Pics - Valentines Park Grebes

Returning to Ilford and Valentines Park after a week away, I was justifiedin my worries for the Great Crested Grebe family- instead of a well-maintained nest with three eggs in it, there was a soggy nest with no eggs and no Grebes...Those poor Grebes... My fears were for the chick as I circumvented the lake without seeing a sign of the birds. However on my second time round I was delighted to hear that familiar "ch-ch-ch-cheep" of the chick- and sure enough I soon spotted him through the leaves of an Alder tree further up the lake. Next, I saw both his parents and one of them was charging about with nest-building materialsyet again! He kept taking them to an area where the leaves met the water soit was impossible to see what exactly he was building...

Gillian Ware

July 31st 2010

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• north side of Painters Road only
• 2 female Teal, 7 Tufted Duck, 2 families of Little Grebe with at least 2 chicks each, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron
• few Lapwing, 3 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper
• 7 Swallow,
• Lesser Whitethroat, 2 singing Sedge Warbler
• female Reed Bunting
• female Kestrel Hunting.

Fairlop Quarry:

• Buzzard hunting on the field north of the quarry

Wanstead Park:

• Shoulder of Mutton Pond: 2 prs of Little Grebe with 2 chicks each
• Mute Swan pr with 7 cygnets
• Heronry Pond: Mute Swan pr with 8 cygnets, Little Grebe
• 2 House Martin
• juvenile Willow Warbler
• Great Spotted Woodpecker and Green Woodpeckers. (DEH)

Wanstead Flats:

• Shoveler
• 10 Ring Necked Parakeet
• 2 Kestrel (NCroft)

July 30th 2010

Roding Valley Park, central:

• Bullfinch (juvenile), Blackcap (female), Willow Warbler, Swift, 2 Whitethroats
• Adjacent playing fields: Whitethroat, 2 Goldfinch
• Private Fishing Lake: 2 Common Tern (AHobson)

July 29th 2010

Roding Valley Park, central:

• Common Tern at the private fishing lake,
• Also Grey Heron and 2 Goldfinch there
• 6 Swift
• 20 Long Tailed Tit in a flock (AHobson)

Wanstead, Gordon Road:

• Kestrel hunting overhead (Ann Samson)

July 28th 2010

Aldborough Hatch, Aldborough Road North:

• 2 Kestrel hunting together
• 2 Swallow (DEH)

Claybury Park:

• when passing SW corner:
• 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker (AHobson)

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 1 Greylag Goose, 2 Mute Swan, 4 Teal, 7 Pochard, few Tufted Duck
• family of Little Grebe
• 6 Grey Heron
• 11 Green Sandpiper (9 north, and 2 south of Painters Road) (largest count)
• 4 Common Sandpiper (2 north, and 2 south of Painters Road)
• 3 Little Ringed Plover (1 adult, and 2 juv)
• c110 Lapwing
• 30+ Stock Dove
• female Kestrel
• 2 House Martin, 4 Swift, 2 Swallow
• c20 Pied Wagtail, c10 Goldfinch (DEH)

Wanstead Flats:

• female Kestrel hunting this morning east of Centre Road (DEH)
• Red Kite over Wanstead Flats and Aldersbrook Bowling Club (Robert Hobbs/Martin Plumb)

Pics - July 2010

Kestrel on Wanstad Flats (Jonathan Lethbridge)

July 27th 2010

Roding Valley Park, central:

• by the Fishing Lake: Great Spotted Woodpecker, flock of around 40 Goldfinches, at least half a dozen Swifts, 2 Whitethroats,
• Mallards inc. brood of ducklings.
• by the River: Little Egret (over river and by footbridge), flock of Long-tailed Tits (inc. juveniles safely fledged)
• Song Thrush surrounded by 10 Blue Tits
• Mitten Crab in the Roding (AHobson)

Wanstead Flats:

• 6:30-9:30: 7 Cormorant over,
• 6 Mute Swan, 221 Canada Geese, 104 Mallard, 1 Tufted Duck, 46 Coot, 12 Moorhen.
• 6 Common Gull, 70 Black-headed Gull, 5 Lesser Black Backed Gull,
• 4 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Hobby,
• 1 Ring Necked Parakeet,
• 1 Little Owl,
• 2 Skylark, 4 Meadow Pipit,
• 19 Swift, 11 House Martin,
• 180 Feral Pigeon, 1 Collared Dove, 27 Woodpigeon,
• 6 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Green Woodpecker,
• 5 Blackbird, 7 Wren, 6 Robin, 2 Song Thrush,
• 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 18 Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat,
• 8 Great Tit, 17 Blue Tit, 8 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Goldcrest,
• 62 Jackdaw, 14 Magpie, 65 Starling, 210 Carrion Crow, 6 Jay, 2 House Sparrow,
• 2 Reed Bunting, 12 Greenfinch, (J Lethbridge)

Wanstead Park:

• Kingfisher on Ornamental Water (LBlackman)

July 26th 2010

Hainault Lodge Nature Reserve:

• Hobby flew into the reserve from Hainault Forest at 8.30pm (DEH)

Roding Valley Park, central section:

• 2 Swift
• juvenile Blackcap, Willow Warbler, 2 Whitethroat
• 12ish Goldfinch
• Mallard with brood of 5 on the river (Alan Hobson)

Valentines Park:

