardens-map-eng-eng4.htm NW of Physical Energy statue in the triangle bounded by Budge's Walk on the N and Lancaster Walk on the E (Martin Honey).
London Wetland Centre: 2nd winter Caspian Gull, Bittern (3 yesterday) (website).
Margravine Cemetery: 1 Redwing, 1 Green Woodpecker, 6 Fieldfare (over SW) (Nathalie Mahieu).
Pinner Park Farm: Worth noting additions to yesterday's notes on the Phylloscopus sp. possible Hume's if anyone wants to look? (see yesterdays).
Richmond Park, Upper Pen Pond: 2 2nd-w Yellow-legged Gulls with c.70 Herring Gulls this morning (J. Wilczur).
Royal Mid Surrey Gold Club (Old Deer Park): 20+ Golden Plover over late afternoon (Oscar Dewhurst).
Queen Mother Reservoir: BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT (Birdguides).
Sidcup (Lamorbey Park): 3 Mute Swan, Wigeon (m), Goldcrest, 2 Little Grebe, Kingfisher (Eric Brown and Stephen Sheppard)
Staines Moor: 14:40-16:30 Bittern flew from reedbed off pathway leading to moor (viewed from the large metal gate), appeared to land in reedbed viewable from the wooden boardwalk just before the moor, 3 Short-eared Owl, 2 Water Pipit, Water Rail, 2 Goosander (m & f on river), 2 Stonechat, Kestrel, 9 Snipe, 84 Lapwing, Dunlin, 16 Skylark, Grey Wagtail, Bullfinch, 13 Teal, 2 Wigeon, 2 Reed Bunting, Little Egret (Nigel Sluman)
Sydenham Hill Wood: 1-2 Firecrest. Thanks to Daniel Greenwood at the London Wildlife Trust for the tip-off (Martin Stevens).
Tolworth: unconfirmed report of possible male Siberian Thrush yesterday in back garden near Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Church 11am (RBA message today).
Walthamstow Reservoirs: 8.15-8.40 am - m & f Long-tailed Duck on Lower Maynard Reservoir and 1 redhead Smew on Upper Maynard Reservoir (distant) - both viewed from Forest Road (Davey Leach); 10:50-11:50 am - at Lockwood end 9 (1 drake 8 fem) Goosander, 10 Goldeneye, drake Wigeon, 5 Fieldfare (Stuart Fisher).
Walthamstow Marshes: 1 Water Rail, 16 Lapwing, 1 almost black male Pheasant, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 3 Snipe, 5 foxes (Marcus Mitchell)
Wanstead Flats: 5 Skylark, Meadow Pipit, 10 + Gadwall, 5 Shoveler, 10 + Tufted Duck, 4 Fieldfare, 2 Mistle Thrush (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Kingfisher, 40 + Lapwing south before the snow, 50 + Gadwall, 8 Shoveler, 1 Teal, Pochard, 3 Little Grebe, 5 Goldcrest, Sparrowhawk, Redwing and a dead dog in the Roding (Nick Croft).
Wapping: Fem-type Black Redstart by Tobacco Dock on footpath at 3.55 pm associating with Robin (David Callahan).
Woodside Park N12: two male Blackcaps in garden still, plus 8 Fieldfares and 3 Redwings briefly and a female Sparrowhawk that probably took a Blackbird (Ian Ellis).
Whitton: male Blackcap Linnet Siskin on my garden feeder this morning (Tony Leppard)

Thursday 17th January 2013[]

Alexandra Park: 12 Shoveler Wood Green Res inc 6 males, Fieldfare Golf Course, 4 Redwing (Bob Watts).
Beddington SF: 1st w Glaucous Gull (BirdGuides).
Brent Reservoir: m Bearded Tit (left of main hide), 24 Snipe, 3 Lapwing, 6 Redwing, no sign of any Ruddy Duck after yesterday’s cull (Roy Beddard, Andrew Haynes).
Connaught Water: 18 Mandarin Duck (Tony Brown)
Coppetts Wood, Friern Barnet: Three Great Spotted Woodpeckers drumming in the sunshine. (Brian Price)
Crayford Marshes: Water Pipit (BirdGuides). Pintail pair, Kestrel 2 (Andy Meaton). Spotted Redshank, adult Mediterranean Gull, 16 Pintail, Turnstone, 2 Grey Plover, 5 Golden Plover, male Stonechat, 2 Kingfisher, 3 Rock Pipit, 2 Green Sandpiper (Kev Jarvis).
East India Dock Basin: Woodcock flew in from west at 08:55 and landed in an adjacent garden on Virginia Quay (2nd site record). Also male Peregrine, 25 Shelduck, 33+ Tufted Duck, 8 Teal, Chiffchaff (John Archer).
Enfield, Gt. Cambridge Road (A10): Small flock of about 20 Waxwings alighted in tree beside Morrisons Supermarket this afternoon. (Geoff Crabtree).
Ewell Village (Lower Mill): 2 Kingfisher, Little Egret again present 15.00 until dusk (Neil Batten).
Fishers Green, Lee Valley CP: Bittern showing 15:30-16:00 from Bittern_Information Point, also 2 Water Rails (Dominic Mitchell).
Frays Island and Mabeys Meadow: Grey Heron, Little Egret maybe same one as Thorney CP, Jay, Dunnock, Collared Dove, Chaffinch, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, flock Long-tailed Tits (Sue Giddens)
Gallions Reach: Jack Snipe, 210 Teal, 4 Curlew, 32 Lapwing, 51 Redshank, 2 Common Snipe, Green Woodpecker (Gary A James).
Harold Hill: Waxwing (BirdGuides).
Hextable Park : 20 Waxwings, Redwing (Andy Meaton)
Holyfield Hall Farm, Lee Valley CP: Rough-legged Buzzard reported in the morning (RBA) but no sign subsequently, also Common Buzzard (a second paler bird apparently also present earlier), 11 Egyptian Geese, Little Owl, 25 Fieldfares, Yellowhammer and nearby on Holyfield Lake drake Smew and 9 Goosander (seven males) (Dominic Mitchell)
Horsenden Hill (Paradise Fields): Woodcock flushed from Flood area by main lagoon at 1355. Flew over Grand Union canal towards Blacklands (Martin Smith)
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: both Bearded Tit still present in Diana Memorial reedbed from dawn (roosted at the eastern end), Barnacle Goose of unknown origin, 4 Gadwall, 44 Shoveler, 2 Red-crested Pochard, Skylark over (D. McKenzie). Des: Thanks for looking for the case, much appreciated. Gareth Bearded Tits showing well at lunchtime also male Tawny Owl showing well in Beech tree near normal roost (Martin Honey et al.). (Can you say where the Tawny Owls may be seen? James Palmer. Please as hoping to get to the park at the weekend. Lynn Leadbeater)
King George V Reservoir: 4 Bewick's Swan briefly early afternoon (Birdguides). Still late afternoon (bird guides).
Lee Valley: 4 Bewick's Swan on Seventy Acres lake at dawn (Birdguides).
London Wetland Centre: 2 Bittern (resr lag & main lake) 1 redhead Smew (shelt. lag.) 1 Ruff (Main lake) (per website) Late afternoon-dusk: 1 Little Egret flew onto grazing marsh from NW before taking off and going to roost in the captive area at dusk, 2+ Bearded Tits calling on grazing marsh, male Pintail at dusk on main lake, 3 Bittern also at dusk (Oscar Dewhurst)
Pinner Park Farm: No sign of yesterdays Phylloscopus sp. as of yet...(Jon Ridge). Any idea of what it might have been Jon? Any wing bars? Head/crown stripes? Leg colour? Overall colour? Size? (Thanks Paul Whiteman) - Hi Paul, I think it may have been a Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler, but I am worried over getting it wrong!! - the wing bars were very distinct.. & then & I went for the lower mandile & cheeks to enhance identification....It all checked out, overall colour? brown/grey upper parts & very white underside , I got the eye stripe, but no median crown stripe...leg colour, I did not get & I was in a state of panic!...Overall colour was pale brown & not olive..the size was about 9 -10 cm, it was very small :) - I just hope I refind it, because it would mean the world to me after 32 years in birding :) Regards JR. Many thanks Jon, hope you catch up with it. Paul. - Thanks mate (JR), Also:10 Snipe, 22 Fieldfare, 3 Herring Gull & 1 Meadow Pipit over (Jon Ridge).
Rainham Marshes: Slavonian Grebe on river at c09.30 then flew up river, 6 - 8 Yellow-legged Gulls on the tip.(LP)
Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 1♀ Blackcap (wintering in wildlife garden, area 20, since 2 Dec at least), 2 Redwing, 2 Siskin, 2 Shelduck, 19 Gadwall, 22 Shoveler, 19 Common Gull, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe (birdman_euston).
St James's Park, 1 full-winged male Ruddy Duck (Andrew Self)
South Ealing Station, W5: 1 Mistle Thrush, 6 Waxwings still present 0820. (Richard Woolley).
Thorney CP: Smew (f) on far side of the lake going into the reed beds a lot, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Little Egret, 3 Ring-necked Parakeets, 5 Gadwall, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 15+ Siskins, 3 Common Gulls (Sue Giddens).
Trent Park: 1 male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 13:30 hrs - our first male at this site since 2009! (Robert Callf & Robin White).
Vicarage Farm (Enfield): 20 Golden Plover (19 flew low over 10:30 hrs, another 1 on field near Enfield Road 14:40 hrs); 10 Song Thrush, including nine together along hedgerow with a few Fieldfare (Robert Callf & Robin White).
Wanstead Flats: Woodcock flushed from beneath bush east end of Long Wood at 11:30 (NC), 2 f/juv Wigeon Alex, 15 Gadwall, 1 Pochard, 10+ Tufted Duck, 5 Shoveler, 2 Reed Bunting, Lesser Redpoll, 2 Fieldfare, Redwing, 5 Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail (Nick Croft/Jonathan Lethbridge).
Wanstead Park: f Smew on south end of Roding flew south round bend, pr Bullfinch, 14 Lapwing (north) (Bob Vaughan), 50+ Gadwall, 30+ Tufted Duck, Pochard, 5 Shoveler, 2 Egyptian Goose, Sparrowhawk, Siskin, 2 Little Grebe (Nick Croft).
William Girling Reservoir: 1 Slavonian Grebe, 5 Black-necked Grebe, 2 Long-tailed Duck, 6 Goosander (I Lycett); just 1 Long-tailed Duck (drake) visible late afternoon consorting with flock of 10 Tufted Ducks (Dominic Mitchell).
Wormwood Scrubs: Woodcock seen in flight over the grassland also c2 Meadow Pipit and 2 Reed Bunting. (Paul Thomas & David Lindo)

Wednesday 16th January 2013[]

