June 16th 2010

Claybury Park:

• Blackcap [female], Whitethroats [several],
• Swifts [lots; v. close views of them swooping right past me],
• at least 2 Bullfinches (heard) (AHobson)
• 2 Stock Doves (AHobson)

Clayhall, garden:

• recent garden sightings:
• 5 Goldfinch, 5 Greenfinch, at least one pr Chaffinch
• 7 Woodpigeon
• 4 Dunnock,
• 5 Blue tit, 5 Great tit
• 5 Magpie, 4 Carrion crow:
• Sparrowhawk (passing over)
• c5 House sparrow:
• several Lesser-black backed Gull and Black Headed Gulls flying overhead, (Charlie Coplestone)
• Clayhall, back garden at approx 9.15 am - young Peregrine falcon (I think) sitting on fence for a few minutes, then flew up into a nearby tree where it sat for a couple more minutes before flying off. (MScott)

Fairlop Waters CP:

• Mute Swan pair on the lagoon appear to have lost their cygnets.
• Canada Geese everywhere, including a new brood of 5 very young goslings
• 2 families of Greylag Geese in interesing development: the pr that had 9 (left), has donated 2 goslings to the pair that had only 1 left!
• Mallard, c15 Tufted Ducks, male Shoveler, Moorhen, Coot, 2 Great Crested Grebe
• Pheasant
• Black Headed Gull, sevral Lesser Black Backed Gulls
• 4 Lapwing on the island, 2 (with young) by the scrape
• Wood Sandpiper and 2 Green Sandpiper (together) on the scrape.
• 9 Stock Dove (mostly paddock, 2 over), Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon
• Blackbird, Dunnock, Robin, Wren, Song Thrush
• **Hoopoe**... on the ground by the back (east) of the fishing lake, flew up into a tree, called briefly, noticed some fishermen (boys), and flew off (not distantly, but i couldnt relocate... was planning to re-look after visiting the scrape, but got side tracked by Wood Sandpiper)
• c20 Swift, 16 House Martin (most so far), 2 Swallow
• 2 singing Skylark
• c10 Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler
• male Reed Warbler in full song in the small 'line' of reeds between the lagoon and the sign that says 'footpath to painters road' (Reed Warblers really doing well this yr, turning up everywhere)
• Chaffinch, Greenfinch, 2 Linnet
• Also: Carrion Crow, Magpie, Starling, House Sparrow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit (DEH)

Valentines Park:

• Great Crested Grebe still on 3 eggs
• Grey Heron chicks have all left the nest now, but remain in the vicinity
• male Egyptian Goose has struck up an unusual friendship with a Muscovy Duck, seen sunbathing and swimming along together (GWare)

Wanstead Flats:

• (07:30-11:00): Round pond Coot with 6 chicks still!
• 6 Mallard (now if only the pond were ten times bigger... ),
• 12 Lesser Black-Backed Gull mostly checking the menu at Alexandra Pond, 3 Herring Gull, 2 Common Gull, 2 Black-Headed Gull,12 Cormorant,
• 5 Mistle Thrush, 4 Song Thrush (1 juv),
• 14 Jackdaw,
• 4 Greater Spotted Woopecker, 3 Green Woodpecker, oodles of Greenfinch (the correct term I think), 1 Goldfinch, Chaffinch,
• 1 Reed Bunting, 2 Chiffchaff, c.10 Whitethroat with young,
• 1 Stock Dove, 1 Collared Dove and very little else to warrant me getting up so early... (Nick Croft).

Wanstead Park:

• escaped (tame) Fulvous Whistling Duck, (Dendrocygna bicolor), by Heronry Pond (PFerris)

Woodford Bridge, St. Judes Court:

• 2 Common Tern [or the same one twice, a few hours apart] [rare round here],
• Green Woodpecker, 2 Jays, Cormorant, lots of Swifts, Lesser Black-backed Gull, plus everyday birds. (AHobson)

Forest Gate: (just outside the borough)

• (07:00): Peregrine Falcon past my window (NickCroft).