March 31, 2009

March 31st 2009

Ilford:
  • 2 Swallows over the River Roding near Ilford Lane

Valentines Park:

  • 3 pairs of Gadwall on the small lake
  • Canada Geese, Mallards, Tufted Ducks, Coot, Moorhen and a pair of Little Grebe
  • 1 Coot on the small lake, left her nest to be fed digestive biscuits, revealing that she was sitting on 1 single egg.
  • 2 Stock Dove in the tall trees near the small lake
  • Long Tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tt, Greenfincn and Blackbird all near the path to Perth Road
  • Grey Wagtail (over)
  • 40 Carrion Crows together in one tree.

Woodford Green:

  • Grey Heron and Cormorant (over) Chigwell Road/Broadmead Road

Fairlop Waters (Gravel Works):

  • 5 Shelduck, Teal, Gadwall, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen. (AB/DEH/SB)
  • 5 Lapwing, Snipe, 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 Redshank, 4 Little Ringed Plover
  • 20 Pied Wagtail, 2 Skylark singing.
  • Cormorant (over)
  • 2 Swallow and 1 Sand Martin (Steve Bacon)

March 30, 2009

March 30th 2009

South Park:
  • Mute Swan, pr Greylag Geese, many Canada Geese, Mallard, Coot & Moorhen
  • about 40 Tufted Duck and 2 male Pochard
  • Carrion Crow busy nestbuilding
  • 2 pairs of Blackbird nestbuilding
  • pair of Mistle Thrush taking worms to the nest
  • severel Greenfinches
  • Green Woodpecker and Great Spotted Woodpecker calling
  • pair of Stock Dove copulating (female playing very hard to get!)
  • Also: Wood Pigeon, Feral Pigeon, Collared Dove, Robin, Great Tit, Blue Tit
  • 30 or so Black Headed Gulls (some still in winter plumage) and a few 1st winter Common Gulls

Woodford Green:

  • Great Tit, Blue Tit, Greenfinch and Goldfinch all singing on Broadmead estate at 7.30am

Ilford:

  • Pied Wagtail on the roof of Lloyds TSB on Cranbrook Road.

Hainault:

  • Grey Heron over Tomswood Hill, towards Claybury Park.

Fairlop Gravel Works:

  • Evening visit to the Gravel Works Site 6-7pm
  • 1 Cormorant (over)
  • 2 Grey Herons fishing.
  • a few Lapwing making quite a lot of noise displaying in the Works site north of Painters Road (no access).
  • 4 Snipe, 3 (possibly 5) Green Sandpiper, 4 Redshank and 4 Little Ringed Plover on the works site on the south side of Painters Road.
  • 2 Green Woodpecker calling.
  • 2 Little Owls (calling from the nesting site)
  • 4 Skylark (2 displaying), c20 Meadow Pipit, (several displaying), 4 Linnet, and a flock of about 70 Pied Wagtails!
  • 20 Teal, 4 Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Tufted Duck, Moorhen & Coot.
  • 2 Shelduck still present (possibly a third present, but may have been 1 of the pair flying over, if it flew back undetected (by me)
  • 1 Water Pipit. (This was identified by Alan Hobson yesterday, it was in transition to summer plumage, pinkish belly, clear broad eye stripe).
  • 2 juvenile Common Gulls.
  • 1 male Pheasant. (DEH)
  • Goshawk over the gravel works (jessies visible indicate escaped bird) (AAB)

Loxford Lane, Ilford:

  • Cormorant (over) (JMak)

Wanstead Park:

  • a pair of Shoveler on Ornamental Waters (Paul Ferris)
  • Ring Necked Parakeet in the Grove (PF)

Fairlop Waters:

  • 2 Swallow over the main lake (first of the year) (Steve Bacon)
  • Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, 22 Tufted Duck, (CIS)
  • 5 Linnet, 3 Green Woodpecker, 3 Chiffchaff (CIS)

Connaught Water: (just outside the borough)

  • Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Teal, 14 Shoveler, 25 Tufted Duck, 3 Mandarin, 2 Wood Duck. (LH)
  • 3 Green Woodpecker, 6 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Song Thrush, Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrest. (LH)

Barking Park: (just outside the borough)

  • 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (L&PV)

March 29, 2009

March 29th 2009

Valentines Park:
  • Sparrowhawk seen hunting Wood Pigeon (MSevoir)

Wanstead Flats:

  • 2 pairs of Shoveler on Alexandra Lake (PF)

Wanstead Park:

  • 2 Ring Necked Parakeet in the grove(PF)
  • 2 Stock Dove in the Dell (PF)

Hainault Forest:

  • 12 Carrion Crow, 2 Rook, 4 Jay, 23 Magpie
  • 6 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Green Woodpecker
  • 5 House Sparrow
  • 1 Collared Dove, 34 Wood Pigeon
  • 1 Pheasant
  • 4 Nuthatch, 12 Blue Tit, 9 Great Tit, 4 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Chaffinch
  • 7 Moorhen, 8 Coot, 12 Canada Goose, 2 Mute swan, 9 Mallard, 5 Shoveler, 6 Tufted Duck, 1 Greylag Goose
  • 3 Chiffchaff
  • 2 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 5 Robin, 1 Dunnock, 3 Starling, 2 Wren
  • 1 Cormorant, 2 Great crested Grebe
  • 1 Lesser spotted Woodpecker (seen in flight close up, and heard drumming & calling)

Roding Valley Nature Reserve: (just outside the borough)

  • 4 singing Chiffchaffs (Peter Warne)
  • 6 Long Tailed Tit, many Greenfinches and Chaffinches (PW)
  • pair of Great Crested Grebes on the lake (PW)
  • 2 Grey Heron (PW)
  • many vocal Canada Geese (PW)
  • 1 Kingfisher (PW)
  • 6 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 3 Green Woodpecker (PW)
  • 5 singing Song Thrush (PW)
  • 5 Jay (PW)

Fairlop Waters:

