March 1st 2010

weather: 8C, but sunny!!!

Fairlop Waters CP:

• brief dusk visit
• 27 Tufted on the main lake with 2 Pochard
• pair of Great Crested Grebes looking less than impressive displaying still in winter plumage!

Fairlop, Aldborough Riding School:

• 1 Little Owl in their usual tree! 5.30pm

Fairlop, Forest Road:

• female Kestrel

Fairlop Gravel Works: (Area D)

• just before dusk
• only c180 Lapwing (others were probably 'off' feeding)
• 50 Golden Plover (highers count in 2010!)
• 20 Snipe, mostly on the wet meadow
• 2 Green Sandpipers (possibly a third)
• Canada Geese, 34 Tufted Duck, 12 Pochard, 32 Teal, 54 Shoveler, 8 Gadwall, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen,
• Pheasant (heard)
• 5 Lesser Black Backed Gulls and 1 Herring Gull (majority had left to roost by the time i got there, 5pm)
• 1 Skylark still singing choral evensong
• 2 Meadow Pipits flushed amongst the Snipe
• female Reed Bunting in a small reeded area
• Sont Thrush

Hargreaves Scout Camp, Little Heath:

• Green Woodepecker

Hatch Forest:

• Grey Wagtail (Andrew Perrin)
  

Ray Park:

• 77 Black Headed Gulls and 3 Common Gulls (TLachhar)

South Woodford, garden:

• Blue Tits still prospecting the next box, but also a Starling looking interested (hopefully he or she is too big to get inside! (PGordon)

Valentines Park:

• 2 Egyptian Geese (swimming)
• Grey Heron
• Mistle Thrush (Barbara J)

Wanstead Flats:

• majority of the 'additional' gulls from yesterday were gone, and the numbers were reduced back to the feww hundred Common and Black Headed Gulls, and only 5 Herring Gulls
• Kestrel (over) and male Sparrowhawk at the south end near Capel Road being mobbed by Carrion Crows.
• a few Skylarks songflighting (JLethbridge)

Wanstead Park:

• This morning I saw 2 Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers - together and obviously a pair.
• 2 Grey Herons together
• Also, the usuals, including: 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, Wren, Robins, Blackbirds, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Long Tailed Tits, Wood Pigeons, Carrion Crows, Magpies, Black Headed Gulls, Moorhens, Mallards, Mute Swans, Coots, Shoveler, Goldfinch, Pochard, Chaffinch, Tufted Ducks, Magpies etc. (Sally Hammond)
• 4 Gadwall (2 prs) and 1 male Teal on Shoulder of Mutton Pond (PFerris)

Woodford Green, Broadmead Estate:

• 2 Pied Wagtails (pair)

Mayesbrook Park: (just outside the borough)

• 2 Little Egret, 2 Great Crested Grebe (Paul Hawkins)

Epping Forest, High Beech: (just outside the borough)

• 2 Treecreeper, 2 Nuthatch
• Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker (PGordon)