April 2012

From Croydon Birders

• 30th - Pollards Hill South: Tawny Owl "kee-wicking" @09.15.First garden record (MJN)
• 30th - Sanderstead: My first Swift of the year over garden at 3.15pm. (JB)
• 30th - Pittville Gardens, South Norwood (5pm): single group of 49 Herring Gulls NE (ex Beddington ad Thames "roost"?) (Gavin Hawgood)
• 30th - South Norwood Lake (9.30am): 1 Swallow through, 4 singing Willow Warblers, 8 singing Chiffchaffs & literally dozens of Blackcaps (they're everywhere!); no sign of yesterday's Redwing (Gavin Hawgood)
• 29th - South Norwood Country Park: Common Sandpiper, pr Sparrowhawk (JAH)
• 29th - South Norwood Lake (2.30pm): <20 Swallows, <35 House Martins & <10 Swifts feeding over lake (interestingly enough, they all left once the rain stopped); also, f Sparrowhawk circling high, & the same Redwing again, a bit sluggish, but feeding well & flying around ok in usual area near playground (Gavin Hawgood)
• 28th - Deepdene Avenue, Croydon: Pheasant heard calling, probably from tram line/railway cutting, 8am. (Alan Pearson)
• 28th - South Norwood Lake (11am): c12 Swallows, c12 House Martins & 3 Swifts on lake, plus 1 Redwing (prob same individual as 24th below - looks healthy enough, feeding well) (Gavin Hawgood)
• 28th - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Mute Swan, 4 Greylag Goose, 2 Little Grebe, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove, 8 Swallow, House Martin, 4 Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, 7 Linnet (JAH)
• 27th - Beaulieu Heights/South Norwood Lake (9.45pm): Tawny Owl heard (Gavin Hawgood per Jason Cunningham)
• 27th - Sanderstead: House Martin near usual nesting site. (JB)
• 27th - South Norwood CP: 3 Swift, Sand Martin, House Martin and Whitethroat. (London Bird Club)
• 27th - Park Hill Park (am): Monthly count yielded 22 sp including Herring Gull (27 over), Stock Dove (1), Robin (20), Mistle Thrush (2), Blackcap (2), Chiffchaff (1), Nuthatch (2), Jay (1), Chaffinch (3), Greenfinch (4), Goldfinch (3), but no Parakeets! (John Parish)
• 27th - South Norwood Lake: 09:00-10:15hrs, 2 Mute Swan, pair Great Crested Grebe(with 2 young), Mallard (with 3 young), 28 Tufted Duck, c8 Common Swift, c12 House Martin, 2 Green Woodpecker, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Stock Dove (calling), 2 Pied Wagtail, 13 Blackcap, 8 Chiffchaff, 4 Willow Warbler, 3 Song Thrush, 3 House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 26th - South Norwood Lake: 09:00-10:10hrs, pair Great Crested Grebe (with 2 young), 2 Mute Swan, Moorhen (with young), 20 Tufted Duck, 1 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Green Woodpecker, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Blackcap, 6 Chiffchaff, 4 Willow Warbler, (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 26th - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Mute Swan, 2 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove, Collared Dove, 3 Swift, Wheatear, 2 Whitethroat, 6 Linnet (JAH)
• 25th - South Norwood Lake (12pm): 3 Swallows, 2 House Martins and healthy numbers of Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs & Willow Warblers (Gavin Hawgood)
• 25th - Pollards Hill South:(09.15) 3 Siskin on Niger feeder (first garden record) MJN
• 24th - South Norwood Lake: 09:00-11:00hrs, 2 Common Swift, single Redwing, pair Great Crested Grebe (with 2 young), 2 Cormorant, 18 Tufted Duck, 5 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Nuthatch, 2 Pied Wagtail, c12 House Martin, 6 Swallow, 12 Blackcap, 9 Chiffchaff, 5 Willow Warbler, 5 Song Thrush, 4 Long-tailed Tit, 6 House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, 1 Stock Dove (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 24th - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Mute Swan, 4 Greylag Goose, 2 Egyptian Goose, 4 Pheasant, 2 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Sparrowhawk, 6 Stock Dove, Swallow, 2 Pied Wagtail, Mistle Thrush, 2 Whitethroat, Willow Warbler (JAH)
• 23rd - South Norwood Lake:09:00-11:00hrs, pair Great Crested Grebe with 2 young, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 18 Tufted Duck, 3 Green Woodpecker, 2 pair +2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Pied Wagtail, Dunnock (nest building), 12 Blackcaps, 8 Chiffchaffs, 6 Willow Warblers, c8 House Martins, 4 Swallows, 3 Song Thrush, 1 Nuthatch, c4 pairs Long-tailed Tit, c6 House Sparrow, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 23rd - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Mute Swan, 3 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Stock Dove, 2 Swallow, Mistle Trush, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, 6 Linnet, Reed Bunting (JAH)
