There is only one possible candidate for the title of September’s headline bird — the implausible CORY’S SHEARWATER that flew over Regent's Park on the morning of 15th September. Spotted by Dave Johnson and snapped distantly (but recognisably) by Tony Duckett, it was London’s first ever record of this pelagic species.
Why a bird of the wide open ocean decided to cruise across central London on a glorious summery day is anyone’s guess, since pelagic birds are usually seen inland only when blown about by abominable weather.
(Very few shearwaters of any species have previously been recorded in London. Almost all earlier records relate to Manx Shearwater, which in autumn occasionally penetrates the Thames estuary as far as Thamesmead and extremely rarely has reached Thames Valley reservoirs upriver from the metropolis. Unlike this month’s carefree Cory’s, these birds have often appeared exhausted or disorientated. For example, in 2012 a frazzled Manxie was picked up in Kensington Gardens, in 2009 one was dozy enough to be caught and eaten by a Great Black-backed Gull near the M25 Dartford Crossing, and in 2008 a bedraggled bird was rescued from — of all places — a locked communal bin-shed in Paddington. Until this month’s Cory’s fly-over, only two other species of shearwater had ever been recorded in the London area — a Macaronesian found dead in south-east London in 1912, and a befuddled Balearic at Island Barn Reservoir in 1984.)
Amazingly, the Cory’s Shearwater was not our only mid-September oceanic visitor. On the 10th, also in balmy weather, a Leach’s Petrel spent much of the day at the Queen Mother Reservoir. It was London’s first since Nov 2009. On the same day a Great Skua passed over Staines Reservoir and a week later an Arctic Skua flew upriver past Rainham Marshes. Both species were firsts for 2016.
Three more rare vagrants[]
After all those exotic seabirds, most other September sightings pale into insignificance, even though they did include three rare vagrants that are not seen in London quite often enough to be described as “near-annual”. One was a larid and the others were a warbler and a bunting.
The larid was Sabine's Gull, seen twice during the month. An adult was reported at Beddington Farmlands on 13th Sep and then a week later a first-winter bird turned up at Queen Mother Reservoir.
(A rare autumn vagrant, Sab’s was last recorded in London in Aug 2013, when three were in Aveley Bay. Otherwise there have been only half a dozen 21st century records, including one previous Beddington sighting, of three juveniles in Oct 2007.)
Last October, after 16 years of birding at the London Wetland Centre, Rupert Kaye decided to snub the site when he fell out with its senior staff, whom he accuses of bullying local birders and caring more about promoting tacky money-making activities than fostering wildlife. Since then, he has shown that good birds can be found in Barnes without paying the £48 WWT membership fee or the £13.10 daily admission price. Birds he has reported elsewhere in Barnes over the past year include Whooper Swan, Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Caspian Gull, Marsh Harrier, Short-eared Owl, Tree Pipit, Rock Pipit, Ring Ouzel and Iberian Chiffchaff. His best find so far is a Blyth's Reed Warbler at Lonsdale Road Reservoir on 10th Sep. It loitered until mid-afternoon the following day, allowing a few other birders to catch up with it.
(The most recent previous reports of Blyth’s Reed in London were at Wanstead Flats on 29th May and 29th Jun 2014. Before then there had only been two or three sightings this century.)
Almost as rare in London as Blyth’s Reed is Ortolan Bunting, one of which was found at Wanstead Flats in the early evening of 7th Sep. Unfortunately, this bird didn’t hang around to allow itself to be twitched.
(Ortolan was last recorded in London more than five years ago, when one was seen on 5th May 2011 in Richmond Park. The total for this century is still only in single figures.)
Anatids and pelecaniforms[]
(I like the word pelecaniforms: it’s so much easier than writing “Egrets, herons, ibises, spoonbills and their allies”)
Not quite as rare as Sab’s, Blyth’s Reed and Ortolan are Ferruginous Duck and Spoonbill, both of which are nowadays recorded at least annually in London. A male Fudge Duck at Brent Reservoir from the 20th through into October was London’s first for six months (and Brent’s first in 43 years), while three Spoonies seen circling over Walthamstow Marshes on 18th Sep were the capital’s first since Oct 2015. Another Spoony appeared at Rainham Marshes on the 27th but had gone by the next day. A more obliging Rainham bird was a Great White Egret, the year’s ninth, seen from the 25th to the 28th.
A want of waders and a rareness of raptors[]
According to a recent BirdGuides article, “As August turns to September, wader passage is in full swing throughout the UK. Sought-after species include Wood and Curlew Sandpipers and Little Stint, and many birders hope to find rarer visitors such as Pectoral and Buff-breasted Sandpipers.” Well, other than Buff-breast (not seen in London since 1986), London had already clocked up all those species during August, but none were seen in September until late in the month, when a couple of Curlew Sandpiper spent a few days around Purfleet and a Pectoral Sandpiper was at Queen Mother Reservoir on the 29th.
Apart from the Curly Sands and the Pec, perhaps the month’s most notable wader sighting was London’s earliest Jack Snipe for seven years, found at Brent Reservoir on 20th Sep.
September wasn't a great month for rarer migrant raptors either, with reports of just two Honey Buzzard, three Osprey and two Short-eared Owl, all early in the month.
Passerine (and near-passerine) passage[]
However, September as usual saw a continuing passage of migratory passerines throughout the London area. Wanstead Flats emerged as a prime hotspot: for example, on 11th Sep, Flats birders reported two Tree Pipit, 20+ Meadow Pipit, a Yellow Wagtail, six Redstart, six Whinchat, a Stonechat, five Wheatear and five Spotted Flycatcher; and on other September days the site hosted up to three Pied Flycatcher. Despite a huge influx of Yellow-browed Warbler on the east coast mid-month, only one was found in London, in Regent's Park on the 29th/30th.
The only Turtle Dove so far this autumn was at Fairlop Waters on 29th Sep.
Passerine winter visitors also started to arrive in London this month, beginning with an unusually early Redwing reported from Mudchute on the 10th. Is this a foretaste of an exceptional year for winter migrants? We’ll have to wait and see.
(Contributed by Andrew Haynes, who accepts full responsibility for any errors. Historical information is based mainly on reports elsewhere on this wiki.)'
Friday 30th September 2016[]
Alexandra Park: Whinchat, Reed Bunting & Linnet south, 12+ Swallows SW, 60 Meadow Pipits mainly south, 10+ Chiffchaff, 15 Siskin south all by 0830 (Bob Watts); male Redstart western perimeter and cricket scrub 0945-10.00 (Bruce Carson). Still present 1220 at least showing low in bushes at entrance to cricket scrub, also heard Siskin calling from within (Bob Watts)
Barnes, Barn Elms Playing Fields: 62 Wigeon in from the W onto LWC, Buzzard SW, Peregrine, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Snipe SW, Kingfisher, 69 Swallow S/SW, 85 House Martin S/SW, 7 alba Wagtail S/SW, Grey Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail SE, 357 Meadow Pipit S/SW, 2 Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Nuthatch, Linnet S, 3 Reed Bunting S/SW, 2 Red Admiral SW. (R.Kaye)
Brent Reservoir: Ferruginous Duck north of Cool Oak Bridge a.m., Jack Snipe from main hide 1300, 16 Common Snipe, 6 Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, 3 Little Egret, 4 Egyptian Goose, male Peregrine circling, stooped 12.30, 24 House Martins, 15 Meadow Pipits south (Brent Birders+visitors); Ferruginous Duck still showing very well 1.50-2.10 pm., and Jack Snipe still showing distantly 2.35 p.m. (Alan Hobson - Btw, although I have posted on here for a decade, I am not the AH taking part in the debate above!). 3-4pm: Ferruginous Duck with Pochards by the wooden feeding platform just on the South side of Cool Oak bridge. Male Pintail and Grey Wagtail on the North side. Also Black Swan by the bridge (Ben Epstein)
Brixton: Sparrowhawk flying west along wasteground behind Sudbourne Road (David M)
Brookmll Park: Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam) late afternoon: 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker together, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, 2 Collared Dove, Little Egret, Hobby flying west (Mike Paice)
Chiswick: Grey and Pied Wagtail, 9 Egyptian Geese, 8 Grey Herons, 17 Cormorants on Thames near Kew Bridge. (Simon Worsfold)
Crayford Marshes: Spotted Flycatcher in Hawthorns near north end of Moat Lane, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit at Darent mouth, c200 Teal, 4 Little Egret, 2 Common Buzzard (light-morph SE, dark-morph NW), 2-3 Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel, 1 Ringed Plover, 5+ Lapwing, c10 Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, c40 Redshank, 5 Greenshank (1 S along Darent, 4 flying around general area), 6 Black-tailed Godwit, 5+ Yellow-legged Gull, poss 1w Caspian Gull at Darent mouth 17.30ish, 2 Skylark, 3+ Swallow, 5+ House Martin, 20+ Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, m Stonechat, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 4+ Chiffchaff, Jay, 4+ Jackdaw, c10 Reed Bunting (Ian Stewart)
Erith (Corinthian Manorway to Crabtree Manorway): 11 Ringed Plover, 15 Black-Tailed and 3 Bar-Tailed Godwit, 1 Redshank (Nick S)
Finchley (Garden): Near 200 House Martins over at 18:40 with 10 Sand Martins before the heavy rain, drifting west (Samuel Levy).
