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From Croydon Birders

Contents 1 Croydon sightings for 2009 2 Previous Months 3 June 4 May

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.

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

June

• 24th - Park Hill Park: The same young Green Woodpecker as yesterday (or its sibling) still calling repeatedly from the nest hole; then, about 300 metres away, a more advanced juvenile was clinging to the brickwork of the Water Tower, also calling repeatedly but more loudly - probably originated from a second nest. (John Parish)
• 23rd - Park Hill Park: A fledgling Green Woodpecker, head protruding from a nest hole, giving repeated, rather Jackdaw-like calls - only 250 metres from Fairfield Halls! (John Parish)
• 23rd - South Norwood CP. At least one adult and three juvenile Kestrels, 1 singing Reed Bunting, 2+ Reed Warblers. (John Birkett)
• 21st - South Norwood Lake - 10-00hrs 12-00hrs - 1 Great Crested Grebe, c40 Swift, 1 Singing Garden Warbler,4 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 1 Common Whitethroat, 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Nuthatch 4 House Sparrow,(John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 18th - Hutchinson's Bank - 6.30pm - 24 Swifts flying north (Ted Forsyth)
• 18th - South Norwood Lake - 10:00am 1 Great Crested Grebe,3 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap,4 Great Spotted Woodpecker,1 Pied Wagtail, 4 House Sparrow,11:05am 1m Kestrel over Goathouse Bridge then flew West towards South Norwood High Street,(John Watson)
• 16th - Coulsdon. 6.00pm. Approx 100 swifts in a loose but definite group, flying south (in leisurely fashion), away from a thunderstorm. Never seen anything like it, pretty certain the group included birds from some distance. House martins seem to have given up on Coulsdon. Chiffchaff and whitethroat singing from nearby railway embankment for several days now. Family group of goldfinchs using the feeder for several days. 1 reed warbler singing it's heart out from reeds, St James's Park, C London. (David Hayes)
• 14th - Atlas work in New Addington. Several singing Skylarks. Good number of Starlings and House Sparrows. (John Birkett)
• 13th - Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Marsh Tit in Selsdon Park during BTO survey. House Martins finally seen back at the second nest site in Sanderstead. (John Birkett)
• 13th - South Norwood Lake (10:00-12:00) pair Great Crested Grebe, 6 Tufted Duck,(11:00hrs)Common Buzzard, 2 Green Woodpecker, c6 Great Spotted Woodpecker, c20 Swift, 3 Nuthatch, 3 Song Thrush, c12 Long-tailed Tit,(John Watson Gavin Hawgood)
• 12th; 9 p.m. Sanderstead pond; there was a grey heron standing on the central growth of reeds, etc. (Piers Hubbard)
• 10th - South Norwood Counrty Park. 10 - 20 swifts overhead by lake and Elmers End Road.(Ernest Thomason)
• 10th - Millers Pond. 4- 6 Swifts overhead, 1 Grey Heron feeding, Canada Geese with 17 goslings, and another with 12 goslings, making over 40 Canada geese for this small lake.(Ernest Thomason)
• 9th & 10th - North End. A Goldfinch singing persistenly on both mornings from the highest point of the facade above McDonalds. (John Parish)
• 8th - Pollards Hill. Pair of G.S.Woodpecker with 1 Juv + R.N.Parakeet feeding young.(Mnetherwood)
• 5th - South Norwood Lake: pair Great Crested Grebe,12 Tufted Duck, 1 Grey Heron,1 Green Woodpecker, 6 Great Spotted Woodpecker (4juv)c12 Swift, 3singing Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, c15 Long-tailed Tit (London Birders = John Watson)
• 5th - Central Croydon - Swift over Fairfield Halls. (John Birkett)
• 4th - Pollards Hill. 2 G.s.Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Nuthatch (first for year) all in garden at the same time. Also singing Blackcap,family party of 12 L.t.tit & House Sparrow family (at last!)Mike Netherwood
• 4th - South Norwood CP. 2 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Mute Swan, singing Reed Warbler, singing Reed Bunting, Kestrel. (John Birkett)
• 3rd - South Norwood Lake: pair Great Crested Grebe, 12 Tufted Duck, 1m Hobby, m f Sparrowhawk, 2 Green Woodpecker, 5 Great Spotted Woodpecker (3juv), 2 Nuthatch, 3 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Swifts. (per London Birders = John Watson)
• 2nd - South Norwood Lake: pair Great Crested Grebe, 15 Tufted Duck,12 Ring-necked Parakeet,7 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, 7 Great Spotted Woodpecker (4Juv)1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, 4 Swift,(London Birders = John Watson)
• 2nd - First House Martins of year at one of the Sanderstead breeding locations, but none seen at one of the others (where scaffolding was being erected in a neighbouring house). (John Birkett)
• 1st - Park Hill, Kestrel over Chepstow Rise at 05:30 was our first garden record of the species since March 2003 (John Parish)
• 1st - Park Hill, male house sparrow seen singing on Alpine Close; kestrel seen on Minster Drive and 4 swifts overhead (Romney Tansley)

