NewsFeb2006

From Londonbirders

Feb 28 2006

  • Tottenham Marshes: Brent Goose flew north with Canada Geese (Peter Lambert).
  • London Wetland Centre: 1 Bittern, 1 Peregrine, 1 Kingfisher (John Gowland).
  • Walthamstow Res: drake Scaup sleeping with tufties on No5, S side. Also fem Wigeon, 3 Com Sand, 2 Redwing, 2 Shelduck on filter beds, Grey Wag, Black Swan (David Callahan).
  • Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 84 Mute Swan, 1m Mandarin, 13 Gadwall, 35 Shoveler, 155 Tufted Duck, 1m Ruddy Duck, 10 Stock Dove and 2 Linnet west at 08.17hrs (Des McKenzie).
  • King George's Park, Wandsworth: 22 Linnet on playing fields, ♂ Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming in Poplars alongside Foster's Way at lunchtime (Martin Honey).
  • Trent Park: 3 Goosander (2f,1m), 4 Gadwall (2 Pair) (Pete Lowman).
  • Fishers Green: Bittern showing well from Bittern watchpoint 2-3pm. Also Water Rails and a male Ruddy Duck with entirely black head (ferruginea?), plus many Redwings and Fieldfares and two Muntjac Deer (Benjamin Epstein).
  • Bookham Common: 9 Hawfinches in the scrubby area northwest of the station between 7.20 and 8am (Andy Culshaw).
  • Epsom: male Common Whitethroat reported singing outside Overton Grange School today (Birdguides)
  • Belhus Woods CP: drake and 2 redhead Smew on Conservation Lake (Birdguides)

Feb 27 2006

  • Hatfield Aerodrome/Beech Farm: 1 Short-eared Owl at 4.30pm, 1 Barn Owl at 5.45pm (John Murray).
  • Hogsmill SF: Merlin, 1f flew east at 16.02hrs (Nick Tanner).
  • Walthamstow Reservoirs: Brent Goose on football pitch east of No4 Reservoir, also Med Gull on filter beds and Red-brested Merganser on Banbury Res (Peter Lambert). Brent goose still present at 5pm (it's a Dark-bellied, of course) plus Com Sand, 10 Teal, 1st W Gbbgull (David Callahan).
  • Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Yellow-legged Gull (adult) with loafing gulls at 0815hrs, still present at 0920. Also 2 Green Sands, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Fieldfare and 1 Water Rail (Mark Pearson).
  • East India Dock NR: 1 Kingfisher, 2 Shelduck, 3 Little Grebe. Also Peregrine on Millenium Dome (Richard Harrison).
  • Regents Park: 1 Jack Snipe flushed at 10.40am, 1 Common Snipe dropped in at 11.50am, also 1 Goosander female still present. Check regentsparkbirds.blogspot.com for details (Tony Duckett).
  • Ruislip Lido: 1 juv Great Black-backed Gull (Martin Sullivan)
  • Trent Park: 2 Goosander (1m,1f), 4 Gadwall (2 Pair), 30+ Goldfinch (Pete Lowman).
  • Staines Reservoirs: 11 Black-necked Grebes, also Water Pipit (Ken Purdey)
  • Bookham Common: 12 Hawfinch just north of station (Birdguides)
  • Nazeing GP: 2nd winter Med Gull in roost (Steve Connor)

Feb 26 2006

  • Beech Farm: 2 Short-eared Owl and 2 Barn Owl bewteen 4.30pm and 5.30pm (Gareth Richards).
  • East India Dock Basin: 1m (torquatus) Pheasant in the small area of woodland (Nick Tanner).
  • Bow Creek: 120 Teal and 63 Redshank (Nick Tanner).
  • Walthamstow Res (Lockwood) 25 Lapwing, 1 f Goldeneye, ca 200 Teal (Quentin Given).
  • Bookham Common, 15 Hawfinch north of the railway station (Birdguides).
  • Greenhithe: Water Pipit; also 11 Scandanavian Rock Pipit, Jack Snipe and Yellow-legged Gull (Birdguides).
  • Knot at Island Barn Res until 08.05 only (Dave Harris).
  • Black-necked Grebe, 5 birds south basin of Staines Reservoir (Jim Sweetland).
  • Ingrebourne Valley: 2 Chiffchaff, 71 Golden Plover, Lesser Redpoll and 2 Wigeon (Dave Morrison).
  • Barking Outfall: 81 Shoveler, 1 Oystercatcher displaying, 44 Redshank, Rock Pipit, 62 Shelduck and 2 Black-tailed Godwit (Dave Morrison).
  • Isle of Dogs: Ring-billed Gull (ad) on shoreline opposite Lovell's Wharf after high tide dropped around 1615hrs (Fraser Simpson).
  • Broxbourne Woods: Mealy Redpoll, Hawfinch, Woodcock, 20 Siskins (Steve Connor)

