October 31st

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• 1 Coal tit - Still present 3rd week completed.
• 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 9 Greenfinches, 10 House Sparrows, 10 Blue tits, 7 Goldfinches, 5 Chaffinches, 5 Starlings (AThomas)

Valentines Park:

• 7.10 Little Egret - finally! In the alder corridor being harrassed by crow- flew off West presumably towards Wanstead park.
• chiffchaff (calling now) and 2 parties of Long tailed tits
• field: green woodpecker,5 Egyptian Geese very loud and mobile
• Arboretum: sparrowhawk, goldcrest, 7 Ring Necked parakeets, great spotted woodpecker.
• A good way to spend my extra hour! Barbara
• 4 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe On the boating lake
• Grey Heron, 12 Mute Swan 12 (8 Juveniles, 4 Adults)
• 2 Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, 5 Egyptian Goose, Mallard, 3 Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Coot
• Black-headed Gull, 1 juv Herring Gull
• Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove
• Kingfisher - Active in the screened section of the Cranbrook cut @ 08.42 hr's
• 2 Green Woodpecker
• 2 Pied Wagtail - On Ilford cricket club field - very mobile, Grey Wagtail -Mobile on the Cranbrook cut - calling
• 2 Wren, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Great Tit, Blue Tit, 5 Long-tailed Tit, Jay, Carrion Crow, Starling, 9 House Sparrow In / on Brisbane Road hedges, 3 Chaffinch, 1 Greenfinch, 6 Goldfinch(Mike Condon)
  

Wanstead Park:

• Bullfinch (allotments) (Tim Harris).

Wanstead Flats:

• Barnacle Goose (jubilee pond) (Tim Harris).

October 30th 2010

Fairlop Waters:

• Main lake 23 cormorants, 7 mute Swan, Grey heron, 20 tufted duck, Coot, Mallard
• Gravel Island 30+ lapwings, 30 + blackheaded gulls
• Fishing lake 3 gadwall, Moorhen
• Aldbrough Hatch Eqestrian Centre 2 female phesants (CGannaway)

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• 1 Peregrine Falcon (Garden patch first!!) seen at 11.18am at first gliding over area for a couple of minutes then a couple of quick flaps before heading high up, then suddenly dive bombing at great speed down towards Gearies school probably the playground area then seen again roughly 5 to 7 minutes later being mobbed by crow after Neil Twyford confirm a raptor heading over my direction towards to my house of which I got excellent views from my back bedroom window.
• 1 Female Sparrowhawk seen at 9.20am doing a flypast over garden area.
• 1 Coal tit - Still present today and all this week - Sunday will be three weeks if it comes again tomorrow.
• 1 Male Sparrowhawk seen at 2.21pm with an unsuccessful attack crashing into our tree scattering all the birds.
• 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker - male
• 14 Greenfinches, 13 House Sparrows, 7 Goldfinches, 5 Chaffinches, 11 Blue tits, 10 Starlings, 3 Great tits, 1 Robin, 1 Woodpigeon, 1 Blackbird male, 13 Feral pigeons - Argh! (AThomas)

Hainault Forest CP:

• 32 Mallards,26 Shovelers, 7 Tufted Ducks, 1 male & 3 Female Pochards* 8 Moorhens, 4 Coots.* 5 Cormorants, 2 adult & 2 young Mute Swans.*
• 2 Green Woodpeckers, 4 Blackbirds, 2 Robins, 2 Chaffinches, Great Tit, Wren calling
  Grey Wagtail, 8 Magpies, Jackdaws flying over*
• Many Canada Geese & Black Headed Gulls
  ROOS WELL - Nuthatch calling. - Ian Shaw

Valentines Park:

• There are 3 White-Cheeked Pintails (Anas Bahamensis) on the fish pond. that have been introduced by the wardens.
• 2 Gadwall and Valentino the Mediterranean Gull on Boating Lake.
• 6 Redwing in Wilderness. (PH)

October 29th 2010

Hainault Forest:

• 46 BlackHeaded Gull, c10 Common Gull
  20 Long Tailed Tit (TL)

Wanstead Flats:

• Yellowhammer circled calling and came to rest in hawthorn in broomfield (patch tick for Tim), still around at c.11:30,
• Brambling, 20 Chaffinch, 13 Greenfinch, 3 Goldfinch, Lesser Redpoll, 7 Reed Bunting, 5 singing Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, 4 Skylark, 14 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 5 Cormorant, 200+ Starling (north west), 8 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 10+ Blackbird, 3 SongThrush, Mistle Thrush, Robin, 14+ Ring Necked Parakeet, Green and Great Spoteed Woodpecker, 3 Shoveler (1m), pr Pochard, 4 Tufted Duck (1m), Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Little Owl (h) (Tim Harris/NC).

October 28th 2010

Broadmead Estate, Woodford Green:

• Jay (not seen one here before)
• Goldfinch flying round frantically calling, seemingly looking for his potna (DEH)

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• Coal tit - Still present this am all week thus far.
  Sparrowhawk - Male seen by Tajinder at 3.24pm failed attempt at catching ablue tit. (AThomas)

Valentines Park:

• Sparrowhawk overhead being chased by a crow
• 2 jackdaws
• several parties of longtailed tits (or the same party of 5/6 following me around). They seemed to be everywhere.
• 10-12 goldfinches very active
• jay
• 2 great spotted woodpeckers, 1 quarrelling with mistle thrush
• 3 mistle thrush
• green woodpecker
• a brownish warbler (chiffchaff?) feeding in the treetops with the tits. (Barbara J)

Wanstead Flats:

• 28+ Siskin (flock of 25+ west), 11+ Reed Bunting (flock of 6+ west), 20 Chaffinch, 16 Greenfinch, 7 Goldfinch, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 6 Linnet (south), Tree Pipit (one was also seen on Monday), 25+ Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 18+ Skylark, 140 + Starling (west), 3 Redwing, 30 Fieldfare, 8 Mistle Thrush, 4 Song Thrush, 4 Coal Tit (2 by Alex, 2 woodland south end of Centre Road, 20 Long-tailed Tit, 7 Goldcrest, 3 GS Woodpecker, 6 Green Woodpecker, 23 Ring Necked Parakeet, Kestrel, 22 Jackdaw (off to the park + many more in with the gulls), Mallard (duck-disappointment) (NC)

October 27th

Claybury Park:

• Coal Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, flock of Long-tailed Tits, 3 Jays
• Roding Lane North [next to Claybury]: Mistle Thrush, Jay, around half a dozen Common Gulls, Pied Wagtail (AHobson)

Fairlop Waters:

• The conservation rangers and volunteers had a very successful, if not exhausting, day today clearing the lake island at Fairlop of bramble and Michaelmas daisy. I think we have covered about 2/3s of the island so hopefully the Lapwings will like it! We sighted ~25 Lapwings landing just as we were leaving! (Naomi Vincent)

Valentines Park:

• U3A Birding Group Walk (9.45-noon)
• 4 Little Grebes on the boating lake (2 adults, 2 first winter juveniles)
• 2 Great Crested Grebes on the boating lake (both adults, presumably the youngsta has flown the nest)
• 1 Cormorant and 1 Grey Heron both on the boating lake
• 11 Mute Swan (1 cygnet was not present today)
• Canada Geese, 2 Feral Greylag Geese
• 5 Egyptian Geese, 1 on the fish pond, and 4 pretty mobile
• Mallards, Tufted Ducks, 1 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, Coots, Moorhens,
• 1 first winter Herring Gull, 2 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 2 Common Gulls, many Black Headed Gulls, though less than yesterday, and 1 trusty Mediterranean Gull aka Valentino!
• Feral Pigeon, 1 Stock Dove on Melbourne Field, Woodpigeons, 1 COllared Dove
• Kingfisher actively feeding for over 5 mins on the fenced off section of Cranbrook Cut
• 2 Pied Wagtail on the Cricket Field, 2 Grey Wagtail (1 on Cranbrook Cut and one on the path by Fiveways Crossroads
• Wren in the Dell, many singing Robins, Dunnock, Blackbirds, few Mistle Thrush,
• Goldcrest moving along the HaHa trees down from the Cedar Tree
• Also: Great Tits, Blue Tits, 2 Jay, CarrionCrows, Magpies, several hundred Starlings, 3 House Sparrows (Hedges in Brisbane Road), 5 Chaffinch, 1 female Greenfinch, 5 Goldfinch moving along Cranbrook Cut (via Mike Condon)

Wanstead Flats:

• 200+ Starling west, 2 Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush,
• c. 700 Gull on morning roost west of Alexandra Lake (mainy Black Headed and Common Gull),
• good numbers of Wood Pigeon south tree hopping,
• Goldcrest, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, 8 Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, 6 Pochard (5m), 5 Shoveler (3m), Teal (f), 3 Gadwall (2m), Kestrel, 70 Jackdaw with Gulls, Grey Heron (NC/Steve Thorpe).