Alexandra Park/Wood Green: Hawfinch flew N over Western Road N22 at 12:03 and into Alexandra Park (Dominic Mitchell via @birdingetc).
Beddington SF: 1st w Glaucous Gull and ad Mediterranean Gull (BirdGuides).
Brent Reservoir: The reservoir’s 10 or so Ruddy Duck were the subject of a cull today (Brent Birders).
Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Treecreeper over 10.15 (patch tick), Song Thrush (Conrad Ellam)
Bursted Wood and Open Space: 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (Chris Rose).
Bushy Park: 1-2 Chiffchaff calling in trees by Upper Lodge Water Gardens, 2 Nuthatch, 30+ Long-tailed Tit flock (Bill Dykes).
Canons Farm: Red Kite circled and drifted west 1.55pm, 14 Lapwings, Red-legged Partridge; yesterday Golden Plover flock reportedly grew to 20 and were joined by 40 Lapwings, but no sign of any Golden Plovers today (David Campbell).
Crayford Marshes: 4 Pintail, 4 Curlew, 16 Fieldfare, Little Egret, 400 Dunlin. (Kev Jarvis).
Ewell Village: male Kingfisher between lower and upper mills, Little Egret at the Lower Mill 15.00 until dusk (Neil Batten).
Grovelands Park (Southgate): 3(2m 1f) Common Teal; no sign of any Firecrests (Robert Callf).
Hammersmith Novotel: 1 pr Peregrine Falcon (NathalieMahieu).
Horton Country Park, Epsom: Red Kite west 2.08pm (almost certainly the Canons Farm bird) (Geoff Barter per David Campbell).
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: both Bearded Tit showing superbly from dawn in the Diana Memorial reedbed (roosted at the eastern end); also Barnacle Goose of unknown origin, 2 Red-crested Pochard, singles of Meadow Pipit and Redwing over, 4 Siskin, c25 Goldfinch - sorry Gareth, no luck (D. McKenzie et al).
London Wetland Centre: 1 redhead Smew, 82 Wigeon, 5 Mandarin, 2 Pintail (website) 4 Bittern seen am (relayed from reliable regulars by Angus Innes).
Lee Valley: 4 adult Bewick's Swans flew in to seventy acres lake at 16:15 by the metal bridge, also drake and redhead Smew & redhead Goosander on Friday lake (J.murray).
Margravine Cemetery: 2 Blackcap (m+f), 1 Goldcrest (Nathalie Mahieu).
Mill Hill NW7: 1 m Blackcap, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker. 5 Long-tailed Tits. (Xav)
Pinner (Streamside): 1 Little Egret along the Yeading Brook (Jon Ridge).
Pinner Park Farm: Phylloscopus sp. (to be confirmed) Inconclusive views & no call, but please note this bird is NOT a Chiffchaff - I will try & sort it out tomorrow provided it is still there. Also 2 Snipe & 11 Jackdaw (Jon Ridge). Where abouts did you see the Snipe? Also how do you get access to the pond? Nick H - Hi, the Snipe can be found anywhere on the mushy fields, but there is no longer public access (I have special permission after 18 years).....however, Snipe are guaranteed by standing next to the Heron Hide at Brent Reservoir in winter :) - As for the main pond, there is no longer public access due to irresponsible dog walkers :( - I hope this helps JR. (Jon Ridge) Thanks Jon I'll have a good look for the Snipe. Shame about the access, what does the farmer drink? (Nick)
Queen Mother Reservoir: 2 BUFF-BELLIED PIPITS (Birdguides). Also Long-tailed Duck and Black-throated Diver at 3pm (John Fordham)
Richmond Park, Upper Pen Pond: Yellow-legged Gull 1st-w with 27 Herring Gulls on frozen part of pond -large gulls unusual on ponds (J.Wilczur). Also 2 Stonechat, 5 Wigeon, 40+ Gadwall, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Shelduck with no left wing- originally from the Isabella Plantation collection (Bill Dykes).
Staines Moor: 2 Short-eared Owls (Birdguides).
Snaresbrook Crown Court: no sign of Firecrests today, 22 Shoveler, 5 Gadwall, 8 Pochard, singing male Coal Tit, 3 Redwing (Stuart Fisher)
Springfield Park: 3 Fieldfare, 7 Mistle Thrush, 5 Goldfinch (Dan Barrett)
Swanley Park : Redwing, Blackcap (f) (Andy Meaton)
Thames Ditton: f Blackcap feeding on pyracantha berries in garden (Bill Dykes).
Thorney CP: Greenfinch, Song Thrush, Goldcrest, Grey Heron, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Red Kite over, Kingfisher.(Sue Giddens)
Vicarage Farm (Enfield): 14 Golden Plover on field near Enfield Road (Robin White per RMCallf).
Walthamstow Reservoirs(N side): 8 Goosander (1 m), 4-5 Goldeneye (1 m), 10 Teal, pr Gadwall, 6+ Little Grebe, Snipe, Kestrel (Lol Bodini).
Wanstead Flats: 21 Gadwall, 7 Shoveler, 10 Tufted Duck, 27 Greylag Goose, 3 Fieldfare, Redwing, 3 Mistle Thrush, 3 Skylark, 11 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, Lesser Redpoll, Reed Bunting, Snipe, Kestrel (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: 2 Teal (JL), 7 Shoveler, 90 + Gadwall, Wigeon, 2 Little Grebe, Siskin, 2 pr of Bullfinch (Nick Croft/Jonathan Lethbridge).
William Girling Reservoir: m & f/1st winter Long-tailed Duck, 2 Black-necked Grebes on Chingford Side between 8.30 - 9am, Pr Goldeneye flew over N at 8.45am as scoped from Mansfield Park. (Davey Leach).
Wormwood Scrubs: 1 Ruff circled the grassland gliding low as if it wanted to land before disappearing NW. Site tick! Also 1 flyby adult winter Mediterranean Gull, a flyover pair of Bullfinch, a Peregrine unsuccesfully hunting parakeets, 2 Lapwing west, c7 Fieldfare, a male Stonechat & c3 Reed Bunting. (The Scrubbers)

Tuesday 15th January 2013[]

Banstead Downs: Firecrest along wooded footpath on west side of golf course near post 678 at 15.15 (Roger Unite)
Battersea Park: m Peregrine on Gasometer (30mins) then flew low west,116 Cormorants, 70 Ring-necked Parakeets (increasing), 35 Magpies, 2 pr Egyptian Geese, 9 Shoveler - last hour before dusk (Michael Mac).
Beddington SF: Glaucous Gull & Caspian Gull (BirdGuides).
Blackheath: 9 Waxwing on Paragon Place 1150 then headed east (James Lowen)
Canons Farm: 11 Golden Plovers and Red-legged Partridge still south of farmhouse this morning (David Campbell).
Clapham Common: 50-odd Greylags between pond and The Windmill 2pm (Steve Woolfenden)
Crayford Marshes : Ruff, Turnstone, Spotted Redshank, 136 Golden Plover, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Curlew, Goldcrest. (Kev Jarvis). 6 Redwing, 12 Fieldfare, Little Owl, Kestrel, 2 Rock Pipits. (Eric Brown and Phil Cliffe)
Dartford: still 30+ Waxwings in Holiday Inn Express car park on University Way (RBA)
East India Dock Basin: 26 Shelduck, 5 Teal, 26 Tufted Duck, nearby Goldcrest in Bow Creek Ecology Park (rare here) (John Archer).
Eton Wick: Ruff, 11 Dunlin (4 on floods, 7 flew W), 2 Green Sandpiper, 16 Snipe, Shelduck, 3 Fieldfare, 3 Red Kite, 4 Chiffchaff, Siberian Chiffchaff, 14 Reed Bunting, 2 Grey Wagtail (Nigel Sluman)
Ewell Village (Lower Mill): 2 Little Egret in Hogsmill river 16.00 (Neil Batten).
Gallions Reach: 1 Sanderling, 46 Lapwing. 10 Redshank, Firecrest, 55 Goldfinch. (Gary A James).
Greenwich Peninsula: Common Snipe, 2 Lesser Redpoll in Ecology Park, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, 2 Song Thrush by David Beckham Academy (John Bushell & Conrad Ellam)
Grovelands Park (Southgate): 1 Firecrest, seen briefly, feeding in Holly near Parks Office, 12:10 hrs; 1 Curlew, flew over calling (heard only); 4(3m 1f) Mandarin Duck, 16:30 hrs; 16 Cormorant, roosting on island; 3 Nuthatch; 2 Treecreeper, together; 8 Greenfinch (Robert Callf).
Hextable Park: 42 Waxwings 0900 (leigh Aldrich)
Horton Gravel Pits: two BUFF-BELLIED PIPITS still on puddles at Kingsmead Quarry east of the B376 north of Sunnymeads Station early afternoon (BirdGuides).
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: both Bearded Tit present again from dawn in reedbed by Diana Memorial, 27 Shoveler, 2 Red-crested Pochard, Gyrfalcon type hybrid west over Serpentine, Kingfisher - no sign of yesterday's Goldeneye (D. McKenzie et al); Beardies still present 3:45 pm.[If anyone finds a swarovski bins case, please post on London Birders yahoo. Des, after your success with my iPod on Hampstead Heath a few years back, I'm relying on you! Gareth 'Dufus' Richards]. Will do my best [DMc]
Leyton Oliver Road (from balcony): 8:45-10:20am - 23 Lapwing NW, Chiffchaff, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Stuart Fisher)
Little Britain Cowey/Iver: 4 Wrens, 5 Siskins, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Goldcrest, Little Egret, 5 Gadwall, Kingfisher (Sue Giddens).
Margravine Cemetery: 1 f Blackcap, 1 pr Mistle Thrush, 1 pr Peregrine Falcon (Nathalie Mahieu).
Osterley Park: 2 Little Owl, c20 Fieldfare, c30 Redwing, c20 Linnet, 53 Siskin (KFr)
Pinner Park Farm: 8 Snipe, 2 Bullfinch, 30 Redwing, Fieldfare, Stock Dove, 8 Jackdaw & 3 Grey Heron. Also 1 Nuthatch & 1 Cormorant at Headstone Moat (Jon Ridge).
Queen Mother Reservoir: Black-throated Diver still just south of pier at 10:00 (Birdguides)
Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: pr Shelduck (+ 1 pinioned ♀, all in area 36), 1♀ Blackcap (bathing in water fountain at N end of Avenue Gardens area 20), 25 Fieldfare NW (birdman_euston).
South Ealing Station, W5: 8 Waxwings still present 0830 (Richard Woolley).
South Norwood: 2 Waxwings in apple tree in back garden (observer ?); Any chance of the street name so this can be logged with other sightings in Croydon this winter? [John Birkett]
Staines Moor: 2 Short-eared Owls still (Twitter - #londonbirds).
Swanley Village: 150 Golden Plover, 1 roosting female Merlin 1630 (Leigh Aldrich).
Walthamstow Reservoirs (Lockwood): 7 Goosander (all females) roosting on gravelly N 'shore' at dusk + 1 drake Shoveler (Lol Bodini); +1 male Goosander (KJMcmanus).
Wanstead Flats: 36 Lapwing west (9 on police scrape), 7 Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Reed Bunting, 20 Goldfinch, Fieldfare, Redwing, 4 Goldcrest, Collared Dove, 11 Gadwall, 7 Shoveler (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: 93 Lapwing west over Old Sewage Works & Perch pond (TB/NC), Nuthatch (Bush Wood & Res Wood), Bullfinch OSW (BV), 118 Gadwall, 10 Pochard, 60 + Tufted Duck, 2 Shoveler, Little Grebe, Siskin, Redwing (Tony Brown/Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan)
West Hendon: up to 3 male Blackcap in a private garden on Fryent Crescent over recent days (A. Stockwell per DMc).
Westminster: pair Peregrine showing very well Victoria Tower Palace of Westminster at 08:45 (Frank Nugent).

Monday 14th January 2013[]

