April 2nd 2009

Roding Valley Park:

• 9.00-9.45am walk up the section from Woodford Bridge to Luxborough Lane
• 1 Little Egret roosting in the trees that overhang the river.
• a few Mallards and Moorhens on the river, and along the path.
• lots of Wood Pigeon, a pair of Collared Dove, and a pair of Stock Dove.
• 1 Pheasant heard calling from inside Luxborough Lane Storm Drain Works.
• 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker heard calling.
• Blackbirds, Robins and Wrens everywhere, and at least 3 pairs of Dunnock
• 1 Song Thrush singing, and a pair of Mistle Thrush heard in Ray Park.
• at least 4 singing Chiffchaff and 2 male Blackcap
• a few pairs of Blue Tit, and Great Tit and a small party of Long Tailed Tit.
• 3 Jackdaw in the trees by the river, on the Ray Park side, and another Jackdaw over (being mobbed by a Carrion Crow)
• 1 pair of Jay, and a few Magpies.
• Small parties of Starling flying over.
• Greenfinch heard in several locations along the river, also 3 Goldfinch, a male Bullfinch and 4 Linnet including one singing male (near the Storm Drains)
• 1 male Reed Bunting, still in transition from winter to summer plumage (very small bib)

Gants Hill:

• Winter Plumage male Brambling still present at 7am feeding in a Garden near Gants Hill roundabout. (Alan Thomas)
• Grey Heron attempted to land in a garden pond, but was 'seen off' by the rogues (4 Carrion Crows) early morning. (AT)
• 2 pairs of Jackdaw flying over, and 'rooftopping' near Gants Hill roundabout at 6.20pm (DEH)

Wanstead Flats:

• 2 Little Owls (one calling at 12.45pm) (Paul Ferris)
• 5 or 6 Skylark singing over the flats, and 1 Meadow Pipit (PF)
• 2 Swallow (PF)
• 1 female Wheatear (PF)
• pair of Shoveler on Alexandra Lake

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• **Spotted Crake** flushed from the western bank of the flooded pit on the northern gravel works site on Painters Road, Fairlop at 7pm. (it called, and only flew about 10 meters into a cluster of bullrushes at the base of the large gravel mound). I saw it clearly, it was short billed, smaller than a Water Rail or Moorhen, consistant markings and call as per the RSPB site, It called only once when I flushed it, I wrote down "a cross between a croak, and a Jack Russell's yap!". Could not relocate once it landed, but it did not fly off. I remained on site till 7.50pm (This site is not accessible to the public, and does involve jumping a fence.) Good Luck! (This may have been the first ever sighting of this bird in the borough)
• Also on the northern site, 10 Gadwall, 10 Shoveler, 20 Tufted Duck, 10 Teal, Coots Moorhen, 2 Redshank and 2 Snipe, and 1 male Reed Bunting.
• Also: Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock and Wren.
• On the south side of painters road, the main gravel works site, were 8 Lapwing, 2 more Redshank, 3 Green Sandpiper, 4 Little Ringed Plover, 6 Snipe, several Pheasant calling, 2 Grey Heron 'fishing' (DEH/SB)
• Chiffchaff, Green Woodpecker and Great Spotted Woodpecker both in the trees to the south (near Hargreaves Scout Camp)
• female Sparrowhawk in the trees bordering the field to the east of the Gravel Works
• 4 more Gadwall, 20+ Teal, plenty of Canada Geese, 4 Mute Swan, 4 Shelduck.
• 4 Skylark singing, 8 Meadow Pipit and still over 40 Pied Wagtails, many flying in to roost at dusk (DEH)
• 6 Chiffchaff, 2 male Blackcap and a Swallow (SB)
• 2 Sand Martin lingering at the site today.
• 1 Lesser Black Backed Gull

Ilford:

• possible Peregrine sitting on the roof of the BT building, seen while driving past on the A406 at 6pm, but not clearly enough to be 100% sure. (DEH)
• 10 Lesser Black Backed Gulls around the office block rooftops.

Roding Valley NR: (just outside the borough)

• 42 Pied Wagtails, and a Blackcap (BJ)