Wanstead Park:

• (09:00-11:00): 7 Little Grebe (5 Heronry), Great Crested Grebe (perch), 18 Pochard (17 Heronry), 3 Shoveler (OW), c. 40 Tufted Duck (16 OW, 2 Perch, remainder Heronry), 71 Gadwall (64 OW, 7 Perch), 18 + Goldcrest, 3 Grey Heron, 2 Lesser Redpoll, Coal Tit, Nuthatch calling in the Dell (NC/ST)

October 26th 2010

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• Coal Tit, still in the garden, (AThomas)

Valentines Park:

• Valentino the Mediterranean Gull at the boating lake (DEH)
• 3 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe (boating lake)
• Grey Heron (fish pond)
• 12 Mute Swan (pair, with 8 juv on the boating lake, pr on Fish Pond, and 1 flew low over )
• hybrid Greylag Goose, Canada Geese,
• 5 Egyptian Geese (4 grazing on the cricket field, 1 on the fish pond)
• 2 male Shoveler, 2 Pochard on the boating lake, few Tufted Ducks, Mallard, Coot and Moorhens
• Black Headed Gull numbers have increased since yesterday, 3 Common Gull
• Wood pigeons, Feral Pigeons, 1 Stock Dove on Melbourne field, Collared Dove
• Wren (dell), Dunnock, 2 Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, 1 Great Tit, few Blue Tits, 2 Jay, Carrion Crow, 160 Starling, 5 House Sparrow, 2 chaffinch, 2 Greenfinch, 2 Goldfinch (Mike Condon)

Wanstead Flats:

• 500+ Starling west,
• 220+ Fieldfare nwest, 60+ Redwing, 3 Song Thrush, 6 Mistle Thrush,
• 70 + Chaffinch, 23 Greenfinch, 8 Goldfinch, 2 Brambling, 5 Lesser Redpoll, Siskin (3 seen by Tim Harris), 4 Linnet, 3 Reed Bunting,
• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker,
• 5 Pied Wagtail, 10 Meadow Pipit, 5+ Goldcrest,
• Great Black Backed Gull, Tufted Duck, pr Shoveler, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 11 Skylark (NC/TH)

Wanstead Park:

• (brief skoot round the ponds): 5 Little Grebe (4 Heronry), Great Crested Grebe (perch), 32 Pochard (28 Heronry, 1 Perch, 3 Shoulder of Mutton), 1 Shoveler (SoM), 27 Tufted Duck (24 Heronry, 3 Perch), 8 Gadwall (Perch), Heron, 5 + Goldcrest, 5 Siskin, 10 Goldfinch, 2 Greenfinch, 2 Redwing, 6 Fieldfare, Coal Tit (NC).

Wanstead, garden:

• Wanstead, my garden (07:30-10:00): 6-8 Waxwing over west at 8.30am; also 150+ Starling, 200+ Fieldfare, 120+ Redwing, 1 Mistle Thrush, 80+ Chaffinch. 20+ Greenfinch, 15 Goldfinch, 1 Brambling, - all headed west and north-west (J Lethbridge).

October 25th 2010

Roding Valley Park:

• 5 Fieldfares, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, flock of Goldfinches, flock of Long-tailed Tits, Cormorant
• Also 2 Pied Wagtails nearby, one on Snakes Lane East and one on snakes lane west
• Kingfisher, Little Grebe, Common Gull, Goldfinch(AHobson)

South Woodford, garden:

• 1 Coal tit (new - only 1 dubious sighting in previous 7 years) feeding a lot and I managed to get within a couple of feet of it without much difficulty
• 1 Sparrowhawk (late afternoon - missing the very busy morning)
• 2 Dunnocks, 4 Woodpigeon, 2 Great tits, 2 Blue tits
• c. 10 House Sparrows, 1 Robin, 4 Carrion Crows, 4/5 Magpies, Small flock of Starlings

Valentines Park:

• 3 Little Grebe, 3 Great Crested Grebe
• Grey Heron
• 12 Mute Swan, 3 hybrid Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, 3 Egyptian Geese, Mallard, 1 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen,
• Black Headed Gulls, 1 ad Medeterranian Gull (Valentino), 10 Common Gull,
• Kingfisher in the screened off part of Cranbrook Cut
• Feral Pigeons, Woodpigeons,
• Pied Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail,
• Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Great Tit, Blue Tit, 5 Long tailed Tit, Jay, 3 Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Starling, House Sparrow, 7 Chaffinch, 3 Greenfinch, 9 Goldfinch (MCondon)

Wanstead Flats:

• (07:00-11:30): 400+ Wood Pigeon (south), Collared Dove, 250+ Fieldfare (north/north-west), 11 Redwing, 10+ Robin, 7+ Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Stonechat (broom field), 15+ Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 15+ Skylark, 40+ Chaffinch, 4 Brambling, 10 + Greenfinch, 9 Goldfinch, 13 LEsser Redpoll, 4 Linnet, 2 Reed Bunting, 3 Snipe, juv Yellow-legged Gull chasing Black Headed and Common Gull around Alex, 100 + Starling (west), 50+ Jackdaw (flocks of 40+ moving south / south-west), Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 2 Teal, 3m and 1f Shoveler, 2 Cormorant (over), Green and Great Spot Woodpecker, 4 Ring Necked Parakeet (NC and Steve Thorpe).

October WeBS counts

Fairlop area WEBS count by Steve Bacon:

• Little Grebe - 9
• Great Crested Grebe - 3
• Cormorant - 23
• Mute Swan - 9
• Greylag Geese - 4
• Canada Geese - 35
• Gadwall - 2
• Teal - 5
• Mallard - 23
• Pochard - 2
• Tufted Duck - 36
• Moorhen - 10
• Coot - 100
• Lapwing - 23
• Black Headed Gull - 78
• Common Gull - 5
• Lesser Black Backed Gull - 1

Hainault Forest CP WEbs Count by Steve Bacon:

• 4 Mute Swan
• 40 Canada Goose
• 2 Gadwall
• 28 Mallard
• 4 Shoveler
• 1 Pochard
• 10 Moorhen
• 8 Coot
• 20 Black headed Gull
• 1 Common Gull

October 24th 2010

Ashton Playing Fields, Woodford Bridge:

• Buzzard over, being attacked by Crows (2pm) (Jonathan Makengo)

Valentines Park:

• Valentino the Medeterranean Gull hiding amongst the every increasing number of other gulls (PHopkins)
• 3 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Cormorant, Grey Heron
• 12 Mute Swan, Canada Geese, 1 hybrid Greylag Goose, 5 Egyptian Geese (4 grazing on the cricket field, 1 on the fish pond), Mallard, Tufted Duck, 2 Pochard, Coot, Moorhen
• Black Headed Gulls, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeons,
• 1 Grey Wagtail on Cranbrook Cut, then along Long Water.
• Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Robin
• 1 Goldcrest mocving along the trees behind the cricket club,
• Also: Great Tit, Blue Tit, 3 Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, 5 House Sparrow in Brisbane Road hedges, 3 Chaffinch, 1 female Greenfinch (MCondon)

Wanstead Flats:

• (07:00-13:00): Waxwing flew up to the top of a hawthorn before diving into Long Wood, also a trilling was heard from where it had come from so there might have been 2 birds, not seen subsequently (at east end of Long Wood a.m.) (NC/Birdguides).
• Yellowhammer (actually perched in hawthorn, again east of LW), 6 Reed Bunting,
• 40+ Chaffinch (mostly singles), 10 Goldfinch, 12 Greenfinch, 9 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Linnet, 5 Siskin,
• 83 Fieldfare (west), Redwing, 13 Blackbird, 6 Song Thrush, 4 Mistle Thrush, many Robin,
• Also 2 Sparrowhawk, 6 Cormorant, 15 Meadow Pipit, 2 Grey Wagtail, 3 Pied Wagtail, Stock Dove, Collared Dove, Grey Heron, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpeacker, 5 + Goldcrest, House Sparrow, Tufted Duck (Jub), pr Shoveler (Alex), Little Grebe (NC)

Wanstead Park:

• (13:00-18:00): c10+ Firecrest west of the ornamental waters (up top of the hill where there is a line of yew in the wood), with dozens of Long Tailed Tit and some Goldcrest (8+ for the whole park), 5 Fieldfare (east), 2 Sparrowhawk, 33 Tufted Duck (4 Perch, 11 Ornamental Waters, 18 Heronry), 30 Pochard (1 P, 29 H), 35 Gadwall (ornamental), 2 Teal (orn), 9 Little Grebe (8 Heronry, 1 SoM), 6 Grey Heron (2 P, 3 orn, 1 SoM), 20 + Jackdaw, Siskin, 6 Cormorant (4 over west), 2 Ring Necekd Parakeet (NC so ticks all over)

October 23rd 2010

Five Oaks Lane Scrubland:

• 5 Pheasant (4 female together, 1 male)
• 3 Stock Dove
• Kestrel hunting
• 11 Meadow Pipit (mostly in the east field), also a striking male Stonechat there.
• late Yellow Wagtail feeding on dung pile near the stables with a few Pied Wagtails
• Green Woodpecker, flock of over 20 Long Tailed Tits, 6 singing Robins, 20+ Redwing feeding on berries then rained off! (DEH)

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• 1 Sparrowhawk over mobbed by crow.
• 1 Coal tit present once again, 12 Blue tits, 3 Great Tit
• 7 Goldfinches, 10 Greenfinches, 10 House Sparrows
• 1 Female Sparrowhawk flying from neighbours tree over my garden.
• 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (Male)
• 4 Chaffinches
• 5 Starlings
• 1 Robin
• 2 Magpies
• 1 Jackdaw over, 11 Feral Pigeons (Alan Thomas

Wanstead Flats:

• (08:00-11:30): Green Sandpiper (briefly on Alex), House Sparow, 10 Mistle Thrush, 3 Fieldfare, 7+ Redwing, 10 + Blackbird, 3 Song Thrush, many Robin, Swallow, 15+ Greenfinch, 20+ Chaffinch, 7 Goldfinch, Siskin, 4 Reed Bunting, 8 Meadow Pipit, 5 Pied Wagtail, Coal Tit (Alex on island), 3+ Goldcrest, Grey Heron, Common Gull, Green & Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Shoveler, Tufted Duck, 3 Skylark, 3 Collared Dove, 3 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk (NC / J Lethbridge).

