Scarce Birds - 2004

From Croydon Birders

Scarce birds in Croydon, 2004

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
  • Singles at South Norwood Country Park early in the year

• Shelduck
  • Four over South Norwood Country Park on May 16th and one on the lake there on April 18th

• Mandarin
  • Male at South Norwood Country Park on May 25th

• Ruddy Duck
  • Two at South Norwood Country Park in May

• Buzzard
  • Two over Sanderstead on April 17th and three over on April 24th
  • One over Coulsdon on June 3rd

• Red Kite
  • One over Selsdon on May 24th
  • One over Dutch Village, Coulsdon on July 11th
  • One over South Norwood Country Park on December 19th

• Peregrine
  • Pair in Central Croydon all year
  • Occasional sightings from Coulsdon, Riddlesdown, Sanderstead, South Croydon and South Norwood
  • Male found in car park of Wing Yip centre taken into care on August 5th and later released safely
  • Female(?) found dead near railway bridge in Selsdon Road on October 18th

• Red-legged Partridge
  • One in a Waddon garden in early June

• Ringed Plover
  • Two at South Norwood Country Park on June 14th and one there on June 15th

• Ring-billed Gull
  • One reported from South Norwood Country Park on September 20th would be a first for Croydon if accepted

• Kittiwake
  • One over a Carshalton garden on March 15th

• Common Tern
  • A pair nested at South Norwood Country Park – a first nesting record for Croydon

• Little Owl
  • One at Purley on March 31st

• Short-eared Owl
  • One over South Norwood Country Park on October 15th

• Wryneck
  • One in an Addiscombe garden on August 25th

• Yellow Wagtail
  • One heard over South Norwood Country Park on August 10th

• Waxwing
  • Seven in Addiscombe January 7th - 9th

• Redstart
  • A male at South Norwood Country Park on April 16th

• Ring Ouzel
  • One at South Norwood Country Park on April 16th

• Grasshopper Warbler
  • One at South Norwood Country Park on April 16th

• Sedge Warbler
  • One briefly at Brickfields Meadow in May
  • One in a Sanderstead garden on May 11th
  • Seen at South Norwood Country Park on Spring passage, but none bred

• Firecrest
  • One in Sanderstead on March 5th
  • Three (2 males & 1 female) at Stambourne Woodland Walk on March 9th

• Rook
  • Over Kings Wood in May

• Reed Bunting
  • Seen at Heavers Meadow in May (male & female on separate occasions)

John Birkett, RSPB Croydon Local Group. 8/01/2005