March 31st 2010

Barkingside Recreational Ground:

• 150 Starlings (Barbara J)

Fairlop Waters CP:

• 6 Swallow, Sand Martin,
  
• Little Ringed Plover,
  
• Willow Warbler (AAB)

Woodford Green, Broadmead:

• female Sparrowhawk being mobbed by 2 vivacious Pied Wagtails! (DEH)

March 30th 2010

Barkingside, Tesco:

• singing Dunnock and singing Goldfinch, by the petrol station

Fairlop Waters CP:

• 3 Swallows feeding over the Fishing Lake (Griff Holliday)

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• garden sightings:
• 2 Blackbird, Robin, Wren
• 6 Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, 6 Starling, 5 House Sparrow
• 6 Greenfinch, 4 Chaffinch
• 3 Blue Tit, Great Tit
  
• Chiffchaff (AThomas)

Valentines Park:

• pair of Mute Swan on the Boating Lake, on nest
• pair of Mute Swan on the Fish Lake seem to have stopped nest building and are spending the day on Long Water
• pair of Grey Heron on nest
• 1 Egyptian Goose (female presumably on nest)
• pair of Gadwall on Fish Lake (Simon Litt)
• 2 Jackdaws (DEH)

Wanstead, Windsor Road:

• Swallow over the garden (JLethbridge)

City of London Cemetery: (just outside the borough)

• Coal Tit (PFerris)

Buckhurst Hill: (just outside the borough)

• Goshawk (CMarshall)
  

March 29th 2010

Ilford, garden:

• pair of Collared Doves, Woodpigeon
  
• singing Blackcap
• pair of Dunnock
• nesting Robins
• Wren, pair of Blackbird
  
• pr of Chaffinch,
  
• Greenfinch
• pr Great Spotted Woodpecker
• 3 Great Tit, 3 Blue Tit
• 4 Starling
• 2 Pied Wagtail (Barbara J)
  

Leyton Flats: (just outside the borough)

• 2 Shoveler,
  
• 7 singing Chiffchaff, 2 singing Blackcaps. ( Gary A James).
  

March 28th 2010

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• White Wagtail,
  
• 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Redshank, Golden Plover (AAB)

Valentines Park:

• 1 Little Grebe on the boating lake
• 2 Great Crested Grebe
• 1 Grey Heron on nest
• 4 Mute Swan, Canada Geese, 3 Greylag Geese (2 of which flew off north)
  
• Egyptian Goose (being aggressive)
  
• 19 Black Headed Gulls (Mike Condon)
• 4 Pochard on the boating lake, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Coot
• Feral Pigeons! Woodpigeons, Collared Dove
• 2 Green Woodpecker,
  
• 2 Pied Wagtail
• 2 Wren, Dunnock, Song Thrush, several Mistle Thrush, 13 Redwing, Fieldfare Blackbirds Robins
• 2 Goldcrest going along the trees along the old pitch and put
• Great Tit, Blue Tit, 4 Long Tailed Tit
• Magpies, Carrion Crows including 39 in 1 tree!,
  
• Starlings, 13 House Sparrows
• Chaffinch, 2 Greenfinch, 4 Goldfinch (Mike Condon)

Wanstead Flats:

• 1 Little Grebe
• Little Owl
• 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, drumming in West Copse
• 10 Skylark (7 in song)
• 10 Meadow Pipit (7 in song)
• 7 Wren, 6 Dunnock, 1 Robin, 3 Blackbird, 3 Song Thrush, 3 Mistle Thrush,
  
• 2 Chiffchaff
• 2 Chaffinch, 8 Greenfinch, 5 Goldfinch (WREN via THarris)
  

Wanstead Park:

• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker,
  
• 7 Ring Necked Parakeets,
  
• Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff,
  
• Song Thrush,
  
• 3 Grey Heron, Cormorant,
  
• 2 Great Crested Grebes, 6 Little Grebes,
  
• Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler, Mallard, Canadian Geese, (MAW)
• 6 Stock Dove
• 11 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker,
  
• 26 Wren, 10 Dunnock, 23 Robin, 8 Blackbird, 8 Song Thrush, 3 Mistle Thrush,
• 10 Blackcap, 17 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler (all singing)
• 1 Goldcrest singing
• 3 Chaffinch, 6 Greenfinch, 1 Goldfinch, 18 Linnet (WREN/Tim Harris)

Wanstead, Belgrave Road:

• Buzzard drifting NW over (THarris)
  

Abridge, Apes Wood: (just outside the borough)

• Buzzard,
  
• 3 Chiffchaff, Nuthatch, 27 Chaffinch. (BJ)

Lambourne End: (just outside the borough)

• Buzzard (DMcG)

Mayesbrook Park: (just outside the borough)

• Egyptian Goose (PHa)

March 27th 2010

weather: 11C, sunny spells, showers (pm)

Hainault Forest:

• 4 Chiffchaffs,
• 3 Mute Swans,
• 5 Great Spotted Woodpeckers,
• 2 Jays (NPh)

Roding Valley Park, (north):

• Raven flew (low) north over Chigwell Road, Woodford Bridge, up river. (DEH)

Valentines Park:

• Egyptian goose
• Robin, Carrion Crows, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Goldfinches, Chaffinches,
• Greater spotted woodpecker, Green Woodpecker
• Mistle Thrushes, Song Thrushes, Blackbird
• Stock Dove, Wood Pigeons, Feral Pigeons
• Long-tailed Tits,
• Pair of Great Crested Grebes
• Grey Heron on nest
• Tufted Ducks, 2 Male Pochards,
• Coots, Moorhens, Coot on a nest
• 3 Black-headed Gulls
• Mallards,
• 2 Pairs of Mute Swans ( one pair on Long Water and the other on the Boating Lake)
• Canada Geese, Greylag Goose,
• 2 Pairs of Mallards in trees
• Cormorant (Emma Charles)

Wanstead Flats:

• 2 Yellowhammer (briefly before flying south),
• 1 Stock Dove displaying,
• 1 Snipe east (S Fisher);
• m Pheasant,
• 4+ Chiffchaff singing,
• 3 Reed Bunting,
• 12+ Skylark, 10+ Meadow Pipit (J Lethbridge).

Wanstead Park:

• singing Blackcap, Singing Willow Warbler, 4+ singing Chiffchaff,
• 7 displaying Jays,
• 10 Stock Dove, (S Fisher)

March 26th 2010

weather: warm sunny day!