  • 2 Wheatear (1 male and 1 female) on the Works site (Alan Hobson/Alan Bell)
  • Sand Martin (over)(AH)
  • 3 Little Ringed Plover and 9 Lapwing on the gravel works (AH/AB)
  • Little Owl present (AH)
  • pair of Shelduck still present on the gravel works site and a Little Grebe (AH)
  • Water Pipit near the entrance of the Gravel Works Site (AH)
  • Green Woodpecker 10 Meadow Pipit and 9 Linnet (AH)
  • also: Brown Hare (AH)
  • 3 Green Sandpiper and 4 Redshank (Alan Bell)
  • 3 Lesser Black Backed Gulls and 3 Common Gulls (incl 2 adult) (AH)

Claybury Park:

  • Goshawk over at 4.40-4.45 pm. A Carrion Crow went up to mob it and was dwarved by the size of the Goshawk (although it came out on top when the Goshawk lazily drifted off) (Alan Hobson)

March 28th 2009

Woodford Green:


  • female Sparrowhawk over Snakes Lane East (JMak)

Hainault:

  • Grey Heron flying low over Tomswood Hill

Fairlop:

  • Green Sandpiper, Lapwing and 3 Little Ringed Plover on the gravel works (Alan Hobson)
  • a dozen Teal (AH)
  • Sparrowhawk (AH)

Gants Hill:

  • male Great Spotted Woodpecker in a private garden (Alan Thomas)

March 27, 2009

March 27th 2009

Claybury Park:
  • Sparrowhawk near Roding Lane North (Alan Hobson)
  • 2 Green Woodpeckers and 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers at least. (AH/DEH)
  • pair of Long Tailed Tits collecting feathers.(AH/DEH)
  • pair of Canada Geese, 8 Mallards and a Moorhen on the pond. (also a 'feral' White Greylag/Snow goose type that had been wintering in the flock at Fairlop Waters)(AH/DEH)
  • Bullfinch heard (AH/DEH)
  • 4 Stock Doves near 'birding hill' (the Old Woodland nr Tomswood Hill), and a 5th over in the centre of the park (AH/DEH)
  • 2 Meadow Pipits near Tomswood Hill (AH/DEH)
  • at least 3 singing Chiffchaff (AH/DEH)
  • Also: Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Wood Pigeon, 2 Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest (heard) (AH/DEH)

Wanstead Park:

  • 7 Chiffchaff and 2 singing Blackcaps (Tim Harris)
  • 2 Siskin (TH)
  • 2 Grey Heron on Ornamental Waters (TH)
  • a pair of Great Crested Grebe on Heronry Pond (TH)
  • Green Woodpecker and Great Spotted Woodpecker a plenty! (TH)
  • female Sparrowhawk (TH)

Ilford:

  • male Sparrowhawk over the A406 near Ilford
  • also, 1 Grey Heron over

Fairlop Waters:

  • 1 Cormorant (over)
  • 1 Grey Heron on the Gravel Works site
  • 2 Kestrel (one over the main entrance, and one hunting over Painters Road.)
  • 8 Mute Swan, 16 Greylag Geese, ample Canada Geese
  • Mallards, 60+ Tufted Duck, 20 Gadwall, 30 Teal, Coot, Moorhen.
  • 1 pair of Shoveler on the northern works site viewed from Hainault Road, also a Gret Crested Grebe there. (several pairs of Teal were on the flooded plain).
  • pair of Great Crested Grebe on the fishing lake
  • 1 pair of Pochard on the works site (south)
  • 8 Snipe (4 around the scrape, on on the plain and 3 flushed from the gravel works), also 2 Green Sandpiper there.
  • pair of Shelduck still on the gravel works site.
  • 2 Pheasant at least, more calling in the distance.
  • 4 Skylark (2 singing near the plain/farmland, 2 flushed from the ground on the works site at dusk)
  • 21 Meadow Pipit in 2 groups (13 on the plain, 8 on the works site)
  • 30 Linnet near the stables in a flock, also a pair in the brambles by the remote controlled car thing.
  • Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Blue Tits, Great Tits, 3 pairs of Long Tailed Tits, Dunnock, Robins, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Pied Wagtail, Starlings, House Sparrow.
  • 2 Green Woodpecker and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker calling.
  • 1 Stock Dove near the Stables
  • 10 Redwing and 10 Fieldfare with a flock of Starlings near the stables
  • 8 Reed Bunting around the lakes/plain (of which 7 were male)
  • 3 Chiffchaff and a Blackcap singing near the scrape.
  • 1 female Wheatear on the southern works site (first of the year here)

Gants Hill:

  • pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers in a garden in Gants Hill (Alan Thomas)

March 26, 2009

March 26th 2009

Woodford Green:
  • pair of Pied Wagtails, pair of Goldfinches, and a pair of Blue Tits around Broadmead Estate

Hainault:

  • Grey Heron flew over Tomswood Hill, presumably from Claybury Park Pond.

Fairlop Waters:

  • 2 Little Owls in the usual tree
  • female Merlin flying low (hunting) over the southern gravel works site 6pm
  • only 4 Lapwing left!, 8 Snipe, 4 Redshank and 3 Green Sandpiper
  • female Stonechat and 5 Meadow Pipits
  • 1 Grey Heron.
  • pair of Shelduck, 30+ Teal, a few Gadwall, Mallards, Tufted Ducks, Moorhen, Coots

Gants Hill:

  • male Great Spotted Woodpecker in a garden (Alan Thomas)

March 25, 2009

March 25th 2009

South Park:
  • pair of Mute Swan, pair of Greylag Geese, many Canada Geese (that have broken through onot the fenced off islands!)
  • 30+ Tufted Duck, also Mallards, Coot, Moorhen in good numbers.
  • 1 Little Grebe
  • pair of Kingfisher being very busy, one actually brought a fish and gave it to the other that was perched on one of the islands. (possibly nesting??)
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker being very active.
  • Mistle Thrush, Greenfinch, 50+ Starlings, 100+ Feral Pigeons also, Collared Doves, Wood Pigeon, 1 Stock Dove.
  • 1 Carrion Crow on a nest, and another nestbuilding.
  • 35 Black Headed Gulls

Woodford Green:

  • 2 Mistle Thrushes and a Pied Wagtail on Broadmead Estate

Claybury Park:

  • quick walk... 2 Jackdaws (over) and Carrion Crows and Magpies a plenty
  • Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Robins and Greenfinches making a lot of noise
  • 4 Stock Dove and loads of Wood Pigeon.