Gunpowder park 2 Stonechat still but increase in Whinchats from thurs but difficult to count as mobile also Reed Buntings, Meadow Pipits, Skylarks and small passage mixed hirundines (Brian Dawton)
Pinner (HA5): Common Buzzard over south at 16:19 (Jon Ridge).
Purfleet: 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Arctic Tern, 1 Golden Plover, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 36 Dunlin, 11 Ringed Plover, 40 Teal, 5 Yellow-legged Gull, 6 Great Black-backed Gull (Fraser Simpson)
Regent's Park: No sight/sound of YBW in Area 39 during 07:00-10:30. 1 Yellow Wagtail paused briefly in a tree top, 1 Goldcrest and the usual suspects. (Simon Worsfold & Magnus Andersson). Peregrine over at 11:30 (Joe Taylor). Yellow-browed Warbler 14:00 area 39 (BirdGuides). <- Who?
Russia Dock Woodland: Kingfisher, 6 Chiffchaff, Grey Heron, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest (John Cadera)
Swanscombe Marsh: 20 Bearded Tit, 5 Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 11 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Stonechat (Andrew Self)
Swanscombe Marsh: 2 Whinchat, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Raven, 5 Teal, 1 Stonechat, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Blackcap, 1 Kestrel, 1 Grey Wagtail, Water Rail (heard) ( Roger Keith ).
Woodford Green: Lesser Whitethroat, House Sparrow, Song Thrush, 3-4 Chiffchaff, fem. Blackcap and displaying Sparrowhawks! garden and over.(Ken Murray)
Thursday 29th September 2016[]
Bankside SE1: 1m+1f Common Whitethroat, 2m+1f Blackcap still in pyracantha at eastern end of Tate Modern. Also Goldfinch chasing Grey Wagtail (Reuben Braddock)
Barn Elms, SW13: 435 Swallow flew west in a half-hour count around 12.00 (J.Wilczur)
Battersea Park: 3 Red-crested Pochard, 114 Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, 2 Teal, 1 Kestrel, 1 Kingfisher, 96 Swallow W, 22 House Martin W, 1 Reed Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 vocal male Firecrest (favouring holly trees 20m N of Rosery Gate), 7 Goldcrest, 5 Coal Tit: also 1 Yellow-legged Gull 1cy over the river (Nick Senior)
Brent Reservoir: Ferruginous Duck still 07:50 just south of Cool Oak Lane bridge, 2 Jack Snipe in East Marsh, Pintail, Wigeon, 4 Lapwing, 15 Common Snipe, 2 Common Sandpiper, 60 House Martin, 23 Chiffchaff (Andrew Self)
Brookmill Park: Possible Yellow-browed Warbler with tit flock by fountain, only seen briefly from the back and can't rule out Goldcrest. Tried to relocate but gave up when the rain started, hoping to return later if rain stops. 2 Little Egret, Kingfisher heard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chiffchaff (Conrad Ellam) pm: 15 House Martin nw, 4 Song Thrush, Coal Tit
Cornmill Meadows: 2 Teal, Red Kite, 2 Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Hobby, Kestrel, Common Snipe, 80+ House Martin, 30+ Swallow, Stonechat, Siskin (Simon Papps)
Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): 2 Black-tailed Godwit, Collared Dove, 8 Common Gull, Kingfisher (Mike Robinson); 5.30pm Another 11 Black-tailed Godwits,Yellow-legged Gull, Sparrowhawk and Grey Wagtail by Morrissons (Simon Worsfold)
Fairlop Waters: Turtle Dove, 10 House Martins (Alan Bell)
Foots Cray Meadows: 9-11.30am Steady passage sw of Barn Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins, with some flocks of about 50 (Patrick English)
Gunpowder Park: 2 Whinchats and 2 Stonechats on mound also few House Martins through (Brian Dawton)
Hampstead Heath: Late afternoon hirundines drifting west. c60 House Martins, 5 Swallows, Also 5 Gadwall and female Red-crested Pochard (observer??)
Leatherhead, Common Meadow: 2 Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, 1 Cormorant, 1 Mute Swan, 1 Common Buzzard, 11 Black-headed Gull, 2 Chiffchaff. Lunchtime movement of Swallows and House Martins - 141 sw in 50 mins (Neil Batten)
Rayners Lane: c.400 Ring-necked Parakeets over 18.25-18.33. First flock of c.150, two more of c.100 and several smaller groups. (Tim Rymer) - a London Borough of Harrow record Tim - I think there may be a pre-roost gathering in Roxbourne Park as nearly all of mine are flying in that direction (JR). Jon I saw them heading east over Capthorne Avenue i.e. from the direction of Roxbourne Park towards Newton Park West. Never seen so many at once, too numerous to count, but I would say c.400 (TR).
Spotted Flycatcher, area 39, Regents Park. Pic by Magnus Andersson
Regent's Park: Yellow-browed Warbler area 39 (Twitter); YBW heard calling twice before 18:00, also 2 Spotted Flycatcher (Magnus Andersson, Christian Cogley and others)
Trent Park: 2 Eurasian Teal eclipse male and female bathing and preening lower lake (Robert Callf)
Queen Mother Reservoir: Pectoral Sandpiper Permit holders only. (Found by CDRH per DJB)
Walthamstow Marshes: Whinchat on fence between Bomb Crater Field and the ditch at 0900, near the boardwalk; 1 Meadow Pipit BCF, paddocks quiet: 6 Linnet, 8 Chaffinch, 6 Pied Wagtail (Alastair Dent)
Wimbledon Common: Dartford Warbler, initially heard, but eventually good view had as it showed well in a birch sapling (David Wills).
Woodberry Wetlands: Common Sandpiper, Common Snipe, 2 Teal, Wigeon, steady stream of Swallow and House Martin (Chris Farthing)
Wednesday 28th September 2016[]
Alexandra Park: 11 Meadow Pipits, c15 Chiffchaffs, 8 Goldcrests (Dominic Mitchell, Bob Watts)
Brent Reservoir: 2 Egyptian Geese, Ferruginous Duck north of bridge, 5 Lapwings, 17 Common Snipe, 2 Common Sandpiper, 6+ Chiffchaff, Cetti's Warbler Heron Hide (Roy Beddard, Steve Leeke)
Crayford Marshes: 4 Little Egret, 2 Common Buzzard SW, 12 Ringed Plover, 1 Sanderling, 6 Dunlin, 7 Greenshank, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Curlew E, 3 Yellow-legged Gull, 45 Collared Dove, 16 Skylark, 30 Barn Swallow W-SW, 15 House Martin SE, 1 Tree Pipit flushed and off S, c40 Meadow Pipit, 8 Yellow Wagtail E, 2 Stonechat, 3 Whitethroat, 7 Chiffchaff, c25 Linnet (Nick Senior)
Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 16 Black-tailed Godwit, Collared Dove, Grey Wagtail (Mike Robinson and Steve Carter)
Gallions Reach: Black Tern (KJMcmanus)
Hampstead Heath. Over the hill . 10 Swallows, 15 Meadow Pipits, 2 Linnets (Greengrandad)
Heathrow: 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Common Buzzard. (Adam Cheeseman)
Purfleet: 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 32 Dunlin, 17 Ringed Plover, 37 Teal, 6 Yellow-legged Gull (Fraser Simpson) Where exactly in Purfleet Fraser? (HB). River (FSS). Thanks; I presumed you meant the river. Are you able to provide a more accurate indication of the location?
Rainham Marshes: Great White Egret (BirdGuides). Flew from Aveley Pools to Education Centre pools at 12.50, then flew high east towards Purfleet at 12.55. One would have thought that there would have been enough suitable terrain, and feeding areas, to have stayed here for weeks. Also Hobby, 3 Little Egrets, 1-2 Grey Herons, Great Black-backed Gull (Alan Hobson).
Rotherhithe: Southwark park: Sparrowhawk over, Little Grebe, Russia Dock Woodland: 3 fm Great Spotted Woodpecker in one tree, 1 Song Thrush, Goldcrest, 6 House Martin, 8+ Chiffchaff, Kingfisher chased by female Sparrowhawk - it got away! (John Cadera): 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Jay (Richard Page-Jones)
St James's Park: Common Buzzard over S slowly and low, harangued by Gulls at 14:45, single Swallow S (Frank Nugent).