• 9.45 a.m - 11.45 a.m.
• 60 Crows with a few Jackdaws interspersed amonst them
• 65 Mallard all in eclipse, 6 Tufted Ducks, 1 female Shoveler.
• 2 adult Mute Swans & 8 young.
• 60 Coots with at least 4 sitting on nests, 7 adult Moorhens & 3 young
• 140 + Black headed Gulls with quite a few juveniles amonst them.
• A very small group of Swifts..
• 1 adult Great Crested Grebe & 1 young, 1 Little Grebe..
• 80+ Canada Geese.
• 2 Robins, 2 Wrens, 2 Dunnocks.
• 1 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tits.
• 1Chaffinch,3 Greenfinches.
• 5 Blackbirds, 4 Mistle Thrushes.
• 2 Grey Wagtails. (Ian Shaw)

July 25th 2010

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 6+ Little Grebe including young, Great Crested Grebe, female Teal, female Shoveler
• 6 Grey Heron
• c100 Black Headed Gull, few Common Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull and Herring Gulls..
• female Sparrowhawk circling high overhead.
• c150 Lapwing, 7 Green Sandpiper, 6 Common Sandpipers including 4 feeding together.
• 4 Little Ringed Plover (2 juvenile flying around a lot more today)
• c20 Stock Dove
• Swallow, c20 House Martin
• c30 Goldfinch, Linnet, 2 Greenfinch, many Pied Wagtails

Valentines Park:

• up to 7 Little Grebe, including 3 juvenile
• pr Great Crested Grebe plus 1 (also still sitting on 3 eggs)
• 12 Mute Swans (4 adults, 1 pr has 8 cygnets still)
• 1 Hybrid Greylag Goose, c60 Canada Goose, Mallards, 1 male Shoveler, 5 Pochard (2 male, 3 female), Coot, Moorhen
• 1 Cormorant
• 120 Black Headed Gull
• Feral Pigeon, 1 Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, 2 Collared Dove
• only 2 Swift
• 4 Green Woodpecker (2 adult, 2 juvenile), 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
• 2 Grey Wagtail at western end of Cranbrook Cut,
• Wren, 2 Dunnock, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Robin, Blackbird
• Great Tit, Blue Tit, 3 Long Tailed Tit,
• Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, 3 House Sparrow,
• 2 Greenfinch, 2 Goldfinch (Mike Condon)
  

July 24th 2010

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• female Teal, Gadwall, c10 Pochard, c10 Tufted Duck
• c100 Black Headed Gull, few Lesser Black Backed Gulls and Herring Gulls
• Kestrel hovering...
• c160 Lapwing, 4 Green Sandpiper (3 south side, 1 north side), 3 Common Sandpiper (2 south side, 1 north side), Redshank (north side), 4 Little Ringed Plover (2 adults with 2 young now flying on the south side).
• 2 Grey Heron, Little Egret
• c10 Stock Dove,
• 3 Swallow, c10 House Martin
• male Reed Bunting, 2 Reed Warbler (north side)

Valentines Park:

• 7 Little Grebe (including 3 young)
• young Great Crested Grebe sitting on mothers back, who is sitting on 3 eggs! (partner around somewhere
• 12 Mistle Thrushes (PHopkins)

Wanstead Park:

• Common Tern over the Basin (J Lethbridge),
• Reed Warbler by the sluice (River Roding)
• 110 Swift (mostly in the Redbridge direction),
• 2 Willow Warbler (adult with juv). (SFisher)

Wanstead Flats:

• Common Sandpiper on Alexandra Lake,
• Hobby over Alexandra Lake, Kestrel,
• Lesser Whitethroat, Goldcrest, 14 House Martin, 7 Mistle Thrush together,
• Common Gull and the usuals (S Fisher)

July 23rd 2010

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 6 Teal, 6 Tufted Duck, 6 female Pochard
• 5 Grey Heron
• c50 Black Headed Gull, few Lesser Black Backed Gull, 1 Common Gull
• c100 Lapwing, 3 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper, 4 Little Ringed Plover (family of 2 adults, with 2 (possibly 3) fledged young.
• 2 Swallow
• c20 Stock Dove
• over 50 Pied Wagtail including many juvenile birds
• over 100 Goldfinch, 3 Linnet

Roding Valley Park, central:

• Common Tern fishing at the private fishing lake (without a permit) (AHobson)

Valentines Park:

• family of 4 Green Woodpeckers (2 adult, 2 juvenile)
• 8 Mistle Thrush (JCrick)

Woodford Bridge, St. Judes Court:

• fledged juv Green Woodpecker (A Hobson)

Pics - July 2010

Kingfisher, Ornamental Waters - Wanstead Park (1 of 3 Kingfishers reported accross the borough on the 22nd!)

(Pic by Paul Ferris)

July 22nd 2010

Roding Valley Park. north:

• in the section north of Chigwell Road, along side Ray Park
• Kingfisher
• Grey Heron, 2 Jay, Green Woodpecker (Griff Holliday)

South Woodford:

• Sparrowhawk hunting (or displaying) over the house (PGordon)

Wanstead Old Sewage Works:

• 2 Little Egret on the river Roding

Wanstead Flats:

• (04:45-09:30):
• Kingfisher (Alexandra Lake again),
• Willow Warbler (Alex), Chiffchaff, Blackcap (brief burst of song behind Alex), many Whitethroats,
• 14 Sand Martin (south), 3 Swallow (s), c. 10 House Martin (staying put), c. 40 Swift (over the whole area),
• 4 Kestrel (2 Alex, 2 Long Wood), m Sparrowhawk (across SSI),
• 6 Mistle Thrush, Green Woodpecker and Spotted Woodpeckers with young,
• 51 Cormorant (over),
• Also: Jackdaw, Jay, Magpie, C. Crow, c. 20+ Greenfinch, Chaffinch, 3 Goldfinch, 1 Linnet, 25 Ring necked Parakeet, no sign of the Shoveler on Alex, c. 100+ Black-headed Gull, 15 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Greater Black-backed Gull (east), 3 Herring Gull, Skylark and Meadow Pipit (who don't get up at dawn), 49 species and whilst not quite mega enough, par. 4 foxes (Nick Croft).