Valentines Park:

  • probable female Wheatear on the mud between the cafe and the Boating Lake (JM)

Gants Hill:

  • female Great Spotted Woodpecker in a garden (Alan Thomas)

March 24, 2009

Pics - March 24th 2009

Wren, Fairlop Waters
24th March 2009, photo by Peter Warne


Great Crested Grebe, Fairlop Waters
24th March 2009, Photo by Peter Warne

March 24th 2009

Woodford Bridge:
  • 30 Mallards and 4 Moorhens on St. Pauls Pond.
  • 2 Carrion Crows carrying sticks (one of which was far to big for flying)
  • male Pied Wagtail on the banks of the pond

Wanstead Park:

  • Stock Dove, seen flying from tree to tree, whiile i was driving south down the A406, near Ilford Gold Course.

Fairlop Waters:

  • Chiffchaffs singing in several locations (Peter Warne)
  • 8 Reed Bunting (PW)
  • 10 Pied Wagtails feeding by the stables (PW)
  • 20+ Tufted Duck, Mallards, Coots, Moorhens, Canada Geese being noisy (PW)
  • Pair of Great Crested Grebes (PW)
  • 2 Green Woodpeckers and Wren (PW)

Connaught Water: (just outside the borough)

  • 3 male and 1 female Wood Duck still present
  • male Red Crested Pochard still present
  • Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Canada Geese, Coots and Moorhens
  • Lots of Teal, a lot tamer than usual, and even swimming in the puddles on the flooded path.
  • Chiffchaff calling
  • Carrion Crows, and a Song Thrush in full song as it got dark.
  • a large bat, starling sized, seemed smaller than a Noctule, but I could be wrong

Gants Hill:

  • male Great Spotted Woodpecker in a garden (Alan Thomas)

March 23, 2009

March 23rd 2009

Woodford Bridge:
  • St. Pauls pond this morning.... A lot less Mallards than usual, and the Canada Geese were not around either, a few Moorhens though.

Wanstead Flats:

  • Pair of Mute Swan, plenty of Canada Geese, Mallards, Coot, Moorhen, and Tufted Duck on Alexandra Lake, also 2 pairs of Shoveler, and a pair of Little Grebes now in full summer plumage.
  • over 100 Carrion Crows on the playing field.
  • 2 Skylarks dispalying between the lake and Capel Road,
  • 1 Chiffchaff singing near the lake.
  • Also: small flock of Starlings, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Magpie, Greenfinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit.

Woodford Green:

  • a pair of Mallard Ducks trying to cross Chigwell Road, near Broadmead estate.

Wanstead Park:

  • Grey Heron flew accross the A406 in the direction of Wanstead Park, where it landed out of sight.

Fairlop Waters:

  • Kestrel hunting over the main entrance

Highams Park Lake: (just outside the borough)

  • 20 or so Canada Geese, lots of Mallards and Tufted Ducks, Coots and Moorhens.
  • 2 pairs of Great Crested Grebes, (one of which was guarding an empty nest)
  • 1 pair of Mandarin Duck
  • 2 Grey Herons, 1 Grey Wagtail and a Cormorant
  • Great Tits, Blue Tits, Greenfinches.

Connaught Water: (just outside the borough)

  • Mandarin Ducks, Wood Ducks (4 reported yesterday) and a male Red Crested Pochard. (JL)

March 22, 2009

March 22nd 2009

Fairlop Waters:
  • dusk visit to the gravel works:
  • pair of Mute Swan, severel Canada Geese, 1 Shelduck, 50+ Teal, 20+ Shoveler, 20+ Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen and a Great Crested Grebe.
  • 1 Grey Heron.
  • 6 Redshank, 2 Green Sandpipers, 20+ Lapwing and 20+ Snipe.
  • severel Pheasants calling.
  • Chiffchaff calling from near Hargreaves Scoup Camp.
  • Pied Wagtail.
  • also, 1 of the Little Owls was on the same branch as usual at 6.3opm (DEHull)
  • Kestrel, Skylark, Goldfinch (Tony Leaderman)

Hainault Forest:

  • 7 Blackbird, 2 Song Thrush, 11 Robin, 12 Blue Tit, 19 Great Tit, 5 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Wren, 3 Chaffinch, 3 Starling. (James Anderson)
  • 7 Green Woodpecker, 8 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 2 Lesser-spotted Woodpecker, (Cracking views of Lesser spottedWoodpecker in trees east of lake from main car park.
    2nd one heard drumming from within golf course from footpath. (JA)
  • 24 Canada Goose, 12 Mallard, 5 Tufted Duck, 1 Pochard, 7 Coot, 4 Moorhen, 2 Great Crested Grebe. (JA)
  • 15 Magpie, 23 Woodpigeon, 29 Carrion Crow. (JA)
  • 1 male Kestrel on one of the wooden totem pole cravings (JA)
  • 1 Black headed Gull, 1 Pheasant (JA)
  • 1 Tawny Owl (JA)
  • 5 Chiffchaff (along footpath by edge of golf course) (JA)

Connaught Water: (just outside the borough)

  • 4 pairs of Mandarin, 3 male and 1 female Wood Duck, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Siskin (Paul Hawkins)

A406 Ilford:

  • 4 or 5 Lesser Black Backed Gulls on the lampposts, where there are usually only Black Headed Gulls, also one Lesser Black Backed Gull on Green Lane, near South Park.

Woodford Bridge:

  • pair of Canada Geese, pair of Moorhens and 30 Mallards on the pond by St. Pauls Church

Woodford Green:

  • a blue and white Budgie at the junction of Broadmead Road and Chigwell Road, nearly got run over!

