April 30th 2010

weather: 15-18C, showers pm

Fairlop Waters CP:

• 200+ Swifts around the boating lake
• also 40+ Sand Martins and 3 House Martins
• 2 families of Greylag Geese (1 with 2 goslings, and 1 with 10 goslings)
• 2 Coots on nests (1 on boating lake, 1 on fishing lake)
• Moorhen on nest on the fishing lake
• pr Reed Buntings around the boating lake
• 3+ Willow Warbler, several Blackcaps, Whitethroat and Chiffchaffs singing
• yesterdays 'damaged wing' Common Tern still present this afternoon (4pm)

Fairlop, Forest Farm:

• Kestrel Hunting (DEH)

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• male Blackcap still singing in the garden (TLachhar)

Hainault Forest CP:

• from the lake northwards:
• Mute Swan on nest,
• 1 Coot on nest
• 1 Mallard family with 10 ducklings that appear to be only 1 or 2 days old
• 2 families of Canada Geese (1 with 4 goslings, 1 with 5 goslings)
• Great Crested Grebe
• 1 Collared Dove, 20 Wood Pigeon
• 3 singing Skylark in adjacent fields
• 7 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Green Woodpecker,
• Cuckoo heard calling near the golf course
• 20 Blackbird, Song Thrush, 12 Robin, 17 Wren
• 21 male Chiffchaff, 16 male Blackcap, 8 male Willow Warbler, 3 male Whitethroat
• 11 Carrion Crow, 83 Jackdaw, 26 Magpie, 2 Jay, 2 Starling, 6 House Sparrow
• 40 Blue Tit, 12 Great Tit, 12 Long Tailed Tit,
• 2 Nuthatch
• 17 Chaffinch (DEH)

Ray Park:

• 20 Starling,
• 4 Goldfinch
• Grey Heron (over)
• singing Song Thrush (TLachhar)

South Woodford:

• 2 Swifts over this morning (PGordon)

Wanstead Flats:

• 2 Swallows over (NW) by Alexandra Lake
• Sparrowhawk being mobbed by Crow

Wanstead Park:

• pair of Great Crested Grebe in full courtship display on Heronry Pond
• 8 Whitethroat, including 6 males in the old sewage works area
• singing Willow Warbler in the plain (THarris)
• 25 Swifts over Heronry Pond (JCharter)
  

April 29th 2010

weather: max 18 but showery

Barkingside:

• Swift (Tony Leaderman)

Fairlop Waters CP:

• Common Tern on the pontoon, with damaged wing, but still able to fly (Alan Bell)
• (this is the first tern sighting of the year in the borough)
• 20 Swifts, 2 Swallows (Christine Poutney)

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 2 Shelduck
• 7 Canada Geese nests now
• 4 Gadwall, pr Shoveler, 20 Tufted Duck, Little Grebe
• Swallow
• Stock Dove bathing
• 6 Lapwing, 6 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Ringed Plover (1 calling),
• 2 Yellow Wagtails (1 male, 1 female) among the 20 or so Pied Wagtails
• 3 Linnet

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• male Blackcap
• 5 Swifts (AThomas/TLachhar)
• (8 by the evening)

Wanstead Flats:

• c16.00: Sparrowhawk with prey, Hobby, male Kestrel,
• c45 Swifts north east, 11 Swallow NW, 1 Sand Martin over Jubilee Pond,
• 6+ Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat (S Fisher)

Roding Valley NR: (just outside the borough)

• 8 Blackcaps, Willow Warbler, 6 Whitethroats, 4 Chiffchaffs, Sedge Warbler,
• 5 Blackbirds, 4 Song Thrushes, 10 Wrens,
• 4 Great Tits, 8 Blue Tits.
• 2 Chaffinches,
• pr Ring Neck Parakeets,
• 3 Green Woodpeckers,
• 3 Dunnocks, 2 Robins,
• Little Egret, Grey Heron.
• 3 Mute Swans, 6 Tufted Ducks, Cormorant, 8 Mallards (CIS)

Video - Blackcap in Song, Ilford.

male Blackcap in song in a garden, Ingleby Road, Ilford

(recorded by John Crick)

April 28th 2010

weather: warm, sunny, few clouds

Fairlop Waters:

• Reed Wabler at the west end of the lagoon (Alan Bell)

Knighton Woods:

• Oodles of Blackcaps – at least 20, mainly in the area around the main pond,
• Grey Heron at pond
• 5 male Mallard + 2 f and 7 ducklings
• 3 Long Tailed-Tit + plus the usuals,
• pair of Jay
• 3 Chiffchaff
• 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker + Green Woodpecker
• 4 wrens (these doing very well – don’t know where the RSPB is looking to have fears about them)
• 1 Stock Dove
• Oh and magpies and crows (PWarne)

Valentines Park:

• Mansion Grounds
• 4 x Swift (over)
• Dunnock, Robin, Wren
• 3 x Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Starling, Blue tit (TLachhar)
• Grey Heron has hatched a 2nd offspring! (PHopkins)
• re: Egyptian Geese...Found dad babysitting by the pond this morning while mum was taking some time out on top of the oak tree. First time I'd seen them apart. It's amazing to see the care they take with the babies, they watch them constantly and are fiercely protective. (Barbara J)

Wanstead Flats

• (05:00–11:00):
• Little Owl,
• 10 Lesser Black-Backed Gulls,
• m Lesser Spotted Woodpecker,
• 6 Ring-Necked Parakeet,
• Lesser Redpoll (over west),
• Fieldfare (over south),
• Grey Wagtail,
• Tree Pipit,
• 2m Reed Bunting,
• 2m Wheatear,
• 2 Lesser Whitethroat,
• Little Grebe,
• 2 Foxes (one with no tail!!) (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park:

• escaped White Cheeked Turaco,
• Great Crested Grebe,
• Willow Warbler,
• Lesser Whitethroat (Nick Croft)

Connaught Water: (just outside the borough)

• 3 willow warbler
• Bullfinch
• Wrens again
• Mute swan giving grief to Canada Geese
• Coots giving grief to each other
• 2 Mandarin (m)
• Long Tailed-Tit (unfortunately the nest has been destroyed) (PWarne)

Leyton Flats: (just outside the borough)

• 1 Hobby north, 5 Swifts, 1 Garden Warbler, 2 Whitethroats, 2 Swallows, 3 Willow Warblers, 10 House Sparrow. (Gary A James).