Alexandra Park: 5 Shoveler inc 3 drakes feeding avidly and calling 7am (Bob Watts).
Blackheath: 4 Siskin in Cator estate 0750h (James Lowen), male Blackcap at bird feeder Vanbrugh Park area (Joe Beale and Yu-Hsuan Lin).
Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Mandarin, Kingfisher, Song Thrush (Conrad Ellam).
Canons Farm: 11 Golden Plovers south of farmhouse this afternoon and the resident Red-legged Partridge (David Campbell).
Crayford Marshes: 2nd winter Caspian Gull, 7 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Spotted Redshank, 3 Golden Plover, 70 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Rock Pipit, 20 Fieldfare. (Kev Jarvis).
Canary Wharf Thames foreshore by the steps: Grey Wagtail (Phil Laurie)
Dagenham Chase LNR : male Firecrest & 8 Siskin on alders still early morning ( M.Blow per VH-F ) . Nearest access is through kissing gate off Bancroft Chase, birds are in area left of steps down to river Rom. Still present at 3pm ( A.Shearman per VH-F ).
East India Dock Basin/Bow Creek: 20 Shelduck, 85 Teal, 27+ Tufted Duck, Common Sandpiper, 2 Redshank, Grey Wagtail (John Archer).
Eltham (Sutcliffe Park): Kingfisher, Water Rail, 2 Common Snipe, Green Woodpecker, 6 Lesser Redpolls, Pochard (f), 1 Chiffchaff (P_Kite)
Foots Cray Meadows: 2 Little Grebe, 2 pairs Pochard, 4m 5f Tufted Duck, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 adult 1 juvenile Mute Swan, 7 Long-tailed Tit. 1 Goldcrest at junction of Rectory Lane/Knoll Rd (Chris Rose).
Hackney, E8: m+f Blackcap moving through back gardens along Graham Road, also 2 Goldcrest (Matthew Cunningham)
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: female Goldeneye on Long Water, both Bearded Tit showing well in Diana Memorial reedbed from dawn; also 2 Red-crested Pochard, 3 Siskin, Lesser Redpoll (D. McKenzie); Goldeneye and Bearded Tits still present 10:05 (DMc, C. Elders, R. Horwood); Little Owl mobile near Serpentine Gallery (Chris Elders & Rich Horwood), Goldeneye showing well (through snow/sleet) at lunchtime (c.12.30 onwards) on Long Water between bridge and grassy bank with large sculpture, Bearded Tits showing well by Serpentine Lido (Martin Honey), Goldeneye still there at 15:00 (Frank Nugent).
Ingrebourne Valley: drake Smew on Reservoir ( Pete Breeze Fishery Manager)
Lake Farm, Hayes: at least 12 Common Gull on west side field, male Blackcap (W.Marks)
Norbury Grove: 3 Fieldfare (Peter Newmark).
Paddington Basin: Kingfisher flying into perch on barge outside The Point office building 11:25 (D Bates)
Queen Mother Reservoir: BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT, Black-throated Diver, Long-tailed Duck, Green Sandpiper (Nigel Sluman) and 4 dark-bellied Brent Goose (per Berks Bird News)
Rainham Marshes: female Marsh Harrier over West Marsh at 10:00 and 14+ Yellow-legged Gulls (2 ads 1 near-ad 1 2w & 10+ 1w) near stone barges (Dominic Mitchell), 7 Brent Goose (1 on the river then 6 upstream - all also seen from Crayford Marshes) (Andy Tweed, Dave Smith)
Sidcup, Lamorbey Park: 1 Kingfisher, c437 Ring-necked Parakeets counted out at dusk (probably includes from adjoining Golf Course) heading east (Chris Rose).
Sidcup, town centre: 1 bedraggled Peregrine Falcon on corner of roof of 16-storey Marlowe House (Chris Rose).
Snaresbrook/Leyton Flats: 2 Firecrest, 18 Shoveler, 4 Pochard, 50 Tufted Duck, 7 Gadwall, 4 Redwing (Stuart Fisher) Stuart, is there a particular area the Firecrests favour? thanks (Dan Barrett). The Firecrests are almost always in the ivy covered woodland east of the Eagle Pond and south of the court, near the junction of Hollybush Hill and Wanstead High st, benind the fence. (SF)
South Ealing station, W5: 8 Waxwing at 10.30 (Catherine Beazley)
Trent Park: 3 (2m,1f) Common Teal, Upper Lake; 6 (3 ad males, 3 fem/imm) Goosander Lower Lake; 2 (m&f) Pochard; 5 (1m,4f) Tufted Duck; 1 Firecrest feeding in Laurel SW edge of Rough Lot, 12:10 hrs; c50 Siskin feeding in Alders by Lower Lake (Robert Callf & Robin White).
Wanstead Flats: 2 Snipe, 2 Reed Bunting (J Lethbridge), 11 Gadwall, Sparrowhawk, 2 Fieldfare, 20+ Goldfinch, 8 Meadow Pipit (Nick Croft).
Wanstead Park: Wigeon, 150+ Gadwall, Teal, 2 Shoveler, 11+ Pochard, 60+ Tufted Duck, 8 Siskin, Kestrel (Nick Croft).
Westminster: drake Red-crested Pochard on Thames near Lambeth Bridge, Grey Wagtail feeding on the foreshore at 08:30 (Frank Nugent).

Sunday 13th January 2013[]

Banstead Downs : Firecrest still on west side of golf course (Lee Dingain via Twitter).
Banstead Woods: 10 Meadow Pipits in Hither Field (David Campbell).
Barnehurst, Thirlmere Rd (my garden): 1 Goldcrest (Chris Rose).
Blackheath: at least 9 Waxwings still around but mobile, Blackheath Village, also Cormorant and 3 Mute Swans on Princess of Wales Pond, male Blackcap in Vanbrugh Park area (Joe Beale).
Bow Creek/Bow Locks: 8 Teal (R Lord)
Brent Reservoir: Bearded Tit heard by main hide, 2 Greylag Geese flew in, 6 Wigeon & 20 Snipe (Brent Birders).
Camberwell, New Cemetery, SE23: 2 Green Woodpecker, 20 Redwing,10 Chaffinch (T. Wilson).
Canons Farm: 7 Lapwings, Red-legged Partridge, adult Great Black-backed Gull over (David Campbell).
Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, Turnstone, Corn Bunting, 68 Black-tailed Godwit, 8 Yellow-legged Gull, Green Sandpiper. (Kev Jarvis).
Dagenham Chase LNR : male Firecrest again briefly, 8 Siskin, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Little Egret, 102 Lapwing, 2 Common Snipe, 1 Kingfisher. ( VH-F, S.Drake & M.Blow ).
Dartford: c40 Waxwing in Holiday Inn car park seen from University Way (John Bushell, Conrad Ellam & Ron Turner)
East India Dock Basin: 18 Shelduck, Reed Bunting, Jay (Paul Hyland)
Gallions Reach: Glaucous Gull (Imm) at 11.45 flew towards Woolwich, Caspian Gull (adult), 1 Yellow-legged Gull (1st Win), Peregrine, 2 Gadwall, 41 Lapwing, 75 Redshank, 3 Curlew, 1 Common Snipe, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Fieldfare, 30 Linnet. (Gary A James & Paul Davis).
Greenford UB6: m Blackcap still dominating back garden (Neil Anderson)
Grovelands Park: 2 (male & female) Firecrest showing well in Holly/Oak by Keepers Building near Cafe at 12pm, Also Nuthatches displaying, Treecreeper and 6 Goldcrests. 3 Mandarin on Lake at 15.30. (Davey Leach).
Horton GPs: 2 BUFF-BELLIED PIPITS still on puddles at Kingsmead Quarry east of the B376 north of Sunnymeads Station mid-afternoon (Birdguides)
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: both Bearded Tit showing well a.m., also 3 Mandarin Duck, female Teal, Chiffchaff (D. McKenzie), adult intermedius-type Lesser Black-backed Gull with graellsii (DMc, Rob Ayers). 3 Siskin in alder near Rangers' Lodge. (Charlie Farrell) Barnacle Goose of unknown orgin also still present near the Serpentine cafe (Ben Green). Bearded Tits showed well to 1500 at least (TeRNS)
Ingrebourne Valley: (WEBS Count) 77 Canada Goose, 6 Little Grebe, 8 Grey Heron (2 on nests), 2 Kingfisher, 128 Mallard, 52 Teal, 6 Wigeon, 122 Moorhen, 218 Coot, 14 Mute Swan, 212 Black-headed Gull, 22 Common Gull, 40 Herring Gull, 24 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 8 singing Cetti's Warbler, 7 Cormorant, 4 Water Rail, 1 Little Egret, 46 Tufted Duck, 6 Great Crested Grebe, 34 Gadwall, 6 Pochard, 125 Greylag Goose, 1 Ross's Goose (with greylags on Berwick Reservoir), singing Song Thrush, pair Mistle Thrush, pair Bullfinch, Chiffchaff, 92 Stock Dove (on arable field adjacent to top paddock), 1 Redwing, 1m Kestrel. 55 species in total. (Tony Kennelly WEBS Count)
Kentish Town: Jackdaw calling over Highgate Road at 13:00, 10-17 Siskin regularly in trees at Sanderson Close using feeder at Carrol Close (Frank Nugent).
Kingston Cemetery: Peregrine low over the Cemetery giving good views before soaring off east towards Hogsmill Open Space. 22 Teal on the Hogsmill and 3 Redwing over (M Bournat)
Kingston upon Thames: male Peregrine perched on south side of clock tower at County Hall 15.30 (Neil Batten).
Lee Valley RP - Middlesex Filter Beds: 1 Firecrest, c10 Chiffchaff (in one group), 6+ Goldcrest, Kingfisher, 3 Little Grebe, 4 Tufted Duck, 6 Teal, 2 Gadwall, Grey Wagtail, 2 Ring-Necked Parakeet (Jonathan Nasir)
Lee Valley RP - Waterworks NR: 2 Common Snipe, 4 Teal, 3 Shoveler, 5 Tufted Duck (Jonathan Nasir)
London Wetland Centre (WWT): First winter male Smew flew from Reservoir Lagoon onto Sheltered Lagoon at 4pm (Oscar Dewhurst).
Margravine Cemetery: (monthly count) 32 Blackbird (a record), 1 Goldcrest, 1 f Great Spotted Woodpecker (pm) pr Peregrine Falcon hunting East then on hospital (Nathalie Mahieu)
Queen Mother Reservoir: Black-throated Diver and Long-tailed Duck (Birdguides) Is it still possible to get day permits?
South Croydon: 17 Waxwings in Junction Road feeding on apples in a private garden. (Croydon Birders)
South Ealing Station, W5: 7 Waxwings still present. (Richard Woolley). The bird that hit the bus shelter and didn't make it on Tuesday delivered to NHM Tring today. Thanks to Alex and Martin for the suggestion (Catherine Beazley); 8 present 15.00 and still plenty of berries remaining in middle and lower branches (Andy Culshaw).
Staines Moor: 1 Barn Owl 1600, at least 2 Short-eared Owls hunting on & off throughout afternoon, 2 Stonechat. (Richard Woolley). At least three, and one photographer constantly going out into the middle of the Moor where they roost and moving around trying to get nearer to birds on bushes. (C Lamsdell). Goosander west over the south end late pm, and Water Pipit (D Bradnum, N Croft)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: 5 Goosander (1 imm male 4 fem), 5 Goldeneye, 2 Green Sandpiper (Lockwood), 18 Lapwing south, Rock Pipit briefly before flying east from Lockwood, drake Ruddy Duck, 3 Little Egret, Goldcrest, Kingfisher, 10 Shelduck, 2 Grey Wagtail, 1 Fieldfare (Stuart Fisher)

Saturday 12th January 2013[]

Alexandra Park: 3 Shoveler Wood Green Res, Redwing (Bob Watts).
Amwell GP: Bittern showed well mid afternoon, opposite viewpoint, despatching a fair size Pike! Also female Smew & 1w male Scaup outside the London area on Tumbling Bay Pit (David Bradnum).
Berwick Reservoir: Adult Ross's Goose with Greylag flock feeding near bench adjacent to res at 1325 (Bob Watts).
Blackheath: 9 Waxwings showing well around junction of St John's Park, Old Dover Road, Delacourt Road and Banchory Road, flocking in trees at each junction 14.45 - 15.15 (Chris Elders & Rich Horwood)
Brent Reservoir: Bearded Tit heard pinging by main hide, also Little Egret flew west, female Peregrine over, pair of Wigeon, 6 Lesser Redpoll, 25 Snipe (Brent Birders)
Brookmill Park, Lewisham: drake Mandarin, female Kingfisher, male Blackcap (Conrad Ellam)
Coulsdon: Raven over gardens flying south at 10:15 mobbed v aggressively by crows. (Paul S)
Clapham Common: Siskin, 7 Shoveler, 9 Tufted Duck (Mark H)
Crayford Marshes: Dark-bellied Brent Goose flew down the Thames; Spotted Redshank, Turnstone, 136 Golden Plover, Green Sandpiper, 3 Curlew, 2 Rock Pipit, 3 Yellow-legged Gull. (Kev Jarvis).
Crossness: 20 Black-tailed Godwits, Curlew, adult Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Wigeon, Sparrowhawk, Little Egret (John Archer).
Dartford: 3 Waxwings at Holiday Inn Express on University Way in car park late morning + 3 Fieldfares (John Archer).
Dartford Marshes: adult Yellow-legged Gull on flood beside University Way (John Archer).
Ewell Village (Lower Mill): Little Egret in the Hogsmill river to 09.10 at least. Still present at 11.00 and 12.00 (Neil Batten).
Fulham Reach: c 25 Siskins on Rainville Road, 2 Peregrine Falcon (Nathalie Mahieu).
Green Park/Piccadilly: Peregrine over at 10.45 a.m. (John Colmans)
Hemans Estate Comunity Garden - Lambeth: 1 Peregrine heading for Battersea - first in several months seen (Michael Mac).
High Barnet: Flock of 34 Waxwings flew over playing fields behind QE Boys school, landed briefly in gardens then flew S - 12.40. Also flock of 10 Siskins in gardens in same area (Davey Leach).