Wanstead Park:

  • Tawny Owl heard calling near Shoulder of mutton Pond (PF)
  • 2 Siskin (SFisher)

Wanstead Flats:

  • 1 Little Owl seen and heard calling (SFisher)
  • 1 Linnet over

March 21, 2009

March 21st 2009

Woodford Bridge:
  • 2 Moorhen, 30+ Mallard and a pair of Canada Geese on the pond by Woodford Bridge
  • Stock Dove (over)
  • Greenfinches singing in the bushes around the church

Barkingside:

  • 15 Feral Pigeons on the rooftops near Fullwell Cross

Fairlop Waters: (Gravel Works)

  • 2 Shelduck, 30 Shoveler, 50+ Teal, Mallard, Gadwall, Coot, Moorhen, 2 Mute Swan and 20 Canada Geese.
  • 10 Lapwing, 20+ Snipe, 6 Green Sandpiper, 5 Redshank, 1 Greenshank
  • 3 Grey Heron, Green Woodpecker calling, 21 Stock Dove, 2 Skylark dislplaying, 5 Meadow Pipit, 4 Linnet, Pied Wagtail.
  • Chiffchaff wcalling from the tree tops in the direction of Hargreaves Scout Camp.
  • Long Tailed Tit hanging upside down off the top of a lamp column, collecting spiders webs.
  • 2 Lesser Black Backed Gulls with the Black Headed Gulls and Common Gulls.
  • Also: Magpie, Carrion Crow, Wood Pigeon, Starling.
  • Great Crested Grebe (Tim Harris)

Fairlop Waters: (Fairlop Plain)

  • 2 Chiffchaff calling
  • 4 Goldfinch, and about 10 Chaffinches.
  • 16 Greylag Geese with about 40 Canada Geese on the field by the stables
  • few pairs of Teal on the flooded Plain
  • 1 male Pheasant and 1 Lapwing by the Spit, and a 2nd male Pheasant by the Stables
  • Many Robins, Wrens, Blackbirds.
  • 2 Little Owls in the usual place 5.10pm
  • Sand Martin! (Alan Bell)
  • 1 Yellowhammer (AB)

Knighton Woods:

  • 6.10pm
  • 8 Mallard, 4 Moorhen, 2 pairs of Shoveler and 2 pairs of Mandarin Duck on the main pond.
  • Song Thrush, Blackbird and Robins in good numbers
  • Canada Geese flying over.
  • Tawny Owl heard calling at 6.50pm
  • Skylark singing over the farmland.
  • Also, Frog and about 10 bats (bigger that pipistrelle, but not by much)

Claybury Park:

  • Chiffchaff, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woospecker, Kestrel, Mistle Thrush and Long Tailed Tits

Wanstead Park:

  • 4 Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap calling (TH)
  • 3 Siskin (TH)
  • 2 Greylag Geese (TH)
  • female Ring Necked Parakeet (see pic in gallery) (RW - ELBF walk)
  • Cormorant in full breeding plumage of the continental sinensis race (see pic in gallery) (RW)
  • lots of Green Woodpeckers, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Stock Doves. (RW)

Gants Hill:

  • Song Thrush in a private garden (Alan Thomas)

March 20, 2009

March 20th 2009

South Woodford:
  • Long Tailed Tit around St. Aubyns School

Fairlop Waters:

  • 2 Little Owls in the usual tree
  • dusk, so i couldnt go that far onto the Gravel Works, but on the first pool there was 10 Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe, 3 Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 10 Snipe and 4 Lapwing.
  • 1 Grey Heron
  • Also: 30 Shoveler, 2 Mute Swan, 20+ Canada Geese, 1 Greylag Goose, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Teal, Moorhen, Coot and a Great Crested Grebe.

Hainault Forest:

  • Red Kite (over) (Peter Ross)

Wanstead Park:

  • Kingfisher on the River Roding (Paul Ferris)
  • Water Rail, corner of Perch Pond (PF)

March 19, 2009

March 19th 2009

Newbury Park:
  • large raptor (probably Buzzard) over Newbury Park Sainsburys. (JMak)

Fairlop Waters:

  • 2 Little Owls in their tree, busying themselves flying to and fro.
  • 1 pair of Shoveler on the works north of Painters Road viewable from Hainault Road, with a few Mallards and Coots

March 18, 2009

March 18th 2009

Woodford Green:
  • pair of Jay and 4 Greenfinch in the allotments on Chigwell Road.

South Park:

  • pair of Mute Swan, 93 Canada Geese, 6 Greylag Geese, c30 Tufted Duck, c30 Mallard, Coot and Moorhen.
  • 1 Grey Wagtail around the pond.
  • 1 Green Woodpecker and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.
  • pair of Great Tit and a pair of Blue Tit, also 1 Chiffchaff singing in the treetops.
  • 1 Ring Necked Parakeet in the trees at the north end, then flew off north.
  • 3 pairs of Stock Dove surprisingly, also Collared Dove, Feral Pigeon and Wood Pigeon in good numbers.
  • pair of Mistle Thrush and a small Starling flock on the field.
  • 20+ Greenfinches.
  • 1 very fat Rat!

Knighton Wood:

  • pair of Shoveler still present with the Mallards and Moorhens, also 2 Mandarin.
  • 2 Nuthatch, Great Tits, Long Tailed Tits, Blue Tits, Greenfinch, Chaffinch
  • 10+ Song Thrush in song, and lots of Blackbird and Robin
  • 2 Stock Dove,
  • male Sparrowhawk.
  • Also: Carrion Crow, Wood Pigeon, Magpie

Whitehall Plain:

  • very quick dusk visit (while my son walked his Ferret)
  • Very noisy Song Thrush, a Robin and several Blackbirds

Leyton Flats: (just outside the borough)

  • Sparrowhawk, 2 Chiffchaff, Skylark, 2 Lesser Redpoll (Gary James)

Wanstead Park:

  • Chiffchaff singing in between Perch and Heronry ponds (JL)

Valentines Park:

  • U3A Birdwatching Group meet.
  • Little Grebes on both lakes
  • Grey Heron on the small lake
  • 2 Mute Swan and a Greylag Goose
  • less Canada Geese than usual, the swans are chasing them off.
  • Mallard, Pochard, Tufted Duck and 4 Gadwall,
  • Moorhen and Coot
  • Green Woodpecker, and Great Spotted Woodpecker heard druming.
  • Grey Wagtail showing well
  • Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, 4 Goldcrest, Long Tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Jay, House Sparrow, Starling
  • Jackdaw (heard only)
  • Also: Black Headed Gull, Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Carrion Crow. (JMillea)

March 17, 2009

March 17th 2009

Wanstead Park:
  • Blackcap singing in Wanstead Park near the Glade, and also 5 Chiffchaffs in song. (Tim Harris) (1 in Long Wood, 1 north of Heronry Pond, 1 near Shoulder of Mutton Pond (TH), 1 near the Sewage Works (PF) and 1 near Park Road (JC)
  • Ring Necked Parakeet seen at nest hole near the Dell Bridge (Ralph Potter)

Wanstead Flats:

  • Chiffchaff singing (TH) 1 near the Cemetary.

