Ian Ellis
From Londonbirders
I moved to London in 1997 and then in October 1998 bought a flat near the Brent Res, a few doors down from Andrew Self (whom I didn't know at the time). Brent Res has been one of my local patches ever since, although I only started doing it regularly in 2001 and shamefully never saw the 1999 Purple Heron there despite living so close!
My best finds at Brent so far have been Alpine Swift and Long-tailed Duck, supported by Bewick's Swan, White-fronted Goose and Wood Sandpiper. Luckily I was within a 2-minute jog to where Leo Batten found the Hume's Warbler on 1/5/04 and am now approaching 140 species for the site (still miles behind Messrs Batten, Beddard, Self and Verrall I should add).
In August 2005 I moved to Woodside Park (North Finchley, N12) and now spend less time at Brent and more time on my new local patch of Totteridge Valley. Whilst not offering as many species as Brent there is a lot of decent habitat to cover. My best finds so far have been Red Kite, Ring Ouzel, two Grasshopper Warblers and two Firecrests. The Totteridge Valley PatchList is below.
I haven't done much overseas birding but trips to Ecuador/Galapagos and Namibia/Botswana in 2003-4 were both awesome experiences: my best ever find has to be southern Africa's fourth Wilson's Phalarope, at Walvis Bay salt-pans in Namibia on 9/11/04: this led to some South African listers chartering a flight from Cape Town. I must save up for another exotic overseas trip soon!
PatchList 2007 - records for Totteridge Valley / Highwood Hill
Summary at 30th September:
No. visits by ISE = 27
2007 Species (ISE) = 84 ...... 2007 Species (all observers) = 87 ...... 2007 as % of 2006 total (92) = 94.6%
Key to Status column:
B = breeds; b = possibly breeds / has bred.
r = resident all year; s = summer visitor; w = winter visitor; p = passage migrant in spring/autumn; o = occasional visitor at any time of year.
5 = abundant; 4 = common; 3 = fairly common; 2 = scarce; 1 = rare; 0 = vagrant.
| Species | Status | Seen 2006 | Date first seen by ISE in 07 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Grebe | s/2 | 7th May | A pair at Moat Mount. | |
| Cormorant | o/2 | Y | 7th Mar | Singles over on 7/3 and 4/4. |
| Grey Heron | r/3 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Mute Swan | r/2 | 23rd Apr | One at Mote End Farm. | |
| Canada Goose | Br/3 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Mandarin Duck | Br/3 | Y | 1st Jan | Breeding resident at Darlands Lake, sometimes seen elsewhere. 14 on 4/2; 4 ducklings on 20/5, (reduced by Herons to 2 on 23/5). |
| Teal | w/3 | Y | 1st Jan | Winter visitor to Darlands Lake (mainly Sep-Apr). |
| Mallard | Br/4 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Shoveler | w/1 | Y | ||
| Sparrowhawk | Br/3 | Y | 1st Jan | Probably 3-4 pairs. |
| Common Buzzard | o/2 | Y | 28th Apr | One seen from Mote Mount on 28/4. 2 over Totteridge Valley in August (JPC). |
| Red Kite | o/1 | Y | >>> | One was seen in spring. |
| Kestrel | Br/3 | Y | 3rd Feb | Probably 3 pairs. |
| Hobby | bs/2 | Y | 28th Apr | One seen from Mote Mount on 28/4; one at Totteridge Valley on 26/8. |
| Pheasant | Br/3 | Y | 18th Feb | Probably 20-40 birds in the valley. |
| Red-legged Partridge | br/2 | Y | 7th Apr | Possibly a few pairs breed. |
| Water Rail | w/1 | |||
| Moorhen | Br/4 | Y | 1st Jan | Common near water. |
| Coot | bs/2 | Y | 23rd Apr | Occasional visitor to Darlands Lake and Mote End Farm. |
| Lapwing | bp/2 | Y | 4th Mar | 5 seen 4/3; 4 on 17/3 through to late April. |
| Golden Plover | p/1 | Y | ||
| Woodcock | w/2 | Y* | 4th Feb | One near southern end of Darlands Lake on 4/2. |
| Snipe | w/1 | |||
| Black-headed Gull | w/4 - s/2 | Y | 1st Jan | c80 on 4/3; 6 on 7/4. |
| Common Gull | w/4 | Y | 1st Jan | 450+ at Folly Farm on 4/3; c250 on 17/3; 2 on 7/4 then not until 30/9. |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | w/4 - s/3 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Herring Gull | w/3 - s/2 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Great Black-backed Gull | w/2 | Y | >>> | An adult flew over Darlands on 21/1 [JPC]. |
| Common Tern | o/2 | 20th May | One over Totteridge Fields on 20/5. Also two over Totteridge Valley on 6/5 [JPC]. | |
| Feral Rock Dove | Br/4 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Stock Dove | Br/3 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Woodpigeon | Br/5 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Collared Dove | Br/3 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Ring-necked Parakeet | o/2 | Y | 3rd Feb | 2 regularly visiting feeders in Westbury Road gardens during Feb/Mar. |