Pics - April 2010

Willow Warbler - warbling at Connaught Water (just outside the borough)

PWarne

April 27th 2010

weather: luvli - 21C max

Claybury Park:

• several singing Willow Warbler @noon (JMartin-Ellis)

Fairlop, Aldborough Riding School:

• Little Owl in the usual tree
• Green Woodpecker
• male Wheatear (DEH)

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 6 Mute Swan, and another 6 over
• 6 Gadwall, 23 Tufted Duck, 6 Shoveler, 5 Pochard (3m, 2f)
• 5 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe
• 8 occupied Canada Goose nests (2 north side, 6 south side of Painters Road)
• Mallard with 4 young (north side)
• 8 Lapwing, 2 Redshank, Common Sandpiper, 3+ Litte Ringed Plover
• 7 Sand Martin, Swallow
• 4 Blackcap (north side), 2 Sedge Warbler (north side - male singing)
• 3 singing Skylark, 6 Linnet, female Reed Bunting (DEH)
• 2 Yellow Wagtail (Alan Bell)

Fairlop Waters:

• Cuckoo active from 6-8pm on the scrub area south of the boating lake
• 4 Chiffchaff, 5 Willow Warbler,
• 2 Pheasant on the plain, 2 more on the field by the scrape
• 4 Meadow Pipit, 8 Skylark (DEH)

Hainault, Forest Farm Community Garden:

• 2 Blackcap, Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff
• Green Woodpecker
• 2 Blackbird, Robin, 2 Wren
• Great Tit
• 10 Woodpigeon (DEH)

Hatch Plain:

• 3 Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat (IWoodward)

Redbridge, Beal School:

• 2 Mute Swan (over) TLachhar)

Roding Valley Park, central:

• Mute Swan on the privale fishing lake near Roding Lane North
• Whitethroat, 2 Blackcaps (both male, shadowing each other warily in the same territory), Chiffchaff, pr Long-tailed Tits
• 2 Swift, Sparrowhawk, Green Woodpecker (Alan Hobson)

Roding Valley Park, north/Ray Park:

• Little Egret, north of Chigwell road, (Alan Hobson)
• later: 2 Little Egret,
• 6 Mallard, 3 Moorhen
• Woodpigeon, Collared Dove
• Blackbird, Robin, Wren, Dunnock, 5 Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush
• Grey Heron (over)
• Kestrel
• 3 Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, Chiffchaff
• Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit,
• Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Magpie, Starling,
• Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch (IWoodward)

Valentines Park:

• 20 Coots nests! (10 on the boating lake, 7 on the fish pond, 3 on Long Water area)
• (2 of these nests have hatched young (3 and 4 chicks, both on the boating lake near the island)
• Mute Swan still on nest (3rd swan on long water)
• 14 Tufted Duck, male Shoveler,
• Mallard brood 1 (on long water) - 1 duckling
• Mallard brood 2 (on boating lake) - 7 ducklings (3 light brown, 4 darker)
• Mallard brood 3 (on boating lake nr swans nest) - 9 ducklings (week old)
• Mallard brood 4 (on baoting lake nr swans nest) - 14 ducklings (few days old)
• Great Crested Grebes still on nest.
• Little Grebe (heard trilling)
• Lesser Black Backed Gull looking at ducklings with hunger!
• 4 Egyptian Geese doing well (2 adult, 2 juv)
• Grey Heron on nest, tending to juvenile
• 3 Pied Wagtail
• 3 Chiffchaff,
• Greenfinch,

Wanstead Park:

• 2 Little Egrets,
• 8 Song Thrush,
• 2 male Willow Warbler (T Harris, J Lethbridge)
• Cuckoo heard on 27th April from Wanstead Golf Course/Wanstead Park area at 10am (via Jennifer Charter)
  

Wanstead, Windsor Road:

• singing Willow Warbler (WREN)

Wanstead Flats:

• Yellow Wagtail
• 2 Hobbies (over) (T Harris)

Woodford Green:

• Buzzard, 2 Hobbies (KM)

Video - Blue Tits of South Woodford: Episode 2

Episode 2: Mr. Blue Tit brings Mrs. Blue Tit a tasty treat.

more soon...

Video - Blue Tits of South Woodford: Episode 1

Peter Gordon of South Woodford has set up a webcam inside a nest box in his garden... and a pair of Blue Tits have moved in... we will be following their progress in this mini-series of a Blue Tit soap.

.

The Blue Tits of South Woodford - Episode 1: A sneaky peak of my 11 eggs.

Episode 2 coming soon... (Mr. Blue Tit brings Mrs. Blue Tit a tasty snack)

April 26th 2010

Birbeck Woods, Woodford Green:

• Great Spotted Woodpecker
• 3 Wren, 3 Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush
• Swift (over)
• 3 male Blackcap
• 5 Blue Tit, 2 Long Tailed Tit, 2 Great Tit
• 3 Magpie, Jackdaw,

Eagle Pond:

• pr Mute Swan (hen on nest)
• pr Great Creted Grebe (nesting)
• 7 Coots nests (1 pair have already hatched about 7 days ago, only 1 chick though)
• 6 Tufted Duck, (3 prs), 1 male Shoveler
• Grey Heron
• 52 Feral Pigeon

Fairlop Waters:

• Swift, Swallows, Sand Martins,
• 4 Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, 4 Tufted Ducks, 6 Gadwalls, Shoveler,
• 2 Grey Herons, Mute Swan, Moorhen
• Blackcap, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler,
• Wren, Robin, Blackbird
• Jay
• Reed Bunting,
• Skylark,
• Linnet, Chaffinch, (CIS)

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• 2 x male Blackcap in our garden! 1 male singing from our tree and got chased off by another (AThomas)

Hatch Plain and Forest:

• 6 male Mallard, 1 Moorhen
• 2 Swallow (over N)
• 16 Wood Pigeon
• 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker
• 17 Blackbird, 10 Song Thrush, 5 Wren, 9 Robin,
• 9 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, 6 Blackcap
• 3 Long Tailed Tit, 32 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit
• 3 Jay, 7 Magpie, 2 Carrion Crow, 2 Jackdaw
• 2 Greenfinch, 2 Chaffinch,

Ray Park:

• 6 Goldfinch and 10 Starling outside the James Leal Centre
• 1 Long Tailed Tit (TLachhar)

Reeds Forest, Woodford:

• 5 Jackdaws (over), Jay
• 10 Woodpigeon
• Great Spotted Woodpecker
• 7 Great Tit, 12 Blue Tit
• 2 Wren, 5 Blackbird, 2 Robin, Song Thrush
• male Blackcap

Roding Valley Park, north:

• Little Egret (AHobson)

Valentines Park:

• Grey Heron now feeding their 1 chick (only 1 has hatched, perhaps only 1 was layed).
• 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap (PHopkins)
• 6.30 pm - Egyptian gocklings still doing well
• Chiffchaff calling,
• Chaffinch, Mistle thrush
• pr Great Crested Grebes
• 3 baby coots
• Mute Swan on nest (Barbara J)

Wanstead Park:

• Old Sewage Works: 7 Song Thrush,
• Garden Warbler, 10+ Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff,
• 8 Greenfinch, Chaffinch,
• Jay (J Lethbridge).
• Ring Necked Parakeet,
• 2 Kestrel,
• 2 Little Egret (over west) (N Croft).
• 7 Swift
• Hobby (SFisher)

Wanstead Flats:

• f Whinchat (N Croft, JL).
• 1 Wheatear (female), 2 Tree Pipits,
• 3 Swift, 6 Swallow, 1 Sand Martin,
• 2 Grey Heron,
• Sparrowhawk,
• Lesser Whitethroat,
• 6 Lesser Black-Backed Gull,
• Linnet,
• Reed Bunting
• and the Pheasant.
• also:Mallard, Tufted Duck, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Little Grebe, Coot, Moorhen, Starling, Wren, Skylark, Blue tit, Great Tit, Long-Tailed Tit, Blackbird, Robin, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Stock Dove, feral Dove, Jay, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, 6 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Green Woodpecker, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Cormorant, Dunnock, Grey Heron, Meadow Pipit, (N Croft)