May

• 28th - Heard a strange "caw" at 10: 20 a.m., looked up to see a crow circling about 150 feet up with a buzzard much higher. The crow gave up as the buzzard continued to gain height above Court Hill and Montague Avenue. It sailed above the house to the golf course where it continue to circle to gain height until it headed west and I lost sight. (Piers Hubbard)
• 28th - South Norwood Lake 10:00hrs, pair Great Crested Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Jay, 1m Sparrowhawk, c 20 Swift, (John Watson)
• 27th- South Norwood Lake - 10:00hrs pair Great Cresteed Grebe, pair Common Tern, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker + 3 juv, 30+ Swift, 4 House Martin,(John Watson)
• 25th - South Norwood Lake - 08:00hrs pair Common Tern,1Lesser Black-backed Gull, c12 Swift (John Watson)
• 24th - Chapel Bank - Cuckoo calling (Ted Forsyth)
• 20th - Selsdon Wood LNR: Male & Female Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard soaring overhead, Many Blackcaps singing, Long Tailed, Coal, Marsh, Great & Blue Tits, (per London Birders = Ernie Thomason)
• 20th - South Norwood Lake - 08:10hrs 1m Mandarin on Lake, Swift,3 Great Spotted Woodpecker ,Returned to SNL at 10:00 no sign of m Mandarin,(John Watson)
• 20th - Pittville Gardens SE25 (7.30am) 1 male House Sparrow in garden (1st in years!) (Gavin Hawgood)
• 19th - South Norwood CP. No sign of the Common Tern from Brickfields when I arrived around 19.00 - 19.15. One Whinchat present, also one Great Crested Grebe on Lake and one Garden Warbler singing. (John Birkett)
• 19th - Brickfields Meadow. One Common Tern flying round lake at 18.30 until it flew off in the direction of South Norwood CP. (John Birkett)
• 17th - Hutchinson's Bank - Sparrowhawk mobbed by two Crows (Ted Forsyth)
• 17th - Addington Hills. (0700 - 1000) - Monthly count on standard route included 3 Stock Doves, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 6 GS Woodpeckers, 1 Swallow, 21 singing Wrens, 39 singing Robins, 17 Blackbirds, 3 Song Thrushes, 6 singing Blackcaps, 7 Chiffchaffs (2 carrying food), 4 Jays (John Parish)
• 16th - Selsdon Wood - Garden Warbler, 16 Swifts, Swallow, Sparrowhawk, TreeCreeper (Ted Forsyth)
• 16th - South Norwood Lake- 2 LesserBlack-backed Gull, c15 Swift, Garden Warbler with nesting material, Blackcap Chiffchaff, (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 15th- South Norwood Lake- pair Great Crested Grebe, 18 Ring-necked Parakeet, 2 Swallow, 6 Swift, Great Spotted Woodpecker & Nuthatch at nest holes feeding young,(John Watson)
• 13th-Pollards Hill-5 Swift , 2 Swallow feeding above garden oaks before moving NE (Mike N.)
• 12th - Waddon Ponds. No sign of the wader reported from there yesterday. At least two Little Grebe territories, 50+ Coots (some with young or nest building), Grey Wagtail, Ring-necked Parakeet, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 10+ Swifts, dozens of Herring Gulls over. (John Birkett)
• 12th - Coulsdon: starlings nesting in my eaves, house sparrow colony at Woodmansterne station going strong. Max 8 swift and only 2 house martins seen this year, a dramatic drop from last year. 1 sparrowhawk 07.10 at station. (David Hayes)
• 12th - South Norwood Lake: pair Great Crested Grebe displaying, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, c20 Swift, c6 Swallow, 12+ House Martin, 2 green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1m Sparrowhawk,(John Watson)
• 11th - Tawny Owl heard calling from Croham Hurst at 22.20. (John Birkett)
• 10th - Hutchinson's Bank - Garden Warbler (Ted Forsyth)
• 10th - South Norwood Lake: pair Great Crested Grebe courtship display.(John Watson)
• 10th - Farthing Downs 10am to noon. 3+ Yellowhammers, 6+ Skylarks, many Whitethroats singing, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Kestrel mobbed by Jackdaws, several Linnets, Swallows flying through, a few Swifts. Brief snatch of Cuckoo calling. (John Birkett)