• 22nd - Pittville Gardens, South Norwood (pm): stunning, close-up (15ft away) views of f Sparrowhawk in my sycamore tree (3 mins at 6.45pm); House Martin flying E (3.15pm) (Gavin Hawgood)
• 20th - Addington Hills (am): monthly count produced 26 sp including Sparrowhawk (1), Pheasant (1), Stock Dove (2), Green Woodpecker (1), G S Woodpecker (5), Robin (38), Song Thrush (3), Mistle Thrush (1), Blackcap (4), Chiffchaff (15 singing), Willow Warbler (1), Goldcrest (1), Coal Tit (4), Nuthatch (6), Chaffinch (7 singing). (John Parish)
• 20th - South Norwood Lake (11.15am): elder of the 2 Great Crested Grebe chicks now swimming independently of adults, although still being fed by them; one Coot's nest has had 4 hatched chicks in it since 16th, as advised by a local "birdwatcher" (Gavin Hawgood)
• 20th - Whitehorse Meadow, South Norwood (10 - 11am): 20 species, including f Sparrowhawk (circling high), 1 Swallow, at least 5 Blackcaps and 1 Chiffchaff (Gavin Hawgood)
• 20th - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Mute Swan, 2 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, 2 imm. Common Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 7 Stock Dove, Skylark, Willow Warbler, Coal Tit, Linnet, Reed Bunting (JAH)
• 20th - Riddlesdown: 2 Whitethroats singing [my first of the year] Mistle Thrush carrying food, 15+ Skylarks, good numbers of Blackcap and Chiffchaff, 1 Bulllfinch was surprisingly my only finch of the visit. (JB)
• 20th - Sanderstead Pond area: Both Mistle Thrush and Blackbird carrying food. (JB)
• 19th - Stambourne Woodland Walk, Upper Norwood (11.45am): a very rainy 45 mins produced 21 species, of which the most notable feature was at least 6 Blackcaps, 2 pairs of Goldcrests & 2 Song Thrushes (Gavin Hawgood)
• 19th - South Norwood Lake (11am): 4 Greylag Geese, 3 House Martins, 2 Swallows, plus usual good numbers of Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs & Willow Warblers and the 2 Great Crested Grebe chicks doing well (Gavin Hawgood)
• 18th - South Norwood Lake (11am): 2 House Martins, 2 Swallows and, in spite of the rainy/windy conditions, impressive numbers of Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs & Willow Warblers singing (Gavin Hawgood)
• 17th - Queen's Road Cemetery, North Croydon (11.15 - 11.45am): For the record - m Sparrowhawk (preening in fir tree), Herring Gull (over), Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Nuthatch, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch (25 species) (Gavin Hawgood)
• 16th - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Mute Swan, 2 Little Grebe, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Stock Dove, Kingfisher, Swallow, 2 Pied Wagtail, Whitethroat, 3 Willow Warbler, Coal Tit, Reed Bunting (JAH)
• 16th - South Norwood Lake: 09:00-11-15hrs, 2 Mute Swan, pair Great Crested Grebe (with 2 young), 40 Tufted Duck, 1 Cormorant, 3 Green Woodpecker, pair Great Spotted Woodpecker + 2, 1 Jackdaw (over), 17 Blackcap, 11 Chiffchaff, 6 Willow Warbler, pair Mistle Thrush, 2 Pied Wagtail, 3 Song Thrush, pair Nuthatch + 2, 5 House Sparrow, 3 pair Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 15th - Farthing Downs: Only 1 skylark, 3 yellowhammers, 4 linnets, 1 yellow wagtail over, 6 starlings, 1 sparrowhawk, 3 chiffchaff, 2 blackcaps, 4 stock doves in adjacent fields. Devilsden Wood had 4 feverishly active green woodpeckers, nuthatch, goldcrest, blackcap and chiffchaff, 2 goldfinch, 1 great spotted woodpecker heard. (David Hayes)
• 15th - South Norwood Lake: 09:00-11:00hrs, pair Great Crested Grebe (with 2 young), 1 Cormorant, 1 Herring Gull, 27 Tufted Duck, 2m 1f Sparrowhawk, 3 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Nuthatch, pair + 1 Song Thrush, 9 Blackcap, 8 Chiffchaff, 7 Willow Warbler, 4 pairs Long-tailed Tit, 3 House Sparrow, group of c10 Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 15th - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Mute Swan, 2 Greylag Goose, 2 Little Grebe, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove, Collared Dove, Whitethroat, 6 Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Jackdaw, 2 Linnet, Reed Bunting (JAH)
• 14th - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Greylag Goose, Swallow, Sedge Warbler, 4 Linnet, Reed Bunting (JAH)
