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)