Johnston Road Pond, Woodford:

  • 8 Mallard, pair of Canada Geese, Carrion Crows and 10 Feral Pigeons

Woodford Police Station Pond:

  • Pair of Canada Geese, and a few Mallards

Knighton Wood:

  • no sign of any Mandarin Duck today!, but there were 10 Mallard, 10 Moorhen and a pair of Shoveler on the main pond.
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming.
  • 3 Nuthatch, also Nuthatch could be heard calling in Lords Bushes, accross the borough boundary.
  • Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, 4 Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Long Tailed Tit all being very noisy
  • Carrion Crows nestbuilding
  • Also: Wood Pigeon, Magpie

The Birbeck:

  • 2 Stock Dove
  • Great Tits and Blue Tits
  • Greenfinch, and quite a few Goldfinch.

Whitehall Plain:

  • about 10 Goldfinches, not much else though except Great Tits, Blue Tits, Magpie, Wood Pigeon and a Song Thrush.

Hatch Forest:

  • Blackbird and Song Thrush in full song.
  • Chaffinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren and Robin
  • pair of Stock Dove
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • Nuthatch heard

Valentines Park:

  • Both Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers calling in the park near the small pond.
  • Long Tailed Tits along the path to Perth Street from the pond.
  • Tufted Ducks a plenty, Mallard, Canada Goose, Moorhen and Coot too.
  • 50+ Carrion Crows on the field

South Park:

  • Mistle Thrush seen flying out of the park, when driving down South Park Road.

Ilford:

  • 2 pairs of Crossbill seen flying north over Tavistock Gardens at 7.50am (HV)
  • Also: Goldcrest and Chiffchaff (HV)

Barking Park: (just outside the borough)

  • pair of Grey Wagtail, pair of Great Crested Grebe and a pair of Little Grebe (HV)
  • 42 Tufted Duck
  • pair of Green Woodpecker, and a pair of Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • 3 male Song Thrushes and 3 pairs of Mistle Thrush

River Roding, Barking: (just outside the borough)

  • pair Grey Wagtail, pair of Mute Swan around nest, 11 Teal and a pair of Sparrowhawk (HV)

Grange Hill:

  • Song Thrush in song and Green Woodpecker calling near Grange Hill Station at 9am (CIS)

Forest Gate: (just over the borough boundary)

  • 1 Chiffchaff in Capel Road

City of London Cemetery: (just outside the borough)

  • 6 Siskin in the Poplars at the east end of the cemetery. (Paul Ferris)
  • pair of Great Spotted Woodpecker and a pair of Green Woodpeckers
  • 1 Redwing between the cemetery and the bridle path.

March 16, 2009

March 16th 2009

Fairlop Waters:
  • first Chiffchaff, singing by the lagoon!
  • pair of Great Crested Grebes on the main lake.
  • Also, a pair of Mute Swan, a few pairs of Canada Geese and Greylag Geese, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Moorhen and Coot
  • 40-50 Tufted Duck on the fishing lake.
  • 5 Skylark, 6 Meadow Pipit and a pair of Pied Wagtail
  • 2 Green Woodpecker and a Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • female Kestrel hunting over Fairlop Plain
  • 3 male and a female Reed Bunting
  • 12 Linnet near the stables, also 8-10 Goldfinch, 6 Greenfinch, 6 Chaffinch, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit and Blue Tits.
  • Blackbirds Robins and Wrens anda Dunnock.
  • Only a few Gulls (Black Headed Gulls and Common Gulls)
  • 1 Little Grebe on the lagoon, and a few Teal.
  • A few Gadwall on the fishing lake
  • Grey Heron on Fairlop Plain

Wanstead:

  • 3 Coal Tit in a private garden near Bush Wood, then flew off in the direction of Bush Wood (Tim Harris)

Wanstead Flats:

  • 6.30-8am
  • 30 Skylark, 4 Reed Bunting and about 15 Meadow Pipit (JL)

City of London Cemetery: (just outside the borough)

  • number of Goldcrests (Paul Ferris)
  • Stock Dove in the Birches (PF)
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming (PF)

March 15, 2009

March 15th 2009

Fairlop, Aldborough Riding School:
  • pair of Little Owls seen copulating in their usual tree 6pm (Tim Harris)
Fairlop Waters CP:
  • Kestrel
  • Reed Bunting,
  • Chaffinch, Greenfinch, (Tony Leaderman)

Wanstead Flats:

  • male Wheatear, along the pipeline near Alexandra Lake at 6.45am. This is the first reported Summer Visitor or passage migrant this year! (Jonathan Lethbridge)
  • 2nd male Wheatear at 12.20, near the section of Faiurground Flats being dug. (This was not the same bird, its plumage was brighter). (JL)... see picture in the album (top right)
  • Buzzard over SW at 11.50 (JL)
  • female Sparrowhawk (JL)
  • 2 pairs of Shoveler on Alexandra Lake (PF)
  • 2 Greylag Geese on Alexandra Lake, and another 2 on Jubilee Pond. (PS)

Wanstead Park:

  • Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker and a pair of Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Peter Ross)
  • 3 Grey Heron, Mute Swan (PR)
  • Song Thrush, 2 Goldcrest, Long Tailed Tit (PR)

M11 Loughton: (just outside the borough)

  • 2 Buzzards (PF)

Eagle Pond:

  • 2 Greylag Geese (PS)

March 14, 2009

March 14th 2009

Little Owl at Fairlop - 14th March 2009
photo by Peter Warne


Fairlop Waters:
  • Little Owl in the usual tree (Peter Warne)
  • Jack Snipe, 14 Snipe, 20 Lapwing, (Steve Bacon)
  • 41 Gadwall, 23 Shoveler, 15 Teal, 109 Tufted Duck, 19 Mallard, 7 Pochard, Coot, 2 Grey Heron, 59 Canada Goose, 26 Greylag Goose, 2 Great Crested Grebe and 3 Little Grebe, (Steve Bacon)

Woodford Bridge:

  • 3 Jackdaws around St. Pauls Church
  • pair of Canada Geese still present with the usual Mallards and Moorhens