Feb 25 2006

  • Short-eared Owl other side of Rainham about 5.20pm (JP Elmes).
  • Rainham Marshes RSPB: 3+ Penduline Tit still at Aveley Pools but no access other than RSPB guided walks; also Black Redstart (Birdguides).
  • Lea Valley: Little Egret @ Bowyers Water on fishing platform/dead tree at North end; 1st winter Med Gull flying around the North Met pit; 200+ Golden Plover at Cornmill, 2 Egyptian Geese on goose feilds @ Holyfeild; Bittern, Water-rail & Kingfisher from Bittern Hide by fishers green (John Murray).
  • Bookham Common: at least 8 Hawfinch, comprising 5 in trees near Manor House and 3 in scrub behind the station this a.m. (Nick Tanner).
  • Staines Reservoirs: 10 Black-necked Grebes on South Basin (Birdguides).
  • Walthamstow Marsh: Brent Goose in a field c.600m south of Lee Valley Ice Centre (Birdguides). [NOTE: if these directions are correct this is surely the north end of Hackney Marshes, south of Lea Bridge Road, and not Walthamstow Marsh. Dominic Mitchell].
  • Tyttenhanger GPs: Greenshank plus 2 Green Sandpipers (Birdguides).
  • Beddington SF: 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull (Birdguides).
  • River Mole (just West of Leatherhead): 2 male Goosanders - seen from the train on the way back from seeing Hawfinches at Bookham Common (Mike Wheeler).
  • South Norwood Country Park: 8 Pairs of Shovelers, 4-5 Pochard, plenty of Mallards, Canada Geese & Tufted Duck, 1 pair of Mute Swan, 1 Grey Heron, Green Woodpecker (Heard), no sign of Pink-footed Goose, Correction Egyptian goose misidentified as Pink-footed Goose, Birdgudies put it at South Norwood Country Park instead of South Norwood Lake(Ernie Thomason).
  • South Norwood Lake: 1 Pair of Egyptian Geese still present (Ernie Thomason).
  • Trent Park: 5 Goosander (3f,2m), 2 Pochard (1m,1f), 7 Tufted Duck (4m,3f) (Pete Lowman).
  • Osterley Park: Fieldfare (90+) on fields opposite Hare & Hounds pub with a few Redwings (Andy Culshaw).

Feb 24 2006

  • Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Green Sandpiper, Snipe, Chiffchaff (TeRNS).
  • Sewardstone Marsh Relief Channel: six Pintails - four drakes - at 08.20. Flew to KGV Reservoir (Martin Shepherd).
  • Lea Valley: Merlin, male chasing Med Pipit over goose feilds, also 2 Egyptian Geese; 2 White-fronted Geese flew over Hall Marsh scrape with Greylags; 500+ Golden Plover at Cornmill Meadows; Bittern & Water-rail from watch point (John Murray).
  • Alexandra Park: 1st w Med Gull on cricket pitch. Also Chiffchaff (Gareth Richards).
  • Staines Reservoirs: Black-necked Grebe on South Basin mid-morning (Birdguides).
  • Stanwell Moor: 2 Water Pipits (Birdguides).
  • Harmondsworth Moor: Little Egret on 'Wraysbury River' at early afternoon at TQ051778 (Birdguides).
  • Trent Park: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (f), 2 Goosander (1m,1f), 4 Gadwall (2 pair), 2 Bullfinch (pair) (Pete Lowman).
  • Wraysbury GPs: two drakes and a redhead Smew on Village Pit (Birdguides)

Feb 23 2006

  • Walthamstow Res (Nos. 1 - 5 only): 12 Shelduck, Com Sand, 17 Shoveler, 21 Gadwall, 2 Fieldfare, Stock Dove (David Callahan).
  • Raynes Park Station: Chiffchaff, one calling from scrub between platforms 3 and 4 (Nick Tanner).
  • Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 1m Mandarin, 15 Gadwall (much display), 1f Pintail high west at 08.22hrs, 37 Shoveler, at least 25 Great Tit and 1 Treecreeper (Des McKenzie).
  • East India Dock NR: 1 Kingfisher, 3 Shelduck (Richard Harrison).
  • The Spit, Wandsworth (the mouth of the Wandle, where it joins the Thames, at lunchtime): 18 Gadwall, 16 Tufted, 4 Mallard, 2 Mute Swan, 1 Grey Wagtail (heard) and a few Common and B-H gulls (Martin Honey)
  • Mediterranean Gull, adult at Kempton NR (Ken Purdey).

