*[[Swanscombe Marsh]]: 4 Common Buzzard over, Little Egret, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, adult Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Yellow Wagtails; Wall, Clouded Yellow & Jersey Tiger (Andrew Self) ''Hi Andrew. Is there a particular part of the area good for Wall please? Thank you, Mark - along the riverside path, today's was near the tall pylon, in spring there were several on the eastern side of the peninsular (AS).'' ''Very helpful, many thanks indeed''
*[[Swanscombe Marsh]]: 4 Common Buzzard over, Little Egret, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, adult Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Yellow Wagtails; Wall, Clouded Yellow & Jersey Tiger (Andrew Self) ''Hi Andrew. Is there a particular part of the area good for Wall please? Thank you, Mark - along the riverside path, today's was near the tall pylon, in spring there were several on the eastern side of the peninsular (AS).'' ''Very helpful, many thanks indeed''
*Trent Park: Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Chiff 6, Blackcap 2, Willow Warbler, Swallow c 30, House Martin, Goldfinch c 30, Grn Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Mandarin 3, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Small Heath 2, G V White, Lge White, Sm White, Common Blue f. (Pete Lowman).
*Trent Park: Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Chiff 6, Blackcap 2, Willow Warbler, Swallow c 30, House Martin, Goldfinch c 30, Grn Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Mandarin 3, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Small Heath 2, G V White, Lge White, Sm White, Common Blue f. (Pete Lowman).
−
*Totteridge fields : '''Quail''' Flushed while walking my dog ! Grid Ref; approx: TQ 22722 94756 (David Martens) - was it in the recently cut hay fields?
+
*Totteridge fields : '''Quail''' Flushed while walking my dog ! Grid Ref; approx: TQ 22722 94756 (David Martens) - was it in the recently cut hay fields? No but fairly near, in uncut permanent grassland at beginning of footpath that goes from Mays Lane to Old Cholmeleian Cricket Pitch (I think it's known as.).Enter diagonally opposite from Whitings Hill Wood over stile 50 yrds further on.
*[[Tyttenhanger GPs and Willows Farm|Tyttenhanger GPs]]: 2 Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 2 Little Egret, 2 Hobby, Red Kite, 2 Buzzard. (Steve Blake)
*[[Tyttenhanger GPs and Willows Farm|Tyttenhanger GPs]]: 2 Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 2 Little Egret, 2 Hobby, Red Kite, 2 Buzzard. (Steve Blake)
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Monday 18th August 2014
Alexandra Park: Common Buzzard low over cricket pitches and scrub pursued by crows between showers, also Garden Warbler, 2 Willow Warblers Cricket Scrub, 5+ Chiffchaffs, 3+ Blackcaps, Swift, House Martin 1730-1830 (Bob Watts)
Belhus Woods CP: Wood Warbler with tit flock along Green Lane by Cockhide Farm 1610, also 2 Spotted Flycatchers (BirdGuides)
Brookmill Park: Peregrine, Common Sandpiper, Kingfisher, Blackcap, Chiffchaff (Conrad Ellam)
Ewell Village: 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Kingfisher at The Lower Mill. Also a Jersey Tiger Moth at 14:00 (Neil Batten).
Gordon Hill Station, Enfield: 2 Little Egret flew W 11:57 hrs (Robert Callf)
Richmond Park: 2 Tree Pipit- on The Bog (east side), fem/juv Redstart- gorse, Lesser Whitethroat- Hawthorn Valley (J.Wilczur) 4 Whinchat- Lawn Field bracken (J.Few et al)
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: Sand Martin W (Bob Watts)
Alexandra Park: Tree Pipit western perimeter cricket pitch 0830 at least, also 3+ Willow Warblers, female Common Whitethroat, 3+ Chiffchaffs, 2 House Martin (Bob Watts)
Broadwater Lake, Harefield. 100 Swift with a few hirundine over the lake early afternoon. High count for this late in the season. 10 Common Tern still around at the north end. ( John Edwards)
Brent Reservoir: Greenshank until 08.20 when off, 3 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper, 5 Lapwing, Little Egret & drake Ruddy Duck (Andrew Self, Roy Beddard)
Gallions Reach: " Peregrine, 2 Ringed Plover, 6 Common Sandpiper, 1 ad Yelloe-legged Gull, 2 Swallow, Whinchat. (Gary A James & Paul Davis).
Hampstead Heath: Spotted Flycatcher and Common Redstart both in hedge at W end of Cricket Pitch. Also a Teal at Hampstead 1 Pond (Frank Nugent).
Park Farm, Enfield: 3 Spotted Flycatcher adult and two first-winter together in hedgerow where the Common Redstarts were yesterday - sheltered side (Robert Callf)
Rye Meads RSPB Reserve: Black-tailed Godwit, juv Black-necked Grebe, 8 Green Sandpipers, Common Snipe in flight, 2 Lapwings, female Sparrowhawk, Swallows, House Martins, 2 Sand Martins, lots of Little Grebes inc juvs, male Kingfisher on post near nest hole (Bob Husband & Robin Morden)
Stoneleigh KT17: 1 Common Swift low sw over The Broadway at 15:35 (Neil Batten).
Ten Acre Wood area: Little Egret, 3 Kestrel, juv Hobby low over meadow + hour later 2 Hobby out of wood, flying for a few minutes before returning, 8 Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipit,Grey Wagtail, Nuthatch, Treecreeper calling, Reed Bunting, c30 Linnet (Neil Anderson/G. Westley)
Walthamstow Res. Lockwood, 1 Common Sandpiper. High Maynard, 2 Common Sandpiper. No.4/5 c.200 each Swift, House Martin & Sand Msrtin drifting in and out from here and the filter beds. A large proportion of the Hirundines being juveniles. No.1, 16 late brood juvenile Little Egrets. No1/2, Mobile Tit flock contain gat least 1 Whitethroat and Willow Wsrbler. (Paul Whiteman)
Wanstead Flats: Wood Warbler (one first winter bird with a very grey chunky Chiffchaff at SE corner of the Alex in willows on island, not seen after 13:30) possible adult in with a few Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler further to west in willows on that island (again not seen subsequent to 14:00 and not easy to see in the wind and with 2 Kestrels and a Sparrowhawk putting in appearances) (NC), 8 + Willow Warbler, 20 + Chiffchaff, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 3-4 Garden Warbler, 20 + Common Whitethroat, 6 Blackcap, 2 Common Redstart still (m south of Long Wood at visimig point, f north of Long Wood on the edge of the old clay pits), Northern Wheatear, Yellow Wagtail over, Swift, 8 House Martin, Common Sandpiper, Hobby, 2 + Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel, 4 Gadwall, f Teal, 10 + Little Grebe (Nick Croft/Tony Brown/John Weil/Dan Hennessy)
Saturday 16th August 2014
Alexandra Park: 2-3 Wheatear (2 fem/juvs 3 weeks ago near helipdd - Mike Conway) Garden Warbler cricket scrub, Spotted Flycatcher in birches at SW edge of golf course, Willow Warbler Blandford, 3 juv Grey Wagtails Filter Beds,Swift, 6+ House Martins (Bob Watts, Gareth Richards).
Beddington Farmlands: Wryneck (Birdguides)
Brent Reservoir: Little Egret, 4 Lapwings, 3 Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper, 10+ Swift (Roy Beddard, John Gravatt)
Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Stock Dove, Kingfisher, House Martin, 4 Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, 6 House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam)
Cranford CP: Spotted Flycatcher showing well from stone bridge looking towards M4, juvenile Hobby, 3 Red Kites, Buzzard, 3 Kestrels, 4 Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff. (Wendy Marks, Sue Giddens, Jasper Giddens)
Crossness: c130 Teal, Sparrowhawk, 10+ Lapwing, 5 Common Sandpiper, 3+ Yellow Legged Gull off golf centre, c20 Common Tern, c30 Swift over sewage works, 10+ House Martin, 2 Grey Wagtail, 1-2 Cetti's Warbler, 3+ Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest in elder by sewage outfall. Also Canary along Thames path by rice factory with Linnets, singing and showing well, a nice splash of colour! (Ian Stewart)
Hampstead Heath: 4 Wheatear on Parliament Hill at 0700, later a fem/imm Common Redstart and a Garden Warbler too. Mixed flock at the Sanctuary Pond had c.30 Willow Warbler and 10 each Chiffchaff and Blackcap. Single Swift NW at 1045 (Frank Nugent, Pete Mantle)
Leyton Flats: Spotted Flycatcher and 2 Willow Warblers in Tit flock, Little Egret over (JW Davies)
Park Farm, Enfield: 2 f Common Redstart together in hedgerow 09:48 - 10:02 hrs - my first of the year! (Robert Callf)
Regent's Park: 2 Northern Wheatear males and Whitethroat in fenced off area of playing fields 09:00 (Alex Massey)
Richmond Park: Northern Wheatear near the sports pitches (Steve Woolfenden)
South Lodge Farm, Enfield: 1 fem/imm Northern Wheatear (Robert Callf)
South Norwood CP: Garganey flew in just before 7am then took refuge in big reed bed. Could not be refound two hours later. Male Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, Kingfisher, 2 Goldcrest, 46 Goldfinch, Reed Bunting. (Croydon Birders)
Swanscombe Marsh: 4 Common Buzzard over, Little Egret, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, adult Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Yellow Wagtails; Wall, Clouded Yellow & Jersey Tiger (Andrew Self) Hi Andrew. Is there a particular part of the area good for Wall please? Thank you, Mark - along the riverside path, today's was near the tall pylon, in spring there were several on the eastern side of the peninsular (AS).Very helpful, many thanks indeed
Trent Park: Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Chiff 6, Blackcap 2, Willow Warbler, Swallow c 30, House Martin, Goldfinch c 30, Grn Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Mandarin 3, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Small Heath 2, G V White, Lge White, Sm White, Common Blue f. (Pete Lowman).
Totteridge fields : Quail Flushed while walking my dog ! Grid Ref; approx: TQ 22722 94756 (David Martens) - was it in the recently cut hay fields? No but fairly near, in uncut permanent grassland at beginning of footpath that goes from Mays Lane to Old Cholmeleian Cricket Pitch (I think it's known as.).Enter diagonally opposite from Whitings Hill Wood over stile 50 yrds further on.
Tyttenhanger GPs: 2 Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 2 Little Egret, 2 Hobby, Red Kite, 2 Buzzard. (Steve Blake)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: Spotted Flycatcher and two Willow Warblers on path between No 1 and No 2, 4 Common Sands on Lockwood, 2 on High Maynard and 1 on No 5. (David Bradshaw).
Wanstead Flats: 2 Common Redstart (ist winter male in enclosure, f type SSSI), Whinchat, f Wheatear, Reed Warbler, 15 + Lesser Whitethroat, 40 + Common Whitethroat, 15 + Blackcap, 7 Garden Warbler, 30 + Chiffchaff, 8 + Willow Warbler, Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Hobby (several times), 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, 3 Swallow, 10 + House Martin, Little Egret, 11 Gadwall (A Wanstead Collective)
Wanstead Park: at least 4 Reed Warbler, 10 + Chiffchaff, 6 Pochard, Little Egret, Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk, Hobby, Grey Wagtail, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, House Martin (Nick Croft)
Friday 15th August 2014
Alexandra Park: Hobby, 6+ Willow Warblers, Garden Warbler Cricket Scrub, 5+ Chiffchaffs, fem Common Whitethroat, 3+ Blackcap (Bob Watts).
Croydon - Wandle Park: 3 Tree Pipit flew west, calling, at about 9am. 5+ Grey Wagtails present along this short stretch of the River Wandle. (J Birkett)
Danson Park: Little Egret, Little Grebe, 2 Chiffchaff (Conrad Ellam), Little Egret present till 19.40 when left NE to roost, 6 Egyptian Geese, ad + juv Little Grebe, 4 Great Crested Grebes, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, 3 Chiffchaffs, Blackcap, Goldcrest (Ian Stewart)
Greenwich Park: Spotted Flycatcher (evening) and Tawny Owl (Joe Beale).
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: 4 Tree Pipit together on the Flats near the burnt oaks until about 10:30 at least calling frequently and showing well, Spotted Flycatcher, Yellow Wagtail over, 30+ Chiffchaff, 5+ Willow Warbler, 5+ Blackcap, 2 Common Whitethroat, Treecreeper calling, 3 Teal on Hollow Pond, drake Pochard (Stuart Fisher/Birdguides)
Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 3 Common Tern, 25+ Swift 0600, Kingfisher SW past Heron_Is after heavy shower, 17 Willow Warbler, 2 Garden Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Spotted Flycatcher (RPBirders)
Richmond Park: Grasshopper Warbler by small gorse enclosure and Tree Pipit by stream in Hawthorn valley`(Hugh Bradshaw). Could someone let me know where, within the Park, Hawthorn Valley is - I can't find it on any map (John Fordham).(I think it's local birder's jargon for the area near Cambrian Gate especially near Conduit wood - Nick S)
Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): Kestrel, Sparrowhawk in garden, 2 Blackcaps, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Jay all in garden 11.30, Grey Wagtail over, 3 Jackdaws W. Also 2 Jersey Tigers in nearby area (Ian Stewart)
Trent Park: 3 Swift, Kingfisher, Sand Martin, 8 Swallow, 10+ House Martin (Robert Callf)
Vicarage Farm, Enfield: 6 Yellow Wagtail flock in pony field near Hadley Road, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 juvenile Bullfinch (Robert Callf)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: Lockwood: 2 Dunlin, 7 Common Sandpiper, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Peregrine. c.300+ Swift over the Southern sector. (Paul Whiteman)
Wanstead Flats: Tree Pipit (Birdguides), 4 Meadow Pipit, 3 Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, 3 Spotted Flycatcher, 4 Garden Warbler, 20 + Common Whitethroat, 6 Lesser Whitethroat, 10 + Blackcap, 20 + Chiffchaff, 6 + Willow Warbler, Common Snipe, Common Sandpiper, 7 Sand Martin, 4 Swallow, 10 + House Martin, 2 Swift, 9 Gadwall, f Teal, f Pochard, 2 Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel, Linnet, Little Egret (Nick Croft/Dan Hennessy/Richard Rae/James Palmer) 2 Wheatear yesterday
Woolwich: Sparrowhawk back again, swooping out from a tree after Starlings in busy Gordon Sq. 4.40pm. (Patrick English).
Thursday 14th August 2014
Albert Square - Stockwell: f Sparrowhawk low over roofs flushed about 35 Goldfinch didn't see any hunting (Michael Mac).
Alexandra Park: 6+ House Martins (Bob Watts).
Beddington Farmlands: juvenile Spotted Redshank, 2 juvenile Black-tailed Godwits, Greenshank, 15+ Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Common Buzzards (BFBG).
Brent Reservoir: 2 Little Egrets, 7 Green Sandpiper, 5 Common Sandpiper, 4 Lapwing & Garden Warbler in evening (Andrew Self)
Crayford Marshes: 5 Little Egret, Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel, 2 Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, 3 Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, Redshank, Greenshank, 20+ Yellow Legged Gulls, 4+ Sand Martin south, 4+ Swallow, 2 House Martin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Skylarks, 3 Wheatear (2 juvs on roof of ind.est. along darent, female on landfill), Grey Wagtail, 20+ Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, 3-4 Cetti's Warbler, 30+ Reed Warbler, 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff (Ian Stewart)
Dartford fresh marsh: Goldcrest, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff with tit flock, singing Cetti's Warbler, Little Egret north (Ian Stewart)
Park Farm, Enfield: 5 Red-legged Partridge adult and four chicks (Robert Callf)
Hatton Cemetery, Feltham (in fields N of the cemetery): 1 juv Whinchat, 1 Yellow Wagtail (over W), Sparrowhawk, Common Whitethroats, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, (Bill Haines)
Priory Park: 2 Swift 1750 (Bob Watts).
Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: m Kestrel Prim Hill sports pitch area 48, 3 Common Tern, 14 Swift, 2 House Martin, c25 Willow Warbler, 2 Garden Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher Cricket Pen a31, f Common Redstart autumn-1st a31 birches <a href="tel:[tel:[tel:<a href="tel:<a href="tel:[tel:<a href="tel:0910-1115">0910-1115</a> 0910-1115">0910-1115</a>">0910-1115</a> 0910-1115] 0910-1115] 0910-1115]">0910-1115</a> at least (RPBirders)
Sidcup DA15: 2 House Martins NW over York Avenue 19.10 (Ian Stewart)
Staines Res: Wheatear (south side), 2 Juv Shelducks, Grey Heron, Swallow, 3 House Martins (Sue Giddens)
Tyttenhanger GP: Wood Sandpiper, Mediterranean Gull, Water Rail. (@Hertsbirds Twitter)
Springfield Marina (River Lea) 3 Common Tern, (poss 1 juvenile) 5:00 (Sue Barry)
Stratford,Queen Elizabeth Park: Clouded Yellow (Tony Clancy)
Tyttenhanger GP: Wood Sandpiper on main pit & seen twice (19.25 & 20.00) from viewpoint on east bank. Also 1 Common Sandpiper & 1 Common Tern (Simon West)
Walthamstow Marshes: f/imm Black Redstart by river adj to paddocks nr bridge 0920, imm Common Redstart in open area betw path & cow field 0950 (Jonathan Nasir via Twitter)
Beckton Creekside: 2 Green Sandpiper, 4 Common Sandpiper. Also 1 Clouded Yellow (Peter Beckenham)
Boxer's Lake, Enfield: 2 eclipse male Mandarin Duck, 3 female Tufted Duck plus a brood of 5 ducklings (Robert Callf)
Brent Reservoir: Wheatear on Neasden Rec, 3 Common Sandpiper,3 Green Sandpiper, 5 Lapwing & Dunlin (Andrew Self, Roy Beddard)
Brookmill Park: Little Egret, Mandarin, Stock Dove, Kingfisher (Conrad Ellam)
Hampstead Heath: 1+ Yellow Wagtail, 3 Common Terns, 1 Hobby, 16 Willow Warbler mostly in South Meadow (Chris Bird)
Lee Valley, Cornmill Meadows: Little Egret, juv Avocet, 10+ Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, Hobby, 5+ Swift, Swallow, Sand Martin, 20+ House Martin, Yellow Wagtail (Simon Papps)
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: Kingfisher, Nuthatch, Kestrel, 2 Common Whitethroat, 9 Chiffchaff, 4 Great crested Grebe, Swift over west, 10 Tufted Duck, 2 Stock Dove (Stuart Fisher)
Oakwood Park: Spotted Flycatcher adult in field maple around tennis courts 08:25 - 08:35, 4 Chiffchaff (Robert Callf)
Rainham Marshes. Spotted Crake showed for me at 13:45 in the reeds opposite the first platform in line with the wind turbine. 3 Whimbrel, 7 Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, 8 Blk. t Godwit, 2 Greenshank, Garganey, Juv. Water Rail and 7 Swift were the other highlights. ( John Edwards); 8 Green Sandpiper, 2 Wood Sandpiper, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Ringed Plover, 8 Dunlin, 7 Snipe, 120 Lapwing, 4 Garganey, 18 Swift, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 10 Chiffchaff, 5 Bearded Tit (RSPB blog)
Regent's Park: Swift, 4 House Martin, 10+ Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat, 1-2 Spotted Flycatcher autumn-1st Cricket Pen area 31 pines nr fdr <a href="tel:[tel:[tel:<a href="tel:<a href="tel:[tel:<a href="tel:0710-0850">0710-0850</a> 0710-0850">0710-0850</a>">0710-0850</a> 0710-0850] 0710-0850] 0710-0850]">0710-0850</a>, Yellow Wagtail S 0745 (RPBirders & Francis Tusa)
Totteridge Valley: Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 7 Swift all NE, 3 Swallow, 10+ Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, Cormorant over (John Colmans)
Woolwich SE18: Sparrowhawk catches Starling amongst crowds of people in Gordon Square 5.30pm. (Patrick English).
