June is never a great month for birding in London, but this year it has been duller than usual, with nothing of the calibre of last year’s Spotted Sandpiper, Purple Heron and Golden Oriole or 2015’s Bee-eater and Red-necked Phalarope or 2014’s Honey Buzzard, Hoopoe and Black Kite.
Black Redstart, Holywell Row, London EC2, 30th June 2017 (Paul Boult)
And so, in the absence of anything more exotic, my suggestion for Bird of the Month is Black Redstart, if only because a photograph by Paul Boult was the only image uploaded to the wiki this month (see also below).
After reports of Bredstart from various sites in May, things settled down in June, with birding interest centred on the City’s EC2 postcode area. One bird was recorded throughout the month singing on Guildhall (apparently you shouldn’t call it “the” Guildhall) and also from neighbouring rooftops such as the spire of St Lawrence Jewry. But singing birds were also reported some 300m west-south-west of Guildhall at St Vedast-alias-Foster (how did City churches get such freaky names?) and at Holywell Row, which is a kilometre north-east, suggesting that there may be more than one territory in EC2. In addition, there have been multiple records of a singing bird in Westminster and two in Stratford, plus a few one-off reports from other London sites.
Birds of prey[]
A Goshawk was reported from Epping Forest on the 17th. But it may not be the only Gos in the London area, since I have an inkling that other sightings may have been withheld to protect possible nesting sites.
Records of Red Kite are becoming ho-hum, with 75 reports during June. I note that most observers are no longer recording this species in bold type, which seems a sensible decision unless the circumstances are unusual.
Other non-passerines[]
A particularly late Iceland Gull, a first-summer bird, was photographed at Thames Barrier Park on the 4th. Sadly, no image of the bird was uploaded to this wiki. A Gannet (probably fourth calendar year) passed over Leyton on the evening of 6th Jun. A Wood Sandpiper was at Staines Reservoir on 24th/25th and a Ruff was at Rainham Marshes on the 29th.
A possible Alpine Swift flew west over Muswell Hill on 23rd Jun. But with only one observer and no other London area reports, the species cannot be confirmed. However, it is intriguing that an Alpine Swift turned up in Dorset the next day.
Escapes[]
And finally, since I’m short of anything else to write about, a Zebra Finch was at the London Wetland Centre on the 28th. This tiny estrildid finch is possibly the UK’s most popular cage bird, and escapes are not unusual. If it finds suitable seeds to eat, the Zeb can survive our warmer months and even breed here. But it is unlikely to ride out a typical British winter. Europe’s only established feral population is in Portugal, where the climate more closely resembles that of the bird’s natural home in the arid areas of central Australia. But could climate change one day see this cute little Aussie added to the British list? You read it here first.
Adding images to the wiki: As mentioned above, only one photograph was added to the London Bird Club wiki this month. The lack of new images may be due to birders being confused by the latest Fandom (Wikia) revamp, which certainly befuddled me at first. To upload an image you now need to click on “Explore” (not an obvious choice), then “Images” and then “Add new image”. Once you have uploaded your image, you can then insert it into your entry on the Latest News page by clicking on the image icon in “Edit” mode. If Paul Boult can do it, so can you.
(Contributed by Andrew Haynes, who accepts full responsibility for any errors. Historical information is mainly based on earlier reports on this wiki and in ‘The Birds of London' by Andrew Self.)
Friday 30th June 2017[]
Alexandra Park (Priory Rd area, N8): Peregrine (male size) cruising low over gardens 10.15 (Jonathan Cooke).
Eastcote (Abbotsbury Gardens): Red Kite north-west at 14:49 - seen earlier over garden; also 9 Swift (Jon Ridge)
Hampstead Heath: Red Kite circling high over Hedge 2 at 0950, nearby a female Mandarin was guarding seven ducklings on the Men's Pond, pair of Common Terns here too (Pete Mantle)
Black Redstart
Holywell Row EC2: Black Redstart singing (Paul Boult)
London Colney: Red Kite over retail park (Simon Worsfold)
London Wetland Centre: 2 Snipe, 1 Redshank, 1 Common Tern, Chiffchaff and Blackcap (S Patel)
Middlesex Filter Beds: (all just outside actually) 2 Little Egret on Old R. Lea just below the weir, 3 Sand Martins checking out nest holes along the canal side opposite, 7 Stock Dove feeding in the "meadow" at the N end of Hackney Marshes 10.30-11.00 (Alastair Dent)
Pinner (HA5): 2 Red Kite both north-west - one moulting out inner primaries at 12:41 & one through at 14:40, 2 Sparrowhawk - male (mobbed by Herring Gulls) & female missing an outer secondary on left wing, 8 Swift, 4 Pied Wagtail, Long-tailed Tit & 5 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge)
Rainham Marshes: 1 Egyptian Goose, 1 Buzzard, 2 Hobby both 2cy, 1 Peregrine, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Curlew, 1 Sandwich Tern on deck in Aveley Bay 15:50-16:20 then upriver, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat (Dante Shepherd) Hobby pic here
Stoneleigh Station KT17: 3 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Coal Tit all singing. 4 Herring Gull ne over (Neil Batten)
Bayhurst Wood: Barn Owl hunting adjacent grasslands at least 9am to 10am then away towards New Years Green Lane, Common Whitethroat, Reed Bunting, Skylark, Kestrel (Dan Pinkham)
Boxer's Lake, Enfield: Red Kite flew N mobbed by Lesser Black-backed Gull 15:00 hrs (Robert Callf)
Brookmill Park: 5 Swift, juvenile Song Thrush, singing Blackcap, 5 House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam)
City of London: male Black Redstart atop Unilever House EC4Y (Frank Nugent).
Dartford Marshes: Marsh Harrier flew S over Bob Dunn Way 18.12, Chiffchaff (Ian Stewart)
Dollis Brook: Barnet Lane / Totteridge Station - Singing Chiffchaff, Singing Blackcap, 5+ Swift & very good numbers of singing Song Thrushes. (Samuel Levy)
Greenford (Ruislip Rd Allotments): Hobby low over 06.25 (Neil Anderson)
Greenwich Ecology Park: 2 Little Grebe, 19 Common Tern 12 adults & 7 young (4 young have already fledged), 6 Reed Warbler (John Bushell)
London Wetland Centre: (brief visit) 1 Redshank and 1 Common Snipe reservoir lagoon, 8 Mandarin grebe_pool (Martin Honey)
Pinner (HA5): Red Kite north-west at 12:15, Sparrowhawk, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Pied Wagtail over, 3 Swift, Coal Tit, 20 Ring-necked Parakeet south-east in one flock & 10 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge)
Pymmes Park, N18: 4 House Martin above play area, brood of 9 Tufted Duck chicks, Mistle Thrush at 17:50 (Katy McGilvray)
Brookmill Park: Little Egret, Stock Dove, Swift, Blackcap, 2 House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam)
Chelsea Bridge Wharf: Peregrine, 2+ Grey Wagtail (Neil Anderson)
Foots Cray Meadows: 3 Mute Swan (still 2 juvs left - much bigger now), Egyptian Goose, 10 Tufted Duck inc 6 new juvs, 3+ Kestrel (at least 1 nest), juv Peregrine attacking Crows, 20+ Swift, Skylark (heard from UCF- above), 6+ Swallow low around trees near St James church, 4 Pied Wagtail, 2 juv Grey Wagtail, 8 Mistle Thrush, 5+ Blackcap inc juvs, 4+ Whitethroat inc juv, 4+ Chiffchaff inc juv, 5+ Linnet, Bullfinch (Ian Stewart)
Eastcote, Field End Recreation Ground: Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Mistle Thrush, Pied Wagtail 06:30 (Tim Rymer).