Feb 22 2006

  • Lee Valley CP: Hawfinch in trees next to car park Turnford Brook (Birdguides)
  • Walthamstow Res (E Warwick & Nos 1-5): 2 Com Sands, pr Goldeneye, Black Swan (David Callahan).
  • Rainham Marshes RSPB: Kingfisher (Peter Fallan).
  • Trent Park: 2 Goosander (f), 4 Gadwall (2 pair), 2 Teal (1 Pair),1 GC Grebe, 1 Pochard (m), 15+ mixed finch flock, mainly Goldfinch & Siskin (Pete Lowman).

Feb 21 2006

  • Beddington SF: 8 White-fronted Goose flew southwest at 07:30 (Birdguides).
  • St James's Park: pair of Mandarin, also 66 Pochard (Andrew Self).
  • Hillyfields and Whitewebbs: 50+ siskin at northern end of Wildwoods Lake.
  • Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Green Sandpiper, Snipe, Chiffchaff, Water Rail, 3 Grey Wags, 2 Greylag. Usual counts of wildfowl, inc. 10 Shoveler, 35 Tufties, 24 Ruddy Duck, 30 Gadwall and 28 Pochard (Mark Pearson).
  • East India Dock NR: 1 (m) Shoveler (my first for site) (Richard Harrison).
  • Trent Park: 1 Goosander (f), 4 Gadwall (2 pair), 2 Teal (1 Pair), 6 Mandarin (m) (Pete Lowman).
  • M25 just north of Bookham Common: Common Buzzard (1) (Andy Culshaw).

Feb 20 2006

  • Epping Forest: 50 White-fronted Geese east at 8:45am (Phil Vines).
  • Rainham Marshes RSPB: 2+ Penduline Tit still on Aveley Pools. NB No access to reserve (Birdguides).
  • Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: White-fronted Goose of unknown origin (not St. James's Park bird) on the Round Pond at 09.00hrs with Greylags, also 1 Siskin west over The Dell at 08.30hrs (Des McKenzie).
  • East India Dock NR: 2 Shelduck, 3 Little Grebe, 1 Grey Wagtail (Richard Harrison).
  • Canary Wharf: 1 Peregrine high above Jubilee Place (Richard Harrison).
  • Bookham Common: 4 Hawfinch still behind the station (Birdguides).
  • Bedfont Lakes CP: Smew, pair on New Lake (Birdguides).
  • Highbury Fields : 20 Redwing feeding (David Bradshaw).

Feb 19 2006

  • Beddington SF: Dartford Warbler still present also Water Pipit, Little Egret, 4 Green Sandpiper and 4 drake Pintail. View only from perimeter (Birdguides)
  • New Southgate: 1 male Blackcap and 1 Grey Wagtail in private garden (Tom Clarke).
  • Walthamstow Res: 1 Black-necked Grebe on Banbury Res, adult Med Gull on the Filter Beds and male Mandarin on No1 (Peter Lambert).
  • Wood Green Res, Alexandra Park: 1W Med Gull briefly on reservoir but mostly in flight between here and playing fields to 1:05pm at least. Gulls not loafing around waterworks due to disturbance from workmen (Bob Watts).
  • Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: White-fronted Goose, bird of unknown origin still present, also 97 Mute Swan, c.125 Black-headed Gull high SE at 13.25hrs, 17 Herring Gull, ten Ring-necked Parakeet and the escape intergrade type Canada Goose (Des McKenzie).
  • Wormwood Scrubs: 3 Stonechat, c35 Meadow Pipit, c6 Skylark, c6 Redwing, c400 Black-headed Gull and c50 Common Gull (David Lindo).
  • Totteridge Valley: 260 Redwings, 220 Fieldfares, 140 Starlings, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets (Ian Ellis).
  • Bentley Priory: 8 Goosander, 100+ Carrion Crow, 50+ Jackdaw, 30 Redwing (Alan Lewis).
  • Barnes WWT (pm): Bittern (very active, flying between reed-bed and corner of main lake), 7 Fieldfare, 30+ Redwing, 2 Water Rail by Peacock hide, Scand. Rock Pipit, 7♂4♀ Pintail (Martin Honey)
  • Bow Creek: Common Sandpiper (Nick Tanner).

Feb 18 2006

  • Lee Valley: first-winter Little Gull around sailing club at Holyfield Lake; Little Owl at Holyfield Hill Farm; 2 Egyptian Geese in the goose field at Holyfield; Bittern at the Bittern Watchpoint at 70 Acres Lake, Fishers Green; and drake Goosander and adult Yellow-legged Gull at Nazeing GP at dusk (Dominic Mitchell).
  • Red-legged Partridge walked down Lingwood Road N16 and into Springfield Park at 7.15am (John Barbour).
  • Stoke Newington reservoirs: Green Sandpiper (2), Water Rail (TeRNS).
  • Lee Valley: Holyfield Lake, 2 Goosander (1m 1f), 1 redhead Smew. North Met Pit: pair of Goldeneye, 1 Bittern and Water Rail from watchpoint. Also lots of Siskins (Vincent Palfi).
  • Soho: two Peregrines circling at c.500 ft at 1 p.m. (Geoffrey Hawthorn).
  • Female Peregrine over Sloane Square at 2pm. Also, 105 Fieldfare in Totteridge Valley this morning (Ian Ellis).