Ten Acre, Hayes, Middx: Great White Egret flew over south towards Heathrow at 1100. Another seen yesterday at 1700 heading in same direction (Mark Powlesland per W.Marks)
Worcester Park: 200+ Jackdaw in the south end of the paddocks at the top of Green Lane at 6.20 pm. Many fewer than last night (Simon Osborn)
Tuesday 27th September 2016[]
Alexandra Park: 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Blackcap (Bob WAtts)
Beddington Farm: 70 House Martins and a Hobby through south, 7 Tree Sparrows east side of lake (Twitter)
Brent Reservoir: Ferruginous Duck seen at 12:35pm N of Cool Oak Lane Bridge, 2 Egyptian Goose and 1 Black Swan. It is possible an escape. (Shailesh Patel and Micheal CF)
Brookmill Park: Kingfisher m, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Conrad Ellam)
Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 15 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Collared Dove, Common Gull, 4 Dunlin, Grey Wagtail, Little Egret, 8 Teal and a glimpse of a possible Kingfisher (Mike Robinson)
Hampstead Heath: Spotted Flycatcher in dead oak at top of Hedge 1, Tree Pipit at Hedge 3, 8 Shoveler and female Teal on Highgate No1, 3 or 4 Swallows W (Pete Mantle)
Worcester Park: At least 600 Jackdaw in the south end of the paddocks at the top of Green Lane at 6.30 pm. This area is an important roosting site. (Simon Osborn)
Monday 26th September 2016[]
Alexandra Park: Yellow Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, 8+ Chiffchaff (Bob Watts)
Bankside SE1: 1 Common Whitethroat still flitting between pyracantha and birches at eastern end of Tate Modern at 4:30pm (Reuben Braddock)
Ewell, Priest Hill/Banstead Road: 15 Meadow Pipit and 6 Swallow sw. 1 Adult Great Black-backed Gull s over. 3 Chiffchaff 4 Stock Dove. 23 Linnet in one flock in the car park of DW Fitness (Neil Batten)
Ducks north of Cool Oak Bridge most of day, Common Buzzard W 13.15, also f Wigeon, 23 Pochard, 16 Snipe, 6 Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Little Egret, 6 Lapwing, Grey Wagtail, the occasional small group of House Martin, 40 noted (Brent Birders); Ferruginous Duck showing well North Res early afternoon (John Edwards); still there 3.45pm (Tim Rymer); female Pintail East Marsh, Common Buzzard from Silver Jubilee Park 1645, 12+ Chiffchaffs (Dominic Mitchell, Bob Watts)
Dartford Marshes: 14:15 16 Yellow Wagtails with a small herd of cattle (Patrick English)
Finchley (Garden): Tawny Owl heard for the first time in nearly two months at 2205. (Samuel Levy)
RSPB Rainham Marshes: Great White Egret showing well from Ken Barrett hide (Twitter); also 3cy Caspian Gull, Whinchat, 2Wheatear, 5+ Yellow Wagtail, 30+ Black-tailed Godwit, 10+ Yellow-legged Gull (Dante Shepherd); Pics of GWE and Caspian Gull here
Richmond Park: Pen Ponds area - Wigeon, 6 Teal, Snipe, Kingfisher, c50 House Martin, 4 Stonechat, Sedge Warbler, 11 Chiffchaff, c200 Starling left roost, c35 Goldfinch (J.Wilczur); mid-late afternoon: 3 Kingfisher, Water Rail seen and several heard, m & f Stonechat, Nuthatch and Treecreeper (P Davies & P Redmond); 1 Spotted Flycatcher (Hawthorn Valley), 1 Whinchat, 1 Stonechat, 20+ Meadow Pipit (the Bog) and 3 Stonechat (Lawn Field) (Hugh Bradshaw)
Sewardstone Marsh: Stonechat on Patty Pool meads, Peregrine hunting over North end of KGV Res (Neville Smith).
Staines Moor 8.30-10.00am: 1 Wheatear (f), c 20 House Martin over, 2 Little Egret, 2 Swallow, 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Common Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, 6 Skylark, c20 Linnet over, 5 Mistle Thrush over (Tim Rymer).
Woodoaks Farm, Maple Cross: 20 plus Yellow Wagtails with the Holstein cows (John Edwards)
Wood Vale, N10: 2 Swallow (S) 17.00; Chiffchaff. (Matt Evans)
Saturday 24th September 2016[]
Alexandra Park: 12+ Chiffchaffs, Meadow Pipit, 3 Jackdaw, 2 Swallows south, House Martin (Gareth Richards, Bob Watts)
Barnes, Barn Elms Playing Fields: Black Swan, 2 Tawny Owl, 23 Meadow Pipit SW, 117 House Martin SW (R.Kaye)
Brent Reservoir: drake Ferruginous Duck refound with 150+ Tufted Duck, 8 Pochard before and after midday north of bridge, 2 Little Egret, 12 Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Lapwing, passage of 185 House Martins, small flocks of 20, 30 south before 10am, 2 Meadow Pipit (Leo Batten, Andrew Verrall, John Gravatt, Joe Taylor); Ferruginous Duck later seen perched near duck feeding spot by bridge (JT); eclipse drake Pintail north of bridge, quite confiding (Joe Taylor).
Brookmill Park: 3 Little Egret [two all morning joined briefly by a third bird just before noon], 1 Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk, Blackcap, singing Chiffchaffs, at least 60 House Martin over W in passage all morning (Frank Nugent).
Richmond Park: 1,140 House Martin flew S until 09.00 including an apparent albino, 6 Teal, Shoveler, 7 Swallow SE, 3 alba Wagtail S, Wheatear, Whinchat, 6 Stonechat, 8 Chiffchaff, 10 Reed Bunting (J.Wilczur)
Sovereign Field E4: Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Flycatcher, 12 House Martins (Harry Harrison)
Staines Moor: Whinchat (NW corner), 3+m Stonechat, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 14 Meadow Pipit, 2 Blackcap, 10 Chiffchaff, 5 Common Snipe, 1 Goldcrest, 5 Skylark, 1-2 Little Egret, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Kestrel, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 83 House Martin SW, 21 Swallow (Lee Dingain)
Stoneleigh KT17: 87 House Martin s/sw during morning. 1 Sand Martin s, 1 Common Buzzard, 5 Meadow Pipit sw (Neil Batten)
Ten Acre Wood area: m Pheasant, 3 Buzzard (pr together), 2 Kestrel, 20 Lapwing, Snipe, 13 Stock Dove, 6 Skylark, 35 Swallow over, 5 House Martin, c40 Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, f Stonechat, 2 Chiffchaff, 4-7 Rook (4 low N, hr later 3 south), 4 Reed Bunting, 24 Linnet, Bullfinch heard, 3 Red Admiral (Neil Anderson/G. Westley)
Trent Park: Firecrest feeding in holly near Parks Office top of Snakes Lane TQ 289 970, 13:23 - 13:33 (Robert Callf)
Twickenham: Little Grebe by Glovers Ait 11:30 (Mike Foster)
Wanstead Flats: 2 female Common Redstart, 2 Stonechat, first returning Siskin of the autumn, 50 + Swallow, 6 House Martin, Hobby, Peregrine Falcon, 2 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 15+ Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, Reed Bunting, 10 + Meadow Pipit, Skylark, 10 + Gadwall (Wanstead Birders)
Wanstead Park: 3 Wigeon, 7 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, 2 Little Egret, 4 Little Grebe, 6 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Kingfisher, Treecreeper, Coal Tit, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest (James Heal/Nick Croft)
Wimbledon Common: Grasshopper Warbler on mound scrub area at 6pm (Michael Mac)
Hampstead Heath: Whinchat at sphagnum bog, m unlike f there on the 7th (Ray)
Heathrow: 2 Common Sandpiper (Adam Cheeseman)
Leatherhead, Common Meadow: 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Swallow, 4 Meadow Pipit, and 1 Supermarine Spitfire e. over at 12:50 (a mark IX, I think) (Neil Batten)
Oxleas Wood: Kestrel (m), Blackcap (m/fm), Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Stock Dove (pair), Common Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, House Martins, Chiffchaff (Ron Turner)
Richmond Park: 18 Buzzard - most birds approaching from N & NE and leaving S & SW as per 21st, Red Kite, 2+ Hobby, c30 House Martin, Swallow - sustained passage SE throughout afternoon involving hundreds of birds (J.Wilczur) Little Egret, 2 Kingfisher, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Whinchat, 7 Stonechat (RPBRG)
Ridgeway (Mill Hill): Cetti's Warbler and 2 Chiffchaff singing at 0725 by Sheep Wash pond. (Samuel Levy)
St Pauls EC4 rooftop skywatch: 4 Common Buzzards S/SW, 3 Peregrines, 1 1cy Yellow-legged Gull W, 41 House Martins SW, 219 Swallows S/SW, 4 Meadow Pipits W (Nick Senior)
Wanstead Flats: Common Redstart (f), 4 Whinchat, 2 Stonechat, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 4 House Martin, 10 + Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, 6 Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, 6+ Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, 2 Skylark, Reed Bunting, Kestrel – all brooms/Long Wood area (Nick Croft/Peter Brinton/Jonathan Lethbridge); Pied Flycatcher SSSI (Conrad Ellam doh! the only place I didn't visit, nice one - NC); Female Redstart, Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Chiffchaff, Swallow, 15+ Gadwall, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, Common Buzzard – all Alex and Pub Scrub (Nick Croft) There was a female Teal on the lake {Conrad Ellam)
Walthamstow Marshes: Whinchat and Stonechat on Bomb Crater Field (Adam Winstanley).