Sunday 10th August 2014 (Hurricane Bertha)
Brent Reservoir: 6 Green Sandpiper, 5 Common Sandpiper, 7 Lapwing, 1 Ringed Plover (flew in 11.30 and off at 11.40),new brood of 9 Tufted chicks. 100+ Swifts 30 House Martins and 10 Sand Martins over N Bank at 11.30 & 5 Sand Martin earlier (Brent Birders)
Gallions Reach: 1 imm Kittiwake, 13 Common Sandpipers, Oystercatcher, 3 House Martin. (Gary A James & Paul Davis).
Greenwich Peninsula: Little Grebe & 2 pairs of Common Tern in the Ecology Park + 2 juveniles on the Thames foreshore. 10 House Martin late morning, Chiffchaff & 4 Linnet by Beckham Academy (Conrad Ellam)
Grovelands Park: 6 Mandarin Duck incl female and one duckling (only brood here this year?) (Robert Callf)
Hampstead Heath: Common Sandpiper on High No.1 and 4 Swifts through at midday (Pete Mantle)
London Wetland Centre: Garganey still, 2 Snipe, adult Common Tern fishing wader scrape, Hobby hunting, c30 Swift, c15 Sand Martin, c45 House Martin- c35 arrived from north (J.Wilczur & R. Kaye)
Northolt + Greenford CP: Northala Fields- Sparrowhawk, fishing Common Tern, Reed Bunting, 100+ Goldfinch feeding on knapweed heads (Neil Anderson)
Regent's Park: 7 Great Crested Grebe & 2 new yg S tip Bandstand Is area 7 hatched overnight before nest flooded, 50+ Swift and 2 House Martin over lake 2015 (RPBirders)
Staines Reservoir: 7 Common Scoter on North Basin (Birdguides)
Walthamstow Reservoirs (S): Still some Swifts about (Quentin Given). 175 + Swifts in late afternoon, largely over No 4 and No 5. 6 Common Sands on north reservoirs and Kingfisher on Low Maynard. (David Bradshaw)
Wanstead Flats: Hobby, Kestrel, Skylark, Willow Warbler, 14 + House Martin, 7 Swift (Nick Croft)
Alexandra Park: Little Egret perched on tree in Conservation Pond then on bridge at Tunnel Res until flushed by fox 0930, also Yellow Wagtail NE, 2 Swifts, fem Common Whitethroat, 3 Chiffchaffs, 3+ House Martin, Common Tern, Brown Hawker (APOG).
Brent Reservoir: 5 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 4 Lapwing, male Peregrine over, 47 Swift south then feeding, 5 Sand Martin south, 4 Swallow south, 5 Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff (Brent Birders).
Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park: juv Little Grebe, still 2 pairs Common Tern with three young (2 near fledged, 1 less advanced), Reed Warblers inc adult feeding two young, also Small Red Eyed Damelflies, Jersey Tiger (Joe Beale).
Hampstead Heath: Wheatear on the cricket pitch at 0800. Crossbill N over at 1015. Up to 5 Common Terns (2 juveniles) Reed Warbler singing quietly in hawthorn at Hedge 2. Also 4 Willow Warblers and a Chiffchaff in a large tit flock (Pete Mantle)
Ladywell and Brockley Cemetery SE4 : Kestrel over to the South, 2 Green Woodpeckers, Jay, 3 Migrant Hawkers and a Jersy Tiger. (Phil Laurie)
London Wetland Centre: Black-tailed Godwit- sum plum "Icelandic" roosting on shingle ridge flew off east when disturbed, no sign of Little Ringed Plover family although water levels high and only a tiny patch of mud visible, Garganey- WWF hide, 35 Swift, 25 Sand Martin- presumed migrants, 6 House Martin arrived from north, 4 Willow Warbler- explore feeders 3 singing (J.Wilczur)
Osterley Park: juvenile Common Buzzard flushed from meadow behind Osterley Park house, Cormorant, 5 Egyptian Goose, 4 Great Crested Grebe, Green Woodpecker, 2 Grey Heron, 7+ Jackdaw, Kestrel, Kingfisher on middle lake, female Mandarin, 8 Mistle Thrush, 3 Pochard, 11+ Ring-necked Parakeet (Osterley Park birding group).
Pinner (Cuckoo Hill Allotment Site): probable breeding Sparrowhawk; also Jay & Coal Tit (Jon Ridge).
Pinner Park Farm: first-winter Wheatear, Hobby mobbed by about ten corvids, Little Owl back in the disaster area, a super post-breeding flock of 32 Mistle Thrush, 5 Swift, Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 172 Jackdaw, 2 Green Woodpecker, 15 Stock Dove, 11 Goldfinch & 2 Grey Heron (Jon Ridge).
Rainham Marshes RSPB: Spotted Crake @ 11:45 (Barry Bishop) and again briefly at 16:00, due south of 2nd viewing platform from right hand side, juv Water Rail. 2 Whimbrel, Curlew, Wood Sandpiper, 7-8 Green Sandpiper, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Snipe, 3 Dunlin, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 2 eclipse Garganey, Hobby, 2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Kestrel, Bearded Tit, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, 3 singing Cetti's Warbler, Kingfisher, 30 + Swallow south, Swift, 2 Northern Wheatear (Dave Morrison/Barry Bishop/Tony Brown/Nick Croft/Lol Boldini/RSPB et al)
Rye Meads RSPB: Osprey S early am (Gary Gardiner per Herts BC)
South Harrow: 45+ House Sparrows in garden including recently fledged bird (Michael Robinson)
Swanscombe Marsh: 5 Little Egrets, 4 Green Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, 9 Common Terns up river, c60 House Martins, 2 Sand Martin, 1 Swallow, 2 juvenile Stonechat, c1000 Starlings & a Clouded Yellow (Andrew Self)
Totteridge Valley: 9 Swifts feeding over Darlands Lake this evening, also juv & adult Kestrel nearby (Ian Ellis).
Tyttenhanger GPs: Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, 40+ Lapwing, 27 Greylag Goose, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, (+juv), Garden Warbler, 8+ Tree Sparrow (Steve Blake); Hobby pm (Simon West via Twitter)
Willows Farm: Wheatear car park 1225 (Simon West per Herts BC)
London Wetland Centre: Garganey, 2m Ruddy Duck, Hobby, Kestrel an obvious migrant very high NE, Little Ringed Plover adult, couldnt see juv but behaviour suggested still present, 3 Common Sandpiper, Black Tailed Godwit circled then down river, 2 Sandwich Tern in from N, circled then off SW 08.00, 2 Common Tern, Whinchat, 2 Swallow, 3 Willow Warbler (R.Kaye)
Wormwood Scrubs: 4 Green Woodpecker, c260 Carrion Crow ... and not much else (Charlie Farrell) Whinchat at western end of Grassland 18:00 (John Fordham).
Thursday 7th August 2014
Alexandra Park: Common Sandpiper flew from N to S end Wood Green Res 0655 (BobWatts). 5 Cormorants on Boating Lake, 7.30am (Naomi Stadlen).
Beddington SF: Glossy Ibis landed on lake 1058. Still present 15:03. Also adult Black-tailed Godwit (BFBG via Twitter). Juvenile Caspian Gull and 2 juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls on main lake late morning (David Campbell et al)
Brent Reservoir: Dunlin, 5 Lapwing, 2 Green Sandpipers & 160+ Ring-necked Parakeets going to roost (Andrew Self)
Crayford Marshes: Glossy Ibis flew south at 9am
Dagenham Chase LNR: Wood Sandpiper still present (Birdguides)
Herne Hill/Brockwell Park: Peregrine circling at around 13:00 (Paul Whiteman)
Mudchute Park and Farm: Common Buzzard soaring high to the west, 6+ Monk Parakeet, 15+ House Martin, Stock Dove, Green Woodpecker, juv Sparrowhawk, 3 Blackcap, 7 Migrant Hawkers (Stuart Fisher)
Strayfield Road, EN2: 20 Swallow incl a nest with at least one chick, 1 juv House Martin on overhead wire with Swallows (Robert Callf)
Sutcliffe Park: Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Stock Dove, 5 Swift, 5 Reed Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff (Conrad Ellam)
Ten Acre Wood Area: Common Buzzard, Kestrel, 7 Lapwing, male Pheasant, 4 Swallow, 25 Linnet, 5 Goldfinch, 2 Reed Bunting, Skylark, Rook over, 5 Long-tailed Tit, 13 Stock Dove & 5 Grey Heron (Jon Ridge).
Tyttenhanger GP: Mediterranean Gull (juv), Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover (juv), 8+ Common Tern, 4 Tree Sparrow. (Steve Blake, Richard Coombes).
Walthamstow Reservoirs: 30+ Swifts still present this morning (Quentin Given)
Wildwoods, Enfield: 5 Little Grebe pr and three small chicks, 24 Mandarin Duck (Robert Callf)
Wednesday 6th August 2014
Brent Reservoir: mud almost disappeared after rain, but still 3 Lapwing, 4 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper and Dunlin, plus 10 Swift over hide (Andrew Haynes).
Eltham SE9: Juvenile Sparrowhawk ambushing wood pigeon (and missing) in hedge on lane off Bexley Road between Wide Horizons Environment Centre and Eltham Warren Golf Course. (L Leadbeater).
Gallions Reach: 3 Sandwich Tern 2ad 1 Imm, Oystercatcher, 11 Common Sandpiper, 30+ Swift. (Gary A James).
Godstone: 2 Great White Egret over Bay Pond 1115 (BirdGuides).
Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens (evening visit): c25 Swift, 6 House Martin, 1 Peregrine, 1 Hobby, 6 Red-crested Pochard, 2 Mandarin Duck (Charlie Farrell)
Lee Valley, Cornmill Meadows: juv Avocet, 20+ Lapwing, 4 Green Sandpiper, 7 Snipe, 2 juv Water Rail, Sparrowhawk, 5+ Swift, Cetti's Warbler, Willow Warbler. (Simon Papps).
London Wetland Centre: Garganey, 3 Green Sandpiper briefly, 2 Little Ringed Plover- ad & young, Snipe, 22 Lapwing, 6 Mandarin, 2 male Ruddy Duck, 2 Kingfisher- showing well from Peacock (Hide) (J.Wilczur) 2 adult Common Tern (Martin Honey) Hobby ( Martin Smith et al).
North Finchley: 2 Swifts S over house late evening (John Colmans).
Rainham Marshes RSPB: Spotted Crake 0720 (Birdguides) Showing well at 1545 (Ruth Hudson).
Regent's Park: 3 Common Tern ad & 2 juv, House Martin, c7 Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat autumn-1st Cricket Pen hawthorns area 31 (RPBirders).
Richmond Park: Green Sandpiper flew off from Upper Pen Pond (M.Lewis).
Snaresbrook/Leyton Flats: 2 Nuthatch, 4 Great crested Grebe, 6 Swift, juv Sparrowhawk, Willow Warbler, Jersey Tiger (Stuart Fisher).
Trent Park: Kingfisher lower lake (Robert Callf/Robin White).
Vicarage Farm, Enfield: Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 2 juv Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 12 juv Blackbird, 3 Song Thrush incl juv, Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Common Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, 2+ Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, 3 Spotted Flycatcher (Robert Callf/Robin White).
Walthamstow Reservoirs: Still 50+ Swifts over south reservoirs and filterbeds. (Quentin Given); Juv Willow Warbler in garden, just east of Lockwood (Lol Bodini).
Wanstead Flats: 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 40+ Common Whitethroat, 3 Garden Warbler, 15+ Blackcap, 20+ Chiffchaff, 7 Willow Warbler, 14+ House Martin, 4 Swift, 4 Skylark, Meadow Pipit, 9 Mistle Thrush, 10+ Song Thrush, Hobby, 2 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 3 Gadwall, 2 f Pochard, 9 Little Grebe (Dan Hennessy/Nick Croft).
Brent Reservoir: 5 Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Snipe, 2 Green Sandpipers & 2 Common Sandpipers (Brent Birders) later 5 Green Sandpipers (Roy Beddard)
Brookmill Park: Little Egret, Kingfisher, Stock Dove, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, 12 House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam)
Eastcote (Field End Road): Sparrowhawk smashed into a tiny "charm" of six very lucky Goldfinches - they all survived (Jon Ridge).
East India Dock Basin: 1 Shelduck, 17+ Common Tern (11+ adults, 2 juvs, 4-5 unfledged young), Blackcap singing, 3 Jersey Tiger (John Archer)
Hackney Marshes: Little Egret, 2 Kingfisher, 4 Grey Wagtail, Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Jay, 3 Teal, Little Grebe, Weasel (JW Davies)
Oxleas Wood: Peregrine, being 'tentatively' harassed by Crows (John Reid)
Pinner Park Farm: Sparrowhawk, female Kestrel (Jon Reveley, Jon Ridge). later; Hobby, 2 Green Woodpecker, 11 Stock Dove, 12 Goldfinch, 2 Chiffchaff & 343 Jackdaw (JRi)
Rainham Marshes RSPB: Spotted Crake again 1830 Aveley Pools (Henry Wyn-Jones et al).
Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 6 Swift, 2juv Green Woodpecker areas 1 & 38, 7 House Martin, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler a1, juv Grey Wagtail a8, flock of c40 Greenfinch a29 - annual post-breeding dispersal (RPBirders)
Richmond Park: Redstart- Holly Lodge paddocks (Martin Honey) adult Cuckoo in the evening at Holly Lodge (H.Bradshaw). juv Willow Warbler, 12 juv and an adult Whitethroat- Hawthorn Valley, 14 Swallow around Park including a family party of 5, 2 Sand Martin flew SW, 2 juv Stonechat still (J.Wilczur)
Trent Park: 2 Kingfisher lower lake (Robin White per R Callf)
Tyttenhanger GPs: Wheatear f/imm in field north of main pit (David Booth per Herts BC)
Walthamstow Reservoirs (South). Over 100 Swifts over reservoirs and filterbeds. (Quentin Given)
Gallions Reach: 12 Common Sandpiper (James Palmer)
Ilford Valentines Park: large green parrot in trees near mansion for about 4 days now if anyone hears of one being lost.(Barbara Miller)
London Wetland Centre: 9 Snipe, 1 Little Ringed Plover and 2 juvs, 2 Common Sandpiper, 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Garden Warbler (Adam Salmon).
Oak Hill Woods / Oak Hill Park, East Barnet, Herts. EN4: Juvenile Little Owl, juvenile Sparrowhawks calling, Nuthatch calling, Chiffchaff calling, Stock Doves, 12 Ring-necked Parakeets (Bob Husband)
Rainham Marshes RSPB: Spotted Crake 0915 fr 2nd platform overlooking Aveley Pool back edge (David Smith via Twitter, RSPB blog); showing well in SW cnr of Pool 1940 (BirdGuides)
Wanstead Park: Green Sandpiper, 3-4 Little Egret, 2 Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, 10 + Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler, 1-2 Hobby, Sparrowhawk, 4 Little Grebe, juv Great Crested Grebe (Nick Croft)
Sunday 3rd August 2014
Alexandra Park: 7 Swift, 10+ House Martin, Common Tern, Brown Hawker & Emperor Conservation Pond, Cinnabar Moth caterpillars (Bob Watts, Henry Wyn-Jones). 2+ Commnon Blues, long grass above cycle path, east gate end. (Greg Smith)
Brent Reservoir: Dunlin, Little Ringed Plover, 7 Lapwing, 3 Green Sandpiper & 5 Common Sandpiper; no sign of any Garganey (Andrew Self & Roy Beddard)
Brookmill Park: Little Egret, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kingfisher, Song Thrush, 2 Blackcap (Conrad Ellam)
Cornmill Gardens, Lewisham: 30 House Sparrows, Little Egret (Tom Moulton)
Cornmill Meadows: Garganey eclipse m fr hide am (BirdGuides)
Crossness: 2 Yellow-legged Gull (ad + juv), 6+ Common Sandpiper, 3+ Oystercatcher, 2 Lapwing, 67 Teal, Grey Seal (John Archer).
Dagenham Chase: 2 Wood Sandpiper ad & juv (Steve Drake per ELB Forum)
Ten Acre Wood area: Little Egret, pr Buzzard, Red Kite drifted over, 4 Kestrel (3 "playfully" sparring with a Sparrowhawk for over 10 minutes with each species chasing the other until Magpies intervened), 2 Little Ringed Plover, Skylark, 2+ Meadow Pipit, c10 Swallow, Lesser Whitethroat, Rook, 10+ Linnet, 40+ Goldfinch, 2 Clouded Yellow (Neil Anderson/K. Bull/G. Westley)
Wanstead Flats (Long Wood/SSSI): 25 + Common Whitethroat (including the sandy pale one - tried to make into Desert Warbler but its far too big!), 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 15 + Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler, 13 + Chiffchaff, 20 + House Martin, no Swift, Kestrel, 3 Stock Dove (Nick Croft)
Saturday 2nd August 2014
Alexandra Park: Male Peregrine south 0855, also Swift, 5+ House Martin, 5+ Chiffchaff, well grown juv Little Grebe Boating Lake (Bob Watts).
Brent Reservoir: 2 Garganey in North Marsh, Dunlin, Little Ringed Plover, 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers & 4 Lapwing from main hide (Andrew Self, Andrew Verrall & Roy Beddard)
Ilford: 2 Jersey Tigers in the garden this week. (Barbara Miller)
Langham Pond, Runnymede: 2 Red Kite, family 3 Buzzard, Kestrel, Hobby, Swift, Grey Wagtail, 2 Swallow, c10 House Martin (Neil Anderson +LNHS group)
Lee Valley, Cornmill Meadows: juv Avocet, 25+ Lapwing, 5 Green Sandpiper, Little Egret, Hobby, Kingfisher (Simon Papps)
London Wetland Centre: 2 adult Little Ringed Plover and one very mobile chick, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Common Snipe, 1 eclipse drake Garganey, 1 imm. male Sparrowhawk. 2 terrapins (1 Red-eared Slider and the other a Yellow-bellied Turtle) (Martin Honey).
Lower Chingford: 7 Little Egret, Common Sandpiper (James Palmer)
Osterley Park: 37+ Black-headed Gull, 7 Egyptian Goose (4 chicks), 3 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Green Woodpecker, 3 Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, 17+ Jackdaw, Kingfisher flying along middle lake, 9 Mandarin, 12+ Mistle Thrush, 2 Pochard, 2 Shoveler, 2+ Ring-necked Parakeet. With great sadness I found a dead Barn Owl during the day. I contacted the park ranger and we had a look at the bird. It looked like it had been dead for a couple of days but had no obvious signs of injury. What a terrible shame (Richard Woolley).
Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 11 Swift, c4 House Martin, 3+ Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat (RPBirders); escaped Green_Peafowl flew E across Holford Field - seen 5+ times in last 2wks (park user per RPBirders)
Tottenham Marsh: Peregrine, Kingfisher (James Palmer)
Vicarage Farm, Enfield: 5 Spotted Flycatcher pr and three juveniles (Robert Callf)
Walthamstow Marsh: Sparrowhawk, about 10 House Martin, small flock of Long-tailed Tit, about 40 Starling, Jersey Tiger moth (Michael Rank)
Wanstead Flats: Pied Flycatcher (probably Thursday's bird, in trees by school on west side of flats, north of the two tower blocks) performed well during the rain but not seen subsequenty (Dan Hennessy), Little Owl, 7 + Lesser Whitethroat, 25 + Common Whitethroat (including a very pale bird), 2 Willow Warbler, 15 + Chiffchaff, 20 + House Martin, 4 Swift, Teal, 5 Gadwall, 3 Pochard, Egyptian Goose, 7 Little Grebe, Kestrel, 5 Mistle Thrush (Nick Croft)
Friday 1st August 2014
Brent Reservoir: 4 Lapwing, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Snipe, 4 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Dunlin, 2 Egyptian Goose (Roy Beddard, Steve Leeke)
Boxer's Lake, Enfield: 2 Nuthatch, Treecreeper (Robert Callf)
London Wetland Centre Peregrine on Charing Cross Hospital, 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 Common Snipe main lake, 1 Kingfisher sheltered lagoon, 1 adult Little Ringed Plover (main lake) plus 1 adult (wader scrape) but only 1 chick seen - did anyone see any more? plus a pristine Jersey Tiger from an overnight mothing session (Martin Honey) Only 1 LRP chick seen 10-12 noon (Nick S)
Loudwater nr Rickmansworth: Marsh Tit Loudwater Farm (Sanderson Topham per Herts BC)
Pinner: Starling with leg-ring on feeder again. This bird has been around for a couple of years. No way of finding out what's on the ring is there? (Richard Francis).
Rainham Marshes RSPB: Whimbrel, Redshank flushed by dog walker Aveley Bay also 4 Oystercatchers, Common Seal, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, Snipe Purfleet Scrape, also 6+ Little Egrets reserve and 10+ Swallows, 8+ Meadow Pipits (Bob Watts)
Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: Swift, juv Green Woodpecker QM Gdns area 19, 4 House Martin SW, Willow Warbler (RPBirders)
Wanstead Park: Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher, 10 + Chiffchaff, 2 Sand Martin, 6 House Martin, Swift, young Sparrowhawk heard (Nick Croft)
Thursday 31st July 2014
Alexandra Park: 5 House Martins Wood Green Res 1730 (Bob Watts)
Beddington SF: Glossy Ibis (12:21) (Birdguides)
Brent Reservoir: 1 juv Little Ringed Plover, 4 Lapwing, 2 Green Sandpiper, 4 Common Sandpiper, plus Mute Swan with orange ring 783 on left leg (reported to BTO) (Andrew Haynes); 4 Green Sandpipers in evening (Andrew Self). (The Mute Swan was ringed at Apsley on September 10, 2012, by the East Anglia Swan Study Group and has subsequently been reported six times, mainly in the Lea Valley — AH)
Ham (KT2): Common Buzzard flying S/SE. (Phil Davies)
Hammersmith Bridge: House Martin feeding young at nest, 2 Swift (6pm) (Nathalie Mahieu).
Hampstead Heath: Willow Warber, Hobby and c30 Swifts early afternoon. Also a Brown Argus near Ken' House (Pete Mantle)
Heathrow Airport: House Sparrows inside Terminal 2 building this morning. (John Birkett)
Hilly Fields Park, Lewisham: Female Kestrel over rough meadow adj. Adelaide Ave for about 40 mins, soaring, perching on trees, occasional swooping (Tom Moulton, Sue Gore)
Richmond Park: juv male Peregrine chasing Stock Dove (J.Wilczur)
Rye Meads RSPB: by 11am no sign of y'day's Spotted_Crake but Reserve will stay open till 8:30 tonight (per RSPB blog)
Walthamstow Reservoirs:Lockwood: 16 Common Sandpiper, 6 Sand Martin, 1 possible Dunlin, Common Tern inc 20 juv and chicks on raft, 6 Little Egret, 7 Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Duck (hundreds moulting). (Daniel Whitelegg)
Wanstead: f/juv Pied Flycatcher (Birdguides) Anyone have more info? Mid Long Wood (Twitter), Treecreeper (first record for the flats), Willow Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Sparrowhawk (Dan Hennessy)
Wednesday 30th July 2014
Bankside: juv Yellow-Legged Gull (I think ... v. long winged, paleish head with eye-patch and heavy black bill. Behaves thuggishly towards BH Gulls and adult Lesser-Black Backs. Comes to bread ... but would welcome a 2nd opinion) (Charlie Farrell)
Brayside Farm, Enfield: Garden Warbler feeding on blackberries (Robert Callf)
East India Dock Basin: Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Clouded Yellow (John Archer & Jo Dowle)
Leyton Flat/Snaresbrook: Treecreeper just west of Crown Court, Kestrel alarm calling, juv Willow Warbler, 5 Great Crested Grebe (incl pair with 2 chicks on Eagle Pond) (Stuart Fisher)
Ruddy Duck, LWC
London Wetland Centre: at least 5 Little Ringed Plover including 3 chicks, 1 Common Sandpiper, several adult Common Tern plus 1 fledged and 1 almost fledged juveniles, Sparrowhawk, Willow Warbler and several calling Chiffchaff, Reed and Sedge Warblers by Headley hide, 2 male Ruddy Duck (photo), female Peregrine on Ch. X. Hospital (Martin Honey)
Oak Hill Woods NR, East Barnet, Herts. EN4: Female Sparrowhawk perched - juveniles calling nearby, Male Sparrowhawk in flight. Juvenile Common Buzzard overhead. Immature Kestrel in adjacent field. (Bob Husband)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: Dunlin, 7 Common Sandpipers, Peregrine on Lockwood, Cetti's Warbler singing by the weir to the South of Lockwood. 1 Common Sandpiper on West Warwick. (Paul Whiteman, Terry Rawling)
Brent Reservoir: Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper & 4 Lapwing (Andrew Self); this afternoon 5 Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Snipe, 4 Lapwing (Roy Beddard). Any white-letter hairsteaks about? (Conrad Ellam) None in past two weeks
Chiswick Mall: c25 House Martins by nesting area on building + a Ring-necked Parakeet perched on one of the nests + aggressive as martin came near but flew off after a couple of minutes (Neil Anderson)
East India Dock Basin: 20+ Common Terns including 13+ adults, 2 juvs (9 now fledged this year), 5 chicks, 3 Tufted Duck, 1 Sand martin, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Blackcap singing, 1 Jersey Tiger (John Archer)
King George V Res; 20+ Common Sandpiper, 100+ Cormorant, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 12 little Egret, 100,s of moulting Tufted Ducks, 3 Kestrel ( 1 juv. being fed rodent by adult), Small Copper, Brown Argos, Small Tortoiseshell (Tony Clancy)
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: 2 Treecreeper (two different areas), 2 Stock Dove, Painted Lady, Jersey Tiger (Stuart Fisher)
London Wetland Centre: 3 Black-tailed Godwit over early and 5 Common Snipe disturbed from grazing marsh. 30+ Swift, 6 Little Ringed Plover (ad and juv on mail lake, ad and 3 chicks on wader scrape), 2 Peregrine on Charing Cross Hospital, 2 male Ruddy Duck, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Kingfisher (1 on wader scrape, 1 in Wildside, both juv), adult and immature male Kestrel, imm. male Sparrowhawk, at least 4 adult Common Tern plus 1 fledged juv and 1 almost fledged chick (reservoir lagoon), Reed and Sedge warblers showing well beside Headley hide. Clouded Yellow butterflies seen in front of Headley hide, in Wildside and on the grazing marsh plus 1 Painted Lady butterfly widside (Martin Honey)
Mayflower Park: Kingfisher(Bob Smith)
Motspur Park: 2 Peregrine Falcons on gas holders (Bob Smith)
Oak Hill Woods NR / Oak Hill Park, East Barnet, Herts. EN4: 6 post breeding Black-headed Gulls & a Common Gull. Adult & 2 Juvenile Little Owls (Bob Husband)
Pinner Park Farm: Red Kite, Common Buzzard, Rook, 238 Jackdaw, 2 Green Woodpecker, migrant Chiffchaff, Coal Tit & 2 Swift (Jon Ridge).
Ravenscourt Park, W6: juv Sparrowhawks heard calling + 2 briefly seen in flight harassed by Magpies (Neil Anderson)
Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: juv Yellow-legged Gull with narrow jet-black tail band & indistinct inner-primary windows flushed 0520 fr canal bank onto Cumberland Basin area 27 - promptly dive-bombed by local pr Herring_Gull fr roof of floating chinese restaurant, f Green Peafowl 0550 Primrose Hill Bridge a46 - presumed escape fr nearby Snowdon Aviary, 4+ Willow Warbler small influx (RPBirders)
Totteridge Valley: Little Owl, 1 Willow Warbler, Buzzard, 2 Bullfinch, 5 House Martin, 3 Swallow, 2 Swift (John Colmans). This evening: Little Owl, 3 Grey Heron, Swift (Ian Ellis).
Trent Park: Spotted Flycatcher 4 ( see below Vic Farm-edge of park), Goldfinch 12, Blackcap 4, Garden Warbler, Swallow 4, Mandarin 2. ( Pete Lowman).
Beckton: 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Grey Wagtail in creek, Kestrel perched on lamp post on Jenkin's Lane at 5pm (Peter Beckenham)
Blackheath: Red Kite s low overhead 17:25. (Patrick English)
Brent Reservoir: Wood Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper, Common Snipe, 3 Lapwing (Andrew Haynes/Steve Blake); + 2 Dunlin after AH left (SB).
Broomfield Park, Palmers Green, N13: 7 Little Grebe pr and five young at least two weeks old - good photo opportunity for someone with camera (Robert Callf)
Dagenham Chase: Wood Sandpiper 1455 & again eve (BirdGuides)
Lee Valley: Avocet (juv) still on Cornmill meadows. Also 2 Green Sandpipers feeding in flooded cattle field, plus Barn Owl hunting in the area (J.murray).
London Wetland Centre: 1 Dunlin, 3+ Little Ringed Plover +juvs, 5 Common Tern +3juvs, 1 Peregrine, 1 Kingfisher (Adam Salmon).
Limehouse E14: Oystercatcher circling and calling. Flew high over Canary Wharf at 16.50 (Paul Hyland).
Crossness: Garden Warbler in protected area scrub, 2 Clouded Yellow (James Hudson)
Dagenham Chase:Wood Sandpiper,Black tailed Godwit,3 Green Sandpiper,7 Egyptian Goose on slack 8pm (Steve Bacon)
Gallions Reach: 2 Peregrine, Hobby, Little Egret, 13 Common Sandpiper, 2 Redshank, 30+ Jersey Tiger moth. (Gary A James & Paul Davis).
Hampstead Heath: 3+ Reed Warbler at Highgate 1 Pond. 3 Little Grebe at Kenwood Wood pond. Common Tern, 6+ Nuthatch, 5+ Green Woodpecker, 7 Swifts (Chris Bird).
Hyde Park: Common Sandpiper Long Water (HP&KG blog)
London Wetland Centre: Snipe, 6 Little Ringed Plover- 3 ads + brood of 3, male Ruddy Duck, juv Willow Warbler, juv Whitethroat (J.Wilczur)
KGV Reservoir: South Basin-2 Sanderling- 08:00-08:24 flew of high South, Adult Peregrine, 1 Smew, 1 LRP, 1 Redshank, 21 Common Sandpiper (Neville Smith).
Mayflower Park: Cuckoo(Bob Smith)
Motspur Park: 2 Peregrine Falcons on gas holders.(Bob Smith)
Natural History Museum: 3 Moorhen (2 adults, 1 juvenile) in Wildlife Garden. (Matt Reed)
Pinner: Common Buzzard being assulted by gulls. To think that even a Sparrowhawk (which I ticked in 1973) was once a mega London raptor(Richard Francis).
Roehampton University: Two broods of Tufted Duck, two broods of Moorhen and Coot brood. (Matt Reed).
Ten Acre Wood area: m Pheasant + 5 juvs, 9 Heron, 3 Red Kite present when I arrived 7.30, hunting low, 1 mobbed by Kestrels, 1 landed in newly cut field; 2 eventually left together at 8.45 heading high towards Ruislip + third bird remained on site, pr Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, 5 Kestrel (family of 4), 4 Lapwing, 4 Little Ringed Plover (3 ad, 1 fully grown juv- 1st successful breeding for 2 years), Green Sandpiper, c10 Swallow, 2 Reed Bunting, 15 Linnet, 3 Clouded Yellow (Neil Anderson/G. Westley)
Tottenham Marshes: Jersey Tiger on patch between allotments and Pymmes Brook. (Quentin Given)
Walthamstow Marshes: Yellow Wagtail on the paddocks c10.30am (Stuart Fisher)
Walthamstow Res: Lockwood: Oystercatcher, 7+ Common Sandpiper, 2 Peregrine, adult and begging juv., 23 young Common Tern on raft. High Maynard, 4 roosting Little Egret on island, Kingfisher. East Warwick, 3 Common Sandpiper. No.4 1 Common Sandpiper. (Paul Whiteman) No.4 3 Black-tailed Godwit flew North towards Lockwood at 16:45 PW per Pete Lambert)
WaterworksNR: Sparrowhawk calling in tree on boardwalk, kestrel hovering over meadow, many reed warblers, Cetti's seen on wall between bed 15 & 16, buzzard over, many gatekeepers, 2 ringlets, common blues, 1 Clouded yellow, 1 Red Admiral, many emperor dragonflies and broad bodied chasers. (Susan Huckle)
Saturday 26th July 2014
Alexandra Park: 2 Ringlet Lower Slopes, 2 House Martin, 2 Swift, 2 singing Common Whitethroat (Bob Watts, Henry Wyn-Jones)
Barbican: Two just hatched Moorhen broods. (Matt Reed).
Bexleyheath: 500-600 Black-headed gulls feeding high over Horsham Road - 4.30pm (Ralph Todd)
Brent Reservoir: Wood Sandpiper in afternoon, Redshank, 3 Green Sandpiper, 18 Common Sandpiper, 5 Lapwing & 3 Swallows over (Brent Birders)
Hammersmith Bridge: 5 House Martin (1pr feeding at nest) (Nathalie Mahieu).
Little Venice: Mute Swan pair with cygnets. (Matt Reed).
Kingfishers, LWC
London Wetland Centre : 2 Kingfisher showing well on wader scrape (photo added), 3 adult Little Ringed Plover and 3 chicks, 3 Common Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper main lake, imm. male Sparrowhawk and a female later, Peregrine on Ch. X. Hospital, adult Hedgehog seen. Following a call from Richmond Park about a high flying juv. Marsh Harrier heading to Barnes - managed to pick it up over the overflow car park before it stooped and landed on the grazing marsh near Peacock hide (Martin Honey) - Did the Marsh Harrier leave E towards Fulham around 3pm? (Nathalie Mahieu). Hi Natalie, apparently not as it was still there being mobbed or feeding at 5pm (Martin). Thanks Martin, after discussion on twitter appears we saw a different one by CXH (NM).
Margravine Cemetery: Marsh Harrier over at 3pm (picked up soaring South, then flew NE), 7 House Martin (Nathalie Mahieu).
Moor Park nr Rickmansworth: Turtle Dove h - no public access (Steve Carter per Herts BC)
Oak Hill Woods, NR / Oak Hill Park, East Barnet, EN4: 2 Red Kites high over valley, female Sparrowhawk in flight, Juvenile Sparrowhawk near nest site calling, 20 post breeding Black-headed Gulls in the Park, noisey family of Nuthatches, Blackcap singing (Bob Husband & Fay Broom)
Regent's Park: Tufted Duck 3f & 21 new yg, Garden Warbler autumn-1st wildlife gdn area 20 (RPBirders)
Richmond Park, Pen Ponds: juv Marsh Harrier low over at 14.00 then gained height and glided NE towards LWC and after a quick phone call...(see above), Buzzard in heavy moult, Hobby with Swift prey, male Kestrel in a box- a rescued bird, Sparrowhawk male, 3 Little Owls called at 15.00, 5 Greylag flew SW, Tufted Duck brood of 7, 8 Great Crested Grebes- 6 ads + 2 juvs, Grey Heron- 4 pairs fledged 10 young, Water Rail heard, Common Tern- 3 pairs fledged 5 young, 22 Black-headed Gull flew SW early a.m., 100 Swift, 5 Swallows included juvs, juv Grey Wagtail, 2 juv Stonechat still, c400 Starling, 15 Reed Bunting included juvs (J.Wilczur)
Ruislip Lido area: 11 Gadwall, Green Sandpiper in far end marsh, Kingfisher (LNR), 11 flying Common Terns (adults+ juvs) + 1 fairly downy young on raft, 4 Swallow, c30 House Martin, Painted Lady (Neil Anderson/K. Bull) Singing Sedge Warbler and Little Grebe (Martin Smith)
Staines Reservoir: Black-necked Grebe, Common Sandpiper and Dunlin (Jim Sweetland)
Ten Acre Wood area: 3 Little Ringed Plover ( 2 adults 1 juv ) 10 Lapwings. ( G Westley )
Trent Park Equestrian Centre: 24 Swallow incl at least eight juvs on shed roof and overhead wire at 15:10 hrs (Robert Callf).
Friday 25th July 2014
Brent Reservoir: 3 Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, 5 Common Sandpiper, Ruff, Common Gull, Kingfisher (Andrew Haynes). 2 WoodSandpipers feeding from Main Hide (Steve Leeke) until 4.00 at least
Broadwater GP: Little Egret (at nest) (C Lamsdell)
East India Dock Basin: c30 Common Tern (6+ chicks in 4 broods on raft, 2 juvs of 7 which have fledged so far, c20 adults), c50 Swift south at 13:05, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Sand Martin, Reed Warbler singing (John Archer).
Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 3 Mandarin (includes 2 well grown juveniles with adult), Two Moorhen broods, Mallard brood, Two Coot broods, well grown Egyptian Goose brood, two Greylag Goose broods (Matt Reed).
Knightsbridge: 12 House Martin, including 2-3 visiting nests at Kuwaiti Embassy, Swift (Matt Reed).
London Wetland Centre: 2 Swallow, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover brood + adults, 1 Hobby, 2 Whitethroat, 20 House Martin (Adam Salmon).
Olympic Park (River Lee Navigation): female type Black Redstart (James Palmer)
Motspur Park: 2 Peregrine Falcons on gas holders(Bob Smith)
Lakeside, EN2: 3 Tufted Duck female and two ducklings, 3 Goldcrest pr feeding at least one juv,1 Coal Tit, 1 Treecreeper (Robert Callf).
Ruislip Lido/ Poor's Field: pair of Egyptian Goose, 15 Tufted Duck, drake Pochard, 15 Common Tern (including juveniles), 21 House Martin, 2 Swallow, Swift, 2 Green Woodpecker, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Willow Warbler, several Chiffchaff & Blackcap, Whitethroat & Grey Wagtail (Jon Ridge).
