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From Croydon Birders

Contents 1 Croydon sightings for 2009 2 November 3 October 4 September 5 August 6 Previous Months

Croydon sightings for 2009

Please do not post details of scarce breeding birds (those included in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, amended 2000). Any such reports will be removed. We would still like to know of such potential breeding records, so please e-mail them to us.

If posting records from a private garden include the street name, but do not give the house number.

We now have a separate page for recording sightings of species other than birds, eg mammals, dragonflies, butterflies, etc. Click on the link here to access Other Wildlife.

November

• 7th - SN Country Park - 11 Shoveler, Kingfisher, Siskin, Reed Bunting, Finch flock (Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch), LT Tit

Many Blackbirds, Many Song Thrush (Dave Thrussell)

• 6th - Briton Hill Road, Sanderstead. One Sparrowhawk, 2 Fieldfares, 5 Redwings (JB)

Note - two new photographs have been added to the Photos page of Madagascar Teal(?) - one at Waddon Ponds on Oct 28th 2009 (Photo by Ernie Thomason) and the other at South Norwood Lake in Jan 1988 (Photo by John Birkett)

• 1st - Sparrowhawk over gardens in Duppas Hill Road (Simon Harris)

October

• 31st - Mayfield Road, Thornton Heath - 20+ Ring-necked Parakeets over Croydon Athletic football ground (Simon Harris)
• 31st - Sanderstead. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in Arundel Avenue. (per John Birkett)
• 31st - South Norwood Lake - 6 Tufted Duck, 12 Cormorant, 1m Kestrel, 30+ Black-headed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull.3 Pied Wagtail, 3 Mistle Thrush,1 Green Woodpecker,3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Nuthatch, 30+ Long-tailed Tit,(John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 31st - South Norwood CP - Shoveler(5),Tufted (12),Mallard (12),Greylag Goose (2), Cormorant (5),Fieldfares, Tit Flocks (LT Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit), Songthrush (many), Blackbird (many), Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, BH Gulls, Common Gull, Canada Goose, Coot, Moorhen, Ring-necked Parakeet (Dave Thrussell)
• 30th - Briton Hill Road, Sanderstead. Skylark flew over garden. (John Birkett)
• 30th - Duppas Hill - Juv. Grey Wagtail in back garden feeding around garden pond (Simon Harris)
• 29th - Coulsdon. 40+ Ring-necked Parakeets over The Vale. (Pat Webster)
• 29th - Selsdon Park - 114 Redwings, 1 Fieldfare, I Mistle Thrush, 26 Blackbirds, 160 Woodpigeons, 3 Goldcrests, 13 Stock Doves, 11 Chaffinches, 18 Long-tailed Tits, 9 Jays. (John Birkett)
• 28th - Waddon Ponds - 3 Little Grebe, Black-Headed Gull, Herring Gull, 2 First winter Common Gull, Ring Necked Parakeet, 1 poss juv Red Crested Pochard* (Photos taken), Tufted Duck, Mallard, Moorhen, Coot, Canada Goose, Starling, Goldfinch, Carrion Crow, (Ernie Thomason). * Having seen the photos, the juv Red-crested Pochard appears to be a Madagascar Teal - I will try to get at least one of the photos posted on this webite in the next few days (John Birkett)
• 28th - Pollards Hill -Viz mig-@07.00.23 Redwing,8 Fieldfare,1 Skylark,Chaffinches,Greenfinches,Goldfinches all W. 1 GS wood ,1 Goldcrest in garden (MN)
• 28th - Riddlesdown - 15 Fieldfares, 75+ Redwings, 250+ Woodpigeons, 15+ Skylarks [a few singing, but also some heading south], 4+ Bullfinch, 6+ Meadow Pipits, pair of Pheasants. (John Birkett)
• 28th - 2 Redpolls over Sanderstead. (JB)