Bearded Tit, Hyde Park (Tony Duckett)
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 2 female Bearded Tit showing well from dawn in reedbed close to Diana memorial as yesterday (first seen 11/12/12), Barnacle Goose of unknown origin, 63 Egyptian Goose, 4 Red-crested Pochard, Peregrine Falcon, c.5 Siskin (D. McKenzie). Also Kingfisher close by at Kensington Gardens Long Water N side at 11:30 (Frank Nugent). Bearded Tits still showing well at 3:30pm (J.murray) and until 4.55pm (Nathalie Mahieu).
Kingston Cemetery: 2 Goldcrest, 1 Blackcap, 17 Teal, Grey Heron and Cormorant on the Hogsmill (M Bournat)
Ladywell fields SE6: m Kingfisher, f Mandarin(t.wilson)
Lee Valley, Gunpowder Park: 4 Goosander (2m 2f) on the River Lee (Tony Brown)
London Wetland Centre: redhead Smew and Bittern on main lake, Peregrine on hospital, m + f Sparrowhawk hunting over grazing marsh, 5 Common Snipe, Kestrel, pr Goldcrest, 2 Cetti's Warbler (Martin Honey); flock of Siskin (approx 20), Kingfisher along car park channel (Angus Innes).
Paddington Basin: Kingfisher (D. McKenzie).
Queen Mother Reservoir: 2 BUFF-BELLIED PIPITS briefly (Birdguides). I re-found them at 12.15 at QMR after they hadn't been seen since c.9.00 (one of the best re-finds I've ever done!). I alerted a number of birders who also saw them, but they had gone by 12.22-ish. (Alan Hobson). Birds had moved to Horton GPs in pm and showed well up to 16:05. Also Slavonian Grebe and Long-tailed Duck (the latter seen by others) at QMR. (Steven Robinson) Pipits are on puddles at Kingsmead Quarry east of the B376 north of Sunnymeads Station this afternoon, as well as grebe and l.t.duck, also 2 Peregrine & Red Kite at QM Res (J.murray). Also Diver sp. at QMR seen several times mid-late PM. Appeared to be a Black-throated Diver based on head and bill profile and apparent pale crescent to rear of flanks while appearing to lack bulk and angular head of GND and 'bill pointing' of RTD. Far too distant for a specific ID and probably not in the LNHS side of the res anyway (Andy Culshaw, David Howdon et al).
Rainham Marshes RSPB: Brent Goose, Goldeneye, Barn Owl, Spotted Redshank, 3 Corn Bunting (RSPB), several hundred Dunlin, Redshank, c. 70 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Ringed Plover, 15 Curlew, Green Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, Bullfinch, 30 + Skylark, 1 Water Pipit, 5 + Rock Pipit (Nick Croft)
Richmond Park : Midday approx 60 Siskin in woods by Upper Pen Pond (Steve Woolfenden)
Roding Valley Meadows NR: Marsh Harrier 15.00 hrs (Barry Jones)
Staines Moor: 5 Short-eared Owl and Water Pipit (Twitter #londonbirds )
Stoke Newington: 6 Waxwings on tree in Town Hall Approach at 2.45pm (N. Verlander)
Swanley Park : 10 Redwings (first this winter), 160 Black-headed Gulls, 26 Common Gulls, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 20+ Long-tailed Tits, 40+ Goldfinch (Andy Meaton)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: 5 Goldeneye (1 drake), 3 Fieldfare, Peregrine over (E/W Warwick); 4 Goldeneye (1 drake), 4 Goosander (1 drake), Fieldfare, pr Teal Lockwood - (Lol Bodini).
Wanstead Park: Wigeon (J Lethbridge)
Whitewebbs Wood: 1 female Firecrest feeding in Holly near Ornamental Lake 14:25 - 14:45 hrs; 32 (21m 11f) Mandarin Duck Ornamental Lake 15:00 hrs (Robert Callf).

Friday 11th January 2013[]

Beddington SF: 1st/w Glaucous Gull. (observer ?)
Blackheath: 10 Waxwings present but mobile Blackheath Village, also 25+ House Sparrows there (Joe Beale)
Brent Reservoir: The elusive Bearded Tit showed well but silently for one minute at 12:30 in Phragmites near three sawn-off willows from mown area to left of main hide, c25 Snipe, c20 Redwing dropped in, 1 Green Sandpiper, Chiffchaff (Derek Turner)
Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Little Grebe, Mandarin, Kingisher, singing Song Thrush (Conrad Ellam)
Crayford Marshes: 2 Whooper Swan flew over high south; Little Owl, 4 Golden Plover, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Yellow-legged Gull, Green Sandpiper. (Kev Jarvis, Nigel Sluman). Also 24 Waxwing outside entrance to Erith Yacht Club (Nigel Sluman)
E5 (Lower Clapton): single Waxwing in cherry tree outside 42 rushmore road. plenty of berries so may stick around. (Jamie_Partridge)
East India Dock Basin/Bow Creek: 13 Shelduck, 135 Teal, 25 Tufted Duck, 4 Common Sandpiper, 20 Redshank, 2 Jays (John Archer).
Greenford, UB6: m Blackcap still present in garden (Neil Anderson)
Hyde Park: 2 female Bearded Tit (both wearing a ring) showed well at dawn while feeding on Phragmites in Diana Memorial reedbed (south side of Serpentine, not far from the Lido); the first for the Inner London sector to my knowledge (D. McKenzie); both still present at 11:00 (Richard Seargent via DMc); both birds showing down to 3 metres at 12:30 (Alex Massey via DMc); both birds showing extremely well until at least 2pm. I wouldn't be surprised if someone could read the rings at that range. (J Hudson)
Kensington Gardens: 2 Little Owl in Kensington Gardens (D.McKenzie).
Ladywell Fields: 1 Kingfisher successfully fishing, 1f Mandarin (Martin Stevens).
London Wetland Centre: female Smew on sheltered lagoon am (also present yesterday pm) (LWC Website).
Mill Hill NW7: male Blackcap. m + f Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Jay, several Long-tailed Tits, several Siskin. (Xav)
Paddington Green: Peregrine Falcon 13:45 (D. McKenzie).
Queen Mother Reservoir: 1 BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT still (BirdGuides). Access to Queen Mother Reservoir: Berkshire Ornithological Club has arranged access to Queen Mother Reservoir from 08:00 to 16:00 on Saturday 12th January. Day permits may be obtained, £2 donation recommended, at the BOC gate at TQ018771 from 08:00 to 15:00. All visitors must leave the site by 16.00. Also Long-tailed Duck and Slavonian Grebe (BirdGuides).
Regent's Park: 3 Common Shelduck, Water Rail, 2 pr Goldcrest, 6m & 2f Mandarin Duck, Ruddy Duck (Charlie Farrell)
River Pool Linear Park: 15 Goldfinch, 2 Greenfinch, 5 Chaffinch, 5 Long-tailed Tit, 7 Song Thrush inc. 6 singing, 1 Redwing, 2 Grey Wagtail, 1f Pheasant. Unfortunately no Bullfinch despite walking the footpath for 2.5hrs! Cheers for the advice Paul & Sharon (Martin Stevens).
Snaresbrook Crown Court: at least one Firecrest still, 3 Goldcrest, 13 Shoveler on Eagle Pond (Stuart Fisher)
South Ealing Station, W5: 9 Waxwings still present 0830. (Richard Woolley). Still showing very well 1200-1330 plus one male Blackcap (Shane Enright)
St John's Wood: Peregrine Falcon south over Lord's Cricket Ground 13:12 (D. McKenzie).
Staines Moor: 3 Short-eared Owls showed very well for most of the day along the east side. Also 2 Water Pipit along the Colne, 22 Common Snipe on the south flood, 5 Stonechat, 2 Little Egret, 12 Siskin, 2 Treecreeper, 1f Bullfinch, 1 Peregrine, 3 Little Grebe and 4+ Reed Bunting. (Lee Dingain - a few pics here )
Staines Reservoir: Black-necked Grebe single south basin(Jim Sweetland)
Victoria Park: 1st winter drake Goldeneye, drake Shoveler, 2 Egyptian Geese, 17+ Tufted Duck, 12 Pochard (John Archer).
Wanstead Flats: Fieldfare, 4 Goldcrest, Kestrel (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park (Bush/Res Wood): 27 Gadwall, 2 Egyptian Goose, Nuthatch, Firecrest again behind Belgrave Heights, 5 Goldcrest (Nick Croft)

Thursday 10th January 2013[]

Banstead Downs: Firecrest still along wooded footpath west of golf course at 13:30 (Bill Dykes)
Berwick Ponds: Bittern (BirdGuides).
Crayford Marshes: Corn Bunting, Little Owl, 33 Golden Plover, Lesser Redpoll, 8 Black-tailed Godwit, Yellow-legged Gull, Green Sandpiper, Kingfisher, 800 Dunlin, 18 Ringed Plover. (Kev Jarvis).
Erith Cemetery (east): 58 Redwing, 1 Mistle Thrush, 70 Starling - approx 60 of which briefly mobbing Sparrowhawk, 3 Greenfinch, 2 Goldfinch, male Chaffinch, 1 Goldcrest, 15+ Ring-necked Parakeet (Chris Rose).
Hammersmith Novotel: pr Peregrine Falcon (Nathalie Mahieu).
Highgate, Waterlow Park: Siskin 10+ feeding on berries around the upper pond (Daniel Bosch).
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 2 male Mandarin Duck, male Teal on Long Water, 28 Shoveler, pair of Red-crested Pochard, 2 Aythya hybrids, Peregrine Falcon west over Serpentine, pair of Grey Heron bringing in nest material, Tawny Owl showed well, 5 Goldcrest, 3 Siskin in alder near Rangers' Lodge (D. McKenzie).
Northumberland Heath, Recreation Ground: 173 House Sparrows in surrounding hedges. (Chris Rose).
Paddington Green: Peregrine Falcon made failed attempt on pigeon flock 09:20 (D. McKenzie).
Pool River Linear Park: 2 Bullfinches (male & female),1 Goldcrest, 2 Jackdaw, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Stock Dove, 20+ Redwings (Paul Moss and Sharon Welland). Are you able to give me a reliable location for the Bullfinch? Was up there for quite some time trying to get them for my Foot It list but no joy (Martin Stevens). Best place is probably the south end of Longmeadow allotments (this section is now overgrown and unused) adjaceant to the southern most sports field. Thanks for the reply. Are you talking about opposite the green, just above the bridge by the play park or further up? I don't know the names of much of the areas but know the landmarks. Are you viewing them from the footpath? Near there - at the end of the playpark (going N) are the allotments, you can view the general area fairly well from the railway side of the river and they have been that side as well (basically anywhere from where Boris fell in the river N'wards is probably best). They are obviously flying around a bit but that general area is where we tend to catch them.
Queen Mother Reservoir: 2 BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT @11:50 (Nigel Sluman), Long-tailed Duck and Slavonian Grebe 09.00 - (BirdGuides). Access to Queen Mother Reservoir: Berkshire Ornithological Club has arranged access to Queen Mother Reservoir from 08:00 to 16:00 on Saturday 12th January. Day permits may be obtained, £2 donation recommended, at the BOC gate at TQ018771 from 08:00 to 15:00. All visitors must leave the site by 16.00
Rainham (stone barges/tip): ad Mediterranean Gull, 2 Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Water Pipit (Josh Jones, James Lowen)
Sainsbury's Nine Elms Car Park - Vauxhall: 6 Common Gulls and 30 Black-headed Gulls being fed bread by pensioners (Michael Mac).
Staines Moor: 2 Short-eared Owl mobbing Kestrel 13:00 (Nigel Sluman)
Sutcliffe Park, Eltham: drake Wood Duck of unknown origin, female Pochard, 4 Common Snipe, female Kingfisher, Lesser Redpoll (Conrad Ellam)
Teddington Lock: 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull at 9.30am (Spencer Neal)
Wanstead Flats: 2 Mistle Thrush, 3 Meadow Pipit, 14 Gadwall, 3 Pochard, 5 Shoveler, Goldcrest (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: 100 + Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 10 Pochard, Wigeon, m Teal, 33 Goldfinch, Siskin, 5 Goldcrest, 2 Pied Wagtail (Nik Croft)
Wormwood Scrubs: Kestrel, Jay, 2 Goldcrest (Charlie Farrell)

Wednesday 9th January 2013[]