Feb 17 2006

  • Chiffchaff, one in a private garden at Ingrebourne House, Broadley Street NW8 (Des McKenzie).
  • Blackcap, one male in Lancaster Road (N4) at 17:00hrs (Gabriel Jamie).
  • Thamesmead: two drake Scaup on the lake by Safeway this morning (Birdguides).
  • London Wetland Centre (09.40-11.40): one Kingfisher (fishing in pool to right of feeding station), Siskin, one Jay (unusual here apparently), adult female Green Woodpecker (excellent views, along lagoon walk from feeding station), 4 Snipe, one Jack Snipe, 3 Gadwall (2 male), 2 Little Grebe, 2 male Ruddy Duck (all from Peacock Hide) plus Shoveler, Wigeon, 50+ Lapwing, 3 Greylag Geese, and one grey rather than red furred fox (Martin Harris).
  • Bookham Common : Dozen-plus Hawfinch showing very well at times from West car park (near Bookham station) late morning/lunchtime (David Bradshaw).
  • Fairlop CP :Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 2 Skylarks, 20 Linnets, Kingfisher, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 24 Teal, 16 Pochard , 39+ Lapwings and 100+ Fieldfares (Brendan Spooner).
  • South Norwood Lake: Possible (1) Blackcap singing near toilet block, 1 pair of RN Parakeets seen mating on alder on island and a pair, not sure if it is the same pair, showing interest in a hole in Scotts Pine near lake side; also a pair of Egyptian Geese seen mating (Ernie Thomason).
  • Wraysbury GPs: Bittern, also 2 Smew (Birdguides)

Feb 16 2006

  • Rainham Marshes RSPB: 4 Penduline Tits still present; note no access apart from RSPB guided walks (Birdguides).
  • Stocker's Lake: Bittern in the reeds opposite Inns gravel pit (Birdguides).
  • Enfield Lock, Park Rd, 4 Waxwing on small tree at 14.30 at least (John Murray).
  • Cheshunt, Bittern & Water-rail from bittern hide (John Murray).
  • Bookham Common: 24 Hawfinch between the station and the west car park early afternoon (Birdguides).
  • Walthamstow Res: (North side only) 4 Mipit, 1m,4f Goldeneye, 70 Teal, 50 Ruddy, Kingfisher, 2 Grey Wag, 3 Lapwing + Long-tailed Tit flycatching by flying upwards 3-4m vertically from an iron railing (David Callahan)
  • Rainham Marshes: 1 Little Egret from the train! (David Darrell-Lambert).
  • Wormwood Scrubs: c27 Fieldfare heading NW, 2 male Stonechat, c100 Black-headed Gull & c25 Common Gull (David Lindo).
  • Dagenham Chase: 6 Wigeon, 2 Gadwall, 1 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, 1 Little Grebe, 40+ Lapwing, 4 Stock Dove, many Teal and Shoveler (Richard Harrison).

Feb 15 2006

  • Amwell: Common Buzzard and a pair of Bullfinches (J-P Elmes).
  • Walthamstow Reservoirs East Warwick: 140 Carrion Crows in unusual gathering beside reservoir (Quentin Given).
  • Rainham Marshes RSPB: Penduline Tit, 2 by Aveley Pools at 09.25hrs; access on Wednesday guided walks only (Focalpoint).
  • Walthamstow Res: 7 Shelduck on No5 causeway, Com Sand, 13 Goldeneye inc 2 drakes, 33 occupied nests in no2 heronry (David Callahan).
  • Purfleet: c30 Black-tailed Godwits from the train flying along the Thames (David Darrell-Lambert).
  • King George's Park, Wandsworth (lunchtime): 18 Linnet on playing fields and one Chiffchaff (seen and calling, not singing) along Forster's Way - first this winter (Martin Honey).
  • St James's Park: 1 White-fronted Goose (Escape), 5 Red-crested Pochard, 2 Eider (collection birds), 2 Stock Dove, 1 Shoveler and 18 Ruddy Duck (all common every day birds) (David Darrell-Lambert).
  • Fairlop CP: Little Grebe, 20 Pochard, 14 Teal, Kingfisher, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 70+ Fieldfares with 3 Redwings (Brendan Spooner).
  • Barnes WWT: 1 Bar-tailed Godwit & 6 Pintail, inc 4 drakes (John Murray).
  • Trent Park: 70+ Fieldfare,6 Mandarin (3m,3f),4 Gadwall ( 2 Pair),3 Pochard,7 Tufted Duck (5m,2f), Kestrel, Green & Grt Spot Woodpeckers. (Pete Lowman)
  • Regents Park: Water Rail in Wetland area, Goosander female now comes to feed on fish pellets with the collection Goosanders (Tony Duckett).
  • Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 9 Gadwall, 1 f Kestrel, c.300 Black-headed Gull and Green Woodpecker; also ad White-fronted Goose (unknown origin) on the Longwater between 11.00hrs and 12.50hrs and the escapee intergrade type Canada Goose on the Serpentine (Des McKenzie).
  • Stoke Newington Reservoirs: 2 Green Sandpipers (back on west res after brief holiday on east), 2 Kingfishers, 2 Water Rail, Kestrel, also colt's-foot along west res. new river path (Mark Pearson).
  • Stone Barges, Rainham: 5 Water Pipit, 2 Rock Pipit, 1 Yellow-legged Gull and 63 Redshank (Dave Morrison).