Guildhall EC2: Black Redstart singing (N Senior)
Lamorbey Park: Pair Mute Swan, 3 Tufted Duck, juv Grey Heron trying to predate new juv Mallards- not sure of its success rate, Black-headed Gull SE, c10 Swift, 3+ Blackcap, singing Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff, 5+ Goldcrest (Ian Stewart, Donna Zimmer)
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: Hobby N, 2 Common Whitethroat, 28 Mute Swan, Pyramidal Orchid on one of the lawns (Stuart Fisher)
London Wetland Centre: 8 Little Ringed Plover (2 local pairs plus 4 drop-ins), brood 10 Gadwall, 1 Zebra Finch (main lake from Dulverton - apparently a new site record), Peregrine (Charing Cross) (Martin Honey) 11 Black-tailed Godwit almost landed (Uwe per MRH)
Middlesex Filter Beds: First returning Black-headed Gull this morning, at the weir (Alastair Dent)
Mill Hill East Station: 2 Greenfinch, Collared Dove. (Samuel Levy)
Pinner (HA5): Red Kite west at 13:03, adult Black-headed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Swift, Pied Wagtail & 11 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge)
Trent Park Equestrian Centre: 14+ Barn Swallow 3 adults and 3 nests with large young (5, 4 and 2 chicks) (Robert Callf)
Wimbledon Common: It is with deep regret that I report that David Wills passed away last Thursday. David was a devoted and passionate patch-watcher recording the birds of the Common for many years and producing a long series of annual reports. He used his considerable nest-finding skills to monitor the Common's breeding birds, especially the scarcer species. He was deeply committed to conserving the birds of the Common and was enthusiastic in passing on his knowledge through walks and talks. I'm sure he will be missed by the local bird-watchers. Apologies if some think this an inappropriate place to make this announcement but I'm sure there are those who will be saddened by this news (J.Wilczur). Well said Jan. (RK) Ditto (S Woolfenden) Absolutely the right place to inform other birders of his passing. (Roger Morton) Thanks for letting us know about this- a lovely man (Neil Anderson)
Woodberry Wetlands: 7 Common Tern, 5 Little Egret, Sparrowhawk, Coal Tit, Egyptian Goose (Chris Farthing)
Tuesday 27th June 2017[]
Brookmill Park: Little Egret, 2 Swift, 2 House Martin, 2 Blackcap (Conrad Ellam)
Broomfield Park, Palmers Green: adult-summer Black-headed Gull (Robert Callf)
Guildhall EC2: Black Redstart mature male singing from Guildhall and adjacent rooftops lunchtime (Nick Senior)
Eastcote, Field End Recreation Ground: Cormorant over, Collared Dove, 5 Swift, 2 Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Chiffchaff 06:30 (Tim Rymer).
Lamorbey Park: Pair Mute Swan (the oiled residents now looking fine after a period in care), f Tufted Duck, juv Grey Heron, Peregrine, several juv Blackcaps, singing Whitethroat, 2 singing Chiffchaff, 8+ Goldcrest inc juvs, Coal Tits, 6+ Chaffinch- breeding confirmed (Ian Stewart)
London Wetland Centre: 2 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Hobby, 1 Peregrine, brood of 10 Gadwall, brood of 3 Pochard, 1 Common Gull, 1 Common Tern, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Lapwing 1 fledgling & 1 chick, 10 Mandarin Duck (WWT Website)
Olympic Park: pair of Reed Warblers (Harry Harrison)
London Wetland Centre: 2 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Shoveler, 1 Curlew (low over main lake calling pm) (WWT Website)
Mile End Park: Reed Warbler Ecology pavilion reed bed (Bob Watts)
New River Walk.N1: pr Stock Dove, 5 Coal Tit (Allan Stewart)
Palmers Green: House Martin briefly joined local Swifts over Meadowcroft Road N13 then flew W at 12:15. (Katy McGilvray)
Pinner (HA5): Red Kite over at 15:43, Peregrine Falcon over at 14:58, Common Buzzard over at 12:12 - departed north, Sparrowhawk, 7 Swift, 2 Coal Tit, 5 Long-tailed Tit, Jay, Jackdaw & 6 Goldfinch; also a Red Admiral butterfly (Jon Ridge)
Primrose Hill: Red Kite (1st 'high summer' record) low W 1205, buzzed by local f Kestrel, c4 Swift, House Martin nests 1 active & 5 more complete at 196 Regent's Pk Rd NW1 8XP (Twitter)
Regent's Park: returning f Shoveler, Lapwing foy high N 0805 - barely annual here now, returning Black-headed Gull, House Martin nests 5 active (3 on NE face & 1 on SW face & 1 on W face) at Rossmore Crt on Park Rd NW1 6XX, singing Sedge Warbler still in rail ditch (area 2) (Twitter)
The Ridgeway, Mill Hill: Cormorant flew very low over at 08:19 and landed in the general direction of Sheepwash Pond - I wonder if the increase in sightings have been caused by a lack of water, also Female Tufted Duck 19:00 E (Samuel Levy)
Trent Park: Common Tern, Brown Hawker (Robert Callf); 4 Blackcap, 4 Mandarin, 2 Chiffchaff, Stock Dove, 2 Common Whitethroat, 1+ Meadow Brown, 14 Ringlet, 5 Large White, Small Heath, 3 Purple Hairstreak, 1+ Small Skipper, 1+ Large Skipper, 5 Marbled White (Pete Lowman)
Woodberry Wetlands: Kingfisher, Common Sandpiper, Common Tern, 5 Little Egret, Red-veined Darter (Chris Farthing)
Sunday 25th June 2017[]
Alexandra Park: Peregrine Falcon, immature male on Palace transmitter, 1800 (Bruce Carson); Little Egret on SW bank of reservoir with 10 Canada Geese, 12.00 (Greg Smith)
Brent Reservoir: 3 Little Egret, 2 Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, c500 Swift (Andrew Self, Andrew Verrall); 2 Green Sandpiper (Roy Beddard)
Brookmill Park: Little Egret, Stock Dove, Song Thrush, 3 Blackcap, House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam)
City of London: Black Redstart singing on Guildhall (Frank Nugent).