• 28th - Hutchinson's Bank - 102 Fieldfares flying north at 9.30am 6 Redwings south. On site : 12 Carrion Crow, 14 Blackbird, 22 Robin, 2 Song Thrush, 3 Greenfinch, 2 Chaffinch, 43 Woodpigeon (Ted Forsyth)
• 28th - Lloyd Park - 18 Fieldfare 1 Pied Wagtail (P Phillips)
• 26th - Waddon Ponds - 3 Little Grebe, c30 Black Headed Gull, 1 Poss 1st winter Common Gull, 3 Ring-Necked Parakeet, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Moorhen, Coot, Canada Goose, Starling, Great Tit, Pied Wagtail, Goldfinch, Carrion Crow. (Ernie Thomason)
• 26th - South Norwood lake - 8 Tufted Duck, 2 Cormorant, 25 Black-headed Gull, 2 Common Gull, 12 Redwing (over) 16 Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Nuthatch,(John Watson)
• 25th - South Norwood Lake - 6 Tufted Duck, 5 Cormorant, 4 Pied wagtail, 4 Jackdaw, c12 Redwing,1 Nuthatch, 6+ Ring-necked Parakeet,(John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 25th - Coulsdon Common - usual suspects and long tailed tits, nuthatch, treecreeper, greater spotted and green woodpecker, BH gull, inevitable RN paras. (David Hayes)
• 25th - Markfield - Siskin, Marsh Tit,Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Greenfinch,Goldfinch all on feeders (Ted Forsyth)
• 24th - Coulsdon. Adult Yellow-legged Gull again present. (Richard Bosanquet)
• 23rd - Coulsdon. Adult Yellow-legged Gull. (Terry Osborne)
• 23rd - Flock of 30+ ring necked paratroopers over Woodmansterne station, 07.10, one example of a worrying increase in numbers in the Coulsdon area. (David Hayes)
• 20th - ca 75 Pied Wagtails at roost site near East Croydon station. Initially 'commuting' between Royal Mail and AIG buildings before starting to settle in trees just before 18:00 approaching mainly from Royal Mail. (John Birkett)
• 19th - South Norwood Lake - 5 Cormorant, 20+ Black-headed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 8 Tufted Duck, 7 Pied Wagtail, 8 Jay, 3 Collared Dove, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 14 Ring-necked Parakeet,1 Chiffchaff,20+ Goldfinch,(John Watson)
• 18th - Farthing Downs - 3 bullfinch, 4 skylark, 3 siskin over, GS and green woodpecker, 5 RN parakeet, 10 goldfinch, 20+ starlings, 2stock dove, 50+ woodpigeon, 5 chaffinch, greenfinch, 3 mipits. (David Hayes)
• 18th - South Norwood Lake - 20+ Black-headed Gull,1 Cormorant, 10 Tufted Duck, c12 Long-tailed Tit,2 Goldcrest, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker,4 Nuthatch,(John Watson)
• 17th - Penge High Street - 16-45 c300 Starling on rooftops of shops.( John Watson)
• 17th - South norwood Lake - 2 Cormorant, 20 Tufted Duck, 2 Collared Dove, 30+ Black-headed Gull, 12 Ring Necked Parakeet, 2 Mistle Thruch, 3 Pied Wagtail (John Watson)
• 17th-Pollards Hill-12.45 a.m.1 Fieldfare calling from top of tallest tree in the garden (MN)
• 17th - South Norwood CP - 50+ BH Gull, 7 Cormorants, 2 Common, 1 LBB Gull, Chiffchaff, Finch flocks (Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch), Tit Flock (LT Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit), GS Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Pheasant, increased Blackbird and Robin numbers (Dave Thrussell)
• 17th - Viz mig. 800+ Redwings, 6+ Fieldfares and a few Chaffinches flying mainly south over Briton Hill Road between 8.15 and 8.45am. Then a Sparrowhawk hunting in the area about 9am plus one Starling - now a local rarity. (John Birkett)
• 16th - around 6pm several dozen Pied Wagtails mainly flying onto Royal Mail building near East Croydon then down to the four small trees so looks like this is the roost location for this winter. I would still appreciate records from there, especially if the roost grows in numbers. (John Birkett)