Alexandra Park: 8+ Chiffchaff, Blackcap (Bob Watts)
E3: 5/6 House Sparrows in garden all summer joined by another 25 (Harry Harrison)
Bankside SE1: 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Common Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, all in pyracantha above garages at eastern end of Tate Modern at 4pm (Reuben Braddock)
Barnes, Thames by Lonsdale Road Reservoir: 2 juv into 1st winter Yellow-legged Gull, also 30 Wigeon and a Teal onto LWC having come in very high from the East (R.Kaye)
Brent Reservoir: no sign of Ferruginous, but no Pochard present, Wigeon, 3 Common Sandpiper, Lapwing, 11 Snipe, Green Sandpiper, 8 Swallow south (Brent Birders) 18:00 until sundown Jack Snipe at 19:18 from Heron Hide, 8 Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper, several Common Sandpiper, female Pintail, Great Black-backed Gull, also 2 Noctule/Serotine bats feeding over the building site at Cool Oak Lane entrance (Ben Epstein, Magnus Andersson); several Pochard present mid-afternoon but still no sign of Ferruginous Duck (Bob Husband, Pete Lowman, David Hills) Jack Snipe pic was accidentally deleted. Here it is again:
Jack Snipe, Brent Res (digiscoped 20mins after sunset) by Magnus Andersson
Erith, Thames (off Corinthian Manorway): incl. 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 16 Black-tailed Godwit, a Chiffchaff, a Collared Dove, 4 Common Gull, a Little Egret and 11 Teal (Mike Robinson)
Pinner HA5): 204 Ring-necked Parakeet over, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Coal Tit, Goldcrest & 6 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge).
Purfleet: 2 Curlew Sandpiper,1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Greenshank, 26 Dunlin, 8 Ringed Plover, 29 Lapwing, 10 Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 67 Teal, 6 Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Kingfisher (Fraser Simpson) Hi Fraser, which bit of Purfleet is this? I don't know that area too well and it would be interesting to take a look as you're getting some great stuff there! Cheers, Matt. The area I'm observing is from the jetty on the south side of Purfleet across the Thames to the River Darent /Dartford Creek mouth east to Longreach Sewage Treatment Works - same birds often at Rainham at high tide (FSS)
St James's Park: Kingfisher (Jo Lawrence).
Swanscombe Marsh: Saker [presumed escape], Sandwich Tern upriver, Whinchat, 8 Bearded Tit, 2 Little Egret, 3 Stonechat, 6 Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper; 3 Wall Brown, Small Heath (Andrew Self)
Town Park, Enfield: Kingfisher Carr's Basin (Robert Callf)
Twickenham: Buzzard mobbed by 2 Crows over Glovers Ait, 17:45 (Mike Foster)
West Harrow: Spotted Flycatcher in garden 0800 - my second record here; Tawny Owl heard calling 2220 (Alex Massey)
Woodberry Wetlands: Common Sandpiper, 3 Redwing over SSW, 3 Teal, first 2 Great Crested Grebe chicks of the year here (Chris Farthing)
Wednesday 21st September 2016[]
Alexandra Park: Yellow Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, 8+ Chiffchaffs Cricket Scrub and environs, Kingfisher Wood Green Res by 0710 (Bob Watts)
Barking Bay: 4 Oystercatchers, 20 Redshank, 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 6 Common Sandpipers, 4 Yellow-legged Gulls, 3 House Martins, 10 Skylarks, 2 Yellow Wagtails, c80 Meadow Pipits, ad m Whinchat, 3 Stonechats, 2 Reed Warblers, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 14 Chiffchaffs and an intriguing Common Whitethroat with apparent characters of one of the eastern forms feeding in the open in the river bank weeds (Nick Senior)
Brent Reservoir: drake Ferruginous Duck on main reservoir from
viewing platform near Cool Oak Lane bridge at 07:30 (Oliver Simms); still showing from viewing platform at 10:45 (John Cadera via AS), on raft in North Marsh at 11:40, seen by just over 25 birders by 12.30; also 4 Little Egret, f Pintail, Wigeon, 8 Snipe, Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Lapwing, 35 Swallows south, 2 early Redwing over Dump, Meadow Pipit, ad Common Gull N.Marsh, 6+ Chiffchaff (Brent Birders); House Martin and Whinchat sitting on fence by building site near gate onto the road before retreating into the bush opposite (Simon Worsfold); Fudge Duck still present 17:30-18:47 at south end of North Marsh with flock of c170 other Aythya; whole flock went up at 18:47, c20 birds returning to North Marsh but not the FD, rest looked like they were heading for main reservoir. Also 4 Common Sandpiper (Matt Palmer)
Brookmill Park: 2 Little Egret (Tom Moulton)
Broomfield Park, Palmers Green, N13: female Eurasian Teal - only my second record for this site (Robert Callf)
Crossness: 2 Gadwall, c1000 Teal, 3+ Little Egret, Sparrowhawk, 2+ Kestrel, 9 Ringed Plover at far east end of patch, 30+ Lapwing, 20+ Redshank, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 8+ Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Wheatear near Engines, Whinchat on fence by Cory fields, 2+ Cetti's Warbler, 20+ Chiffchaff on old golf course where also possible Yellow-browed Warbler seen very briefly and heard once but not pinned down- worth checking perhaps, Jackdaw (Ian Stewart)
Erith riverside: 2 Bar-tailed Godwit with 13 Black-tailed Godwits, 9 Ringed Plover (see Crossness), 2 w/p Common Tern downriver, 3-4 Grey Wagtail, 3 Chiffchaff (Ian Stewart, Mike Robinson)
Hamptead Heath. Grey Wagtail at Ladies' Pond at c.13.00 (Liz Valentine)
Harrow on the Hill: Meadow Pipit over, Chiffchaff singing, Kestrel, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Goldcrest (Alex Massey)
Leatherhead, Common Meadow: 1 Little Egret, 3 Reed Bunting, 1 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 1 Nuthatch, 2 Chiffchaff (1 singing), 1 Sparrow hawk, 1 Male Kestrel (Neil Batten)
Putney: 3 Sparrowhawk - circled up high over Roehampton Lane then flew SW at 10.15 (J.Wilczur)
Richmond Park: 5 Teal, m Wigeon, Little Egret, 18 Buzzard, 3 Hobby, 4 Sparrowhawk, 710 Swallow SE - including 630 in an hour late morning, 24 Sand Martin, 4 House Martin, Sedge Warbler (J.Wilczur)
Staines Moor: 3 Greenshanks flew over South West at 10.30 (Mike Wheeler)
Staines Reservoirs: 2 Black-necked Grebes, south basin, 1 Wheatear and 3 Yellow Wagtails (on fence of King George VI Res) (Mike Wheeler)
Brent Reservoir: drake Ferruginous Duck, first seen near bridge on main reservoir then in North Marsh in evening (Roy Beddard, Andrew Self, Bob Watts); Cetti's Warbler calling by main hide, 6 Lapwing, 8 Snipe, 2 Common Sandpiper (Brent Birders); 11.00 Fem Pintail, Little Egret, 11 Snipe, 5 Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, Cetti's Warbler seen v close behind hide at 11.15 (Roy Beddard); Jack Snipe from Main Hide 5pm (Andrew Self)
Bushy Park: 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Little Owl (Roger Unite)
Cranford Park: 2 Red Kite, Buzzard, Jay, Chiffchaff, Lesser Black-backed Gull over, Grey Wagtail along river,4 Goldfinch, Song Thrush.(Sue Giddens)
Mudchute: 8 House Martins, 17 Meadow Pipits NW, 3 Redwing dropped in briefly then W, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, 5 Chiffchaffs, 4 Siskins SW (Nick Senior)
Pinner (HA5): 223 Ring-necked Parakeet south-south-east (a London Borough of Harrow record) - where are they roosting now since the demise of the roost at Esher - the trajectory & timing would imply that the bulk of these birds reach somewhere like Kingston upon Thames at about 19:00, Sparrowhawk, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sylvia sp.heard, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit & 35 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge). Were the RNPs in one flock or cumulative total Jon? (AM) They all go through in groups of about 10 - 20 birds, with a bulk flock of about sixty at the end of the movement between roughly 18:15 & 18:40 - I'll try again this evening (JR).