Snaresbrook/Leyton Flats: Treecreeper in oak behind court, 5 Great crested Grebe including new brood of 2 chicks on Eagle Pond, Coal Tit, 11 Mistle Thrush, 11 Tufted Duck (Stuart Fisher)
St James's Park: 2 Sparrowhawk, Peregrine just before it started raining (13:30) (James Hudson)
Trent Park Equestrian Centre : 19 Swallow on shed roof incl juveniles probably not fledged here - no nests found with young (Robert Callf).
Fulham Riverside: 6 House Sparrow (5 fledglings + m) (Nathalie Mahieu).
Hackney 15+ Swifts swooping and calling over Ridley Rd Market 11:00 (Sue Barry)
London Wetland Centre: 2 drake Ruddy Duck, Pair of Little Ringed Plover still with 4 chicks, Yellow Wagtail, Painted Lady, Yellowbelly Turtle (R.Kaye)
Motspur Park: 2 Peregrine Falcons on gas holder (Bob Smith).
Northbrook Park SE12: 11 Common Swift, several fluttering up under a building's roof eaves (Patrick English).
North Finchley: c15 Swift above house this am (John Colmans).
Paddington Basin: Three broods of Tufted Duck in close proximity at Eastern end. (Matt Reed).
Pinner Park Farm: Red Kite, Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Little Owl, 2 Rook, 278 Jackdaw (a record count), Jay, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 13 Stock Dove, 16 Swift, 10 Goldfinch & 2 Grey Heron (Jon Ridge).
Stanwell Moor: Hobby, Sandwich Tern and Yellow Wagtail (C Lamsdell)
Trent Park: Garden Warbler, Common Swift(s), Goldfinch 10, ChiffChaffs, Mandarin 3 eclipse m, G V White,Purple Hairstreak, Common Blue, Lge White, Small White,meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, Dark Green Fritillary. (Pete Lowman).
Wormwood Scrubs: Male Whinchat in grassland though elusive (Birdguides).
Wanstead Flats: SSSI and Long Wood: 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 20+ Common Whitethroat, 15+ Chiffchaff, singing Willow Warbler, Yellow Wagtail over, 2 Meadow Pipit, 4 Skylark, Sparrowhawk with food, 5+ Swift, 6+ House Martin, 4 Stock Dove, family of 5 Mistle Thrush and a family of 6 Goldfinch (Nick Croft) Hi Nick, do you have any advice on locating the Lesser Whitethroats? Thanks. There are pairs in the SSSI (north part), either end of Long Wood, and 2 pair east of the Alex, they aren't singing currently but can be picked up by their alarm calls (see map on blog). Hope this helps, NC. Much obliged Nick.
Wapping: several House Martins at Hermitage Basin, clearly nesting close by (heard also on opposite bank at Rotherhithe), Grey Wagtail at St Saviour's Dock (John Colmans).
London Wetland Centre: pair Little Ringed Plover plus 4 chicks, pair Peregrine on Charing Cross Hospital, male Sparrowhawk in Alder in reedbed, juvenile Grey Wagtail on island in entrance lake, brood of 6 Shoveler (plus adopted Tufted duckling), 2 Painted Lady butterflies, one Kingfisher seen (Martin Honey)
Mayflower Park: 2 Peregrine Falcon, Cuckoo flew west (Bob Smith)
Oak Hill Woods NR, East Barnet, Herts. EN4: Juvenile Sparrowhawk calling near nest site, adult Sparrowhawk flew off hunting, adult Common Buzzard, Kestrel & Swifts overhead, Nuthatch & Chiffchaff calling (Bob Husband)
Stoke Newington Reservoirs: fem Red-crested Pochard, Tufted Duck brood of 3, Common Sandpiper, m Reed Bunting (TeRNS)
Vicarage Farm, Enfield: 6 Spotted Flycatcher pair still feeding young at 21:05 hrs (Robert Callf/Robin White)
Wanstead Flats: 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 7+ Chiffchaff, 5 Little Grebe, 2 Common Gull, 5 Skylark, 1-2 Meadow Pipit, 10 + Swift, 6+ House Martin (Nick Croft/Marco Johnson) Northern Wheatear, earliest return record (Gary Hewett)
Wanstead Park: Little Egret, 2 Grey Wagtail, Peregrine Falcon carrying food, Reed Warbler, 2 Common Tern, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Little Grebe, Gadwall, Swift, House Martin (Nick Croft/Marco Johnson)
Tuesday 22nd July 2014
Barbican: Grey Wagtail calling. Nest seen on Friday is now vacant (Charlie Farrell)
Belmont Open Space SINC, East Barnet, Herts. EN4: Brimstone Butterfly (Bob Husband)
Clapham Common: Reed Warbler hammering away in the now substantial reedbed at Mount Pond (Mark H)
London Wetland Centre: On 20th July Chalkhill Blue on Entrance Paddock,first site record.(R.Kaye)
Lonsdale Road Reservoir: approx 100 Black-headed Gulls (site record for me), 2 Common Tern (1 juv, I guess from Barnes WWT), 1 Song Thrush, 3 Reed Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 5 Swift, 6 House Martin (Rich Petley)
Mile End: 10+ House Sparrows flying to Rhondda Grove gardens first double figure count in past decade (Bob Watts).
Oak Hill Woods NR, East Barnet, Herts. EN4: Juvenile Sparrowhawk calling near nest site, Kestrel (two reported recently after an apparent absence all spring) over adjacent fields (Bob Husband)
Pinner Park Farm: 3 Red Kite, 2 Common Buzzard, male Kestrel, Little Owl, 99 Jackdaw, 11 Stock Dove, Green Woodpecker & 12 Swift (Jon Ridge).
Richmond Park: Wheatear- north end Pen Pond causeway (S.Read per JW); Meadow Pipit collecting food (J.Wilczur)
Roxbourne Park (Yeading Brook): Kingfisher along the brook (Jon Ridge).
Southall: 5 Clouded Yellow on industrial site (Neil Anderson)
St Paul's/Ludgate Hill: Black Redstart still singing around St Paul's (Ian Bradshaw).
Vicarage Farm, Enfield: 5 Spotted Flycatcher incl three juveniles on wooden fencing - it would appear that these have bred nearby but gone undetected until fledging (Robin White per R Callf).
Victoria Tower Gardens, Westminster: Common Sandpiper E along Thames at 0835 (Frank Nugent).
Tufnell Park: Hobby over the tube station chasing Swifts this morning (Francis Tusa)
Worcester Park: Peregrine on pylon(Bob Smith)
Sunday 20th July 2014
Alexandra Park: 70+ Swift in tight bunches preparing to migrate, highest site count for year, 49 Black-headed Gulls Wood Green Res inc 2 juvs, Purple Hairstreak Race track, no Great Crested Grebes Wood Green Res perhaps abandoned site to nest elsewhere? (bob Watts).
Brent Reservoir: 6 Green Sandpiper, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 6 Lapwing & 3 Common Sandpiper (Andrew Self & Roy Beddard)
Crossness: 3 Yellow-legged Gulls (2 adults & 1st-summer), 5 Teal and Common Sandpiper (Richard Bonser & Ian Millar)
Greenway adjacent Olympic Stadium: Little ringed Plover present for 3rd consecutive month, 2 Reed Warblers, 7 Sand Martins and Swift (Harry Harrison)
Hampstead Heath: Shoveler at Highgate 1 Pond (Frank Nugent).
London Wetland Centre: 4 Black-tailed Godwit flew over SW 0640hrs, 1 Hobby, 2 Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover chicks, 2 Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff (Adam Salmon). Also 27 Teal, Shoveler brood of 6 still, Gadwall brood of one still, 2 male Ruddy Duck, Black-tailed Godwit on the main lake flew off east at 09.40, 6 Little Ringed Plover- 3 adults & brood of 3, Common Sandpiper, 45 Lapwing including 2 full grown young, 2 Kingfisher, 2 juv Cetti's Warbler (J.Wilczur, WWT website)
Lower Chingford (off Russell Lane): 4 Greenshank, Green Sandpiper (James Palmer)
Oak Hill Woods NR, East Barnet, Herts. EN4: Adult Sparrowhawk "Yikkering" near nest site and last chick (of six) now fledged, Nuthatch calling, Blackcap, Stock Doves, Great Spotted Woodpecker, juv. Green Woodpeckers, Bullfinch calling, Swifts overhead (Bob Husband)
Rotherhithe: juvenile Mediterranean Gull off Greenland Pier 6.55pm and coming to bread; also 2 juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls (regular bird on Greenland Dock and new bird on groynes by Greenland Pier); also 6 Common Terns (3 juvs) Greenland Dock (Richard Bonser)
Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 ad + juv Green Woodpecker, 4 Grey Wagtail; c30 Gatekeeper (TeRNS)
Crossness: juvenile Mediterranean Gull off the golf centre, also 3 juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls, 2 1st-summer Common Gulls, Redshank, 4 Common Sandpipers, 30 Swifts and a Harbour Seal in Barking Bay (Richard Bonser)
London Wetland Centre: pair Little Ringed Plover with three newly hatched chicks (possibly still incubating 4th egg), a third adult LRP, 2 Green Sandpipers (wader scrape), 1 Common Sandpiper and 2 male Ruddy Duck (main lake), Whitethroat, Kingfisher seen several times catching fish (sheltered lagoon), Shoveler brood of 6 ducklings - plus 1 adopted Tufted duckling, large numbers of Black-headed Gull feeding on emerging flying ants (Martin Honey)
Rainham Marshes: 2 Yellow-legged Gulls by stone barges (Richard Bonser)
Rotherhithe: juvenile Yellow-legged Gull showing well on Greenland Dock by watersports centre and juvenile Common Gull (very early) off Greenland Pier (Richard Bonser)
The Slade, Plumstead Common SE18: 20 Common Swft in a bunch over ahead of pouring rain 08.00am. (Patrick English).
Trent Park: possible juv Med Gull seen at distance thro' bins on ploughed field south of Ride Wood with mixed flock of Black-headed, Herring and Lesser Black-backed - flew off before confirmatory views were obtained (Robert Callf).
Vicarage Farm: 4 Spotted Flycatcher pr feeding two juvs - possibly a migrating family party, as there was no sign here earlier in the year? A nice record anyway! (Robert Callf).
Walthamstow Reservoirs, Lockwood: 11 Common Sandpipers, 1 adult summer Greeshank. Green Sandpiper in channel to the North. 2 vigorously singing(!) Reed Warblers in channel to the West. (Paul Whiteman)
Friday 18th July 2014
Alexandra Park: Hobby over Lower Slopes 1325, Common Tern 1730 (Henry Wyn-jones BobWatts).
Brent Reservoir: 6 Green Sandpiper, 5 Lapwing, 2 Common Sandpiper & Little Egret (Andrew Self), Oystercatcher through at 1900, Little Egret into roost at 2100 (Frank Nugent).
Ewell Village: 10 Common Swift, 2 singing Blackcap, 1 Grey Heron, 41 Black Headed Gulls (Neil Batten).
Kennington SE11: Hobby (Steven Robinson)
London Wetland Centre: Garganey, Black-tailed Godwit, Little Ringed Plover (WWT website); Garganey appears to be a male. Showing well from WWF hide 1250 - photo added (C.Beazley)
Brent Reservoir: Ruff (still present for 6th day), 6 Lapwings, 3 Little Ringed Plovers (Roy Beddard).
Cockfosters / East Barnet, Herts. EN4: 5 Swifts (some calling) in assumed family party (Bob Husband).
East India Dock Basin: 1 Teal (first of autumn), c20 Common Tern including 4 fledged juveniles (making 6 fledged so far) & 3 unfledged young still on the raft, 23+ Tufted Duck, Reed Warbler singing, Pied Wagtail juv, Grey Wagtail (John Archer).
Gallions Reach: 6 Oystercatcher,8 Common Sandpiper (KJMcmanus).
London Wetland Centre: 1 Yellow Wagtail over W, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover imm., 1 Nuthatch (Barnes Common/Beverley Brook), 3 Kingfisher (Beverley Brook) then later 2 birds seen at WWT, 1 Swallow (Adam Salmon).
Mill Hill NW7: noisy juv Grey Wagtail in service road behind Mill Hill Broadway shops (Andrew Haynes).
Redbridge Lakes: at least 5 Reed Warblers (Alan Hobson).
Regent's Canal, E8: Three House Martin nests occupied in block set for demolition, hopefully after the birds have left (Michael Rank).
Richmond Park: Purple Emperor- a tatty individual, perhaps female, at boundary of Ham Cross Plantation and Pond Slade (J.Wilczur).
Trent Park: 2 Kingfisher together lower lake (Robert Callf).
Wanstead Park: Nuthatch calling in Bush Wood (Bob Vaughan).
Wednesday 16th July 2014
Brent Reservoir: Ruff (5th day), Redshank, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 7 Lapwing, 7+ Common Tern chicks, fem Teal. (Steve Blake, Nick Haslett); Ruff & Redshank still at 4pm (Andrew Haynes).
Highbury Fields N5: Coal Tit calling by public baths (Ian Bradshaw)
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: Treecreeper, Peregrine soaring over lunchtime (Stuart Fisher)
London Wetland Centre: 1 Shoveler brood (6 ducklings), 26 Teal, 2 Little Ringed Plover (WWT website). Still 3 Little Ringed Plover (nesting pair plus a juvenile), Peregrine circling over Hammersmith, Sparrowhawk with prey, Kingfisher across main lake despite island maintenance, Brown Hawker dragonfly on approach to feeders (Martin Honey)
Oak Hill Woods NR, East Barnet, Herts. EN4: Sparrowhawk nest - Female still feeding remaining chicks in nest. More advanced juvs branching and returning to nest to peck at prey items. (Bob Husband & David Hills).
St James's Park: Drake Ruddy duck still present (James Hudson)
Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: 1 Mandarin fem with 7 young, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Kestrel, Bullfinch, 17 Swift, 4 Swallow, 4 House Martin, Mallard with 4 young on Totteridge Green Pond, usual warblers (John Colmans)
Trent Park: 2 Common Sandpiper lower lake - settling on willow branches, adult Common Tern, 67 Black-headed Gull incl 5 juvs on ploughed field, Kingfisher (Robin White, Robert Callf, Pete Lowman).
Brent Reservoir: Ruff (4th day), 5 Little Ringed Plover, 5 Lapwing, Common Sandpiper (Roy Beddard, Andrew Haynes).
Brookmill Park: Kingfisher, Swift, Song Thrush (Conrad Ellam)
Clissold Park: Common Tern fishing in smaller of 2 lakes 4:00 (Sue Barry)
Greenwich Park: Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Song Thrush, 2 Nuthatches in Deer Enclosure; also many Small Tortoiseshell larve, Comma larvae, a Brown Argus butterfly was a surprise. Also (23:50) Common Sandpiper heard going overhead (Joe Beale).
Brent Reservoir: Ruff (3rd day), 4 Little Ringed Plover, 6 Lapwing, c.50 Swift, 2 singing Garden Warbler (Andrew Haynes); (late afternoon) 2 Green Sandpiper, Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk, 2 Little Grebe, Greylag Goose & 5 House Martin (Jon Ridge). Andrew, is there a particularly reliable area at the Brent for White-letter Hairstreak? Will be up there this week and be grateful for any info. With many thanks, Mark. — Hi Mark. Look in the tops of the trees by the main path just north of the Bomb Crater Pond on the reservoir’s north bank (see "P" on map here). — Andrew. Thank you Andrew, this is very kind and helpful, I'm enormously grateful, Mark.
Brookmill Park: Song Thrush, Goldcrest, 3 Blackcap (Conrad Ellam).
Bushy Park: Common Buzzard juvenile, 26 Swallows, 6 Reed Warblers, 6 Chiffchaffs, 9 Common Whitethroats (Tony Duckett).
North Finchley: Painted Lady and Red Admiral on garden buddleia (John Colmans).
Harefield: 1 Red Kite, Northwood Road (Roger Dewey).
Broomfield Park, Palmers Green N13: 7 Little Grebe pr with five chicks, pr Egyptian Goose, 6 Tufted Duck, 15 Black-headed Gull incl one juv, 5 Goldcrest pr with three juvs - 2nd brood here this year, 1 Jay (Robert Callf)
London Wetland Centre: Yellow Wagtail over heading East at 17:40 (Catherine Beazley); Painted Lady, also Marbled White on Barnes Common (R.Kaye).
Richmond Park: Common Sandpiper 5.40am, Hobby, 5 Common Tern juveniles (Tony Duckett).
Rotherhithe (Greenland Dock): juv Yellow-Legged Gull, 2+ House Martin, 3 Common Tern. Coot, Great Crested Grebe and Mute Swan with young (Charlie Farrell)
Sunday 13th July 2014
Brent Reservoir: Ruff, 7 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 7 Lapwing, 35 ad Common Terns (8+ chicks), 6 Egyptian Goose, Greylag Goose, brief view of Peregrine, singing Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff (Brent Birders and NW London RSPB Group).
East Barnet EN4: Three Lesser Black-backed Gulls on green along West Walk (continuation of Oak Hill Park) (S.Javes)
East Dulwich SE22: Curlew SW (flew calling over my garden) (Steven Robinson)
Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park: Kingfisher, Reed Warblers, Common Terns including three nearly-fledged young; other young apparently left nests in the past week. Also Odonata including Brown Hawker and Emperor (Joe Beale).
Ladywell Fileds: Little egret (Alwyne Kennedy)
London Wetland Centre: 31 Teal, 5 Shoveler, 2 Ruddy Duck, 2 Mandarin, 8 Little Grebe, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 127 Black-headed Gull, Kingfisher, Yellow Wagtail, singing Whitethroat, singing Chiffchaff (WWT website) Marbled White (Peter Gray) Gadwall- new brood of 3, Pochard- new brood of 5, 33 Lapwing including a new chick and an old one, Common Tern- two broods of four young still on rafts, juv Sedge Warbler (J.Wilczur)
Rainham Marshes RSPB: 2 Wood Sandpipers on Purfleet Scrape, Garganey on Aveley Flood, Redshank chick still on Wennington, Marsh Harrier and Buzzard over old silt lagoons, recently fledged Bearded Tits on dragonfly pools, Willow Warbler in Cordite scrub, 4 Shelducks still on stone barges (Ian Bradshaw)
Richmond Park: Hobby over Lower Pen Pond and then sitting in tree on edge of Saw-Pit Plantation eating large dragonfly and scanning area north of ponds at 3:15-3:25pm. Also usual Green and Greater-Spotted Woodpecker and female Kestrel. (TWHV) 2 Little Owl in trees just before Pen Pond car park café 11am (Steve Woolfenden)
Rotherhithe: juvenile Yellow-legged Gull still showing well on Greenland Dock in evening (Richard Bonser)
Ten Acre Wood area: Little Egret, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel, 2 Little Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper, up to 5 Skylark, Meadow Pipit, 8+ Swallow, 2 Reed Bunting, 18 Linnet, Marbled White (my first here), Blood-vein (Neil Anderson) 3 LRP present in the evening, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, 13 Stock Dove & 16 Swift. Also a Comma Butterfly (Jon Ridge).