Fairlop Waters CP:

• first (extremely early) Swift of the year
• Green Woodpecker
• 1 Gadwall
• 2 Great Crested Grebe
• Greenfinch
• Black Headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull
• Cormorant
• Canada Geese, 5 Greylag Geese
• Chiffchaff, Wren (Tony Leaderman)

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 4 Shelduck, 25 Tufted Duck, 14 Shoveler, 9 Teal
• 6 Snipe, 2 Redshank, 5 Lapwing, 2 Green Sandpiper
• female Peregrine chasing a small bird
• c10 Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit
• 2 Linnet
• male Reed Bunting singing
• Song Thrush

Fairlop, Aldborough Riding School:

• Little Owl in that tree!

Valentines Park:

• pair of Grey Heron on nest
• pair of Great Crested Grebe
• pair of Green Woodpecker in a Cedar tree
• 3 Mistle Thrush
• Goldcrest (Barbara J)

Wanstead, Windsor Road:

• Red Kite S/SE pursued by Crows at 2:25pm. Then flew over Wanstead Flats. The bird was also been seen over Leytonstone 5 mins earlier, and another (or possibly the same bird was south over Stewardstone Marsh at 11am) (JLethbridge)

Wanstead Park:

• Water Rail still in the Dell
• Grey Wagtail in the Dell
• 3 singing Chiffchaff in the old sewage works
• Great Crested Grebe on Perch Pond (THarris)

Pics - March 2010

Little Owl on Wanstead Flats - Paul Ferris (25th March 2010)

March 25th 2010

weather: showers, 10C

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 25 Tufted Duck, 13 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 3 Shelduck
• 7 Lapwing, 11 Snipe, 5 Green Sandpiper, 2 Redshank
• c20 Pied Wagtail
• 4 Linnet (DEH)
• female Wheatear (Alan Bell)

Fairlop, Aldbrough Riding School:

• Little Owl in the usual tree!

Fairlop Waters CP:

• 25 Tufted Duck, 50 Canada Geese, 30 Mallard, 2 Greylag Geese, 7 Pochards, 3 Mute Swans, 4 Gadwalls, 10 Coots, 5 Moorhens,
• 2 Great Crested Grebes, Little Grebe.
• 5 Carrion Crows, 2 Jays, 4 Magpies,
• 5 Blackbirds,
• 2 Chiffchaffs,
• 6 Chaffinches,
• 2 Wrens, 9 Robins,
• 4 Green Woodpeckers,
• 4 Reed Buntings,
• 28 Fieldfares,
• 2 Great Tits, Long Tailed Tit (CIS)

Valentines Park:

• singing Dunnock and Wren near the mansion house (TLachhar)

Wanstead Flats:

• 20 Skylarks, 14 Meadow Pipits
• 3 Redwings
• 5 singing Chiffchaffs
• 1 Reed Bunting
• 2 Goldfinches (Tim Harris)
• Little Owl, and surprisinsly, no Gulls! (Paul Ferris)

Highams Park: (just outside the borough)

• Lesser Black Backed Gulls (over)
• 2 Greenfinches, 2 Blue Tits
• Robin (Emma Charles)

Leyton Flats: (just outside the borough)

• 1 singing Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff,
• singing Mistle Thrush. (Gary A James).

March 24th 2010

weather: 14C max, showers forecast

Claybury Park:

• 2 singing Chiffchaff
• Great Spotted Woodpecker
• 4 Greenfinch (AHobson)
• 4 Canada Geese, 12 Mallard, 3 Moorhen, 2 Coot
• Grey Heron
• Sparrowhawk
• Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon
• Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker
• Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow
• Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit, 1 Coal Tit
• 4 Chiffchaff singing
• Nuthatch
• Wren, Robin, Dunnock, 4 Song Thrush, Blackbird, 1 Redwing,
• Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch
• Starling (Pat Hart)

Fairlop Waters:

• Willow Warbler singing
• 2 Chiffchaff (Alan Bell)

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 2 Redshank
• Green Sandpiper (Anon)

South Woodford:

• Cormorant (over) (PGordon)

Valentines Park:

• 1 Egyptian Goose (standing on top of a tree like a sentry!) (presumably the other is in the hole
• 1 Grey Heron on nest
• pr of Stock Doves
• 6 Goldfinches, 2 Greenfinches
• 2 m Pochard
• 2 Mistle thrush, 15 Redwings
• Gull flock - only about 15 immature Black Headed Gulls + 1 Lesser Black Backed Gull. (Barbara J)
• 2 Herring Gulls
• 4 Mute Swan (pr on each lake), Canada Geese
• 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Little Grebe
• Mallard, Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard, Coot, Moorhen
• Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove,
• Carrion Crow, Magpie,
• many Mistle Thrush, Several Blackbird, Robin
• a few Starling
• Blue Tit, Great Tit, 2 Long Tailed Tit
• 2 Bullfinch near Valentines School (pr)
• 2 Chiffchaff
• 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (U3A via MSevoir)

Wanstead Flats:

• Wheatear flew from Bush Wood Flats over Lake House Road onto Centre Road Flats, into the SSSI north of Jubilee Pond at 9:50am, passing approx 20ft in front of my car
• Little Owl at dusk (J Lethbridge)

Wanstead, George Green:

• 2 Jackdaw
• 2 Lesser Black Backed Gull (DEH)

Woodford Green, Vicarage Road:

• pr of Pied Wagtails by St. Judes Court (Alan Hobson)

March 23rd 2010

weather: 10C max, light showers forecast.

Fairlop Waters/Gravel Works:

• WeBS count, (SBa)
• 6 Little Grebe, 3 Great Crested Grebe
• 1 Cormorant
• 9 Mute Swan
• 15 Greylag Goose, 48 Canada Goose
• 6 Shelduck, 3 Wigeon, 15 Gadwall, 7 Teal, 41 Mallard, 19 Shoveler, 15 Pochard, 63 Tufted Duck
• 25 Moorhen, 35 Coot,
• 7 Lapwing, 8 Snipe, 1 Redshank
• 60 Black Headed Gull, 352 Common Gull, 7 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 3 Herring Gull
• Chiffchaff, by the fishing lake
• several Skylarks in song
• 3 Meadow Pipit by the path to Barkingside Station (GHolliday)

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 5pm-6pm
• 4 Mute Swan, 2 Shelduck
• c40 Shoveler, c25 Tufted Duck, c10 Gadwall, 2 Teal, male Pochard
• Little Grebe
• Green Woodpecker
• 4 male Pheasant
• Stock Dove
• 5 Lapwing, Snipe, Green Sandpiper, 2 Redshank
• singing Skylark, Meadow Pipit, c20 Pied Wagtail
• 1 Sand Martin feeding around the gravel pits (first record of the year)
• 2 Linnet

Hainault Forest CP:

• March WeBS count, (SBa)
• 2 Great Crested Grebe
• 3 Mute Swan, 1 Greylag Goose, 81 Canada Goose
• 26 Mallard, 4 Pochard,
• 10 Moorhen, 8 Coot
• 39 Black Headed Gull, 1 Common Gull