Wanstead Park:

• Kingfisher on Ornamental Waters
• Little Egret by Pump House (Paul Ferris)

Pics - July 2010

Just to say all well with the Valentines Great Crested Grebes today- adults still rotating sitting on the three eggs in the nest, duckling still endlessly demanding to be fed. Here is one pic of the Alien-like chick in the process of climbing off its parent's back... I've got to leave for a long weekend away tomorrow, so will be getting Grebe-withdrawal symptoms...

Gillian Ware

July 21st 2010

Barkingside, Macdonalds:

• male Sparrowhawk (DEH/JMakengo)

South Park:

• male Sparrowhawk (DEH)

Valentines Park:

• 3 Grey Wagtails in the dried up canal (JCrick)
• Great Crested Grebe family still sitting on 3 eggs, with 1 growing chick being demanding (GWare)

Wanstead Flats:

• (05:00-08:45): 48 Cormorant (over),
• c50 Black-headed Gull, 10 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Common Gull,
• 8 Song Thrush, 1 Mistle thrush,
• c40 Swift,
• 3 Greylag Goose (over west), Shoveler still on Alexandra Lake,
• 12 Ring Necked Parakeet,
• Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail (both Alexandra Lake), Yellow Wagtail (heard over Angel pond),
• 5 Green Woodpecker, Greater Spotted Woodpecker,
• Collared Dove, Stock Dove, Skylark, Meadow Pipit and others for a disappointing 44 species, tomorrow will be mega (Nick Croft).

Leyton Flats: (just outside the borough)

• Peregrine, 2 Little Egrets, 60 Swift, 4 Common Terns, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff. (Gary A James).

Barking, River Roding: (just outside the borough)

• few Sand Martins at the colony

Barking, Barking Abbey School: (just outside the borough)

• Sparrowhak (JMakengo)

Pics - July 2010

The Great Crested Grebes at Valentines park are real troopers! Three eggs today!

And the chick is growing up well, diving with one parent quite far out in the lake, but then looking rather confused when he emerged from the water and there was no sign of his parent!
he spent most of his time endlessly "cheep-cheeping" after the non-sitting parent, demanding to be fed...attached one pic with fish (?) in his mouth.

He was not riding on his mother's back so much today but below is one pic of him sprawled on her back with his legs dangling...


The adults are still rotating the nest-sitting and one bird is still desperately building up the nest- he (or she) even plonked one stick right against the sitting bird, but did try to adjust it later.

by Gillian Ware..

__________________________

Kestrels on Wanstead Flats (Jonathan Lethbridge)

July 20th 2010

Five Oaks Lane Scrubland:

• Great Spotted Woodpecker
• 2 Swallow
• oodles of Whitethroat, Blackcap (heard), Willow Warbler
• 2 Linnet,
• finch party including many Chaffinches (some juvenlies), several Greenfinches, and 1 very welcome find - 1 fledged juvenile Bullfinch!
• 7 singing Yellowhammers (3 showed very well) (DEH/AHobson)

Hainault Forest CP: (july Webs Count)

• 2 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Cormorant
• 4 Mute Swan (2 adult, 2 juv), 1 Greylag Goose, 140 Canada Geese, 39 Mallard, 5 Tufted Duck, 10 Moorhen, 4 Coot
• 3 Black Headed Gull (SBacon)

Roding Valley Park, central:

• Woodford Bridge section, south of Chigwell Road
• areound the fishing lake: 50+ Goldfinches, including many juvenlies
• family of Whitethroat with fledged juveniles
• 12 Swift
• 2 Chiffchaff (Alan Hobson)

Valentines Park:

• Great Crested Grebe pair are now tending to 1 growing chick, and now have 3 eggs on their new nest! (GWare)

Wanstead Flats:

• (05:00-08:45):
• Little Egret (east), 4 Grey Heron, 120+ Black-headed Gull (flocks of 27, 17, 15, 12 west and including 67 in a roost west of Alex), 22 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 8 Herring Gull, 2 Common Gull,
• Lesser Whitethroat (ad, north of Long Wood by Centre Road), Willow Warbler (Long Wood), Chiffchaff, Blackcap, numerous Whitethroat + young,
• Kingfisher (heard and then seen on Alex),
• 5 Greylag Goose (over Centre Road east), 2 Tufted Duck and the eclipse Shoveler on Alex, 3 Little Grebe with chick,
• 2 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, 25 Cormorant (over, 1 on Jub),
• 7 Green Woodpecker, 7 Greater Spotted Woodpecker,
• 4 Song Thrush, 3 Mistle Thrush, Stock Dove, Collared Dove,
• Meadow Pipits and other stalwarts (51 sp seen and its bubbling up nicely again!) (Nick Croft).
• (7:45-midday): 2 Little Grebe, 11 Cormorant over, Grey Heron, 6 Mute Swan, 117 Canada, 66 Mallard, 3 Tufted Duck, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Kestrel, 12 Moorhen, 74 Coot, 2 Common Gull, 4 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 1 probable Greater Black Backed Gull, 121 Back Headed Gull, 42 Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, 200+ Feral Pigeon inc a ringed racing one, 2 Ring-necked Parakeet over, 73 Swift, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Green Woodpecker, 10 Skylark, 7 House Martin, 7 Meadow Pipit, 11 Wren, 3 Robin, 2 Blackbird, Song Thrush, 33 Whitethroat, 5 Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, 13 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Coal Tit (garden), 4 Great Tit, 11 Blue Tit, Reed Bunting, 9 Greenfinch, 2 Goldfinch, Chaffinch, 32 House Sparrow, 5 Starling, 6 Jay, 70 Jackdaw, 233 Crow (J Lethbridge).

