May 27th 2010

Five Oaks Lane, scrubland:

• The scrubland and secondary woodland area south of Five Oaks Lane, and north and east of Forest Farm, Romford Road, Collier Row (just south of Hainault Golf Course).
• 6 or 7 Cuckoos. (Yes, i am not having you on, there were at least 6. I was on site from 6-8pm and saw 4 together at 1 point, while hearing another 2 calling in the distance at the same time. There were at least 4 calling males, and i am pretty sure there were 3 separate pairs, so it is likely there were 7 birds present, but i can only confirm 6. Durint the 2 hours i was there Cuckoos were vocal most of the time, calling, displaying, fighting and chasing each other around the site)
• 4 Pheasant
• 10 singing Whitethroat, 12 singing Willow Warbler (best site in the borough for this species this year), 4 singing Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap (4m, 2f)
• 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker
• 6 Swallows at Forest Farm buildings, 2 Swift (over)
• 16 Woodpigeon, 8 Collared Dove
  
• 7 Blackbird, 10 Song Thrush (including 9 singing), Robin, 2 Wren, Dunnock (likely target of the Cuckoos), 2 Mistle Thrushes fighting on Five Oaks Lane
  
• 10 Magpie, 2 Carrion Crow, 2 Jay, c100 Starling (mostly over Forest Farm, and south of Romford Road), 3 House Sparrow (many more calling in the bushes near Romford Road)
  
• 11 singing Chaffinch, 4 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 4 Long tailed Tit
• 7 Linnet (1 pair, and a flock of 5)
• 8 male Yellowhammer territories! - an excellent discovery for the borough! (DEH) - I shall be going again on Saturday morning, weather permitting (rain forecast) if anyone wants to join me - holla
  

Wanstead Park:

• Shoulder of Mutton Pond:
• 9 Mute Swans (2 ads and 7 cygnets)
• Great Crested Grebe Little Grebe
• Singing Reed Warbler
• Heronry Pond:
• 10 Mute Swans (2 ads and 8 cygnets)
• 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Little Grebes
• c30 Swifts
• Perch Pond: 3 Great Crested Grebes (but 1 of these I think may have been the earlier Shoulder of Mutton bird)
• 2 Stock Doves
• Old Sewage Works:
• Singing Reed Warbler
• Whitethroat taking caterpillars, presumably to a nest (THarris)