Finchley: Garden N3 - mass Tit flock this morning including 65+ Blue Tit, 30 Long-tailed Tit, 15 Great Tit, 6 Coal Tit, also 15+ Common Swift, 5 Stock Dove, 2 Jay, 8 Starling, 30+ Ring-necked Parakeet, 10 Goldfinch, 10 Greenfinch, 15 Chaffinch, 10 Robin, 6 Dunnock, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Nuthatch, 6 Blackbird (Samuel Levy)
Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park: Sand Martin, Common Terns (11 young), Little Grebe juv, Reed Warblers with young, Wren and Blackbird feeding young, singing Greenfinch, 2 Stock Dove etc & 8 Odonata spp, Painted Lady (Joe Beale)
Highwood Hill, Mill Hill, NW7: Red Kite soaring over (Bob Husband et al)
Kensal Green: 12 Swift (Charlie Farrell)
KGV Reservoir: 1 Common Tern, 2 Kestrel, 2 Common Buzzard, Oystercatcher, Redshank, 2 Common Sandpiper, 4 House Martin (Neville Smith)
Kingston: Adult Common Tern briefly fishing from Turk's Pier 17:00-17:05 (Neil Batten)
London Wetland Centre: 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Hobby, 3 Teal, 3 Mandarin, brood of 8 Pochard, brood of 10 Gadwall, brood of 8 Tufted Duck, brood of 8 well grown Mallard, 33 adult Gadwall, 1 fully fledged Lapwing (WWT Website)
Mill Hill Park: 2 Red Kite reported (per Bob Husband)
Staines Reservoir: Wood Sandpiper still N basin northwest bank 0545 (Dominic Pia via Twitter); no sign at 10.00, 7 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Arctic Tern 1st summer still on S basin, 2 Black-necked Grebe, 2 Oystercatcher (Franko J Maroevic, Oliver Metcalf)
Totteridge Valley: Red Kite, 13 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 7 Swift, female Pheasant with three young; eight species of butterfly with 50+ Ringlet the best (John Colmans); also Belmont farm end - 16+ Swift, 20+ Swallow, 17 Stock Dove, 2 Common Buzzard, Cormorant SE 11:27, 3 Pied Wagtail, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Moorhen & 4 Ducklings (Belmont Farm Pond), 2 Moorhen & 4 Ducklings (Sheepwash pond), Red Kite, m Pheasant, 2 Mistle Thrush, 3 Collared Dove, also Mallard & 7 ducklings, 13 Canada Geese plus Coot & cootling at Sheepwash Pond (Samuel Levy)
Wanstead Flats: 1 Little Ringed Plover (Tony Brown)
Woodberry Wetlands: Common Sandpiper, 5 Little Egret, 3 Common Tern, 4 Black-headed Gull, 2 Lunar Hornet Moth (Chris Farthing)
Saturday 24th June 2017[]
Brent Reservoir: 3 Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Nuthatch; also 210 Marbled White (Andrew Self); Great Black-backed Gull (Andrew Haynes); 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 Cetti's Warbler, Reed Bunting (Roy Beddard, Steve Leeke)
Brentford Lock: f Pochard loafing with 7 Tufted Duck, fishing Common Tern (Neil Anderson)
City of London EC2: Black Redstart singing in the rain (Frank Nugent)
Clissold Park N16: new Pochard duckling on Runtzmere, 3rd brood here this year (G James)
Finchley: Garden N3 - 2 House Martin, 15 Swift, Lesser Black-backed Gull, first 2 fledged Robins (Samuel Levy)
Horsenden Hill: Red Kite NW over Fields at 11.00am, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 2 Herring Gulls on fields, 59 Marbled Whites (Martin Smith)
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: Hobby, Green Sandpiper over heard only, 5 Swift, 9 House Martin, 2 Sand Martin (Nick Senior)
Pinner (HA5) Red Kite west at 13:20, 4 Swift, Coal Tit, Jackdaw & 3 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge)
North Finchley: Little Egret flew over width restriction on Nether Street 09:13 SE (Samuel Levy); also Buzzard NW over Grange Avenue at 12.45 (John Colmans)
Oakhill Park, East Barnet: Male Sparrowhawk carrying prey from wood towards Oakleigh Park (Bob Husband & Mike Cawthorne)
Priest Hill, Ewell: 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Common Whitethroat, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Pheasant, 1 Kestrel, 22+ Common Swift (Neil Batten)
Sewardstone Marsh: Nightingale, also many Swifts, a few Swallows, Whitethroats and Song Thrushes and a Chiffchaff (Harry Harrison)
Staines Reservoir: 2 Black-necked Grebe, Ringed Plover, 5 Little Ringed Plover early-am (Dominic Pia via Twitter); Wood Sandpiper flew in calling 2135, Arctic Tern 1s (Twitter)
Totteridge Valley/ Darlands Lake: 45 Stock Dove, 16 Moorhen including 11 at Darlands, Mallard & 10 Ducklings at Darlands, 12 Canada Geese (Long Pond), 2 Coot & 2 Cootlings (Long Pond), 31+ Swift, 3 Red Kite, 22+ Swallow, Cormorant SE 16:40, 2 Common Buzzard, 38+ House Martin, 3 Starling, 28 Rook, Grey Heron, 17 Singing Chiffchaff, Treecreeper, 7 singing Blackcap, 12 Common Whitethroat, f Sparrowhawk, Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Kestrel m&f, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Kingfisher (Darlands), Coal Tit, Nuthatch (Samuel Levy)
Westbourne Park, Grand Union Canal: Mute Swan pair with 7 cygnets, Magpies feeding juveniles, House Sparrow (Francis O'Sullivan)
Woodberry Wetlands: 6 Common Sandpiper, 7 Little Egret, 2 Common Tern, Sparrowhawk, 4 Black-headed Gull (Chris Farthing & Tony Butler)
Worcester Park: Red Kite low over The Hamptons 12.00 (Simon Osborn)
Friday 23rd June 2017[]
Barnes Common: Hobby, Peregrine, Marbled White (R.Kaye); Chelsea Bridge Wharf - 2 Grey Wagtail- one collecting food for presumed young (Neil Anderson)
Hampstead Heath: 2-3 Purple Emperors 1-2 from gateway by mast viewing back to trees over track as previously clashing at 1pm also 1 visible on territory just inside first trees viewed from footpath just in wood by white tissue (A.Middleton) been a long day
Lambeth Bridge: Peregrine play diving at flock of pigeons feeding on north foreshore twice at 7.30 maybe a juv (I didn't have bins with me) No real effort to catch a bird (Neil Anderson)
London Wetland Centre: Garganey (BirdGuides)
Lullingstone Park: Kestrel, breeding Skylark, Meadow Pipit & Yellowhammer, House Martins at the castle gate, singing Blackcap & Chiffchaff, Dark Green Fritillary, Marbled White (Ian Stewart)
Muswell Hill: large broad-winged Swift with white stomach and brownish wings flew above the house line briefly before dipping back down in its quest West, on Cranley Gardens at 17:15. Most likely to be an Alpine Swift.... Didn't/ hasn't reappeared after initial sighting (Samuel Levy)
Petts Wood NT: Treecreeper, Stock Dove, Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Herring Gull, Swift, Mallard - with 5 ducklings, Grey Heron, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Woodpigeon (Jack Headley)
Pinner (HA5): Red Kite mobbed by Carrion Crow over at 13:27, 2 Goldfinch, Coal Tit, 2 Pied Wagtail over & 5 Swift (Jon Ridge)
Leatherhead, Randalls Way: 19 Common Swift pm (Neil Batten)
London Wetland Centre: m Shoveler, 67 Gadwall - including a new brood of 13 young, 3 Teal, 3 Pochard - a brood of three still surviving, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Grey Heron, 4 Cormorant, 2 adult Little Ringed Plover - pair making their third breeding attempt, 13 adult Lapwing, 1 Herring Gull, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Common Tern visited briefly, Grey Wagtail over (J.Wilczur)
Pinner (HA5): Red Kite low north at 12:44, 3 Swift & 4 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge)
Regent's Park: Red Kite moving W over the lake, seen from tennis courts around 5.30pm. Being mobbed persistently by a small flock of parakeets (Ruari Macdonald)
Richmond Park, Pen Ponds: 1 Red Kite, 6 Swift, c6 Common Tern, 4 Mandarin (Phil Bull)
River Thames, Tower Bridge - Rotherhithe: House Martins at Butler's Wharf and in Rotherhithe, several Coot on river plus mixed flock of 18 Canada and Greylag Geese (John Colmans)
Westminster Abbey: 3 Peregrines perched on roof at 8:30am hence no Black Redstart (Michael Mac)
Wednesday 21st June 2017[]
Barnes, Lonsdale Road Reservoir: Egyptian Goose, 4 Gadwall, 7 Shoveler, 1 Teal, 1 Mandarin, 17 Tufted Duck, 1 Pochard, 1 Little Grebe, 10 Black-headed Gull 5 pairs nesting, 4+ pairs nesting Common Tern with 3+ downy young but very difficult to count, 6 Reed Warbler (R.Kaye)
Bexley DA5 (Upper College Farm): male Pheasant, Little Egret E 20.50, 2 Skylark inc singer, 5+ Swift, Grey Wagtail, 5 Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff - all warblers singing, 6+ Linnet (Ian Stewart)
Brent Reservoir: Redshank on E Marsh, 1 possibly 2 Lapwing, 1 Cetti's Warbler - viewed from viewing platform on N Shore (Bill Haines)
Burnt Oak: 2 Little Owls have been calling from house rooftops / TV aerials in Gloucester Grove in recent days, supported by photographic evidence (Ian Ellis per T Doe).
