LONDON NEWS

Short-eared Owl

Shooters Hill, Woodlands Farm: Red Kite flew NNW 13.35, Buzzard Species thought to be Honey flew NNW 13.45.King George V Res: 28 Arctic Tern, 6 Common Tern, 2 Hobby, 1  Wheatear.Sewardstone: 2 Cuckoo, 8 Warbler species including 5 Lesser Whitethroat.Richmond Park:  singing male Redstart-near Sidmouth Wood at top of slope NW of Pen Ponds early am.Staines Reservoirs: 5 Arctic Tern on N basin till 09.00 at least, 16 Common Tern on S basin, 1 Black-necked Grebe SE corner of S basin.Crayford Marshes: Short-eared Owl hunting between Dartford and Crayford Marsh at 06:30, 6 Whimbrel, 8 Wheatear, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Sedge Warbler, 10 Reed Warbler, 28 Whitethroat, Hobby.

LONDON NEWS

Spotted Flycatcher

Cassiobury Park, 2 Great White Egret, flew low south between car park and river at 10.30am. London Wetland Centre: ad Kittiwake on main lake for an hour mid-morning.Rainham Marshes RSPB. Green-winged Teal drake still.Stanwell Moor: 0530-1100 Grasshopper Warbler, Cuckoo, Barn Owl, Red Kite, 7 Swallow, 4 Sand Martin, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler.11:45-12:45 - Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Spotted Flycatcher,Wanstead Flats: m Whinchat.Wormwood Scrubs: Female Pied Flycatcher still present as are the 3 Whinchat.Crayford Marshes: 2 Avocet, 4 Whimbrel, 6 Wheatear, Greenshank.

LONDON NEWS

Hobby

Wormwood Scrubs: 1 female Pied Flycatcher actively feeding in the trees in the Pony Centre, 3 Whinchat, Red Kite.Swanley Park: Turtle Dove calling (The Limes).Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: Grasshopper Warbler c8.30 in same place so presumably last week's bird.Crayford Marshes: Short-eared Owl quatering the marsh; Spotted Redshank, 7 Whimbrel, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 8 Wheatear, Hobby, 10 Reed Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 28 Whitethroat, Common Buzzard.Alexandra Park: 2 Waxwing briefly Top Field 0700, 2 Hobby, Yellow Wagtail perched briefly on cricket pitch 0730, Garden Warbler.
Gallions Reach: Hobby, Whimbrel, 4 Curlew. 21 Black-tailed Godwits, Wheatear,2 Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler.

LONDON NEWS

 Turtle Dove

Rainham Marshes RSPB: Green winged Teal, 2 Whimbrel, White Wagtail, 6 Yellow Wagtail.Brent Reservoir: Spring Bird Count today. 72 species by 4pm including Grasshopper Warbler singing in shrike field prior to 07.30.Bushy Park: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker flew W from Round Plantation at 10:30.Crayford Marshes: Drake Common Scoter on the Thames,then flew down river; Spotted Redshank, 2 Avocet, 6 Whimbrel, Hobby, 6 Wheatear, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, 7 Reed Warbler,  Greenshank, 10 Common Tern, Common Buzzard, Swift, Common Sandpiper, male Stonechat, 6 Blackcap.Gallions Reach: Arctic Tern, 14 common Tern, 54 Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Turtle Dove, 3 Swallow, 7 Whitethroat.Stocker's Lake: Black Tern.Stanwell Moor: Grasshopper Warbler singing by burnt out car, 1+ Cuckoo, 1 Garden Warbler.

LONDON NEWS

 Black Tern

Walthamstow:Lockwood Red Kite,Buzzard,Curlew,11 Wheatear,2 Yellow Wagtail,Reed Warbler (KJMcmanus). Crayford Marshes: 6 Black Tern flew up the Thames; Spotted Redshank, Arctic Tern, male Whinchat, 16 Wheatear, 8 Whimbrel, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, Yellow Wagtail, Greenshank, 3 Sedge Warbler, 5 Reed Warbler, Corn Bunting, 32 Whitethroat, 13 Common Tern.Crossness: drake Green-winged Teal still at sewage outfall mid morning, Whinchat, 8 Wheatear, Common Sandpiper.King George V Reservoir: 1 Black Tern, 5 Arctic Tern 08.30 flock of 15 Wheatear together on bank in NW corner of South basin.Staines Reservoirs: 6 Avocet early am, 40 Black-tailed Godwit W before 08.00; 40+ Black-tailed Godwit flew SE 08.25 then 9 toured over and flew NE 08.40; S Basin - 1 Little Tern before 08.00  15:30: 6 Avocet still present N basin, c5 Arctic Tern, 10 Common Tern, c150 Swift & handful of Swallow.WWT:Wood Sandpiper.Gallions Reach: Hobby,53 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Wheatear, Swallow, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, Garden Warbler,Willow Warbler.