Wanstead Flats:

  • 20 Skylark, 7 Meadow Pipit and a female Reed Bunting (Jonathan Lethbridge)

Roding Valley NR: (just outside the borough)

  • 8 Gadwall, 128 Common Gull, 120 Black Headed Gull, and a pair of Great Spotted Woodpecker (BJ)

March 13, 2009

March 13th 2009

Fairlop:
  • Little Owl present in the usual place (DEH)

South Woodford:

  • Buzzard (KM)

Hainault Forest:

  • 2 male Pochard, 2 Shoveler, 2 Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Black Headed Gull, 8 Tufted Gull, 28 Mallard, 5 Coot, 2 Moorhen, 2 Mute Swan, 32 Canada Goose, 1 Greylag Gull. (CIS)
  • 5 male Great Spotted Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 4 male Song Thrush (CIS)
Wanstead Park:
  • Herring Gull on Perch Pond (Paul Ferris)
  • Stock Dove heard near Florries Hill (PF)
  • 6 Goldcrest in Warren Wood (PF)

March 12, 2009

March 12th 2009

Clayhall:
  • Grey Heron flying over Woodford Avenue from Clayhall at 07:30am (JMak)

Fairlop Waters:

  • Little Owl in the usual tree on the usual exposed branch, 5.45pm (DEH)
  • pair of Great Crested Grebe on the Fishing Lake, with 50+ Tufted Duck still flocking.
  • flushed 8-10 Pheasant from a tree that they were roosting in on Fairlop Plain (they confused me for a minute)...
  • Party of Long Tailed Tits still flitting around from tree to tree in the dark (6.20pm)

Wanstead Park:

  • pair of Greylag Geese on Ornamental Waters (PS)

March 11, 2009

March 11th 2009

Woodford Bridge:
  • 30-40 Mallard, 2 Canada Geese and 4 Moorhen on the pond outside St. Pauls Church. (DEH)
  • 12 Goldfinches on the green on Vicarage Road (Alan Hobson)

Claybury Park:

  • Kestrel (AH)
  • 2 Mistle Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Stock Dove
  • 3 Goldcrest, 2 Goldfinch
  • Grey Heron, Mallard.

Wanstead Park:

  • Great Crested Grebe on Perch Pond, and 1 Pochard. (JL)
  • Grey Heron flew over Perch Pond (JL)
  • 5 Little Grebe (4 on Heronry Pond, 1 on Shoulder of Mutton) 4 Gadwall (J Lethbridge)
  • 2 Mute Swan, 2 Canada Geese, 2 Shoveler on Shoulder of Mutton Pond (JL)
  • 2 Song Thrush present in Resevoir Wood (JL)
  • 15 Siskin & 10 Goldfinch in a feeding flock in the Glade (JL), about 30 Jackdaw (JL)
  • 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest and Jay near the Glade. (JL)
  • Very vocal Dunnocks and Wrens everywhere (JL)

Bush Wood:

  • Grey Heron flew over at 8.50am (JL)

Roding Valley NR: (just outside the borough)

  • pair of Great Crested Grebe on the lake (Peter Warne)
  • 4 Gadwall and a pair of Wigeon (PW)
  • 1 Kingfisher and 1 Water Rail (see picture below) on the river (PW)
  • 1 Goldcrest, 3 Goldfinch and 14 Linnet (PW)

Barking Park: (just outside the borough)

  • 1 Woodcock flying out of the park accross Longbridge Road (PHa)

Valentines Park:

  • U3A Birdwatching Group, met at 9.45 as usual.
  • 2 Mute Swans, Canada Geese, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen, 1 Little Grebe, 4 Gadwall, Black Headed Gull, Feral Pigeon, (JMillea)
  • Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, Blackbird, Robin, 2 Wren, House Sparrow,
  • Ring Necked Parakeet on one of the feeders (with a Squirrel)
  • Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker heard drumming, Grey Wagtail
  • 30+ Redwing, Mistle Thrush.
  • Blue Tit, Great Tit. Long Tailed Tit, Goldcrest,
  • Goldfinch, Greenfinch and 11 male Chaffinch

Gants Hill:

  • Jay in a Blackhawthorn tree in a private Garden (Alan Thomas)
  • pair of Song Thrush (AT)

Pics - March 11th 2009

Water Rail on the River Roding in Roding Valley NR
11th March 2009 - Photo by Peter Warne

March 10, 2009

March 10th 2009

Woodford Green:



  • Blue Tits prospecting in the playground at Ray Lodge School. Also Greenfinches and a Robin
  • Goldfinch feeding in the trees on Springfield Gardens, junction with Broadmead Road.
  • Pied Wagtails and Blackbirds on Broadmead Estate.

Woodford Bridge:

  • 2 Mistle Thrushes on the green by Vicarage Road. (Alan Hobson)
  • 4 Goldfinches (AH)

Ilford:

  • A Jay few from Winston Way over Ilford Baptist Church and then in the direction of Ley Street.

Valentines Park:

  • The Usual Wildfowl: Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen.
  • Little Grebe on the main pond, and also 8 Gadwall (4 pairs)
  • 2 male Pochard, (one on the main pond, and one on the smaller one)
  • 2 Green Woodpecker being very noisy, and showing well along the water feature at the south end of the main pond.
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming somewhere in the distance.
  • 10+ Goldfinches, 5+ Chaffinches and 3 Siskin in the treetops, being flighty...
  • 5 Mistle Thrush, 3 of which were trying to see off a flock of about 40-50 Redwing that were on the playing field with about 50 Starling.
  • Grey Wagtail showing well for some time on the small pond.
  • Also: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Goldcrest, Robin, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Wood Pigeon, Feral Pigeon.

