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. 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 / Totteridge Fields

Summary at 2nd January:

No. visits = 1

2007 Species (ISE) = 48.......2007 Species (all observers) = 48

2007 as % of 2006 total (92) = 52.2%

Species	Seen 2006	First seen	Notes
Cormorant	Y		Occasionally seen overhead.
Grey Heron	Y	1st Jan	Non-breeding resident; regular along brooks and at Darlands Lake.
Canada Goose	Y	1st Jan	Breeding resident; common at Long Pond and Sheepwash Pond.
Mandarin Duck	Y	1st Jan	Breeding resident at Darlands Lake, sometimes seen elsewhere.
Teal	Y	1st Jan	Winter visitor to Darlands Lake (mainly Sep-Apr).
Mallard	Y	1st Jan	Breeding resident; present at most bodies of water.
Shoveler	Y		Winter visitor; scarce.
Sparrowhawk	Y	1st Jan	Breeding resident; probably 3-4 pairs.
Common Buzzard	Y		Occasional visitor; scarce.
Red Kite	Y		Occasional visitor; rare.
Kestrel	Y		Breeding resident; probably 3 pairs.
Hobby	Y		Summer visitor; scarce (mainly May-Sep).
Pheasant	Y		Breeding resident; probably 20-40 birds in the valley.
Red-legged Partridge	Y		Resident; possibly 1-2 pairs breed.
Moorhen	Y	1st Jan	Breeding resident; common near ponds and brooks.
Coot	Y		Occasional visitor to Darlands Lake; scarce.
Lapwing	Y
Golden Plover	Y
Woodcock	Y*		One was present on 15/1 and one over Totteridge LUL station on 7/10 [JPC].
Black-headed Gull	Y	1st Jan
Common Gull	Y	1st Jan	Winter visitor. Max. c280 at Folly Farm on 19/3
Lesser Black-backed Gull	Y	1st Jan	Regular with Common Gulls at Folly Farm. Max. c15 on 19/3
Herring Gull	Y	1st Jan	Regular in small numbers between August and May.
Great Black-backed Gull	Y		1 over Folly Farm on 2/1
Feral Rock Dove	Y	1st Jan	Common
Stock Dove	Y	1st Jan	Fairly common. Max. 22 at Holecombe Dale on 4/2
Woodpigeon	Y	1st Jan	Abundant. c400 over on 29/10.
Collared Dove	Y	1st Jan	Fairly common. Max. 10+ at Burtonhole Farm on 21/1
Ring-necked Parakeet	Y		Uncommon. 2 near Burtonhole Farm on 19/2; 1 at Darlands on 22/10; 4 on 29/10.
Cuckoo	Y		A male was singing on 4/6.
Tawny Owl	Y	1st Jan	Calling birds heard at Westbury Road, Darlands Lake and near Belmont racetrack.
Little Owl	Y		A pair present near Folly Brook in mid-late April. 7 birds were encountered (3 seen + 4 heard) in 4 different locations on the morning of 28/8.
Swift	Y		2 over the upper valley on 28/4 were the first. Last seen on 28/8.
Kingfisher	Y	1st Jan	Scarce but often present along brooks or at Darlands Lake between Sept and May.
Green Woodpecker	Y	1st Jan	Common
Greater Spotted Woodpecker	Y	1st Jan	Common
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker	Y	1st Jan	1 on 2/1 and singles fairly regular from 19/3. Drumming birds could be heard between late April - early June. Possibly 2 pairs present.
Swallow	Y		1 over The Warren on 3/4 was the first of spring. A few breeding pairs still at Burtonhole and Frith Manor Farms. 30+ present on 28/8 Aug and 23/9 including many juvs. 6 on 9/10.
House Martin	Y		4 heading north over Highwood Hill on 12/4 were the first arrivals. 60+ on 28/8 including many juvs; 40+ on 23/9; 11 on 24/9; 1 on 8/10.
Sand Martin	Y*		Seen in summer [JPC].
Skylark	Y		1 over Folly Farm on 21/1 and 1-2 over on 9/4 and 17/4. 2-3 on 8/10 and 22/10 [JPC].