Whitehall Plain:

• 3 male Mallards on the grass
• 2 Robin, 2 Wren, 3 Blackbird, Song Thrush,
• 1 male Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff singing
• 7 Blue Tit, 2 Long Tailed Tit
• Chaffinch,
• 3 Carrion Crow, 4 Magpie,

April 25th 2010

Claybury Park:

• 8+ Whitethroat, 8+ Willow Warbler, 6 Blackcap
• 16+ Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker,
• Mistle Thrush, 4 Jay (Mike Benyon)

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 5 Mute Swan, Canada Geese, 1 Greylag Goose (paired up with a Canada Goose)
• 2 Pochard, 2 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 4 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Shelduck
• 7 Lapwing, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper
• 6+ Linnet
• 4 Swallow
• 20+ Pied Wagtail, 2 Yellow Wagtail (1m, 1f)
• 3 Reed Bunting (2m, 1f)

Fairlop Waters:

• Wheatear
• White Wagtail
• Lesser Whitethroat (Alan Bell)

Hainault Forest CP:

• Cuckoo,
• Nuthatch, Treecreeper
• Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Green Woodpeckers, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker,
• Coal Tit,
• several Blackcaps, several Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Garden Warbler
• 2 Stock Dove,
• Grey Heron (over), Pheasant
• 1 male Mandarin on the lake
• 1 Swallow (over)
• Also: Lesser Black Backed Gulls, Canada Geese, Mallard, Coot (including 1 big nest), Moorhen, Great Crested Grebe (pr) Carrion Crow, Magpie, Jay, c40 Starling, House Sparrow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, Wren, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, (Roy W00dward/Alan Thomas)

Valentines Park:

• Great Crested Grebe (boating lake)
• 3 Cormorant
• Grey Heron - eggs now hatched, but mother number of hatchlings is unclear.
• 2 Mute Swan (hen still on nest)
• Canada Geese, 1 Greylag Goose,
• 4 Egyptian Geese (2 adults with 2 young)
• Mallard (1 female with 19 chicks that appear to be from 2 females due to difference in size)
• Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Coot,
• 3 Black Headed Gull
• Feral Pigeon, 1 Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, 2 Collared Dove
• 4 Swift,
• 3 Green Woodpecker,
• 2 Pied Wagtail
• Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbirds, Mistle Thrush,
• 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap,
• 1 Lesser Whitethroat near the 5 copper colour trees near the old lido (singing)
• Great Tit, Blue Tit, 3 Long Tailed Tit
• Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, 6 House Sparrow,
• 2 Chaffinch, 3 Greenfinch, 2 Goldfinch (Mike Condon)
• Re: Grey Heron nest - We definitely have at least one chick in Heron nest, can't tell if there are more yet, but they normally lay 3 - 5 eggs. Adult bird tried to feed junior a 5" Goldfish to no avail, and ended up swallowing it, either to partly digest and regurgitate later, or less likely, return it to it's former owner! (PHopkins)
• 4 Blackcap, 2 Stock Dove (PHopkins)

Wanstead Flats:

• Little Ringed Plover (landed briefly by Alexandra Lake before heading East),
• female Whinchat,
• pr Yellow Wagtail (on the deck),
• male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker,
• c8 Wheatear,
• 4 male Lesser Whitethroat, male Garden Warbler near Alexandra Lake (S Fisher, T Harris)
• Pheasant by Jubilee Pond
• Swallow and Sand Martin (over)
• 16 Skylark including 10 singing males, 5 Meadow Pipit (THarris)
• 21 Whitethroats, including 16 singing males,
• 3 Reed Bunting (THarris)

Wanstead Park:

• Nightingale singing briefly north-east of Perch pond in the Plain at 07.30 (blimey!),
• male Willow Warbler (S Fisher)
• Little Egret on the River Roding
• 1 Swift over the Plain (THarris)
• 6 Green Woodpeckers, 6 Great Spotted Woodpeckers,
• 21 Blackcaps, including 19 singing males, everywhere
• 12 Chiffchaffs, including 10 singing males,
• 1 singing male Willow Warbler, The Plain (THarris)

Pics - April 2010

2 Robin chicks appearing from the garage, Alex Blackman (24th April 2010)

April 24th 2010

Claybury Park:

• RBSP NELondon group, guided walk: 40 species seen...
• 2 Mute Swan, 2 Grey Heron 5 Lesser Black Backed Gull and Cormorant (over)
• 2 Canada Geese, 13 Mallard (mostly male), 4 Moorhen (2 prs),
• pr Coot (nesting), the female came off her nest long enough for us to see that she is incubating 5 eggs!
• 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel
• 12 Robin, 11 Wren, 6 Blackbird, 3 Song Thrush, 3 Mistle Thrush, 2 Dunnock,
• 5 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker
• 9 Blackcap, 11 Whitethroat, probable Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Willow Warbler, 12+ Chiffchaff
• 1 Swallow (over, N)
• 9 Wood Pigeon, 3+ Stock Dove, 2 Collared Dove, 2 Feral Pigeon
• 19 Blue Tit, 13 Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Nuthatch
• 15 Carrion Crow, 3 Magpie, 4 Jay, Starling, several House Sparrows
• Chaffinch, 7 Greenfinch, (via DEH)

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• Grey Heron, 4 Mute Swan, 2 Shelduck, 18 Tufted Duck
• female Kestrel
• 4 Pheasant (2m, 2f)
• 3 Lapwing, 3 Little Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper,
• 20+ Pied Wagtail, 4 male Yellow Wagtail
• 4 Swallow, 4 House martin, 2 Sand Martin
• 4 Stock Dove
• 5 Linnet
• several Jackdaws amongst the Carrion Crow murder

Hainault Golf Course:

• Sparrowhawk
• 3 Pheasant (2 male, 1 female) (PGordon)

Knighton Woods:

• 5 adult Mallard on pond (4 male, 1 female), female with 7 ducklings
• pair of Jays
• Treecreeper with a beakfull of insects suggestive of breeding
• 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap,
• 3 Green Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Wren
• PPS Man walking dogs told me he had 2 sparring Nuthatches fall at his feet last week. One dog got one but with soft bite, didn’t like the taste of feathers and bird flew off unharmed. (PWarne)

South Woodford, garden:

• Green Woodpecker
• Swallow (over) (PGordon)

Valentines Park:

• Egyptian Geese family doing well
• Grey Heron still sitting. "Delivery" day will depend on number of eggs and when the last one was laid.
• Mallard minding 24 young
• Chiffchaff and Blackcap singing
• 1st Coot Brood (2 cootlets) on the boating lake island.
• Great Crested Grebe nesting on Boating Lake, actually touching coot's nest !
  The last time they tried that, it didn't end well (PHopkins)

Wanstead Flats:

• 07.00-09.30
• male Lesser-spotted Woodpecker,
• 9 Whitethroat, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 8 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff,
• Reed Bunting,
• 6 Meadow Pipit,
• 1 Swift through NE, 21 Swallows through NW,
• fem Wheatear,
• 2 Mistle Thrush,
• 1 Yellow Wagtail low West,
• 15+ Skylarks,
• 2 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great-spotted Woodpecker (S Fisher, J Lethbridge et al) :