South Park:

  • 2 Greylag Geese with the Canada Geese.
  • Mute Swan, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coot and Moorhen a plenty.
  • 1 Great Crested Grebe still present.
  • 1 Lesser Black Backed Gull on the lake.
  • Mistle Thrush rattling..
  • Green Woodpecker calling and 1 very visible Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming on low branches.
  • Collared Doves on the island in good numbers.
  • A flock of over 60 Greenfinch

Fairlop Waters:

  • The pair of Little Owls were present in the usual tree at 7.20pm (DEH/JMak)

Bush Wood:

  • a very vocal Tawny Owl on the Belgrave Side of Bush Wood at 10-10.30pm (TH)

Claybury Park:

  • Mistle Thrush, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Green Woodpecker, 2 Stock Dove (Alan Hobson)
  • Goldcrest, Long Tailed Tit, Goldfinch (AH)
  • Grey Heron, Cormorant, Canada Geese, Mallard. (AH)

Gants Hill:

  • Goldcrest in a private garden (Alan Thomas)

March 09, 2009

March 9th 2009

Woodford Green:

  • Pair of Mistle Thrushes and a pair of Pied Wagtails on the playing field by Broadmead Estate.

Woodford Bridge:

  • Grey Heron flying over Roding Lane North (Alan Hobson)

March 08, 2009

March 8th 2009

Redbridge:
  • Green Woodpecker flying accross Redbridge Roundabout.
South Park:
  • Pair of Mute Swan, Pair of Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, Mallard, Tufted Ducks, Moorhens and Coots.
  • 3 Fieldfare flying out of the park.
  • 30+ Greenfinch in the tree tops
  • 10+ Collared Doves roosting on the islands
  • 2 Little Grebe, and a Great Crested Grebe!
  • Cormorant took off from the lake and flew out of the park.
Roding Valley Park:
  • Northern section, near Ray Park
  • 7 Linnet, severel wrens singing and nesting.
  • Various Tits and Dunnock (Peter Warne)
Woodford Bridge:
  • 4 Moorhen, Mallards, and the pair of Canada Geese on the pond by St. Pauls Church.
Hainault:
  • Over 100 Starlings congregating around Fencepeice Road at dusk
Wanstead:
  • 3 Sparrowhawks (JL)
Fairlop Waters CP:
  • Reed Bunting (Tony Leaderman)

March 07, 2009

March 7th 2009

Claybury Park:


  • Green Woodpecker flying accross Tomswood Hill

Fairlop Waters:

  • 50 Golden Plover (AAB)
  • Little Egret (AAB)
  • Siskin and 2 Goldcrests (AAB)

Gants Hill:

  • 1 Song Thrush, 1 Mistle Thrush and a pair of Long Tailed Tits in a private garden. (Alan Thomas)

March 06, 2009

March 6th 2009

Woodford Bridge:

  • pair of Canada Geese, pair of Moorhen, and 20-30 Mallard on the pond by St. Pauls Church

Claybury Park:

  • brief visit from Roding Lane North to Wensleydale Ave (and back) (Daniel E-Hull)
  • excellent views of Lesser Spotted Woodpecker that flew from one of the big trees in the middle of the grass area, southwards to join a group of Long Tailed Tits. Also Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming (and totally unaware of me watching from very close). Green Woodpecker calling from somewhere...
  • Grey Heron (over)
  • male Sparrowhawk showing well around Wensleydale Aveneue entrance.
  • Stock Doves right near the southern entrance on Roding Lane North.
  • pair of Dunnock courting near the northern Roding Lane North entrance.
  • 2 Song Thrush performing, also 2 Redwing and 2 Fieldfare from treetop to treetop.
  • lots of small parties of Long Tailed Tit possibly outnumbering Blue Tit and Great Tit today.
  • 8 Goldfinches, (some singing) 4 Greenfinches (some singing and displaying), pair of Chaffinches, and severel Goldcrests.
  • Also: Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Wood Pigeon, Blackbird, Robin, Wren and an almost umblemished blue sky!
Fairlop Waters:

  • Brief dusk visit to check onthe Little Owls and yes..... 2 of em, usual tree!
  • Also Starlings, Greenfinches, Great Tits and 4 male Pheasents around the Riding School
  • 13 Greylag Geese amongst the Canada Geese in the field by the stables
  • Female Reed Bunting on Fairlop Plain
  • Pair of Shelduck still on the gravel works, also 10 Pochard, 30 Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Teal, Mallard, Moorhen, Coot, Mute Swan, Gadwall, Shoveler.
  • 3 Grey Heron (over)
  • 19 Lapwing on the field north of Painters Road. 100+ Golden Plover and between 5 and 10 Snipe on the gravel works.
Hainault Forest:

  • 12 Woodpigeon, 11 Carrion Crow, 26 Magpie, (James Anderson)
  • 8 Coot, 2 Mute Swan, 12 Mallard, 5 Tufted Duck, 68 Canada Geese, 7 Moorhen, 1 Great Crested Grebe, (JA)
  • 6 Blue Tit, 7 Great Tit, 3 Long-tailed Tit, (JA)
  • 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Robin, 2 Blackbird, 1 Pheasant, 1 Nuthatch
Wanstead Park:

  • Tufted Duck D9 still present! (see 2nd March)
  • female Sparrowhawk (Jonathan Lethbridge)

Gants Hill:

  • 1 Song Thrush in a private garden (Alan Thomas)


March 05, 2009

March 5th 2009

Woodford:
  • Pied Wagtails around the shops to the east of Woodford Station.
Chadwell Heath:
  • Green Woodpecker and 3 Collared Doves near the entrance to King George Hospital.
Hainault Forest:
  • Woodcock calling fromg the north end, near Chigwell Row.
  • Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers calling/drumming.
  • Nuthatch in the treetops
  • lots of Magpies, Carrion Crows and Jackdaws making a lot of noise.
  • Tawny Owl at the north end near Romford Road.
  • Blue Tits, Great Tits, Goldcrests, Robins, Wrens and Blackbirds...
Fairlop Waters:
  • 2 Little Owls (Peter Hopkins)

Wanstead:

  • 4 Siskin and 2 Lesser Redpoll (APe)

Wanstead Park:

  • 2 Siskin and 14 Lesser Redpoll (Ape)

Gants Hill:

  • 1 Goldcrest in a garden (Alan Thomas)