• 16th - Riddlesdown - Sparrowhawk on roof of house by car park entrance. (Gill Flinn)
• 16th - South Norwood Lake - 1 1f Teal, 3m Shoveler,8 Tufted Duck, 2 Grey Heron, 4 Cormorant, 1 Little Grebe, 30+ Black-headed Gull, 4 Collared Dove, 2 Mistle Thrush, 4 Pied Wagtail, 2 Goldcrest, c25 Redwing N/NE, 30+ Goldfinch, 4 Ring-necked Parakeet,(John Watson)
• 15th - Roost (or pre-roost gathering?) of Pied Wagtails on roof of Royal Mail building by East Croydon station at 6pm. If anyone passes that way near dusk can they please check to see if there is an actual roost there [it has been suggested they may be using the small trees between the bus station and the tram line]. (John Birkett)
• 15th - 6 redwings over Woodmansterne station at 07.10. (David Hayes)
• 14th - 12+ Redwings flew NW over Briton Hill Road at 07:55, 50+ Redwings (in two flocks) flew W over Purley Beeches at 08:00. Also 2 Fieldfares over Purley Beeches. Ring Ouzel (male) over Purley Oaks station at 08:10 (John Birkett)
• 14th - Pollards Hill-8 Blackbirds "dropped in" together (08.00).6 Redwing over E (08.30). 23 Redwings over E (15.00) (MN)
• 13th - Markfield - Lesser Redpoll on Niger seed. 3 Redwings. Up to 9 Goldfinches and 6 Greenfinches on feeders(Ted Forsyth)
• 11th - Coulsdon. First winter Glaucous Gull at 15:30 for five minutes. (Richard Bosamquet)
• 11th - Pittville Gardens, SE25: 3pm - 6 Redwings circling low (Gavin Hawgood)
• 11th - Chapel Bank - Two Buzzards (Ted Forsyth)
• 11th - South Norwood CP - Little Grebe, Herring Gulls, Common Gulls, BH Gulls, mixed tit flock (15+ Long-tailed), Chiffchaff, 6+ Pied Wagtails, GS Woodpecker (Dave Thrussell)
• 11th - South Norwood Lake - fTeal, 14 Tufted Duck, 20+ Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 30+ Ring-necked Parakeet, c30 Goldfinch, Nuthatch, 3 Pied Wagtail,(John Watson & Gavin Hawgood
• 11th - Beech Copse, South Croydon, 08.30 - single Grey Heron flying over. (Paul Straghan)
• 10th - South Norwood Lake - 30+ Black-headed Gull,1 Common Gull, 2 Sparrowhawk, 3 Pied Wagtail (2juv) 2 Green Woodpeckerr, 5 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Nuthatch, Goldcrest, 12 Ring-necked Parakeet,(John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 9th - South Norwood Lake - 8 Cormorant,14 Ring-necked Parakeet,3 Pied Wagtail,c20 Long-tailed Tit,1 Great Spotted Woodpecker,1 Nuthatch,2 House Sparrow,(John Watson)
• 9th - one Redwing over Briton Hill Road just before 8am then 12 over Purley Beeches. (John Birkett)
• 8th - Chipstead Valley Road - Chiffchaff calling from Garden (Chris Evans - via email to webmaster)
• 8th - South Norwood Lake - 1 Common Gull,2 Cormorant,3 Shoverler,15 Tufted Duck,2 Collared Dove,2 Pied Wagtails,7 Jay,c20 Long-tailed Tit (John Watson)
• 8th - Riddlesdown - male Stonechat on scrub in field above far paddock. (Gill Flinn)
• 8th - female Peregrine flew south over Sanderstead station at 08:20 [Croydon to Riddlesdown again?] (John Birkett)
• 3rd - South Norwood Lake - 10:08hrs juv Mediterranean Gull into 1st winter circled for 5 mins then flew S/SW (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 2nd - South Norwood Lake - 20 Tufted Duck,8 Cormorant,2 Collared Dove,2 Grey Wagtail, 3 Pied Wagtail, c20 Goldfinch,1 Chiffchaff,8 Jay,12 Ring-necked Parakeet (John Watson)
• 2nd - Sparrowhawk being mobbed by 3 Crows over Virginia Road Thonrton Heath (Linda & Terry Osborn)
• 1st - Peregrine in Croydon town centre at 18.15 (immature bird?) John Birkett