Banstead Downs: Firecrest along wooded footpath on west side of golf course c250 yards from clubhouse/near post 678 (David Campbell).
Beddington Sewage Farm: juv Glaucous Gull (Nigel Sluman per RBA)
Blackheath: 12 Waxwings just before dusk Blackheath Village (Joe Beale and Yu-Hsuan Lin).
Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, Corn Bunting, 165 Golden Plover, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, adult Yellow-legged Gull, Rock Pipit, Cetti's Warbler, Green Sandpiper, 1000 Dunlin, 300 Redshank, 3 Curlew. (Kev Jarvis).
Ewell Village (Lower Mill): Yesterday's concern about the demise of the Little Egret has been proven unfounded. The bird has been present all morning and was briefly joined by a second bird at 10.00. Also Grey Wagtail present (Neil Batten)
Hainault Country Park:1 m Firecrest with mixed goldcrest and tit flock on main track in holly bushes approx 300m south of woodland trust carpark opposite Camelot Pub at 1pm (Steve Bacon)
Hextable Park : c60 Waxwings. Flock of 40 joined by two other groups around 10.30 very restless main flock flew southeast towards Swanley Village although 7 remained at 11.10. 50+ Waxwings 15.00 to 16.00 then flew to The Beeches/Rollo Road. (Andy Meaton) Tall trees behind 7 The Beeches .
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 88 Mute Swan, 228 Greylag Goose, 6 Greylag x Canada Goose, 124 Canada Goose, Barnacle Goose of unknown origin, 67 Egyptian Goose, Tawny Owl showed well, pair of Little Owl showed well on the deck at 16:00 yesterday (D. McKenzie).
Ladywell Park SE13: 1 Little Egret PM, passer by stated two seen together earlier in day (Paul Moss, John Reid)
Lea Valley Country Park: 2 drake Smew Friday Lake, Bittern briefly in flight landing in front of Bittern_Hide, Little Egret, 3 Water Rail 'sharming', 2 singing Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff, Kingfisher, 40 + Lapwing, Peregrine Falcon, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, Waxwing heard going to roost; Holyfield Lake 30 + Wigeon, drake Goosander, 2 Shelduck, 2 Common Buzzard, Little Owl calling, Red-legged Partridge in sailing club (Nick Croft)
Northumberland Park: 1 m Brambling with 3 Chaffinches in gardens between West Road and Willoughby Lane, m Peregrine on Gas Tower behind Ikea Edmonton - 12.30 - 1 Pm (Davey Leach)
Pool River Linear Park: 6 Song Thrushes singing PM along stretch from 'two rivers' to the Sava Centre. (Paul Moss and John Reid)
Queen Mother Reservoir: 2 BUFF-BELLIED PIPITS (Mark Leitch). Also Long-tailed Duck and Slavonian Grebe still (Berks website). ANY ACCESS??. Possibly for the weekend apparently.
Ruislip Lido: 3m 1f Bullfinch 1515 in trees by 5 barred gate North of Pub. (Ian Grant)
Snaresbrook Crown Court: 1 Firecrest, 4 Goldcrest, singing Coal Tit, 2 Song Thrush, Grey Wagtail, 1 Siskin, 5 Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, 41 Tufted Duck (Stuart Fisher)
South Ealing: 9 Waxwings present at 9.10am in trees near tube station exit (Alex Massey). 10 present and showing well from the westbound platform from 11.00 - 11.25 am. Also 1 Blackcap (Alan Hobson).
Trent Park: 1 Firecrest, feeding in Laurel SW edge of Rough Lot, 13:10 hrs; 2 Woodcock, flushed 13:15 and13:20 hrs; 45+ Siskin, feeding in Alders with 2 Goldfinch along Leeging Beech Gutter near Water Garden (Robert Callf & Robin White).
Wanstead (Belgrave Road): Waxwing (per J Lethbridge)

Tuesday 8th January 2013[]

Abney Park Cemetery: 1 possibly 2 Firecrests, single Siskin over early am, pair of Tawny Owls, too many parakeets (Jamie_Partridge, Tony Butler, Adam Hudson)
Alexandra Park: 7+ Shovelers, c20 Aythya mostly Tufted Duck on Wood Green Res 7am (Bob Watts).
Beaconsfield Services M 40:. 35 Waxwings feeding on rose hip bushes near the petrol station, also 2 Red Kite over (Alan Furnell) NB. Not in London area.
Blackheath: 5 Waxwings at least flycatching from trees in St John's Park at noon and once briefly visiting the roadside berries. Also 3 Redwings nearly became 2 when a f Sparrowhawk suddenly appeared (Joe Beale).
Brookmill Park, Lewisham: Little Grebe, Mandarin, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
Crayford Marshes: Waxwing in hedges near the junction where Moat Lane meets the creek; 2 Corn Bunting, 65 Golden Plover, 2 Green Sandpiper, Rock Pipit, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Curlew. (Kev Jarvis).
Crayford, Thames Road Wetland: 2 Water Rail heard (brief view of 1), 5 or 6 Chaffinch. Also at least 4 Teal on pool on adjoining Stanham Farm. (Chris Rose).
East India Dock Basin/Bow Creek: 203 Teal, 20 Tufted Ducks, female Peregrine, Common Sandpiper, 10 Redshank, Jay (John Archer).
Eltham (Sutcliffe Park): Pochard f, 2 Chiffchaffs, Water Rail, Wood Duck. (P_Kite)
Ewell (Hogsmill Open Space): c.50 Goldfinch in one flock, 2 Song Thrush, Nuthatch, 1 Common Gull, 8 Herring Gull. p.s. The Little Egret at the Lower Mill appears to have been predated sometime over last weekend judging by the large numbers of white feathers blowing around the Mill garden (Neil Batten).
Fairlop Waters:5 Waxwing se corner near back hedge roosting in small pine 8 am also 6 siskin on track south of fishing lake carpark (Steve Bacon)
Hackney E8 (Amhurst Road, nr, Downs Park Road): 5 Waxwings on berries in garden. The flock stayed for a minute then flew off north 4.10pm (David Chapman).
Hextable Park : Waxwings seen early morning 30+ (observer ?)
Rainham Marshes RSPB: Ross's Goose again on Aveley Pools with Greylags, Spotted Redshank, Common Sandpiper and Grey Plover on foreshore (RBA)
Redbridge Lakes and Roding Valley Park: 7 Snipe, Little Egret, Grey Wagtail, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Water Rail, Song Thrush (Alan Hobson).
Regent's Park: 1m Common Shelduck, Water Rail, pr Firecrests between area 18 & 19 in privet hedge by Open Air Theatre ticket offfice, see link to map at www.regentsparkbirds.blogspot.com (Tony Duckett)
South Ealing station: 11 Waxwings still present this morning on Silver Birches by westbound platform or feeding in Sorbus by Bus Stop D (down to 2m at times). Lots of berries left. Buy a cup of coffee from Panorama cafe and enjoy (Quentin Given) 14.00 Approx an hour ago, two Waxwings flew from the sorbus tree into a nearby bus shelter. Unsure what to do, i've taken the dead bird home. If anyone can advise on what would be best to do with it, that would be much appreciated. I can bury it but wondered if it might be of educational use. catherine.beazley@gmail.com.
Staines Reservoirs: c12 m+f Goldeneye, Black-necked Grebe close in at Tesco end of S.basin, 3 Reed Buntings up and down causeway on bank of N.basin, Wigeon and Tufted Ducks also on N.basin. (Keith Kerr)
Staines Moor: At least 4 Short-eared Owls at 3:30pm, also 4 Water Pipits and 1 Stonechat. No sign of Barn Owl here or Stanwell Moor by dusk (J.Murray & J.Murray Snr).
Stoneleigh (The Glade): Escape Blue Fronted Amazon Parrot flew south over The Glade and dropped down into the back gardens of no's 48-50 at 08.45. I understand this bird has been present for at least 18 months and appears to be in good health though very noisy! (Neil Batten)
Valentines Park: Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk, Cormorant, 3 m Shoveller, Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming (B Miller)
Wanstead Flats: Common Snipe, Siskin, 2 Reed Bunting, 5 Goldcrest, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 2 Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 2 Shoveler, 9 Gadwall, singing Mistle Thrush (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Stock Dove singing res wood, 3 m Teal, 90 Gadwall, 51 Tufted Duck, 2 Shoveler, 8 Pochard, 2 Little Grebe, Grey Wagtail, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, pr Bullfinch, 3 Goldcrest (Nick Croft)

Monday 7th January 2013[]

Abney Park Cemetery, N16: 1 Firecrest (still New Ride area), 1 Chiffchaff (TeRNS).
Brent Reservoir: 3 Green Sandpiper, 28 Snipe (Derek Turner)
Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Kingfisher, 3 Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
Belair Park (SE21): 6 Siskin, m&f Mandarin (William Marshall)
Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, 66 Golden Plover, 8 Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Green Sandpiper, Rock Pipit, 4 Curlew, c270 Redshank, c800 Dunlin, Chiffchaff. (Kev Jarvis).
Dartford: 62 Waxwings in Holiday Inn Express car park off University Way at midday (RBA).
East India Dock Basin: 10 Shelducks, 11 Teal, 28 Tufted Ducks, Peregrine perched on O2 (John Archer).
Hextable Park: c60 Waxwings 9.30 (LA), 30 Waxwings still present 10.30 quite nervous flew N to Home Hill dip (Andy Meaton).
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: Barnacle Goose of unknown origin, 3 Mandarin Duck, 6 Red-crested Pochard, c.600 Black-headed Gull, adult Great Black-backed Gull, Tawny Owl showed well, Nuthatch, Treecreeper (D. McKenzie).
London Wetland Centre: Red Kite west 11.50-12.00, Common Buzzard east 12.55 (Andrew Verrall).
Margravine Cemetery: 17 Chaffinch (mostly male), 2 Peregrine Falcon (Nathalie Mahieu).
Paddington Basin: Kingfisher at 08:45 (D. McKenzie) then flying down the canal past The Point office building at 14:00 (D Bates).
Paddington Green: 2 Peregrine Falcon p.m., vocal Chiffchaff along Hall Place again (D. McKenzie).
Royal Mid Surrey Golf Course: Red Kite drifting southwest c12.20 (possibly same bird as was at WWT London earlier) (Oscar Dewhurst)
Sidcup: 6 Waxwings directly opposite Ruxley Manor Garden Centre - Maidstone Road 0945 (Ralph Todd)
Snaresbrook Crown Court: 2 Firecrest, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Grey Wagtail (Stuart Fisher).
South Ealing Station, W5: 10 Waxwings still present 0830. (Richard Woolley).
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: Peregrine high north, Redwing (Bob Watts).
Trent Park: 10(6m 4f) Pochard Lower Lake - calling and displaying - high count for this site! (Robert Callf).
Vicarage Farm (Enfield): 1 Common Snipe flushed set-aside field N of Williams Wood 11:25 hrs (Robert Callf).
Walthamstow: Lockwood 4 Goosanders (KJMcmanus); 2 Goldeneye on No1 Res (P.Charles).

