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) :