Sparrowhawk Feasting

filmed by N. Samymathu

In an Ilford garden, 17th October 2010

October 22nd 2010

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• briefly at dusk (south side of painters road only)
• 13 Teal, 10 Shoveler, few Tufted Duck,
• Grey Heron
• 110 Lapwing, Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper
• 2m, 1f Pheasant
• 4 meadow Pipit

Roding Valley Park, central:

• 3 Jays, 2 flocks of Long-tailed Tits, flock of Goldfinches (Alan Hobson)

Wanstead Flats:

• (07:30-08:30): Lapland Bunting (pritting this time), Reed Bunting,
• 13 Chaffinch, 5 Goldfinch, 5 Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, Brambling, 11 Greenfinch, Linnet,
• 3 Fieldfare, Redwing, Song thrush,
• Sparrowhawk, 3 Pied Wagtail, 10 Meadow Pipit, 400+ Starling (west in one flock), Green & Great Spotted Woodpecker, 9 Ring Necked Parakeet, Goldcrest (in the broom fields). (NC)

Woodford, Library:

• Goldcrest (Alan Hobson)

October 21st 2010

Roding Valley Park:

• 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Jays, flock of around 8 Goldfinches, still at least 16 Mallards in one small area on the Roding, this time by the Chigwell Road footbridge. (Alan Hobson)

South Woodford:

• 1 cormorant,
• 2 Dunnock, 1 Robin
• 2 Great tit, 2 Blue tit
• Flock of House Sparrows
• 3 Woodpigeon
• 1 Starling (PGordon)

Valentines Park:

• 1 Great Crested Grebe and 1 Little Grebe on the boating lake,
• 12 Mute Swan, Canada Geese, 3 Greylag Geese (including 2 hybrid), 5 Egyptian Geese on Long Water, Mallard, 2 Shoveler, 2 Tufted DUck, Moorhen, Coot
• Black Headed Gulls, 2 Common Gull, Valentino the Mediterranean Gull!,
• Woodpigeons, Feral Pigeons, 2 Collared Dove,
• Kingfisher back in his old haunts
• Green Woodpecker
• Grey Wagtail on Cranbrook Cut
• Also: Wren, Robin, Blackbird, 5 mistle Thrush, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Starling, 4 House Sparrow along Brisbane Road, 2 Chaffinch in the wilderness (MCOndon)

Wanstead Flats:

• (07:15-11:30) (migration watching): 250+ Fieldfare (west, though some 20+ landed in Long Wood), 5 Redwing, 4 Mistle Thrush, 27 Chaffinch, 6 Greenfinch, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 4 Siskin, 13 Goldfinch, 8 Reed Bunting, 100+ Wood Pigeon (south), 7 Pied Wagtail, 13 Meadow Pipit, 30+ Skylark, 3 Goldcrest, 6 Ring Necked Parakeet, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Common Buzzard, 6 Gadwall (2 on Jub), Shoveler m (Jub) (NC)

Wanstead, garden:

• Wanstead: my garden: migration watching: 9:30-11:30: f Sparrowhawk, Pied Wagtail, 56 Fieldfare w, 2 Goldfinch, 3 Chaffinch, 14 Greenfinch (JL)

October 20th 2010

Claybury Park:

• Pair of Nuthatches, small flock of Coal Tits, plus another Coal Tit in a different part of the park in a mixed tit flock, several Long-tailed Tits as part of the mixed tit flock,
  2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Jays (Alan Hobson)

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• Coal Tit in the garden (AThomas)

Valentines Park:

• Kingfisher back and forth across boating lake 10am (BarbaraJ)
• Weather: Clear becoming mostly clear, Wind 2908/08KT, Cloud becoming FEW0045, Temp +04* / +08*, DP +01*, RH 80%, Qn1018, ground hard with small number of frost pockets
• 3 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Cormorant, on the boating lake
• Grey Heron on the fish pond
• 12 Mute Swan (family with all 8 cygnets on the boating lake, additional pair on the fishpond)
• 2 hybrid Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, 5 Egyptian Geese, (1 loner on Long Water, pr on Fish Pond, pr on Boating Lake)
• Mallard, 3 male Pochard, few Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen
• Black Headed Gulls, 2 COmmon Gulls, Mediterranean Gull (Valentino),
• Kestrel heading south over the park at 10.15am
• Feral Pigeons, Woodpigeon, 2 Collared Dove by the Mansion,
• Kingfisher perched in the closed of section of Cranbrook Cut (for at least 2 hours!)
• Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail (Cranbrook Cut), Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush
• 3 Coal Tit, and 2 Goldcrest in the pine tree near Woodland Corridor (with Blue Tits, Great Tits)
• up to 30 Long Tailed Tits moving through the Dell
• Also: Jay, Magpie, 2 Jackdaw (nr fish pond), Carrion Crow, Starling, 3 House Sparrow (brisbane Road hedges), 4 Chaffinch, 2 Greenfinch, 4 Goldfinch (Mike Condon & U3A Birding Group)

Wanstead Flats:

• Wanstead Flats (07:00-11:30) migration watching: (mostly west/north west): Rock Pipit (flushed from Alexandra Lake at @11:00 called repeatedly then flew north, woha patch tick 116:130), 7 + Meadow Pipit, 6 Pied Wagtail,
• Lapland Bunting (heard briefly in flight over Long Wood), 2 Yellowhammer (north), 5 Reed Bunting (3 in broom fields),
• 138 + Fieldfare (west), 12 Redwing (w), 10 + Blackbird, 3 Song Thrush, 8 Mistle Thrush,
• 19 Chaffinch, 1 Brambling (h), 3 Lesser Redpoll, Linnet, 7 Goldfinch, 4 Greenfinch,
• Also: 28 Jackdaw (south), 10 + Skylark, 8 Ring Necked Parakeet (n), 1 Collared Dove, 3 Mute Swan, 4 Mallard (over), others including 5 Goldcrest (Scrub north of Long Wood), Grey Heron, Chiffchaff, f Blackcap, tree climbing rats - no Great Spotted Woodpecker, Long Tailed Tit or any birds of prey (NC)

Wanstead Park:

• Wanstead Park: c 4+ Goldcrest, 40 Fieldfare (west), 5 Little Grebe (SoM and Heronry), 19 Tufted Duck (mostly Heronry), 30 + Pochard (again mostly on Heronry), 1 Gadwall (south end of ornamental waters), 2 Pid Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher (Perch), 2 Cormorant (Perch), Grey Heron, 2 Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Green Woodpecker (NC)

Wanstead, Windsor Road:

• Wanstead (my garden): migration watching 7-8am: 8 Mistle Thrush, 8 Chaffinch, 11 Greenfinch, 6 Goldfinch (J Lethbridge)

October 19th 2010

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• Coal Tit still feeding in the garden (AThomas)

Valentines Park:

• 5 Egyptian Geese on Long Water (DEH)

Wanstead Flats:

• (07:00-11:30) migration: (mostly north/north west):
• 2 Yellowhammer (1 SE, 1 SW), 3 Reed Bunting,
• 46 Chaffinch, 22 Greenfinch, 2 Siskin, 6 Goldfinch, Linnet, 10 Lesser Redpoll, Brambling,
• 26 Meadow Pipit, 9 Pied Wagtail, 20 + Skylark,
• 4 Song Thrush, 2 Redwing, 20 Blackbird, 6 Mistle Thrush,
• Also: 4 Mallard, 2 Mute Swan, Stock Dove, Collared Dove, c.100+ Wood Pigeon, 2 Cormorant, 4 Ring Necked Parakeet, 2 Kestrel... while on the deck... 3 Goldcrest, Long Tailed Tit, Common Gull, 1 (red ringed) Herring Gull, 8 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, Sparrowhawk and stuff (NC)

October 18th 2010

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• Coal Tit still feeding in the garden (AThomas)

Ray Park:

• 26 Black Headed Gulls,
• 4 Pied Wagtails (TLachhar)

Roding Valley Park, Central:

• Green Woodpecker, flock of Long-tailed Tits, plus at least 25 Mallards on one little stretch of the river by the road bridge [I have never seen so many Mallards on one stretch of the Roding in the decade I have been here].
• Redbridge Lakes: Grey Heron, 2 Pied Wagtails, and at least 6 Moorhens and 3 Coots (not a bad rate of colonisation given that the lakes weren't even there two years ago).
• Playing Fields: 2 Pied Wagtails, Song Thrush (ALan Hobson)

South Woodford, Garden:

• 1 Great spotted woodpecker - first since January!
• 1 Collared dove 3 Woodpigeon
• c. 10 house sparrows
• 1 Robin, 2 Great tit, 2 Blue tit, c. 15 starlings on nearby houses, 2 Carrion Crows and two very fat squirrels who have demolished the peanut feeder. (PGordon)

Valentines Park:

• Valentino the Mediterranean Gull showing well in the afternoon (PHopkins)

Wanstead, Wanstead High Road:

• 10 Ring Necked Parakeet over at 8.30 (PHopkins)

Wanstead Flats:

• October 18th: Wanstead Flats (07:00-11:30) visible migrationmostly north/north west:
• Lapland Bunting (NE),
• 200 + Chaffinch,19+ Greenfinch, 6 Siskin, 4 Lesser Redpoll, 10 Linnet, 14 Goldfinch, 7+ Brambling,
• Reed Bunting,
• 20+ Skylark, 20 + Meadow Pipit, 12 Pied Wagtail, 4 Grey Wagtail,
• 3 Fieldfare, Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, 20+ Blackbird, 15+ Mistle Thrush,
• Chiffchaff, 4 Goldcrest,
• 2 Swallow (south-east),
• 10 Ring Necked Parakeet, 3 Gadwall (south), 2 Shoveler, Pochard, Stock Dove, Collared Dove, c.200 Wood Pigeon, Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk etc (51sp NC/Sally Hammond).

