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From Londonbirders
Please do not post details of scarce breeding birds (those included in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, amended 2000). Any such reports will be removed. Please list rarest sightings at top rather than alphabetically. Note that records submitted here may be added to the LNHS database for use in the London Bird Report; by posting your news here you are agreeing to have your records copied by the LNHS recorders.
Wednesday 10th June
- South Norwood Lake: pair Great Crested Grebe,15 Tufted Duck, 1 Herring Gull, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker + 2juv, c30 Swift, 2 House Martin,1 Pied Wagtail, 3 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 7 House Sparrow,(John Watson)
- Alexandra Park: Reed Warbler singing again in elder by Western viewing ramp at 10am (David Callahan).
- Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Hobby hunting hirundines 1205-1210, plus the usuals (Mark Pearson Hackney Wildlife)
- Town Park, Enfield: 1 pr Mute Swan + 5 cygnets; 1 male Grey Wagtail, Carr's Basin; 2 juv Robin; 11(including 5 juvs) Mistle Thrush; 1 singing male Goldcrest (Robert Callf).
- Limehouse: Oystercatcher east along Thames at 4pm calling (Paul Hyland).
Tuesday 9th June.
- Brent Reservoir: Mediterranean Gull a.m. (BirdGuides).
- East India Dock: 3 Shelduck, 2 Sand Martin, Song Thrush, Blackcap (Paul Hyland).
- Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: pr Mute Swan with 4 cygnets, heavily leucistic Greylag Goose (not a hybrid), 2 Greylag x Canada Goose, ad Egyptian Goose with 6 fully-grown young, fem Mandarin with brood of 6, pr Gadwall, m Shoveler, m Red-crested Pochard with 3 well-grown young, 3 Great Crested Grebe broods plus 2 further active nests, Common Tern, 10+ Stock Dove, juv Great Spotted Woodpecker, c30 Swift, c10 House Martin, pr Grey Wagtail, 2 Mistle Thrush (1 singing), 2 broods of Blackcap, singing Goldcrest, 3 juv Nuthatch, good numbers of juv Starling, 4 singing Chaffinch; 2 Small White, Painted Lady, Burnet Companion, 3+ Silver-Y, Common White Wave (Des McKenzie).
- Bankside: Oystercatcher heading downstream by Tate Modern 1.20pm. Alan Lewis
- Saxon Lake(Harmondsworth)4 Blackcap 1m 1f 2 young,1 Common Tern, 100+ Swift,100+ House Martin,1 Chaffinch,1 Pr Mute Swans & only 4 Cygnets down from 7, 4 Reed Warblers, 1 Reed Bunting,1 Heron,1 Green woodpecker,2 Greenfinch,4 Whitethroat.(Sue Giddens).
- Tower Hamlets Cemetery: 40+ Swift 1pm drifted SW (Bob Watts).
- Lakeside, Oakwood, N14: 2 juv Nuthatch (Robert Callf).
- Vicarage Farm, Enfield: 1 Little Owl; 1 singing male Lesser Whitethroat; 2 family parties Common Whitethroat (Robert Callf).
- Park Farm, Enfield: 3(male feeding two juveniles) Chaffinch (Robert Callf).
- Dagenham Chase LNR: Cetti's Warbler calling from the slack reedbed, ( this species was last heard/seen in Oct 08 ), also 4 singing Willow Warbler,several Reed Warbler singing 2-3 Common Tern, ad Herring Gull with ring A3AY still present. ( V.Halley-Frame ).
- Alexandra Park: 3 Common Terns, Fox with 3 cubs, male Grey Wagtail all Wood Green Res 1750-1820 (Bob Watts).
- River Thames, Tower Bridge: 3+ Common Terns in evening with 60+ Black-headed Gulls (John Archer).
Monday 8th June
- A13/Rainham Marshes: 4 little egret seen from road (P Fallan)
- Brent Reservoir: 1 Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Lapwing (Andrew Haynes).
- South Norwood Lake:pair Great Crested Grebe,12 Tufted Duck,2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Jay, c30 Swift, 2 House Martin, 2 Pied Wagtail, 8 House Sparrow, 2 Nuthatch,(John Watson)
- Alexandra Park: no sign of either Reed Warbler 7am (Bob Watts); lunchtime: 2 Common Terns, Sand Martin (David Callahan).
- Tower Hamlets Cemetery: 30+ Swifts 8am, 2 Painted Ladies 1230pm (Bob Watts).