Sewardstone Marsh: Stonechat and Whinchat perched together on edge of Pattypool Mead at 17:10 (Martin Shepherd)
Sidcup DA15 (York Avenue): Adult winter Mediterranean Gull low E, site first and probably still local, 2 Redwing low W stopped briefly in tall Oaks, Goldcrest (Ian Stewart)
Staines Reservoir: Black-necked Grebe, 2 Common Sandpiper, 28 Lapwing, Little Gull, Yellow Wagtail, 50+ Wigeon (Jim Sweetland)
Town Park, Enfield: male Kingfisher perched Carr's Basin (Robert Callf)
Woodlands Farm: Honey Buzzard mobbed by a Raven and a few Carrion Crows, drifted south-east 12:05 (Conrad Ellam)
Wharf Road, N1: Wood Warbler (Marcus Mitchell)
Monday 19th September 2016[]
Alexandra Park: Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, 10+ Chiffchaff cricket scrub & perimeter by 0700 (Bob Watts)
Barnes, Barn Elms Playing Fields: Wigeon 13 E, 8 W, juv Marsh Harrier circled the area 09.00, Buzzard SW, 2 Hobby, 3 Snipe W, 2 Collared Dove W/SW, Kingfisher, Sand Martin, 25 House Martin mostly W, 51 Meadow Pipit mostly SW/NW, Rock Pipit S 08.45, Grey Wagtail, Nuthatch, 2 Chiffchaff, Blackcap, 2 Red Admiral SW (R.Kaye)
Brent Cross NW4: 1 Little Egret on Brent River (James Levy)
Brent Reservoir: 2 Little Egret, 4 Lapwing, 8 Snipe, Green Sandpiper, 4 Common Sandpiper, 32 Swallow, 6 Meadow Pipit, 6 Chiffchaff, Blackcap sub-song (Andrew Verrall)
Crayford Marshes: Curlew Sandpiper at Darent mouth on east side, c300 Teal (most in Aveley Bay), 4 Little Egret, 3 Kestrel, 10+ Ringed Plover, c20 Lapwing, c20 Dunlin, 3 Common Sandpiper, 10+ Redshank, 4 Greenshank, 6+ Black-tailed Godwit, prob Bar-tailed Godwit Darent mouth, Snipe, 1w Common Gull, 10+ Yellow-legged Gull (inc 1w, 2w, 3w, adults), poss 1w Caspian Gull at saltings briefly, Commic Tern upriver, Little Owl, 2+ Kingfisher, 10+ Swallow, 50+ Meadow Pipit, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 2+ Grey Wagtail, 2 juv Stonechat along Thames path, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, 12+ Cetti's Warbler inc 5+ along Cray creek alone, 5+ Reed Warbler, 4+ Chiffchaff, 3 Jay, Rook, 15+ Reed Bunting (Ian Stewart with thanks to Fraser Simpson) PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION
Dollis Brook (Holders Hill): 16:45 50+ House Martins drifting West (Samuel Levy)
Epsom: Possible Peregrine perched on roof of Blenheim School a.m. (sighting by my daughter who took photos but very grainy and unclear) (Neil Batten)
Putney SW15: 14 Mistle Thrush flew over Roehampton Lane (J.Wilczur)
Rainham Marshes: Aveley Bay (0700-0930, 1245-1400) 2 Bar-tailed Godwit still on foreshore along with 35+ Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Dunlin (2 ads, juv), 250+ Teal and 2 Ringed Plover. Also Wheatear on mound. Later 18 Wigeon, 1 Turnstone briefly. RSPB: (0930-1245) 2cy m Marsh Harrier (or possibly 3cy since underwing coverts are mostly pale), 7 Ruff (3m), m Garganey, 2 Greenshank, 19 Snipe, 4 Pintail, 2 m Wigeon, Green Sandpiper, at least 4 juv among c25 Lapwing, 2 Buzzard over, f Sparrowhawk, Grey Wagtail over then appeared to drop down onto railway line, 3 Yellow Wagtail over, Clouded Yellow (Matt Palmer)
Richmond Park: Pen Ponds area - 5 Teal, 2 Gadwall, juv Hobby, 2 Water Rail heard, Snipe over, Kingfisher, c70 Swallow SE - part of a steady passage, 3 Grey Wagtail, 31 Meadow Pipit - grounded, 3 Song Thrush flew S, 3 Stonechat, Sedge Warbler, 15 Chiffchaff, c30 Goldfinch, 21 Reed Bunting (J.Wilczur) Spotted Flycatcher - Hawthorn Valley late am, Common Buzzard over Sidmouth Wood, Stonechat fem in Hawthorns S of Conduit Wood (Franko J Maroevic)
Sewardstone: Spotted Flycatcher at bottom of Mill Lane 09:50, Whinchat near paddocks 10:15, Yellow Wagtail south at 09:30 (Martin Shepherd)
Snaresbrook: pr Tawny Owl at 6.25 (Stuart Fisher)
Staines Reservoir: Drake Common Scoter on north basin; also Little Gull (Twitter)
Stoneleigh Broadway KT17: Adult Hobby low e over carrying Hirundine prey 07:35. 2 Grey Wagtail w together (Neil Batten)
Tottenham Marshes: f Black Redstart, 3 Whinchat, pr Jackdaw, Lesser Whitethroat, c10 Chiffchaffs, a few Meadow Pipits & Yellow wagtail over, f Sparrowhawk, 2 Reed Buntings (Lol Bodini/Terry Rawlings)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: 4 Redwing south , 2 Swift, c 30 Meadow Pipit, 3 Yellow Wagtail, Dunlin, 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Greenshank (Jamie Partridge)
Mudchute: 11 Golden Plovers high West, c40 House Martin S & c.60 lingering until drifted off W, 37 Swallow W + 6 lingering, then W, 6 Meadow Pipit NW, 2 Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, 8 Chiffchaffs, 3 Jays high SW, 4 Reed Bunting SW (Nick Senior)
Sewardstone Marsh: c400 House Martin through between 08:30 and10:30 heading south west. Reed Warbler in sub-song, Lesser Whitethroat, Hobby (Martin Shepherd)
Staines Reservoir: 3 Black-necked Grebe, Wheatear, 25 Wigeon, Yellow Wagtail, and a Pheasant along the causeway, (Jim Sweetland) 1 Little Gull 1st w on S basin at dusk. 1 Common Sandpiper. (Franko J Maroevic)
Stratford, Olympic Park: Tree Pipit SE calling, 20+ Meadow Pipit, 1 Whinchat still in favourite spot at north east corner by car parks, singing Black Redstart (Old Ford side), 1-2 Kingfisher, Yellow Wagtail N, 19 Linnet, 160+ Goldfinch, 2 Reed Warbler, Common Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 2 Cetti's Warbler (Stuart Fisher)
Stratford Westfield: singing Black Redstart on roof, 2 Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Green Sandpiper over station (Nick Croft)
Walthamstow Marshes: 7 Yellow Wagtail in paddocks, 2 Stonechat (bomb crater field), 250+ House Martin (Stuart Fisher) 7am: 1 Whinchat commuting between cow-field and reed bed, 50+ Linnets in paddocks (biggest flock I've seen locally in years). (Quentin Given). 16:02-16:08 3 Spoonbills circled, gaining height, over marsh, Warwick Reservoirs & Springfield Park, appeared to drift West but finally went off SS. (Paul Whiteman)
Walthamstow Reservoir: Dunlin, 4 Common Sandpipers, 3 Wheatear, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, 6 Little Egrets and Kingfisher. All Lockwood (J.Murray).
Wanstead Flats: Spotted Flycatcher (Kev Burgess), 2 Spotted Flycatcher, up to 50 Meadow Pipits, Yellow Wagtail, Swallows through (Bob Vaughan)
Woodberry Wetlands: Kingfisher, Common Sandpiper, 2 Teal, Wigeon, 7 Meadow Pipit over S, 6 House Martin (Chris Farthing)
Saturday 17th September 2016[]
Alexandra Park: 13 Meadow Pipit, 9+ Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, Swallow, 2 House Martin, Sand Martin (Bruce Carson, Gareth Richards, Bob Watts)
Beddington Farmlands: Honey Buzzard south (Twitter) pics [1]
Brent Reservoir: 2 Little Egret, 3 Lapwing, 6 Common Snipe, 3 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Hobby, 400 House Martin, 50 Swallow, 10 Sand Martin, Meadow Pipit, Willow Warbler (Brent Birders)
Brookmill Park: Little Egret (Conrad Ellam)
Crossness to Thamesmead Golf Range - Thames Foreshore: 936 Teal, 2 Little Egret, 52 Redshank (Ralph Todd)
East India Dock Basin: 48 Teal, 1 1cy Yellow-legged Gull, 5 Common Gulls, Kingfisher, 2 Swallow S, Wheatear, 2 Reed Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs (Nick Senior)
Finchley (Garden): Peregrine floating North West at 18:05, and Sparrowhawk heading North at 18:15(Samuel Levy)
KGV Reservoir: Ruff north basin 0800hrs (Neville Smith).
Hampstead Heath : Tree Pipit (flushed from field by Ladies' Pond, perched in woodside Willow down from standing dead Oak with still-busy Hornets' nest) (Ray)
London Wetland Centre: 1 female Pintail, 50+ House Martin, c15 Swallow, odd singles of Sand Martin, 1 Snipe, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, Peregrine on hospital, 1 male Pochard, 1 female Reed Bunting (Mat Hare)
Ten Acre Wood area: 2 m Pheasant, Buzzard, juv Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel, 10 Lapwing, 4 Skylark, flock 100+ Swallow W 07.35 followed by 8 more later, flock c50 Sand Martin W 08.19, 3 Grey Wagtail, up to 50 Meadow Pipit (on site + over), 1st W Stonechat, Goldcrest, Reed Bunting, Linnet, Muntjac (Neil Anderson)
Thames Barrier Park: 160 Teal, 5 Wigeon, Ringed Plover, 2 1st autumn Arctic Terns W, 4 Yellow-legged Gulls, 31 Common Gulls W, 1 cy Little Gull lingering then E, Spotted Flycatcher, 4 Chiffchaff (Nick Senior)
Pinner (HA5): several Goldfinch including a ringed adult on feeders (metal ring on right leg), Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay & Coal Tit (Jon Ridge).