Sunday 6th January 2013[]

Alexandra Park: small flock of Redwing and Goldfinch plus a Green Woodpecker 2pm (Dawn Painter).
Banstead Downs: Firecrest c250 yards from clubhouse along wooded footpath on west side of golf course; also Siskin and Kestrel (David Campbell, Richard Draper, Peter Grady & Joshua Burch).
Banstead Woods: Woodcock flushed (David Campbell, Richard Draper, Peter Grady & Joshua Burch).
Barkingside: 10+ Waxwings in trees along Cranbrook Road, just south of Tanners Lane (Ben green).
Brent Reservoir: male Bearded Tit showed very well by Heron Hide from 09.20 - 09.30; also 28 Snipe (Brent Birders)
Clapham Common: 7 Shoveler (4m 3f), GS Woodpecker. (Mark H)
Collier Row: Approximately 70 Waxwings in trees and bushes outside 261 Chase Cross Road, RM5 3XS from 2:15-2:25pm. Not at 1:30pm (Ben Green)
Crayford Marshes: Green Sandpiper in flooded field by University Way (John Bushell, Conrad Ellam & Ron Turner)
Crossness: 500 Dunlin, 500 Lapwing, 200 Redshank, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Curlew, 500 Teal, 100 Gadwall, 5 Shelduck, 1 Chiffchaff (John Bushell, Conrad Ellam & Ron Turner)
Dagenham Chase LNR: 61 species recorded, male Firecrest showed well along river Rom ( near Bancroft Chase on Google maps ), 2 Siskin, 1 Redpoll, singing Mistle Thrush but not seen, pr Pochard, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Little Egret, 3 Meadow Pipit, 1 fem Reed Bunting, 2 Jackdaw, several Rook over, 5 Fieldfare, drake Wigeon. ( V.Halley-Frame & Steve Drake ).
Gallions Reach: 56 Shelduck, 48 Lapwing, 2 Curlew, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 90 Redshank, Ruddy X Common Shelduck. (Gary A James).
Greenford UB6: male Blackcap still resident in my garden (Neil Anderson)
Hammersmith Novotel: pr Peregrine Falcon pm (Nathalie Mahieu).
Hampstead Heath/Kenwood: Tawny Owl, c 15 Siskin, 3 Nutchatch, Treecreeper, 5 Redwing, 3 Kestrel. HG1 pond: m Reed Bunting, 2 m Shoveler, 24 Gadwall, Little Grebe. Men's Pond: 2 Great Crested Grebe. HH1 pond: f Pochard, f Shoveler, 2 Egyptian Geese (Rob Ayers)
Hextable Park, Swanley: 90 Waxwings feeding on buds by tennis courts 9.00 to 10.30 park now getting busy with footy but flock seems to fly and return a few minutes later (Andy Meaton). Present 11.50-12.25 at least, feeding on rosehips, then flock dispersed in two groups, hedges largely bare but may return (Peter Beckenham) c70 Waxwings in large Sycamore tree off Main Road / Rollo Road 3.25-3.30pm then dispersed (John Reid). c60 Waxwing in rose bushes in Hextable Park at 14:40 then spooked by something perhaps in direction of Rollo Road? (Richard Gowing).
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: Barnacle Goose of unknown origin, 4 Gadwall, 6 Red-crested Pochard, 34 Pochard, Tawny Owl showed well in beech, 4 Green Woodpecker, male Blackcap in brambles on west side of Long Water, 3 Siskin and 2 Lesser Redpoll with several Goldfinch near Rangers' Lodge (D. McKenzie).
Lee Valley RP - Bittern Watchpoint: Bittern showed well early afternoon infront of hide, drake Smew Hooks Marsh. (I. Lycett), 2 Bitterns from Bittern Watchpoint at 4.00pm one of which flew off at 4.15pm (same as yesterday) remaining bird appeared to go to roost, 1+ Water Rail and singing Cetti's Warbler, 1m Yellowhammer by Lee Valley Farm (Ian Bradshaw)
London Wetland Centre: Peregrine, Kingfisher, several Cetti's Warblers and Water Rail, Bittern, and male Bearded Tit seen. (Martin Honey), 4 Siskin in alders near bat house. (J Hudson)
Mill Hill NW7: 1 male Blackcap, 10+ Goldfinch, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers (1m+1f), 1 Jay, 6 Long-tailed Tits,10+ Siskin. (Xav)
Paddington Green: Peregrine Falcon low north over Hall Place 08:00 before disappearing into fog (D. McKenzie).
Rainham Marshes: 1 Water Pipit, 1 Ross's Goose, 4 Pintail (Ben Green)
Richmond Park (Pen Ponds): 154 Gadwall, 10 Wigeon, 8 Red-crested Pochard (Neil Anderson)
South Ealing: 9 Waxwing perched in bare cherry opposite station 8.45. Tried flying into small pink fruited Sorbus but chased off by aggressive Mistle Thrush (Neil Anderson). 13.30 7 Waxwings perched in a large tree which could be seen well from the westbound platform. 2 more appeared 10 mins later and then 4 flew back into the Sorbus. (K.Bull) 10 birds present from 9 until at least 10am. In tall tree opposite bus stop J making periodic sorties to nearby Sorbus as described above. (J Hudson)
Southfields: resident male Blackcap at garden feeder (Martin Honey)
Staines Moor: 6 Short-eared Owl, 1 Barn Owl (Twitter: #londonbirds)
Swanley/Ruxley: 6 Waxwings opposite entrance to Ruxley Manor Garden Centre, Maidstone Road (Kay Zhang), 7+ Waxwings opposite the Aldi store in Swanley 3.50pm possibly looking to roost in St Mary Churchyard (John Reid)
Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: c45 Siskin (two separate groups), 4 Redwing, 200+ Common Gull, 6 Teal, 1 drake Mandarin, at least 6 singing Song Thrush (John Colmans)
Walthamstow Reservoirs, Lower Maynard: Long-tailed Duck m showed very well 1st thing. More wary after anglers arrived. (Dan Barrett) Still present this afternoon. Favouring the area near the raft. Coming fairly close at times. (Katy McGilvray) Still there at dusk (Frank Nugent), 5 Goldeneye (4f), 3 f Goosander, 1-2 Chiffchaff (Nick Croft/Marco Johnson) some duck soup here.
Wanstead Flats: Common Snipe, Reed Bunting, 3 Shoveler, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: 7 Siskin, 2 Bullfinch, 7 Goldcrest, Woodcock, 2 Mistle Thrush, Tawny Owl calling from Reservoir Wood, 50 + Herring Gull north to roost (Nick Croft)
Wanstead, private garden: Blackcap f (Chris Legge)
Wimbledon Common: Red-throated Diver on Queensmere (observer ?)
Woodlands Farm, Greenwich: 2 Lesser Redpoll (John Bushell, Conrad Ellam & Ron Turner)
Wormwood Scrubs: 1 Goldcrest with flock of Goldfinch (Charlie Farrell)

Saturday 5th January 2013[]

Bedfords Park LNR: 28 Waxwings at the southern end of the park along the bridleway near Damselfly Pond 13.45-14.45. Also 19 Siskins near the pond feeding on elm flower buds (C.Jupp , Pam).
Blackheath: No sign of the Waxwings at The Standard between 10.45 and 11.45 but seen yesterday around 10.20, Mistle Thrush and 3-4 Redwings present there. Also 29 Mallard and 2 Egyptian Geese on Folly Pond (Joe Beale).
Brookmill Park: Little Grebe still, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, 5 Goldcrest (P Beckenham/L Allcorn)
Brent Reservoir: 8+ Ruddy Ducks, 26 Snipe, 6+ Redwing & Fieldfare (Brent Birders)
Burgess Park: drake Pochard and 2 Egyptian Geese (Richard Bonser)
Bushy Park: Grey Wagtail, Cormorant, Grey Heron (all Canal Plantation), flocks of Siskins in Canal Plantation and Woodland Gardens, Kestrel, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Mandarin (5 drake & 1 female), Egyptian Goose (Woodland Gardens), small flock of Redwing and Goldfinch in Canal Plantation, usual supporting cast of tits, parakeets, corvids etc. No sign of any lesser spots despite a thorough search of previous hot spots. (Paul Cox).
Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, Turnstone, Golden Plover, male Peregrine, adult Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Green Sandpiper, Cetti's Warbler, c700 Dunlin 2 Curlew. (Kev Jarvis).
Dagenham Chase LNR : 3 Ring-necked Parakeet, Stock Dove, pr Wigeon, 70+ Lapwing, 40+ Goldfinch, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Redpoll, Water Rail heard, 2 Fieldfare, 2 Goldcrest & 2 Reed Bunting. ( V.Halley-Frame & S.Drake )
Dulwich Park: female Teal on lake, 4 Song Thrush in full song, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, numerous Coal Tit, Nuthatch, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit (Mark H and the Mexican Birder). Male Teal now also present (15:40), 12 Redwing, 32+ Goldfinch (Martin Stevens).
East India Dock Basin: 37 species including Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, Peregrine and 12 Shelduck (Paul Hyland and Gary A James)
Feltham Green (pond): 2 Mute Swan, 75 Canada Geese, 18 Mallard, 80 Black-headed Gull, 260 (yes I did have time to kill until my train at this point) Feral Pigeon. (Matt Reed).
Fulham Reach: 20 Siskins off Colwith Rd 8:30am, flew off to Barnes (Nathalie Mahieu).
Grange Park (Kilburn): 3 Siskin over (D. McKenzie).
Greenwich Park: now 5 Teal (2m 3f), Nuthatch (Joe Beale).
Haggerston: Sparrowhawk harassed by crows over, then flew east (Matthew Cunningham)
Hampstead Heath: 1 Woodcock (flushed near Hampstead Ponds), c10 Siskin, 2 Treecreeper, 1f Sparrowhawk, Nuthatch, 3 Kestrels (2m 1f), numerous Ring-necked Parakeets (Huw Prior).
Hextable Park (Swanley) : 75 Waxwing . Emersons Avenue Hextable BR8 7WS 15.20 (Andy Meaton) Feeding on hips/berries around perimeter. 22 seen there yesterday by LA. (Andy Meaton)
Hyde Park / Kensington Gardens: Barnacle Goose of unknown origin, 42 Egyptian Goose, 3 Mandarin Duck (2 male), 39 Shoveler, 6 Red-crested Pochard, colour-ringed adult Common Gull (red with white inscription A35E), adult Great Black-backed Gull, Tawny Owl showed well (D. McKenzie).
Lee Valley RP - Middlesex Filter Beds: 2+ Firecrest, 6+ Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Grey Wagtail, Sparrowhawk, 4 Ring-necked Parakeet, 5 Little Grebe (Jonathan Nasir)
Lee Valley RP - Waterworks NR: 1 Chiffchaff, 5 Common Snipe, 25+ Teal, 4 Shoveler, 6 Pochard, 4 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe (Jonathan Nasir)
London Wetland Centre : 2 Goldcrest, small flock mixed Siskin and Redpoll, larger flock of Siskin (20-30) near feeders, 3m Mandarin, Bittern N shore reservoir lagoon, 2 Bearded Tit on grazing marsh, 1 Common Snipe, 1m Sparrowhawk hunting over grazing marsh (Martin Honey).
Muswell Hill - Cambridge Gardens: 7 Waxwing in tree behind builders merchant for 10 minutes at 11.50. (P.Angus).
Paddington Recreation Ground: at least 4 Redwing in conservation area (D. McKenzie).
Peckham Rye Park: Common Gull, Coal Tit (Martin Stevens).
Potters Bar: 17 Waxwings at Station Car Park till 14.50 at least. (Ian A. Stewart) 20 birds early am (J.Murray).
Pymmes Park (Edmonton): 1 pr Mute Swan; 1 Greylag Goose; 4(3m,1f) Shoveler; 20(11m,9f) Tufted Duck; 1 Grey Wagtail, flew over calling; 7 Redwing; 1 singing male Mistle Thrush; 1 singing male Coal Tit; 2 Nuthatch, together; 3 Goldfinch; 5 Lesser Redpoll, feeding in Birches and Oaks (Robert Callf).
Queen Mary Res: Brent Goose, 2 Firecrest, Goosander, Goldeneye (Steve Chastell)
Rainham Marshes RSPB: Ross's Goose, 10 + Pintail, 2 Water Pipit, 6 + Rock Pipit, juv m Marsh Harrier (+ second bird), 100+ Golden Plover, 500 + Lapwing, 11 Ringed Plover, 3 Curlew, 200 + Dunlin, 5 Redhsank, Chiffchaff, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Cetti's Warbler (Nick Croft/NickTanner/Paul Davis et al)
Rotherhithe: Egyptian Goose over Greenland Dock, 44 Tufted Duck Surrey Water, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 70 Common Gulls and 300+ Black-headed Gulls Thames foreshore by Hilton Hotel (Richard Bonser)
South Ealing Station, W5. At least 10 Waxwings, Mistle Thrush 1030. (V Williamson, R Woolley).
Staines Reservoir: 2 Scaup, 1m 1f (N. Basin 08.15-09.30 , 1 Black-necked Grebe (S.Basin), 3 Little Grebe (N. Basin), 50+ Goldeneye (A.Luscombe).
Walthamstow Res: Low Maynard. Winter plumaged drake Long-tailed Duck (presumably the Girling bird moved?) Found by Mike Messenger I believe. Possibly only the 2nd site record, Up to 3 Goosander Lockwood, 6 Little Egret roosting No.2 (Paul Whiteman) seen to roost with Tufted Duck at 16:10 (J.Murray),Long-tailed Duck pics:londonbirder-birdman.blogspot.co.uk (Paul Whiteman)
Wanstead Park: Firecrest, 1-2 Nuthatch, Coal Tit (J Lethbridge)
Wraysbury GP: at least 3 Smew (2m 1f), 4 Goldeneye, 4 Goosander, c100 Pochard, 3 Shoveler 1 Little Egret, 5 Grey Heron (all Colne Mere), 1 Common Snipe just off flooded footpath path N of railway crossing N of Douglas Lane. (Matt Reed), Hi Matt I had five drake Smew and at least one redhead Smew on Colne Mere late afternoon. (Paul Cox).