Pics - July 2010

Sedge Warbler, Wanstead Park (JLethbridge)

Pics - July 2010

Just to say the Great Crested Grebes on the Boating Lake now have TWO eggs!The duckling is still climbing on and off its mother's back and the fatheris still adding more and more "logs" and sludge to the nest...

Gillian Ware

July 19th 2010

Roding Valley Park, central:

• Woodford Bridge section:
• Common Tern on the private fishing lake again,
• 2 Goldfinches in the surrounding playing field (AHobson)

Valentines Park:

• 100+ Black Headed Gulls on the boating lake now
• Great Crested Grebe family doing well (Barbara J)

Wanstead Flats:

• After the highs of the weekend its back to the humdrum - 30+ Ring-necked Parakeet going North (JL/NC) including one group of 17,
• 100+ Black-headed Gull (50 each in 2 roosts), 12 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Herring Gull (including one that looked good for a YLG, but I couldn't make out the legs before a jogger put it up), Grey Heron (Jub),
• 3 Kestrel, f Sparrowhawk,
• 16 House Martin, 1 Swallow, c. 10 Swift,
• Stock Dove,
• 6 Green Woodpecker, Little Grebe with chicks (Alex), eclipse Shoveler (Alex),
• Meadow Pipit (one group of 10), 35 Cormorant (over) and others (44sp) (Nick-didn't even have to phone a friend-Croft).

Wanstead Old Sewage Works area:

• 3 Green Woodpecker,
• Kingfisher (heard),
• Wren, Robin, f Blackbird + juv, 4+ Song Thrush, 2 Garden Warbler, Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 4 Whitethroat, f Mallard + 6, 3 Moorhen, 5 Goldfinch, 8 Greenfinch, Chaffinch. No sign of yesterday's Sedge Warbler. (J Lethbridge)

Woodford Green:

• 18 Ring Necked Parakeets over the garden (flock of 16, and another 2) (Tony Brown)

Photos - July 2010

Common Sandpiper at Alexandra Lake, Wanstead Flats (PFerris)

July 18th 2010

Fairlop Waters:

• Grey Heron, 2 Little Egret
• Redshank, 2 Green Sandpiper, 40 Lapwing, 2 Little Ringed Plover
• 5 Little Grebe, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Shelduck, 4 Pochard, 10 Gadwall, 10 Moorhen, 11, Mute Swan, 30 Tufted Duck, 33 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 34 Greylag Geese, 35 Coot, 37 Lapwing, 39 Mallard, 121 Canada Goose (SBa)
• Fairlop Waters/Gravel Works July WEbS count:
  courtesy of Steve Bacon

Gants Hill, Roll garden:

• Sparrowhawk - Female seen roughly around 12.30pm bursting into our tree very briefly before flying away.
• Great Spotted Woodpecker x 1
• Goldfinch x 2 Greenfinches x 6
• House Sparrows x 10
• Great Tits x 5, Blue Tits x 5
• Robins x 3, Dunnock x 2
• Collared Doves x 2, Woodpigeons x 2
• Starlings x 4, Magpie x 1
• Plus our daily Pipistrelle Bat flying around back gardens late evening. (Alan Thomas)

Roding Valley Park, central:

• Common Tern on the private fishing lake
• family of Goldfinches with fledged young (AHobson)

Valentines Park:

• 2 Little Grebes (young hopefully hiding)
• 3 Great Crested Grebes on the boating Lake
• 12 Mute Swan, Greylag Goose (hybrid), 65 Canada Geese, Mallard, 1 male Shoveler (eclipse), 1 male Pochard, few Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen,
• Black Headed Gulls, 1 Common Tern,
• Feral Pigeon, 1 Stock Dove, Woodpigeons, Collared Dove
• c20 Swift
• 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker
• 2 Grey Wagtail (present for over 2 hours at least)
• Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush
• 1 male Blackcap,
• Blue Tits, Great Tits, 2 Long Tailed Tits, Starling , 8 House Sparrow, 1 Chaffinch, 2 Greenfinch, 1 Goldfinch (MCondon)

Wanstead Flats:

• ad Yellow-legged Gull with a few other gulls on playing fields on Northern Flats,
• Hobby (over Alex), Sparrowhawk, Kestrel,
• 15 House Martin,
• 2 eclipse Teal, 6 Little Grebe (2 young), fem/eclipse Shoveler, 2 Greylag (S Fisher)

Wanstead Park:

• Common Tern fishing on the Basin,
• Nick and I had not only a Sedge Warbler, but 5 Little Egrets and two Garden Warblers. And, wait for it, juvenile Sedge Warblers! We are all crap, a Sedgie, a Wanstead rarity, has managed to breed, undetected, under our very noses. (Jlethbridge)
• Reed Warbler, juv Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler (near River Roding old Sewage wks) (S Fisher)
• Sparrowhawk (juvs by Shoulder of Mutton),
• Kingfisher (twice in one day to make amends for its absence since January),
• Grass Snake (2nd reptilean tick) (Nick Croft).