Southwark Park: 2 Little Grebe, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Cormorant, 14 Greylag, Great Spotted Woodpecker, pair Mute Swan with 5 young, Goldcrest (John Cadera)
Wanstead Flats: Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Whinchat, 3 Wheatear, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Pied Wagtail, 40 + Meadow Pipit, 6 Skylark, 64 Swallow through N/W, 60 House Martin (plus 8 local birds), 20 + Chiffchaff, 2 Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, 60+ Gadwall, 20 + Shoveler, 5 Teal, Wigeon, 6 Common Gull, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, Little Egret (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Tawny Owl hunting in Bush Wood just after midnight, 60 + House Martin (Jono Lethbridge)
Woodberry Wetlands: Common Sandpiper, Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler, several Chiffchaff singing in the rain and the Cetti's Warblers as noisy as spring, total only 39 spp. (Chris Farthing)
Thursday 15th September 2016[]
Alexandra Park: Meadow Pipit, 6+ Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Kingfisher Wood Green Res (Bob Watts)
Connaught Water and Chingford Plain: 2 Buzzards SE, 1 Kestrel, 30+ Mandarin Duck, 8 Swallow, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Grey Heron, 6 Tufted Duck. (Daniel Whitelegg)
Dollis Brook (Holders Hill): 2 Moorhen, Jackdaw, 2 Collared Doves, Robin, 2 Great Tit, 16:00 Little Egret (Samuel Levy)
Pinner (HA5): Common Buzzard over at 11:23, female Sparrowhawk, 4 Cormorant over (2 low north-east at 11:38 & 2 very high west at 12:14), Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, singing Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, 4 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Coal Tit, Pied Wagtail & 9 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge).
Sewardstone Marsh: 2 Whinchat on Pattypool Mead. 16 Yellow Wagtail flew NW off KGV north bank (Martin Shepherd)
St James's Park: 2 Kingfisher - one bird very busy at the E end of the Lake flew to the W end whereupon a second bird appeared and gave chase (Frank Nugent).
Staines Reservoirs: 3 juv Black Tern and juv Little Gull N basin (Twitter)
Swanscombe Marsh: Common Redstart on Botany Marsh, Yellow Wagtail over, 10 Cetti's Warbler, 8 Lapwing, Curlew, Redshank, 8+ Bearded Tits; also 10 Clouded Yellows (Andrew Self)
Wanstead Flats:Common Redstart, 3 Spotted Flycatcher, 35 + Meadow Pipit including flock of 22 by Alex, Yellow Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail, 4 Linnet, Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, 20 + Chiffchaff, 2 Common Whitethroat, 2 Goldcrest, Skylark, 2 Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel, Gadwall, Shoveler, 4 Common Gull (Nick Croft et al)
Wanstead Park: 2 Water Rail, 2 Hobby, Sparrowhawk, 2 Little Egret, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Kingfisher, 2 Gadwall, f Teal, 9 Little Grebe, 5 Great Crested Grebe, Grey Wagtail, 3 Grass Snake (Nick Croft)
Woodberry Wetlands: 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 or probably 2 f-type Common Redstart, 7 Duck spp. inc. 2 Wigeon & 1 Teal (Chris Farthing)
Bayhurst Wood west fields. One Whinchat and 5 Chiffchaffs on a hot morning here. ( John Edwards)
Beddington Farmlands: 1 Sandwich Tern,, 600+ Barn Swallow, 60 House Martin, 22 Sand Martin, 72 Meadow Pipit, 7 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Buzzard, 2-3 Hobby, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Chaffinch, 5 Cormorant, 3 Wigeon dropped in over night and the Avocet was still around too. Also Green Sandpiper and 12 Snipe.(BFBG pics here [3])
Brent Reservoir: eclipse Wigeon, 2 Lapwing, 2 Black-Tailed Godwit, 4 Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper, 3 House Martin, Common Redstart, Reed Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap (Roy Beddard, Bob Husband, Steve Leeke)
Gallions Reach: Little Tern, 13 Sandwich Tern, 4 Little Egret (KJMcmanus) Common Buzzard, Hobby, 39 Sandwich Terns, Common Tern, 5 Lapwing. (Gary A James).
Woodberry Wetlands: Common Sandpiper, Wigeon, 5 Little Grebe, male Common Redstart per Nathan Legall (Chris Farthing)
Woodford Green: Chiffchaff and Goldcrest in garden 7.30am with flyover Yellow Wagtail at 8.01 am + a Spotted Flycatcher in neighbour's grdn. c6pm. (Ken Murray)
Tuesday 13th September 2016[]
Alexandra Park: 2 Whinchat, 11+ Greenfinch, 8+ Chiffchaff, 6 Song Thrush, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 3 Nuthatch, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 07.00-9.00 (Bruce Carson); 2 Kingfisher perched together tunnel res in threat display (Robert Callf); Whinchat still 1745 at least elms cricket scrub, in morning Kingfisher chased the length of Wood Green Res by Black-headed Gull (Bob Watts)
Barnes, Lonsdale Road Reservoir: 1 Common Sandpiper late evng. (Franko J Maroevic)
Bentley Priory: 1 Spotted Flycatcher & small flocks of hirundines moving through. Should have been out Sunday afternoon. That'll teach me. Wheatear from JR's garden. Streuth! I wish (Richard Francis). The garden is backed by a playing field which helps - It was actually my 7th here (JR).
Beddington Farmlands: 1 Sabine's Gull ad, till mid am then lost to S, also Avocet (Birdguides per FJM)
Brent Reservoir: 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Lapwing, Snipe, 7 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, eclipse Mandarin Duck, Little Egret (Brent Birders); 2 Spotted Flycatchers, female Redstart and Garden Warbler, all in burnt patch on dump (Steve Leeke)
Crayford Marshes: 3 Greenshanks, Redshank, Common Sandpipers, 5 Lapwings, Teal, Cettis Warbler, Pheasant, Yellow-legged Gull, Great Black-backed Gull and 3 Seals (Simon Worsfold)
Dollis Brook (Holders Hill): Cormorant over heading north, 12 Goldfinch, 2 Robin, Moorhen, Blackbird, Great Tit (Samuel Levy)
Motspur Park: Hobby over low near gas holders at 18.20 (Simon Osborn)
North Sheen Rec: 2 Hobby over, drifting south 7am (Peter Hart)
Pinner (HA5): Phylloscopus sp. poked its head through the Kerria before vanishing - strong supercilium but no call, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit & 3 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge).
St James's Park: Kingfisher at 14:30, Common Buzzard drifting slowly S from 14:40 and a Peregrine over at 14:50 (Frank Nugent).
Sewardstone Marsh: Stonechat and Whinchat on Pattypool Mead, 07:55 (Martin Shepherd); also 2 Goosander (11.30 am), Green Sandpiper and Redstart (Barry Jones)
Teddington: Chiffchaff calling in back garden (Ian R Watson)
The Ridgeway (Mill Hill): 5 Collared Dove, 3 Ring-necked Parakeet, 5 Jackdaw, 2 Magpie, Barn Swallow heading East at 16:20 (Samuel Levy)
Upper Holloway N19: Sparrowhawk in car park taking a pigeon (observer?)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: Still 2 Greenshank in flood channel NE of Lockwood, 4 Common Sandpipers, Wheatear, 2 Cetti's Warblers, Reed Warbler, 2 Willow Warblers, pr Peregrine, 3 Wigeon East Warwick, juv Great Black-backed Gull (Lol Bodini, Jamie Partridge).
Woodberry Wetlands: Common Sandpiper, Kingfisher, Pied Flycatcher on West Reservoir (Chris Farthing & Tony Butler)
Monday 12th September 2016[]
Alexandra Park: 2 Blackcap, 4+ Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, 2 Mistle Thrush, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 07.30-9.00 (Bruce Carson); 1 Hobby, mobbing a Peregrine while both drifted south over S boundary, 16.45 (Jonathan Cooke); Meadow Pipit, 10+ Chiffchaff 0700 (Bob Watts)
Barnes, Lonsdale Road Reservoir: No sign of Blyth's Reed Warbler all day, 1 Reed Warbler in reeds at N end, Hobby over (Franko J Maroevic et al) Blyth's reported by Birdguides at 13:00? - No, that was yesterday.
Brent Reservoir: 4 Egyptian Geese, eclipse drake Mandarin, 3 Lapwing, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Common Snipe, 3 Green Sandpiper, 4 Common Sandpiper, Water Rail, 25+ House Martin, 2 Swift, Grey Wagtail, Fem Redstart, 8+ Chiffchaff, 3 Reed Warbler, 2 Blackcap (Roy Beddard, Steve Leeke)
Ewell, Priest Hill: 7 Whinchat, minimum, on the SWT reserve 13:30. Also Red Kite s, Common Buzzard w, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Chiffchaff, 2 Swallow and 9 Stock Dove (Neil Batten)
Hampstead Heath: 3 Spotted Flycatchers at the dead oak on hedge No3, 3 Yellow Wagtails over Parliament Hill, 10 Meadow Pipits SW (first I've seen this autumn), 10 Swallows SW, Hobby over the Stock Pond, 30+ Chiffchaffs throughout, many with tit flocks, 3 Shoveler and 6 Gadwall at Ham No1, juv Little Grebe on Boat Pond (Pete Mantle)
The Ridgeway (Mill Hill): 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Collared Dove, 5 Goldfinch (Samuel Levy)
Trent Park: 22 Mandarin Duck, eclipse drake Shoveler, Red Kite, 3+ Barn Swallow, 12+ House Martin, Bullfinch (Robert Callf)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: 2 Sandwich Tern through south first thing, c15 Meadow Pipit, Wheatear, Greenshank, 7 Common Sandpipers, late Swift, 1 Spotted Flycatcher (Jamie Partridge, David Bradshaw)
Barnes, Lonsdale Road Reservoir: BLYTH'S REED WARBLER, showing well at N end In Purple Loosestrife and on mud early am and intermittently in reeds from 13.00 onwards. Seen with Reed Warbler till about 15.15 only. Not later. View from the roadside footpath 50 metres S from N end entrance; also Common Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff, Hobby over (Franko J Maroevic, Rupert Kaye, Nick Tanner et al); Peregrine and Common Buzzard over this afternoon (Joe Taylor).