Fairlop Waters: c20 Swift, 2 Skylark, 1+ Little Grebe, 2 Chiffchaff, c6 Whitethroat inc 1 juv being fed by parent, Swallow; 3 Emperor Dragonfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Small Skipper; 1 Fox cub (Charlie Farrell)
Grovelands Park: 3 Great Crested Grebe pair and 1 chick (2nd brood), 5 Mute Swan pr and three cygnets, 5 Egyptian Goose pr and three goslings, 5 Mandarin Duck 2m 2f and 1 young, male Pochard x Tufted Duck hybrid, male Pochard, 9 Tufted Duck 7m 2f, juvenile Green Woodpecker, male Beautiful Demoiselle (Robert Callf)
Pinner (HA5): Red Kite low north-east at 12:23 (Jon & Valerie Ridge); Common Buzzard south-east at 11:30, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 2 Pied Wagtail, Coal Tit, 4 Goldfinch & 9 Swift - I thought I heard a Siskin fly over before I told myself to stop being ridiculous. The temperature was notably 34.5 degrees at Heathrow today (Jon Ridge)
Stave Hill/Russia Dock Woodland: 2 Jay, Tufted Duck 3m 1f with brood of 4, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Willow Warbler sang for a few minutes mid morning, 5 Blackcap, 1 Mistle Thrush (John Cadera)
Stoneleigh Station, KT17: 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap and 1 Goldcrest all singing am (Neil Batten)
Tower Hamlets Cemetery: c3 singing Blackcap; 2 Emperor Dragonfly (m&f), Large Red Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, 2 Ringlet, 2 Speckled Wood, Red Admiral and 3 Comma butterfly (Charlie Farrell)
Richmond Park: Cuckoo probably male seen at 7:15 at the top of the tallest tree in Pond Plantation (Phil Davies); Red Kite (J.Few); Reed Warbler (P.Redmond) Where are the Cuckoos being seen/heard? Thanks, Mat Hare. The other cuckoo was heard somewhere on the golf course [JW]
Staines Reservoir: Black-necked Grebe, 6 Little Ringed Plover (Dominic Pia via Twitter)
Thornbury Park: Coal Tit, House Sparrow m over, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Red Kite circling slowly south, 10 Barn Swallow - seem to be moving on the weather front passing through, (Cuckoo - no visual sign and again rather flat sounding) (Keith Beddow)
The Ridgeway, Mill Hill: Red Kite drifting S 10:43 (Samuel Levy)
Totteridge Valley: 2 m Tufted Duck (Long Pond), 2 Common Buzzard, 17 Rook, 12 Swift, 4 House Martin, 3 Bullfinch - many butterflies including 200+ Meadow Brown and 4 Marbled White (John Colmans)
Trent Park: 2 Red Kite, 2 Common Buzzard, 3 Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, Nuthatch, 6 Common Swift, 4 Mandarin, Common Whitethroat, 2 Song Thrush, Meadow Brown (many), Small Skipper, Marbled White, 3 Ringlet, Speckled Wood, Large White, Small Heath (Pete Lowman).
Monday 19th June 2017[]
Belmont Open Space, Cockfosters / East Barnet, EN4: Young Tawny Owl(s) calling (Bob Husband)
Brookmill Park: Little Egret, 2 Blackcap, 2 Coal Tit, House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam)
Boxer's Lake, Enfield: male Banded Demoiselle - my first of the year (Robert Callf)
Fulham Broadway: fresh Jersey Tiger in nearby garden (Neil Anderson)
Palmers Green: Hobby flew high E at 13:14 over Meadowcroft Road N13 (Katy McGilvray)
Pinner (HA5): 2 Red Kite - one high east at 12:19 & one north-east at 17:20, Green Woodpecker, 14 Swift, Coal Tit, 4 Goldfinch, 2 juvenile House Sparrow on the feeders & a juvenile Great Tit in the 'bird bath' (Jon Ridge)
Richmond Park: 10 Common Tern - 5 nesting pairs with three young hatched so far, 2 Black-headed Gull, m Cuckoo, juv Grey Wagtail, Reed Warbler - singing from bracken area (J.Wilczur)
Westminster: Black Redstart singing on Westminster Abbey 08:00 (Andrew Self) [A query: when I posted a singing Black Redstart a few years ago, about 400 yards away from Westminster Abbey, in the trees over Milbank, my post was taken down within 24 hrs - I assumed because of the Schedule 1 status (although I had seen little danger because of the complex and very busy urban environment surrounding the location, which I assume is Andrew's view). Black Redstarts can have up to three broods a year. Is there a change in position regarding Central London sightings of Black Redstarts on London Birders? Angus Innes] Assuming this question can be answered, where exactly has the Black Redstart been seen? Thanks - Harringay Birder. Can we transfer this topic to the 'talk page' ? - there are a lot of issues here (JR) Thanks JR - however I am a bit of a computer simpleton, could you give me the link to the 'talk page', I can't seem to pick it up. Angus Innes. - It is deeply confusing, as there appears to be several talk pages - scroll up & go into 'community' & click on 'forum', then second line down click on 'community portal', & scroll down to the bottom of the page - almost harder to find than 'Smurf Village!' (JR)
Brent Reservoir: 2 Little Egret, 2 Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, Cetti's Warbler (Andrew Self); 3 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Lapwing, Redshank, 2-3 Cetti's Warbler East Marsh plus 2 White-letter Hairstreak, 50+ Marbled White, 40+ Ringlet (Roy Beddard, Bob Husband, NW London RSPB)
Brookmill Park: Little Egret, 3 singing Blackcap, House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam)
City of London, Angel St EC1A, Nomura Roof Garden: 2 Little Egret together over E then over Tower Bridge and beyond at 12:50, Black Redstart singing from Basinghall Street and Coleman Street EC2 (Frank Nugent)
Eastcote (Abbotsbury Gardens): 2 Red Kite - one over at 12:31 & one north-east at 12:53, Long-tailed Tit, 10 House Sparrow & 11 Swift (Jon Ridge)
Hampstead Heath: Hobby 11:15 low over the bowling green, Gatekeepers, Small Skippers and Large Skippers on wing, Blackcap and Chiffchaff singing at Hedge 1 (Pete Mantle)
Kings Cross (Camley Street LWT): singing Cetti's Warbler, Grey Wagtail by adjacent canal (Neil Anderson)
Kingston, north: Hobby (J.Wilczur)
Monken Hadley Common: 4 Mandarin Duck fem and three ducklings at Beech Hill Lake, 3 Green Woodpecker incl two juvs, 5 Treecreeper, 2 Marbled White (Robert Callf)
Oxleas Wood: 6 Goldcrest, 2 Coal Tit, male Kestrel [with 2 young], Peregrine Falcon, 2 Treecreeper, 3 Nuthatch, 10 Goldfinch, Stock Dove [pair], Great Spotted Woodpecker, 25+ Swifts, Jackdaw [pair], Song Thrush (Ron Turner)
Pinner (HA5): 3 Red Kite - two high from 11:05 - 11:10 & one very low at 14:08, male Peregrine Falcon at 17:35, Kestrel & a late in the day Sparrowhawk at 20:23; also Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Mistle Thrush, 12 Swift, Coal Tit & 5 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge)
Putney, SW15: 34 Herring Gull - on Dover House Road playing field (J.Wilczur)
Raynes Park: fem Sparrowhawk again at 18:20 in stoop, 7 Common Swift, Stock Dove, Coal Tit carrying food, male Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chiffchaff, Jay, Collared Dove - 14:00 NB all the resident garden birds have successfully fledged young inc family of 5 Goldfinch, 7 Blue Tit, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Robin, Great Tit, Wren, no sign of Goldcrest anymore, Cream Wave Moth
Richmond Park: Red Kite - flew off S with prey, White Admiral butterfly (J.Wilczur)
Staines Reservoir: Black-necked Grebe, Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, ad Yellow-legged Gull (Dominic Pia via Twitter)
Stoneleigh, KT17: Great Spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch in The Glade, 2 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 6 Common Swift (Neil Batten).