Woodford Green:

• Shelduck x 1 high and south-east over garden (Tony Brown)

Pics - July 2010

Having come back to Ilford after being away for ten days and worrying how the Boating Lake Grebe family in Valentines Park were doing, I was delighted to see the chick was still there, sometimes on his mother's back, sometimes sitting beside her and sometimes swimming alone. The surprize was that this indefatigable pair had built another nest- under the same alder tree, just a few feet away from their last nest- and what's more, yet another egg had been laid! While the mother sat on the nest with the nestling, the father was still busy dragging sticks and weeds to the nest to maintain it, and also feeding the baby.

Gillian Ware

July 17th 2010

Fairlop Waters:

• 2 Buzzards (Jean Hutchins)

Roding Valley Park, north:

• Little Egret in the usual place

Valentines Park:

• Common Tern still present at the boating lake (PHopkins)
• Great Crested Grebe pr with young, and another egg on a 2nd nest! (GWare)
• I went over to Valentines Park with a friend yesterday (Saturday 17th July), specifically to try and see the Great Crested Grebe family, as I'd not seen the baby yet. We were in luck! I'm not sure how old the baby is now, but it was swimming around on its own in the water, near the nest, with Mum and Dad nearby. Mum was sitting on the nest, which I'm told is a new nest, only a few feet away from the old nest. Dad was very busy bringing new nest material back and forth, and Mum was then 'arranging' it. After a while, Mum stepped off of the nest - and we saw one egg in the nest! I didn't realise they had new families so soon after the previous one? Baby jumped onto Mum's back whilst she was in the water, so that was delightful to watch. After a while, Mum 'tipped' the baby gently back into the water, whilst she returned to sit on the egg in the nest. However, baby then crawled back onto Mum's back again, this time whilst she was on the nest. (Kathy Hartnett)

Wanstead Flats:

• Whimbrel south,
• Common Tern (S Fisher) Yellow Wagtail (S Fisher, N Croft [96/103]),
• Kingfisher (on Alex), Common Sandpiper (ditto, J Lethbridge) - later 2 birds,
• Lesser Whitethroat (juv) (JL),
• 2 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel,
• Swift passing through, Swallow (NC), Sand Martin (SF), 10+ House Martin,
• Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Meadow Pipits, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush,
• Shoveler, Tufted Duck (on Alex - SF, NC), 10 Ring-necked Parakeet, 15+ Cormorant, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Lttle Grebe and the usuals - see I told you it would be massive, even if my contribution was only the Swallow! (Nick Croft).

Wanstead Park:

• the Pochard were still on Shoulder of Mutton Pond, a Heron popped in and was later mobbed by some crows, and then of course Tawny Owls [97 tick for the Wanstead year] (Nick Croft)

Woodford Bridge: Roding Lane North:

• Green Woodpecker in the cemetary (AHobson)

July 16th 2010

Roding Valley Park, north:

• 2 Little Egret in the usual place, just north of Chigwell Road, Woodford Bridge (DEH)

Valentines Park:

• Common Tern on the Baoting Lake (PHopkins)

Wanstead Flats:

• 6.00-11:00 Another Gull day and windy, c.100 Black-headed Gull (36 in roost West of Alex, and another 26 on the extreme west of the flats), 13 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 11 Herring Gull, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 60 Cormorant over,
• 10 Greylag Goose (2 west, 8 east),
• 10 Ring Necked Parakeet,
• Grey Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtail, 14 House Martin, 4 Sand Martin,
• juv Peregrine Falcon (south and then west), 2 Sparrowhawk, 4 Kestrel (including 1 male running after his prey on the ground)
• and others up to the value of 50sp (Nick Croft) tomorrow will be massive!

July 15th 2010

Roding Valley Park, north:

• Little Egret in the usual place (DEHull)

Valentines Park:

• Mute Swan family thriving
• Great Crested Grebe pr with their 1 chick
• still no sign of the Egyptian Geese (PHopkins)

July 14th 2010

Redbridge, Keswick Gardens:

• 25 Swifts (MAW)

Valentines Park:

• Great Crested Grebes with 1 chick
• Little Grebes with 3 chicks
• no sign of the Egyptian Geese (PHopkins)

Wanstead Flats:

• (05:00-07:30):
• 2 Hobby, Sparrowhawk,
• Common Tern east,
• 23 Herring Gull and 31 Lesser Black-backed Gull in early morning roost on playing fields, 50+ Black-headed Gull, 27 Cormorant (over),
• 18 Ring Necked Parakeet,
• 15 Mistle Thrush, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush,
• 30 + Swift, 10+ House Martin... tomorrow's going to be mega
• Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail,
• Wood Pigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 2 Stock Dove,
• Also: Starling, 4 Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Little Grebe, Mute Swan, Mallard, Canada Goose, Coot, Moorhen, 5 Green Woodpecker, 2 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Wren, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit (heard to south of flats), Long-tailed Tit, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Grey Heron (Nick Croft).

Woodford Bridge, St. Judes Court:

• Green Woodpecker (AHobson)

July 13th 2010

Roding Valley Park, north:

• section north of Chigwell Road, Woodford Bridge
• Little Egret
• Sparrowhawk,
• c20 screaming Swift
• small party of Goldfinch (Alan Hobson)

Roding Valley Park, central:

• area south of Chigwell Road, Woodford Bridge, and adjoining playing fields
• 4 Song Thrushes [and a fifth singing], 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 6 Swifts, Goldfinch
• Lesser Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Black Headed Gulls (on the playing fields nearby)
• Common Tern at the private fishing lake, (great views of it catching a fish right in front of me) (Alan Hobson)

Wanstead Flats:

• (07:00-08:30)
• 22 Black-headed Gull, 8 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 1 Common Gull,
• 8 Ring-necked Parakeet,
• 6 Cormorant and not much else.
• Came back at 10:00 12 Cormorant, 1 Ring Necked Parakeet, 30 (2 juv) BH Gull roosting,
• 10 + House Martin and finally 4 Swift - 39sp (Nick Croft).