Saturday 12th July 2014
Battersea Park Lakes: Kingfisher, Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe (1 adult, 1 advanced juvenile), 35 Gadwall, 10 Pochard, 9 Mute Swans (2 adults + 7 cygnets) (Nick Rutter)
Brent Reservoir: Ruff, 8 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 6 Lapwing (Roy Beddard, Andrew Verrall).
Hampstead Heath: Red Kite over at 1110, Hobby over at 1700, Purple Hairstreaks and 1 Marbled White (Frank Nugent).
Holland Park: Moorhen brood on Wildlife Pond, with another on nest at Lord Holland's pond. (Matt Reed)
London Wetland Centre: male Ruddy Duck, new brood of 3 Little Grebe, pair Little Ringed Plover still on nest plus one juvenile, male Kestrel, Common Sandpiper (Martin Honey)
New River Walk, Canonbury: 13 Moorhen (three broods and one adult on nest), 6 Mallard (one brood, with young diving very proficiently). (Matt Reed).
Osterley Park: Female Blackcap, Common Tern, Cormorant, Egyptian Goose, 6 Great Crested Grebe (2 chicks), Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, 22+ Jackdaw, Jay, 2 Kingfisher flying along east side of middle lake, 13 Mandarin, 4 Mistle Thrush, 3+ Ring-necked Parakeet, 3 Swift (Richard Woolley).
Paddington: ad Peregrine (Charlie Farrell)
Springfield Park: Moorhen brood. (Matt Reed)
Wanstead Flats: 5 Common Gull, 40 + kettling Black-headed Gull feeding on flying ants, 3 Skylark, 40 + Swift, 6 House Martin, Lesser Whitethroat (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: 3 Reed Warbler, 2 Little Egret, 3 Little Grebe, 4 Great-crested Grebe, 10 + Black-headed Gull (+ 1 juvenile), 2 Common Tern, f Shoveler, Kingfisher, 30 + Swift, House Martin (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan/Jono Lethbridge)
Beddington Farmlands: Common Snipe, juv Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, 4+ Green Sandpipers (David Campbell/Ian Jones).
Brent Reservoir: 3 Little Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper, Redshank, 7+ Common Tern chicks, 6 Lapwing (3 E Marsh 3 N Marsh), Family groups of Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Garden Warbler and Goldfinch around "dump" area (Steve Blake/Richard Coombes)
Enfield EN2: 3 Tawny Owl adult and two juveniles (one juv with prey) being mobbed by Great Spotted Woodpecker and Mistle Thrushes at 11:15 (Robert Callf).
Gutteridge Wood: Common Buzzard perched (Jon Ridge).
[[Hampstead Garden Suburb: Tawny Owl calling vigorously in Little Wood during performance at open-air theatre (John Colmans)
London Wetland Centre: 2 Black-tailed Godwit (WWT web site); Ruddy duck again - main lake (Catherine Beazley)
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: Oystercatcher East at 10:10 (presumed to be same bird as one seen over Blackhorse Road at 6:10am), 2 Common Tern, Sand Martin, Whitethroat singing, 2 Green Woodpecker, 3 Black-headed Gulls (Stuart Fisher)
Oak Hill Woods NR, East Barnet, Herts. EN4: Sparrowhawk nest - 6 chicks - 3 well advanced "branching" and 3 downy white in nest. Male called and delivered prey to Female who fed chicks. Female then perched nearby (Bob Husband & David Hills).
Alexandra Park: 28 Black-headed Gulls all adults bar 1 juvenile 0700 cricket pitch (Bob Watts).
Barnes: Little Egret on Thames foreshore in front of Harrods buildings (M Ruscoe).
Beddington Farmlands: Wood Sandpiper, Greenshank, 3+ Green Sandpipers, Common Sandpiper, Little Egret (David Campbell).
Brent Reservoir: 6 Lapwing, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Green Sandpiper, 100+ Swifts, singing Garden Warbler (Roy Beddard).
Lee Valley, Cornmill Meadows: 9 Lapwing, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Greenshank, 6 Green Sandpiper, Dunlin (Simon Papps)
London Wetland Centre: 2 Little Egret, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper (WWT web-site) Peregrine Falcon on Charing Cross Hospital, male and juvenile Kestrel, Kingfisher, nesting Little Ringed Plover, 2 new Common Tern chicks (Res. Lag.) (Martin Honey)
Maida Vale: Swift screaming over The Warrington Hotel at 2100 (Matt Reed).
Marylebone: 2 Swift over Shroton Stree (Matt Reed)
Meath Gardens E2: 14 House Martins (Harry Harrison).
Rotherhithe: juvenile Yellow-legged Gull still on Greenland Dock from the Watersports Centre mid evening (Richard Bonser)
Roxbourne Park (Yeading Brook): Bullfinch, 5 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tit, 4 Long- tailed Tit, Jay & 4 Swift (Jon Ridge).
Wednesday 9th July 2014
Brent Reservoir: (pm) 3 Wigeon (feeding between rafts and mudbanks), 2 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Lapwing, 1 ad Common Gull (Andrew Haynes).
Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens: 1 fem Mandarin, 1 Little Owl, 9 Red-crested Pochard, c12 Swift - Kensington Gardens only, pm visit (Charlie Farrell)
Lewisham, Vicars Hill, SE13: Probable Red Kite mobbed by several Carrion Crows, flying NW at treetop height across Hilly Fields. Viewed 12.00 very briefly from my office 500m away without bins, but appearance and flight seemed right (Patrick English)
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: Common Tern on Hollow Pond, 3 Great Crested Grebe (1 juv Hollow Pond, pr, female on nest at Eagle (Stuart Fisher)
London Wetland Centre: Ruffflew off west (WWT web-site)
Oak Hill Woods NR, East Barnet, Herts. EN4: Female Sparrowhawk fed 5 half grown downy chicks in Oak tree nest, juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker & singing Blackcap (Bob Husband)
Roding Valley Park: Kingfisher, Swift (Alan Hobson).
Rotherhithe: juvenile Yellow-legged Gull still porning it on Greenland Dock this evening (Richard Bonser).
Stratford: Black Redstart (Paul Whiteman)
Trent Park: Kingfisher (Robert Callf)
Valentines Park Ilford: 9 Egyptian Geese, includes the 5 youngsters from this year's brood who all survived amazingly. (Barbara Miller)
Tuesday 8th July 2014
Alexandra Park: Common Tern, 30+ adult Black-headed Gulls Wood Green Res 1730 (Bob Watts).
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Little Egret west, 2 Great Crested Grebe (one with possible nest site on Eagle Pond), 7 Tufted Duck, 2 Black-headed Gull, Coal Tit, c5 Swift (Stuart Fisher)
London Wetland Centre: 4 Spoonbill flew north at 12.00 (WWT)
Mile End Ecology Park: Reed Warbler, Common Whitethroat (both singing), 2 Tufted Duck 1f 1 juv (D Bates)
Pinner (HA5): 1 Red Kite (Shailesh Patel)
Rotherhithe: lovebird sp. flew upriver along River Thames 19:30 near The Angel pub (Richard Bonser)
Tyttenhanger GPs: Greenshank, 3 Green Sandpiper, Red Kite, 3+ Tree Sparrow, (Steve Blake/David Booth)
Crystal Palace Bus Station: 8 Swifts low flying round house suggest nest site (Michael Mac).
Crystal Palace Park Lake: f Kestrel on ground, 2 Swifts, calling Chiffchaff, Great-crested Grebe on 2nd brood - 1st young fed by other adult (Michael Mac).
Lewisham, Algernon Road: 10 Swifts. (Phil Laurie)
Leyton, Jubilee Park: Little Egret, seen distantly, flying South this morning. Most of the Walthamstow colony tend to feed to the North up the Lea or occasionally East to the Roding. (Paul Whiteman)
London Wetland Centre: juv Little Egret, Red Kite, Little Ringed Plover pair still incubating,150 Swift (R.Kaye)
Richmond Park: Little Owl hooting at 07.15, another out in the open at 09.30. Pen Ponds: 11 Common Terns- 3 pairs with 5 young, 5 young Grey Heron in 4th & 5th nests, Tufted Duck brood of 2 young, 6 Great Crested Grebe- 2 pairs and a brood of two, 5 juv Kestrel from two broods, Sand Martin, 2 juv Stonechat nearby (J.Wilczur)
Redbridge Lakes and Roding Valley Park: 2 Reed Warblers (one a juvenile), Blackcap, 2 Swifts (Alan Hobson).
Rotherhithe: juvenile Yellow-legged Gull showing well and coming to bread on Greenland Dock mid evening; also leucistic Black-headed Gull off Greenland Pier (Richard Bonser)
Trent Park: 4 Treecreeper 2 adults 2 juveniles - 5th family party here so far this year (Robert Callf/Robin White).
Wanstead Flats: 2 Garden Warbler, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, Kestrel, f Pochard, 10 + House Martin, 30 + Swift (Nick Croft/Marco Johnson)
Wanstead Park: 2 Kingfisher, 3 Little Egret, Reed Warbler, House Martin, 10 + Swift, 13 Black-headed Gull, 4 Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Grey Wagtail (Nick Croft/Marco Johnson)
Sunday 6th July 2014
Brent Reservoir: 5 Lapwing, 8 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Redshank, 3 Green Sandpiper, 50+ Swift (Roy Beddard)
Barnet, Dollis Valley meadows:- Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap and Chiffchaff still all singing this morning.(Geoff Crabtree).
Colindale: Little Egret in the Silk Stream, north of Colindeep Lane. (Deb Jackson)
Crossness: adult summer Mediterranean Gull at the outfall in evening, 18 Black-tailed Godwits (including orange flag ringed French bird), 7 Lapwings, 2 Ruddy Shelduck x Shelduck hybrids and 2 Egyptian Geese on the foreshore (Richard Bonser)
Gallions Reach: 10 Black-Tailed Godwits, 6 Lapwing, 6 Common Sandpipers, 4 Oystercatcher, 1 ad Yellow-legged Gull. (Gary A James & Paul Davis)
Hampstead Heath: Red Kite low over NW at 1100 and some Ringlets on slope opp running track (Frank Nugent).
KGV reservoir: 3 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Oystercatcher, 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Redshank, 1 immature Peregrine, 2 Kingfisher, 5+ Little Egret, 4 Ring-necked Parakeet, 4 House Martin (amongst 300+ swifts and hirundines). 2-3 Reed Warbler, 4 Sedge Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 8 Linnet, 2 m Reed Bunting (Neville Smith).
Muswell Hill N10: Red Kite low over 10.15 mobbed by Peregrine. Headed north towards Alexandra Park (Tony Jakeman)
Oak Hill Woods NR, East Barnet, Herts, EN4: NW London RSPB Group Sparrowhawk Watch Report - 14.45: Female fed 3 (or 4?) downy white chicks in Oak tree nest (Bob Husband).
Rotherhithe: pair of Common Terns and fledged young still on Surrey Water (Richard Bonser)
Brent Reservoir: 5 Lapwing, 6 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Green Sandpiper, 6 Common Tern chicks on rafts, 250+ Swift (Roy Beddard)
Brookmill Park: Kingfisher, Stock Dove, Swift, Song Thush, 2 Blackcap, 2 House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam)
Crossness: juvenile Mediterranean Gull (by golf centre then by the outfall), 2 Ruddy Shelduck x Shelduck hybrids (in Barking Bay then by the outfall), 2 Yellow-legged Gulls (2nd-summer and 1st-summer), 150 Shelducks (Richard Bonser and Mike Robinson)
Deptford: pair of Herring Gulls and chick on wooden structures east of Deptford Creek (Richard Bonser)
Greenwich: 3 singing Reed Warblers and 25 Cormorants by the O2 (Richard Bonser)
Kilburn: 10 Swift around Fordwych Rd. (Matt Reed).
Isle of Dogs: Mediterranean Gull (adult summer) on Thames shore at Saunders Ness, 3 Common Gulls (Sean Huggins)
London Wetland centre: Red Kite at 11.45am -Sparrow Hawk and Kestrel [Les McCallum] nesting Little Ringed Plover, a second adult and a juvenile, 2 almost fledged Lapwing chicks plus a new brood of 2 Lapwing (Martin Honey)
Mayflower Park wetland, Worcester Park: Kingfisher at 16.25 (Simon Osborn)
Osterley Park: Common Tern, Common Whitethroat, 2 Cormorant, 6 Egyptian Goose, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Grey Heron, Greylag Goose associating with 20+ Canada Goose, Herring Gull, 14+ Jackdaw, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 12 Mandarin, Mistle Thrush, 6+ Ring-necked Parakeet, 7 Swift (Richard Woolley).
Regent's Park: Quick trip produced Pochard (two broods), very brown juv Black Headed Gull, Moorhen (one brood and one on nest), Magpie family group, just fledged Canada Goose gosling (at least the second brood of the year) (Matt Reed).
Rotherhithe: pair of Common Terns and fledged young on Surrey Water (Richard Bonser)
Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Little Ringed Plover, 3 Black-tailed Godwit (rare here), 2 Grey Wagtail, singing Reed Bunting. Also 2 Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown (TeRNS)
Ten Acre Wood area(pm visit): record site count 11 Heron (all juvs, 5 on ground + rest over low in loose flock), Buzzard, family 4 Kestrel, 8 Lapwing, 2 Little Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper, c25 Stock Dove, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Nuthatch, c30 Linnet, 2 Purple Hairstreak (Neil Anderson)
The Water Gardens W2: Two Moorhen broods (probably to same adult pair and possibly a new Inner London breeding location) (Matt Reed).
Brent Reservoir: 4 Little Egrets flew over, also 7 Little Ringed Plover & 5 Lapwing (Andrew Self); add - 4 Green Sandpiper, 10+ Swift, 4 House Martin, 3 Common Tern chicks. From Hides only. (Steve Blake)
Brookmill Park: Kingfisher, Stock Dove, Swift, Song Thrush, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 6 House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam)
East India Dock Basin: Kestrel, 3 Sand Martin (James Palmer)
Ewell (Hogsmill Open Space): 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 2 Common Whitethroat, 1 Common Swift, 1 Banded Demoiselle, 1 Beautiful Demoiselle (Neil Batten).
Gallions Reach: 2 Ruddy Shelduck (James Palmer); could these be the two hybrids seen at Crossness on Saturday? Yes, could well be - they were somewhat distant (James Palmer)
Hampstead Heath: 1 Kingfisher and 1 Common Tern (Frank Nugent).
Kingston Bridge:Peregrine soaring over Holme park and Kingston bridge 12pm [Les McCallum]
Ladywell Fields, Lewisham: House Sparrows, Coal Tit family (just outside park), Blackcap, Chaffinch, Song Thrush, several m+f Banded Demoiselles, Red Admiral (Joe Beale and Yu-Hsuan Lin).
Little Wormwood Scrubs: 4 Swift, 2+ calling Goldcrest, 2 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Southern Hawker, numerous Meadow Brown and Large Skipper butterflies (Charlie Farrell)
London Wetland Centre: Spotted Flycatcher - on willow opposite Dulverton hide (Catherine Beazley) Hobby, Lesser Whitethroat, 15 species of common butterfly,including 7 Gatekeeper first of year seen yesterday and single Ringlet.(R.Kaye) Peregrine over, nesting Little Ringed Plover (Martin Honey)
Mayflower Park: first juvenile Swallows-at least 2(Bob Smith)
Mile End: Reed Warbler singing from reed bed adjacent to canal Ecology Pavilion, Sand Martin over Arts Pavilion lake (Bob Watts).
Olympic Park, Greenway: 2 Little Ringed Plover (JW Davies)
Richmond Park: Hobby over Lower Pen Ponds at 6:30pm, catching dragonfly and eating them on the wing - then hunting acrobatically low over the bracken north of the ponds (TWHV)
Rotherhithe: 3rd-summer Yellow-legged Gull on River Thames east of Greenland Pier late a'noon; also Sand Martin visiting nest hole by River Thames adjacent to Convoys Wharf, 100+ Herring Gulls, 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Common Tern Greenland Dock (Richard Bonser)
Uxbridge (over Uxbridge High School) 2 Red Kites (Alex Randall)
Thursday 3rd July 2014
Alexandra Park: 1 Hobby (male - looking), W to E along Palace S. Slopes, 18.15 hrs (Jonathan Cooke).
Bankside: 2 juv Peregrine on Tate Modern chimney (Charlie Farrell)
Brent Reservoir: adult Mediterranean Gull on Northern Marsh until 1300 then flew, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Green Sandpiper, 5 Lapwing, 1 Greylag Goose. Marbled Whites & Ringlets (Frank Nugent).
Clapham High Street: Red Kite being mobbed by crow over rail station (J. Limb)
East India Dock Basin: 1 Little Ringed Plover, Little Grebe juv, 4+ Common Tern chicks on raft +c16 adults, 1 Shelduck, 30+ Tufted Duck, singing Reed Warbler, singing Blackcap, c4 Sand Martin, Grey Wagtail (Charlie Farrell)
Ingrebourne Valley, Hornchurch Country Park and Ingrebourne Hill RM13: A visit to my old haunts. 40 species located. Some 100 Common Swift and 80 House Martin over the parklands. f. Hobby actively stooping at Common Swifts over the hay cutting at Albyns Farm. Swifts cluster up in defence and none caught. 1 m Kestrel perched watching for prey in the cut hay. 1 Cetti's Warbler, widespread Reed Warblers and 4 singing Reed Buntings in Ingrebourne Marshes. 18 Lapwings and family groups of Mallard Duck, Coot and Moorhen throughout marshes. 30 Canada Geese, 10 Greylag Geese and a pair of ad. Mute Swans with 7 well grown cygnets on Tit Lake (from one brood?), Albyns Farm. A pair of GC Grebes displaying, a Little Grebe calling and 12 Tufted Ducks on Stillness Lake. 3 singing Skylarks. Ingrebourne Hill. Blackcaps, Common Whitethroats and Chiffchaff widespread in the tree plantations and hedgerows, now well grown since many others and myself planted them in the 1980's. Singing Garden Warbler in bushes just n of Tit Lake, Albyns Farm. Cock Pheasant Low Field Wood. 2 Weasels scurrying up and down pathway over Ingrebourne Hill. (Patrick English).
London Wetland Centre (pm visit): Stock Dove, sub-adult Great Creasted Grebe, pair of Little Grebe with 2 chicks, pair nesting LRP plus one additional adult, one of two large Lapwing chicks, numerous fledged Black-headed Gulls, several pairs Common Tern with young and sitting, singing Cetti's, Chiffchaff and Garden Warblers, numerous family groups of Reed Warbler. Comma, Red Admiral, Brimstone, Small and Essex Skippers, Meadow Brown butterflies (Martin Honey), adult Mediterranean Gull (WWT website).