Thornbury Park: Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull - first really large gull movement of the season, Peregrine 1m - following the gull movement, 220 Swift - presumably attracted by the flying ants, House Sparrow 1m - this is the third sighting in two weeks after a long absence, maybe another expansion attempt from the nearby Woodlands Estate, poss Cuckoo male calling distinctly - not too sure of this as it sounded somehow flat and this would be a first in this very urban area (Keith Beddow)
Totteridge Valley: Belmont Farm - Cormorant w 09:20 (possible first valley record this year), 20+ Swallow (excluding 5 Swallows that fledged today - a lot of empty nests around), 3 Collared Dove, 20 Swift, 2 Pied Wagtail, 9 Stock Dove, Red Kite E 11:00, 2 Mistle Thrush, 6 Common Buzzard, 2 Moorhen & 3 Ducklings on Belmont Farm Pond, 3 Singing Chiffchaff, 3 Singing Blackcap, Green Woodpecker, Pheasant, Drake Tufted Duck S over Sheepwash pond 18:20. (Samuel Levy)
Wanstead Flats: Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Meadow Pipit, 3 Skylark, 5 House Martin, 10+ Swift (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Reed Warbler, Lesser Whtethroat, 8+ Whitethroat (including fledged young), 3 Nuthatch, Little Egret, flyover Great Crested Grebe, 4 Little Grebe, Black-headed Gull, Little Egret, Kingfisher, Reed Bunting, 3 House Martin, 20 + Swift, Grey Wagtail - dawn chorus walk for WREN Group bio-blitz weekend 05:00 (Nick Croft/Tim Harris)
Saturday 17th June 2017[]
Alexandra Park: Little Egret flew low down New River from Hornsey 12.00. Seen on E. bank of reservoir 12.05 (Greg Smith)
City of London, Angel Street EC1A, Nomura Roof Garden high in the sky: feeding birds included 2 House Martin, 16 Swift, 2 Dunnock, 2 Pied Wagtail, 2 Goldfinch, 3 Starling bathing in the water feature, Peregrine (Frank Nugent).
City of London, Coleman Street EC2: Black Redstart singing (Frank Nugent).
Epping Forest, Chingford/Woodford/Powells: Goshawk meandering around high early afternoon, 2 Purple Emperors (A.Middleton, Laurence Drummond)
Pinner (HA5): Red Kite north at 14:00, Common Buzzard over at 14:28 - departed south, female Sparrowhawk, Nuthatch heard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tit, 2 Coal Tit, 18 Swift, Jackdaw, 3 Herring Gull, 2 Collared Dove & 4 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge)
Raynes Park: Sparrowhawk over at 18:10, mobbed by 30+ Common Swift - departed south west (P.Redmond)
Richmond Park: Red Kite, 2m Cuckoo, 3 juv Swallow - presumably hatched in Park (J.Wilczur); Hobby, 4 Common Tern, Stonechat pair & juv (Mat Hare)
Staines Reservoir: 2 Black-necked Grebe, 2 Little Ringed Plover (Dominic Pia via Twitter)
Thornbury Park: Little Egret - First actual sighting on the ground, although it may have been flushed and then buffeted by the passing train. (Keith Beddow)
Totteridge Valley/ Darlands Lake: 37 Stock Dove, 23+ Swift, 8 Singing Blackcap, 36+ Rook in newly mowed cow field, 21+ Swallow, Common Buzzard, 2 Red Kite, 19+ Singing Chiffchaff, Grasshopper Warbler, 14 Common Whitethroat, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Singing Lesser Whitethroat, Linnet, Grey Heron, 11+ House Martin, Nuthatch - 38 Species seen. (Samuel Levy)
West Drayton: 2 Swift going under guttering of Victorian house - Swan Road. (Roger Dewey)
Woodberry Wetlands: Kingfisher, Common Tern, 2 Shelduck, 6 Little Egret, Grey Wagtail, Coal Tit family, Goldcrest family (Chris Farthing & Tony Butler)
Wormwood Scrubs: 9 Blackcap (including pair feeding 1 juv), Kestrel, 20 Swift, Coal Tit (only 3rd site record); Comma, Red Admiral, Ringlet, Marbled White and Small Skipper butterflies (Charlie Farrell)
Friday 16th June 2017[]
Holly Hill Open Space, Brook St: Red Kite, seen off by 2 Peregrine, 2 Blackcap, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Chiffchaff (Donna Zimmer)
London Wetland Centre: 2 Little Ringed Plover, Hobby, House Martin, Shelduck & 2 Common Tern (Shailesh Patel); male Kestrel, 3 Shelduck, c50 Swift over river & hospital (Mat Hare)
Lonsdale Rd/Leg o' Mutton LNR: 6+ nesting Common Tern, singing Chiffchaff (Mat Hare)
Pinner (HA5): Common Buzzard over at 17:38, Sparrowhawk, 9 Swift, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Pied Wagtail & 5 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge)
Pinner (Streamside): Red Kite north at 15:01, Green Woodpecker, 2 Swift, 3 Goldfinch, singing Blackcap & Chiffchaff (Jon Ridge)
Scadbury Park: 3 Red Kites 2 high NW together 16.00 & 1 low N-ish 17.06, Common Buzzard, 2 Pheasant, Swift, 2 Swallow, 2-3 singing Lesser Whitethroat, 10+ Blackcap inc juvs & singers, 5+ Whitethroat inc 2+ juv, 6+ Chiffchaff most singing (Ian Stewart)
Sidcup DA15: Rook over S, singing Blackcap (Ian Stewart)
Staines Reservoir: 2 Oystercatcher, 6 Little Ringed Plover (prob family group), 20 Lapwing, Dunlin (Dominic Pia via Twitter)
Thursday 15th June 2017[]
Brookmill Park: Little Egret, Song Thrush, 2 Blackcap, 3 House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam)
Druid St SE1: Singing male House Sparrow, 3+ House Martins, 2 Peregrines (Paul Whiteman)
Edgwarebury Farm: 3 Skylark, Lapwing, 3 Linnet, Red Kite, Kestrel, 8 Barn Swallow, 2 Common Swift, Coal Tit (Simon Worsfold)
Finchley: Garden N3 - 2 Collared Dove (5th record this year smashing all previous year totals...) (Samuel Levy)
Pinner (HA5): 2 Red Kite - one south-east at 11:23 & one west at 12:13, Sparrowhawk, 8 Swift, 3 Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, 4 Jackdaw & 4 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge)
St James's Park: There are 2 Monarch butterflies flying in the Park, undoubtedly releases of course but still a spectacular sight (Frank Nugent) Hi Frank, during the course of my weekly butterfly survey in Hyde Park, I had close views of a single Monarch butterfly yesterday, Wed 14th June at around 12.30, would be great to know where it originated from. First time I have ever seen one, spectacular sight as you say. (Dave Jordan); Glad you got to see one Dave. Some people release them at weddings, funerals etc. so maybe this could account for it. [FN]
Southwark Park: m Grey Wagtail on the lake mid-morning (John Cadera)
Westminster: Black Redstart still at Westminster Abbey (Frank Nugent).
Weybridge: 1 Red Kite over at 16:00 and another or same 16:16 (Lee Dingain).