Feb 14 2006

  • Southfields (SW18): 40+ Redwing heading west over Granville Road at 07.30 (Martin Honey).
  • Stoke Newington Reservoirs: two Green Sandpipers (wintering since nov), one Water Rail (often up to four since nov), one Snipe (up to four since nov), 70 Common Gulls, two Chiffys (again wintering birds) (Mark Pearson).
  • Lea Valley Country Park - Fishers Green / Holyfield: 1 Bittern from Bittern Watchpoint; in Holyfield area - 4 Smew (2m, 2f); 3 Goldeneye (1m, 2f); c40 Siskin (Nigel May).
  • Winter Bird Survey M25 J5-6: 22 Waxwings heading W plus Common Buzzard, Woodcock, Marsh Tit etc (Roy Beddard, Leo Batten)
  • Beddington SF: 3 Little Egret also Green Sandpiper (Birdguides)

Feb 13 2006

  • Stoke Newington Res : 1ad Yellow-Legged Gull, 1 Chiffchaff calling from New River, 1 Water Rail, 21 Ruddy Duck & 2 Greylag over on East Res plus 1 Green Sand on West Res (Chris Langsdon).
  • Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 154 Greylag Goose, 109 Canada Goose, 11 Gadwall, 3 Little Grebe; also, 2 Greylag x Canada Goose, ad White-fronted Goose (of unknown origin) briefly on the Round Pond and the small race (escapee) Canada Goose (mid-sized, dark-mantled, possibly an intergrade) (Des McKenzie).
  • Trent Park: 100+ Fieldfare, 12 Goldfinch, 1 Yellowhammer (Pete Lowman).
  • Green Park: Peregrine over Green Park this morning at 8am (Adrian de Leiros).

Feb 12 2006

  • Rainham Marshes: 6 Water Pipits at the Stone Barges, c70 Black-tailed Godwits, 7 Tufted Ducks, c80 Redshank, 2 Water Rail (David Darrell-Lambert, Peter Lambert, Dave Morrison).
  • West Thurrock: male Dartford Warbler (per Dave Morrison).
  • Hall Marsh: 80 Golden Plover, 41 Lapwings (Chris & Pete Langsdon).
  • Fishers Green: 2 Bitterns from the Watchpoint (Chris & Pete Langsdon).
  • London Wetland Centre: 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Bittern, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Peregrine, 1 Shelduck, 1 Jack Snipe, 1 Stonechat.
  • Ruislip Lido: Smew (3 drakes, 1 redhead) (Dick Middleton).
  • Brent Res: 1st-Winter Med Gull, 19 Snipe, 2 Water Rail, Chiffchaff (Roy Beddard, John Colmans, Ian Ellis).
  • Hyde Park/Kensingington Gardens: 35 Shoveler, 52 Common Gull and 10 Greenfinch ~ no sign of the White-fronted Goose of unknown origin seen on Friday but a small race Canada Goose (possible intergrade) on the Serpentine and probably of dubious origin; also a pair of Red-crested Pochard on the Longwater (Des McKenzie).

