Scarce Birds - 2005

From Croydon Birders

Scarce birds in Croydon, 2005

As we only receive information at irregular intervals, this page is not intended to be an up to the minute guide of birds seen in Croydon, but is a summary of records relating to some of our scarcer visitors.

• Little Egret
  • Two at South Norwood CP on February 5th

• Red-crested Pochard
  • At Waddon Ponds in February and May
  • Male at Sanderstead Pond on April 14th and 15th

• Red Kite
  • One over Littleheath Wood on May 1st
  • One over Dutch Village, Coulsdon in June
  • Four southeast over Streatham Common on July 18th
  • One over Marlpit Lane towards Farthing Downs on an unspecified date in July

• Buzzard
  • One over Chapel Bank on July 3rd

• Quail
  • One heard at South Norwood Country Park on May 29th

• Avocet
  • Two at Beddington SF on October 16th flew off into Croydon at about 12.30

• Little Ringed Plover
  • One at South Norwood Country Park on May 29th

• Mediterranean Gull
  • One at South Norwood CP on July 2nd

• Turtle Dove
  • One in Pollards Hill South on April 29th

• Little Owl
  • One at Ashburton Park on April 15th

• Waxwing
  • Three in Boundary Road, Wallington on January 14th
  • Up to ten in The Grange/Millers Pond area of Shirley from January 21st – 30th
  • 18 at Brickfields Meadow on February 20th
  • 1 over Melville Avenue, South Croydon on February 22nd
  • ca 15 near Sanderstead station on February 22nd
  • 1 in Highland Road, Purley on an unrecorded date in February
  • ca 20 at the junction of Ampere Way/Beddington Farm Road on March 2nd
  • ca 50 opposite Therapia Lane tram stop on March 4th
  • 30+ on Beddington Farm Road, near Stirling Close, on March 7th
  • ca 60 over Lloyd Park on March 7th
  • 40+ near Selhurst rail depot on March 8th
  • 16 over Pollards Hill on March 15th
  • ca 10 in Maryland Road, Thornton Heath on March 15-16th
  • ca 6 at Jasmine Court, Wallington on March 24th
  • 9 in Woodcrest Road, Purley in late March or early April (no exact date)

This series of records is unprecedented in Croydon. In the ‘invasion’ winter of 1965-6 there were just one in Sanderstead on November 25th and up to three in Purley on December 11-12th. The previous highest count was up to seven in Addiscombe on January 7-9th 2004.

• Black Redstart
  • 4 at Vulcan Way Industrial Estate, New Addington on October 18th

• Redstart
  • One at Queens Road Cemetery on April 19th

• Whinchat
  • Two at South Norwood Country Park on April 30th
  • Two at Riddlesdown on April 30th
  • One at South Norwood Country Park on August 28th and another on September 20th

• Wheatear
  • One at Brickfields Meadow on April 29th
  • Six at South Norwood Country Park on April 30th
  • One at Riddlesdown on April 30th
  • One male in Brownlow Road on June 26th
  • One at South Norwood Country Park on August 20th

• Firecrest
  • One in a Croydon garden on January 22nd
  • One in a garden next to Stambourne Woodland Walk on two dates in March

• Pied Flycatcher
  • One at Farthing Downs on April 11th

• Brambling** One over Sanderstread on October 15th

John Birkett, RSPB Croydon Local Group. 29/4/2006