Woodberry Wetlands: 2 Common Tern, 2 Shelduck, 4 Little Egret, Grey Wagtail, Coal Tit family, Goldcrest family (Chris Farthing)
Wednesday 14th June 2017[]
Brookmill Park: Song Thrush, 3 Blackcap, Goldcrest, 5 House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam); Little Egret (Tom Moulton)
Camberwell New Cemetery: 10 Stock Dove (Bob Smith)
Eastcote (Field End Road): Sparrowhawk, Pied Wagtail & 4 Swift (Jon Ridge)
Enfield Lock, River Lea: 2 Kingfisher with 2 Juveniles at 06:00 (Martin Shepherd)
Hampstead Heath: 1 Teal flew SW over Parliament Hill at about 8.30pm (Tim Lincoln)
Lambeth: 1 Swift on BBS count in SW8 and 9 same as last few years - not enough (Michael Mac)
Leatherhead, Randalls Way: 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Common Buzzard (Neil Batten)
Middlesex Filter Beds: adult Great Crested Grebe on the Old River Lea next to the beds at 0830 - unusual here (Alastair Dent)
London Wetland Centre: 2 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Common Tern, 1 Peregrine, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 Shoveler (WWT Website); 1 well-grown Lapwing chick on E side grazing marsh, 1f Sparrowhawk over, singing Blackcap (Martin Honey)
Oxleas Wood: Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel [pair with 3 young], Common Whitethroat, male Blackcap, 7+ Goldcrest, 3+ Coal Tit, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Stock Dove [pair], 6 Jackdaw, 20+ Swift, 4 Goldfinch, Song Thrush, female Chaffinch (Ron Turner)
Pinner (HA5): Red Kite over at 17:20, female Sparrowhawk, 10 Swift, Coal Tit, 5 Long-tailed Tit (juveniles noted), Pied Wagtail, Jackdaw & 5 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge)
Primrose Hill: 2+ Buzzard (1S 1150 & 2E 1415 - 1 moulting inner primaries already), pr Kestrel still, c10 Swift, 2+ House Martin (probably breeding south of Prince Albert Rd) (Twitter)
Westminster: Black Redstart still at Westminster Abbey (Frank Nugent); flew from Jewel Tower area to Parliament buildings at 17:15pm (Michael Mac)
West Harrow: Whitethroat singing in allotment adjacent to tube station - my first locally this year (Alex Massey)
Tuesday 13th June 2017[]
Alexandra Park: Peregrine Falcon 0715 immature male on Palace transmitter (Bruce Carson)
Brent Reservoir: f Red-crested Pochard, 2 Kingfisher, 3 Teal, Garden Warbler, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Egyptian Goose, 2 Little Egret, 2 m Shoveler, Coal Tit, Black Swan, Brimstone, Comma, Common Blue, Marbled White, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Small Heath (S. Worsfold, M. Andersson)
Brookmill Park: Song Thrush, 3 Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
City of London Guildhall, EC2: Black Redstart heard singing 1030 (Sash Tusa)
Hampstead Heath: Common Tern flew three times around Whitestone Pond at 1900 (Pete Mantle)
High Elms Country Park: 30+ Goldcest, 10+ Coal Tit, male Blackcap, Chiffchaff, male Chaffinch, 2 Song Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jackdaw, 2 [pair] Treecreeper (John Bushell, Ron Turner)
Northolt Park: 10 Swift & Blackcap singing when I get up in the morning (Dan Pinkham)
Pinner (HA5): Red Kite north-west at 15:24, 10 Swift, 4 Pied Wagtail & 6 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge)
Westminster: Black Redstart still at Westminster Abbey (Frank Nugent).
Monday 12th June 2017[]
Brookmill Park: Little Egret, Swift, Song Thrush, 2 Blackcap (Conrad Ellam)
Eastcote (Abbotsbury Gardens): Sparrowhawk, 3 Swift & at least 19 House Sparrow noted (Jon Ridge)
Enfield, Lea Valley Canal opp KGV Res: Hobby, 100+ Swift, 2 Common Buzzard, 3 singing Cetti's Warbler, singing Lesser Whitethroat (Stuart Fisher)
London Wetland Centre: 4 Redshank (1 chick seen pm), 2 Little Ringed Plover, brood of 4 Pochard, 2 Shelduck, 2 Common Tern, 1 Shoveler (WWT Website) 12 Mute Swan - 2 pairs with broods of 6 & 2 young, 2 Egyptian Goose, 2 Shelduck, 5 Pochard - female with 4 young, 2 Grey Heron, 4 Cormorant, Hobby - hunting low over marsh, 3 adult Little Ringed Plover - including pair making second nesting attempt, 2 adult Redshank, 24 adult Lapwing - including two still nesting and a group of eight post-breeding birds - there had been 14 territories in the spring, 2 Common Tern, 84 Black-headed Gull - 42 nesting pairs with a few small young and a near full-grown one, 120 Herring Gull, Caspian Gull 2cy, Yellow-legged Gull 2cy, 30 Lesser Black-backed Gull, juv Pied Wagtail, 7 Carrion Crow (J.Wilczur)
Olympic Park: Greenway - 2 Little Ringed Plover (JW Davies)
Pinner (HA5): late Swallow north at 17:46, 5 Swift, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Jackdaw & 4 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge)
South Lodge Farm, Enfield: 34 Stock Dove incl one juv, 4 Barn Swallow incl three juvs, male Pied Wagtail (Robert Callf)
Alexandra Park: No sign of LRP today or yesterday. Highlight of WeBS 1 drake Aythya hybrid on Boating Lake, also 1 House Martin there and 1 Common Tern Wood Green Res (Gareth Richards)
Brent Reservoir: 2 Greylag Goose, 3 Egyptian Goose, 2 Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, 2 Cetti's Warbler, Garden Warbler; also 2 White-letter Hairstreaks, 3 Marbled White (Andrew Self, Roy Beddard)
Brookmill Park: Little Egret, Kingfisher, 3 Swift, Song Thrush, 2 Blackcap, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam)
Cranford CP: Common Buzzard, Red Kite, c5 Common Whitethroat, c10 Blackcaps, 6 Swift, 2 Swallow, Chaffinch, Skylark (Wendy Marks)
London Wetland Centre: 5 Redshank (3 chicks), 2 Little Ringed Plover, Hobby, 1 Shoveler, 27 Gadwall, 14 Pochard, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Common Tern, 5 Mandarin Duck (WWT Website)
Mayflower Park: Peregrine on pylon (Bob Smith)
Pinner (HA5): Hobby over at 17:22, 7 Swift, 3 Pied Wagtail, Coal Tit & 3 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge)
Alexandra Park: Little Ringed Plover 2nd filter bed right of Thames Water entrance until 1130 at least - 1st site record since early 1990s (Bob Watts, Alan Gibson); not seen at 14.40 (James Palmer); flew to FB 4 near railway then back 2 and again flushed by workers c1400 (Henry Wyn Jones per Bob Watts); present again 20:20-20:50 on 2nd filter bed (Gareth Richards, Bruce Carson, Dominic Mitchell)
Burgess Park: 12 House Martin, 4 House Sparrows, 1 Swift, pr Egyptian Geese & 5 goslings, Coot on 11 eggs (Michael Mac)
Charing X Hospital: 1 Peregrine (Shailesh Patel)
Dartford Marshes: Little Egret, Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Cuckoo (Conrad Ellam)
Euston: Black Redstart sang briefly from aerial at 112 Drummond St NW1 2HN (west of Euston Stn) 1140 then SE - first time obs'r has heard one here (Twitter) Used to breed at Kings Cross before development there (NC)
Foster Lane EC2V: Black Redstart male singing on the steeple of St Vedast-alias-Foster lunchtime viewable from 1 New Change roof (N Senior)
Harlesden: Brentfield Rd/Hillside junction not far from Hindu Temple - a few White-letter Hairstreak out on 2 elms/sycamore beside traffic lights. Also well out in the Harold Hill area for Colin Jupp. Worth checking out elms if you are interested. (A.Middleton)
Kings George V reservoirs. 100s Swift, scores of Sand Martins. 2 or 3 juv Grey Wagtails.