Friday 4th January 2013[]

Bankside, SE1: 2 Chiffchaff Tate birches and nearby garden, Peregrine (Peter Beckenham)
Beaconsfield Services, J2 M40: as I was leaving Peter Naylors memorial service today, word came through that approx 28 Waxwings were in the car park at Beaconsfield Services. It was an hour or so before dusk, so chances are they will be there tomorrow (W.Marks, Lee G Evans et al), not in LNHS area.
Bexley/Sidcup: 5 Waxwing near roundabout at Penhill Road/Hurst Road - no 275 Hurst Road - 0945 (Ralph Todd) Still present 10.45am in tree between flats and Hurst Road above road sign to Foots Cray and Orpington (Eric Brown) Still at 275 Hurst Road at 11.40 (Tom Clarke). 15 Waxwings there at 11:43 (RBA) 15 Waxwing there until disturbed at 13:15 also Merlin flew by site (P_Kite)
Black Park: 7 Crossbills (C Lamsdell).
Blackheath: Waxwings at The Standard. (observer ?)
Cowley: 1 Sparrowhawk dashing along hedgerow, Green Lane Allotments. (Roger Dewey).
Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, Ruff, female Marsh Harrier, Corn Bunting, Turnstone, 3 Curlew, immature Peregrine, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 17 Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper. (Kev Jarvis).
East India Dock Basin: Common Seal on mud by O2, hybrid falcon resembling Gyr over adjacent business park, 12 Shelduck, 44 Tufted Duck (including female with Portuguese nasal saddle), 2 Teal (John Archer).
Gallions Reach: 61 Shelduck, 200 Teal, 1 Curlew, 80 Redshank, 45 Lapwing, Goldcrest, 15 Linnet. (Gary A James).
Harefield: 6 Little Egret and 2 Egyptian Geese in flooded field opposite Horse and Barge pub at 14:00: (John Walker)
Hextable Park: 22 Waxwing.(observer ?)
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: Barnacle Goose of unknown origin, 20 Shoveler, 6 Red-crested Pochard, adult Great Black-backed Gull, vocal Little Owl, Tawny Owl showing well, Nuthatch, singing Treecreeper (J. Hudson, D. McKenzie).
Kingston Cemetery: 1 Goldcrest, 6 Teal, 1 Chiffchaff (M Bournat)
Lonsdale Road Reservoir: 2 Gadwall, 30 Teal, 8 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, 1 Water Rail (John Gordon)
Lee Valley RP: Bittern Information Point - Bittern, Cetti’s Warbler, 3 Water Rails, drake Smew Friday Lake . (Mike Oakland)
Northumberland Park/Lea Valley: 2 prs Goosander on Lea Valley Flow Channel by Chalk Bridge, 1 pr flew off S (north of Tottenham Marshes) - 12:40, also 1 Chiffchaff in N corner of Tottenham Marshes near Ikea(Davey Leach).
Mill Hill NW7: 2 female Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 female Sparrowhawk. (Xav)
Northaw Great Wood: 1 female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker; 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker; 1 singing male Mistle Thrush; 1 Song Thrush; 15+ Goldcrest; 8+ Coal Tit; 1 Marsh Tit feeding in leaf-litter with large flock of Great Tits and Chaffinches etc; 3+ Nuthatch; 6 Treecreeper (Robert Callf).
Potters Bar: 15+ Waxwings by station car park in trees by garden with tatty England flag in it, dropping down to feed on apples in adjacent garden. (Simon West)
South Ealing Station, W5: 10 Waxwings still present. 0845. (V Williamson, R Woolley). Now only 9 Waxwings as sadly as they took flight one flew into the bus shelter and died. I did pick it up as could not cope with leaving it on the pavement. 11.30. Still 9 between 12:25 - 12:50 (when I left), at top of tall tree right by platform 1 embankment - best viewed from footbridge or platform 3/4. (Matt Reed)
Staines Moor: 3 Short-eared Owl, 1 Water Pipit, 1 Little Egret, 4m 2f Goosander over (or perhaps the same group of 2m & 1f over twice), 1m Sparrowhawk, 3 Goldcrest, c. 20 Linnet, pair Stonechat (I. Darbyshire).
Wanstead Flats: 2 Common Snipe, 20 Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 3 Skylark, 6 Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Lesser Redpoll, Reed Bunting, 25 Gadwall, 15 Tufted Duck, Pochard, 4 Shoveler, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Grey Wagtail, Kestrel (Bob Vaughan), Little Egret (Chris Legge), Firecrest (briefly in Bush Wood), 6 Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Meadow Pipit, Cormorant in breeding plumage, Little Grebe, 100 + Herring Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull north to roost, 94 Gadwall, 57 Tufted Duck, 3 Shoveler, Wigeon, Pochard, 2 Stock Dove (Nick Croft).
Westcombe Woods, Greenwich: drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, 2 Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tits, 1 Grey Wagtail over (Joe Beale).
Wormwood Scrubs: 2 Goldcrest, 1+ Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay (Charlie Farrell)

Thursday 3rd January 2013[]

Barnehurst, Bursted Wood/Open Space: 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Mistle Thrush (Chris Rose).
Bexley/Sidcup: 6 Waxwings in tree on Hurst Road near Footscray Lane roundabout 8.50 to 9.15am at least. (Eric Brown); five still present 275 Hurst Road midday (Ralph Todd)
Bexleyheath, Christchurch Cemetery: 1 Goldcrest, 2 Greenfinch, 5 Goldfinch, at least 3 Chaffinch, 2 Collared Dove (Chris Rose).
Bexleyheath, Danson Park: Sparrowhawk (over), 2 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Egyptian Geese, 1 Greylag, 2 Mute Swan, 3 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Jay, 255 Ring-necked Parakeet (seemed to be all those present) counted out from west end woodland and bog garden trees 16.00-16.15 (Chris Rose).
Bookham: Hawfinch perched briefly in trees behind the station at 8:30am, before dipping into blackthorn scrub. Also Goosander flew over at 8.50am (Bill Dykes).
Brookmill Park, Lewisham: drake Mandarin, female Kingfisher (John Bushell & Conrad Ellam)
Chingford, Hatch Forest: 1 Little Egret, 2 Ring-necked Parakeet over, 2 Treecreeper singing, Song Thrush singing (Ian Woodward).
Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, Ruff, Turnstone on the Thames foreshore near the Erith Yacht Club; Corn Bunting, adult Mediterranean Gull, 113 Golden Plover, 5 Yellow-legged Gull, Water Rail, Green Sandpiper, Peregrine, Stonechat, Rock Pipit (Kev Jarvis). Is the yacht club easily accessible? Last time I visited the gate was closed and coded and so couldn't get in. Many thanks.
Dartford: 69 Waxwings at Darent Valley Hospital (RBA).
East India Dock Basin: adult Yellow-legged Gull on mud in front of O2, male Sparrowhawk, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Shelduck, 38 Tufted Duck (including female with Portuguese nasal saddle), 4 Teal (John Archer).
Enfield (Town Park): 1 male Kingfisher, Carr's Basin, 15:30 - 15:35 hrs (Robert Callf).
Ewell Village (Lower Mill): Little Egret again present feeding in Hogsmill river 12.30 onwards (Neil Batten).
Greenwich Peninsula: 4 Little Grebe in Ecology Park (John Bushell & Conrad Ellam) Redwing & Goldcrest by Beckham Academy (Conrad Ellam)
Hammersmith Novotel: 1 pr Peregrine Falcon (Nathalie Mahieu).
Kensington Gardens: Tawny Owl showing well, interesting female Aythya duck near the cafe, which appeared at first glance to be a Scaup from the head shape, orange eye and pale plumage around bill base. There was however a pale band and too much black on the bill tip, suggesting a Scaup/Pochard hybrid (John Bushell & Conrad Ellam); there are two Scaup look-a-likes present incuding a bird with Pochard-like bill pattern but with Scaup-like pale patches on the side of the head. The recent Scaup showed classic bill pattern as well as structural and plumage features typical of species. Will check again a.m. (D. McKenzie).
Kingston Cemetery: Green Woodpecker, 6 Teal (M Bournat)
Lee Valley RP - Waterworks NR: 4 Common Snipe, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Song Thrush, 30+ Common Gull (over), 22+ Teal, 4 Tufted Duck, 4 Shoveler, 1f Pochard, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker. (Jonathan Nasir)
Lee Valley RP - Middlesex Filter Beds: 1m Firecrest (showing well), 6+ Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff, 7 Little Grebe, 4 Gadwall, 6 Teal, Jay. (Jonathan Nasir)
Lonsdale Road Reservoir: 1 Pochard, 8 Teal, 12 Tufted Duck, 2 Mallard, 5 Goldcrest, 2 Goldfinch, 1 Chaffinch (Rich Petley)
Margravine Cemetery: 1 pr Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 pr Mistle Thrush (Nathalie Mahieu).
Mill Hill NW7: 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers (m+f), 3 Lesser Redpoll, 12+ Siskin. (Xav)
Nine Elms Sainsbury's Car Park - Lambeth: 1 Kestrel on chimney noticeably infrequent in sightings last several months, much new building and shrubs/bushes cut down along railway tracks (Michael Mac).
Northumberland Park/Lea Valley: m Peregrine again on Gas Tower behind IKEA - 12:40, fem Goosander this time with male nearby on Lea Valley Flow Channel by Chalk Bridge (North of Tottenham Marshes) - 12:10, also 1 Bullfinch & pr Reed Buntings in Tottenham Marshes (Davey Leach).
Northwood: Chiffchaff in overflow carpark of Pinner Hill Golf Club at 9.15am (John Fordham)
Rainham Marshes: 2 Caspian Gulls (adult & 2nd winter) on tip between 0800 and 1100 hrs, viewed from riverside footpath. Also 11 Yellow-legged Gulls (various ages) (Phil Saunders & Jamie_Partridge).
River Pool Linear Park, Sydenham/Catford: 6+ Bullfinches (including 2 males), Kingfisher, 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Jackdaws (Paul Moss & Sharon Welland per JA).
St James's Park: 3 fully-winged Red-crested Pochard amongst pinioned birds, also Coal Tit (Andrew Self)
South Ealing Station: 10 Waxwing still present-- flitting between trees opposite Platform 1 and the rowan tree near the 65 bus stop opposite the station due to a territorial mistle thrush (Becky Powell) Still present at 1330. (Richard Woolley). Still present 14:30 (Nigel Sluman) and at 15:00 when still plenty of berries (Frank Nugent, M Bournat et al). Seemed to be mostly 1st-winter birds. Only managed to spot one adult (M Ruscoe)
Stoke Newington, N16 (Clissold Park): 4 Lesser Redpoll (TeRNS)
Ten Acre Wood area: Short-eared Owl, Buzzard, Red Kite over 9.50am, 2 Little Egrets (G Westley).
Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: 1 Water Rail (rare here): 1 Common Buzzard: c30 Siskin: 1 Reed Bunting: 4 Bullfinch: 2 Mandarin: 3 Teal: 7 Rook: 18 Canada Geese: 200+ Common Gull (John Colmans)
Wanstead Flats: 48 Gadwall, 10 Shoveler, 13 Tufted Duck, 12 Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 4 Reed Bunting, Goldcrest (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Firecrest (in the Dell), Nuthatch (Res. Wood) (Dan Hennessy).
Westminster: drake Red-crested Pochard on Thames by Lambeth Bridge, flew W at 08:40 (Frank Nugent).

