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 my local patch ever since, though 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, Red Kite 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 (thought still miles behind Messrs Batten, Beddard, Self and Verrall I should add). My London list isn't much higher than my Brent list: I've deliberately avoided paying attention to that as I've enough things to distract me already!

I moved in August 2005 and now live in Woodside Park, North Finchley (N12), and have begun dividing my time between Brent Res and the Totteridge Valley/ Dollis Brook corridor, to see if I can find anything of note in my new area. You can check on my success (or indeed lack of it) by referring to my PatchList 2006 listing 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 4th 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.

PatchList 2006 - records for Totteridge Valley

Summary at 23rd September:

No. visits = 35 (excluding garden viewing)

Species = 83

Species	First seen	Notes
Cormorant	2nd Jan	Fairly regular overhead
Grey Heron	15th Jan	Regular along brooks.
Canada Goose	4th Feb	Regular at Long Pond and Sheepwash Pond. Max. 32 on 28/8.
Mandarin Duck	15th Jan	Resident at Darlands Lake, sometimes seen elsewhere. Max. 5m/1f on 21/1; 3m/3f on 11/2; 4m/2f + 2 broods (12+2 ducklings) on 13/5.
Teal	2nd Jan	Present at Darlands Lake between late August to May. 2006 maximun = 14 drakes & 5 females on 11/2.
Mallard	2nd Jan	Resident at Long Pond, Sheepwash Pond, Laurel Farm, Darlands Lake.
Shoveler	11th Feb	A female at Darlands Lake on 11/2 is the only 2006 record.
Sparrowhawk	15th Jan	Resident
Common Buzzard	1st May	One high over Totteridge at 11:30 on 1/5; one drifted south in early August [JPC]; 2 together on 24/9.
Red Kite	8th Apr	One over Fairlawn on 8/4 was heavily mobbed by crows and departed north at 09:30. 3 drifted over at 09:05 on 28/5 [JPC].
Kestrel	15th Jan	Resident. At least 3 pairs present.
Hobby	11th May	2 on 13/5. Other sightings have been made by other observers.
Pheasant	2nd Jan	Widespread resident, probably 20-40 birds in valley. Max count = 12 on 31/3.
Red-legged Partridge	21st Jan	A pair on 21/1 and again on 31/3.
Water Rail
Moorhen	2nd Jan	Common near ponds and brooks.
Coot	31st Mar	2 at Darlands Lake from 31/3.
Lapwing	19 Mar	3 on 19/3 and 25/3. A pair displaying from 25/3 into May. 2 pairs (5 birds in total) present in early May.
Woodcock		One was present on 15/1 [JPC].
Black-headed Gull	2nd Jan
Common Gull	2nd Jan	Winter visitor. Max. c280 at Folly Farm on 19/3
Lesser Black-backed Gull	2nd Jan	Regular with Common Gulls at Folly Farm. Max. c15 on 19/3
Herring Gull	2nd Jan	Regular in small numbers between August and May.
Great Black-backed Gull	2nd Jan	1 over Folly Farm on 2/1
Feral Rock Dove	1st Jan	Common
Stock Dove	15th Jan	Fairly common. Max. 22 at Holecombe Dale on 4/2
Woodpigeon	1st Jan	Abundant
Collared Dove	2nd Jan	Fairly common. Max. 10+ at Burtonhole Farm on 21/1
Ring-necked Parakeet	19th Feb	Uncommon. 2 near Burtonhole Farm on 19/2.
Cuckoo	4th June	A male was singing on 4/6.
Tawny Owl	5th Jan	Calling birds heard at Westbury Road, Darlands Lake and near Belmont racetrack.
Little Owl	17th Apr	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	28th Apr	2 over the upper valley on 28/4 were the first. Last seen on 28/8.
Kingfisher	7th Jan	Scarce but sometimes present along brooks or at Darlands Lake.