Pics - April 2010

male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Wanstead Flats - April 2010 (Jonathan Lethbridge)

link to Wanstead Birder blog (Jonathan Lethbridge)

April 23rd 2010

weather: still luvvly

Claybury Park:

• Treecreeper
• Blackcap, Chiffchaff (EBarnes)

Fairlop, Aldborough Riding School:

• 2 Little Owls in the tree where they are nesting
• 1 Pheasant

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 4 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Mute Swan, Canada Geese (including 4 nests), Greylag Goose, 4 Shelduck, 26 Tufted Duck, 2 Teal, 3 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall
• Cormorant, Grey Heron
• female Kestrel
• 8 Lapwing guarding nest sites (not sure how many yet)
• 3 Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper, 3+ Little Ringed Plover, 2 Redshank,
• 1 Green Woodpecker
• 20+ Pied Wagtail,
• 17 Woodpigeon, 2 Stock Dove
• 2 Swallow, 3 Sand Martin
• 4 Blackbird, Blackcap
• 2 Jay in the trees along Painters Road
• female Reed Bunting

Fairlop, Painters Road:

• 4 House Sparrows in the hedge outside the 2 houses.

Fairlop Waters CP:

• Hobby on a fencepost in the field east of the fishing lake (Alan Bell)
• Buzzard SE 1pm,
• 4 Swift ,
• Chiffchaff 2, Willow Warbler 3, Whitethroat 2,
• 30 Linnet (Lagoon Area only lunchhour visit) (Steve Bacon)

Hainault Lodge Nature Reserve:

• 5 Blackbird, 2 Robin
• 1 Tawny Owl being mobbed by 2 Jay
• 14 Woodpigeon,
• 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
• 13 Blue Tit, 6 Great Tit, 2 Nuthatch (pr) (first time i have seen Nuthatch here)
• 2 singing Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap (1m, 1f)
• 14 Jackdaw (including several nest sites), 4 Jay (DEH)

Ilford Town Centre:

• Pied Wagtail (Barbara J)

Ilford, garden:

• Blackcap still singing
• Greenfinch, Goldfinch on feeder (first for ages), Chaffinch
• (Barbara J)

Ray Park:

• singing Song Thrush (TLachhar)

Valentines Park:

• Egyptian Geese -goslings bigger and swimming well, parents very protective
• Grey Heron still on nest
• boating lake Mute Swan still on nest
• pr Pochard, pr Great Crested Grebe
• 6 Black Headed Gull
• 2 prs Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch,
• Stock Dove, Mistle Thrush
• singing Blackcap
• lots of Mallard ducklings (Barbara J)

Wanstead Flats:

• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker,
• Shelduck N at 06:00,
• Lesser Whitethroat (J Lethbridge)

April 22nd 2010

weather: 15C, sunny

Barkingside:

• Red Kite over at 7.30pm (Tony Leaderman)

Fairlop, Aldborough Riding School:

• Little Owl in the usual place.

Fairlop Waters CP:

• 6.30-8am
• 16 Mute Swan (12 on the baoting lake (the congregation of non-breeders is increasing), 2 on the scrape, 2 (nesting) on the Lagoon.
• 11 Greylag Geese, plenty of Canada Geese
• 2 Gadwall (fishing lake), 11 Tufted Duck (boating/fishing lake), 1 male Shoveler (fishing lake)
• 3 Cormorant
• Great Crested Grebe (fishing lake), 4+ Little Grebe (lagoon)
• Common Sandpiper on the jetty by the Clubhouse
• 2 Pheasant
• 3 Green Woodpecker
• Swallow (over)
• 4 Dunnock (2 pairs), c10 Robin, 5-6 Wren, Song Thrush
• 3 singing Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipit
• 18 Whitethroat (including several nestbuilding), 4 Blackcap, 8 singing Willow Warbler, 7 singing Chiffchaff
• 4 Linnet
• 3 Long Tailed Tit
• 4 Reed Bunting (2 prs)
• 2 Brown Hare on the area between the rear of the lagoon and the golf course (not seen them here before) (DEH)
• 7pm Common Sandpiper still present (island)
• 14 Swift, 40 Sand Martin, 20 Swallow, 1 House Martin (DEH)
• 40 Swift,
• Sedge Warbler by the fishing lake (Alan Bell)

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Geese, Mallard, 7 Tufted Duck, 2 Shoveler, 3 Gadwall, 2 Shelduck, 6 Teal, Coot, Moorhen,
• 3 Lesser Black Backed Gulls
• 2 Grey Heron, 2 Pheasant
• 1 Stock Dove
• 2 Redshank, 2 Lapwing, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Snipe
• 37 Pied Wagtail
• male Wheatear
• Rock Pipit,
• 6 Linnet (DEH)

Hainault Farm:

• east of Hainault Road 6-7pm
• 3 Pheasant (2 male, 1 female)
• 2 Green Woodpecker
• species of Ibis flew over high (couldnt identify, but most likely to be a Glossy Ibis)
• Whitethroat
• 27 singing Skylark!
• 2 Linnet
• 7 Blackbird, 2 Robin, Wren, 3 Great Tit, Blue Tit, 13 Chaffinch, 4 Greenfinch,
• 6 Carrion Crow, 6 Magpie, 52 Woodpigeon, 2 Colalred Dove (DEH)

Hainault Forest CP:

• 8 Blackbirds, 6 Song Thrushes, 6 Robins, 7 Wrens, 3 Dunnock,
  
• 14 Blackcaps, 6 Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler
  
• 4 Chaffinches,
  
• 12 Blue Tits, 7 Great Tits, 2 Long-tailed Tits.7 Wrens, 3 Dunnocks,
  
• 7 Green Woodpeckers, 6 Great Spotted Woodpeckers,
  
• 9 Carrion Crows, 12 Magpies, 4 Jays, 6 Jackdaws,
  
• 4 Moorhens, 4Coots, 4 Tufted Ducks, 22 Mallard,
  
• 2 Greylag Goose, 42 Canada Geese. (CIS)

Wanstead Flats:

• pair of Lesser Spotted Woodpecker seen copulating (NCroft)
• 2 female Wheatear
• 3 singing Lesser Whitethroat, several Whitethroat (THarris)
• Sparrowhawk
• Tree Pipit
• 3 Swallow,
• 4 Ring Necked Parakeet,
• 5 Linnet,
• Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail,
• Ring Ouzel (Nick Croft, JLe)

Wanstead, Windsor Road:

• Buzzard (over)
• Yellow Wagtail over north, (J Lethbridge)

April 21st 2010

weather: sunny and warm, slight breeze

Claybury Park:

• 5 Mallard, 3 Moorhen, 2 Coot
• Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove,
• Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker
• Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow
• Great Tit, Blue Tit, 6 Long Tailed Tit
• 2 Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap
• Wren, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, 3 Song Thrush, Robin, Dunnock
• Starling
• Chaffinch, Goldfinch (Pat Hart)

Fairlop, Aldborough Riding School:

• Little Owl in the usual tree 8pm, also seen flying from a post by the stables. (DEH)

