Ian Ellis

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Revision as of 18:26, 2 January 2007 by Ian S Ellis (Talk | contribs)

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 Status Seen 2006 First seen Notes
Cormorant o/2 Y Occasionally seen overhead.
Grey Heron r/3 Y 1st Jan Regular along brooks and at Darlands Lake.
Canada Goose Br/3 Y 1st Jan Breeding resident; common at Long Pond and Sheepwash Pond.
Mandarin Duck Br/3 Y 1st Jan Breeding resident at Darlands Lake, sometimes seen elsewhere.
Teal w/3 Y 1st Jan Winter visitor to Darlands Lake (mainly Sep-Apr).
Mallard Br/4 Y 1st Jan Breeding resident; present at most bodies of water.
Shoveler w/1 Y Winter visitor; scarce.
Sparrowhawk Br/3 Y 1st Jan Breeding resident; probably 3-4 pairs.
Common Buzzard o/2 Y Occasional visitor; scarce.
Red Kite o/1 Y Occasional visitor; rare.
Kestrel Br/3 Y Breeding resident; probably 3 pairs.
Hobby bs/2 Y Summer visitor; scarce (mainly May-Sep).
Pheasant Br/3 Y Breeding resident; probably 20-40 birds in the valley.
Red-legged Partridge br/2 Y Resident; possibly 1-2 pairs breed.
Moorhen Br/4 Y 1st Jan Breeding resident; common near ponds and brooks.
Coot bs/2 Y Occasional visitor to Darlands Lake; scarce.
Lapwing bo/2 Y
Golden Plover p/1 Y
Woodcock Y*
Black-headed Gull Y 1st Jan
Common Gull Y 1st Jan
Lesser Black-backed Gull Y 1st Jan
Herring Gull Y 1st Jan
Great Black-backed Gull Y
Feral Rock Dove Y 1st Jan
Stock Dove Y 1st Jan
Woodpigeon Y 1st Jan
Collared Dove Y 1st Jan
Ring-necked Parakeet Y
Cuckoo Y
Tawny Owl Y 1st Jan Probably 4+ pairs.
Little Owl Y Probably 2-3 pairs.
Swift Y
Kingfisher Y 1st Jan Scarce but often present along brooks or at Darlands Lake between Sept and May.
Green Woodpecker Y 1st Jan
Greater Spotted Woodpecker Y 1st Jan
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Y 1st Jan Possibly 1-2 pairs present.
Swallow Y A few breeding pairs still at Burtonhole and Frith Manor Farms.
House Martin Y
Sand Martin Y*
Skylark Y
Meadow Pipit Y
Yellow Wagtail Y
Grey Wagtail Y Present along water courses in small numbers.
Pied Wagtail Y 1st Jan
Wren Y 1st Jan
Dunnock Y 1st Jan
Robin Y 1st Jan
Redstart Y
Whinchat Y
Stonechat Y*
Wheatear Y
Blackbird Y 1st Jan
Fieldfare Y 1st Jan
Song Thrush Y 1st Jan
Redwing Y 1st Jan
Mistle Thrush Y 1st Jan
Lesser Whitethroat Y Probably 7-8 pairs in Totteridge Valley in 2006.
Whitethroat Y Probably 13 pairs in Totteridge Valley in 2006.
Garden Warbler Y
Blackcap Y
Grasshopper Warbler Y
Willow Warbler Y Probably 3 pairs in Totteridge Valley in 2006.
Chiffchaff Y
Wood Warbler Y*
Reed Warbler Y*
Goldcrest Y 1st Jan Probably 4+ pairs in 2006.
Firecrest Y
Spotted Flycatcher Y
Long-tailed Tit Y 1st Jan
Blue Tit Y 1st Jan
Great Tit Y 1st Jan
Coal Tit Y 1st Jan
Nuthatch Y 1st Jan Probably 4+ pairs.
Treecreeper Y 1st Jan Probably 4+ pairs.
Jay Y 1st Jan
Magpie Y 1st Jan
Jackdaw Y 1st Jan Max. 180+ at Folly Farm on 1/1.
Rook Y 1st Jan Max. 25 at Folly Farm on 1/1.
Carrion Crow Y 1st Jan
Starling Y 1st Jan
House Sparrow Y 2nd Jan Fairly common in residential areas.
Tree Sparrow Y
Chaffinch Y 1st Jan
Brambling Y
Greenfinch Y 1st Jan
Goldfinch Y 1st Jan
Linnet Y
Siskin Y
Lesser Redpoll Y 1st Jan
Bullfinch Y 1st Jan
Reed Bunting Y
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