Brent Reservoir: 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Snipe, 3 Lapwing, 5 Common Sandpiper, 5 Green Sandpiper, 2 Little Egret, Common Buzzard over at 09:50, 2 Swift, Kingfisher, Whinchat still on Dump, 5 Reed Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler (Brent Birders)
East Dulwich SE22: Hobby (circled at the front of my house for a minute) (Steven Robinson)
Finchley (Garden): Goldcrest - First sighting this year. Normally quite common though (Samuel Levy)
Gallions Reach: 3 Little Egret, 5 Common Buzzard, 3 Hobby, 7 Common Sandpiper, 5 Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, 2 Whinchat, 2 Willow Warbler (Gary A James & Paul Davis).
Gunpowder Park: (adult male) Common Redstart on mound feeding in Birch enclosures (Neville Smith).
Pinner (HA5): Wheatear (last record from the garden was in 1984), Common Buzzard over at 13:31, Sparrowhawk, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, Jay, 2 Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, Blackcap & 4 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge).
Alexandra Park: 6 Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap 0725-0800 (Bob Watts)
Barnes, Lonsdale Road Reservoir: BLYTH'S REED WARBLER, N end,very elusive, 19 Gadwall, 65 Teal, 2 Shoveler, 2 Wigeon, 2 Egyptian Geese, Yellow-legged Gull 2nd winter, 2 Grey Wagtail, Reed Warbler, 12 Chiffchaff (R.Kaye); only two very brief binocular views in reeds at N end 16.17 & 17.25 in 5 hours (FJM)
Brent Reservoir: Whinchat on Dump, Mandarin, 5 Lapwing, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Common Snipe, 3 Green Sandpiper, 7 Common Sandpiper, Water Rail, 3 Little Egret, 1 Swift (Brent Birders)
Dagenham, Central Park 7 Ring Necked Parakeets (Graham Francis)
Greenwich Peninsula: Sparrowhawk, Song Thrush, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap in Ecology Park. Yellow-legged Gull, 20 Common Tern on river (Conrad Ellam et al)
Gunpowder Park: Northern Wheatear by playing field, Common Buzzard alighted in hedgerow, Skylark, 3 Meadow Pipit, 3 Bullfinch, 2 Reed Bunting (Neville Smith).
KGV Reservoir: Black-necked Grebe, 5 Little Grebe, Pintail, 2 Goldeneye, 3 Common Tern, Ringed Plover, 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Northern Wheatear (Neville Smith)
Purfleet: 1 Golden Plover, 4 Greenshank, 21 Black-tailed Godwit, 21 Ringed Plover, 9 Dunlin, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Curlew, 13 Yellow-legged Gull, 42 Teal, 2 Little Egret (Fraser Simpson)
Queen Mother Reservoir: Leach's Petrel till late pm at least ( Andy Tomczynski); Knot till late am at least; Osprey flew over mobbed by Herring Gull 10.10 headed SE (Franko J Maroevic); Leach's still present to 19:30 at least, feeding to 19:15 then asleep (Matt Palmer)
Barnes, Barn Elms Playing Fields: Hobby, 3 Buzzard SW, 2 Red Admiral migrating SW (R.Kaye)
Battersea Park Lake: Kingfisher 1st this year, hybrid Greylag with white head, Cormorants coming in to roost (Michael Mac)
Brent Reservoir: female Mandarin, 4 Lapwing, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Common Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper, 7 Common Sandpiper, 8+ Chiffchaff, 4 House Martin, 2 Kingfisher (Roy Beddard); most of the same, but 5 Green Sandpiper, juv Grey Wagtail (Andrew Haynes).
Brookmill Park: 2 Little Egret, Stock Dove, Kingfisher, 7 House Martin, Song Thrush (Conrad Ellam)
Bush Hill Park, Enfield: ad Common Gull, 2 Black-headed Gull, Red Admiral, no sign of Pied Flycatcher - a bit too windy (Robert Callf)
Bushy Park: 12+ Pied Wagtail, 16 Red-crested Pochard, Hobby, several small flocks of House Martin and Swallow (Mat Hare)
Richmond Park; 2 Whinchat, Reed Buntings, Chiffchaff family of 3, 2 Whitethroat, Kestrel, Blackcap, 12-15 Swallow (Phil Davies); 3 Stonechat, 2 Grey Wagtails, Little Egret, female Kingfisher, 50+ House Martins and a few Sand Martins and Swallow all over or close to Pen Ponds (Richmond Park Bird Group); 1 Meadow Pipit too, 4 Sand Martin at minimum in the abovementioned mixed hirundines at Pen Ponds when I was there (Keith Bates), Yellow Wagtail and calling Little Owl.(Simon Worsfold)
St Andrew's Church, Chase Side, N14: 88 Feral Pigeon on roof 17:45 (Robert Callf)
Swanscombe Marsh: 3 juv Little Ringed Plover. 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Kingfisher, 1 House Martin, 5 Common Sandpiper, 1 Wheatear, 4 Stonechat. (Roger Keith).
Trent Park: 2 Spotted Flycatcher (NE of Williams Wood), c16 Swallow, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Chiffchaff, Blackcap, 3 Mandarin (adult & immature drakes, plus female), Buzzard mewing (Pete Lowman / Bob Husband).
Walthamstow Reservoirs: 2 Greenshank in overflow channel, 2 Wheatear, Yellow Wagtail over, still one Swift over Banbury with House Martins, Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Sedge Warbler on East Warwick, Lesser Whitethroat. (Paul Whiteman, David Bradshaw, Adam Winstanley, Lol Bodini)
Wanstead Flats: Whinchat, f Wheatear, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail, 10+ Meadow Pipit, 5 Skylark, 1 Willow Warbler, 10+ Chiffchaff, 2 Common Whitethroat (a pretty major clear out over the last few days), Sand Martin, 15 Swallow, 14+ House Martin, 2 Common Gull, 30+ Gadwall, 4 Teal, 5 Shoveler, Goldcrest in Golden Fleece garden, 3 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan/Tim Harris)
Wanstead Park: first returning Water Rail, 3 Little Egret, Kingfisher, 10 Little Grebe, 6 Great Crested Grebe, 10 Gadwall, Spotted Flycatcher, Hobby, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Reed Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff (Nick Croft)
Thursday 8th September 2016[]
Alexandra Park: Yellow Wagtail SW 0645, also Spotted Flycatcher cricket scrub, Skylark still SW perimeter (Bob Watts)
Barnes, Barn Elms Playing Fields: Buzzard N, 214 Swallow S, 3 Meadow Pipit NW, 9 Yellow Wagtail S. (R.Kaye)
Brent Reservoir: 5 Egyptian Goose, 5 Little Egret, 4 Lapwing, 4 Common Snipe, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Green Sandpiper, 8 Common Sandpiper, Peregrine, Swift, Swallow, Yellow Wagtail flew over hide at 15.50 (Roy Beddard, Catherine Cullen, Steve Leeke)
Bush Hill Park, Enfield: Pied Flycatcher seen in trees and hedgerow next bike container and park- keepers huts between 12 and 130pm (Andrew Peel)
Chingford Plain: 2 Kestrel, 12 Swallow N, 1 Green Woodpecker (Daniel Whitelegg)
Goldsmith College Sports Ground-Bexley: 15 Swallows feeding, 2 sitting on grass, juv Hobby low over grass within few metres to me, it didn't go for the Swallows (Michael Mac)
Kentish Town: Common Buzzard S at 06:30 (Frank Nugent).
Walthamstow Marshes: 0840 Hobby flew through over the paddocks fast and low, heading S. 2 Egyptian Geese Flood Relief Channel, 2 singing Chiffchaff and hunting f Kestrel Leyton Marsh (Alastair Dent)
Alexandra Park: Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher (both in Cricket Scrub at 15.20) (James Palmer). Skylark SW perimeter still (Bob Watts)
Barnes, Barn Elms Playing Fields: 2 Hobby, 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull SE 09.10, Short-eared Owl in from SW 08.45 circled area for 20 minutes then left high to W (R.Kaye)
Barnet: Barnet Playing Fields - Little Owl calling at 7:50pm (Simon Worsfold)
Putney, SW15: Short-eared Owl flew SW at 09.10 - the bird seen earlier at Barn Elms, thanks to RK for call (J.Wilczur)
Richmond Park: 3 Whinchat, 2 Stonechat, 2 Whitethroat bracken and hawthorns on S side of Conduit Wood late am (Franko J Maroevic); Pen Ponds area - c70 House Martin, 13 Swallow S, 2 Stonechat, 4 Whinchat - different to above, 5 Sedge Warbler, c200 Starling (J.Wilczur); juv/f Redstart still Holly Lodge paddocks (Hugh Bradshaw)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: Knot flew N through Lockwood c.07:50 tried to land but deterred by fisherman, may have gone down on the Banbury, first for year, juv Arctic Tern, Yellow Wagtail over, 4 Wheatear, 2 Swifts, 3 Teal. 2 Greenshank in Northern drainage channel, c.5 Common Sandpipers on Lockwood, 5 Common Sandpipers on East Warwick, 2 Teal, 1 Wigeon (first for Autumn), a few Shoveler and Gadwall, Common Sandpiper No.5, juvenile Great Black-backed Gull (possibly local bred), 3rd yr GBBG, 2 Peregrines (m & f) on separate pylons. (Lol Bodini, Jamie Partridge, Paul Whiteman); Greenshank, Common Sandpipers & Wheatears still present on Lockwood and channel 17:00 (Quentin Given).