Valentines Park:

• 2 Pied Wagtail
• 2 Long Tailed Tit by Long Water (TLachhar)
• 11 Greylag Geese (very unusual for Valentines Park)
• male Sparrowhawk
• singing Chiffchaff
• 3 Song Thrush territories (Peter Hopkins)
• Grey Wagtail by the clock tower (Mike Condon)

Wanstead Flats:

• 6 Reed Bunting (including 2 singing males)
• c25 Skylark, 10 Meadow Pipit
• 6 Fieldfare
• 1 Chiffchaff singing in Long Wood (Tim Harris)
• Little Owl (Paul Ferris)

Woodford Bridge, Vicarage Road:

• 2 Mistle Thrush on the green by St. Judes Ct (AHobson)

Woodford Green, Broadmead Estate:

• singing Greenfinch
• Jackdaw (DEH)

March 22nd 2010

weather: 10c - light showers forecast, cloudy

Eagle Pond:

• 5 Shoveler
• 2 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 2 Herring Gull (Steve West)

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 4 Shelduck still (2 pairs)
• 11 Gadwall, 15 Shoveler, 22 Tufted Duck
• Little Grebe
• male Pheasant
• 24 Stock Dove
• Green Woodpecker
• 15 Lapwing, 2 Green Sandpiper, 3 Redshank
• 20+ Pied Wagtail (possibly a lot more)
• singing Skylark
• 25 Linnet

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• Grey Heron low over my garden
• Great Spotted Woodpecker (Tajinder Lachhar)

Valentines Park:

• Grey Herons are nesting on the Fish Pond island!... this is exciting! have a look at this article by Paul Ferris of Wanstead Wildlife so see why we are so excited about 1 pair of Grey Herons!
• The juvenile Mute Swans had to be rescued last week from their parents, unfortunately, one later died.
• 2 Egyptian Geese.
• The Grey Herons have been seen copulating.
• Mute Swan Pair no.2 are stiil on the Long Water and have made a half- hearted attempt at building a nest on the island. (PHopkins)

Wanstead Flats:

• 20 Skylark, 8 Meadow Pipit
• Linnet
• Reed Bunting (Tim Harris)

Leyton Flats: (just outside the borough)

• **Alpine Swift** showing well over Hollow Pond at 9.30am (Gary James)
• still present at 12.20 (JLethbridge)

March 21st 2010

weather, warm sunny day!

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 4 Shelduck (2 pairs)
• 15 Tufted Duck, 15 Shoveler,
• Grey Heron
• 15 Lapwing, Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Redshank
• c20 Pied Wagtail
• 3 Song Thrush, Wren
• singing Skylark
• male Reed Bunting

Fairlop Waters CP:

• Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose
• Mallard, Tufted Duck, 1 Wigeon, Teal, Gadwall, Pochard
• Coot, Moorhen
• Cormorant
• Lesser Black Backed Gull, Common Gull, Black Headed Gull
• Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe
• Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove
• Pheasant,
• Green Woodpecker
• Skylark (singing), 4 Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail
• Robin, Wren, Dunnock, Blackbird, Redwing, Fieldfare
• Chiffchaff (seen and singing)
• Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jay, Starling
• Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Blue Tit
• Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet
• 2 Reed Bunting
• We also had excellent views of a Grass Snake in the ditch at the end of the lagoon. (Neil Twyford/Alan Thomas)
• 2 Chiffchaff singing (Alan Bell)

Fairlop, Painters Road:

• Short Eared Owl* over the field with the alotments in the middle, between the Gravel Works, and Hainault Road (6pm) (then off north) (DEHull)

Fairlop, Aldborough Riding School:

• Little Owl in the usual tree (NTwyford/AThomas)
• Wheatear (Steve Bacon)
• female Kestrel eating her prey on the field

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• SparrowHawk - Female seen at 5.07pm flying past my back bedroom window which scared what birds were around in the surrounding vicinity going straight pass at speed heading in direction of Gants Hill crescent.
• Goldfinch - 1, Greenfinch - 4, Chaffinch - 4
• Blackbirds - 2
• Great Tit - 1, Blue Tits - 3
• House Sparrow - 1
• Feral Pigeons - 4

Hainault Forest CP:

• Sparrowhawk
• 2 Little Owl (pr) (BJ)

Little Heath, Hargreaves Scout Camp:

• Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, (DEH)

Valentines Park:

• 2 Great Crested Grebe on the boating lake
• 4 Cormorant
• 1 Grey Heron (on nest, on the fish pond)
• 4 Mute Swan, 1 pr on the boating lake, 1 pr on the fish pond (all four juveniles from last year have finally got the message and left then!)
• Canada Goose, 1 Greylag Goose, 2 Egyptian Goose
• Mallard, 1 Shoveler, 12 Pochard, Tufted Duck
• Moorhen, Coot
• Black Headed Gull,
• Feral Pigeon, Collared Dove, Wood Pigeon,
• Grey Wagtail by the clock tower
• Green Woodpecker,
• 2 Wren, Dunnock, several Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush in full cry, 26 Redwing, Blackbird, Robin
• Great Tit, Blue Tit, 2 Long Tailed Tit,
• 2 Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, 7 House Sparrow
• Chaffinch, 2 Greenfinch (Mike Condon)
• Red Kite and Buzzard (both over at the same time - see pics) (around midday I saw what I thought was a Buzzard over the park, I then realised there were two of them. I took some pictures and the zoom got me close enough to realise that one of them wasn't a Buzzard but a Red Kite! The two were soaring and mobbing each other for a couple of minutes. (Peter Gordon)

Wanstead Flats:

• 2 Wheatear still present
• Also 2 Chiffchaff calling
• 10+ Skylark
• Jay, Jackdaw (Barbara J)
• male Stonechat by Jubille Pond
• singing Reed Bunting (Tim Harris)

Wanstead Park:

• Great Spotted Woodpecker
• Great Crested Grebe
• Grey Heron
• pr Ring Necked Parakeets (Barbara J)
• Water Rail (The Dell),
• 2 Chiffchaffs (by Heronry), (Tim Harris)

Woodford Green, garden:

• 2 Lesser Redpoll (pair)
• 2 Blackcap (pair)
• 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (1m, 1f)
• 10 Greenfinch, 3 Goldfinch
• Blue Tits & Great tits,
• Starlings, Magpies, 4 Jackdaws 2 Jays (Peter Warne)

*Short Eared Owl is the 107th species recorded in the borough so far this year, equalling the tally by the end of March 2009. So with 10 days left in March 2010, we are still to see Sand Martin, Swallow and Little Ringed Plover yet this year, so we are doing well!