Feb 11 2006

  • Totteridge Valley: 19 Teal, 6 Mandarins and a female Shoveler (unusual) at Darlands Lake; Tawny Owl calling and 180+ Fieldfare, 31 Rooks & 99 Jackdaws nearby (Ian Ellis).
  • Rainham: 2 Water Pipits, 3 Rock Pipits & 3 Little Egrets (John Murray).
  • Barn Elms WWT: 1 Bar-tailed Godwit also Bittern, Stonechat and 4 Egyptian geese (Vincent Palfi).
  • Walton Reservoir: Slavonian Grebe (on Bessborough), also 48 Ruddy Duck and the overwintering Common Sand still (Dave Harris).
  • Brent Res: 1 Fieldfare at Football Club (Tom Shannon).
  • Paddington Green: 2 Fieldfare (Des McKenzie).
  • Trent Park: 1 male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker on bridleway from equestrian centre; 2 Lesser Redpoll feeding in alders by main lake; 2 Gadwall (pair) on main lake; 43 Redwing in treetops; 23 Fieldfare over; Stock Dove near equestrian centre (Terry Townshend).
  • London Wetland Centre: Siskin, 1 Reed Bunting plus (from Peacock Hide) 2 Common Snipe, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Water Rail, 2 Little Grebe, 1 Whooper Swan, also Shoveler, Wigeon, Teal (Martin Harris)
  • St George's Park, Wandsworth: 1 kingfisher

Feb 10 2006

  • Rainham Marshes RSPB: 4 Penduline Tits by Aveley Pools; access on guided walks only; can be viewed from rail bridge on Tank Hill Road 300m north of RSPB entrance; birds do occasionally fly from the reserve into the reedmace bed on the other side of the bridge (Birdguides/Focalpoint).
  • Barn Elms WWT: 1 Bar-tailed Godwit from peacock hide, also Stonechat nearby (John Murray).
  • Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 7 Gadwall, 29 Shoveler, 3 Little Grebe and 1 Collared Dove S at 09.20hrs; also 1 ad White-fronted Goose (escape) of unknown origin on the Serpentine, Hyde Park (Des McKenzie).
  • Trent Park: 7 Goosander (3m,4f), 4 Teal (3m,1f), 2 Gadwall (pair), 11 Tufted Duck (7m,4f), 1 GC Grebe, Kingfisher, 2 Fieldfare, 4 Redwing, 8+ Yellowhammer, 2 Reed Bunting (1m,1f) and 30+ Stock Dove (Pete Lowman).
  • South Norwood Country Park: 20+ pairs Shovlers, 1 Bullfinch(F)(Ernie Thomason).

Feb 9 2006

  • Rainham Marshes RSPB: 4 Penduline Tits by Aveley Pools; access on guided walks only; can be viewed from rail bridge on Tank Hill Road 300m north of RSPB entrance; birds do occasionally fly from the reserve into the reedmace bed on the other side of the bridge (Birdguides/Focalpoint).
  • West Thurrock: Ringed Plover, 2 Oystercatchers, 4 Grey Plover, 4 Avocet, 1,800 Dunlin (high tide roost), 550 Redshank, 11 Curlew, 2 Stonechat and a male Peregrine (Dave Morrison).
  • Barking Outfall, 2 Drake Scaup, 2 Oystercatchers, Common Sandpiper and 167 Tufted Duck (Dave Morrison).
  • St James's Park, 8 Red-crested Pochard (five males) only two on Tuesday! (David Darrell-Lambert).
  • Regents Park: Goosander, female present on main lake all day, also 4 Teal, 3 Wigeon, 32 Gadwall, 28 Red-crested Pochards, 18 Mandarins, 28 Shovelers and 1 Cackling Canada Goose that has been present since July 2005 (Tony Duckett).

Feb 8 2006

  • Walthamstow Res: 20 goldeneye inc 3 drakes, 2 Black Swan (David Callahan).
  • London Wetland Centre: 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Bittern, 1 Peregrine over site.
  • Rainham Marshes RSPB: 4 Penduline Tits by Aveley Pools; access on guided walks only; can be viewed off rail bridge on Tank Hill Road 300m north of RSPB entrance; birds do occasionally fly from the reserve into reedmace bed on the other side of the bridge (Focalpoint).
  • Bookham Common: Hawfinch (Birdguides).
  • Talbot Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey: 5 Waxwings for the 8th day in tree in rear garden of no.2 at 7.50am.
  • East India Dock NR: 1 Black Redstart, 1 Blackcap, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 58 Tufted Duck, 40 Teal, 1 Shelduck; also 1 Peregrine on Millennium Dome (Richard Harrison).
  • Regents Park: 107 Fieldfares flew N around 8.00am, Goosander female back with the collection birds 9.30am (Tony Duckett).
  • Ruislip Lido: 2 Smew and a Water Rail at north end (Martin Sullivan).
  • Stoke Newington Reservoirs: one Green Sandpiper, one Snipe, one Kingfisher, one ad. argentatus Herring Gull, one Teal (Mark Pearson).
  • Trent Park: 5 Goosander (3f,2m), 4 Mandarin (3m,1f), 1 Pochard (m), 8 Tufted Duck (4m,4f), 50+ Chaffinch, 3+ Yellowhammer, 2 Reed Bunting (Pete Lowman).
  • King George's Park, Wandsworth (lunchtime): Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail and 20 Linnet (Martin Honey).
  • Selsdon Wood Local Nature Reserve, Selsdon, Croydon: 1 Bullfinch (male), 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (calling) and 20+ Greenfinch (Ernie Thomason).
  • London Wetland Centre: Bar-tailed Godwit still present plus 1 Bittern (Peter Newmark).