THE SWEET TASTE OF HONEY

Honey Buzzard

This morning i found a point scoring bird with greenshank with my friend Lol Cumming after that we went over to the southside getting two Lesser whitethroats and not much else.Lol left and i went back to lockwood looking for migrants and only after about 30 minutes i see a raptor coming in low from the east as it come closer with my scope on it (BANG) a HONEY BUZZARD.This bird also gets me off the bottom of the walthamstow listers with 144.

LONDON NEWS

Wood Warbler

Beddington: Garganey, Wood Warbler.Clissold Park: Wood Warbler singing and showing well on jogging track adjacent to path inbetween the two lakes.Crayford Marshes: Wood Sandpiper in flooded field off Bob Dunn way.Spotted Redshank.Crossness: drake Green-winged Teal still in creek 100 yards east of sewage outfall late morning.Isle of Dogs: singing Black Redstart.Swanley Park: Turtle Dove calling 8am-10am NE of cafe, 2 Common Sandpiper.Wanstead Flats: Short-eared Owl.Staines Moor: 2 Hobby, 1 Red Kite, 3 Wheatear, 1 Willow Warbler.King George V Reservoir: Hobby hawking insects low along East Bank, 3 Arctic Tern, 2 Common Tern.Broadwater Lake, Harefield:  Whimbrel S at 11.55 dropping but did not land. Also Cuckoo, Cetti's Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Garden Warbler, 7 Common Tern and Oystercatcher.

CANONS FARM

 

The weekend just gone i went down to canons farm to see my mates and do some birding and have a talk about the by gone years (Beddington) and also i did manage to get some ticks.COMMON REDSTART,BARN OWL.New canons total is now 92.Today the WHIMBREL at canons as been showing ALL DAY.

LONDON NEWS

Wood Sandpiper 

Crayford Marshes: Wood Sandpiper in flooded field off Bob Dunn Way; Spotted Redshank, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Corn Bunting, Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Wheatear, Whimbrel, Willow Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler, 32 Whitethroat, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 2 Cetti's Warbler, Curlew.Crossness: drake Green-winged Teal still off sewage outfall late morning.Wanstead Flats: f type Common Redstart still east end of Long Wood 5th day.South Norwood Country Park: 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 13 Whitethroat inc. 3pr, 2 Blackcap, 1m Reed Bunting, Swallow, 4 Kestrel.Rammey Marsh: Grasshopper Warbler, Garden Warbler, large nos. Common Whitethroat.

LONDON NEWS

Hobby

Barkingside private garden:Hobby flew east at 16:14.Brixton: 10 Waxwing at 3:10pm in tree on Brixton Hill  opposite Brixton Hill Place.Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, 3 Greenshank, 2 Avocet, 2 Whimbrel, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Wheatear, Yellow Wagtail, Corn Bunting, 2cy Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Common Buzzard, Little Owl, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, 32 Whitethroat, 2 Sand Martin, House Martin, 4 Common Tern, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper.Harold Park Farm, Nazeing: Cuckoo calling from Galleyhill Green.Nazeingwood Common, Nazeing: Red Kite, Common Buzzard, 2 Red-legged Partridge.Wanstead Flats: f type Common Redstart still east end Long Wood.Staines Reservoirs: 3 Arctic Tern on S basin till mid am, 4 Whimbrel, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Northern Wheatear.Gallions Reach; 2 Hobby, 77 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Curlew, Swallow, Lesser Whitethroat,Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler.

LONDON NEWS

Osprey.

Brent Reservoir: Hoopoe flew north past hide 0925.Cross Ness: drake Green-winged Teal still by the outfall.Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: a frustratingly elusive Grasshopper Warbler (1st Park record).Swanley Park: Turtle Dove Ldn yr-1st (calling, brilliant views E side of lake).Staines Moor: 1 Cuckoo.Tyttenhanger GPs: Osprey.Staines Reservoir: 3 Arctic Tern, 1 Whimbrel. midday - 5 Arctic Terns, Black-tailed Godwit, sum. plum. Black-necked Grebe.