Meadow Pipit	Y		Usually present September to April. 60+ at Folly Farm on 12/3; 60+ at Fairlawn on 18/3; 67 flew north on 14/4; small numbers passing through on 23-24/9 and 8-9/10.
Yellow Wagtail	Y		2 over heading south on 28/8.
Grey Wagtail	Y		Present along water courses in small numbers.
Pied Wagtail	Y	1st Jan	Fairly common. Max. c15 near Burtonhole Farm on 12/3.
Wren	Y	1st Jan	Common
Dunnock	Y	1st Jan	Common
Robin	Y	1st Jan	Common
Redstart	Y		One at Highwood Hill on 24/9.
Whinchat	Y		A pair at the rough grassland area at 07:45 on 3/5; one just south of the lake on 23-24/9.
Stonechat	Y*		2 on 8/10 [JPC]
Wheatear	Y		Folly Farm: 6 on 31/3, 7 on 1/4; 8 on 2/4; 3 on 3/4; 1 on 17/4 [BW].
Blackbird	Y	1st Jan	Common
Fieldfare	Y	1st Jan	Common winter visitor. Max. c220 on 19/2; 40+ on 25/3; 1 on 16/4.
Song Thrush	Y	1st Jan	Fairly common. 15-25 pairs.
Redwing	Y	1st Jan	Common winter visitor. Max. c260 on 19/2; 1 singing on 12/3; 80+ on 25/3; 24 on 1/4; 7 on 2/4. 2 over on 9/10 were the first of autumn.
Mistle Thrush	Y	1st Jan	Fairly common
Lesser Whitethroat	Y		7-8 singing in early May.
Whitethroat	Y		13+ singing on 13/5. One on 24/9.
Garden Warbler	Y		One singing near Folly Brook in the lower valley on 11/5. Two on 13/5; One on 23/9.
Blackcap	Y		A female on 4/3; first summer migrants arrived 2/4; 20+ males singing by mid-April. A male in Westbury Road from 22/10.
Grasshopper Warbler	Y		A bird reeling from 17/4 through to 5/5 near the Folly Brook.
Willow Warbler	Y		1 on 31/3 was the first arrival; 5 singing on 16/4 but only 2 in early May.
Chiffchaff	Y		One calling on 15/1, 11+ singing 13/5.
Wood Warbler	Y*		one was present at Darlands Lake on 20/4 [DW]
Reed Warbler	Y*		One seen in early summer [JPC]
Goldcrest	Y	1st Jan	Fairly common. 7+ singing on 13/5. Several juvs seen on 28/8.
Firecrest	Y		2 at Oakfields in tit flock on 16/12.
Spotted Flycatcher	Y		2 seen on 4/6. 10 present on 28/8 including at least 3 juvs; 1 on 23/9.
Long-tailed Tit	Y	1st Jan	Common
Blue Tit	Y	1st Jan	Abundant
Great Tit	Y	1st Jan	Common
Coal Tit	Y	1st Jan	Fairly common
Nuthatch	Y	1st Jan	Several pairs present: St Paul's wood, Mill Hill; probably also Highwood Hill and Darlands Lake.
Treecreeper	Y	1st Jan	Several pairs present, most obvious around Darlands Lake.
Jay	Y	1st Jan	Common. 20+ in valley on 21/1
Magpie	Y	1st Jan	Abundant
Jackdaw	Y	1st Jan	Common. Max. 95 near Folly Farm on 11/2 (+ four elsewhere)
Rook	Y	1st Jan	Common in the winter around Folly Farm. Max. 31 on 11/2.
Carrion Crow	Y	1st Jan	Common
Starling	Y	1st Jan	Common. Max. 140+ on 19/2
House Sparrow	Y	2nd Jan	Fairly common in residential areas.
Tree Sparrow	Y		Irregular. 1-2 calling at Folly Farm on 31/3.
Chaffinch	Y	1st Jan	Common. Max. 80+ at Holecombe Dale on 4/2
Brambling	Y		A male at Highwood Hill on 2/4 then another nr Finchley Nurseries on 9/4.
Greenfinch	Y	1st Jan	Fairly common
Goldfinch	Y	1st Jan	Fairly common. 30+ on 28/8 near cricket club.
Linnet	Y		1 at the rough grassland area on 9/4 and 16/4; 3 on 17/4; 2 on 4/6; 1 on 23/9 and 8/10. 2 on 9/10
Siskin	Y		Fairly common winter visitor. Max. 51 at Darlands Lake on 15/1. 5 at Darlands Lake on 14/4. 1 over Woodside Park on 7/10.
Lesser Redpoll	Y	1st Jan	Scarce winter visitor: 3 on 15/1; 6 on 5/3; 5 on 20/4 [DW].
Bullfinch	Y	1st Jan	Uncommon resident
Reed Bunting	Y		A female at Totteridge Fields on 9/10.