Wanstead Flats: 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Common Whitethroats at the Enclosure 07:00 (Quentin Given); ORTOLAN BUNTING (Barry Jones/Nick Croft)18:45 (BirdGuides, Twitter) - last seen 19:05 centre copse (Tony Brown via Twitter); Common Redstart, 7 Whinchat, m Wheatear, Tree Pipit, 2 Meadow Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, 5 Skylark, Reed Bunting, Linnet, 3 Willow Warbler, 20+ Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, Peregrine Falcon, 2 Sparrowhawk, 4 Kestrel, 30+ Gadwall, 6 Teal, 4 Shoveler, Wigeon (Wanstead Birders)
Tuesday 6th September 2016[]
Alexandra Park: 2 Yellow Wagtail, Lesser Whitethroat, juvenile Willow Warbler, Skylark cricket scrub & perimeter, also Aythya hybrid Boating Lake, Kingfisher Wood Green Res (Dominic Mitchell, Bob Watts)
Town Park, Enfield: 35+ Goldfinch in Horse Chestnut trees (Robert Callf)
Walthamstow Reservoirs: Juv Arctic Tern through south am, Goldeneye flushed from Lockwood (1st of autumn here), 5 Wheatears, small passage of c50 Sand Martins through, 4 Common Sandpipers, Peregrine (Jamie Partridge, Lol Bodini)
Kingston: 2 Little Egrets flying over KT2 towards Richmond at 7:45pm (Phil Davies)
Lake Farm, Hayes: 2 Whinchat, 15+ Linnets, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackcap. (Sue Giddens)
London Wetland Centre: 1 Whinchat - marsh, 40 Reed Warbler- 25 migrants on the marsh (dropping in during the murky morning weather and feeding along the ditches), 10 Sedge Warbler -marsh, 1 Kingfisher -sheltered lagoon, 5 Swallow - feeding over the main lake, 12+ Chiffchaff - wildside south route, 1 Willow Warbler - wildside (WWT website); 1f Blackcap, 2 Common Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Reed Bunting, 4 Common Snipe, 2 Wheatear, 1 Peregrine on Ch. X, 1 Hobby hunting dragonflies, Whinchat on east side grazing marsh, 9 singing Cetti's Warbler, at least 10 calling Chiffchaff, 2 partial eclipse but fully-winged male Mandarin (Martin Honey)
Alexandra Park: Spotted Flycatcher, Yellow Wagtail, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 juvenile Willow Warbler, 8+ Chiffchaff, 8+ Blackcap, Common Whitethroat (Bruce Carson, Gareth Richards, Bob Warts, Trevor)
Brent Reservoir: Annual Autumn Bird Count Day - Mandarin, 6 Egyptian Goose, 2 Little Egret, Water Rail, Hobby, Peregrine, Black-tailed Godwit, 15 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 3 Snipe, 4 Lapwing, 9 Swift, 6 Swallow, House Martin, Sand Martin, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Common Whitethroat, 8 Blackcap, 30 Chiffchaff, 6 Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher (Brent Birders) - 74 species by 13.20 (last year's daily total =70).
Brookmill Park: Little Egret, Kingfisher (Conrad Ellam)
Claybury Park, Woodford Bridge: juvenile Wheatear - first one I've ever seen here in the 16 years that I've lived close by, and not aware of any reported here before, either. It was in the hawthorn-and-grassy scrubland, around 400 yards south-east of the mansion and 100 yards west of the large pond, also 2 Chiffchaffs, Grey Heron (Alan Hobson).
Crossness: Garganey on scrape from hide, Hobby juv flew E at 14:55, 2 Whinchat, Wheatear juv, 2 Common Sandpiper, c6 Common Tern, 3 Gadwall, 2 Chiffchaff (John Archer)
KGV Reservoir: Goldeneye, 9 Black-tailed Godwit flew north at 0702hrs, 2 Dunlin, 9 Ringed Plover, 15+ Common Sandpiper, 1st w Mediterranean Gull, Yellow Wagtail, 4 Wheatear, 4 Willow Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat (Neville Smith).
London Wetland Centre: Peregrine on Charing Cross Hospital, 2 Common Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Swift, several House Martin & Sand Martins, 1 Wheatear dropped in with a rain shower (late afternoon, pair on GM Res Lagoon bank, male in excellent colour), numerous Chiffchaff, 1m Blackcap, family group of Reed Warbler (Martin Honey, E. Garcia, A. Innes, B. Page, M. Hare)
Richmond Park: 3 Tree Pipit, Conduit Wood in tall oaks then dropped into lone Hawthorn by dog bathing pond, few minutes later flew S over Sidmouth Wood with one briefly landing in oak 11.23, 1 Whinchat near gorse enclosures, 1 Hobby ad over and 1 Common Buzzard, also 2 Whinchat on Bog (Franko J Maroevic); also Wheatear, Grey Wagtail, 10+ Swallow, 6+ House Martin, Sand Martin, 2 Whitethroat, 30 Small Copper (most on Ragwort flowers) + probably new for park 2 or 3 Willow Emerald Damselflies (recent colonist + reported on nearby Wimbledon Common in 2015/16) (Neil Anderson); Kingfisher, juv Peregrine Upper Pen Pond (S Woolfenden)
Staines Moor: 1 Whinchat (swamp), 1 Wheatear (beside Colne), 1-2 Hobby, 1-2 Common Buzzard, 1 Little Egret, 33 Linnet, 51 Swallow, 51 House Martin, 24 Sand Martin and 196 Red Admiral butterflies (Lee Dingain)
Stoneleigh Broadway: 1 Common Buzzard low e over mobbed by corvids 10:10 (Neil Batten)
Wanstead Park: 6 Great Crested Grebe (4 young), 7 Little Grebe, 3 Little Egret, Kingfisher, 3 Gadwall, Shoveler, 6 Stock Dove, Hobby, 2 Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, 2 House Martin, Swallow, Grey Wagtail 1w (Nick Croft)
Wembley (HA9): 2 Peregrine (ad. m and f) over garden in afternoon (Joe Taylor).
Woodberry Wetlands: Water Rail, Common Sandpiper, 10 Shoveler, 2 Swift, Sparrowhawk (Chris Farthing & Tony Butler); 2 Common Sandpiper and Kingfisher p.m. (Frank Nugent).
Friday 2nd September 2016[]
Alexandra Park: Tree Pipit SW 0705 over cricket scrub, also Skylark, Willow Warbler, 2 Egyptian Geese Wood Green Res (Bob Watts)
Barnes, Thames at Barn Elms: Caspian Gull 2nd winter, Yellow-legged Gull juv into 1st winter, Swift S. (R.Kaye)
Beddington Farmlands: 7 Common Sandpiper, 9 Snipe, 5 Green Sandpiper, 20+ Lapwing, 2 Whinchat, 1 Wheatear, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 20+ Chiffchaff, 4 Reed Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, 65 Teal, 15 Shoveler, 3 Gadwall, 1 Nuthatch (BFBG) a few pics here [5]
Brent Reservoir: Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Lapwing, 2 Snipe, 7 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, Peregrine, Hobby, 6 Swift, 23 Chiffchaff, 7 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler (Andrew Self); 3pm onwards as above plus House Martin, Sand Martin, Swallow, Kingfisher, c.100 Shoveler flock overhead; also saw a Hornet and a Fox (Ben Epstein)
Crossness: Garganey on scrape in front of main hide (Steve Carter per JA)
Orchard Estate Lewisham: 10+ House Martin south 17.55 (Conrad Ellam)
Pinner (HA5): 3 Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, 3 Long-tailed Tit & 2 Coal Tit. Later; a few unidentified bats (Jon Ridge).
Staines Reservoir: 2 Wheatears, Goldeneye, Red Kite, Hobby (NickB and other observers).
Swanscombe Marsh: 3 Yellow Wagtail over, Little Egret, 11 Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, 10 Common Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, 3 Common Tern, 5 Stonechat, 7 Cetti's Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, 8 Common Whitethroat, 7 Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, Raven; also 3 Clouded Yellow (Andrew Self)
Totteridge Valley: Wheatear, 4 Buzzards, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 2 Mandarins and several Swallows. (Simon Worsfold); Possible Rough-legged Buzzard at 1430 - distant view, common buzzard-like but clear white base of tail, generally pale underside. Rising from valley, then away west (Andrew Bailey).
Trent Park: Red Kite, first-winter Spotted Flycatcher (Robert Callf)
Trent Park: 4 Common Buzzard, Red Kite, 8 Goldfinch, 3 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Nuthatch, f Pheasant and 3 young, Stock Dove(s), Jackdaw(s) (Pete Lowman / Bob Husband).