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 4 Mute Swan (pair on each side of Painters Road), the hen on the north side is now on nest
• 3 occupied Canada Goose nests located (2 north side, 1 south side)
• 1 Greylag Goose, 2 Shelduck, 6 Teal, 2 (pr) Pochard, 10 Tufted Duck, 2 (pr) Gadwall, 4 (2prs) Shoveler, 2 (pr) Great Crested Grebe, 4 (2prs) Little Grebe,
• 9 Lesser Black Backed Gulls
• Grey Heron
• Pheasant calling
• 2 Redshank, 6 Little Ringed Plover, 6 Lapwing, Common Sandpiper (first of the season), 3 Green Sandpiper, excellent summer plumage Dunlin, Snipe
• 25 Pied Wagtails, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, Skylark singing,
• 7 Linnet
• 2 Blackcap (DEHull)
• female Redstart, north side of Painters Road (via Hainault Farm)

Fairlop Waters CP:

• 11 Mute Swan on the boating lake and another 2 (nesting) on the lagoon. (it appears that the boating lake has become the location for the non-breeding local swans to congregate as there is no breeding pair on the island this year.
• male Whinchat in the field between the Stables and the Lagoon
• Green Woodpecker
• 3 Pheasant (2 male, 1 female)
• Whitethroat, Chiffchaff
• male Sparrowhawk
• 2 Meadow Pipit
• 21 Linnet

Wanstead Park:

• Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler,
• Ring Necked Parakeet,
• Little Egret (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Flats:

• Dunlin (am; Jubilee Pond, showing rather well–a patch mega by all accounts),
• Redstart, 2 Wheatear (female),
• Pheasant calling from Sidney Road copse
• 4 Herring Gull, 6 Common Gull, 2 Lesser Black-Backed Gull,
• Little Owl, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard (heard),
• 3 Swallow, 1 House Martin,
• Coal Tit,
• 5 Mistle Thrush,
• Lesser Whitehroat, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap (Nick Croft)
• Dunlin still there at 15.00 but not seen at 17.10,
• Yellow Wagtail over (heard), Swallow through (S Fisher)

Woodford Green:

• Goshawk (KM)
  

Barking Park: (just outside the borough)

• 1 Fieldfare
• 6 House Martin

Pics - April 2010

April 21st was Dunlin day. The borough hosted 2 Dunlin, 1 (pictured below) at Jubilee Pond, Wanstead Flats, and another summer plumage bird at Fairlop Gravel Works

Pics (first 2 by Paul Ferris, last 2 by Jonathan Lethbridge)

April 20th 2010

weather: sunny, high of 16C

Claybury Park:

• 6 Mallard, 4 Moorhen, pr Coot (on nest!!!)
• 2 Stock Dove
• Sparrowhawk
• 4 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker
• 3 Song Thrush, Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens
• Whitethroat, 9 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler, 6 Blackcap
• Long Tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit,
• 3 Treecreeper
• 3 Greenfinch
• Also: Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, (TLachhar/DE-Hull)

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 9am - 2 Little Ringed Plover calling
• 4 Shelduck trying to settle, but being chased off repeatedly by the Canada Geese.. (I think they di land eventually) (Daniel Erickson-Hull)

Fairlop Waters:

• male Whinchat and 4 Wheatear in the field behind the stables
• 4 Yellow Wagtail
• 11 Swift (Alan Bell)

Roding Valley Park, central:

• Mistle Thrush feeding on the grass outside Broadmead Baptist Church

Roding Valley Park, north:

• 4 Little Egret feeding together on the river, north of Chigwell Road, near Ray Park.
• 2 Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff
• Green Woodpecker
• 2 Jackdaw (over)
• 2 Linnet (DEH)

Valentines Park:

• 4 Egyptian Geese ( 2 adults, and 2 goslings)
• 12 Tufted Duck
• 3 Coots on nest
• 1 Mute Swan on Long Water

Wanstead Flats:

• Hobby, (first sighting of 2010, 2009's first record was also on April 20th!)
• m Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
• Pheasant,
• Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker,
• Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat,
• 2 Mistle Thrush,
• Reed Bunting,
• Linnet,
• 3 Lesser Black-Backed Gull,
• 2 Swallow, 13 Sand Martin,
• Kestrel, Sparrowhawk,
• GreyHeron (Nick Croft),
• 3+ Wheatear, m Whinchat (stunning!),
• Tree Pipit,
• 3 Lesser Whitethroat (J Lethbridge)

Woodford Bridge, Vicarage Road:

• Mistle Thrush feeding on the green by St. Judes Court (DEH)

Woodford Green, Broadmead Estate:

• Mistle Thrush

Pics - April 2010

The Egyptian Geese family, Valentines Park - April 19th 2010 (MCondon)

April 19th 2010

Barkingside, Dukes Road:

• 5 Jackdaw (Tony Leaderman)

Fairlop Waters:

• 12 Swift, 2 House Martins, 40 Sand martins, 20 Swallows,
• 2 Whitethroat (Martin Jordan)
• 9 Chaffinch,
• 3 Reed Bunting,
• 4 Green Woodpecker,
• 9m Robin, 2m Dunnock, 4 male Wren, Song Thrush, 2 Blackbird
• 6m Willow Warbler, 3 m Chiffchaff, Whitethroat,
• Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit,
• 2m Skylark,
• 30 Mallard, 14 Tufted Duck, 10 Coot, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 3 Mute Swan, 40 Canada Goose, 4 Greylag Goose,
• Grey Heron.
• 30 Carrion Crow, 9 Magpie,
• Sparrowhawk,
• Lesser Black Backed Gull. (CIS)

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• male Great Spotted Woodpecker
• male Blackcap (AThomas/TLachhar)

Hainault Forest CP:

• Chiffchaff in the woods along with 3 long tailed tits, and a Treecreeper,
• Jay, Green woodpecker (heard),
• lots of blue tits (PGordon)

Ray Park:

• pair of Mistle Thrushes mobbing a Carrion Crow outside the James Leal Centre (TLachhar)

South Woodford:

• Grey Heron (over the tube station) (PGordon)

Wanstead Flats:

• 20 Cormorants,
• m Pheasant calling frequently,
• 14 Mallard, 4 Canada Goose,
• Stock Dove, 20+ Woodpigeons,
• 12 Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff,
• 8 Skylark,
• 4 Wren, 2 Robin, 6 Dunnock, 7 Blackbirds, 2 Song Thrush, 3 Mistle Thrush,
• 2 Meadow Pipit,
• 6 Greenfinch,
• 5 Reed Bunting,
• 5 Magpie, 60+ Crow, 3 Jay (J Lethbridge);
• 5 male Wheatear, Lesser Whitethroat (SFisher)

Wanstead, Windsor Road:

• and in my garden, Buzzard WNW at 11:51,
• Peregrine (north at 1.39pm)
• singing m Blackcap,
• Coal Tit (h),
• 4 Sand Martin,
• 3 Sparrowhawk over NE. (JLethbridge)

Leyton Flats: (just outside the borough)

• 2 Wheatears, male & female,
• Swallow,
• 6 Blackcaps, 2 Williow Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs. (Gary A James).

Pics - April 2010

1 of the 4 Wheatears on Wanstead Flats, 18th April 2010 (PFerris)

And likely to become the most photographed birds in the borough... the delightful new family. Redbridges first family of Egyptian Geese (first 2 pics by B&CMiller, last 2 by John Crick)

and winner of the cute factor...