- Stoke Newington Reservoirs: a.m. - Hobby hunting for 10 minutes from 1102 before catching Sand Martin and heading low north, c50 Swifts, 10 House Martins, 3 Swallows, 12 Sand Martins, adult Black-headed Gull high and west; p.m. - 'influx' of 40 Sand Martins and 25 House Martins early afternoon (Mark Pearson Hackney Wildlife)
- Vicarage Farm, Enfield: 2 Ring-necked Parakeet; 3(2 ad., 1 juv) Mistle Thrush; 1 male Pied Wagtail; 1 singing male Lesser Whitethroat; 1 Small Tortoiseshell - summer-brood (Robert Callf).
- City: Red Kite west over London Wall 1005, also 2 Common Buzzards 1250 (Stuart Harrington).
Sunday 7th June
- Crossness: Ruddy Shelduck still in Barking Bay all day, viewable from Golf Centre. 8 Sanderling in morning, no sign this evening. Also 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Redshank, 3 Lapwing, 4+ Oystercatchers, ad Yellow-legged Gull, 1st summer Common Gull, c70 Common Terns, 16 Gadwall, 220 Shelduck, singing Garden Warbler (John Archer).
- Ruislip Lido/Woods:Pr Great-crested Grebe, 76 Mute Swan, 117 Mallard, 2 Sparrowhawk, Little Ringed Plover, Common Tern, families Green + Great-spottted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, 15+ House Martins, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, plenty common warblers (Neil Anderson)
- East India Dock area: Sandwich Tern circled and went east at 08:50, 2 Oystercatchers in front of Dome, 2 LRP, Chiffchaff, 3 GBB Gulls, 9 Common Terns including a very clean first summer or retarded ad winter on Thames (couldn't quite clinch), 5 Reed Warblers (inc one singing high in yard hedge), 7 Shelduck, 3 Blackcaps, lots of juvenile common species. (David Callahan)
- Alexandra Park: Reed Warbler still present Conservation Pond (3rd day) (Bob Watts). 2nd bird also singing by small pond near 1st viewing platform, late evening (J.Murray).
- Barking Bay: Ruddy Shelduck still 17.50hrs.(Paul Hawkins)
- Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Hobby, Peregrine, Blackcaps feeding fledged young, c10 Common Terns, 3 Swallows, c15 Sand Martins, c10 House Martins, c200 Swifts (Mark Pearson & Jamie Partridge Hackney Wildlife)
- Stoke Newington: 800+ Swifts congregating high over rail station / Abney Park area at 1100hrs - by far our largest ever count (Mark Pearson, Laurence Pitcher, Amity Dunn et al)
- Grovelands Park, Southgate, N14: 1 Little Grebe; 1 pr Great Crested Grebe; 1 female Mandarin Duck + 1 brood of 8 ducklings; 6(4m,2f) Pochard; 2 prs Stock Dove; 1 Green Woodpecker; 2 singing male Song Thrush; 3(ad., 2 juvs) Mistle Thrush, ad feeding juvs; 6 Blackcap,(2 singing males and pr feeding two juvs); 1 singing male Goldcrest; 1 Nuthatch (Robert Callf).
Saturday 6th June
- Hampstead Heath: Purple Heron dropped in to Conservation Pond early a.m. (Birdguides). No sign between 10:40 - 11:40 (Reuben Braddock)
- Staines Res: Little Tern on south basin, also Oystercatcher (FJM per AS)
- Crossness: Ruddy Shelduck again in Barking Bay this morning. Also LRP (1st of year), 15 Ringed Plovers, 3 Redshank, adult Yellow-legged Gull, 50+ Common Terns (John Archer).
- Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 250+ Swifts, c10 House Martins, 5 Swallows, 6 Sand Martins, 6 Common Terns (Mark Pearson & Nick Tanner Hackney Wildlife)
- London Wetland Centre, Barnes: 2 Curlew flew south at around 06.45, 2 Oystercatcher on main lake at about 9.45, 1 Hobby, 8 pairs Common Tern (Martin Honey), Cuckoo and Peregrine also seen in morning (DM per MH).
- City: Prob Red Kite low west over London Wall 0955 (Stuart Harrington).
Friday 5th June
- Bedfont Lakes: Oystercatcher low over Information Centre and calling at 8am. (Adam Cheeseman)
- Paddington Green: 20+ Long-tailed Tit (has bred locally) (Des McKenzie).