September

• 29th - South Norwood CP. Tawny Owl calling at 19:25, possibly a male of the year (John Birkett)
• 29th - Peregrine flew south over Sanderstead station at 08:17 (John Birkett)
• 28th - Kent Gate Way Croydon End - Common Buzzard on the ground in the field on the right hand side.(Linda & Terry Osborn)
• 27th - South Norwood Recreation Ground (1pm): singing Chiffchaff (Gavin Hawgood)
• 27th - St Andrews Road, Coulsdon - 1 juvenile chiffchaff calling in the garden. (David Hayes)
• 27th - Turnpike Link (seen from garden in Chepstow Rise), 08:45, male Peregrine over, calling loudly and carrying a passerine prey item, Carrion Crows and Magpies in pursuit. (Garden tick! John Parish).
• 27th - South Norwood CP - Meadow Pipit, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Little Grebe, increased numbers of Song Thrush, Common Gulls (Dave Thrussell)
• 25th - 18:10 Sparrowhawk hunting over Wellesley Road then towards West Croydon. (John Birkett)
• 25th - Persistent early morning passage of Mippit & Chaffinch all week + 3 Song Thrush "dropped in" today-Pollards Hill-(MN)
• 25th - South Norwood CP - (07.00 - 09.00am) Grey Wagtail, Mute Swan, Little Grebe, Chiffchaffs, 3 Shoverlers (Dave Thrussell)
• 23rd - South Norwood Lake: (10:00-12:00hrs) 1f Mandarin Duck, 10 Tufted Duck,1 Grey Heron, 1f Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 1 Hobby, c12 Long-tailed Tit, c25 Redwing, 1 Chiffchaff,(John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 22nd - South Norwood CP (18:30-19:30). Flock of 75+ Ring-necked Parakeets, by far my largest flock at this site or anywhere else in Croydon (and I was only looking for a single bird having heard 'it' call!). 1 Stonechat, 1 Dabchick, 3 Shovelers. 84 Canada Geese and 80+ Mallards at dusk as birds flew in to roost. (John Birkett)
• 22nd - South Norwood Country Park 14:30-15:30hrs - 2 Little Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 6 Black-headed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 2 Chiffchaff, 1m Reed Bunting,(John Watson)
• 22nd - South Norwood Lake 09:45-11-05hrs - 9 Cormorant,10 Tufted Duck, 3 great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Chiffchaff,(John Watson)
• 20th - Farthing Downs: Buzzard mobbed by 16 RN parakeets, 1 f sparrowhawk, 7 mistle thrushes over, chiffchaff, 10 LT tits, 6 goldfinch, 3 mipits over, 1 grey wagtail over (life tick at this site), 3 linnet, 1 green wood,8 house martins over. (David Hayes)
• 20th - Chepstow Rise - At least 10 House Martins circling at high level (just visible with the naked eye) at 17.30. First garden record of this species since Sept 2006 (John Parish).
• 20th - South Norwood CP. 3 Shovelers, 2 Little Grebe, 1 Snipe (island), small numbers Chiffchaffs, Blackcap, 30+ Mallard, 120+ Woodpigeon just on field (Dave Thrussell)
• 20th - Peregrine from BSF towards Ikea (MikeN)
• 19th - South Norwood CP. 3 Shovelers, 1 Little Grebe, small numbers Chiffchaffs, Whitethroats, 4 Swallows (Dave Thrussell)
• 18th - South Norwood Lake - 2 Cormorant, 25 Tufted Duck, 5 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Jackdaw over S/SW, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Chiffchaff (1 singing) 3 Nuthatch,(John Watson)
• 17th - South Norwood CP. Approx 500 Feral Pigeons flew north in flocks of up to 40 in a quarter of an hour around 08:00. 100+ Woodpigeons on site (approx 50% immature birds). 3 Shovelers, 1 Little Grebe, 4 young Cormorants, 1 Meadow Pipit, 20+ Long-tailed Tits, several Chiffchaffs. (John Birkett)
• 17th - MacDonalds,London Road, Thornton Heath-Grey wagtail (Mike N)
• 16th - South Norwood Lake - 2 Cormorant, 6 Black-headed Gull, 1m Sparrowhawk, 1f Kestrel, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrest, (John Watson)
• 15th-Central Croydon-Peregrine calling noisily above Grants (M.Netherwood per Mick Cook)
• 15th - South Norwood Lake- 10:15am Common Buzzard being mobbed by 6 Carrion Crows, 30 Tufted Duck, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest,(John Watson)
• 15th - 19 Pied Wagtails Lloyd Park (Peter Phillips)
• 13th - Thornton Heath. 8 Swallows over NE (Mike Netherwood)
• 13th - three Redwings flew towards Sanderstead Plantation at 07:30. (John Birkett)
• 12th - Riddlesdown. Mixed flock of pigeons = 40+ Stock Doves, 50 Feral Pigeons, a few Woodpigeons. Flock of 30+ Long-tailed Tits, 25+ Blue Tits, 2+ Chiffchaffs. 40+ Jackdaws, 2 Pheasants, 1 female and 1 imm Kestrel, 5 Swallows heading north(!), 10+ Goldfinches, 3+ Bullfinches. Only one Skylark. (John Birkett)
• 12th - Sanderstead Rec. 12+ Pied Wagtails, a good local count. (John Birkett)
• 12th - South Norwood CP - 2 x Little Grebe (07.00am), small numbers of Blackcaps, Whitethroats (Dave Thrussell)
• 10th - Auckland/Hamlet Rds SE19 - Common Buzzard (prob Juv) flying N (GH per John Flynn)
• 10th - Pollards Hill S.-Grey Heron flushed by crows from adjacent garden @ 06:30
• 9th - Sparrowhawk over Limpsfield Road, Sanderstead. (John Birkett)
• 8th - South Norwood Lake (12pm): 1 Little Grebe, 3 Swifts (GH per John Watson)
• 8th - South Norwood CP. One Hobby drifting over at 18:30, one Little Grebe, several Chiffchaffs with Long-tailed Tit flock, 4+ Stock Doves. (John Birkett)
• 7th - Pollards Hill. Flock 15 Goldfinch, 1 G.S.Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker,2 Jay all in garden a.m.
• 6th - South Norwood Lake area (12pm): 3 different Hobby sightings in 15 minutes period (Gavin Hawgood & John Watson)
• 6th - South Norwood CP - Little Grebe (09.15am), Sedge Warbler roaming with mixed flock, 2 x Common Gull, 1 Lesser BB Gull (Dave Thrussell)
• 5th - Immature Peregrine on Nestle at 17:45. (John Birkett)
• 1st - South Norwood Lake area (10am): Hobby hawking above tree-line (GH per John Watson)
• 1st - South Norwood CP. Female Sparrowhawk seen briefly as it dashed out of cover to chase a Long-tailed Tit. (John Birkett)