Pics - March 2010

Red Kite over Valentines Park, March 21st - Peter Gordon

yes, believe it - Red Kite and Buzzard over Valentines Park (PGordon)

The nest! - Valentines Park (Paul Ferris)

March 20th 2010

weather: 10C, rainy

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• c20 Shoveler, 20 Tufted Duck
• male Shelduck
• Snipe, Green Sandpiper, 2 Redshank
• male Goshawk*, flew out of the trees near Aldborough Hall Farm, and flew low over the gravel works.
• 2 Stock Dove
• Jackdaw
• c20 Pied Wagtail, 5 singing Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipit
• 11 Linnet (Anon)

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• Sparrowhawk - Seen at 2.10pm circurling over residential gardens in Gants Hill pursed by single crow eventually heading over towards Barkingside area.
• Grey Heron - seen roughly around 11.35am flying low over my garden and surrounding gardens - second time within a couple days now probably checking our pond out for any sign of fish as we are about to re-line & design it.
• Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1 Male
• Goldfinches - 3, Greenfinches - 7, Chaffinch - 7
• Great tits - 3, Blue tits - 3
• Blackbirds - 2, Wren - 1, Dunnock - 1, Robin - 1
• House Sparrows - 9, Starlings - 8
• Wood Pigeons - 2, Feral Pigeons - 9 (Alan Thomas)
  

Wanstead Flats:

• 18 Shoveler (15 male, 3 female) on Alexandra Lake
• pair of Little Grebe (Alexandra Lake
• singing Chiffchaff (Paul Ferris)
• 11 Ring Necked Parakeet: A flock of 4, followed later by another flock of 4, followed at irregular intervals by 3 individuals All flying south - north over Alexandra Lake area of Wanstead Flats, perhaps heading for Wanstead Park. Similar flocks have been noted in the evening, heading south. Are these commuting?
• Carrion Crow found dying by lake - so the poisoning is still having an effect. read more
• Sparrowhawk accros the Flats towards the City of London Cemetery at 7am
• c40 Redwing, 10 Fieldfare (Paul Ferris)
• 2 Wheatear** at last! (5 days later than the first Wheatear of 2009) (JLethbridge)

Wanstead Park:

• Water Rail still in the Dell (PFerris)

* First sighting of Goshawk in the borough during 2010 (and the 105th species this year)
** First Wheatear sightings in the borough of 2010 (and the 106th species this year) This is 5 days later than the first Wheatear sighting on 2009, which was also of 2 birds, on Wanstead Flats!
***By the end of March 2009, we had seen 107 species in the borough, with 11 days to go until the end of March we are already at 106 this year and it is very likely that we will see Little Ringed Plover, Sand Martin and Swallow by then putting us 2 ahead.

Pics - March 2010

Hurrah, the first Wheatear of 2010! - Wanstead Flats, 20th March
photo by Lonathan Lethbridge

March 19th 2010

Weather: 10C, overcast

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 28 Shoveler, 30 Tufted Duck, 10 Gadwall, 8 Pochard, male Shelduck
• female Garganey (south side Painters Road)
• 4 Little Grebe, including 2 trilling (north side)
• 2 Green Sandpiper, 5 Snipe

Fairlop, Aldborough Riding School:

• 2 Little Owls in their tree
• 1 appeared at 5.45pm, the second was present by 6pm, and shortly after they were seen copulating (my 6 year old nephew now thinks babies are made by climbing on your wifes head)
• Green Woodpecker (DEH)

Ilford, Perth Road:

• Pied Wagtail

Roding Valley Park, north:

• Little Egret (Tajinder Lachhar)

Wanstead Park:

• Red Kite over north end of Wanstead Park - being harried by a crow - flying from east to west at 3.30 (Paul Ferris)

Woodford Green, The Green:

• Pied Wagtail, Wood Pigeons, Robin (ECharles)

Woodford Green, Holly Crescent: (Just outside the borough)

• Redwing on the green

Woodford Green, Oak Hill: (Just outside the borough)

• Jay

March 18th 2010

weather: 13C max, cloud cover.

Eagle Pond:

• 6 Shoveler (all male), 2 Pochard (pr)
• 4 Mute Swan (all adult)
• 1 Greylag Goose
• 5 Wood Pigeon, 3 Magpie, Great Tit

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 4 Teal, 2 Gadwall, 21 Shoveler, 15 Tufted Duck
• 12 Lapwing, 3 Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper
• Redshank (this is the first sighting of the year...but Redshank appeared in the same location last year on March 20th, and remained into May)...
• 1 singing Skylark, 1 Meadow Pipit
• 21 Pied Wagtail
• 2 Linnet (pr) (Anon)

Gants Hill:

• Grey Heron took off from a residentail garden (TLachhar)

Goodmayes, Hospital:

• 6 Wood Pigeon, including 1 couting male
• 5 Magpie,
• 3 Blackbird, 1 Mistle Thrush, 2 Robin
• 2 Collared Dove,
• 2 Chaffinch
• Green Woodpecker (CGannaway)

Goodmayes, Station:

• 19 Feral Pigeon

Wanstead Flats:

• pr of Shoveler on Alexandra Lake
• trilling Little Grebe
• 15 Skylark, 10 Meadow Pipit
• 10 Redwing, 6 Fieldfare
• 2 Reed Bunting (Tim Harris)
• m Pheasant (JLethbridge)

Wanstead, High Street:

• 2 Pied Wagtail on the green near Tarzy Wood

Wanstead Park:

• The Basin: 11 Tufted Duck, 2 Pochard, 2 Mute Swan, Canada Goose, 23 Coot (J Lethbridge)
• Chiffchaff singing in Resevoir Wood
• Little Egret on Ornamental Water (first Wanstead Park record of 2010) (Kathy Hartnett)
• 20 Linnet in the Old Sewage Works
• Water Rail still in the Dell (Paul Ferris/KHartnett)

Pics - March 2010

Photos taken in Hatch Forest, Woodford Green (river Ching)

17th March 2010 - A Perrin

.

.