October 17th 2010

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• Coal Tit still present feeding in the garden (A Thomas)

Wanstead Flats:

• (07:00-11:30):migration (mostly north/west) - 262 Chaffinch, 4 Lesser Redpoll, 31 Siskin (north), 10 Linnet, 12 Brambling (north), 9 Goldfinch, 15 Greenfinch,
• 8 Reed Bunting,
• 3 House Martin (east),
• 31 Meadow Pipit, 5 Grey Wagtail, 5 Pied Wagtail,
• 32 Redwing, 47 Fieldfare, 16 Song Thrush, 5 Mistle Thrush,
• 650 Starling, 83+ Wood Pigeon, 2 Stock Dove, Collared Dove, 52 Skylark, 70+ Jackdaw (west),
• 2 Snipe (flushed from broom fields twice),
• Great Spotted & Green Woodpecker, Ring Necked Parakeet, 2 Kestrel, 3 Sparrowhawk, 4 Greylag Goose, Shoveler, Chiffchaff (edge of Alex), 16 Cormorant, Little Owl, many Common Gull, and bits'n'bobs (52+ sp Stuart Fisher/Marco Johnston/NC)

Wanstead Park:

• Nuthatch, calling south side of Heronry
• 2 Kingfisher on the same branch east of Rookery Island
• 36 Pochard, 48 Gadwall (Ornamental Waters) (Tim Harris)
• Black Kite nw 1600 (Paul Davies)

October 16th 2010

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• Little Owl calling from near Aldborough Hatch Riding School,
• 4 Little Grebe, c30 Teal, 10 Pochard, 10 Tufted Duck, few Mallard, Coot & Moorhen,
• 27 Lapwing, 2 Green Sandpiper, 6 Snipe (3 each side of Painters Road),
• 6 Pheasant (5m and 1f),
• Also: Stock Dove, 4 Cormorant, Grey Heron, 6 Meadow Pipit, c10 Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, c30 Linnet, Reed Bunting calling, flock of about 15 Long Tailed Tit with 2 Chaffinch tagging along, 2 Jackdaws with the Carrion Crows, Green Woodpecker.

Fairlop Waters:

• flock of 18 Linnet near the car park (main entrance) (DEH)

Five Oaks Lane Scrubland:

• 2 Firecrest singing and feeding in the hawthorn wood, (for rough directions please email me).
• Little Owl in his usual day roost near the stables at the south end.
• 3 Stock Dove (over east), 11 Jackdaw (over), Great Spotted Woodpecker,
• 7 Meadow Pipit (east field), 3 Stonechat (1 male in the circle field, 2 juveniles in the east field on a bush no further away from me than 3 or 4m, i actually had to move further away to get focuses in teh binoculars!), 2 Skylark (over),
• 21 Redwing feeding on the berries (i expect there were many more, i counted those that were flushed from the bishes nearest the paths as i walked by). 3+ Goldcrest in a tit flock, 1 Chaffinch, 2 Goldfinch, 3 Reed Bunting.

Gants Hill, R0ll Gardens:

• Great Spotted Woodpecker,
• Coal Tit (present for most of the day),
• 1 female Sparrowhawk surveying the area 10am,
• 2 Mute Swan over (possibly landed in Gearies School,
• Also: 5 Chaffinch, 5 Goldfinch, 17 Greenfinch, 14 House Sparrow, 10 Blue Tit, 4 Great Tit, 4 Starling, Robin, female Blackbird, Magpie, Woodpigeon, 14 Feral Pigeons (AThomas)

Roding Valley Park, Central:

• Kingfisher, Jay (Alan Hobson/Janet Parkin)

Valentines Park:

• Black-headed gulls (lots), Common gulls (at least 6 on boating lake, 1 on fish lake), Lesser black-backed gull (1 on fish lake), Mediterranean Gull,
• Canada geese, Egyptian geese (3 on fish lake), Hybrid greylag (fish lake), Cormorants (2 - boating lake), Great crested grebe (3 - boating lake), Little grebe (3 - boating lake), Grey heron (1 - boating lake), Mallards, Tufted duck, Shoveler (1 - fish lake), Coots, Moorhens,
• Carrion crows, magpies, starlings, wood pigeons, feral pigeons, Robin (1 seen - lots of others heard), Blue tit, Great tit, Wren, Pied wagtail (2), Mistle thrush (Madeleine Sevoir)

Wanstead Flats:

• (07:30-10:00): Brambling, Siskin (S Fisher), Yellowhammer (over south - SF/NC - yay patch tick) 11 Lesser Redpoll, 20+ Greenfinch, 11 Chaffinch, Linnet, 2 Reed Bunting, 4 Goldfinch, 42 + Fieldfare (flock going west), Redwing, Song Thrush, a number of migrant Blackbird, many Robin, 20+ Mistle Thrush, 20+ Meadow Pipit, 5 Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Chiffchaff, male Blackcap, Goldcrest, 20+ Skylark, f Shoveler, f Teal, Little Grebe, Green & Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 House Sparrow, 2 Large flocks of Long Tailed Tit, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and t'others (SF/NC)

Wanstead Park:

• c 10+ Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff, Kingfisher (heronry), 2 Sparrowhawk, 3 Siskin, 1 Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, 20 Fieldfare (north), Redwing, Mistle Thrush, 3 Song Thrush, 3 Grey Heron, 57 Gadwall (all ornamental waters), 33 Tufted Duck, 1 m Teal, 2 Shoveler, 25 Pochard (heronry), 5 + Little Grebe, 4 large flock Long Tailed Tit, Skylark (south over plain), and some others (SF/NC)

Woodford Green:

• 50+ Redwing over (Tony Brown)

October 15th

Knighton Woods:

• (short visit 3.15-4pm) -6 Mandarin on the largest pond (4 male, 2 female), others probably out of sight,
• also: Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Redwing (over), 3 Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Nuthatch, 3 Jay (Daniel Erickson-Hull)

Ray Park:

• 30 Black Headed Gull in the flock now (TLachhar)

Valentines Park:

• 1pm-2.15pm, Weather: cloudy, 13C)
• Quick blast around the lakes to find Valentino (Mediterranean Gull)
• 4 Little Grebe and 3 Great Crested Grebe on the boating lake, also 4 Cormorant there, and 1 Grey Heron on the Fish Pond
• 13 Mute Swan, (pair with all 8 cygnets on the boating lake, including the one with the damaged wing, 3 adult birds on Fish Pond), Canada Geese, 3 Feral/Hybrid Greylag Geese, 5 Egyptian Geese (a pair on Fish Pond, 3 on Long Water), Mallard, Tufted Duck, 3 eclipse plumage male Shoveler on the Fish pond, 4 Pochard on the boating lake (3m, 1f) Moorhen, Coot
• Lots of Black Headed Gull, with Valentino the Mediterranean Gull near the boating lake island, also 3 Common Gulls
• Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon
• Kingfisher flew north to south by the boating lake island
• Green Woodpecker on the woodland corridor
• 5 Pied Wagtail on the Melbourne field, Grey Wagtail on Cranbrook cut,
• Wren, 3 Mistle Thrush, Blackbirds, 2 Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, 2 Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow, 6 Chaffinch (Mike Condon)

Wanstead, Windsor Road:

• flock of 80 Redwing over early a.m. (JLethbridge)

October 14th 2010

Grange Hill, Long Gardens:

• Coal Tit has been a regular visitor for 2 weeks now to the garden
• Sparrowhawk (IShaw)

Valentines Park:

• 12.30-2.30pm (Weather: Cloudy, liught drizzle, 11C, ground hard but damp)
• 2 Little Grebe & 2 Great Crested Grebe on the boating lake
• 12 Mute Swans (pr with 7 cygnets on the boating lake, another adult was also present, until the family of 9 chased it off, when it oved over the the fish pond, where it joined the other pair.
• 3 Greylag Geese including 2 hybrid birds, many Canada Geese, 4 Egyptian Geese (2 on Long Water and 2 grazing)
• Mallard & Tufted Duck, 2 male (eclipse plumage) Shoveler (1 on each lake), 3 Pochard (2m 1f on the boating lake), Moorhen, Coot,
• Black Headed Gull flock probably included the Mediterranean Gull, but he could not be located due to the number of people feeding the gulls, there were 3 Common Gulls however (2 adult, 1 first winter)
• Feral Pigeon, 1 Stock Dove, Woodpigeons, 2 Collared Doves
• 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker (1 being driven off by a crow)
• 5 Pied Wagtail on Melbourne field, 1 Grey Wagtail on Cranbrook Cut,
• Wren, Dunnock (in the Dell), 5 Mistle Thrush, Robin, Blackbird,
• Blue Tit, Great Tit, 8 Long Tailed Tit, Carrion Crow, Starling, 3 House Sparrow (Brisbane Road Hedges), 5 Chaffinch, 4 Greenfinch (2m, 2f), 3 Goldfinch (Mike Condon)

Wanstead Flats:

• (07:00-10:00): Brambling, 28+ Chaffinch, Lesser Redpoll, 5 Goldfinch, 9 Greenfinch, 5 Reed Bunting,
• 5 Redwing, 8+ Blackbird, 4 Song Thrush, 13 Mistle Thrush, many Robin,
• 6 Meadow Pipit, 8 Pied Wagtail,
• 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, c.100 + Long Tailed Tit,
• 2 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall and not much else bar the usuals (NC)

Wanstead Park:

• c 10+ Goldcrest, 3 Chiffchaff,
• c.200-300 Long Tailed Tit, 2 Coal Tit,
• 47 Gadwall (all bar 2 on the ornamental waters), pr Teal, 31 Tufted Duck, c. 20 Pochard,
• 4 Grey Wagtail, 1 Pied Wagtail,
• 4 Cormorant, 3 Sparrowhawk, 30 + Blackbird, 1 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, many Robin, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Grey Heron, 12 + Ring Necked Parakeet and some other stuff (NC) :

October 13th 2010

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• Coal Tit in the garden again (4th day )(Alan Thomas)

Knighton Woods:

• popped down briefly at lunchtime to see if any Mandarin had returned to the pond, and was delighted to find 14 (10 males, and 4 females), all making a lot of noise
• 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
• Tit flock included 4 Nuthatch, 2 Coal Tit, 4+ Goldcrest with the Blue Tits, Great Tits and Long Taield Tits.
• 1 Redwing (DEH)

Valentines Park:

• Valentino is back today! (PHopkins)
• (Valentino is the Mediterranean Gull that spends every winter in Valentines Park after summering in Belgium. Look out for him among the gull flock on or around the boating lake... he has no black wing tips, and 2 rings on his leg!) This is his 11th consecutive winter arrival in the park!
• Also: 3.45-5.30ish: 3 Little Grebe, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Grey Heron on the boating lake,
• 11 Mute Swan (1 pr with 7, 1 additional pair), 5 Egyptian Geese (3 on Lond Water, 2 grazing on the cricket pitch), Canada Geese, 3 Greylag Geese (including 2 hybrid), 3 Pochard, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coor, Moorhen,
• Black Headed Gulls, 2 Lesser Black Backed Gulls, 1 Common Gull,
• 1 Stock Dove, Feral Pigeons, Woodpigeons, 7 Collared Dove (fish pond island),
• 6 Pied Wagtail on South Parkland field, Grey Wagtail on Cranbrook Cut,
• Wren, Dunnock, Robin, 5 Blackbird, 6 Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush,
• 2 Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, 5 Long Tailed Tit, Jay, Magpies, 6 Jackdaw, Carrion Crows, c50-70 Starlings, 9 House Sparrow along Brisbane Road Hedges, 6 Chaffinch, 4 Greenfinch, 9 Goldfinch, (Mike Condon)

Wanstead Flats:

• (07:00-11:30): After the action of the last week or so a very quiet day - 6 Shoveler (alex, 4m/3f), 5 Gadwall (3m/2f), Teal (TH), Little Grebe,
• Grey Wagtail (Alex - TH), 21 + Meadow Pipit, 3 Pied Wagtail,
• 8+ Song Thrush, 7+ Blackbird, 7 Redwing, 14 Mistle Thrush, many Robin,
• 10 Chaffinch, 5 Linnet, Goldfinch, 4 Greenfinch, 6 Reed Bunting (3 feeding with Mipits east end of Long Wood),
• Also: 4 Skylark, 17 Ring Necked Parakeet, 4 Grey Heron, 2 Cormorant, 3 Chiffchaff, m Blackcap (TH), Goldcrest, juv Sparrowhawk, and other things (NC/Tim Harris)

Wanstead Park:

• Not much better here! 4 calling Goldcrest (cemetry, Heronry, 2 Shoulder of Mutton), 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Coal Tit (2 old sewage works), 20 + Long Tailed Tit, 4 Redwing, 13+ Blackbird, Song Thrush, many Robin, 2 Mistle Thrush, 8 Chaffinch, 3 Linnet, Greenfinch, Reed Bunting, many Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 8 Ring Necked Parakeet, 2 Grey Heron, 16 Tufted Duck (8 Perch, 7 + 1 hybrid Heronry, 1 SoM), f Shoveler, 1 Gadwall, 17 Pochard (Heronry), 8 Little Grebe (6 Heronry, 2 SoM), and others (NC/TH)

October 12th 2010

Claybury Park:

• 4 Treecreepers, pair of Nuthatch,
• up to 5 Great Spotted Woodpeckers (one may have been the same one twice),
• at least 3 Jays,
• (late afternoon, obviously late afternoon is good for seeing Nuthatches and Treecreepers!) (Alan Hobson)

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• Coal Tit in the garden for the 3rd day in a row (AThomas)

Valentines Park:

• Boating Lake: 3 male Shoveler, 2 Pochard (pr), Tufted Duck (3m, 1f) 5 Little Grebe, juv Great Crested Grebe, 3 Cormorant, Moorhen family with 3 juvenile, 2 lesser black backed gulls with black headed flock
• 3 Egyptian Geese: pair flying round, and another solitary bird.
• Park: Coal Tit in mixed tit flock (only 2nd park sighting for me), 1 Redwing, very large flock of woodpigeons (counted 130 and gave up!) feeding in the grass, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 very vocal Jackdaw, Chaffinch, 2 Goldfinch
• Introduced Ducks: 6 Wood Duck, 2 beautiful m Mandarin, and 3 Muscovy Ducks (Barbara J)
• Coal Tit still heard calling in the conifer tree near Bethel Avenue at 3.30 and again at 4.30 (DEH)

Wanstead Flats:

• (06:30-11:30):a lot of probable juvenile Goldcrests in the form of 1 Ring Ouzel (broom fields), 50+ Redwing, 20+ Blackbird, 30+Song Thrush, 16 Mistle Thrush,
• 5 Brambling (over north), 70+ Chaffinch, 11 Goldfinch, 20+ Greenfinch, 7 Lesser Redpoll, 12 Linnet, Siskin, 11 Reed Bunting,
• 40+ Meadow Pipit, 20 Pied Wagtail, 40+ Skylark (14 in one flock),
• 3 f Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 6 Goldcrest,
• 100 + Jackdaw (residents plus flocks of 50, 6, 32 going southwest),
• 2 Cormorant, 4 Greylag Goose, f Teal, 10 Ring Necked Parakeet, 7 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 10 Green Woodpecker, southerly movement of Wood Pigeon, Stock Dove, Collared Dove, Kestrel and some other stuff (NCroft)

October 11th 2010

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• Coal Tit, 7.15 on the feeder
• also Great Spotted Woodpecker (Alan Thomas)

Roding Valley Park, central:

• Redwing and Greenfinch in the adjacent playing fields
• Grey Heron on Redbridge Lakes (where the cafe is now up and running by the way)
• and Song Thrush and Long Tailed Tit in RVP itself. (AHobson)

South Park:

• Kingfisher (Bon Jenner)

Wanstead Flats:

• prob juv Cuckoo north,
• Fieldfare south-east
• possible Yellow-Browed Warbler with Goldcrest and Tit flock north of Long Wood where the scrub gets squeezed by Centre Road and the other one - NC/Stuart Thorpe),
• c100 Redwing, 20+ Song Thrush, juv Stonechat (scrubeast of Alexandra Lake), 10+ Mistle Thrush,
• Also 30+ Meadow Pipit, 15 Pied Wagtail, 20+ Skylark, 20+ Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Lesser Redpoll flock (north down centre road), Siskin, 5 Goldfinch, 4 Reed Bunting, 7 Swallow, 3 Grey Heron, 2 Cormorant, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrest, 4 Pochard, Green Woodpecker (no Great Spotted today!), 40+ Jackdaw etc. (Nick Croft/Stuart Thorpe)(Nick Croft).