• 10th - Sparrowhawk high over Purley Oaks station at 08.35, Heron mobbed by Crows over Purley station at 08.55. (John Birkett)
• 10th - extreme eastern edge of Mitcham Common (just o/s Borough: TQ301677) - (9am) 1 singing Garden Warbler in lilac tree (Gavin Hawgood)
• 9th - Markfield - 2 Grey Herons flew N mobbed by Crow at 7.25am (Ted Forsyth)
• 9th - Waddon - Whitethroat feeding on insects on the netting over garden pond. Also Sparrowhawk caught Starling on Duppas Hill Park - (Simon Harris).
• 9th - South Norwood Lake - 08:10hrs Great Crested Grebe with 1 Juv on back (John Watson) 11:40hrs pair Great Crested Grebe 1 Juv missing (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 9th - South Norwood Lake: Great Crested Grebe, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 4 Black-headed Gull,2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Common Whitethroat, Great Spotted Woodpecker at nest hole feeding young, 3 Common Swift,
• 9th - Selsdon Park. Tawny Owl mobbed by Jays and Mistle Thrushes before relocating to another area (and being mobbed again, by Jays and Magpies).
• 8th - South Norwood Lake - 20:25hrs c50 Common Swift over lake (John Watson)
• 8th - Park Hill Park 0730 hrs. Female Peregrine low over treetops, male & female Sparrowhawks visiting their nest. (Johns Birkett & Parish).
• 8th - Kestrel floating low over Norbury High Street 2.45pm today. First swifts arrived over Virginia Road on 2nd May. (Linda & Terry Osborn)
• 6th - Swift over Purley Oaks station in the morning and one over Briton Hill Road in the evening. Now clearly returning to breeding sites in Croydon, so keep your eyes open. Also, hopefully, House Martins are back at breeding sites - info always useful. (John Birkett)
• 5th - Swifts over Heavers Meadow (1), Woodside Green (1) and South Norwood CP (4) in the evening. Also Reed Warbler singing at South Norwood CP. (John Birkett)
• 5th -returning Swifts (4) over Pollards Hill-( Mike Netherwood)
• 5th - Park Hill: re John P's note of 30th April, a pair of house sparrows was sighted last week at the junction of Chichester Road/St Bernards/Alpine Close and we had a pair on our feeders just 50m away 3 weeks ago, so it seems that the colony persists at least for now. (Tansley)
• 3rd - Pollards Hill-Pair Mistle thrush defending nest/young from various passing corvids .Grey Wagtail at nearby garden pond(Mike Netherwood)
• 3rd - Riddlesdown. 2 Whinchats (m&f) near Warlingham Court Farm, 10+ Skylarks, 2 singing Yellowhammers, 6+ Meadow Pipits (some singing), 4 Linnets 1 Swallow, c10 Blackcaps, 3 Whitethroats singing, 6+ Chiffchafs, 1 Willow Warbler 4 Stock Doves, 1 Pheasant. (John Birkett)
• 3rd - South Norwood Lake:pair Great Crested Grebe, pair Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Common Sandpiper, 12 Tufted Duck, 4 Cormorant, 1 Grey Wagtail, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker,1 Grey Heron, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Nuthatch, 1 Kestrel,2 Swift, 1 House Martin,(John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 2nd - South Norwood Lake: pair Great Crested Grebe, pair Lesser Black-backed Gull, pair Common Tern, pair Grey Wagtail, 1 singing Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, Nuthatch, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, House Sparrow (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 1st - South Norwood Lake: pair Great Crested Grebe, 2 Common Tern, 5 singing Blackcap, 4 singing Chiffchaff, 2 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker,, 3 Song Thrush, 1 Pied Wagtail, 3 Collared Dove, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 9 Ring-necked Parakeet, 4 House Sparrow (John Watson)