Feb 7 2006

  • London Wetland Centre: 1 Bittern, 1 Bar-tailed godwit, 220 Lapwing, 1 Kingfisher (John Gowland).
  • East India Dock NR. 1 Black Redstart, 1 Blackcap, 1 GBB Gull, 55 Tufted Duck (Richard Harrison).
  • King George's Park, Wandsworth: 20 Linnet in trees by playing fields plus small mixed flock of Godlfinch/Siskin (Martin Honey).
  • Stocker's Lake: 50 Siskin, 5 Redpoll, 9 Goldeneye and 2 Water Rail. No sign of White Fronted Geese (Martin Sullivan).
  • Trent Park: 30 Siskin, 6+ Yellowhammer, 8 Red-legged Partridge, 11 Tufted Duck (7m,4f), 2 Gadwall (1m,1f), 2 Teal (m), 3 Pochard (2m,1f), 1 GC Grebe (Pete Lowman).

Feb 6 2006

  • Talbot Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey. 5 Waxwings still there at 8.15am.
  • Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 12 Gadwall, 25 Shoveler, 3 Little Grebe, 5 singing Song Thrush and 5 singing Mistle Thrush (Des McKenzie).
  • Stoke Newington Reservoirs: two Green Sandpipers and one Chiffchaff (Mark Pearson).
  • Trent Park: 6 Goosander (3f,3m), 2 Gadwall, 2 Pochard, 1 Teal (m), 1 Bullfinch (m) (Pete Lowman).
  • London Wetland Centre. Bittern, Bar tailed Godwit, Oystercatcher,Water Pipit but no Jack Snipe today (John Edwards).
  • Wrest Park: Waxwing(s) (Birdguides).
  • St James's Park: 4 Smew (3m, 1f), 1 Goldeneye (f), 2 Little Grebe, 12 Red-crested Pochard (8m, 4f), 1 Teal (m), 2 Gadwall (m), 2 Shelduck. Plus (from St James's Park collection?) 7 Eider (5m, 2f) (Martin Harris)

Feb 5 2006

  • Wanstead Park: 1 male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 60 Gadwall, 38 Shoveler in Ornamental Waters area (Steven Swaby).
  • Walthamstow Res: adult Med Gull (West Warwick), 18 Goldeneye, 2 Common Sands, 6 Redpoll, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Jackdaw, 1 Wigeon, 2 Water Rail, 5 Shelduck, 69 Lapwing (Peter Lambert).
  • London Wetland Centre: Bittern in main reedbeds (John Arbon).
  • London Wetland Centre: 1 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Jack Snipe (Vincent Palfi).
  • West Thurrock: 1 Black-necked Grebe on the Thames, 1 Shoveler, 1 Oystercatcher, 26 Avocet, 3 Grey Plover, 180 Lapwing, 9 Snipe, 2 Jack Snipe, 32 Black-tailed Godwits, 15 Curlew, c190 Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, c1900 Dunlin, 2 Rock Pipit (David Darrell-Lambert).
  • Banbury Res: 1 Red-brested Merganser and 2 Goosander (Peter Lambert).
  • Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Green Sandpiper (2), Pheasant (m.torquatus) and Water Rail (John Clarke).
  • Regents Park: Woodcock again feeding in Queen Mary's at 6.30am, also 55 Fieldfares flew north at 10.45am (Tony Duckett).
  • Talbot Road, Thornton Heath: still 5 Waxwings (Dave J. Dack).
  • Purfleet Railway Station: Chiffchaff, one calling from lineside trees at 12.10hrs plus a Fieldfare there (Des McKenzie).
  • Barking Outfall, 2 Drake Scaup (Dave Morrison).