Green Woodpecker	2nd Jan	Common
Greater Spotted Woodpecker	2nd Jan	Common
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker	2nd 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	3rd Apr	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. 4 on 24/9.
House Martin	12th Apr	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.
Sand Martin
Skylark	21st Jan	1 over Folly Farm on 21/1 and 1-2 over on 9/4 and 17/4.
Meadow Pipit	21st Jan	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..
Yellow Wagtail	28th Aug	2 over heading south on 28/8.
Grey Wagtail	2nd Jan	Present along water courses in small numbers.
Pied Wagtail	2nd Jan	Fairly common. Max. c15 near Burtonhole Farm on 12/3.
Wren	1st Jan	Common
Dunnock	1st Jan	Common
Robin	1st Jan	Common
Redstart
Whinchat	3rd May	A pair at the rough grassland area at 07:45 on 3/5; one just south of the lake on 23-24/9.
Stonechat
Wheatear	31st Mar	Folly Farm: 6 on 31/3, 7 on 1/4; 8 on 2/4; 3 on 3/4; 1 on 17/4 [BW].
Blackbird	1st Jan	Common
Fieldfare	2nd Jan	Common winter visitor. Max. c220 on 19/2; 40+ on 25/3; 1 on 16/4.
Song Thrush	2nd Jan	Fairly common. 15-25 pairs.
Redwing	2nd 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.
Mistle Thrush	2nd Jan	Fairly common
Lesser Whitethroat	23rd Apr	7-8 singing in early May.
Whitethroat	21st Apr	13+ singing on 13/5. One on 24/9.
Garden Warbler	11th May	One singing near Folly Brook in the lower valley on 11/5. Two on 13/5; One on 23/9.
Blackcap	4th Mar	A female on 4/3; first summer migrants arrived 2/4; 20+ males singing by mid-April.
Grasshopper Warbler	17th Apr	A bird reeling from 17/4 through to 5/5 near the Folly Brook.
Willow Warbler	31st Mar	1 on 31/3 was the first arrival; 5 singing on 16/4 but only 2 in early May.
Chiffchaff	15th Jan	One calling on 15/1, 11+ singing 13/5.
Wood Warbler		one was present at Darlands Lake on 20/4 [DW]
Reed Warbler		One seen in early summer [JPC]
Goldcrest	2nd Jan	Fairly common. 7+ singing on 13/5. Several juvs seen on 28/8.
Spotted Flycatcher	4th June	2 seen on 4/6. 10 present on 28/8 including at least 3 juvs; 1 on 23/9.
Long-tailed Tit	1st Jan	Common
Blue Tit	1st Jan	Abundant
Great Tit	1st Jan	Common
Coal Tit	1st Jan	Fairly common
Nuthatch	4th Feb	Scarce: calling birds at St Paul's wood, Mill Hill, in Feb-Apr. 2 at Burtonhole Lane on 17/4. 2 at Darlands on 24/9.
Treecreeper	2nd Jan	Several pairs present, most obvious around Darlands Lake.
Jay	2nd Jan	Common. 20+ in valley on 21/1
Magpie	1st Jan	Abundant
Jackdaw	2nd Jan	Common. Max. 95 near Folly Farm on 11/2 (+ four elsewhere)
Rook	2nd Jan	Common in the winter around Folly Farm. Max. 31 on 11/2.
Carrion Crow	1st Jan	Common
Starling	2nd Jan	Common. Max. 140+ on 19/2
House Sparrow	2nd Jan	Fairly common in residential areas.
Tree Sparrow	31st Mar	Irregular. 1-2 calling at Folly Farm on 31/3.
Chaffinch	1st Jan	Common. Max. 80+ at Holecombe Dale on 4/2
Brambling	2nd Apr	A male at Highwood Hill on 2/4 then another nr Finchley Nurseries on 9/4.
Greenfinch	2nd Jan	Fairly common
Goldfinch	2nd Jan	Fairly common. 30+ on 28/8 near cricket club.
Linnet	9th Apr	1 at the rough grassland area on 9/4 and 16/4; 3 on 17/4; 2 on 4/6; 1 on 23/9.
Siskin	2nd Jan	Fairly common winter visitor. Max. 51 at Darlands Lake on 15/1. 5 at Darlands Lake on 14/4.
Lesser Redpoll	15th Jan	Scarce winter visitor: 3 on 15/1; 6 on 5/3; 5 on 20/4 [DW].
Bullfinch	2nd Jan	Uncommon resident