Wanstead Park:

• Buzzard circling low over the golf course (seen from the A406 on my way to work) (DEH)

Pics - South Woodford

Was sitting in the garden this afternoon with family - lots of sparrows feeding as usual - when there was a commotion and a sparrowhawk went straight into the bush/tree that lots of the sparrows were in. This was about 1.5 metres from where I was sitting and, after my brain decided to start working, I grabbed the camera that was in front of me and stood up - the hawk then flew out right past me and over the fence - I took this pic of it flying away. Still not a great pic but will d until I finally get a good one! The surprising thing was the sparrowhawk flew right into a small garden with several people sitting in it. (PGordon)

October 10th 2010

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• BTO garden bird survey between 11am to 12pm as follows:
• 1 Coal tit - seen at 11.34am feeding back & forth for roughly 50 minutes or so
• 1 Goldcrest - seen at 11.55am briefly flying from our tree.
• 4 Blue tits, 2 Great tits, 2 Goldfinches, 10 Greenfinches, 11 House Sparrows, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Robin, 6 Feral Pigeons
• Plus in late afternoon:
• 6 Swallows seen over at 4.34pm flying through feeding.
• 2 Male Great Spotted Woodpeckers in garden feeding.
• 1 Magpie, 1 Woodpigeon
• Also 2 x Pipistrelle Bats seen from back bedroom window at 6.45pm feeding between our garden & neighbours gardens. (Alan Thomas)

Hainault Farm:

• Buzzard hunting over the field east of Hainault Road, 4pm
• put up a small group of 7 or 8 Skylark
• 2 Fieldfare with a small starling party at the roundabout (Hainault Road/Forest Road)

Ilford:

• Had a flock of about 40 Jackdaw over the garden 9am calling and heading west. (Barbara J)

Roding Valley Park, south:

• South Woodford stretch, no sign of Kingfisher today, but 2 Grey Wagtails on the river (PGordon)

South Woodford:

• Was sitting in the garden this afternoon with family - lots of sparrows feeding as usual - when there was a commotion and a Sparrowhawk went straight into the bush/tree that lots of the sparrows were in. see pic in post above (PGordon)

Valentines Park:

• 7.30-9.30am Weather: Overcast, Wind 060*/07KT 010V080 , Misty 3100m, Cloud BR OVC012///, Temp +13*, DP +13*, RH 100%, Qnh1011, ground hard but wet with dew
• 3 Little Grebe, and 2 adult Great Crested Grebe on the boating lake (no sign of the youngsta), also 3 Cormorant present
• 1 Grey Heron on the fish pond
• 11 Mute Swan, additional pair still on the fish pond, pr with 7 of their young on the boating lake, (8th cygnet either hiding, or moved on?)
• 7 Greylag Geese: 1 hybrid in the park, skein of 6 going over the park
• Canada Geese.
• 5 Egyptian Geese: A pair in the Great Cedar Tree, another pair grazing, and the singleton arround the boating lake
• 1 eclipse male Shoveler (boating lake), Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen
• Black Headed Gulls
• Woodpigeons, Feral Pigeons, 1 Stock Dove, 2 Collared Dove
• 1 Green Woodpecker
• 6 Pied Wagtail playing cricket, 2 Grey Wagtail (1 on Cranbrook Cut, the other on the southern outfall of the boating lake
• 5 Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Wren,
• 3 Goldcrest on or around the great cedar tree presenting well for 4 mins
• 1 Coal Tit moving along with a mixed Tit flock (Blue Tit, Great Tit, 7 Long tailed Tit)
• 1 Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, 7 House Sparrow on the Brisbane Road hedges, 6 Chaffinch, 2m and 1f Greenfinch, 4 adult Goldfinch (Mike Condon)

Wanstead Flats:

• m Ring Ouzel near Long Wood,
• migration: 300+ Redwing, 50 Song Thrush (largest group 11 together),
• 4 Brambling South, 43 Chaffinch, 5 Lesser Redpoll, 5 Siskin,
• 2 Swallow, 11 Pied Wagtail east, Several Skylark south combined with residents around 20.
• Also 3 Goldcrest, 2 Coal Tit, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Stonechat, 4 Linnet, 55 Jackdaw, 40 Long-tailed Tit, 12 Dunnock + usuals (S Fisher)

October 9th 2010

Roding Valley Park, south:

• 1 Kingfisher - a first. I saw it 4 times and every time I was about to take a photo it flew off.
• 1 Kestrel - the male still there, I think that's 5 weeks now so looks like he's staying.
• 1 cormorant - again on the river like a couple of weeks ago
• 2 Moorhen
• 6 Jays
• Lots of gulls, mallards, crows, magpies, tits (PGordon)

Valentines Park:

• Green woodpecker
• Grey wagtail
• f pochard
• young Great Crested Grebe - interesting views of it swimming underwater near the island where it's shallow, 4 little grebe
• 2 cormorant (Barbara J)
• possible male Merlin through

Wanstead Flats:

• Today's word is "Visimig" brought to you by the number "shed-loads" - Lapland Bunting (flew over broom fields to south),
• 2+ Bramblings through north (NC)
• 2 Ring Ouzel still present (1 around Long Wood, showing well c.12:00 on the football pitches east of centre road, second bird in scrub east of Alexandra Lake but flew off east) (Stuart Fisher/NC/Marco Johnston/Rare Bird Alert),
• 2 Stonechat, 500+ Starling, 300+ Redwing (over), 30+ Song Thrush, 10+ Blackbird, 15+ Mistle Thrush, many Robin,
• 25 + Chaffinch, Goldfinch, 20+ Greenfinch, Siskin (north), 15 Linnet (1 flock of 14),
• 2 Reed Bunting,
• 40+ Meadow Pipit, 10 Pied Wagtail, 20+ Skylark,
• 40+ Jackdaw (1 flock),
• 4 Swallow (+ mixed flock of hirundines over south flats c.70),
• 2 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk,
• 2 Gadwall, 4 Tufted Duck, 4 Pochard, Shoveler, 8 Greylag Goose, Little Grebe, 4 Chiffchaff,
• 4 Lapwing (north), Snipe (SSSI - SF),
• Also:4 Cormorant, 4 Collared Dove and the usuals (54 sp NCrotf/SFisher/MJohnson)
• RSPB NELondon Walk: 9.30-2pm:
• 8 Mute Swan, c150 Canada Geese, 9 Greylag Geese, c50 Mallard, 3 Pochard, 4 Tufted Duck, 9 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 45 Coot, c10 Moorhen, 3 Cormorant (over),
• c100 Black Headed Gull, 2 Common Gull, 3 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 1 Herring Gull
• c5 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Ring Necked Parakeet
• c20 Skylark, c20 Meadow Pipit, few Pied Wagtail
• Kestrel (male)
• 9 Redwing (over), c6 Mistle Thrush, Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens, 2 Stonechat (pr), Blue and Great Tits, c5 Greenfinch, Chaffinch, few Goldfinch 7 Siskin (twice, so possibly 14), flock of 25 Lesser Redpoll near Centre Road
• flock of 47 Jackdaw, plenty of Magpie and Carrion Crow, and a few Jay, 150+ Starling, few Feral Pigeon, lots of Woodpigeons (42 species) (DE-Hull, TLachhar, et al)

October 8th 2010

Fairlop Waters:

• 4 Green Woodpecker, Reed Bunting, Pied Wagtail, 3 Robins, Blackbird, Dunnock, 2 Collared Doves.
• 3 Little Grebes, 7 Great Crested Grebes.
• Kestrel
• 8 Swallows flying over,
• 100+ Black Headed Gulls, 3 Common Gulls, 2 Herring Gulls Several Cormorants flying over
• 20 Mallards, 8 Tufted Ducks, 4 Gadwall, Pochard, 5 Mute Swans, Grey Heron, 80+ Canada Geese
• Jay, 8 Crows, 12 Magpies (Ian Shaw)

Five Oaks Lane Scrubland:

• 8am-9am - thick fog!
• Pheasant (heard),
• Hobby through (fast), male Sparrowhawk low over the scrub then up into an Oak
• new fall of Stonechat as 3 male birds in the circle field (all different to yesterdays bird which was much more striking, however, he, along with the 3 Whinchat were not to be found)
• 1 Grey Wagtail over (south), 1 Yellow Wagtail over (east), 4 Swallow over (south)
• 2 Meadow Pipit in the east field
• Treecreeper heard (site first), also 2 Bullfinch heard
• Also: 1 Mallard (over), Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Jay, Starling, House Sparrow, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, c8 Linnet, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Collared Dove, Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Robin, Wren, 6+ Dunnock, Blackbird, Song Thrush, 20+ Long Tailed Tits in 2 flocks with many Blue and Great Tits, however no sign of any warblers! (DEH)
• Stag Red Deer

Hainault Farm:

• 2 Pheasant (1m, 1f)
• Stock Dove
• 2 Kestrel (Hainault Road)
• 41 Meadow Pipit, 28 Skylark
• Greenfinch (DEH)

Roding Valley Park, central:

• Flock of Long-tailed Tits,
• pair Greenfinches (scare these days, of course).
• Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Jay
• Also Mallard and 2 Moorhens harmoniously sharing a little island of reeds in the river. (AHobson)

Wanstead Flats:

• (06:30-11:30): Whinchat, m Stonechat (broom fields), 30+ Song Thrush, 12 + Blackbird, 8 Mistle Thrush, 1 Redwing, quite a lot of Robin really,
• possible Lapland Bunting (over, hah! couldn't see 50' over my head, all I heard was "te-u te-u prrrp", but then again I spent ten minutes trying to find the owner of a sweet warbling sub-song only to find a Dunnock, so I see no problems with that ID!),
• 13 Chaffinch, 4 Linnet, 18 Greenfinch, 4 Goldfinch, 2 Siskin,
• Lapwing (over Alexandra Lake north),
• 30+ Meadow Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail, 15+ Skylark,
• 6 Chiffchaff,
• 11 Swallow (East),
• m Teal (smart), 3 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard, Little Grebe, Grey Heron,
• 2 Ring Necked Parakeet and thems that call this home (51sp NC)

Woodford Bridge, Vicarage Road:

• pair of Mistle Thrush (AHobson)

Woodford Green, Snakes Lane East:

• flock of Long Tailed Tits (AHobson)

October 7th 2010

Five Oaks Lane Scrubland:

• 2 male Pheasant
• 2 Sparrowhawk soaring on a thermus, then being mobbed by a Raven, later 2 Raven heard calling to each other, perched in the trees in Mile Plantation. also 2 Kestrel around (1m, 1f)
• Little Owl dayroosting in the same place i saw him a few weeks ago, probably his regular haunt, i shall check there more often now!
• 2 Skylark heard going over (south), 4 Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail
• 4 Stock Dove, a few Feral Pigeon and plenty of Woodpigeons
• 3 Whinchat in the east field with a beautiful bold male Stonechat
• large Long Tailed Tit party with a few Blue Tits, Great Tits and Chaffinches
• Also: Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, House Sparrow, Starling, Jay, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Magpie, Starling, Blackbird, Robin, Wren, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, 2 Linnet
• Muntjac Deer and bizzarely a Wallaby (DEH)

Hainault Farm:

• the fields east of Hainault Road
• Kestrel
• 12 Stock Dove (that is the most i have seen here)
• female Wheatear
• c80 Meadow Pipit, probably many more as many were being flushed, but only from areas near the paths, i imagine the fields were riddled with them. 17 Skyark
• 5 Goldfinch, Song Thrush, 2 Robin, 2 Blackbird, few Jackdaw

Wanstead Flats:

• (06:30-11:30): f Stonechat (broom fields and about the only interesting passage migrant that didn't take the opportunity afforded by clear, stil night skies and naff off!).
• Today was all about finches - 45+ Chaffinch (mostly south), 18+ Greenfinch, 3 Siskin (south), 3 Goldfinch, 4 Linnet,
• 1 Reed Bunting - and about Pied Wagtail (13), 35 + Meadow Pipit,
• 18 + Blackbird, 7 Mistle Thrush, 4 Redwing, 9+ Song Thrush, many Robin,
• 7 Chiffchaff (1 singer), Goldcrest (north of Long Wood in scrub),
• 6 House Martin (half-heartedly south),
• 19 Ring Necked Parakeet,
• Tufted Duck, Teal, 3 Shoveler, 4 Pochard,
• Collared Dove, Stock Dove, 40 Jackdaw in two flocks roaming the flats (bring back the rain - NC)

Woodford Bridge, Ashton Playing Fields:

• Buzzard being mobbed by crows (Bob Abel)

October 6th 2010

Fairlop Waters:

• no Terns, but 4 Lapwing on the island, 4 Great Crested Grebes on the water, and 4 Pied Wagtails near the carpark... oh, with a Yellow Wagtail (DEH)

Wanstead Flats:

• (07:00-11:30): f Ring Ouzel east of Long Wood c.10:15 possibly some first winter birds, too difficult to see in the sheeting rain, 2 Wheatear, 1 Stonechat, 10+ Mitle Thrush, 10 + Song Thrush, and an influx of Blackbird trying to chase off the Mistle Thrushes from the berry bushes, otherwise quiet more of a duck day -
• 1 f Teal, 1 f Shoveler, 13 Gadwall, 2 Pochard, f Tufted Duck, Mallard, Mute Swan, C. Goose, Little Grebe, 5 Grey Heron,
• 6 Swallow (south),
• 4 Chiffchaff, Blackcap, possible Lesser Whitethroat knocking two stones together,
• 15+ Skylark, c.50+ Meadow Pipit, 3 Pied Wagtail, 1 Yellow Wagtail,
• Siskin, 11 Goldfinch (8 in one flock), 10+ Chaffinch, 20+ Greenfinch,
• 9 Ring Necked Parakeet, House Sparrow (group in Long Wood - unusual, and on a Wednesday),
• Sparrowhawk,
• Pipistrelle Bat (over Angel Pond first thing) (NCroft).

Forest Gate, Capel Road: just outside the borough

• 2 male Blackcaps in a Capel Road garden, other warblers also moving through with a tit flock (PFerris)

October 5th 2010

Bush Wood:

• Sparrowhawk over at 8.45am (THarris)

Clayhall, garden:

• 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker in the garden, one on the bird-feeder for 10-15 mins, the other briefly in the same tree, at just before 9.00 am. (MScott)

Fairlop Waters CP:

• 5 juv Black Tern on the boating lake, from early morning (Bob Abel), 3 Confirmed presnet early afternoon (PHart), 5 present until 5pm when flew off south (Tony Leaderman/ABell) - first Black Terns in a long time - thanks Bob!

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• breif visit to see if the Black Terns had relocated here (5pm-5.30) - they had not!
• but c40 Teal, fee Shoveler, Gadwall, Pochard, and 3 Little Grebe
• 1 Green Sandpiper
• 6 Linnet, 52 Meadow Pipit (at least),
• 1 male Kestrel, 1 female Sparrowhawk (DEH)

Newbury Park Station:

• male Sparrowhawk 5pm (DEH)

Roding Valley Park:

• 5 Cormorant including 2 on the river
• 2 flocks of Long Tailed Tit, Chiffchaff (AHobson)
• Kingfisher, Moorhen, Grey Heron (MWilson)

Valentines Park:

• 4 Little Grebe, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Cormorant on the boating lake
• 3 Greylag geese (including the hybrid), Canada Geese, 5 Egyptian Geese (4 on Long Water, 1 on the boating lake island), Mallard, Tufted Duck, 1 eclipse make Shoveler, 2 Pochard,
• 12 Mute Swan still
• Moorhen and Coots
• Black Headed Gulls, 2 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 2 Common Gull
• Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, 2 Stock Dove, 1 Collared Dove
• 1 Pied Wagtail on the cricket pitch, others flying over
• 2 Grey Wagtails, (1 on cranbrook cut, one on the boating lake, nr the outfall)
• Wren, Robin, Blackbird, 4 Mistle Thrush
• Goldcrest moving along the stream nr the fish pond
• 2 Coal Tit with mixed Tit flock (Blue Tits, Great Tits, 9 Long Tailed Tits
• 1 Jay, Magpies, Carrion Crows, Starlings, 9 House Sparrow, 2 Greenfinch, 1 Goldfinch (MCondon)

Wanstead Flats:

• 9 Meadow Pipit SE over Long Wood at 8.30am (THarris)
• (06:30-10:00):
• Ring Ouzel (in hawthorn in broom fields early doors 06:45), possible one east of Alex, f Redstart just south of Long Wood, 2 Stonechats, 1 Wheatear (all broom fields), 2 Redwing, 14+ Song Thrush, 10+ Mistle Thrush, Blackbird and many Robin,
• 3 Nuthatch (a flats mega, east end of Long Wood, in with tit flock also containing 1 Goldcrest, several Chiffs),
• c.100 Meadow Pipit, 5 Pied Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail,
• 2 Siskin (south), Lesser Redpoll (north), 10 Chaffinch, 2 Goldfinch, 5 Linnet, Greenfinch, Reed Bunting, 8+ Chiffchaff (2 singers), 3 Goldcrest, 10+ Skylark, 15 Ring Necked Parakeet, 35+ Swallow (south and east), 5 Collared Dove, 3 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, Green & Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Yellow-Legged Gull, 20+ Common Gull, 3 Grey Heron, Little Grebe, 3 Shoveler, 1 Pochard and t'others (56 sp Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe

Birding On Wanstead Flats - M Braun

Birds, birdwatching and blogging braunie: Wanstead Flats: "Just a quick stroll around Wanstead Flats this morning in search of Ring Ouzels. The Flats were busy with numerous footie games being played..."