Wren

pair of Mandarin and a male Wood Duck on the river Ching

Great Spotted Woodpecker

March 17th 2010

weather: 14C max, cloudy

Claybury Park:

• Stock Dove
• 2 Mistle Thrush (A Hobson)

Fairlop, Aldborough Riding School:

• Little Owl showing very well
• 3 Green Woodpeckers (AHobson)

Fairlop, Hainault Farm:

• fields east of Hainault Road:
• Buzzard
• Lapwing
• 4 Pheasant
• 4 Common Gull
• Skylark
• Mallard (AHobson)

Hatch Forest:

• 2 Mandarin (pr), and a male Wood Duck on the River Ching (presumably from Connaught Water area just up the river? perhaps they are nest-hole prospecting??)
• Great Spotted Woodpecker
• Wren (APerrin)

Valentines Park:

• 6 Mute Swan (2 adults and 2 1st winter on the boating lake, additional pair on the Ornamental Lake) - that means 2 of the cygnets have left... 2 to go!
• Black Headed Gulls, Common Gulls, 2 Herring Gulls
• 2 Cormorant
• 1 Great Crested Grebe
• Canada Geese, 1 Egyptian Goose (presumbly the female was in the nest hole...)
• Mallards, Tufted Ducks, 2 Shoveler (pr) on the fish lake, 10 Pochard (5m, 5f) on the Baoting Lake
• Coots, Moorhens
• Grey Herons still nest building on the Fish Pond
• 3 Mistle Thrush, 3 Blackbird, c10 Redwing, 6 Robin, 2 Wren, Dunnock
• Wood Pigeons, Feral Pigeons
• Green Woodpecker
• Blue Tits, Great Tits, 1 Long Tailed Tit
• 20 Starling,8 House Sparrow
• 2 Chaffinch, 1 Greenfinch
• 2 Goldcrest (1 near the feeding station, 1 by the boating lake) (U3A Group, via M Sevoir)
• 2 Gadwall
• 9 Greenfinch!
• Jay (Barbara J)

Wanstead Flats:

• 2 Mistle Thrush,
• male Pheasant (unusual here),
• 57 Common Gulls, 7 Black-headed Gulls,
• 4 Jay (J Lethbridge)
• 20 Redwing, 12 Fieldfare
• 15 Meadow Pipit (including 6 singing birds)
• 20 Skylark (including 9 singing birds)
• 4 Reed Bunting (including 1 singing bird) (THarris)
• 29 Redwing, 7 Fieldfare (1 in song) (SFisher)

Wanstead Park:

• pm: Water Rail (The Dell),
• 25 Linnet (near old Sewage works),
• 23 Gadwall, Great-crested Grebe (S Fisher)
• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in the Dell (Pete Saunders)

Chingford Hatch, garden: (Just outside the borough)

• male Blackcap (APerrin)

Pics - March 2010

The 'heronary' in Valentines Park, 17th March 2010 - M Sevoir

Song Thrush (pair) in Ray Park, March 16th 2010 - photos by T Lachhar

March 16th 2010

weather: 11C max, sunny spells

Claybury Park:

• 2 Canada Goose, 12 Mallard
• Little Grebe (unusual here)
• 2 Moorhen, 2 Coot
• 7 Black-headed Gull
• Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove
• Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker
• Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Starling
• Great Tit, Blue Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 5 Long-tailed Tit
• Wren, Robin, Dunnock
• Blackbird 75 Redwing, 4 Song Thrush, 1 Mistle Thrush
• 2 Pied Wagtail
• Chaffinch, Greenfinch
• 1 Reed Bunting (Pat Hart)

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 17 Shoveler, 13 Tufted Duck,
• 21 Pied Wagtails in to roost
• Kestrel hovering over the gravel works
• 13 Lapwing, 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, Jack Snipe

Ilford, Tavistock Gardens:

• male Blackcap (Peter Vaughan)

Ray Park:

• 64 Black Headed Gulls, 1 Common Gull
• 2 Song Thrush (an apparent pair)
• 10+ Redwing (TLachhar)

Roding Valley Park:

• female Blackcap
• 3 Song Thrush
• 2 Long Tailed Tit
• 2 Greenfinch
• 2 Grey Wagtail
• 2 Jay (AHobson)

South Park:

• Grey Heron (DEH)
• 2 Great Crested Grebe nest building
• Black Headed-Gull and Commons Gulls, including one unusual BHGull with white wings.
• Mistle Thrush (RSherriff)

Valentines Park:

• The 2nd pair of Mute Swan on the Ornamental Pond are nest building on the island!
• 38 Canada Geese, 2 Egyptian Geese
• 19 Tufted Duck
• 6 Greenfinch, 3 Great Tit, 2 Robin, Wren
• The Grey Herons are still nest building, very low down on the island - will provide excellent views of the young in the nest!
• 2 occupied Coots nests
• c50 Redwing

Wanstead Flats:

• 11 singing Skylark (9 east of Centre Road, and 2 east) (PFerris)
• Dead Coot, 17 Tufted Duck, 8 Shoveler,
• 20+ Skylark, many songflighting, 8 Meadow Pipit,
• 5 Cormorant,
• 2 Fieldfare, 25 Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush (J Lethbridge)

Wanstead Park:

• Ring-necked Parakeet,
• Great Crested Grebe,
• singing Chiffchaff by the tea hut
• 5 Goldfinch (J Lethbridge)

Woodford, Library:

• Mistle Thrush
• 6 Redwing (AHobson)

Woodford Bridge, Roding Lane North:

• 18 Common Gull,
• 2 Song Thrush (AHObson)

Woodford Green, The Green:

• 2 Canada Geese, 2 Moorhen, and 2 Mallard on the pond by the post office
• 2 Jackdaw feeding there, with 5 Feral Pigeon and a Wood Pigeon

Pics - March 2010

Photos taken in South Park, 16th March 2010 - Russ Sherriff

.

.

Mistle Thrush

Great Crested Grebe

Common Gull




unusual looking Black Headed Gull, (partially albino?)

March 15th 2010

weather: sunny spells 10C max

On this day last year, our first spring arrival was seen. (Wheatear, Wanstead Flats)

Fairlop, Aldborough Riding School:

• Little Owl, in its usual tree

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• pr Wigeon stil present
• 6 Teal, 10 Tufted Duck, 13 Shoveler, pr Gadwall
• 16 Lapwing, 2 Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper
• 28 Pied Wagtails in to roost
• Linnet

Ilford, garden:

• male Blackcap singing
• pair of Dunnock, pair of Blackbird, Wren
• 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
• 2 Great Tits
• 1 Goldfinch
• Grey Heron at the Koi pond (Barbara J)

Ray Park:

• 28 Redwing, including 1 singing (TLachhar)

Roding Valley Park, Central:

• Kestrel
• 3 Jays
• Great Spotted Woodpecker
• Long Tailed Tits
• Lesser Black Backed Gull
• 2 Greenfinch (AHobson)

South Woodford, St. Aubyns School:

• 2 Jays

Valentines Park:

• 3 Grey Herons on the Ornamental Lake
• Green Woodpecker
• 3 Mistle Thrush
• c150 Starlings in to roost
• c100 Redwing still (Barbara J)
• Mute Swans violently chasing off last years young now, 1 juvenline got bloodied
• female Ring Necked Parakeet (SLitt)

Woodford, Library:

• Redwing
• Chaffinch, Goldfinch (AHobson)

Woodford Green, Roding Lane North:

• 12 Redwing and a Song Thrush in the playing field (AHobson)