March 04, 2009

March 4th 2009

Fairlop Waters:
  • Grey Heron flying over (north) (DEH)
  • the 'flirting' must have paid off because the pair of Great Crested Grebes that have been displaying all week have now moved to the fishing lake, and are hanging around last years nesting site...
  • c25 Tufted Duck on the fishing lake, and c20 on the main lake.
  • 4 Mute Swans onthe main lake, and 2 on the fishing lake.
  • Quite a few pairs of Mallard have moved over to the flooded areas of the plain.
  • 3 Reed Buntings (2 male and 1 female) on Farilop Plain.
  • party of 8 Long Tailed Tits near the scrape.
  • 15 Fieldfare around the fishing lake.
  • 2 Song Thrush in full song...
  • 6+ Pheasants calling and being flushed on Fairlop Plain.
  • also: Canada Geese, Moorhen, Coot, Robin, Wren, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Wood Pigeon, Jay.
Valentines Park:
  • Redbridge U3A Birdwatching Groups sightings at Valentines Park this morning: (Jacqueline Millea)
  • 4 Little Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 9 Gadwall, 2 Mute Swan on the boating lake
  • Canada Geese, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen,
  • Flitting glimpse of a Kingfisher
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker heard drumming, and Green Woodpecker heard calling.
  • Pied Wagtail and Grey Wagtail
  • Greenfinch, Goldfinch, 11 male Chaffinches and Siskin.
  • 11+ Redwings (JM)
  • Also: Black Headed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Feral Pigeon, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Wren, Goldcrest, Long Tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling. (JM)
Hainault Forest:
  • 3 Pochards, Great Crested Grebe, Jay (NPh)

Gants Hill:

  • 1 Goldcrest in a garden in Gants Hill, also a male Sparrowhawk and a Song Thrush. (Alan Thomas)

March 03, 2009

March 3rd 2009

Woodford Bridge:

  • The pair of Canada Geese are still present on the pond by St. Pauls Church (DEH)

Roding Valley Park:

  • Kingfisher near the footbridge by Woodford Bridge (Alan Hobson)

Woodford:

  • Redwing still present at Woodford Library (DEH)
  • 3 pairs of Canada Geese on the pond outside the post office on Johnson Road. (DEH)

Knighton Wood:

  • Great Spotted Woodpecker heard drumming. (DEH)
  • 2+ Nuthatches moving from tree to tree.
  • Blue Tits and Great Tits galore (exploring holes) .
  • 11 Mandarin on the main pond (10 of which were male!) Also 8 Mallard and 5 Moorhen.
  • Jay heard calling, and 2 Song Thrushes in good voice. And one very prominent Dunnock singing its lil heart out at the top of a small tree.
  • Also: Wood Pigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Robin, Wren, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch.

Whitehall Plain (Woodford Green):

  • Goshawk flew low and south over Whitehall Plain at 11.25am. (birdguides) A Goshawk, possibly the same one, was also seen at 12.15 in central London at St. James' Park. (Ken Murray) - there is some speculation that this is an escaped bird.
Valentines Park:

  • 9 Gadwall on the boating lake. (DEH)
  • 3 Mistle Thrushes on the field.
  • c12 Goldfinches, 10 Chaffinches and 3 Goldcrests feeding in the treetops.
Fairlop Waters:

  • 2 Great Crested Grebe on the main lake, displaying.
  • Flock of over 100 Starlings by the Riding School, also about 20 Redwing, 40 Fieldfare and 1 Mistle Thrush.
  • 6 Pied Wagtail (over) towards the works and 1 Meadow Pipit.
  • male Pheasant flying over the riding school field.
  • Grey Heron, and Cormorant (over) from the gravel works.
  • 13 Greylag Geese with the Canada Geese Flock.

Wanstead:

  • male Sparrowhawk perched on a roof in Colvin Gardens E11 (JL)

Gants Hill:

  • Goldcrest in a garden in Gants Hill (Alan Thomas)

March 02, 2009

March 2nd 2009

Woodford Green:
  • Mistle Thrush making a right racket in Ray lodge School Playground at 8.50am today. (DEH)
  • Goldcrest, Goldfinch and Pied Wagtail present around Roding Lane North Playing Field. (Alan Hobson)

Woodford:

  • Redwing at Woodford Library (Alan Hobson)

Wanstead Flats:

  • 16 Skylark around the flats (Jonathan Lethbridge)
  • 2 Song Thrush in song and 15 Goldfinch. (JL)
  • 2 Shoveler on Jubilee Pond (JL)
Wanstead Park:
  • 5 Little Grebe (JL)
  • Pair of Great Crested Grebe on Perch Pond doing their displays (JL/PF)
  • Lesser Black Backed Gull on Heronry Pond. (JL)
  • Tufted Duck with a tagged beak (see pic below) (JL)
  • female Sparrowhawk flying over Heronry (JL)
  • Nuthatch heard in Warren Wood (JL)
  • Ring Necked Parakeet nest prospecting from Resevoir Wood to The Dell (see picture below) (JL) - 2 also heard later in the day near Perch Pond (Jennifer Charter)
  • Lots of Goldcrests and at least 4 Siskins in the park, one in particular singing its heart out from a tree near the Glade. (Paul Ferris)

Roding Valley NR: (just outside the borough)

  • beautiful male Stonechat (see pic below) also 1 Little Egret, many Long Tailed Tits, 5 Fieldfare, 2 Green Woodpecker (Peter Warne).

Pics - March 2nd 2009


Siskin singing near the glade
Wanstead Park - 2nd March 2009 (Photo by Paul Ferris)


male Stonechat at Roding Valley NR (just outside the borough)
(photographed by Peter Warne)


Ring Necked Parakeet - househunting during the credit crunch!
Wanstead Park, March 2nd 2009 (Photo by Jonathan Lethbridge)


Tufted Duck with latest fashion accessory -
Wanstead Park, March 2nd 2009 (photo by JL)

Jonathan Lethbridge managed to get in contact with the 'ringers' who accessorised this Tufted Duck... and believe it or not, it was 'rung' in Saint Philbert De Grande Lieu, France on the 1st February 2008. It remained at that location throughout 2008, and was last sighted there on February 21st 2008. A year and a few days later on the 2nd March 2009 it was photographed by JL at Wanstead Park! Thanks JL and Alain Caizergues for this information.

March 01, 2009

March 1st 2009

Fairlop:

  • male Pheasant in the field east of Hainault Road. (DEH)
  • Collared Doves on the lamp columns. (DEH)
  • 3 Shelduck on the gravel works (AAB)
  • Little Owl (AAB)
  • Jack Snipe (AAB)
Roding Valley Park:
  • Cormorant flying over Charlie Browns Roundabout.