April 18th 2010

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 2 pairs of Mute Swan (1 pr each side of Painters Road)
• Canada Geese, 2 Shelduck, Mallards, 2 Gadwall, 4 Shoveler, 2 Teal, c20 Tufted Duck, 6 Pochard, 4 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe
• 2 Grey Heron, Cormorant
• 6 Lapwing, Greenshank, 2 Redshank, 2 Green Sandpiper, 3 Snipe, 4 Little Ringed Plover
• c20 Pied Wagtails including 3 White Wagtails
• 1 male Yellow Wagtail
• 4 Swallow
• singing Skylark
• 3 Blackcap
• c10 Linnet

Goodmayes, Green Lane:

• Sparrowhawk (JMakengo)

Hainault Golf Club:

• 1 Ringed Necked Parakeet
• 1 male Sparrowhawk
• 1 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
• 1 Cuckoo (only heard) (RNelson)

Roding Valley Park, Central:

• South Woodford section:
• 2 Grey Wagtail,
• pr Mallard
• Jay (PGordon)

Valentines Park:

• 2 Great Crested Grebe on the boating lake
• 2 Cormorant on the boating lake
• Grey Heron still on nest
• 3 Mute Swan, (hen on nest on the baoting lake island)
• Canada Geese, Mallard, Tufted Ducks, Moorhen, Coot
• 4 Egyptian Geese! (2 adults with their 2 goslings)
• 1 Black Headed Gull
• Feral Pigeons, 1 Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove
• 2 Green Woodpecker,
• 3 Pied Wagtail
• Wren, Dunnock, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Robin,
• 2 Chiffchaff
• Great Tit, Blue Tit, 2 Long Tailed Tit
• Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, 9 House Sparrow
• 4 Greenfinch (2m, 2f) (Mike Condon)

Wanstead Park:

• Lesser Whitethroat (1 singing male, old sewage works)
• Whitethroat (1 singing male, old sewage works)

Wanstead Flats:

• male Ring Ouzel (last seen on path south of Lakehouse Rd and north east of Fairground Green),
• 4 Wheatear (3 males and poss female),
• 4 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Whitethroat, 6 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff,
• 2 Sparrowhawk (near Long Wood and over City of London Cemetery)
• male Pheasant,
• 2 Reed Bunting,
• 9 Meadow Pipit, 25 Skylark (16 singing)
• 4 Mistle Thrush,
• 2 Little Grebe (S Fisher)

Roding Valley NR: (just outside the borough)

• Kingfisher. (BJ)

April 17th 2010

weather: lovely n warm uzimmi!:

Barkingside, Dukes Road:

• 2 Blackbird, Robin
• Starlings, House Sparrows
• Carrion Crow
• 3 Great Tit
• Grey Heron (over) (Tony Leaderman)

Cocked Hat Plantation, Clayhall

• 51 Carrion Crows (together)
• Great Spotted Woodpecker

Fairlop, Aldborough Riding School:

• Little Owl on his usual branch at 6.10pm

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 4 Mute Swans (1 pair each side of Painter Road, nest seems to be abandoned on the south side, north side, nest not located if they are building one)
• 33 Canada Goose, mostly in pairs, 1 paired up with a Greylag Goose. (1 Canada Goose nest is very visible on a tiny island on the silt lagoon on the north side, female incubating, male chasing everyone else off!)
• 4 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 1 Herring Gull
• 2 Shelduck, 6 Shoveler, 26 Tufted Duck, 6 Teal, 2 Gadwall, 6 Pochard (4 male)
• 2 Little Grebe (male trilling very enthusuastically), pr Great Crested Grebe
• 27 Coot but no visible nests, 4 Moorhen
• 6 Lapwing, 4 Snipe, 2 Redshank, 2 Green Sandpiper, 3 Little Ringed Plover starting to make a lot of noise now,
• 3 Grey Heron (together), Cormorant
• male Sparrowhawk, female Kestrel
• 5 Pheasant (3 male, 2 female)
• c75 Wood Pigeon (including 1 swimming), 4 Stock Dove (including 2 bathing), 2 Collared Dove
• 2 Green Woodpecker
• 4 Swallow
• 1 singing Skylark
• 10 Pied Wagtails, 3 male Yellow Wagtail
• 3 Robin, 2 Wren,
• male Blackcap
• Blue tit, Great Tit
• 3 Chaffinch, Greenfinch,
• 12 Linnet, mostly in pairs
• 12 Magpie, 18 Carrion Crow, 1 Jackdaw over
• pr Reed Bunting

Fairlop Waters CP:

• 5 Mute Swan (2 on the fishing lake, 1 on the boating lake, and a breeding pr on the lagoon)
• 65 Canada Goose, 11 Greylag Goose
• 21 Tufted Duck, 3 Shoveler, 1 Teal, 7 Gadwall, 17 Mallard,
• 3 Great Crested Grebe (2 on the fishing lake, 1 boating lake), 6 Little Grebe all on the lagoon which has more water than ive ever seen in it.
• 17 Coot, 11 Moorhen (no visible nests)
• 2 Lesser black Backed Gull on the graveled island
• Cormorant (over)
• 2 Pheasant,
• Snipe and Green Sandpiper on the scrape (Hainault Farm)
• 11 Meadow Pipit (7 on Hainault Farm, and 4 behind the lagoon, where comparrison was able to be made with 1 singing Tree Pipit)
• 11 Skylark (mostly on Hainault Farm)
• Pied Wagtail,
• 4 Green Woodpecker
• 2 Carrion Crow, 15 Magpie, 4 Starling, 2 Blackbird, Robin, Wren
• 2 Collared Dove, 4 Stock Dove, 3 Feral Pigeon, 14 Wood Pigeon,
• 6 Chiffchaff, 2 male Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler,
• 5 Great Tit, 6 Blue Tit
• Goldfinch, Greenfinch, 4 Chaffinch, 3 Linnet
• male Reed Bunting

Roding Valley Park, South:

• Redbridge section
• 4 Little Egret,
• 10 Blackcap, male Whitethroat, 6 Chiffchaff,
• Sparrowhawk (S Fisher)
• ps... excellent records, from this really under-reported location. (D)

Valentines Park:

• Egyptian Geese now the proud parents of 2 goslings.
• 2 singing Blackcap
• 2 singing Song Thrush
• Grey Herons and Swans still incubating. (second pair of swans have swanned off)
• Ps: Our first Mallard brood mentioned the other day, was apparently born in a back garden in Ingleby Road and ferried in a bucket, with mum following, to the park by the owner of said garden and bucket. (PHopkins)

Wanstead Flats:

• m Pheasant still. 2 Whitethroat, 11 Blackcap, 6 Chiffchaff, pr Reed Bunting (J Lethbridge)

Wanstead Park:

• Little Egret on the River Roding by the Old Sewage Works (THarris)

April 16th 2010

Barkingside:

• 2 House Martins, 1.30pm
• 2 Jackdaws seen flying over Barkingside Station. (Tony Leaderman)

Claybury Park:

• Mute Swan
• several Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker
• 2 Fox cubs (2oo9s cubs), and 2 Muntjack Deer! (EBarnes)

Goodmayes Park:

• 2 Mute swans, 43 Tufted ducks, 12 Coot (4 nests), 6 Moorhen (2 nests),
• 1 Blackcap, 3 Linnets. (IWoodward)

Ilford, Ilford Lane:

• 3 House Martins acrobating at 2pm (DEH)

South Park:

• 2 Mute swans (nest),
• 2 Great-crested grebes (nest),
• 20 Coot (7 nests),
• 3 Greylag geese,
• 31 Tufted ducks,
• 1 Redwing, 3 Mistle thrushes,
• 1 Blackcap,
• 1 Stock dove.
• 4 Chaffinch, 2 Great Tit, Blue Tit, 2 Blackbirds, Robin, (DEH/IWoodward)

Wanstead Flats:

• Stonechat (sex not determined),
• 11 Sand Martin over (North),
• 1 Grey Heron,
• Meadow Pipit,
• Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff,
• Linnet,
• Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker,
• Mistle Thrush,
• Reed Bunting
• and the resident Pheasant (THarris)

Pics - April 2010

male Mandarin, Connaught Water (just outside the borough) (APerrin)

April 15th 2010

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• male Blackcap
• 2 Goldfinch, 5 Greenfinch
• 1 Wren, 1 Robin, 1 male Blackbird
• 3 Starling, 2 House Sparrows
• 2 Grey Heron over
• 1 Woodpigeon (AThomas)
• Great Spotted Woodpecker (TLachhar)

Hatch Forest:

• 2 Mallard
• 4 Blackbird, 4 Robin, 4 Dunnock, 3 Wren
• 8 Carrion Crow, 8 Magpie, 7 Jay
• 25 Wood Pigeon,
• Grey Wagtail
• 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker
• 2 Chaffinch
• 2 Long tailed tit, Blue tit, Great tit
• 2 Nuthatch (APerrin)

Wanstead Park:

• 1 singing Lesser Whitethroat, 2 singing Common Whitethroat, several singing Blackcaps, several singing Chiffchaffs
• 2 Stock Doves
• 2 Green Woodpeckers (THarris)

Wanstead Flats:

• Flats 07:00–11:00: Tree Pipit (East of Lake House Road/North of Fairground site, in silver birch),
• Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Chiffchaff (more than in previous visits), Blackcap, Willow Warbler,
• 4+ Reed Bunting,
• 2 Sand Martin over,
• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (female) in East Copse. (Nick Croft)

Leyton Flats: (just outside the borough)

• 2 House Martin (1st of year), 5 Sand Martins,
• 6 Sparrowhawks,
• 3 Blackcaps, 1 Willow Warbler. (Gary A James).

Pics - April 2010

Buzzard, over Wanstead on the 13th April 2010

The first brood! - Valentines Park (9 duckings in all, bus she couldnt get them to line up)
14th April 2010

April 14th 2010

Claybury Park: [corner of, on way somewhere else]

• 3 Chiffchaffs (gd vies of one singing),
• Blackcap (gd views of singing),
• Jay, Long-tailed Tit, Greenfinch (AHobson)

Clayhall Estate:

• Lesser Black-backed Gull (AHobson)

Valentines Park:

• 2 Goldcrests drinking from Jacob's well
• 2 Mistle Thrush
• Around Ornamental Lake: Tufted Duck, Mallard, Canada Goose, Mute Swan,
• Robin, Song thrush, Wren, Blackbird
• Long Tailed tit, Blue tit, Great Tit
• Carrion Crow,Magpie
• Feral Pigeon, Wood pigeon
• Chaffinch
• Pied Wagtails in Mansion gardens (Tajinder Lachhar)
• 2 Great Crested Grebe on the boating lake nest building (coots doing their best to tamper)
• Little Grebe, Cormorant also on Boating Lake
• 3 Mute Swan, (pr on Boating Lake where hen is on nest, 3rd on Long Water)
• 17 Canada Geese, 1 Egyptian Goose (2nd presumably on nest)
• 40+ Mallard, plus first brood of 9 ducklings!!!
• 1 male Pochard on the Boating lake
• 13 Tufted Duck, 27 Coot, 9 Moorhen,
• 7 Black Headed Gull, 2 Herring Gull
• 100+ Feral Pigeon, 35 Wood Pigeon,
• Green Woodpecker heard yaffling, Great Spotted Woodpecker near old Elm
• 8 Pied Wagtails
• 14 Blackbird, 7 Robin, 1 Wren, 6 Mistle Thrush
• 5 Blue Tit, 1 Long Tailed Tit, 7 Great Tit (also saw the 2 Goldcrest)
• 40 Carrion Crow, 2 Jay, 40 Starling
• 2 Chaffinch, 3 Goldfinch, 3 Greenfinch (U3A Birding Group via JMillea)

Wanstead Flats:

• The usuals plus 2 Wheatear. (SFisher)
• (Blue-Headed race) Yellow Wagtail of the race thunbergi! (NCroft)

Wanstead Park:

• River Roding area: singing Lesser Whitethroat (S Fisher)

April 13th 2010

Claybury Park:

• Chiffchaff (while passing the park) (AHobson)

Roding Valley Park, North:

• Little Egret on the Roding near Woodford Bridge (AHobson)

Roding Valley Park, Central:

• Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap (pr),
• 3 Song Thrush and a 4th in the playing fields nearby
• Long Tailed Tit
• Kestrel by the private fishing lake (AHobson)

Wanstead Flats:

• 2 Little Grebes (Alex Lake)
• Male Pheasant
• Male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (East Copse)
• 25 Skylarks, 9 Meadow Pipits
• 1 Whitethroat, Several singing Blackcaps, Several singing Chiffchaffs (Tim Harris)
• Wanstead Flats: 3 Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft)

Wanstead, Windsor Road:

• 2 Sparrowhawk, Buzzard
• 24 Sand Martin over (NE) (JLethbridge)

Woodford Bridge, Vicarage Road:

• Mistle Thrush, Pied Wagtail (AHobson)

Woodford Green, Broadmead Estate:

• 2 Mistle Thrushes, 2 Pied Wagtails (DEH)

Barking, River Roding: (just outside the borough)

• 10 Sand Martin (Howard Vaughan)

Connaught Water: (just outside the borough)

• 2 Egyptian Geese,
• 13 Mandarin, 4 Teal (BJ)

April 12th 2010

Claybury Park:

• while passing:
• Blackcap (v. gd views singing, and acrobatically catching and eating an insect, then supping some bud nectar as dessert!),
• Chiffchaff (AHobson)

Roding Valley Park, Central:

• Chiffchaff
• 2 Jay (AHobson)

Roding Valley Park, North:

• Little Egret in the usual place at Woodford Bridge (AHobson)

Woodford Bridge, Snakes Lane East:

• Grey Heron
• Goldfinch (AHobson)

Woodford Bridge, Vicarage Road:

• Mistle Thrush by St. Judes Ct (AHobson)

April 11th 2010

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• Green Sandpiper
• 3 Yellow Wagtail, 2 White Wagtail
• female Black Redstart (this is the first record if this species in the borough since at least 2008) (ABell)

Fairlop Waters:

• 2 Herring Gulls
• Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat,
• Wren
• Green Woodpecker
• Skylark
• 1 Long Tailed Tit
• Reed Bunting (Tony Leaderman)