Wanstead Park:

• (08:30-10:00):
• Little Egret (E over Heronry),
• 2 Pochard (m&f on SoM), 13 Tufted Duck (4 SoM, 2 Her, 7 Perch),
• Moorhen with 4 chicks on Heronry,
• 3 Little Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe (ornamental waters),
• Stock Dove, Collared Dove, 7 Ring-Necked Parakeet,
• 10+ House Martin, 6 Swift,
• singing Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and a Terrapin attempting to lay eggs and about to be impounded by the Park Authorities by Perch. 39 sp. Tomorrow will be mega!! (Nick Croft).:

Epping Forest, Pole Hill: (just outside the borough)

• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Ann Sansom)

Pics - July 2010

Red Eared Terrapin in City of London Cemetery (just outside the borough)

(Paul Ferris)

male House Sparrow (and juv beneath) in South Woodford garden (PGordon)

2 Red Eared Terrapin type in Wanstead Park (Sally Hammond)

July 12th 2010

Wanstead Flats:

• (06:00-11:00): Little Egret (North east over Alex),
• 2 Egyptian Goose (for about ten minutes until a numpty spooked them, then orf west),
• Lapwing (again circling Alex before departing east),
• 27 Ring-necked Parakeet (north over Alex),
• 27 Cormorant (over), c.50 Black-headed Gull,
• 10 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 4 Common Gull, 4 Herring Gull, 1 Great Black-backed Gull (south),
• c.20 Mistle Thrush, 5 SongThrush,
• 10 House Martin, 1 Sand Martin, Swift (numbers picked up by mid-morning but fewer than in previous days),
• 7 Tufted Duck,
• 11 Green Woodpecker (including young), 5 Great Spotted Woodpecker,
• Chiffchaff, Blackcap (v. quiet), Whitethroat,
• Stock Dove, Collared Dove,
• Grey Wagtail,
• Reed Bunting,
• female Sparrowhawk carrying something smaller than a Starling this time (49 sp again) (Nick Croft)

July 11th 2010

Roding Valley Park, south:

• South Woodford Section
• Nightingale! - couldn't see it but heard it. it must have been deep in a bush/tree because i stood around for a while trying to see it and it was in full song.
• also: Blackcap, Little Egret, jay, 2 long tailed tits, 2 greenfinches, whitethroat, song thrush (PGordon)
• Redbridge section: 4 (family of) Grey Wagtail, 2 ads and juv Garden Warbler, 5 Stock Dove, Linnet, 12 Whitethroat, 30 Long-tailed Tit, 1 ad 2 juv Sparrowhawks, 15+ Swift (S Fisher)

Valentines Park:

• 4 Little Grebe (1 adult with 3 young), 3 Great Crested Grebe (pr with 1 chick) all on the boating lake
• 1 Grey Heron (baoting lake)
• 12 Mute Swans, (1 pr, with 8 cygnets still on the boating lake, 2 on Fish Pond)
• 1 hybrid Greylag, c50 Canada Geese by long water.
• pr Egyptian Geese on Boating Lake island (no sign of ducklings, but hopefully sleeping there out of sight)
• 1 male Shoveler in eclipse plumage
• Tufted Duck, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, c60 Black Headed Gulls (numbers starting to pick up)
• Feral Pigeon, 1 Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove,
• 6 Swift
• Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Green Woodpecker,
• Pied Wagtail on the Cricket pitch
• Wren, 2 Dunnock, several Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush singing in the American Wood, Blackbird, Robin, Great Tit, Blue Tits
• c15 Long Tailed Tits in the American Wood (most reported here)
• Carrion Crow, Magpie, Starling, 4 House Sparrow, 3 Chaffinch, 3 Greenfinch, 2 Goldfinch (Mike Condon)

Wanstead Flats:

• 2 Shelduck (s over Alexandra Lake),
• 1 Lapwing (circled round Alex before deciding to leave it),
• 3 Hobby (1 west, just south of Alex, 2 circling and exchanging food over Alex),
• 3 Sparrowhawk (and 1 less starling),
• Kestrel,
• 60 Cormorant, 6 Grey Heron, 21 Ring-necked Parakeet, c.50+ Black-headed Gull, 17 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Greater Black-backed Gull, 2 Common Gull, 4 Herring Gull,
• 10+ Mistle Thrush (Jono had 14 in one part of the flats), Song Thrush, Robin, Blackbird,
• 6 Green Woodpecker, 6 Greater Spotted Woodpecker,
• 2 Stock Dove, 3 Collared Dove, Wood Pigeon,
• Also: Mallard, 3 Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Wren, Dunnock, Carrion Crow, c.20+ Jackdaw, c.10 Magpie, 6 Jay, c40 Swift, 12 House Martin, Starling, Little Grebe, Coot, Moorhen, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Blue tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Pied Wagtail, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff (finally got above 50 - Nick Croft)

July 10th 2010

Fairlop Waters:

• 3 Coot nests on the fish pond
• 3 Great Crested Grebes on the boating lake
• Reed Warbler singing there too.
• 2 Green Sandpiper on the scrape, and a Little Grebe
• not much else

Wanstead Flats:

• 2 Common Tern by Alexandra Lake (JLethbridge)
• (05:00-12:00): 1 Lapwing (w at 05:15) and 2 further (w 07:15 - S. Fisher/Nick Croft),
• 115 Black-headed Gull (50 on playing fields), 10 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 6 Herring Gull, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, 75 Cormorant (over),
• 13 Mistle Thrush, Grey Heron, 27 Ring-necked Parakeet,
• 3 Sparrowhawk (including a male who grabbed the solitary juvenile Starling who had taken up residence on the south bank of Alex, and to whom I had grown quite attached... ) 3 Stock Dove and some other to make up 49sp (again! Determined to get fifty I think I've now got sun stroke and may have hallucinated calling Jono out on a false alarm for pochards, Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park:

• Common Tern by Ornamental Waters
• Little Egret there too
• New duckling brood of 3 with one female mallard,
• also: grey heron, black headed gull, black cap, Ring Necked Parakeets, jays, wrens, and other usuals. (SHammond)

Epping Forest, Pole Hill: (just outside the borough)

• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Ann Sansom)

July 9th 2010

Ilford, Ingleby Road:

• Jay with a fledged young (JCrick)

Goodmayes, Barley Lane:

• male Sparrowhawk over at 7.30pm (DEH)

South Woodford, garden:

• Sparrowhawk over at 8.30am this morning (DGordon)

Wanstead Flats:

• (07:00-11:00):
• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (S over Alexandra Lake), 6 Green Woodpecker (3 young), 12 Greater Spotted Woodpecker,
• 182 Black Headed Gull (flocks of 34, 23, 54, 14 and 22 moving s. westward), 27 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 6 Herring Gull, 3 Greater Black-backed Gull, 3 Common Gull, 45 Cormorant (over),
• well over 100 Swift over the whole flats, 11 House Martin, 4 Sand Martin, 3 Swallow,
• 3 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel,
• 5 Mistle Thrush, 5 Song Thrush, 6 Robin, 13 Magpie, 7 Jay, c.20+ Jackdaw, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Reed Bunting, 3 Stock Dove, 2 Collared Dove, Little Grebe, etc. etc. 47 species recorded (Nick Croft).

Woodford Green, Mayfield Ave:

• Swifts (few nesting pairs)
• There are a colony of jackdaws who live in the road too, nesting on the chimneypots , incessantly chattering with that lovely metallic boinging call, bickering and generally having fun. (Fiona Hulbert)

Pics - July 2010

Wanstead's most photographed.... juv Green Woodpecker

Pied Wagtail, Fairlop Waters
Great Crested Grebe Chick, Hainault Forest CP

Mallard Family, Hainault Forest

Greylag Goose head, Fairlop Waters

Canada Goose head, Fairlop Waters

pics by Sally Hammond

July 8th 2010

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 2 Teal (pr), 8 Tufted Duck
• 70 Black Headed Gull
• c120 Lapwing, 3 adult Little Ringed Plover (1 doing the broken wing routine), Green Sandpiper
• 25 Stock Dove
• family of Green Woodpecker with fledged young
• 50+ House Martin, 2 Sand Martin, 10 Swallow, c20 Swift
• singing Skylark
• several singing Song Thrush
• 3 Reed Warbler
• 30+ Goldfinch, 4 Linnet (DEH)

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• Sparrowhawk - Female seen early afternoon shooting into the midst of our tree but it was unsuccessful once again as it flew off with nothing.
• Great Spotted Woodpecker x2 (AThomas)

Wanstead Flats:

• 2 Hobby over at 4pm
• Kestrel
• 15 House Martin
• 2 male Reed Bunting (SFisher)

Wanstead Park:

• Common Tern feeding over the Basin
• 3 Coot broods on the Basin
• 1 Sand Martin (SFisher)
• at least 6 green woodpeckers - family of 4 together (3 juvs), plus 2 separate adults
• On Heronry Pond 6 new ducklings with female mallard
• On Ornamental, also 6 new ducklings with female mallard (I don't think they all nipped across from the other pond while I wasn't looking!), Moorhen on nest with at least 3 newborn chicks.
• Around ornamental: jays - including one juvenile alone, 2 cormorants, blackcap, swan parents with 4 cygnets, Great Crested Grebe, Ring Necked Parakeets, Great Spotted woodpeckers, swifts over, starlings over, magpies, carrion crows. (SHammond)

Pics - Valentines Park

Valentines Park Update - Gillian Ware

Today the chick had another solo swim before scrambling back onto his mother's back. His father was not so frenetic today- no more raft-building while I was there. I can't help thinking that the chick looks a bit like an alien...Gillian Ware

Egyptian Goose family still intact with three ducklings.

July 7th 2010

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• Egyptian Goose flew SE over the site (patch tick)
• 3 Wigeon and 3 Teal
• 8 (mostly young) Grey Herons (same thing happened last year at this time... dispersed young using the site to feed)
• c120 Lapwing, 2 Green Sandpipers, 4 adult Little Ringed Plover
• 4 Stock Dove
• Yellow Wagtail
• 4 Linnet, female Reed Bunting (DEH)

Wanstead Flats:

• (06:30-11:00):
• Whimbrel (south over Alexandra Lake), (first sighting of the year in the borough)
• Peregrine Falcon (which did a much better job of scaring the gulls than all the dog walkers - 100th site tick in 2 years for the flats and park [93 for 2010]),
• Kestrel
• 65 Cormorant, 40 + Black-headed Gull, 18 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 6 Herring Gull, 4 Common Gull, 1 Greater Black-backed Gull,
• c. 20 Mistle Thrush, 4 Song Thrush,
• 8 Ring Necked Parakeet (North),
• 10 Green Woodpecker (including 3 young), 5 Greater Spotted Woodpecker,
• 14+ House Martin in one group, greatly reduced Swift numbers,
• 4 Greylag Goose (Jubilee pond),
• 3 Stock Dove, 2 Collared dove, 16 Magpie, 4 Jay, c.20+ Jackdaw,
• Little Grebe (with 2 young on Alexandra Lake south side),
• Reed Bunting and others (49 species again) (Nick Croft)