Wanstead Park: Little Egret, adult and 3 Great Crested Grebe chicks, 3 adult Little Grebe, Swift, House Martin, Little Egret, Grey WAgtail (Nick Croft)
Brookmill Park: am: Kingfisher, 2 Swift, 2 Blackcap, 2 Goldcrest, Coal Tit, 9 House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam) pm; Common Buzzard w (patch tick) Sparrowhawk, 2 Kingfisher
Chelsea Bridge Wharf (Battersea): Peregrine with prey, Grey Wagtail with juv- locally bred (Neil Anderson)
East India Dock Basin: Little Grebe juv (first record this year), Little Egret, 9+ Common Tern chicks on raft, Swift, 2 Shelduck, 21+ Tufted Duck, singing Reed Warbler, singing Blackcap, Sand Martin, Grey Wagtail, Brown-banded Carder Bee (John Archer & Jo Dowle).
Folly Lane: Green Sandpiper, 5-6 Grey Wagtail (James Palmer)
Highgate School: 2 Common Buzzards(Henry Wyn-Jones).
Lower Chingford: Lapwing, 2 Green Sandpiper (James Palmer)
Mile End: Sand Martin, 5+ Swift, Common Whitethroat (Bob Watts).
Rotherhithe: 1st-summer Common Gull and 150+ Black-headed Gulls (moving upriver, including 1st juvenile of year here) (Richard Bonser)
Ruislip Lido: Red Kite, pair of Egyptian Goose, 6 Great Crested Grebe, drake Pochard, 8 Tufted Duck, Gadwall, 2 Common Tern, Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler, several Blackcap & Chiffchaff, 15 Swift, 7 House Martin, Long-tailed Tit & Nuthatch (Jon Ridge).
St James's Park: 1 Grey Wagtail, 4 House Martin, 2 Swift, drake Ruddy Duck, 2 Kestrel together high over east end of Park, 1 Peregrine over Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre just outside Park (Frank Nugent).
Totteridge Valley: 3 Common Buzzard, pair Kestrel, c8 House Martin, 2 Swallow, 9 Swift, Grey Wagtail on Dollis Brook (John Colmans)
Tyttenhanger GPs: Redstart (male still at 09.15) Yellow-Legged Gull (adult) (Steve Blake/David Booth)
Victoria Park: West Lake - Pochards broods of 1 and 7, Mallard broods of 2,8,9, 2 fem 2 juv Red crested Pochard, 10+ Swifts (Bob Watts).
Alexandra Park: Adult Black-headed Gull 0700 (Bob Watts).
Arnos Park: 2 juvenile Goldcrest (no sign of any adults) (James Palmer)
Brookmill Park: Kingfisher, Swift, Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 3 House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam) A pair of Tufted Duck drifted in with the tide @ 5 pm; something of a rarity in the park.
Chiswick Mall: Hobby circling over small House Martin colony on houses; 10 of latter above Hobby; Hobby went into dive but missed; also juv Grey Wagtail (Neil Anderson)
London Wetland Centre: juv Little Egret, 2 male Ruddy Duck, female Mandarin, one young Pochard, 1st- summer Hobby with missing inner primaries in left wing hunting low over marsh, juv Kestrel, juv male Sparrowhawk hunting Starlings, 3 Little Ringed Plover- nesting pair and a juv, 30 Lapwing including 2 juvs & 2 young, Common Tern- 5 broods of 8 young & a sitting pair, 147 Black-headed Gull- 115 adults + 32 juvs, 2 male Kingfisher together, 3 Pied Wagtail- ad + 2 juvs- 2nd brood, (J.Wilczur) [I have deleted comments on the RD cull, this argument is over Administrator.
Pinner Park Farm: 5 Red Kite, 2 Common Buzzard, Hobby, 3 Rook, 195 Jackdaw, 9 Stock Dove, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 28 Swift, Mistle Thrush, Jay & Black-headed Gull (Jon Ridge).
Swanley Park : 2 newborn Moorhen chicks appeared from same tree nest 2nd brood,, 1 week after previous 2 were predated, female continued incubating whilst male fed first 2 chicks until killed (Andy Meaton)
Thorney CP: Buzzard over, 2 Kestrels, Green Woodpecker, 3 Chiffchaff, 4 Pochards, 3 Jays, 14 Common Terns with at least 8juvs, 2 Great Crested Grebes and 2juvs, Common Whitethroat, 3 Stock Doves, Grey Heron (Sue Giddens)
Tyttenhanger GPs: Redstart, male seen briefly at 09.30 and again at 11.45 TL200 056. Little Owl, Red Kite, Buzzard. (Steve Blake)
Westminster: Peregrine flying over the Thames by the Houses of Parliament 15.50 (Alex Randall)
Woolwich: Queen Elizabeth Hospital: Pied Wagtail f and fledged juv (Joe Beale).
Monday 30th June 2014
Beddington Farmlands: 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 1 Red Kite,1 Common Buzzard, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 LRP, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Peregrine, 4 Kestrel, 1 Hobby, 6 Swallow, 4 Sand Martin (White-letter Hairstreak, Purple Hairstreak on site, 6+ Marbled White)
Brent Reservoir: Green Sandpiper, 4 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Lapwing, plus Ringlet on path to main hide (Andrew Haynes).
East India Dock Basin: Little Egret NE at 12:40, 10+ Common Tern chicks on raft, Shelduck, 23 Tufted Duck, 1 Swift, 1 Sand Martin, 1 Reed Warbler singing, 1 Blackcap singing (John Archer)
London Wetland Centre: Yesterday's report of a Purple Emperor has vanished and has been replaced by a White Admiral? Was the initial record incorrect or were both in fact seen? Thank you. Hallo,whoever you are. I made an error. In spite of having watched both species for some 40 years, I realise that I have not knowingly seen an "extralimital", exploring WAd. It was high above the trees, on the move, with a very powerful looking gliding flight and looked large.I always find gliding flight seems to exaggerate the sense of size with butterflies. Unfortunately I hadn't seen either species yet this year. As with all "rarities" it was completely out of context and I made the wrong call. Later after looking at lots of video I realised that in spite of my initial impressions wing markings and shape confirmed it as a WAd (R.Kaye) Thank you for this clarification.
Stoneleigh KT17: Adult Moorhen in front garden of No.8 Glenwood Road 18:00 (Neil Batten).
Tyttenhanger GPs: 3 Black-Tailed Godwit, Barnacle Goose, Little Egret, 61 Lapwing, 4+Tree Sparrow, Red Kite, Buzzard. (Steve Blake)
Wanstead Flats: Buzzard sized raptor circling on flat wings heading high towards Leytonstone, so if anyone nails a Honey B...., singing Garden Warbler, singing Lesser Whitethroat (pus 2 young), 30 + Swift, 6 House Martin, Stock Dove (Nick Croft)
Sunday 29th June 2014
Alexandra Park: 4+ Ringlets Lower Slopes (Bob Watts).
Brent Reservoir: 2 Avocet from the main hide. (Nigel Biggs)
Brookmill Park: Stock Dove, Swift, Song Thrush, Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 11 House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam)
Crossness: 3rd-summer Yellow-legged Gull again on the jetty, 30+ Common Terns (including 2 juveniles), c.500 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Redshank (first returning bird), 5 Lapwings (Richard Bonser).
Hampstead Heath: Common Buzzard over, Black-headed Gull back on Hampstead 1 Pond. Painted Lady at Sanctuary Pond (Frank Nugent).
London Wetland Centre: White Admiral,1st record, 2 drake Ruddy Duck still. One constantly displaying. I can sympathise, I have had some dry patches but probably not as long as his is going to be. (R.Kaye). A nice holiday in Spain should fix that for him. Probably get shot before it can even think about it! Still the parakeets are laughing!!
Richmond park: Hobby over Pen ponds 7.30am ,female mandarin duck and hunting Female Kestrel (les McCallum)
Park Wood: Tawny Owl calling at 21:10 (Jon Ridge).
Pinner (Grove Avenue): Grey Wagtail along the River Pinn (Jon Ridge).
Ruislip Lido: 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Egyptian Goose, 1 Little Ringed Plover, House Martins, Swift, Sparrowhawk and 3 Common Tern. 1 Red-eared Terrapin. (Shailesh Patel). LRP on main raft at 20:50 - many thanks (Jon Ridge).
St James' Park: Pochard duckling with adult female, Mallard brood (just hatched), Egyptian Goose gosling (just hatched) with adult, two Mute Swan broods, 2 Moorhen juveniles. (Matt Reed).
Totteridge Valley: singing Reed Bunting in grassland, Lesser Whitethroat family group, Kestrel, Mistle Thrush, 7 Swift plus good numbers of butterflies, especially Ringlet (John Colmans)
Wembley: 4 Herring Gull chicks from 3 broods at Wembley Retail Park and nearby rooves. Lots of Lesser black-backed in area also. (Matt Reed)
Saturday 28th June 2014
Alexandra Park: Reed Warbler adjacent to Wood Green Res near kestrel box (Alan Gibson per Bob Watts).
Brent Reservoir: Little Egret, 2 Green Sandpiper, 5 Lapwing (2 ad, 3 juv), 6 Little Ringed Plover (inc 1+ juv) (Brent Birders)
Brookmill Park: 3 Little Egret, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush, 5 Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 8 House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam)
Crossness: 3rd-summer Yellow-legged Gull on jetty, c.800 Black-headed Gulls at high tide (several juveniles), Lapwing, 12 House Martins and 1 Sand Martin (Richard Bonser).
East Acton: c12 Swift, singing Coal Tit, Collared Dove (Charlie Farrell)
Hammersmith Bridge: Little Egret (8:30, went towards Chiswick), 3 House Martin (Nathalie Mahieu)
Hampstead Heath: 1 Gadwall, 1 Pochard and 1 Kingfisher at Hampstead 1 Pond (Frank Nugent).
Isle of Dogs: 19 Herring Gull chicks from 10 broods, 5 Lesser black-backed Gull chicks from 3 broods in NE section. Common Tern, Great black-backed Gull also in area. Tannoy near colony blaring out Larus distress calls but if done to scare them off has done so to little avail! (Matt Reed)
London Wetland Centre: Little Egret, pair of nesting Little Ringed Plovers and two lapwing chicks (wader scrape); Peregrine on Ch. X. Hospital, LRP family group (2 adult, 2 juvenile) on main lake joined at times by 3rd 'resident' bird, 2 male Ruddy Duck (reservoir lagoon) (Martin Honey/A. Innes)
Marylebone, NW8: At least 3 Herring Gull chicks from 2 broods on roof of Cherwell House on Church Street (Matt Reed).
Richmond Park: juv female Peregrine NE over Pen Ponds at 07.15 (anon per JW) Peregrine- probable female of indeterminate age flew NE with prey at 06.45, Pochard duckling still, Common Tern- 3rd brood of 2 young, c.380 Herring Gulls flew SE 07.15-08.45, ad Lesser Black-backed Gull mobbed by terns, Kingfisher, Sand Martin NE (J.Wilczur)
Roehampton, SW15: Swallow- breeding pair confirmed in stables just beside Richmond Park gates (J.Wilczur)
Ten Acre Wood area: very quiet. Family 3 Kestrel, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 15 Lapwing, 5 Stock Dove, 5 Linnet (Neil Anderson/K. Bull)
Waltham Abbey, Avey Lane: hunting female Sparrowhawk, Little Owl, 20+ Stock Dove (Simon Papps)
Waterworks NR: Several Reed Warblers, Chiffchaff, pair of Teal, Cetti's (heard not seen), stock doves & little Egret in flood relief channel. (Susan Huckle)
Yeading Brook Meadows: Red Kite, singing Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Ringlets (my first for this area), Marbled White (site first for me- good population in nearby Horsenden Hill + also Ruislip Woods areas), first Ruddy Darter of season (Neil Anderson/K. Bull)
Friday 27th June 2014
Blackheath Dips: Reed Warbler singing quietly in bushes (no water here), also juv and singing Whitehtroats, Chiffchaff (Joe Beale).
Brent Reservoir: (late pm) 1 Greylag, 1 Little Egret (with tarsi appearing yellow-green rather than black), 3 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Lapwing, 4 Green Sandpiper, Lesser Black-backed Gull raiding a Coot nest to feed a cootling to its own two chicks, 4 Stock Dove, plus a few Swift and House Martin (Andrew Haynes).
Cowley, Uxbridge: 1 Hobby flying directly over recreation ground and A 408. (Roger Dewey)
East India Dock Basin: 20+ Common Tern, including at least 3 broods of 2 and 6+ incubating adults, Shelduck, 7 Tufted Duck, 3+ Sand Martin, Reed Warbler singing (John Archer)
Millwall Docks: 5 Great Crested Grebe including pair at nest, Common Gull 1st summer, 10 Tufted Duck, Common Tern (John Archer)
Rotherhithe: 2 Oystercatchers east along River Thames from Hilton Hotel at 9pm; 2 Collared Doves Rotherhithe New Road near South Bermondsey station (Richard Bonser)
Ruislip Lido: 3 Grey Wagtail, pair of Egyptian Goose, 8 Common Tern, 6 Great Crested Grebe, 9 Tufted Duck, 7 Gadwall, 62 Mute Swan & 2 cygnets, 5 Swift, 7 House Martin, several Chiffchaff & Blackcap (Jon Ridge).
Ruislip (Mead Way): Little Egret along the River Pinn (Jon Ridge).
St Pauls: Juv Peregrine attempting raid on Lesser Black-Backed Gull 'nest' on office rooftops. One brood of 3 and at least 1 more active nest in the area (Charlie Farrell)
Walthamstow Reservoirs, Lockwood: Curlew flew south (Lol Bodini, Paul Whiteman). Banbury: 1 Green Sandpiper (flood relief channel), pr Gadwall, Lesser Whitethroat (L Bodini).
Thursday 26th June 2014
Brent Reservoir: 3 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Lapwing (2 Adult, 2 Juv.), 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 44 Common Tern (Roy Beddard)
Ewell Village: Red Kite circling high over centre of village 12:50 - 13:00 at least, 1 Black-headed Gull, 1 Greylag, 2 Grey Heron, 3 Grey Wagtail incl. a recently fledged juvenile, 2 Common Swift (Neil Batten)
Hampstead Heath: Common Buzzard spiralling on a thermal above the Lido at 1515 (Pete Mantle)
Pinner (Grove Avenue): Little Egret along the River Pinn (Jon Ridge).
Pinner Park Farm: 3 Common Buzzard, Red Kite, Hobby, 5 Rook (inc two juveniles) - the first breeding record in Harrow for some years, 212 Jackdaw (a record count at this site), 11 Stock Dove, 20 Swift, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Grey Heron & a family of Whitethroat (Jon Ridge).
Trent Park: 2 Red Kite soaring at great height (Robert Callf).
Wearside Lewisham SE13: f Grey Wagtail feeding 2 juv along River Ravensbourne. (Patrick English)
Brookmill Park: Kingfisher, Stock Dove, Song Thrush, 3 Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 4 House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam)
St James's Park: Grey Wagtail, drake Ruddy Duck and 3 Black-headed Gull (Frank Nugent).
Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 3 Shoveler, Little Ringed Plover, Kingfisher, Nuthatch (scarce here), Meadow Pipit; Ringlet; Brown Hawker (TeRNS)
Wanstead Flats: 3 Lesser Whitethroat (2 singing), singing Garden Warbler, singing Meadow Pipit, 3 singing Skylark, pr Pochard, 10 Little Grebe (5 new chicks), 10 Swift, House Martin (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: 2 Little Egret, Kestrel, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Tern, 5 Black-headed Gull, Grey Wagtail (Nick Croft)
Tuesday 24th June 2014
Abney Park Cemetery: Very sad to report the female Tawny Owl found dead on Saturday. We hope the male can support the 4 owlets. Any advice appreciated if there's anything we can do. (Adam Hudson and Tony Butler). There’s little you can do unless you can offer them live rodents: in any case, two-thirds of all Tawny Owlets die in their first year after their parents have driven them out of the territory -- and those who have lost their mummy presumably face even less chance of survival (Andrew Haynes). WHAT A HAPPY CHAPPY YOU ARE! Owls will feed on worms, frogs and all sorts, trying leaving what food items you can near the nest - better to have hope & give every chance, then admit defeat, such as our friend here! good luck.
Brent Reservoir: Little Egret behind dam 07.00 (Andrew Self); 3 Little Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper, Redshank, 10 Lapwing, Garden Warbler, some Swift feeding very high, only 1 House Martin seen (S Blake); (evening visit) 2 Little Ringed Plover, 11 Lapwing, 4 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 16 Black-headed Gull, 3 Teal (2m,1f), 1 House Martin, 1 yellow Budgerigar (Andrew Haynes).
Crayford Marshes: male Marsh Harrier, Little-ringed Plover, Corn Bunting, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Redshank, 2 Sedge Warbler, 20 Lapwing, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 8 House Martin, 6 Common Tern, 4 Blackcap, 2 Oystercatcher. (Kev Jarvis).
Greenwich Park: Treecreeper (scarce here), 4 small Moorhen chicks, 3 well grown Coot young, juv Stock Doves, Goldcrest juveniles fed by adults, m Whitethroat singing, several Blackcap families, 2 Mallard broods (Joe Beale)
Richmond Park: Juvenile Little Ringed Plover 8.05-8.25am at least, Upper Pen Pond. Many thanks to the finder (R. Herbert) who alerted me to it (Spencer Neal); still present at 10.00 when flushed by dog-walker & flew off NW, Pochard brood of one young, Grey Heron - 2 more broods of >6 young, 12 Common Tern - 3 nesting pairs with 2 broods of 4 young and 2 other adults briefly; Little Owl out in the open at 10.30, 2 juv Swallow Pen Ponds (J.Wilczur); discovered Sparrowhawk nest with at least 4 healthy chicks almost ready to fledge - 2 are already branching (J.Barnes).
Wanstead Flats: Turaco, singing Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, 6 Skylark, Garden Warbler, 20 + Swift, 8 House Martin, Kestrel, Stock Dove (Nick Croft). Did you really say 'turaco'? if so what type? tropical bird? no? 3.15pm 2 Peregrines high over Aldersbrook adjacent to the Flats (John Richardson). The Turaco (a White-cheeked Turaco, I believe, has been here for years and is a regular in the park, mad as stink! NC).
Wanstead Park: singing Stock Dove, Reed Warbler, Grey Wagtail, 8 House Martin, 10 Swift, 4 Little Grebe (Nick Croft).
Clapton e5: Black Kite picked up low headed NW at 19.20. Harrassed by local sprawk, gathered height v quickly. missing single primary feather on its left wing.g, (Jamie Partridge)
Crossness: 3rd-summer Yellow-legged Gull by the jetty, 9 Teal, 11 Lapwing, pair of Oystercatcher with 1 young, Lesser Whitethroat (Richard Bonser & Mike Robinson)
Enfield Town: New River adjacent to Southbury Road: 1 Grey Wagtail, also singing male in Church Street (Phil Rhodes/Robert Callf).
Hampstead Heath: Lapwing circling over Parliament Hill at 1115 then away N 5 mins later. Also Common Buzzard SE, 2 Common Tern, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 juv Little Grebe at Wood Pond, 2 Kingfisher in Willow at Sanctuary Pond (Frank Nugent).