Fairlop, April WEBS count: (Totals for Fairlop Waters & Gravel Works)

• 13 Little Grebe, 5 Great Crested Grebe,
• 2 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron
• 7 Mute Swan, 24 Greylag Geese, 39 Canada Geese,
• 6 Shelduck, 11 Gadwall, 2 Teal, 36 Mallard, 9 Shoveler, 5 Pochard, 44 Tufted Duck
• 14 Moorhen, 21 Coot
• 1 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Lapwing, 1 Snipe, 2 Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper,
• 1 Lesser Black backed Gull (SBacon)

Hainault Farm:

• male Pheasant
• Skylark

Hainault Forest CP: (April WEBS Count)

• 2 Great Crested Grebe,
• 3 Mute Swan, 1 Grelag Goose, 59 Canada Geese,
• 29 Mallard, 2 Shoveler, 16 Tufted Duck
• 2 Moorhen, 6 Coot, (SBacon)

Roding Valley Park, Central:

• Chiffchaff, Blackcap
• 2 Jays (AHobson)

Roding Valley Park, South:

• As I was returning home this evening from Wanstead, about 6.30, a male pheasant flew over the A12 in front of me, this was close to Tesco at Charlie Brown's r/a. (TLeaderman)

Valentines Park:

• Chiffchaff and Blackcap holding territories, as are 2 Song Thrushes.
• And by way of a 200 metre exclusion zone around their nesthole to anything Mallardlike, the Egypian Geese are holding their own very effectively. (PHopkins)
• 1 Little Grebe
• 2 Great Crested Grebe
• 2 Cormorant, Grey Heron still on nest
• 4 Mute Swan, 1 Grelag Goose, Canada Geese,
• Mallards, 1 male Pochard, Tufted Ducks, Moorhen Coot,
• 3 Black Heded Gulls, 3 Common Gulls,
• Feral Pigeons, 2 Stock Dove, Woodpigeons, Collared Dove
• 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker
• 3 Pied Wagtail,
• Wren, Dunnock, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Robin
• 2 Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff
• Blue Tits, Great Tits, 1 Long Tailed Tit
• Magpie, Carrion Crow, Srtarling, 6 House Sparrow,
• 2 Chaffinch, 2 Greenfinch, 2 Goldfinch (MCondon)

Wanstead Flats:

• Whitethroat, first of the year, 3 Blackcap, 5+ Chiffchaff, Swallow, and the escaped White-cheeked Turaco (photos here) (J Lethbridge)

Wanstead, Windsor Road:

• 2 House Martin, Sand Martin,
• Sparrowhawk, and....White-cheeked Turaco! (J Lethbridge)

April 10th 2010

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 5pm (south side of Painters Road)
• pr Mute Swan (female on nest)
• 2 Grey Heron
• 2 male Pheasant
• 2 Shelduck, 6 Shoveler, 6Teal, 20 Tufted Duck, 2 Gadwall
• Little Grebe
• 2 Redshank, 2 Lapwing, 2 Green Sandpiper, 3 Little Ringed Plover
• c15 Pied Wagtail, 2 Yellow Wagtail (1m, 1f)
• 5 Stock Dove
• 4 Skylark (including 2 singing)
• 3 Swallow
• Green Woodpecker
• 4 Linnet
• male Reed Bunting

Fairlop Waters CP:

• Chaffinch, Willow Warbler,
• Chiffchaff
• Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird,
• Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen
• Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe nestbuilding
• Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker,
• Carrion Crow, Jay,
• Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit
• Reed Bunting
• Lesser Black Backed Gull
• Grey Heron
• Woodpigeon
• and in the Surrounding fields
• Pheasant
• Skylark
• Teal (on farm pond)
• in the Stable area
• Starling
• Little Owl x 2
• Pied Wagtail
• Collared Dove
• Linnet
• Swallow
• Kestrel (Neil Twyford)

Knighton Woods:

• 2 Blackcap
• 2 Nuthatch
• Many Blue, Great and Long Tailed Tits
• 4 Jay
• 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker
• 5 song thrush – very voluble
• 3 Chiffchaff
• And, of course, many magpies
• Only male mallard 7 and Moorhen 2 on the pond

Roding Valley Park, North:

• Little Egret, back in his usual haunt, just north of Chigwell Road, Woodford Bridge

Wanstead Flats:

• 2 Great Crested Grebe on Alexandra Lake,
• 4 Shelduck north west plus the usuals (S Fisher)

Wanstead Park:

• River Roding area:
• male Bullfinch (Tim Harris),
• male Whitethroat, 9 Chiffchaff (pair building nest), 6 male Blackcap,
• 4 Linnet,
• 5 Song Thrush, 3 Mistle Thrush (S Fisher)
• Treecreeper in Resevoir Woods (Amina B)
• Kingfisher by the Old Sewage Works (Roding) (THarris)

Connaught Water: (just outside the borough)

• Egyptian Geese
• Mandarin (NTwyford)

Roding Valley Meadows: (just outside the borough)

• Sparrowhawk
• Song Thrush
• Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap
• Little Egret

April 9th 2010

weather: luvvly!

Claybury Park:

• Chiffchaff (while passing the park) (AHobson)

Fairlop, Aldborough Riding School:

• Little Owl at the nest site (DEH)

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 2 prs of Mute Swan
• c8 pairs of Canada Geese
• Greylag Geese, Mallard, c12 Tufted Duck, 8 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, 2 Teal, 2 Shelduck, 5 Pochard (3m, 2f)
• pr Little Grebe and pr Great Crested grebe (north side), another Little Grebe (south side)
• 3 Grey Heron
• 2 Green Woodpcker
  
• Lapwing, 2 Green Sandpiper (possibly a 3rd), 3 Snipe, 2 Redshank, 4 Little Ringed Plover
• 2 Meadow Pipit, c30 Pied Wagtail including at least 1 White Wagtail, 3 Yellow Wagtail (2m, 1f), singing Skylark
  
• 2 male Pheasent
• 18 Magpies together.
  
• Swallow
  
• 10 Linnet
• 2 male Reed Bunting
  

Hatch Forest:

• 2m Mallard
• 9 Magpie, 2 Jackdaw, 4 Jay
• 2 Robin + 1 Juvenile
• 7 Carrion Crow
• 1 Wren
• 2 Grey Wagtail
• 13 Wood pigeon
• 2 Treecreeper, 2 Nutchatch
• 2 Long-tailed Tit, 10 Blue tit, 12 Great tit
• 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
• 4m 3f Blackbird
• 1 Grey Heron (flying over) (Andrew Perrin)
  

Ray Park:

• singing Song Thrush (TLachhar)

Roding Valley Park, Central:

• Willow Warbler (good views of it singing), 2 Blackcaps, Chiffchaff,
  
• Green Woodpecker,
  
• 2 Song Thrushes,
  
• 2 Jays (Alan Hobson)

Whitehall Plain:

• 2 Chiffchaff
• 2 Nuthatch
• 2 long-tailed tit
• 1 Pheasant (Andrew Perrin)
  

Woodford Bridge, Vicarage Road:

• Sparrowhawk
• Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush (all by St. Judes Court) (Alan Hobson)

Connaught Water: (just outside the borough)

• 2 Egyptian Geese (APerrin)