LONDON NEWS

Wood Warbler

Chessington (KT9): 1m Common Redstart seen yesterday still in private back garden from 7.00 a.m.Cranford Park CP TW5: 1 m Pied Flycatcher (in the area of the park called "The Headland", on the edge of the ancient woodland where the blackthorn shrubs are flowering). From car park, walk west in the grassland along the edge of the woodland until you reach the corner of the grassland where there are a few small trees. The bird is favouring the blackthorns in this area.Crayford Marshes: male Common Redstart, male Whinchat, Spotted Redshank.Crossness: River: Green-winged Teal still in usual creek by viewing screen 11.00am.East India Dock Basin NR: female Common Redstart in scrub on north side.Stocker's Lake: Wood Warbler singing in wood at far end at 1.55pm.8+ Common Sandpiper, Barnacle Goose, 10 Blackcap, 2 Grey Wagtail, 6 Dunlin (found by KJM) (Oliver Simms). Wanstead Flats: 1-2 Common Redstart, 9 Wheatear, possible Tree Pipit Alex scrub (ST), Rock Pipit over north, !0 + Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, 6 Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Fieldfare, Lesser Whitethroat singing SSSI.Tyttenhanger GP: Black-necked Grebe, Little Ringed Plover, Redshank, Red Kite, 3 Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap. Willows Farm - Whinchat. Wormwood Scrubs: 1 m Whinchat in grassland.

LONDON NEWS

Arctic Tern on Farne.

Crossness: drake Green-winged Teal 14:40.Crayford Marshes: Grasshopper Warbler singing where Moat Lane reaches the creek at 06:10; Spotted Redshank, Brambling, 2 Little-ringed Plover, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 5 Wheatear, Whimbrel, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Comon Tern, Lesser Redpoll, 16 Whitethroat, 2 Green Sandpiper.Alexandra Park: Arctic Tern over Wood Green Reservoir.King George V Res: 1 Arctic Tern.London Wetland Centre: 1 Garganey (drake).Staines Reservoir: 3 Arctic Tern (two on north basin, 1 on south), 2 Common Tern.Tyttenhanger GP: Garden warbler singing at north end of lake causeway.Lee Valley: 4 Singing Nightingales at electricity station, elsewhere Barn Owl at undisclosed site.

LONDON NEWS

 Goshawk

Crossness: drake Green-winged Teal still in creek 100 yards east of sewage outfall at 15.30.Staines Reservoir: 1 Little Tern on N basin from 10.00 till 11.00 at least though distant. 2 Arctic Tern 06.40-07.00. Several Common Tern.Walthamstow Marshes: fem Goshawk, over west @ 12.30, no sign of jesses, quite a few tail feathers missing, mobbed by LBBs. Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, 2 Little Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, 10 Wheatear, Swift, 12 Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warbler, 32 Swallow, 2 Cetti's Warbler, Green Sandpiper, Blackcap.

LONDON NEWS

Canons Farm: Wheatear.

 Swift

Walthamstow:Lockwood 3 Swift, Common Sandpiper. (KJMcmanus). Brent Reservoir: Tree Pipit in trees Shrike Field.Richmond Park: male and female Redstart- Holly Lodge paddocks.Walthamstow Marshes : Common Redstart.Wanstead Flats:2 Common Redstart.Stanwell Moor: Redstart (male) and Cuckoo.Hampstead Heath: 2 Wheatear, Ring Ouzel (10am H3).Crystal Palace Park (ridge): 0615-0800 1 Firecrest in large holly bush at eastern end.Canons Farm: Yellow Wagtail over and 2 Common Whitethroats,3 Wheatears. (David Campbell).

LONDON NEWS

Canons Farm:Tree Pipit

Canons Farm:Redstart

Hoopoe

Tyttenhanger GPs : Hoopoe  22+ Wheatears 3 Yellow wagtails, Common Redstart.Wanstead Flats: Ring Ouzel, 3 Whinchat (2f), 5 Common Redstart (4m), c27 Wheatears.Wormwood Scrubs: 29+ Wheatear, 12+ Common Redstart.Tottenham Marshes: m Common Redstart in scrub by flood relief channel.Stokes Field (Long Ditton, KT7): 1 male Common Redstart.Staines Moor: 1m Whinchat, 1m Common Redstart, 16 Wheatear, 10 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Red Kite.Richmond Park: 3 Redstarts- 2 males,44 Wheatears.Regent's Park: 4 Redstart (prob spring site record).Ingrebourne Valley: reeling Grasshopper Warbler.Foots Cray Meadows: Hawfinch flew south calling 06.40.Holland Park: Cuckoo singing near Lord Holland's Pond briefly this morning.Heathrow Airport: 6 Common Redstart.East India Dock Basin: Nightingale singing from hedge at Poplar Dock opposite McDonalds 1330.Dulwich Park SE21: m Pied Flycatcher (Ldn yr-1st) in American Garden. Crossness: Drake Green-winged Teal still.CANONS FARM: 2 TREE PIPITS showing well at 7.20am and 11.00am (near R.R.Cottages (1 singing) 3 COMMON REDSTARTS (♂+♀ R.Bottom/Slangs, ♂ by Pages Acre horse paddock).

LONDON NEWS

Common Redstart

Patch MEGA Green Sand at Canons Farm.