Grovelands Park: 2 Great Crested Grebe pr, 5 Mute Swan pr and three cygnets, 5 Egyptian Goose pr and three goslings, 6 male Mandarin Duck - moulting into eclipse, male Pochard, 4 Tufted Duck 3m 1f, 4 Stock Dove, Green Woodpecker, juv Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Nuthatch incl 2+juv (Robert Callf)
London Wetland Centre: 2 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Redshank, 4 Shoveler (2 pairs), 2 Common Tern, 4 Shelduck, 1 Reed Bunting, 2 Blackcap, 1 Peregrine (WWT Website)
New River Walk, Enfield to Theobalds: 15 adult Mandarins between Carterhatch Lane and Theobald's Park, 12 Mandarin 6m 6f on New River north of Carterhatch Lane including 3 stunning males; females with young f with 2y at Bulls Cross, f with 7y (3-4 days old) at Bullsmoor Lane and f with 4y at Theobald's Park - total of 28 birds in 2 mile stretch of the New River (Mike Oakland)
Nunhead: Red Kite drifting north towards Peckham Rye 8.15am (Tom Smith)
Pinner (HA5): female Sparrowhawk, 3 Goldfinch & 2 Swift - hard work today (Jon Ridge)
Stave Hill: 3 Blackcap, 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Mistle Thrush (John Cadera)
Southwark Park: 2 Grey Heron, 2 Little Grebe, Goldcrest, 1 House Martin over the lake at 0845, 1 Red Admiral (John Cadera)
The Ridgeway, Mill Hill: Singing Blackcap, Swift, Green Woodpecker, 20+ Stock Dove. (Samuel Levy)
Westminster: Black Redstart still at Westminster Abbey (Frank Nugent)
Woodberry Wetlands: 2 Common Tern, 2 Shelduck, Little Egret, 2 Grey Wagtail, Jackdaw, 3 Black-headed Gull (Chris Farthing)
Tuesday 6th June 2017[]
Borehamwood: Red Kite over playing fields being mobbed by 2 Jackdaw (Simon Worsfold)
Broomfield Park, Palmers Green: imm Grey Heron, Mute Swan, 2 Egyptian Goose, 7 Mandarin Duck female and six ducklings (at least 22 days old), 9 Tufted Duck 6m 3f, fem Pied Wagtail, 3 Blackbird m f juv, 2 Blackcap male and juv (Robert Callf)
Wanstead Flats: 3 Gadwall, Pochard, 5 Little Grebe, 100+ Herring Gull, Skylark, Linnet, House Martin, Swift (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Peregrine Falcon tiercel (not Hobby as tweeted), 20+ Swift, 2 House Martin, Cetti's Warbler, 5 Whitethroat, newly fledged Chiffchaff family, Little Egret, 2 Little Grebe (Nick Croft)
Monday 5th June 2017[]
Alexandra Park: 3 House Martins 1745 Wood Green Res (Bob Watts); 3 Pied Wagtail 1ad and 2juv Cricket pitch 13.00, no sign of Little Egret. Water level higher on reservoir. (Greg Smith)
Bankside SE1: 2 Oystercatcher up river at 06.35 (Simon Fogg)
Boxer's Lake, Enfield: Great Crested Grebe, 8 Grey Heron (4 of 7 young fledged), male Pochard (Robert Callf)
Brent Reservoir: No sign of the Garganey on North Marsh, 2 Lapwing, 1 Little Egret, Kingfisher, 100+ Common Swift, 6 Common Tern, 6+ House Martin, pair Shoveler, 15 Pochard (Bill Haines); pair Teal, pair Egyptian Goose, 1 Cetti's Warbler, Black Swan (John & Janet Cadera)
Oakwood Park: 26 Tufted Duck 7m 4f and 15 ducklings (two broods of 9 and 6), 9 Moorhen pr and seven chicks Conservation Pond (Robert Callf)
Pinner (HA5): Canada Goose heard flying over at 15:09 - first garden record here this century, 2 Swift & 3 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge)
Westminster: Black Redstart still at Westminster Abbey (Frank Nugent).
Sunday 4th June 2017[]
Alexandra Park: 2 House Martin, Common Tern Wood Green Res (Bob Watts)
Bexleyheath Shopping Centre: Red Kite over - very low fantastic views, 3 Buzzards over too (Donna Zimmer)
Brent Reservoir: drake Garganey in North Marsh viewable from public hide at 10.00, 2 Cetti's Warbler East Marsh, 2 Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, Little Egret (Andrew Self); female Red-crested Pochard in North Marsh 12.30 (Roy Beddard, Steve Leeke); Garganey still present 18:30 (Tim Rymer).
Chelsea Bridge: Caspian Gull 2cy at Westbourne River outflow, Yellow-legged Gull 2cy (N Senior)
Finchley: Garden N3 - 8 Starling & 1Jv, first 3 juv Greenfinch, 20+ juv Blue Tit, 10+ juv Great Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker & 1juv (Samuel Levy)
Hall Marsh scrape: Grasshopper Warbler singing S/W corner of marsh (Neville Smith).
Isleworth: Red Kite 0930, flying low and heading North [Les McCallum]
KGV Reservoir: Sandwich Tern straight through heading North 0722, Oystercatcher (Neville Smith).
Mill Hill/Apex Corner: 27 Common Swift (Simon Worsfold)
New River Walk N1: Great Spotted Woodpecker pair & juv (Allan Stewart)
Orpington BR6: Red Kite over S at 16:00 (Stuart Williams)
Pinner (HA5): male Sparrowhawk, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, 5 Swift, Coal Tit, 4 Long-tailed Tit, Jackdaw, Jay, Pied Wagtail, 4 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge)
Plumstead: Red Kite over Woolwich 08:30 (Tim Rymer).
Raynes Park: 5 Common Swift, Red Kite over 08:55 travelling E in direction of Richmond Park (P.Redmond)
Richmond Park: Male Cuckoo calling and seen at Pen Ponds car park 2030 (Phillip and Sherry Pentek)
St Paul's Cathedral: Red Kite over W at 15:40 (Frank Nugent)
Stratford: 3 Black Redstart, two showing very well at Westfield Shopping Centre 07:00-10:00 at least and a third perched on a nearby crane (Frank Nugent).
Thames Barrier Park: first summer Iceland Gull on river then flew west (Jamie Partridge, Rich Bonser) pic here
Totteridge Valley/ Darlands Lake: 3 Red Kite, 7 Common Buzzard, 27+ Swift, 12+ Swallow, 9 singing Blackcap, 13 singing Chiffchaff, 2+ Kestrel, 15+ Common Whitethroat, 6+ House Martin, 7 Stock Dove, 6 Rook, Little Owl (heard), 6 Pied Wagtail, Nuthatch, 2 Eygptian Geese & 8 Goslings (Angel Pond), Moorhen & 2 Ducklings (Darlands Lake), Coot & 1 duckling (Sheepwash Pond) (Samuel Levy + Simon Worsfold); also f Linnet, 2 Collared Dove, 4 Tufted Duck (Long Pond) (Simon Worsfold)
Uxbridge Alderglade HWT: Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Bullfinch, Green Woodpecker would have made a photo, & Cetti's Warbler on a quick walk (Dan Pinkham)
Westbourne Park, Grand Union Canal:2 Peregrine, Grey Wagtail, 3 Greylag Geese, 2 Coots with young one with 5 Juveniles one on nest with c3 v.young, Mute Swan with young on nest (Francis O'Sullivan)
Brent Reservoir: Drake Garganey, Red-crested Pochard f, Common Buzzard SW 12:10, Red Kite SE 09:55, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Lapwing, Cetti's Warbler, Grey Wagtail 13:30, Little Egret 13:54 (Brent Birders)
Chelsea Bridge: Caspian Gull 2cy (same as yesterday), 270 Herring Gull, 28 Lesser Black-backed Gull and 6 Great Black-backed Gull between Lambeth and Chelsea Bridges (N Senior)
Devonshire Square, EC2M: 2 adult Grey Wagtail back and forth collecting insects (Frank Nugent).
East Barnet, EN4: 4 Swift 2pr (RSPB are asking members to record possible / actual nesting sites) (Bob Husband).