August

• 29th - South Norwood Lake (10am): 1 Sand Martin, 2 House Martins, 4 Swifts & 2 Swallows (juvs) over Lake at same time (Gavin Hawgood & John Watson)
• 29th - South Norwood CP. Two Hobbies at 11:43, One Buzzard flew west at 12:23 then a second also drifted west at 12:30. Green Sandpiper, one Kingfisher, 2 Jackdaws, 1 Little Grebe, 6 Ring-necked Parakeets, 5 Stock Doves, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and Whitethroat. (pete Lambert)
• 29th - South Norwood CP - Kingfisher flyover on 2 occasions at pond (Dave Thrussell)
• 24th - Park Hill, pair of mistle thrushes feeding on primary school field (Romney Tansley)
• 23rd - South Norwood Country Park: 1 Hobby and 1 Willow Warbler (Michael Mac per London Birders)
• 22nd - South Norwood Lake/Beaulieu Heights area (12pm): Excellent views of Hobby (Gavin Hawgood & John Watson)
• 22nd - South Norwood Lake (10am): 1 Common Tern flying over (NNW) (Gavin Hawgood & John Watson)
• 20th - Amazing spectacle of Sparrowhawk and Hobby in aerial duel over Waddington Way Upper Norwood SE19 approx 4.30pm (Linda & Terry Osborn)
• 12th - South Norwood CP, Common Tern seen fishing in the lake (Romney Tansley)
• 11th - South Norwood CP. Kingfisher, family of Tufted Ducks, Reed Warbler, Cormorant, Kestrel. (John Birkett)
• 10th - Roundshaw Common/Croydon Airport/Purley Way - family group of 4 or 5 Meadow Pipits (Derek Lea)
• 9th - Whitehorse Meadow Nature Area, SE25 - late(ish) Swift (Gavin Hawgood)
• 9th - Flyover of at least 3 House Martins Virginia Road Thornton Heath plus up to 12 House Sparrows and 8 Long Tailed Tits regulary in the garden (Linda & Terry Osborn)
• 8th - Littleheath Woods - Juvenile Sparrowhawk. 4 Stock Doves (Ted Forsyth)
• 7th - Juvenile Sparrowhawks in both Selsdon Wood and Kingswood. Little Owl in Mossyhill Shaw (Ted Forsyth)
• 4th -South Norwood CP: Hobby chasing Swift (Steven Robinson - per London Birders)
• 3rd Riddlesdown. Several Skylarks, including two carrying food, also Whitethroat with food. Three Meadow Pipits (one singing), one Yellowhammer singing, four Stock Doves. (John Birkett)
• 2nd - South Norwood Lake (10am): 2 juvenile (female) Sparrowhawks "chasing" each other 50 feet above the Lake itself (Gavin Hawgood / John Watson)
• 2nd - Hutchinsons Bank - Peregrine circling high overhead at 10:30hrs (John Parish)

Previous Months

Because of the great effort put in by our local recorders, this page was getting rather long. It has therefore been decided by the site administrators that this page will now only contain sightings for the current and previous months. All other sightings for this year can be found by clicking on the relevant month links below -

January 2009 - February 2009 - March 2009 - April 2009 - May 2009 - June 2009 - July 2009