Horsenden Hill: 11+ Marbled White, 4 Ringlet, 9 White-letter Hairstreak + my first Small Skippers + Southern Hawker of year (Neil Anderson/K. Bull)
Kingston Bridge: 2 Sand Martin, 7 House Martin 1 Black Headed Gull, 3 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 13 Herring Gull including the albinistic individual again, which has been in the area for a couple of months now (Neil Batten)
London Wetland Centre: adult Kittiwake on Lake for 40 minutes then flushed by Grey Heron and drifted off north, 2 Shelduck flew east, Lapwing- 2 new broods of one young each, 2 Little Ringed Plover, >29 young Black-headed Gull, 7 nesting pairs Common Tern (J.Wilczur) 8 Shoveler (2f, 6m); 4 Teal (2m); 6+ broods of Tufted Duck; 1 Pochard brood (of 2) (Matt Palmer)
Richmond Park: Little Owl East of White Ash Pond, Buzzard over Pond plantation with approx.3ft snake - mobbed by Crows. Also - Southern Hawker, 2 Broad Bodied Chasers, 6 Black Tailed Skimmers. Numerous Blue Tailed, Azure, Common & Large Red Damselflies. Banded Demoiselles. (Steve Woolfenden) Hobby near Holly Lodge turn off from main road - 3pm (Paul Angus)
Ten Acre Wood area (early pm visit):Little Egret, pr Buzzard, Red Kite, Kestrel, Hobby, 13 Lapwing, 2 Little Ringed Plover, c35 Stock Dove, 40+ Swift, Skylark, 2 Swallow, 3 Meadow Pipit, 4 Linnet, Bullfinch,pr Red-veined Darter in tandem + egg-laying in open temporary pool where mobbed by Black-tailed Skimmers (female of which also egg laying as was Emperor) (Neil Anderson)
Waltham Abbey church: Red Kite east at 11am (Simon Papps)
Wanstead Park: Hoopoe briefly in flight over Wanstead Cricket Club towards the basin, not seen subsequently (first for 38 years), Egyptian Goose with young (Basin), Common Tern (Jono Lethbridge); Reed Warbler carrying food, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Common Tern, Grey Wagtail, 2-3 Little Egret, singing Goldcrest, Swallow north, 4-5 House Martin 50 + Swift, Grass Snake in Roding (Nick Croft)
Saturday 21st June 2014
Brent Reservoir: Little Egret, Lapwing, 2 Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper & Green Sandpiper; also 34 Marbled White, 15 Ringlet & 2-3 White-letter Hairstreaks (Brent Birders)
Crossness: Little Egret, 400+ Black-headed Gull (including 5 juveniles), 2 Lapwing, pair of Oystercatchers with 1 young (John Archer & Richard Bonser).
Fulham Reach (Thames area): 4 House Martins (breeding again on patch for 1st time in 3 years), 6 Egyptian Goose (inc 1 young) (Nathalie Mahieu).
Richmond Park Golf Club: pair Kestrel seen from A3 (James Massey)
Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 2 Shelduck, Little Ringed Plover, 3rd yr Gt Black-backed Gull, Kingfisher (TeRNS)
Uxbridge: Red Kite being mobbed by Carrion Crows over Civic Centre car park c.16.15 (Alex Randall)
Walthamstow: Red Kite, aimlesssly circling viewed from Lockwood Res. c.14:00. (Paul Whiteman, Sue Huckle). At about 18.30 all the crows and gulls started a cacophony and appeared to be mobbing something. A pale raptor glimpsed, could have been this kite.(Quentin Given) could this be the same bird? http://www.leevalleypark.org.uk/media/imageresize.ashx?img=4741_20140621000000_1.jpg&size=thumb&component=wildlife. That looks like an Osprey. There's a good reason for that though the original observer has it captioned as Buzzard. edit update: Looks like there is no such person on the LV site called 'chud pearce fordham' the Osprey photo and his Rough-legged Buzzard photo (both captioned as Buzzards!) posted the week before are both lifted from other sites, as is his Hobby photo which comes from the Portland Bird Obs site. We have another (or one of the earlier returned) mischief maker in our midst.
Wimbledon Common: Cuckoo 0715hrs. Pr Swallows feeding young, also juvenile Little Grebes present at Bluegate GP. (David Wills).
Friday 20th June 2014
London: White Winged Black Tern - currently being undisclosed (Birdguides). It was suppressed & now gone!
Ewell Village: 1 Blackcap, 3 Grey Wagtail, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Greylag paired with Canada Goose. p.s. no sign of returning Black-Headed Gulls as yet - they usually return by 15 June (Neil Batten)
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: family group of Willow Warbler, drake Pochard, Grey Wagtail, 3 Great Crested Grebe, Kestrel, 2 Grey Heron, 6 Tufted Duck, 1+ Coal Tit, Goldcrest (Stuart Fisher)
Richmond Park: Juv female Peregrine hunting low over grassland and attacking clumps of newly mown grass. later seen perched in dead oak and bearing red ring on left leg with what appeared to be white numbers/letters (J.Wilczur) 2-3 Kestrel - male bird spooked from perch by me avoiding a rather large grass snake; later a pair vicinity Spankers Hill Wood, 8 Swallow (juvs receiving in-flight meal from adults), 3 Grey Wagtail (adult pair + juv), 4+ Reed Bunting, singing Skylark in protection area, 4 Common Tern incl a juv, 4+ Grey Heron + juv, 7 Egyptian Goose, Black Headed Gull, 6+ Swift, 2pr Mute Swan each + 3 juvs, 2 Great Crested Grebe + 2 juvs (James Massey)
Rye Meads RSPB: 4 Black-necked Grebes (2 adults & 2 chicks) from Gadwall Hide. Please note that viewing restrictions do apply to avoid disturbance. (Simon West)
Trent Park: 2 Common Buzzard, 20 Common Swift, Collared Dove (unusually unusual here), 2 G S Woodpecker, 3 Blackcap, 4 ChiffChaff, 3 Garden Warbler, Nuthatch, R N Parakeet, Many Small White(s), 4 Ringlet, 8 Large White, 7 Gatekeeper - ( early date, not been recorded in Herts & Middx yet this year, are you sure of id?) - R Callf ( They do appear to be early but I am pretty sure- I will double check tomorrow or Monday), Meadow Brown, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, Comma and Small Heath. ( Pete Lowman).
Tyttenhanger GPs: Oystercatcher, Barnacle Goose (feral), Green Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, c20 Lapwing, 3 Common Tern, Little Egret, Hobby, 2 Cuckoo, 3+ Tree Sparrow, !0 Sand Martin, Red Kite, Buzzard, Garden Warbler. (Steve Blake)
Wanstead Flats: 2 Garden Warbler, 1st summer Common Gull (first returning bird of the Autumn), Egyptian Goose, 2 m Pochard, 5 singing Skylark, singing Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 10 + Swift, 2 House Martin (Nick Croft)
Waterworks NR: Cjhiffchaff, Reed Buntings feeding young, several Reed Warbler families, Jay, Green Woodpecker, Cetti's, Stock Dove, RN Parakeets, Ringlet butterfly, many Emperor Dragonflies and Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Heron & Little Egret over. (Susan Huckle).
Thursday 19th June 2014
Archway: 8+ swifts, at least 2 screaming and flying low into nest site (Dawn Painter)
North Finchley: A Swift found its way into one of our bedrooms: extricated from said bedroom (and from the attentions of the cat) with some difficulty but ultimate success (John Colmans)
St James's Park: Grey Wagtail, 4 House Martin, 4 Swift and drake Ruddy Duck (Frank Nugent).
Totteridge Valley: 2 Lapwing, male Kestrel, 7 Swift, Swallow, Rook, 2 m Bullfinch,three Black-headed Gulls over high plus good numbers of Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Whitethroat (John Colmans)
Enfield: 4 Little Egrets, New River by Bush Hill Road, Garden Warbler, Bush Hill Park Golf Course (Phil Rhodes)
Richmond Park: small flood pool by Roehampton Gate- Common Gull 1st-summer, Lesser Black-backed Gull 2nd-summer chased off an adult, 3 Black-headed Gull, Egyptian Goose brood of 5, Mandarin Duck broods of 6 & 4, Moorhen, 7 Swallow including >4 juvs presumably bred nearby. Also Meadow Pipit pair carrying food and a singing male in nearby grassland, 3 Skylarks carrying food and faecal sacs so presumably with young. Please keep to paths (J.Wilczur)
St James's Park: Grey Wagtail behind Pelican rock, 1 House Martin, 2 Swift, drake Ruddy Duck in situ (Frank Nugent).
Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 2 Shelduck, Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Sand Martin (TeRNS)
Tuesday 17th June 2014
Alexandra Park: Garden Warbler, followed one through the scrubby bit back of cricket pitch but heard others (Dawn Painter)
Battersea Park: 1 Kestrel, Great Crested Grebe 1 (a third grown chick) could be from April nests I thought were predated (Michael Mac)
City of London (EC2): two singing male Black Redstart this morning, one of which has been present on and off for c. 3 weeks (David Bradnum)
East India Dock Basin: 20+ Common Tern including 2 broods of 2 chicks & about 9 pairs currently nesting, 12 Tufted Duck, 2 Shelduck (John Archer).
London Wetland Centre: Yellow-legged Gull, 1st summer, the only large gull on site. (R.Kaye).
Rainham Marshes RSPB: Death's-head Hawkmoth trapped overnight and will be on display till 7pm (per John Archer).
St James's Park: 4 House Martin hawking voraciously over the Lake. 2 more over Buckingham Palace garden ( Frank Nugent).
Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 2 Shelduck, Sparrowhawk over, Little Ringed Plover, 3 Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, c20 Swift (TeRNS)
Wanstead Park: 3 House Martin, Reed Warbler, Swift, Common Tern, Little Grebe (Nick Croft); Wanstead Park p.m: 2 Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Peregrine on pylon plus Grass snake sunning itself by river (Jean-Patrick Elmes).
Monday 16th June 2014
Alexandra Park: 20+ mix of Swifts and House Martins next to res (Dawn Painter)
Brookmill Park: Stock Dove, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackcap, House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam)
Jenningtree Point , River Thames, Erith: 2 Oystercatcher, 3 Common Tern, 2 Goldfinch, 1 Whitethroat, 3 Grey Heron, 2 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 7 Herring Gull, 6 Black Headed Gull, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Swift.
St James's Park: 2 House Martin feeding low over Lake at lunchtime (Frank Nugent); also drake Ruddy Duck still (Andrew Self)
Victoria Tower Gardens, Westminster: 11 Black-headed Gull incl at least 2 Juv E, c40 Swift over South Bank (Frank Nugent).
Wanstead Flats: Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 20 Swift, 3 House Martin, 1-2 Kestrel, Little Grebe chick on Angel (first for many years, first time there has been appreciable water in the pond during the summer for many years) (Nick Croft)
Sunday 15th June 2014
Kensington Gardens & Hyde Park: Swift, Ring Necked Parakeet, Green Woodpecker, Grey Heron, Long tailed Tit, Egyptian Goose, Jay, Male and female Blackcap (rDo)
Albion Channel: Five broods of Moorhen, three broods of Coot - good numbers for the short length of this canal. (Matt Reed).
Burgess Park: Great Crested Grebe on nest, Coot brood, Moorhen brood, Reed Warbler singing, 2 Mute Swan. (Matt Reed)
Brent Reservoir: 4 Little Ringed Plover, Shelduck, Egyptian Goose, Greylag Goose & Cetti's Warbler (Andrew Self & Roy Beddard)
Brookmill Park: 2 Little Egret, Kingfisher, Stock Dove, 7 Swift, Song Thrush, 2 Blackcap (Conrad Ellam)
Brunel University Bicentenary Gardens: Calling Lesser Whitethroat (2 pairs present), 2 juvenile Bullfinch, 44 Bee Orchids in flower, one Pyramidal Orchid in flower and female Stag Beetle. (Roger Morton)
Canada Water: 2 Mute Swan with 5 cygnets, Great Crested Grebe with one good sized chick, Moorhen brood, Coot Brood, 4 Tufted Duck (Matt Reed).
Canonhill Common: 1 Kingfisher (James Dee)
Crouch End: 1 Hobby over, early evening (James Lowen)
Croydon town centre: Herring Gull nest with three well grown chicks and another pair taking food to a different rooftop. Also several pairs of Lesser Black-backed Gull present, one bird carrying what appeared to be nest material. (John Birkett)
Edmonton: Lesser black-backed gull with two chicks on factory roof on Orbital Business Park (Matt Reed).
Gallions Reach: Marsh Harrier female over @14.20, Common Buzzard, Hobby, 2 Avocet downriver @ 13.25, Redshank, Little Gull 1st sum, 27 Swift, 25 House Martin, Swallow. (Gary A James and Paul Davis).
Osterley Park: 2 Chiffchaff singing, Common Tern, Common Whitethroat, Egyptian Goose, 5 Great Crested Grebe (3 chicks), Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, 4 Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, 3+ Jackdaw, Jay, 2 Kestrel, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Owl, 13 Mandarin, 5 Mistle Thrush, 3 Pochard, 4+ Ring-necked Parakeet, 2 Swift (Richard Woolley).
Regents Park: Kestrel feeding 3 young, 4 broods Great-crested Grebe; 1 with first brood of 2 fledged chicks and a 2nd (Michael Mac)
Richmond Park: late visit.. Kestrel, 2 Grey Heron, Green Woodpecker, 3 Reed bunting, 2 Great Crested Grebe + 2 juvs, 2 pr Mute Swan + 6 juvs, Common Tern chasing off LBBG, Black Headed Gull, 2 Egyptian Goose, too many RN Parakeet (James Massey)
River Lea (Ferry Lane to Chalk Bridge): Three pairs of Mute Swan with young (including one pair with 9 cygnets), four broods of Mallard, two broods of Coot, 2 Egyptian Goose, Moorhen. (Matt Reed).
Southwark Park: 2 Egyptian Goose, 2 Mute Swan with 5 cygnets, six broods of Coot, one brood of Moorhen (Matt Reed).
Brent Reservoir: 3 Little Ringed Plover, Greylag Goose, Egyptian Goose, Cetti's Warbler & pair of Jackdaw feeding young - first breeding record since 1950s (Brent Birders)
Brookmill Park: Hobby, Stock Dove, 2 Swift, Song Thrush, 5 Blackcap, House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam)
Crossness: 2 Teal, 2nd-summer Common Gull, 500 Black-headed Gulls (including an early juvenile) and 4 Oystercatchers (Richard Bonser).
Elephant & Castle: Just fledged Dunnock on path near Roundabout underpass (Matt Reed).
Fulham Reach (Thames): Little Egret, 2 Little Ringed Plover (mated) (both patch ticks), 1 Common Tern (Nathalie Mahieu).
Lea Valley Park - Netherhall / Glen Faba: 3 Little Egret, 1 m Cuckoo, 3 Bullfinch, 4 Stock Dove, 2 Kestrel, 5 singing Cetti's Warbler, 5 Sedge Warbler, 5 Reed Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Whitethroat, 1 singing m Willow Warbler, 10 Chiffchaff, 2 singing m Reed Bunting, Green Wodpecker, Gadwall, 6 Tufted Duck, 2 Egyptian Goose + 3 goslings, 2 pair Mute Swan - one with 7 cygnets, the other with 1, 9 G C Grebe. Also at least 20 flower spikes of Bee Orchid (Nigel May)
Stoke Newington Abney Cemetery: The Tawny Owls have successfully fledged 4 Owlets, been out for over a week. (ADH)
Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Shelduck, 5 Gadwall, Little Ringed Plover, 2 Stock Dove, Green Woodpecker, 4 juv Pied Wagtail (TeRNS)
London Wetland Centre: 3 Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, Terns plus chicks (J Cass, M Lewis, Nick S) News from yesterday- female Redstart flew towards "Wildside" (LWC web-site per J.Wilczur)
Oxleas Woods: Red Kite, circled several times over Jack Wood, then glided WNW 15.40 (John Reid)
Regent's Canal: Third Mallard brood of year on section between Lisson Grove & Camden. (Matt Reed).
Redbridge Lakes and Roding Valley Park: 2 Reed Warblers, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, 2 Stock Doves, Song Thrush, Whitethroat, and 4 Bee Orchids (Alan Hobson).
Ruislip Lido: Red Kite over Poors Field drifting west @ 09:50, 10(?) Common Terns on northern most raft, Coal tit, Garden Warbler, StocK Dove, Chiffchaff, House martin and nesting Mute Swan ( Martin Smith)
Stoke Newington East Reservoir: Little Ringed Plover present 0800, Little Egret again on New River (Peter Beckenham)
Trent Park: Tawny Owl young calling 22:00 (Robert Callf).
Wanstead Flats: Siskin over, Reed Warbler Cat & Dog and then later singing east end of Long Wood (presumably the same bird), 4 Lesser Whitethroat, singing Garden Warbler, Grey Wagtail, 2 singing Meadow Pipit, 30 + Swift, 5 House Martin, singing Stock Dove + 4 others, f Pochard, 2 Egyptian Goose, Kestrel (Nick Croft)
Golders Hill Park: (garden just outside Park triangle Gate) 3 tawny owl, 2 with weak 'kha -wa' calls fluttering between oak trees (? juveniles, or is it too early. Normally 1-2 males and a female give typical calls and are rarely visible.) (Jo Edwards). (It’s not too early. Tawny Owls lay eggs in late February or March and incubate for about four weeks. The young tend to leave the nest about four weeks after hatching but remain dependent on their parents for at least two months afterwards. So you probably saw a parent bird with two young - Andrew Haynes) (Thanks Andrew, that figures as one bird was followed by two rather hesitant ones 'in line'.)
Hampstead: Siskin flew high SE over Rosecroft Ave at 1615 (Pete Mantle)
London Wetland Centre, Barnes: 1 possibly 2 Hobby, 1 Sparrowhawk with prey, 1 Green Sandpiper, 3 Little Ringed Plover (including 2 displaying and giving flight calls), family groups of Whitethroat and Garden Warbler, singing Chiffchaff, Cetti's, Reed and Sedge Warblers, singing Reed Bunting. Burnet Companion and Small Chinamark moths, 1 Painted Lady (Martin Honey)
Queen Elizabeth II Res: male Red-necked Phalarope late afternoon (DMH et al.)
Staines Res: 1 Black-necked Grebe (Andrew Moon)
Totteridge Valley: Hobby N at around 10.45, 2 Common Buzzards, 4 Swift, Swallow, Lapwing, 2prs Bullfinch, pair Moorhen on Totteridge Green Pond with two differently aged broods (John Colmans)
Wanstead Flats: singing Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Kestrel, 5 Stock Dove, 50 + Swift, 6 House Martin (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: possibly 2 singing Reed Warbler (Shoulder of Mutton), flycatching bald juvvy Blackcaps, Little Egret, Kestrel, 40 + Swift, 4 House Martin (Nick Croft)
West Hyde: 18 Red Kite feeding over field being cut for silage, along with 3 Common Buzzards (Andrew Moon) Imagine this scene 25 years ago and I swear a London birder would have been rendered unconcious (Richard Francis).
Wednesday 11th June 2014
East Finchley Allotments: Buzzard mobbed by gull 12pm (Dawn Painter).
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: 2 Common Tern on Eagle, then later perched on buoys on Hollow Pond (Stuart Fisher).
London Wetland Centre: Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing- brood of 2 still, new chick on marsh, flock of 11 presumed failed breeders, Common Tern- 3 broods of 8 on rafts, Peregrine female hunting reserve, Gadwall brood of 5- scrape (J.Wilczur). Also Hairy, Black-tailed Skimmer, Azure, Common Blue, Large Red and Blue-tailed Dragon/Damselflies, including rufescens and violacea colour forms of Blue-tailed (Nick S).