• 14th - South Norwood Lake: 09:00-11:00hrs, pair Great Crested Grebe (with 2 young), 1 Cormorant, 27 Tufted Duck, 4 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker (1 excavating nest hole) 3 Nuthatch, 1 Collared Dove, pair Stock Dove(over), 2 pair Long-tailed Tits, 12 Blackcaps, 11 Chiffchaffs, 8 Willow Warblers, 2m Sparrowhawks, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 13th - Lloyd Park: Buzzard. (E Owen)
• 13th - South Norwood Lake: 09:00-10:40hrs, Great Crested Grebe (with 2 young on fem back), 31 Tufted Duck, 1 Cormorant, 3 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Nuthatch, 11 Blackcap, 10 Chiffchaff, 6 Willow Warbler, 3 Swallow, pair Stock Dove, 1 Collared Dove, pair Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, 3 pairs House Sparrow (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 13th - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Mute Swan, 3 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Sparrowhawk, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Stock Dove, Swallow, Sedge Warbler (singing and showing next to platform 3), pair Reed Bunting (JAH)
• 12th - Sanderstead Cemetery: 4 Redpolls. (JB)
• 12th - Riddlesdown: 14 Skylarks, 15 Chiffchaffs, 15 Blackcaps, 2 Linnets, 2 Meadow Pipits, 2 Stock Doves, Heron flew SSE. (JB)
• 12th - Sanderstead station: Sparrowhawk at 1pm. (JB)
• 12th - Heavers Meadow, SE25 (4 - 4.30pm): For the record - Pair Mallard, Pair Moorhen, 40 Herring Gull (over), Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Gt Tit, Blue Tit, pair Long-tailed Tit, Wren Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, Starling, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch & House Sparrow (Gavin Hawgood)
• 12th - Pollards Hill South: singing Blackcap & Chiffchaff + G.S.Woodpecker pair (MJN)
• 12th - Lloyd Park (am): monthly count yielded 27 sp, including 2 Greylag Geese over, 7 Stock Dove, 24 Ring-necked Parakeet, 6 Green Woodpecker, 27 Wren, 8 Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush, 15 Blackcap, 11 Chiffchaff, 5 Nuthatch, 7 Jackdaw (John Parish).
• 12th - South Norwood Lake: 09:00-11:00hrs, pair Great Crested Grebe (with 3 young), 27 Tufted Duck, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Herring Gull, 1 Cormorant, pair displaying Sparrowhawk, Mistle Thrush, 2 Song Thrush, 3 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, 1 Pied Wagtail, 6 Willow Warbler, 8 Blackcap, 7 Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, 4 House Sparrow (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 11th - South Norwood Country Park: Mute Swan, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Pheasant, Stock Dove, Common Redstart (bright adult male), Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler (PeR)
• 11th - South Norwood Lake:09:00-10:30hrs, pair Great Crested Grebe (with 3 young), c15 Tufted Duck, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Nuthatch, 3 Pied Wagtail, 3 Willow Warbler, 9 Chiffchaff, 8 Blackcap, 2 pair Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 10th - South Norwood Lake (late am): pair Great Crested Grebes with 3 young, c6 Chiffchaffs, c7 Blackcaps, 1 Willow Warbler & pair Goldcrests (Gavin Hawgood)
• 10th - Purley Beeches: Pair of Ring-necked Parakeets at a newly excavated nest hole, 2 Chhiffchaffs singing, Blackcap, Stock Dove, Nuthatch. (JB)
• 9th - South Norwood Lake:09:00 - 10:30hrs: pair Great Crested Grebe with young, 1 Cormorant, pair Mistle Thrush, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Nuthatch, 7 Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, 1 Goldcrest, 5 Pied Wagtail, Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, House Sparrow (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 8th - Farthing Downs: 2 skylarks and one in nearby fields, 4 yellowhammers, 3 linnets, blackcaps and chiffchaff singing, 1 willow warbler, song thrush (and mistle thrush singing nearby), 1 green wooodpecker, 1 fem sparrowhawk, 2 bullfinch. Devilsden Wood boasted 3 great spotted woodpeckers and one green woodpecker, stock dove singing, 4/5 nuthatch, 7 ring necked parakeets, no creppers located this morning. (David Hayes)
• 8th - South Norwood Lake: 08:30- 10:30hrs, pair Great Creste d Grebe with 2 visible young on fem back, 2 Common Gull, 1 Cormorant, 2 Stock Dove, pair Mistle Thrush, 2 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, 6 Blackcap, 6 Chiffchaff (2 nest building), 1 Pied Wagtail (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 8th - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Mute Swan, 2 Shoveler, 3 pairs Little Grebe (record), Great Crested Grebe, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 4 Stock Dove, 2 Collared Dove, 2 Goldcrest (JAH)