Buckhurst Hill, North End: (just outside the borough)

• Red Kite over (Graham Taylor)

Mayesbrook Park: (just outside the borough)

• 2 Little Egret, 10 Gadwall 8 Shoveler, 3 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Great spotted woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, 10 Redwing, 4 Fieldfare, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Blue tit, 4 Great tit (PHa)

Abridge: (just outside the borough)

• Little Egret on the rivr Roding (P&HS)

Pics - March 2010

Great Tit (above), Long Tailed Tit (below), Hatch Forest, 14th March

Andrew Perrin

March 14th 2010

weather: 10C, light showers

Fairlop, Aldborough Riding School:

• c100 Fieldfare with c200 Starling

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 4 Mute Swan
• m Shelduck, 10 Teal, 8 Wigeon (5m, 3f), 23 Shoveler, 16 Tufted Duck,
• Green Sandpiper, 9 Snipe
• 10 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 5 Herring Gull
• Green Woodpecker
• 3 Song Thrush
• Skylark in song
• 4 Stock Dove
• 15 Linnet

Hainault Forest CP:

• ELBF Walk, 9am with Roy Woodward (via Niel Twyford)
• Mute Swan
• Coot, Moorhen
• Mallard, Pochard, Tufted Duck,
• Great Crested Grebe,
• Black Headed Gull, Common Gull,
• Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker
• Wood Pigeon
• Redwing, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock, Wren
• Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit
• Nuthatch, Treecreeper
• Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Jay, Magpie
• Chaffinch, Greenfinch
• House Sparrow

Hatch Forest:

• 1 Ring-necked Parakeet
• 2 Male Mallard (on River Ching)
• 7 Blue tit, 18 Great tit, 2 Long-tailed tit
• 13 Carrion Crow, 3 Jay
• 4 Robin, 5 Dunnock, 7 Blackbird,
• 1 Grey Wagtail
• 7 House sparrow
• 7 Wood Pigeon.
• 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
• 3m 2f Chaffinch (Andrew Perrin)

Valentines Park:

• pair of Grey Heron nest building on the island on the ornamental pond, plus a 3rd on the boating lake
• 4 Song Thrush (2 singing males)
• pair of Mute Swan on the baoting lake now frantically driving off its 4 juveniles from last year (PHopkins)
• 1 Greylag Goose, many Canada Geese
• 2 Egyptian Geese,
• 3 Cormorant
• Mallard, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen
• Black Headed Gull
• Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove
• 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
• 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail
• 1 Dunnock, Robin, many Redwing and Fieldfare
• Goldcrest
• Great Tits, Blue Tits, 4 Long Tailed Tits
• Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, few House Sparrow
• many Chaffinch, 1 Greenfinch, 8 Goldfinch (Mike Condon)

Wanstead Park:

• Water Rail in the Dell
• 2 Great Crested Grebes on Perch Pond
• 7 Little Grebe
• 22 Linnet in the Old Sewage Works (THarris)
• WREN wildfolw count:
• 23 Black Headed Gull,
• 2 Mute Swan, 8 Canada Geese,
• 5 Gadwall, 60 Mallard, 6 Shoveler, 8 Teal, 31 Tufted Duck, 2 Pochard
• 2 Great Crested Grebe (pr), 2 Little Grebe
• 48 Coot, 20 Moorhen
• 3 Cormorant (via Paul Ferris)

March 13th 2010

weather: 9C sunny spells, cloudy

Fairlop Waters CP:

• 2 pairs of adult Mute Swan on the boating lake
• 84 Canada Geese, mostly in small groups now
• 14 Greylag Geese together
• 81 Tufted Duck, 34 Mallard,
• 5 Wigeon on the lagoon (3m, 2f)
• 11 Pochard (mostly on the lagoon)
• 7 Teal & 9 Gadwall on the scrape (Haniault Farm)
• 1 Grey Heron on the scrape with 1 Snipe
• 1 Great Crested Grebe on the fishing lake, and 1 Little Grebe on the boating lake
• 48 Coot, 26 Moorhen
• 12 Carrion Crow, 10 Magpie, 2 Jay
• 6 Green Woodpecker
• Pied Wagtail
• 10 Skylark, 5 Meadow Pipit
• 200 Black Headed Gull and 10 Common Gull on the gravelled island
• 40+ Fieldfare still, Blackbird, 9 Robin, Dunnock, Wren
• 12 Long Tailed Tits, 3 Blue Tit, 6 Great Tit
• 3 Chaffinch
• 146 Wood Pigeon mostly on the field behind the fishing lake feeding with 2 Stock Dove

Fairlop Gravel Works, Area D:

• only a short stop as I had the dog in the car:
• 2 Mute Swan, 8 Canada Goose,
• 7 Wigeon (4m, 3f), 28 Tufted Duck, 1 male Shelduck, 10 Pochard, 15 Teal, 16 Gadwall, 32 Shoveler, 5 Mallard,
• 1 Little Grebe,
• 7 Coot, 2 Moorhen,
• 200 Black Headed Gull, 50 Common Gull, 5 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 2 Herring Gull
• 2 Pheasant
• 3 Snipe, 32 Lapwing (including 4 displaying), 4 Green Sandpiper (including 3 together),
• 3 Green Woodpecker
• 229 Wood Pigeon feeding on the surrounding field, also 22 Stock Dove and 1 Collared Dove
• female Sparrowhawk low over the gravel works, chased off by a Lesser Black Backed Gull
• Kestrel perched on a treetop.
• 2 Skylark, Meadow Pipit, 3 Pied Wagtail
• 2 Blackbird,
• 42 Carrion Crow, 2 Jay, 4 Magpie,
• Long Tailed Tit, 3 Great Tit
• 10 Linnet

Hainault Forest CP:

• ELBF walk - 9am-1pm
• Buzzard - Seen over forest gliding and again over field next to car park.
• Treecreeper - Heard.
• 2 Coal tits - a pair
• 2 Stock Doves - a pair
• Goldcrest
• Green Woodpecker - Heard, Great Spotted woodpecker - several around forest also drumming.
• Jackdaws, Magpies, Carrion Crows, Jays
• Blackbirds, Wrens - Heard
• Long tailed tits, Blue tits, Great tits,
• Chaffinch
• Dunnocks, Robins
• House Sparrows
• Canada Geese,
• Cormorant
• Mute Swans,
• Great Crested Grebes
• Mallard, Tufted Ducks, Pochard
• Moorhens, Coots
• Common Gulls, Black Headed Gulls
• Collard Dove, Woodpigeons, Feral Pigeons - over
• Mistle Trush - Heard singing (via Alan Thomas)

Little Heath, Havrgeaves Scout Camp:

• Green Woodpecker

Wanstead Flats:

• Little Grebe,
• Grey Heron,
• 8 Mute Swan, ~120 Canada Geese, 8 Greylag Geese,
• 30+ Mallard, 2 Shoveler, 6 Tufted Duck, 30+ Coot, 6 Moorhen (+ 1 died),
• 4 Meadow Pipit, 15 Skylark,
• Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker,
• 500+ Common Gull, 200+ Black Headed Gull, 1 Herring Gull,
• 40 Redwing, 1 Fieldfare, 2 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush,
• 8 Goldfinch, 2 Greenfinch,
• 180 Starling,
• 95 Carrion Crows, 2 Jackdaw, Jay, 15+ Magpie,
• Reed Bunting (J Lethbridge)
• (10 singing Skylark, 3 singing Meadow Pipit, 2 Reed Bunting) (THarris)

Pics - March 2010

male Blackcap in the garden, Woodford green, 12th March 2010

(Peter Warne)

MORE INFO ON BLACKCAPS IN REDBRIDGE BOROUGH

March 12th 2010

weather: 8C max, Showers

Ray Park, Woodford Green:

• 29 x Black Headed Gull,9 X Common Gull
• 35 X Starling
• 1 x Song thrush
• Kestrel hovering over the houses behing Ray Lodge School (TLachhar)

Roding Valley Park, central:

• 45 Redwings, 7 Song Thrushes, Mistle Thrush,
• 2 Jays,
• 3 small flocks of Long-tailed Tits,
• 6 Common Gulls, Cormorant,
• Jackdaw,
• 3 Greenfinches (Alan Hobson).

The Green, Woodford Green:

• Green Woodpecker
• 5 Black Headed Gulls (ECharles)

Wanstead Park:

• Water Rail (The Dell);
• 14 Stock Doves,
• 2 Goldfinches (old sewage works);
• Great Crested Grebe (Perch Pond) (Tim Harris)

Wanstead Flats:

• Great Black-backed Gull south over Capel Road at 08:40.: (Tim Harris)

Woodford Green, Vicarage Road:

• Mistle Thrush outside St. Judes Court (AHobson)

Woodford Green, garden:

• 1 male Blackcap (pic attached)
• 2 Jay
• 12 Greenfinch
• 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (1m,1f)
• 3 Jackdaw many starling
• 3 Chaffinch
• 4 Blackbird
• 2 Dunnock (PWarne)

Woodford Green, Holly Crescent: (just outside the borough)

• 15 Redwing
• 4 Carrion Crow, 5 Wood Pigeon (ECharles)

Mayesbrook Park: (just outside the borough)

• Little Egret,
• Green Woodpecker and Great Spotted Woodpecker,
• Long Tailed Tits nest building,
• 20 Redwing inc 3 singing,
• 12 Gadwall, 10 Shoveler.(Paul Hawkins)

March 11th 2010

weather: 8C max, sunny periods, cloudy sometimes

Eagle Pond:-

• 9 Gadwall,
• 2 male Great Spotted Woodpecker (Steve West)

Fairlop, Hainault Farm:

• east of Hainault Road, a short walk behind Fairlop Quarry, up the footpath... and what a treat: a Buzzard was perched at the top of a bush, it then took of slow and low over the field looking for food, until out of nowhere a male Merlin flew in from nowhere and started mobbing it until the Buzzard flew off, although I think it landed on the next field (towards the Cycle Ctr
• 2 male Pheasant
• Grey Heron (over)
• Green Woodpecker
• 4 Skylark
• 2 Carrion Crow, 3 Magpie, 2 Blackbird, Robin, 2 Greenfinch, 2 Wren
• 24 Golden Plover circling for a while (DEH)

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 3 Teal, 41 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall (pr) male Shelduck, 6 Tufted Duck, male Pochard
• 4 Canada Geese, 8 Mallard, 12 Coot, Moorhen
• 36 Lapwing, 4 Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper
• 18 Herring Gull, 8 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 1 Great Black Backed Gull
• Grey Heron
• 2 male Pheasant
• 11 Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove,
• 2 Song Thrush, Robin
• 8 Carrion Crow,
• 15 Pied Wagtail in to roost, 1 Meadow Pipit
• 1 Linnet (over)
• 4 Long Tailed Tit, Blue Tit (DEH)

Little Heath, Hargreaves Scout Camp:

• Green Woodpecker & Great Spotted Woodpecker

Redbridge, Beal School:

• Jay (DEH)

Roding Valley Park, Central:

• 6 Mallard, 2 Mute Swan
• 2 Long Tailed Tit
• Mistle Thrush, 2 Redwing
• Goldfinch (AHobson)

Wanstead Park:

• Great Crested Grebe (Perch pond)
• 8 Shoveler, 3 Pochard, 9 Tufted Duck,
• Ring Necked Parakeet (JLethbridge)

Woodford, Library:

• Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush (AHobson)

Woodford Bridge, Roding Lane North:

• c30 Redwings, Fieldfares
• Blackbirds
• c12 Common Gulls (AHobson)

Woodford Bridge, Vicarage Road:

• singing male Greenfinch (AHobson)

Leyton Flats: (just outside the borough)

• Sparrowhawk,
• 30 Redwing
• 2 Green Woodpeckers, 4 Greater Spotted Woodpecker
• Stonechat,
• Goldcrest
• 3 Jackdaw (Steve West)

Whipps Cross, Gilberts Slade: (just outside the borough)

• 11 Redwings,
• 6 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, f Lesser Spotted Woodpecker,
• Nuthatch, Coal Tit, 6 Long-tailed Tits,
• Song Thrush (Steve West)

March 10th 2010

weather: 6C, showers

Valentines Park

• 3 Great Crested Grebes
• Cormorant
• 13 Pochard, 20 Tufted Duck
• Green Woodpecker
• 4 Stock Dove
• Long Tailed Tit
• Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Wren (Barbara J)
• 150 Black Headed Gulls, Common Gulls
• 8 Mute Swans still (pair + 4 last years juveniles on the boating lake, another adult pair on the Ornamental Lake)
• Cormorant
• 9 Redwing, 3 Mistle Thrush (2 on cricket pitch, 1 singing from tree top)
• Also: Canada Geese, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Feral Pigeons, Wood Pigeon, Magpie, Carropn Crows, 15 Blackbird, 70 Starling, 6 House Sparrows, 12 Blue Tit, 8 Great Tit, 6 Robin (U3A Birding Group via M Sevoir)
• Pied Wagtail by the mansion kitchen (TLachhar)

Wanstead Park:

• 8 Gadwall on Shoulder of Mutton Pond (KHartnett)

Wanstead Flats:

• c80 Redwing, 3 Fieldfare near Alexandra Lake, south of Petrol Station (Paul Ferris)

Woodford Bridge. Vicarage Road:

• Grey Heron on a neighbour's roof (excellent views from my second floor flat), braving the mobbing by a group of corvids, and dropping down into the garden (in which presumably there is a pond and fish!) (AHobson)

Pics - March 2010

Valentines Park - 9th March 2010

Photos by Russ Sherriff

Tufted Duck

Song Thrush

Long Tailed Tit, collecting webs for the nest

Scruffy looking Jay

neat looking Great Crested Grebe

Cormorant (above and below)

March 9th 2010

weather 6C, cloudy, light showers forecast

Fairlop Gravel Works:-

• 6 Mute Swan
• 37 Shoveler, 6 Teal, 3 Pochard, 20 Tufted Duck
• Male Wigeon (alone) (first sighting of the year here)
• male Shelduck (1st sighting of the year here)
• 33 Lapwing, 4 Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper
• Grey Wagtail
• Song Thrush in song

Ilford, garden:-

• Blackcap present all week
• 5 Blue tits, pr Great tits
• 6 Starling
• pr Wrens, Dunnock, pr Robin, pr Blackbirds
• pr Chaffinch
• 1 Collared Dove, 1 Wood Pigeon
• pr Great Spotted Wodpecker
• 3 Magpies (Barbara J)

Roding Valley Park, central:

• in the surrounding fields:
• 6 Redwing, 3 Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush
• 2 Long Tailed Tit
• 5 Jay
• 2 Goldfinch (AHobson)

South Park:-

• Redwing (RSherrif)

Valentines Park:-

• 8 Mute Swans (still extra pair on Ornamental Pond)
• 2 Egyptian Geese, 28 Canada Geese, 10 Tufted Duck
• Song Thrush, 3 Robin
• Chaffinch, 4 Long Tailed Tit, 4 Great Tit (DEH)
• 55 Black Headed Gull on Long Water
• Great Spotted Woodpecker
• 26 Mallards there also (TLachhar)
• Cormorant
• Jay (RSherriff)

Wanstead Flats:

• 2 Little Grebe,
• 7 Greylag Geese, 60+ Canada Geese,
• Pochard, 8 Shoveler, 9 Tufted Duck,
• 1 Leseer Black Backed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, c200 Common Gull, c250 Black-headed Gull,
• Snipe,
• 34 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush,
• 5 Meadow Pipit, c20 Skylark,
• 2 Goldfinch, 2 Greenfinch,
• 5 Wren, 8 Dunnock,
• 3 Reed Bunting,
• Jackdaw, 8 dead Carrion Crows together (details ), 50+ live ones (J Lethbridge)

Wanstead Park:

• Little Grebe, 8 Gadwall (JLethbridge)
• male Lesser Redpoll in the willows at the west end of Heronry Pond (JCharter)

Wanstead, George Green:

• 2 Mistle Thrush (JLethbridge)

Woodford Bridge, Vicarage Road:

• 2 Mistle Thrush and a Pied Wagtail on the green outside St. Judes Court (AHobson)

Woodford Green, Broadmead:

• 40 Wood Pigeon feeding on the playing field
• 2 Mistle Thrush, 3 Redwing
• 12 Black Headed Gulls and 1 Herring Gull
• c30 Starlings (DEH)

Leyton Flats: (just outside the borough)

• 10 Shoveler, 16 Pochard,
• Snipe,
• Song Thrush,
• 20 Greenfinch. (Gary A James).

Mayesbrook Park: (just outside the borough)

• 2 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Teal, 16 Gadwall, 21 Tufted Duck, 12 Shoveler, 5 Pochard,
• Green Woodpecker,
• Sparrowhawk,
• 6 Long tailed tit, 4 Blue tit, 4 Great tit, 5 Chaffinch, 6 Greenfinch,
• 7 Fieldfare, 5 Redwing (PHa)

Urgent News - Losing Fairlop Gravel Works

There is a risk that we will lose Fairlop Gravel Works... and with it, we will lose:

• up to 1/2 of the boroughs Pochard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Teal and Tufted Duck
• almost all of our 500+ Lapwings and 200 Golden Plover
• all of our Snipe and Green Sandpiper
• all of our migrating waders
• up to 1/2 of our migrating Yellow Wagtails and Wheatear
• and much more...

Although it is agreed that the area on Painters Road (known as Area D) will be designated as a Nature Reserve, the council and the gravel extractors LAFARGE are still contract bound to first fill in all the gravel pits, thus removing all the above wildlife, leaving it as a nature reserve by name only, after utterly destroying the habitat and removing all of the wildlife.

Please send an email to stuart.anderson@uk.lafarge.com from Lafarge, and francis.castro@redbridge.gov.uk from the council who are meeting next week to discuss the future of this site. We need to encourage them to get their heads together and to do the right thing morally, environmentally and socially for the borough, our future generations, and for the conservation of our wildlife. Please 'cc' in the 3 local councillors (lorainne.sladden@redbridge.gov.uk, suzanne.nolan@redbridge.gov.uk, vanessa.cole@redbridge.gov.uk, ) the land manager joe.keys@redbridge.gov.uk as well as myself: redbridgebirdwatching@hotmail.co.uk and chris gannaway from LWT chris.gannaway@ntlworld.com.

Please simply state to Mr. Anderson that it will be a grave mistake to fill in the gravel pits, rendering the land useless to the majority of its wildlife. For further advice on what to write, or for a 'template' email... please email me on redbridgebirdwatching@hotmail.co.uk

Please support this cause. This land is already being filled in, and the habitat is aleady being destoyed - your little time will make a big difference.

Thanks - D

March 8th 2010

weather: 6C, showers

Ray Park:

• 80 Black Headed Gull, 2 Common Gull
• Song Thrush on the Yew outside the James Leal Centre
• 2 Goldfinch
• 1 Fieldfare, 27 Redwings (TLachhar)

Roding Valley Park, central:

• Kestrel,
• 2 Goldfinches, 4 Greenfinch
• flock of around a dozen Redwings,
• 3 small flocks of Long-tailed Tits,
• pr Mistle Thrush,
• 4 Moorhens.
• Sparrowhawk
• Great Spotted Woodpecker (AHobson)
• 2 Mallard,
• 19 Wood Pigeon
• 5 Blackbird, 7 Robin
• 3 Chaffinch (DEH)

Wanstead Park, The Basin:

• 3 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe,
• 2 Mute Swan, 3 Canada Goose, 1 Pochard, 1 Tufted Duck,
• f Sparrowhawk over (J Lethbridge)

Woodford Bridge, Roding Lane North:

• c50 Common Gulls in the playing field (AHobson)

Woodford Green, Broadmead:

• 2 Mistle Thrush headed off to the green infront of Springfield Gardens
• Pied Wagtail
• Robin singing