St James's Park: 7 Shelduck ducklings with 2 adults, captive but cute (Frank Nugent).
Wanstead Flats: singing Garden Warbler and a pair making alarm calls in Motorcycle Wood, Lesser Whitethroat singing, 4 Egyptian Goose, pr Pochard, Kestrel, 30 + Swift, 6 House Martin, Kestrel, 2 Little Grebe chicks (Nick Croft).
Sydenham, Dartmouth Road: 6.30pm Green Woodpecker seen feeding on the ground before flying onto the trunk of a huge oak tree.
Tuesday 10th June 2014
Barbican: 1 ad + 1 juv Grey Wagtail (Charlie Farrell)
Barking: Osprey SW over the A13 0620 (James Lowen)
Brent Reservoir: 2 Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Cetti's Warbler, Greylag Goose (S Blake).
High Elms CP: 10+ Swifts, 3 pr Great Spotted Woodpeckers successfully fledged young (Ray Tuck).
Wanstead Park: singing Reed Warbler, pr Common Tern carrying food north, 5 Great Crested Grebe (3 chicks), 2 Little Egret, 5 Grey Heron (3 juv) (Nick Croft)
Monday 9th June 2014
Banstead: 2 Spoonbill flew NW, low over Warren Road at 17.50hrs (Steve Gale)
Battersea Reach: 1 pr Moorhen with six young (John Colmans)
Brixton: 9 Swift, Lambert Road; House Sparrows feeding young at No.'s 3 and 13 Porden Road, with possibly other pairs in street; pair Lesser Black-backed Gull, Coldharbour Lane (Tony Stones).
Lee: 4 Swift over Southbrook Road by Lee Railway Station (Tony Stones).
Leytonstone, Hainault Rd E11: Hobby hunting for a few minutes c.17:20 (Paul Whiteman)
London Wetland Centre: 2 LRP, Green Sandpiper, 2 Teal, 1 Shoveller, Little Egret, 2 Lapwing chicks, Terns+chicks on rafts (Mike Dee)
Margravine Cemetery: 4 House Sparrow (2 young + adults mating) (Nathalie Mahieu).
Mudchute Park: juvenile Coal Tit in small pines along walkway (Stuart Fisher)
New Eltham: Pair of swift under eaves at 28, Thaxted Road (Tony Stones).
Northumberland Park: Sky-watching from Footbridge, 1 Red Kite drifting North over Tottenham, Peregrine flying E with prey, 5 Swift, 2 Swallows. 1 -1.30pm (Davey Leach)
Poplar: Reed Warbler singing sporadically in small back garden at Woodstock Terrace,E14 (Pete Mantle)
Richmond Park: 11 Gadwall, Water Rail heard, 7 singing Reed Warbler- Upper Pen Pond, 2 Swallow by Roehampton Gate- perhaps breeding at stables nearby- Mandarin brood of 6 still & Black-headed Gull on pool nearby (J.Wilczur).1 Red Kite flew SW over Richmond Gate 17.15 (Franko J Maroevic)
St James's Park: 2 Swallow hawking over trees next to cafe at 0830 then away E over Horse Guards Parade, 6 Swift, drake Ruddy Duck still in situ and a showy Goldcrest (Frank Nugent)
Trent Park: 2 Common Buzzard, 2 Blackcap, 3 Common Whitethroat, Mandarin(m), Garden Warbler, Swallow, Green Woodpecker, G S Woodpecker. ( Pete Lowman).
Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park: 3 pairs Common Tern sitting (inc one pair with 3 young, one pair with 1 young), Reed Warblers singing, Whitethroat singing, Little Grebe, 2 pr Coot, 2 pr Moorhen. Also Comma, Burnet Companion, Cinnabar, Peacock Butterfly, common dragonfly species (Joe Beale).
Greenway adjacent to Olympic Stadium: Little Ringed Plover for second month, Sand Martin, Whitethroat, singing Blackcaps and 2 Song Thrush. (Harry Harrison)
Clapton Pond: Grey Wagtail. (Susan Huckle)
Hampstead Heath: Hobby and Common Buzzard over Sphagnum Bog at 1400, 1 Common Tern at Boating Pond, 1 Reed Warbler and 1 Kingfisher at Highgate 1 Pond, 6 singing Common Whitethroat, 1 Grey Wagtail sunbathing and flycatching at Hampstead 1 Pond (Frank Nugent).
Harmondsworth Village: Family of Goldcrests, with adult(s) feeding young, half a dozen or more House Martins, at least 3 Swifts (Alan Hobson).
Leyton: Honey Buzzard flew South c.13:25 towards the Olympic Park (Paul Whiteman)
Osterley Park: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Common Tern, Heron, Nuthatch, Great Crested Grebe (rDo)
Richmond Park: Cuckoo singing Isabella Plantation- mainly on west side (J.Wilczur) A bulletin of bird sightings for the Park this spring has been posted here...http://blog.frp.org.uk/
Springwell Lake, Rickmansworth: 2 Goldeneye (1 female & 1 chick) (V Williamson, R Woolley).
Stoke Newington Reservoirs (LWT birdwalk): 3 Pochard, 2 Common Tern, c30 Swift, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jackdaw (occasional here), 2 House Martin, singing Chiffchaff, singing Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, 3 House Sparrow, juv Grey Wagtail, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Reed Bunting (Peter Beckenham, Garry James et al)
Stoneleigh KT17: 1 Peregrine drifted s. over Stoneleigh Broadway 11:20 (Neil Batten).
Ten Acre Wood area: pr Buzzard, Hobby, Kestrel, 2 Lapwing, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 8 Stock Dove, 2 singing Skylark, Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, 6 Swallow feeding together, 4 singing Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Rook, 3 singing Reed Bunting, 7 Linnet, 2 Small Heath + new for year both Ringlet + Meadow Brown (Neil Anderson)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: Two drake Red-crested Pochard on East Warwick. Peregrine hunting regularly between Lockwood & Banbury. And a distant 'Buzzard' high to the north of Lockwood whose timing is good - depressingly - for the bird seen much better soon after in Leyton! (David Bradshaw)
Walthamstow Reservoirs Lockwood: 45+ Common Tern, 10+ Great Crested Grebe, 2 Peregrine over Banbury, Ringed Mute Swan, 10+ Sand Martin, 2 Eygptian Geese, Tufted Duck, Starling, 3 Little Egret (Daniel Whitelegg)
Wanstead Park: singing Reed Warbler by the Roding (Tim Harris), pr Common Tern (Bob Vaughan)
London Wetland Centre: 2 Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, 2 young Lapwing & 4 sitting adults and a tame adult feeding in the collection, 24 nesting pairs Black-headed Gull with 38 young in 16 broods, Common Terns down to 5 sitting birds, Hobby flew off carrying prey,Whitethroat pair carrying food, singing Chiffchaff (J.Wilczur). 2 Little Ringed Plover (one of which was feigning injury in front of a Lapwing), 3 singing Chiffchaff, Hobby pm catching dragonflies above Sheltered Lagoon, 1 male Kestrel hunting near Peacock hide, some Reed and Sedge Warblers still singing (Martin Honey)
Margravine Cemetery: 4 House Sparrow (2 young fledged yesterday) (Nathalie Mahieu).
Mile End Park: singing Reed Warbler in reed bed next to Ecology Centre. (Harry Harrison)
Richmond Park: Little Owl heavily mobbed in Prince Charles Spinney, Grass Snake in stream north of Isabella Pl, Fox with Jackdaw heavily mobbed by c15 Jackdaw west of Isabella Pl(Steve Woolfenden)
Rotherhithe: 1st-summer Black-headed Gull Canada Water (rare for this time of year), 2nd-summer GBB Gull and 1st-summer LBB Gull Greenland Dock, 40 Herring Gulls, 20 Tufted Ducks (Richard Bonser)
Friday 6th June 2014
Brookmill Park: Drake Mandarin moulting in to eclipse, singing Blackcap (Conrad Ellam)
Crayford: 2 Hobby calling and interacting over Iron mill Lane 13.45 (Richard Jones)
Epping Forest/Chingford: Female Smew on Warren Pond at 08.15 (I Lycett)
Hampstead Heath (Kenwood): Red Kite mobbed by crows, Hobby, Little Grebe with 2 young all from 4pm (Michael Mac)
Hanwell W7, River Brent/Grand Union: Blackcap m, Common Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Swift 9+, Pochard 3m 1f, Tufted Duck 17m 8f the highest count I've had here, Wood Mouse saved from the jaws of a large ginger cat (Rob Mills)
Cross Ness Nature Reserve: Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Oystercatchers, 9 Shelduck (inc. 4 ducklings), up to 3 Skylarks, 3 Linnets, around a dozen Gadwall, 2 Teal, half a dozen Swifts, Pied Wagtail, Cetti's Warbler (Alan Hobson).
Ewell (Hogsmill Open Space): 3 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Grey Wagtail, 4 Common Swift, 1 Beautiful Demoiselle (Neil Batten).
Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens: 2+ Tawny Owlets calling, 6 Mandarin Duck with 2 surviving chicks, pr Pochard, pr Gadwall, c30 Swift over Round Pond (Charlie Farrell)
Kensington Green W8: m Sparrowhawk, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Pied Wagtail, (John Watson)
Leyton, Jubilee Park: Red Kite drifted East at 10:50, escorted away by local breeding Carrion Crow. Hobby West at 11:20 (Paul Whiteman)
London Wetland Centre: 5 Shoveler, Hobby, 3 Yellow legged Gull, 1 2nd summer, 2 1st summer, Turtle Dove flew N 09.15, 150 Swift (R.Kaye)
Pinner Park Farm: Little Owl, Cormorant over, singing Whitethroat & Blackcap, 5 Swift, 4 Goldfinch, 6 Jackdaw & 5 Stock Dove (Jon Ridge).
Richmond Park: Red Kite low over Pen Ponds mobbed by Common Terns at 12.30, Buzzard, Hobby, 105 large Gulls-mainly Herring- flew SE including a flock of 95, Grey Heron- first nest has a second brood of >1 young, 11 Great Crested Grebe- 8 adults and a brood of 3, Pochard pair, 2 Sand Martin, House Martin, 2 singing Skylark and 7 singing Reed Bunting- Lawn Field (J.Wilczur)
South Croydon, 17.45 hrs: 3 Red Kites west over Melville Avenue (A.Pearson)
St James Park: 7 House Martins, 3 - 4 Greylag broods, female Pochard attacking a Coot persistently for about 2mins and a Red-breasted Goose took side of Coot (Michael Mac)
Stanham Farm (Crayford), in large part boggy Typha/Rush habitat. Cuckoo calling occasionally, from area south of Thames Road Wetland, mid afternoon to c20.35, when it sounded like it was in trees along the foot of the Dartford-Slade Green railway embankment. (Chris Rose).
Brixton: Starling feeding young in nest hole above Morley's Department Store, opp. Brixton Tube Station (Tony Stones).
Brookmill Park: 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 7 Blackcap (Conrad Ellam)
Eastcote (High Road Eastcote) : Grey Wagtail along the River Pinn (Jon Ridge).
Camley Street NR: pair of Blackcap seen mating; prior to mating the female alighted next to the male and rubbed her neck against his; prior to this the male had been singing (James Palmer)
City of London: Black Redstart on church roof (Charlie Farrell)
London Wetland Centre: 3 Mandarin including a young male, Gadwall brood (3 ducklings), 2 Pochard broods (1 and 2 ducklings), several Redshank, 1 Little Ringed Plover, at least 2 Lapwing chicks, probably 7 pairs nesting Common Terns, numerous Black-headed Gull chicks, 80 Swift (WWT website, Martin Honey)
Park Wood/Ruislip Lido: 2 Treecreeper, 6 Nuthatch, several Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Jay, 10 Jackdaw, pair of Egyptian Goose, 2 Common Tern, 6 Great Crested Grebe, 49 Mute Swan, 70 Swift, 12 House Martin, Swallow, 8 Chiffchaff, Blackcap & Reed Warbler (Jon Ridge).
Pinner (Lloyd Court): Little Egret along the River Pinn (Jon Ridge).
Pinner Woods: Little Egret along the River Pinn & singing Chiffchaff (Jon Ridge)
Stoneleigh KT17: flock of 6-7 recently fledged Goldcrests feeding in trees in Bradstock Road 09:00 (Neil Batten).
Totteridge: Mistle Thrush singing away loudly in trees by Dollis Brook, just down from the Station. (also yesterday in the heavy rain -i.e "storm-cock") ( Mr Crabtree.)
Wanstead Flats: 4m and 2 f Pochard, m Gadwall, 3 Egyptian Goose, singing Garden Warbler, singing Lesser Whitethroat, 6 House Martin, 40 + Swift, 2 Kestrel (Nick Croft)
Woodford Green: Little Egret over my garden at 9pm (Steve Howey)
Tuesday 3rd June 2014
Alexandra Park: Reed Warbler singing from island in Boating lake (Alan Gibson, Dominic Mitchell). Common Tern pair still Wood Green Res (Bob Watts).
East India Dock Basin: 21+ Common Tern including 9+ nesting pairs, 4 Shelduck, 17 Tufted Duck, 3+ Sand Martin, Reed Bunting singing, Blackcap singing (John Archer)
Grovelands Park: 6 Treecreeper pr feeding four newly fledged juvs huddled together on oak trunk (Robert Callf).
Swanley Park : 40 Canada Goose (all 3 nests predated, no young) 50 Mallard (5 broods 24 from 38 surviving ducklings) Kestrel, Herring Gull, 2 juv Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 10 Swift, 20 House Martin, Linnet Whitethroat (Andy Meaton)
Tottenham (Broadwater Farm): Greylag Goose, 2 Egyptian Goose, 8 House Martin (James Palmer)
Totteridge valley: White Stork? 18:20 seen very briefly from car, taking off low over the road, probably from pond near the Three Hammers pub, The Ridgeway. (Andrew Bailey)
Monday 2nd June 2014
East Barnet (in between Oakhill Park and Brunswick Park): Little Egret, Peregrine twice seen flying SW each side of midday carrying large prey being mobbed by Herring Gull pair first time and Red Kite the second time, Sparrowhawk soaring (D Bates)
East India Dock Basin : 18 Common Tern including about 9 incubating on rafts, 30+ Swift, 3 Shelduck, 13 Tufted Duck, 2 Stock Dove, Sand Martin, Reed Warbler singing, Blackcap singing (John Archer)
Enfield Jubilee Path: 6 Common Buzzard, 2 Red Kite, c50 Common Swift,Stock Dove,3 Common Whitethroat,3 Skylark,Yellowhammer, Green Woodpecker, 2 G S Woodpecker,Blackcap(s),Chiffchaff,3 LBB Gull,Many Jackdaw and Carrion Crow, Pheasant, Field Mouse. ( Pete Lowman).
Finchley Road tube station, NW3: Grey Wagtail on ledge opposite northbound platform 14:00. I often hear them calling from nearby rooftops and see them foraging locally so suspect breeding somewhere in the vicinity (Alex Massey)
Fisher's Green NR: Red Kite, 2 Buzzard, Hobby, 3 Nightingales in song, pair of Bullfinch, 3 cetti's warbler in song. (jamie Partridge)
Mile End Park: Singing Reed Warbler (Harry Harrison)
Motspur Park: Red Kite flying north high (Bob Smith)
Pinner Woods: Little Egret, family group of 5 Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker & several Long-tailed Tit (Jon Ridge).
Richmond Park: Hobby (tangling with Buzzard high over Lower Pen Pond), 1-2 Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, c8 Reed Bunting, 4+ Grey Heron, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Common Tern, Jay, Green Woodpecker, 6+ Swift (James Massey)
Ruislip (Bury Street): Little Egret along the River Pinn (Jon Ridge).
Ruislip Lido/Poor's Field: male Cuckoo, family group of 5 Nuthatch, singing Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff & Willow Warbler, pair of Egyptian Goose, 8 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Common Tern, Green Woodpecker, 8 House Martin, 3 Swift & an eclipsed drake Gadwall (Jon Ridge).
Wanstead Flats: 4 Egyptian Goose, 2 m Gadwall, f Pochard, singing Garden Warbler, singing Lesser Whitethroat, Grey Wagtail over, 6 House MArtin, 30 + Swift (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: singing Reed Warbler + mate, m Pochard, Swallow through, Kingfisher, 2 Little Egret on Roding (Nick Croft)
Sunday 1st June 2014
Alexandra Park: Skylark 0925 flushed from ditch on W side cricket pitch - 1st June record in recent times, also pair Common tern Wood Green Res (Bob Watts).
Blackheath (Vanbrugh Park area): Red Kite W at 13.30, Common Buzzard E 14.00, Sparrowhawk hunting, Peregrine circling then E, Swallow N (Joe Beale).
Brent Reservoir: Red Kite over at 10.30, Cetti's Warbler, 5 Little Ringed Plovers, Lapwing & 3 Egyptian Geese (Brent Birders)
Dunton Green Nr Sevenoaks. Red Legged Partridge 4 in a field adjacent to Pilgrims Way( Ray Tuck)
Enfield Jubilee Path: 5 Common Buzzard, 4 Red Kite, Kestrel, Swallow,2 G S Woodpecker, 3 Blackcap.(Pete Lowman).
Greenwich Park: Red Kite W from Blackheath Vanbrugh Park, same as above (Joe Beale).
Leyton, Jubilee Park: Buzzard sp. (poss. Honey) circled and went South c.16:10. (Paul Whiteman)
Middlesex Filter Beds 2 Buzzards flying high c2:30 (Sue Barry)
Staines Moor: 1 Hobby Chasing Meadow Pipits/Linnets, 1 Common Tern along R Colne, Sedge Warbler, pr Reed Bunting (Charlie Farrell)
Richmond Park: 4 Common Tern mobbing young male Red Deer swimming across Upper Pen Pond between the tern rafts & the wire fence in the lake (Steve Woolfenden)
Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: 1pr Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Lapwing, Common Buzzard, Rook, 2 Swifts plus Red-eared Terrapin (John Colmans). 6 Lapwing on cornfield Folly Farm, 2 Kestrel (Tony Clancy)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: Red Kite west at 2 pm, Swallow, Lesser Whitethroat (Simon Bradley). 2 Red-crested Pochard on East Warwick (David Bradshaw, Paul Whiteman), 2 Peregrines and a Sparrowhawk (David Bradshaw)
Wandle Trail; East Croydon to the Thames at Wandsworth: 48 species; highlights included a drake Mandarin Duck at Waddon Ponds; Red Kite W. over Morden Hall Park (1.45-ish?) Kingfisher, Black Redstart, flock of 28 Long-tailed Tits next to Wandsworth Town Station (Alan Pearson and Jo East)
Wandsworth Common: Grey Wagtail (Nick Rutter)
Wormwood Scrubs: 4+ Meadow Pipit, Jackdaw, Reed Bunting 1 Lesser Whitethroat, c4 Great Spotted Woodpecker (The Scrubbers)
Archived News
LONDON BIRDING NEWS FROM ALMOST EVERY PREVIOUS MONTH SINCE JULY 2002 {C}