• 7th - Riddlesdown: Sparrowhawk, Bullfinch, several singing Skylarks, several pairs of Jackdaws in the quarry. (JB)
• 7th - Biggin Hill Wood area, SE19 (12pm): Blackcap singing in garden (Gavin Hawgood)
• 7th - South Norwood Lake: 09:00-10:30hrs: Great Crested Grebe with 2 visible young, 2 Common Gull, 1 Black-headed Gull, 15 Tufted Duck, 1 Cormorant, 4 Redwing,4 Pied Wagtail, pair Mistle Thrush, 6 Blackcap, 6 Chiffchaff (2 nest building), 2 House Sparrow (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 6th - Selsdon Wood: Coal Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Drumming),2 Marsh Tits. Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Song Thrush, Blackcap, Chiffchaff (Ernest Thomason)
• 6th - South Norwood Lake (12pm): Great Crested Grebes now have 3 young & are still brooding the fourth (final) egg (Gavin Hawgood)
• 6th - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Mute Swan, 8 Greylag Goose, 3 Shelduck flew twice around lake at 7.18am before heading west, 3 Shoveler, 6 Pheasant, 3 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Sparrowhawk, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Stock Dove, Mistle Thrush, 11 Blackcap, c15 Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Linnet, Reed Bunting (JAH)
• 5th - Park Hill: Buzzard at 13:40. (E Owen)
• 5th - Pittville Gardens, SE25 (4pm): m Sparrowhawk and f Kestrel displaying, plus 2 Blackcaps singing in close proximity to each other (Gavin Hawgood)
• 5th - South Norwood Lake (12pm): First 2012 SNL Willow Warbler (in full song) (Gavin Hawgood)
• 5th - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Mute Swan, 4 Shoveler, 4 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, 2 Stock Dove, Collared Dove, 34 Rose-ringed Parakeet, Willow Warbler (JAH)
• 4th - South Norwood Lake (1pm): Second of the 3/4 expected Great-crested Grebe chicks has hatched in the last 24 hours (Gavin Hawgood)
• 4th - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Mute Swan nest building, 4 Shoveler, 3 Little Grebe, 2 Stock Dove, Collared Dove, 2 Grey Wagtail, Willow Warbler, 2 Linnet, 2 Reed Bunting + 38 Dunnock (JAH)
• 3rd - South Norwood Lake (12pm): First of the 3/4 expected Great-crested Grebe chicks has hatched in last day or so and is currently on mother's back being fed by dad & even cadging a lift on dad's back from time to time (Gavin Hawgood)
• 2nd - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Mute Swan, 6 Shoveler, 3 Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk, 2 Stock Dove, 2 Collared Dove, 2 Grey Wagtail, Jackdaw, 2 Linnet, Reed Bunting (JAH)
• 2nd - South Norwood Lake:09:00-11:00hrs,2 Mute Swan, pair Great Crested Grebe, 2 Black-headed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 15 Tufted Duck, 1 Cormorant, 1m Sparrowhawk, 2 Green Woodpecker, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Redwing, 7 Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, Greenfinch (nest building), 4+ House Sparrow (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 1st - South Norwood Country Park: Firecrest in scrub near lake, 2 Little Grebes, 4 Shoveler, Sparrowhawk, 2 Coal Tits, loads of Chiffchaffs, several Blackcaps (London Bird Club WIKI)
• 1st - Farthing Downs: 3 yellowhammers, 3 linnets, 1 skylark, 1 blackcap, 2 chiffchaffs, blackbirds and song thrushes in full song. Devilsden Wood had treecreeper, nuthatch, 2 great spotted woodpeckers, goldcrest, 1 blackcap, 2 stock dove, 1 chiffchaff. (David Hayes)
• 1st - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Mute Swan, 2 Greylag Goose, 6 Shoveler, 5 Pheasant, 2 Little Grebe, 3 Grey Heron, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Stock Dove, 15 Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush, 8 Blackcap, 11 Chiffchaff, Siskin (latest site record), 2 Linnet (JAH)
• 1st - Pittville Gardens, SE25 (1pm): Female Sparrowhawk circling overhead for 5 minutes, plus 1 Blackcap & 1 Chiffchaff singing (Gavin Hawgood)
• 1st - South Norwood Lake: 09:00-10:45hrs, 2 Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe on nest, 1 Black-headed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 1 Cormorant, 23 Tufted Duck, 2 Green Woodpecker, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Pied Wagtail, pair Song Thrush, 1 Mistle Thrush, 8 Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap, 1 Collared Dove, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, 4 House Sparrow (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood)
• 1st - Kings Road SE25 11:05hrs singing Blackcap & Chiffchaff, (John Watson)