- Alexandra Park: Reed Warbler (1st for year at site, amazingly), singing until 0705 at least from Conservation Pond (Bob Watts); RW still present lunchtime, plus male Reed Bunting (flyover Tunnel Res - 1st at site for year), Common Tern, Little Grebe (David Callahan).
- Tower Hamlets Cemetery: c75 Swift west @ 0810 - unprecedented numbers, possibly never had double figures at this site (Bob Watts).
- South Norwood Lake: pair Great Crested Grebe,12 Tufted Duck, 1 Grey Heron,1 Green Woodpecker, 6 Great Spotted Woodpecker (4juv)c12 Swift, 3singing Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, c15 Long-tailed Tit(John Watson)
- Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 150+ Swifts in with a shower mid-morning, c8 Common Terns, singing Sedge Warbler, 5 House Martins (Mark Pearson Hackney Wildlife)
- Canary Wharf (Middle Dock): 5 Mute Swans (Dave Morris)
- Trent Park: 3 female Mandarin Duck + 2 broods (1+2 ducklings); 3 juv Pied Wagtail; 1 singing male Garden Warbler; 4(ad., 3 juvs) Nuthatch, in Oak, Uni-lawns (Robert Callf).
- Parkside Farm, Enfield: 1 Lesser Whitethroat (Robert Callf).
Thursday 4th June
- Brent Reservoir: Greenshank present 0800 to at least 1030 (Andrew Haynes).
- Paddington Green: 3 Ring-necked Parakeet, Grey Wagtail (Des McKenzie).
- Queen Elizabeth II Res: 3 Black Terns present until 0720 only when they flew high NE (DMH).
- Alexandra Park: Hobby west at 0703 towards Paddocks car parks (Bob Watts); morning window watching while working: 2 Jackdaws (NE), Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker (S), 3 Sand Martins (N), Common Tern calling, singing Grey Wagtail and 1st summer male together, poss Yellow-legged Gull around industrial estate and then disappeared over reservoirs (Dominic Mitchell, David Callahan).
- Thorney(Richings Park):5 Chiffchaff,1 Song Thrush,5 Goldfinch,1 Green woodpecker,3 Gt Sp Woodpeckers together,8 Greenfinch,Sparrowhawk on Electric Pylon,4 Buzzards flew over,Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler,Jay,Kestrel hovering flew down then flew off with a big dragonfly,26 Common Terns,(Sue Giddens).
- West Drayton (leading to Thorney) 1 Grey Wagtail on bridge going through one way system.(Sue Giddens)
- Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Hobby hunting over East Res 1200-1210, 2 Common Terns, c50 Swifts (Mark Pearson Hackney Wildlife)
- Canary Wharf (Middle Dock): 5 Mute Swans (Dave Morris)
- South Harrow (near Tube station): 2 Jackdaw low (W) 0915 (uncommon in these parts)(Alex Massey)
- Stoke Newington: Red Kite slowly west at 1535, over Stoke N'ton station and Abney Park Cemetery, watched from Manor Road traffic lights (crap digibinned photos on the site) (Mark Pearson)
- Staines Res (late evening): 3 Black-necked Grebes N basin, also one Little Gull, four Black Terns, a pair of Shelduck with seven small chicks, a pair of Wigeon and five Shoveler (Rob Innes, Ken Purdey).
- Trent Park: 2 ad Green Woodpecker, Williams Wood; 6(male, 5 juvs) Pied Wagtail; 2 prs Goldfinch; 2(including 1 juv) Nuthatch, Rough Lot (Robert Callf).
Wednesday 3rd June
- Alexandra Park: Intermediate morph Honey Buzzard drifting northwards and then high, pursued by 2 Carrion Crows and a Lesser Black-backed Gull until it disappeared (16:32 to 16:36); also 2 Common Terns south c11am. (Dominic Mitchell, Ian Lycett, David Callahan); Kingfisher by tunnel res late pm (J. Murray).
- Burgess Park: 3 Crossbills flew south around 7pm and flew over again around 7.20pm. Also singing Blackcap (John Archer).
- South Norwood Lake: pair Great Crested Grebe, 12 Tufted Duck, 1m Hobby, m f Sparrowhawk, 2 Green Woodpecker, 5 Great Spotted Woodpecker (3juv), 2 Nuthatch, 3 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Swifts. (John Watson)
- East India Dock: 6 Sand Martin, 4 Shelduck, 6 Common Terns (although still only one on eggs) (Paul Hyland). 12:15 - 13:15 10-15 Sand Martin, 7 Shelduck, 3 Stock Doves, 3 Mute Swans, 9 Canada Geese over heading east (Richard Harrison).