| Cuckoo | bp/2 | Y | 14th Apr | One singing at Totteridge Fields from 14/4 till at least 20/4. |
| Tawny Owl | Br/3 | Y | 1st Jan | Probably 4+ pairs. |
| Little Owl | Br/3 | Y | 4th Apr | At least 3 pairs in the area. |
| Swift | bs/4 | Y | 1st May | |
| Kingfisher | br/3 | Y | 1st Jan | Scarcer between May and Sep. |
| Green Woodpecker | Br/3 | Y | 1st Jan | Several pairs. |
| Greater Spotted Woodpecker | Br/4 | Y | 1st Jan | Common and widespread, probably well in excess of 10 pairs. |
| Lesser Spotted Woodpecker | br/2 | Y | 1st Jan | Possibly 1-2 pairs present. 1 drumming on 9/4. |
| Swallow | Bs/4 | Y | 4th Apr | A few breeding pairs still at Burtonhole and Frith Manor Farms. |
| House Martin | bs/3 | Y | 20th Apr | Last seen 30/9. |
| Sand Martin | p/2 | Y* | ||
| Skylark | p/2 | Y | 23rd Apr | Heard singing at Mote Mount on 23/4. Passage birds on 30/9. |
| Meadow Pipit | p/4 - w/2 | Y | 7th Mar | Common on passage in Mar/Apr and Sep/Oct. 40+ on 17/3; 1 on 20/4. |
| Yellow Wagtail | p/2 | Y | 12th Aug | One over at Totteridge Fields on 12/8 and 27/8. |
| Grey Wagtail | Br/3 | Y | 10th Mar | Present along water courses in small numbers, more frequent in summer. |
| Pied Wagtail | Br/4 | Y | 1st Jan | 70+ present on ploughed field in mid-Jan. |
| Wren | Br/5 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Dunnock | Br/4 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Robin | Br/5 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Redstart | p/2 | Y | ||
| Whinchat | p/2 | Y | >>> | A female in the valley on 13/5 [JPC]. |
| Stonechat | p/2 | Y* | 30th Sep | 4 at Totteridge Valley and 2 at Totteridge Fields on 30/9. |
| Wheatear | p/2 | Y | Mostly encountered as a spring migrant. | |
| Blackbird | Br/5 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Ring Ouzel | p/1 | 15th Apr | A female just south of Totteridge Long Pond on 15/4. | |
| Fieldfare | w/4 | Y | 1st Jan | 33+ on 3/2; c40 on 4/3; 10 on 17/3; 1 on 9/4 and 14/4. |
| Song Thrush | Br/4 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Redwing | w/4 | Y | 1st Jan | c110 on 18th Feb, c180 on 4/3; 8+ on 4/4; 1 on 30/9. |
| Mistle Thrush | Br/3 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Lesser Whitethroat | Bs/3 | Y | 14th Apr | Probably 7-8 pairs in Totteridge Valley in 2006. |
| Whitethroat | Bs/4 | Y | 20th Apr | Probably 13 pairs in Totteridge Valley in 2006. |
| Garden Warbler | bs/2 | Y | 7th May | |
| Blackcap | Bs/4 - w/2 | Y | 29th Mar | |
| Grasshopper Warbler | Bs/1 | Y | 14th Apr | One reeling from 14/4 till at least 20/4. |
| Willow Warbler | Bs/3 | Y | 14th Apr | Probably 3 pairs in Totteridge Valley in 2006. |
| Chiffchaff | Bs/4 - w/2 | Y | 11th Mar | 8 on 17/3; 22 on 8/4. |
| Wood Warbler | p/2 | Y* | ||
| Sedge Warbler | p/2 | 23rd May | One singing at Darlands Lake on 23/5. | |
| Reed Warbler | p/2 | Y* | ||
| Goldcrest | Br/4 | Y | 1st Jan | Probably 4+ pairs in 2006. |
| Firecrest | p/1 - w/1 | Y | 4th Apr | One singing at Totteridge Fields on 4/4; another or same singing in Totteridge Valley in April (TC). |
| Spotted Flycatcher | p/3 | Y | 26th Aug | 2 at Totteridge Fields on 26/8. |
| Long-tailed Tit | Br/4 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Blue Tit | Br/5 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Great Tit | Br/5 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Coal Tit | Br/4 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Nuthatch | Br/3 | Y | 1st Jan | Probably 4+ pairs. |
| Treecreeper | Br/3 | Y | 1st Jan | Probably 4+ pairs. |
| Jay | Br/4 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Magpie | Br/4 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Jackdaw | br/4 | Y | 1st Jan | Max. 180+ at Folly Farm on 1/1. |
| Rook | w/3 | Y | 1st Jan | Max. 25 at Folly Farm on 1/1. |
| Carrion Crow | Br/5 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Starling | Br/4 | Y | 1st Jan | 400+ on 4/3, incl 300 near Finchley Nurseries. |
| House Sparrow | Br/4 | Y | 2nd Jan | Still fairly common in residential areas. |
| Tree Sparrow | o/1 | Y | ||
| Chaffinch | Br/4 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Brambling | w/2 | Y | ||
| Greenfinch | Br/3 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Goldfinch | Br/3 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Linnet | bs/2 | Y | 20th Apr | 2 at TV and 2 at TF on 20/4. [First sighting was one singing on 11/4 [JPC]] |
| Siskin | w/3 | Y | 30th Sep | At least 2 heard over Totteridge Fields on 30/9. |
| Lesser Redpoll | w/2 | Y | 1st Jan | 1 on 1/1; 3 on 21/1; 1 on 30/9. |
| Bullfinch | Br/3 | Y | 1st Jan | |
| Yellowhammer | o/2 | |||
| Reed Bunting | o/2 | Y |