Feb 4 2006

  • Rainham Marshes RSPB: 4 (possibly 5) Penduline Tits, photo on Birdguides website (Birdguides).
  • Hoddesdon Park Wood: 2 Marsh Tits and Brambling (Martin Shepherd).
  • Alexandra Park: 1st w Med Gull by filter beds (Gareth Richards).
  • Richmond Park Dartford Warbler (m) with Stonechat; Pen Ponds: m Wood Duck with pr Mandarin and pr R-c Pochard (Neil Anderson).
  • London Wetland Centre: 1 Golden Plover, 1 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Bittern (John Gowland).
  • Epsom Downs: 1 Golden Plover (a good site record) and 60 Meadow Pipit (Steve Gale).
  • Hampstead Heath: 7 Bramblings with mixed finch flock by Spaniards Inn, Heath extension (Paul Angus).
  • Stoke Newington Reservoirs: Mediterranean Gull (1st winter), Green Sandpiper (2) and Water Rail (Laurence Pitcher).
  • Trent Park: 8 Goosander (4m, 4f), 2 Gadwall, 1 Teal (m), 4 Pochard (2m, 2f), 1 GC Grebe and 8 Goldfinch (Pete Lowman).
  • Talbot Road, Thornton Heath: 5 Waxwings in grounds of nearby school at 8.45am where later seen feeding in Talbot Road (John Birkett).
  • Regent's Park: 3 Red-crested Pochard (2m, 1f), 1 Great-crested Grebe (f), 2 Pintail (pair), 4 Shelduck (f), 4 Goldeneye (3m displaying to 1f), 3 Scaup (m), 5 Smew (3m, 2f), 4 Shoveler (3m, 1f), 20+ Pochard, 5 Wigeon, 2 Greylag (pair), 2 Mandarin (pair), 1 Whooper Swan. Plus (from Regent's Park collection?) 6 Eider (2m, 4f), 3 Pink-footed Goose, 6 Barnacle Goose, 2 Bar-headed Goose (Martin Harris)
  • Staines Moor: 4 White-fronted Goose,20 Skylark,1 Water Pipit (Mark Mcmanus).

Feb 3 2006

  • Rainham, 1 Peregrine flew over Ferry Road, also Stonechat (John Murray).
  • Hogsmill SF, Brambling flew S calling at 10:35 (Nick Tanner).
  • Still 5 Waxwings at Talbot Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey between 10.45am and 12.15pm (Dave J Dack).
  • Regents Park: Woodcock feeding in rose bed at 6.10am, 1 Siskin (new patch list addition) and Sparrowhawks displaying (Tony Duckett).
  • Stoke Newington reservoirs: Green Sandpiper, Lesser Redpoll (c.7) (TeRNS).
  • Tate Modern: 3 Peregrines (inc. two on Tate Modern tower) and Grey Wagtail on shoreline (Mark Pearson).

Feb 2 2006

  • London Wetland Center: 2 Bittern, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Knot, 1 Dunlin, 6 Pintail, (John Gowland).
  • St James's Park, imm male Sparrowhawk hunting (no Red-crested Pochards, where are they in London!) (David Darrell-Lambert)
  • Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 96 Mute Swan, 14 Gadwall, 24 Shoveler, 3 Little Grebe and 1 ad Yellow-legged Gull (Des McKenzie).
  • Talbot Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey. Five waxwings still there at 10.30 am on tall tree behind the tyre shop at the junction with Whitehorse Road (Peter Newmark).
  • 5 Waxwings Talbot Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey 1.45pm (Dave J. Dack).
  • Trent Park: 8 Goosander (5f, 3m), 2 Gadwall, 4 Pochard, 1 GC Grebe, 3 Bullfinch (f) and Kestrel (Pete Lowman).
  • South Norwood Lake, South Norwood, Croydon: 1 Little Grebe, 2 Mute Swan, 12 Shoveler (6 Male & 6 Female), 6-7 Pochard, 3 Song Thrush, 1 Male Great Spotted Woodpecker and 50-60 Redwing (Ernie Thomason).
  • Magpie - pair carrying out repairs to nest, South Ruislip - temperature 0 Celsius. Perhaps, not unusual, but bizarre! (Roger Dewey).

Feb 1 2006

  • London Wetland Centre: 1 Bittern, 1 Rock Pipit, 6 Redpoll (Dan Monk)
  • Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 1m Mandarin, 20 Gadwall, 27 Shoveler and 72 Common Gull (Des McKenzie).
  • Stoke Newington reservoirs: adult winter Caspian gull 10.00hrs, with Herring, Lbb and Commons. Flew off to the NE; also four Water rail, two Teal and one Green Sandpiper (Mark Pearson & Tony Butler)
  • Trent Park:10 Goosander (5m , 5f ),2 Gadwall, 4 Pochard, 1 Kingfisher, 1 G.C.Grebe.( Pete Lowman)
  • Beckenham Green: 25 Redwing (K.J.Summerfield).
  • South Norwood Lake: c50 Redwing, 1 Little Grebe, 1 G.C.Grebe, 2 Pochard, 4 Shovler, 2 Egyptian Goose (Ernie Thomason)
  • Talbot Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey. 7 Waxwings feeding on only berry tree in the street, by the tyre shop st the junction of Talbot Road and Whitehorse Road (Dave J. Dack).
  • Newham City Farm (Custom House): Great Spotted Woodpecker (2 drumming), Green Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk (f + m) (Pete Fallan)
Retrieved from "http://editthis.info/londonbirders/NewsFeb2006"
Personal tools