- Limehouse: 3 Oystercatcher east @ 11.34 towards Canary Wharf (PH).
- Margravine Cemetery: 70+ Starlings inc. juvs grazing & more on the way, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1m + Juv(s) (Nathalie Mahieu).
- Thorney Park (Richings Park): 2 Dunnock, 5 Greenfinch, 3 Chiffchaff, 22 Common Terns, Reed Bunting, Blackcap, 4 L T Tits, Cormorant, R N Parakeet, 5 Reed Warblers, Song Thrush singing. (Sue Giddens)
- M25 western stretches: 1 Common Buzzard low east over carriageway just south of J16 at 06.40am (Andy Culshaw).
- Trent Park: Green Woodpecker, nest-hole with young calling; 3 family parties Great Spotted Woodpecker (Robert Callf)
- Brunel University: Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Bullfinch & Linnet in the Bicentennial Gardens (Steve Pash)
Tuesday 2nd June
- South Norwood Lake: pair Great Crested Grebe, 15 Tufted Duck,12 Ring-necked Parakeet,7 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, 7 Great Spotted Woodpecker (4Juv)1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, 4 Swift,(John Watson)
- Staines Res: Black Tern north basin, mid morning (KLP).
- Earls Court: Common Buzzard soaring over Empress State Building c11:00hrs (Des McKenzie)
- Tower Hamlets Cemetery: Collared Dove NW 0757, Common Tern over 1045 (2nd site record).
- Limehouse: up to 25 House Martins where there are usually only 4-6 ? (Paul Hyland)
- Hampstead Heath: 1030-1300. Large numbers of Swifts (but no Hobby!) over Parliament Hill. Kingfisher, Common Tern, Dabchick on Highgate Ponds. Blackcap, female Whitethroat (where I have previously seen a male), Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Treecreeper, G-S & Green Woodpeckers, Mistle Thrush, pr Kestrel (Sash Tusa)
- Brent Res: Black Tern reported on Birdguides.
- Alexandra Park: Daytime: 2 common Terns south (David Callahan); Raptorwatch from obs 1745-1845: Hobby, 2-3 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 2 Painted Ladies (Bob Watts), Sand Martin along New River in NR Village, 2 Common Tern WG Res (John Murray).
- Bloomsbury: Red Kite low strongly north over Lincoln Inn Fields 1834 (Jonathan Dean).
- Margravine Cemetery: 1 Swallow, 8 Swift (Nathalie Mahieu).
- M25 western stretches: 1 Little Egret low east over carriageway just south of J16, 06.40am (Andy Culshaw).
- Turney Road, SE21: Common Buzzard over W at about 7pm, mobbed by Crows, Hobby over NE later on (Martin Honey).
- Broomfield Park, Palmers Green, N13: 1 male Pied Wagtail, carrying food; 1 ad Mistle Thrush, feeding very recently fledged juvenile; 15 Long-tailed Tit (Robert Callf).
Monday 1st June
- Collier's Wood: Honey Buzzard (AS via BTO)
- Erith: Ruddy Shelduck on Thames foreshore, opposite Rainham tip @ 12.30pm (Kev Jarvis per JA).
- Tower Hamlets Cemetery: Song Thrush singing still from Plane Wood @ 8am, also 4 Swift, very few painted Ladies cv last week, just 2 seen Scrapyard Meadow @ 8am (Bob Watts).
- Camden Town: pair of Lesser black backed gull chicks on a roof top. Hampstead Heath: Hobby at 10am and Willow Warbler at Sanctuary pond. Pair Egyptian Geese with 3 downy chicks at Kenwood pond, first time they bred here. Song Thrushes still singing in Kenwood (Michael Mac).
- Thorney Lake, 1m S of Little Britain Lake: 2 Cuckoo (m, f), 2 Garden Warbler, 1 Cetti's Warbler (John Palmer).
- Forty Hill, Enfield: 3(ad,2juvs) Nuthatch (Robert Callf).
- Gospel Oak, Red Kite flew NW over Estelle Road at 1635hrs (Pete Mantle)
- Brent Reservoir: Black Tern evening (RBA).
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