Walthamstow: Spoonbill low over Lockwood Res, Common Tern, Common Sandpiper (KJMcmanus 269 et al). Fairlop Waters: Quail.Alexandra Park: female Ring Ouzel briefly Top Field flew SW 0905, male Redstart.Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: female Common Redstart in trees between Hudson Memorial and the Old Police House a.m., very mobile, occasionally vocal.KGV Reservoir: 4 Black-necked Grebe north end of south basin, Grasshopper Warbler reeling on Sewardstone side of north basin at 08.35.Hackney Downs Park: 3 Waxwing, in ash trees on south east side 15.00.Stanwell Moor: 2  male Ring Ouzel in bushes by houses seen from concrete path to Staines Moor, about 100 yds along, still watching them 11. 35 am.

LONDON LIFER

Spoonbills.

The last couple of days have been slow so i have come back with a bang today with my 1st london lifer of the year.SPOONBILL which flew low over lockwood res.(HAPPY DAYS).London list 269,Patch 143.And also this is how i am doing +Patchwork Challenge

79 spp 88 points

LONDON NEWS

Green winged teal.

Crossness: drake Green-winged Teal still off sewage outfall at 7am.Brent Reservoir: Red Kite over at 11.25, Whimbrel over at 08.20.Herne Hill (Brockwell Park): 08.43 Ring Ouzel "at bowling green briefly", Common Redstart.Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: 2 Common Redstart.KGV Res: 1 Long-tailed Duck north basin, 3 Black-necked Grebe south basin.Staines Reservoir: Long-tailed Duck, Slavonian Grebe, Black-necked Grebe all on S basin. 2 Black-tailed Godwits till 09.30 and 1 Curlew through early am. Tooting Common: 1 Hawfinch in trees at corner of Elmbourne Road & Tooting Bec Road at 7am.Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: male Redstart, 2 Red Kites.

LONDON NEWS

Sandwich Tern 

Crossness: Drake Green-winged Teal at sewage outfall at 11.00 then in inlet 100 yards E of sewage outfall to 1pm at least. Sanderling off Golf Centre at 10am, Continental Black-tailed Godwit on flooded paddock, 17+ Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits, Common Tern.Alexandra Park: Slavonian Grebe (1st for site) Wood Green Res.King George V Res: 2 Yellow Wagtail. 2 Black- necked Grebe.London Wetland Centre: Garganey.Staines Reservoirs: 1 Sandwich Tern through at 08.27.1 Common Tern, 1 Long-tailed Duck, 1 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 White Wagtails. Further 2 Sandwich Terns lingering 12.25-12.35 before departing SE, 3 Common and 1 Arctic Tern, 1 Little Gull N Basin, partial summer plumaged Slavonian Grebe S basin, 5+ Swallow, 1 Ringed Plover through.Rainham Marshes: Osprey.Hampstead Heath: Ring Ouzel.

LONDON NEWS

Grey Plover

Middlesex Filter Beds: 1 fem Ring Ouzel.Bushy Park: Garganey drake.Staines Reservoir: Long-tailed DuckWalthamstow Reservoirs: Lockwood:Grey plover through.(KJMcmanus).Wanstead Flats: juv m Black Redstart on SW corner Alex.Canons Farm: Ring Ouzel still, Dunlin through (1st site record) (David Campbell/Ian Jones.

LONDON NEWS

Black-tailed Godwit

Walthamstow:Lockwood 25 Brent geese,Black-Tailed Godwit,Yellow Wagtail,House Martin,2 Swallow,20+ Sand martin,Buzzard.(KJMcmanus). Tyttenhanger GP: Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Redshank, 20+ Lapwing. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker heard in Garden Wood.Wormwood Scrubs: 1 male Common Redstart, 1 fem/juv Black Redstart.Gallions Reach: Sandwich Tern 09.10, 1 Common Tern, 1 Whimbrel, 7 Curlew, 84 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Swallows, 2 Chiffchaffs. Bushy Park: Garganey still present.King George V Reservoir: 20 Sand Martin  2 Swallow, 1 Wheatear, 1 Willow Warbler singing breifly East side, Blackcap singing, 1 female Scaup, 1 Long-tailed Duck, many Chiffchaff, 2 Black-necked Grebe summer plumage.Bankside, SE1: at least 5 (and possibly 7) Common Buzzards over central London 1425-1450.

A GOOD DAY PATCHING.

 Brent Goose

To get two patch ticks in a day is something i dont do often so 25 BRENT GEESE going north-east over was great but within 30 minutes to get a calling BLACK-TAILED GODWIT low over lockwood was icing on the cake.PATCH 142.I also scored with some migrants today with house martin and Yellow wagtail plus 2 swallows 20+ sand martins and a buzzard.