Wednesday 2nd January 2013[]

Brent Reservoir: m Bearded Tit still, 6+ Lesser Redpoll (Andrew Haynes), 26 Snipe, 9 Ruddy Duck, 11 Redpoll (Derek Turner)
Brent Valley Golf Course: Tawny Owl (Barry Jones)
Blackheath: 3 Waxwing by Old Dover Road bridge till 8.30 at least (John Bushell & Conrad Ellam)
Brookmill Park: drake Mandarin on River Ravensbourne (John Archer).
Dartford: 36 Waxwings at Darent Valley Hospital in Kings Renal Unit car park at 09.30 then flew off (RBA).
East India Dock Basin/Bow Creek: 3 Shelduck, 90 Teal, 40 Tufted Duck (including female with red nasal saddle), Common Sandpiper, 4 Redshanks, Chiffchaff, 2 Grey Wagtails (John Archer).
Ewell Village (Lower Mill): Little Egret feeding in Hogsmill river at rear of Lower Mill 12.30 to 13.00 at least (Neil Batten).
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: no sign of yesterday's Goosander but Scaup present to 09:47 when it flew north with small group of Aythya; Barnacle Goose of unknown origin, 2 Red-crested Pochard, Water Rail flew across Long Water, adult Yellow-legged Gull, adult Great Black-backed Gull, Tawny Owl showed well (D. Bradshaw, J. Hudson, D. Jeffries, D. McKenzie).
King George V Reservoir: 2 Goosander, 1 Grey Wagtail - the birds have returned with the fall in water levels on the flood relief channel-(M.Harper)
Ladywell Cemetery SE4: 2 Goldcrests (Phil Laurie)
Lea Valley: drake Smew from Bittern hide early afternoon - another or same had been seen just before on Friday lake. At least 2 Bitterns in reedbed. (David Bradshaw); 4 Goosander (3m, 1f) on Holyfield Lake, seen from Grebe Hide (approx 3pm). (Richard Moorhead)
Mill Hill NW7: c30 Waxwing seen to arrive and settle on on a tree in a rear garden at 8.55am but left within 10 minutes. No direction as departure missed. (Xav)
Northumberland Park/Lea Valley: M Peregrine on Gas Tower behind IKEA - 13:20, Fem Goosander on Lea Valley Flow Channel by Chalk Bridge (North of Tottenham Marshes) - 13:00 (Davey Leach)
Queen Mother Reservoir: Long-tailed Duck, Slavonian Grebe, 3 Goldeneye, 2 Red Kite (Nigel Sluman)
St James's Park: 3 Egyptian Geese, male Ruddy Duck, 3+ Ring-necked Parakeets (Andrew Self)
Sidcup DA15 8WA: 30-plus Waxwings in tree on Willersley Avenue between Halfway Street roundabout and Annandale Road junction at 9.40am but mobile. No sign at 10.30am. Probably same flock seen by Phil Cliffe flying over Lamorbey Park yesterday. (Eric Brown)
South Ealing, W5: 10 Waxwings still in South Ealing Road, opposite Barclays bank, 0845. (R Woolley, via V Williamson). Feeding on rowan berries in front of Broadleaf House by tube station at 12:00 (Nigel Dodd). Still there at 14.15 (Peter Hart)
Staines Reservoir: 2 Scaup, pair still on north basin, several Goldeneye (Nigel Sluman)
Wanstead Flats: Yellowhammer calling south over brooms, 3 Reed Bunting, 8 Siskin south, 10 + Chaffinch, 40 + Goldfinch, 35 Gadwall, 3 Pochard, 7 Tufted Duck, 2 Shoveler, 6 Goldcrest, 2 Redwing, 5 Mistle Thrush (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Wigeon juv back on Heronry, 94 Gadwall, 62 Tufted Duck, 3 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, 2 Teal, 4 Little Grebe (Nick Croft)
Wraysbury GP: 5 Goosander, c20 Goldeneye (Nigel Sluman)

Tuesday 1st January 2013[]

A10, field next to Lieutenant Ellis Way opposite Travelodge: (Google Maps link): 60+ Golden Plover circling and calling (6 had landed in field prior to this) before flying west over trees, 100+ Jackdaw, c50 gulls loafing before flying off south. All between 15:00 - 16:30. (Katy McGilvray and another person whose name I didn't catch).
Blackheath: 3 Waxwing still on Old Dover Road bridge over the A2, midday; also 12 Redwing, Fieldfare, 3 Redpoll, Great Spotted Woodpecker over, Waxwings disappeared after midday to the south west. (Joe Beale, James Lowen et al.: a twitch in Blackheath!)
Brent Reservoir: 54 species including 10 Ruddy Ducks, 26 Snipe, 2 Lapwing (Brent Birders). At least two Siskins feeding in alders in Eastern Marsh, 12:40 (Deb Jackson).
Crossness: 75 species including Water Pipit, 2 Rock Pipit, male Stonechat, ad Yellow-legged Gull, Water Rail, 3 Egyptian Geese, Peregrine, 7 Curlews (but no Sparrowhawk or Mistle Thrush!) ( John Archer & Kev Jarvis)
Crofton Park, Brockley Grove : 1 Waxwing in my garden, feeding on rosehips. (Phil Laurie (Sorry))
Dagenham Chase LNR: 64 species recorded in 10 hrs of observation. 9 Waxwings by Eastbrook End Cemy & Chase Waters at 2:05pm on rosehips then flew towards visitor centre, Long- or Short-eared Owl briefly at 4:45pm over travellers field, 1 Little Egret on the slack, 2 Egyptian Geese, 2 Kestrel, pair of Peregrine circling the travellers field at 1:03pm, 1 Water Rail, 3 Common Snipe, 25+ Lapwing, 5+ GBB Gull, 1 Little Owl, 2 sightings of Kingfisher, 1 Cetti's Warbler by Hooks Hall Pond, 1 BTO ? ringed Chiffchaff ( silver ring on right leg ), 2 Jackdaw, 4 Rook, 1-2 Redpoll, 2+ Bullfinch heard 1 female seen and 2 Reed Bunting. ( V.Halley-Frame ).
Greenford UB6: male Blackcap in garden (Neil Anderson).
Hackney E5: Blackcap in my garden (Jean-Patrick Elmes).
Horsenden Hill: 1st winter Mediterranean Gull on football piches 15.30. Also Tawny Owl Horsenden Wood, Little Owl Paradise Fields, 2 Snipe, 3 Pheasant, Little Grebe on canal and hibernating Comma in Perivale Wood (Andy Culshaw).
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: female Scaup and male Goosander showing well on Long Water to 15:20 at least, Little Owl near dusk, Tawny Owl showing well, Kingfisher; also Barnacle Goose of unknown origin, 52 Egyptian Goose, 30 Shoveler, 2 Red-crested Pochard, 2 Great Black-backed Gull (D. McKenzie). Treecreeper just up from Tawny Owl at 1530 (F Tusa), Greylag Goose next to Serpentine Cafe (D. Anderson); Scaup and Goosander still present at dusk (Oscar Dewhurst).
Ilford Garden: m Blackcap on feeders today and yesterday. And the m Sparrowhawk again.(B Miller)
Kingston Cemetery: 2 Teal, 1 Goldcrest & c.20 Siskin (M Bournat)
Lee Valley Park: 5 Goosander (4M 1F) on Holyfield Lake, drake Smew on Hooks Marsh at 15:30 with another drake on Friday Lake at 15:45 (Mike Oakland)
London Wetland Centre: Bittern (from WWF hide at 10.10am), Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Kestrel (A.Luscombe).
Mill Hill NW7: c.80 Waxwing seen flying off rapidly north-west at 08:06 from Chadbury Court on the A1/A41 Watford Way, near Fiveways Corner, with about 15 remaining (even though the trees have now been completely stripped of berries) (Andrew Haynes). The Waxwings were relocated on Grahame Park Way opposite Pentavia Retail Park feeding on quickly disappearing berries from 8.50am to 9.15am. They were then spooked and became very flighty and I lost them but could still be nearby (Tony Duckett). Saw them from Retail Park c9:15 gathering in top of tree by footbridge over M1 then flew north. Quick look around Graham Park Estate with no luck (Steve Blake). They returned to Chadbury Court for about 5 minutes at c9.20 before heading up the railway, away from me (Oscar Dewhurst).
Margravine Cemetery: c 10 Siskin (patch tick), 3 Mistle Thrush. 1 Blackcap, 2 Peregrine (Nathalie Mahieu).
North Finchley: 6 Robins in song between 1.00 and 1.15 am along about a mile of suburban streets - nice start to the new year (John Colmans)
Orsett, RM16: single Waxwing in hedge at 15.30 c1/2 mile north of village on Conways Road. Also 20+ Red-legged Partridges nearby (Hannah Astley)
Paddington Green: Peregrine Falcon early p.m. (D. McKenzie).
Rainham Marshes: 8 Pintail (4 drakes), imm female Marsh Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Merlin, c60 Golden Plover, Jack Snipe, 20+ Common Snipe, 23 Eurasian Curlew, first-winter Caspian Gull, Barn Owl, Short-eared Owl, 4 European Stonechats, 2 Grey Wagtails, 4 Rock Pipits, 4+ Cetti's Warblers, Common Chiffchaff, Brambling, 3 Corn Buntings (Ruth Barnes, Brian Churches, Chris and Pete Langsdon, Dominic Mitchell, Neville Smith, Andy Tweed, Howard Vaughan et al).
Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 1♀ Blackcap (Winfield House fencerow, area 4), 1 Redwing, 12 Gadwall, 16 Shoveler, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Little Grebe (birdman_euston).
Ruislip Woods: 2 Little Egrets (golf course), 2pr Shoveler, 6 Teal (LNR), Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher (LNR), 4 Redwing, 2 f Siskin (larch on GC). Also 2 Grey Wagtails near Ruislip Station (Neil Anderson)
Sewardstone (Netherhouse Farm): 4 Yellowhammer, 17 Reed Bunting, Bullfinch, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel (Martin Shepherd).
Sidcup: Lamorbey and Lamorbey Park: 12+ Siskin, 2 Redpoll, Kingfisher, 3 Nuthatch, 2 Mute Swan, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Egyptian Geese, 3 Little Egret, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Lesser Black-backed Gull etc in total 37 species. (Eric Brown).
South Ealing Station: 10 Waxwings sitting in a bare tree behind platform 1 - flying back and forth to berry tree behind bus stop on opposite side of South Ealing Road. (Andrew Peel). Thank you Andrew Peel, i did manage to see those 10 Waxwings opposite side of South Ealing Road. (Shailesh Patel).
Staines Reservoir: 2 Scaup (m+f) still (Tony and Jim Sweetland)
Staines Moor: Red Kite (Tony and Jim Sweetland) Also 2 Buzzard, 2 Stonechat, 1 Water Pipit, 3 Little Egret, 1 Short-eared Owl (flushed), 2 Snipe, 7 Reed Bunting (J.murray & J.Murray Snr), 4 Short-eared Owl (evening), 1 Barn Owl (near burnt out car on Stanwell Moor from 15:35), 4 Water Pipit, 2 Lesser Redpoll (via Rob Innes)
Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 19 Gadwall, 13 Shoveler, 11 Pochard (TeRNS)
Swanley Park ; 4 Siskin 1st record since 2011, & Blackcap (f) (Andy Mb)
Ten Acre Wood area: Little Egret (golf course), Buzzard, m Kestrel, c50 Lapwing, 6 Snipe, 15 Stock Doves, 17 Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Redwing, 26 Fieldfare (edge GC), 2 Linnets, c50 Chaffinch (Neil Anderson)
Wanstead Flats: Little Owl at 16:43 (first sighting for nearly 2 years), 1-2 Snipe, 2 Redwing, 7 Fieldfare, 10 + singing Song Thrush, singing Mistle Thrush, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, 10 + Meadow Pipit, 4 Skylark, Lesser Redpoll, 2 Reed Bunting, 47 Gadwall, 11 Tufted Duck, 4 Shoveler, singing Stock Dove, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 4 Goldcrest, Great Black-backed Gull (Tim Harris/Jonathan Lethbridge/Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: 17 + Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, 6 Goldcrest, Coal Tit, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 150 + Gadwall, 60 + Tufted Duck, 4 Shoveler (Jonathan Lethbridge/Bob Vaughan/Paul Davis/Nick Croft)
Wraysbury GP: 11 Goosander (6m + 5f), 6 Smew (4m) (Tony and Jim Sweetland) 7 Smew, 5 drakes, redhead Goosander on Heron Lake, Chiffchaff, Treecreeper, 2 Nuthatch by station (J.murray & J.murray Snr).
West Thurrock: c50 Waxwing junction of Weston and London Rd noon (Jean-Patrick Elmes); 97 earlier at Costco car park Lakeside (James Lowen).