Pics - July 2010

juvenile Green Woodpecker, Wanstad Flats (JLethbridge)

Mistle Thrush, Wanstead Flats (JLethbridge)
adult Mediterranean Gull, Wanstead Flats, July 6th (J Lethbridge)

and the Med Gull with a few Black Headed Gull, Paul Ferris

Little Grebe with her babies on Alxandra Lake, Wanstad Flats (PFerris)

House Martins STILL nestbuilding, collecting mud by Alexandra Lake, Wanstead Flats (Paul Ferris)

July 6th 2010

Five Oake Lane Scrubland:

• c100 Swifts circling high over the site
• female Kestrel and female Sparrowhawk both hunting.
• Stock Dove
• Garden Warbler, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat
• 11 Linnet, 2 Greenfinch
• singing Song Thrush
• 12 male Yellowhammer singing (that is the most recorded so far, by 1)

Valentines Park:

• Great Crested Grebe pair still have a chick (on the back)
• Egyptian Goose pair with 3 ducklings (GWare)

Wanstead Flats:

• (06:30-11:00):
• Adult Mediterranean Gull just south of Alexandra Lake in with some Black-headed Gulls roosting on the footie pitches (P Ferris, J Lethbridge, Nick Croft),
• c. 30 Black-headed Gull, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 25 Cormorant over,
• 20+ House Martin (one large group south of Long Wood), 3 Swallow, c100+ Swift (over the whole flats),
• 15 Ring Necked Parakeet (mainly over north),
• 3 Grey Heron (over Alexandra Lake at 07:00),
• 3 Stock Dove, Collared Dove,
• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (west from Alexandra Lake), 4 Greater-spotted Woodpecker, 3 Green Woodpecker,
• 5 Song Thrush, 7 Mistle Thrush,
• Blackcap, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff,
• 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel,
• c.20+ Jackdaw, 6 Jay, 6 Magpie,
• 2 Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Moorhen with 4 chicks (Alexandra Lake again),
• Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Greenfinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting, Pied Wagtail (49 sp in total) (Nick Croft)
• 4 House Martins collecting nest material by Alexandra Lake
• pr Little Grebe with 2 young (PFerris)

Woodford Green, Broadmead Estate:

• family of 5 Goldfinch this morning (DEH)

Pics - Valentines Park Grebes

just to say the Valentines' Great Crested Grebes were still in the same area on the Boating Lake today-

the baby on its mother's back and the male still madly trying to make a floating home with sticks...when not feeding the chick with tasty morsels (see pic).

ps...
Still three Egyptian Goose ducklings by "Swan Island", I'm glad to say.

July 5th 2010

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• all at Area D (South side of Painters Road)
• 2 Wigeon (an eclipse pair), 3 Teal, 6 Tufted Duck, Little Grebe,
• 2 Grey Heron
• Coot making repairs to nest for another attempt?
• c100 Black Headed Gulls, including a dead one.
• c100 Lapwing, 1 Green Sandpiper
• today I confirmed that 2 pairs of Little Ringed Plover have hatched young, The pair I located the other day, are still guarding their 3 chicks, and I found another pair have 1 juvenile bird that is already able to fly. A third pair are still on site. So all in all 10 Little Ringed Plovers today! (6 adults, 4 juveniles)
• 10 Stock Dove
• singing Skylark, fledged Pied Wagtails everywhere
• Garden Warbler singing in a bush along Painters Road
• c20 Goldfinch including fledged young, c10 Linnet including fledged young
• female Reed Bunting. (DEH)

Ilford, garden:

• woken at 4am by a singing Song Thrush in the garden (garden tick) (Barbara J)

Valentines Park:

• Egyptian Goose pair still with 3 ducklings
• Great Crested Grebe pr still have 1 chick riding on the back (GWare)

Wanstead Flats:

• (07:00-11:00)
• 15 Black Headed Gull, 6 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Herring Gull,
• m&f Sparrowhawk,
• 10 Green Woodpecker (including young), 4 Greater-spotted Woodpecker,
• Skylark, Meadow Pipit,
• Swift, 7 House Martin,
• Stock Dove, Collared Dove,
• 12 Magpie, 7 Jay, 20+ Jackdaw,
• Pied Wagtail,
• 3 Ring Necked Parakeet,
• Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush,
• Little Grebe, 2 Tufted Duck and only 3 Cormorant (Nick Croft).

Wanstead Park:

• Shoulder of Mutton - 5 Coot families, Little Grebe with 4 chicks, (and additional adult), Moorhen Family, 2 noisy Grey Heron (SHammond)
• Perch Pond - 4 Coot families
• Heronry Pond - 13 Coot pairs many with young (PFerris)

Story - Valentines Park Grebes

This morning the Valentines' Great Crested Grebes had vacated their nest for a rather unsavory island of algae on the Boating Lake.

This the male bird was trying to convert into a raft, dashing backwards and forwards with largesticks and weeds!

I was very happy to see that the chick was safely on its mother's back,although on several occasions it slid off to test out the water...
By the mid afternoon the activated boats had disturbed this refuge and thebirds were skulking nearer the shore under the trees.

ps... The Egyptian Geese still had three ducklings I am glad to say... Gillian Ware

Pics - July 2010

-1 Egptian Geese, (but still 3 in tow..)

+1 Great Crested Grebe (at long last)

(GWare)