Eastcote (Field End Road): Grey Wagtail over (Jon Ridge)
Enfield Chase Station: 2 Grey Wagtail adult and very recently fledged juvenile (Robert Callf)
Eynsford cricket Club: Red Kite low heading west 17.45 (Andy Meaton)
Greenwich: 2 Red Kite over West at c15.30. Yellow-legged Gull 2cy at O2 (Jamie Partridge, Dante Shepherd)
Lamorbey Park: Red Kite drifted north over the Dell, 2 Kingfishers, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker , Nuthatch (Ian Stewart /Mike Amos).
Pinner (HA5): Red Kite west at 17:05, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Swift, Coal Tit, Pied Wagtail & 5 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge)
Roderick Road-nr Hampstead Heath: 25 House Sparrows (Michael Mac)
Royal Albert Hall: Red Kite went south 07:13 (Des McKenzie)
Shirley nr Croydon: 6 Red Kites heading west 18:50 (Zoe Barklow)
Shoreham: 15+ Red Kites heading W/NW mid pm inc 6 together (possibly 20+ birds in total), 5 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, Garden Warbler Fackenden Down, 2 Yellowhammer W side Filston Lane (Ian Stewart)
St Paul's Cathedral: 2 Common Buzzard together drifting W at 12:15, also a Kestrel on the dome of the Cathedral (Frank Nugent)
Strayfield Road, EN2: 10 Barn Swallow 5pr and 4 nests with young (Robert Callf)
Thames Barrier Park: 3 Yellow-legged Gulls (2 1st-summers and 2nd-summer) early a'noon (Richard Bonser)
Totteridge Valley: Red Kite, 3 Common Buzzard (1 displaying), f Kestrel, 20+ Swift, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Lesser Whitethroat, also 2 Painted Lady, Small Skipper, Small Tortoiseshell (Ian Ellis) a Small Skipper record this early in the year is very unusual, Ian; suggest Large Skipper or even Small Heath [Deb Jackson]
Trent Park: 3 Blackcap, 5 Stock Dove, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Chiffchaff, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Common Tern, Common Whitethroat, Speckled Wood (Pete Lowman).
Wallington Garden: Red Kite NW and another Kite south - probably Red Kite but it looked a bit odd. (Arjun Dutta)
Weybridge: Red Kite over Fortescue Road 17:20 (James Hudson)
Whitewebbs Park (Flash Lane Aqueduct/Cuffley Brook): 3 Grey Wagtail male, female - wearing a metal ring on right leg and very recently fledged juvenile (Robert Callf)
Fishers Green: 3 Nightingale heard singing along path West of Bittern hide (Neville Smith).
Holyfield Farm: 3 Hobby two over Galley Hill Wood and one over Turnford Pits, Cuckoo calling from behind Holyfield Weir, Yellow Wagtail by cattle barns and wheat field (Neville Smith).
Leatherhead, Randalls Way: Pied Wagtail pair feeding recently fledged young in The Square (Neil Batten)
M1 Jct 5 (Bushey/Aldenham): 2 Common Buzzard & 2 Red Kite up over the junction (Samuel Levy)
M25 Jct 19 (Watford) to Jct 12 (M3 Jct 2): 5 Red Kite, 8 Common Buzzard, Swift, 2 Kestrel, Hobby, Ring-necked Parakeet, 2 Black-headed Gull, Cormorant, 2 Swallow, Shelduck - The plus side of getting stuck in traffic... (Samuel Levy)
New Covent Garden Market: male Kestrel hovering, very rare round here these days (Michael Mac)
Pinner (HA5): 2 Red Kite over from 13:03 - one of which moulting out inner primaries, 2 Common Buzzard - one east at 15:49 & one north at 16:00, Sparrowhawk, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tit, 9 Swift, Pied Wagtail over, 4 Goldfinch & 33 Ring-necked Parakeet over north between 05:30 & 06:00 (Jon Ridge)
St James's Park: Painted Lady (Frank Nugent); Gadwall pair + 8 ducklings, 5 Swift over, 1 Garden Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 4 singing Reed Warbler (Nick Senior)
Sidcup: 3 House Martin nests, exact location withheld. First evidence of breeding attempt in Sidcup in 20+ years (Ian Stewart)
Westminster: Black Redstart singing on Westminster Abbey 07:50 (Andrew Self); and a single Swallow over N (Frank Nugent).
Westbourne Park, Meanwhile Gardens: 1 Swift, 1 singing Blackcap, pr Pochard with 5 chicks, fem Mute Swan with 7 cygnets, 2 Coot still with 5 chicks on Grand Union Canal (Charlie Farrell)
Thursday 1st June 2017[]
Alexandra Park: Little Egret (3rd day) still on north bank Wood Green Res 0640 (Bob Watts).
Brent Reservoir: pair of Peregrines soaring over res 09:15, Common Buzzard SW 11.45 (Andrew Self)
Brookmill Park: Little Egret, Goldcrest, 2 Blackcap (Conrad Ellam)
Chislehurst Pond: Mallard with five young (John Mitchell)
Clapham Common - Mount Pond: Reed Warbler (Dave Clark)
Covent Garden - Odhams Walk: House Sparrows breeding in flats complex with ivy Michael Mac). Conversation moved to Talk page.
Fir & Pond Woods near Potters Bar: 6 Treecreeper incl 2 juvs, Four-spotted Chaser (Robert Callf)
Greenwich Ecology Park: Little Grebe juv, Sparrowhawk, 14 Common Tern, Sand Martin, 6 Reed Warbler (John Bushell)
Holloway Road/Hornsey Road: Peregrine sitting in the usual place high up on London Metropolitan Univ, preening from 6.00–6.15pm, then flew off towards Archway, but could have turned towards Woodberry Wetlands a short flight N-E (where it was last reported on 18 May) (Mavis Pilbeam)
Ladywell Fields: Little Egret, possibly the Brookmill Park bird (Conrad Ellam)
Lamorbey Park: Grey Heron, pair Mute Swan with 3 Cygnets, 2 Egyptian Geese, 6 Tufted Duck, Kingfisher, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker incl one chick in nest hole, Common Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 singing Goldcrest, Coal Tit with fledgling, Nuthatch (Mike Amos)
Oxleas Wood: 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker [one adult and 1young], Green Woodpecker, 30+ Swift, 4 Coal Tit [family group], 4 Goldcrest, 3 Kestrel [1m 2fm], 2 Common Whitethroat, Song Thrush, 3 Blackcap [2m 1fm], Chiffchaff, 3 Treecreeper [family group], Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk [m], 3 Stock Dove (Ron Turner)
Pinner (HA5): Green Woodpecker, 5 Swift, Pied Wagtail, 5 Goldfinch & 7 House Sparrow (Jon Ridge)
Stoneleigh Broadway KT17: 23 Common Swift (all local breeding birds), 1 singing Blackcap, 13 Herring Gull e (Neil Batten).
Tarzy wood (Wanstead High St): Goldcrest behind war memorial in wood, Wren, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Robin, Blackbird, Jay, Magpie, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker, Speckled Wood. 7.30-9.00am (G.Gram).
Walthamstow Marshes: Lesser Whitethroat singing along the railway line N of the boardwalk, Reed Bunting and 3 Sedge Warbler on Bomb Crater Field 09:00-09:30 (Alastair Dent); paddocks - 29 Stock Dove, 6 Linnet, 2 Common Whitethroat, Little Egret, Mistle Thrush 20.00-20.30 (JW Davies)
Wanstead Flats: 2 Common Buzzard, pr Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, 5 House Martin, 10+ Swift, 5+ Little Grebe, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 singing Skylark, singing Meadow Pipit, Coal Tit, medium sized bat having a drink before going back to roost (I suspect Daubenton's), Painted Lady (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Reed Warbler, 2 House Martin, 20+ Swift, 5 Whitethroat, 3 Painted Lady (Nick Croft)
Westminster: Black Redstart still singing in Parliament Square at 08:15 (Frank Nugent).
Whitehall, SW1: pr of Egyptian geese on grass by MOD building, also 28 Starlings inc juveniles (Dave de Silva).