Some Insight into our Canada Geese - Ginnette

If you'd like some news on the local Canada geese at Wanstead Park, I have some updates on one family I've observed since the were goslings. This family of two parents and six young who hatched and lived on Heronry Pond, flew that pond in August and are now with a colony of about 100 to 150 on Alexandra Pond on Wanstead Flats. I can tell the Heronry Pond family apart from others because I got to know these geese by their individual markings once all the goslings were fully feathered, and also they single me out to come toward, having recognised me from my visits to Heronry Pond, while the rest of the geese can take me or leave me (hah!). Yesterday I was back over at Heronry, and saw one lone Canada goose near the tea hut end. Walking back to the other end of Heronry, I saw three or four geese flying high overhead in a north-west direction, from the eastern side of Wanstead Park possibly heading to Hollow Ponds, it seemed like. Then I saw one goose fly back in toward the tea hut side of Heronry. Very interesting how they go from pond to pond! There's a pretty steady gaggle seemingly resident at Alex though, since August to the present time, including among them that family who hatched on Heronry. Hope that is of any use to you -- I'm not much good for other birds -- I'll leave that to you guys! -- but I've been watching my geese! - Ginnette

October 4th 2010

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• a few Cormorant fishing, 4 Grey Heron, 3 Little Grebe
• c40 Teal, c20 Pochard, c10 Tufted Duck
• 150+ Lapwing, 7 Green Sandpiper (possibly 9), 3 Snipe
• Stock Dove
• 1 striking male Wheatear
• 11 Meadow Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail, 12 Linnet, 5 Goldfinch (DEH)

Roding Valley Park, Central:

• 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Goldfinch, Pied Wagtail, 3 Common Gulls, flock of Long-tailed Tits in the surrounding playing field (AHobson)

Valentines Park:

• 2 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Cormorant (Boating lake)
• 11 Mute Swan (presumably 1 of the cygents was hiding on the island)
• Canada Geese, 5 Egyptian Geese (2 Long Water, 2 Fish Pond, 1 Boating Lake)
• Mallard, few Tufted Duck, 2 (eclipse) Shoveler (pr, on the fish pond), 2 (pr) Pochard on the boating lake, Coot, Moorhen
• lots of Black Headed Gulls
• Feral Pigeon, 2 Stock Dove, Woodpigeons,
• 6 Pied Wagtail onthe Cricket field, 2 Grey Wagtail on the southern outfall of the boating lake
• 2 Wren, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, 4 House Sparrow on Brisbane Rd hedges, 5 Chaffinch, 2 Greenfinch, 4 Goldfinch (MCondon)

Wanstead Flats:

• (06:30-10:00): Ring Ouzel (probably female, but very elusive east of Alexandra Lake in scrub), 2 Stonechat (broom fields still m/f), 6 Song Thrush, 4 Mistle Thrush, c.10+ Blackbird, many Robin,
• Lesser Whitethroat (possibly 2, scrub east of Alex), 3+ Blackcap, 6+ Chiffchaff,
• Coal Tit (east of Alex), Long Tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, 1 Lesser Redpoll over, 2 Linnet, 10+ Chaffinch, Greenfinch,
• 6 Swallow (feeding south of Long Wood), 11+ Meadow Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail, 10 + Skylark,
• 2 Grey Heron, 2 Little Grebe, 4 Shoveler (3m), 3 Gadwall, 2 Pochard, c.10+ Common Gull, c. 20 Ring Necked Parakeet (16 in one flock going north), and the usuals (48 sp Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe).

October 3rd 2010

Eagle Pond:

• 3 Jays in the Oak trees at the back of the lake tackling the acorns
• male Pochard

South Woodford:

• Sparrowhawk over A406 (JMakengo)

Valentines Park:

• 2 Little Grebe and 2 Great Crested Grebe on the boating lake, also Cormorant
• 1 Grey Heron on the Fish Pond
• 12 Mute Swan still (1 pr with 8 grown cynets, and the additional pair on the fish pond)
• 1 hybrid Greylag Goose, Canada Geese,
• 4 Egyptian Goose grazing
• Mallard, few Tufted Duck, 2 Pochard, Coot, Moorhen
• Black Headed Gulls and 1 Common Gull
• Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker
• Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, 1 Stock Dove, 1 Collared Dove
• 2 Meadow Pipit on the cricket pitch with 11 Pied Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail on Cranbrook Cut
• 1 Dunnock in the Dell, 2 Mistle Thrush, Robin, Blackbird
• 1 Goldcrest following the stream down from the fish pond waterfall (2nd time this week)
• 3 Coal Tit in a mixed-tit flock with Great Tit, Blue Tit, 8 Long Tailed Tit
• Magpie, Carrion Crow, 6 House Sparrow, 3 Chaffinch, 2 female Greenfinch, 3 Goldfinch (MCondon)
• Also: 3 Moorhen including 2 juvenile, at least 2 of the cygnets are airborne! 4 Pochard (2 prs), 2 Grey Herons (1 on each lake) 5 Egyptian Geese, 2 Jackdaw, 6 Goldfinch (Barbara J)

Wanstead Flats:

• (06:30-13:00): No conclusive sightings of Ring Ouzel but two possibles Long Wood before the kick ball crowds arrived, 2 Stonechat, 10 Mistle Thrush, 4 Song Thrush,
• m Wigeon on the Alex first thing (until 3 idiots with binoculars etc.did what a large dog had failed to do, and off it went - thanks to Marco Johnston for the spot, and I'll have another one of those patch tick thingies please, kerching! #111), Teal (Paul Ferris), 2 Gadwall, 3 Shoveler (nearly back to their pristine best), 4 Pochard,
• 1 + Yellow-legged Gull (in another early morning get together of hundreds of birds), Common Gull,
• 24 + Meadow Pipit, Tree Pipit (h SSSI, possibly one in Alex scrub) Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail,
• 9+ Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap,
• 4 Linnet over, 6 Lesser Redpoll (south), Goldfinch, Chaffinch etc.
• 3 + Skylark,
• Hobby over Alex later, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, 22+ Swallow (SE), 2 House Martin SE (54 sp NC/Marco Johnston/Steve Thorpe/Stuart Fisher)

Wanstead Park:

• 20 House Martin feeding over Heronry,
• Hobby Over (NCroft)

October 2nd 2010

Eagle Pond:

• Nr Eagle Pond this morning I saw a Kestrel and a Magpie sitting on the same post - the Magpie was irritating the Kestrel and the Kestrel flew to another post - the Magie followed and, after more squabbling, the Kestrel flew off again to another post. The same process was repeated four times before the Kestrel flew to a tree. The Magpie followed again before the Kestrel flew off.
• Also lots of Jays, Lots of Carrion Crows and Jackdaws too. Moorhens, Coots, Canada Geese, Mute Swans (with juvs), Black headed gulls & starlings. (PGordon)

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 3 Grey Heron, 13 Cormorant (mostly, if not all juvenile)
• c80 Teal, 33 Pochard, 11 Tufted Duck (including 5 juv which are still flightless), 4+ Little Grebe, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, (No Swans, Geese, Gadwall or Shoveler?)
• 97 Lapwing, 5 Snipe feeding together on the north side, (oops i just got butter on the keyboard, do not type and eat at the same time), 4 Green Sandpiper (3 south side, 1 north side)
• Stock Dove (over), 5 female Pheasant (3 south side, together, 2 north side), 2 Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker
• Kestrel
• female Sparrowhawk playing with a flock of c70 Meadow Pipit on the field to the north of the Gravel Works, also about 10 Skylark there
• 3 Swallow (over, south)
• Dunnock, 3 Linnet, Reed Bunting (heard)

Five Oaks Lane Scrubland:

• Wryneck - a huge releif for me, as i didnt venture to Wanstead Flats last week, and was regretting this as i have never seen a Wryneck before. It was in the same small tree as (but not moving along with) a tit flock, unusually eating berries (as well as insects).
• Kestrel
• 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker
• 5 Pheasant (1m, 4f, together)
• 4 Skylark (south), 7 Meadow Pipit, 1 Yellow Wagtail (south), 1 Swallow (South)
• 1 Stock Dove (over)
• flock of c100 Rook circling on a thermus, with about 50 Jackdaws, a few other Jackdaws moving east in small groups.
• Also: Dunnock, 16 Goldfinch, 3 Jay, (DEH)

Roding Valley Park, central:

• Sparrowhawk,
• 2 Swallow
• Chiffchaff
• 2 Song Thrush
• 6 Jay
• Little Egret
• Common Gull
• Flock of Long Tailed Tit
• Pied Wagtail (Alan Hobson)

Valentines Park:

• 2 Little Grebe, 3 Great Crested Grebe (2 ad, 1 juv) boating lake
• 11 Mute Swan (only 7 cygnet, i wonder if the 8th was hiding on the island?)
• 2 Hybrid Greylag Goose (1 on each lake), 2 Egyptian Geese on long water, Mallard, Tufted Ducks, 2 Pochard, Canada Geese, Moorhens, Coots.
• 1 Kestrel flying low toward Gants Hill
• nuff Black Headed Gulls
• 1 Stock Dove, Woodpigeons, Feral Pigeons, Collared Dove
• 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
• 2 Pied Wagtail on the cricket pitch, 1 Grey Wagtail on Cranbrook Cut
• Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, 2 Coal Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, 1 Jay, Starling, 8 House Sparrow (Brisbane Road), 5 Chaffinch, 5 Greenfinch, 3 Goldfinch. (MCondon)

Wanstead Flats:

• 2 Yellow Wagtail
• at least 2 Ring Ouzel in wooded area east of Alexandra Pond 10:35 at least, 3 Stonechat,
• 4 Goldcrest,
• 146+ Swallow and 153+ House Martin through,
• 3 Reed Bunting SE,
• Willow Warbler, Coal Tit
• 4 Grey Wagtail (s), 2 Pied Wagtail, 15+ Meadow Pipit, c.20 Skylark, 3 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, Grey Heron, Yellow-Legged Gull (in large evening feeding flock on the footy pitches and north of Long Wood, + Lesser Black Backed Gull, Great Black Backed Gull, Herring and Common Gull, but mainly Black Headed Gull, 10+ Chiffhcaff, 3 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat (S Fisher, Nick Croft, Tim Harris and Birdguides).

Wanstead Park:

• Short Eared Owl over early morning (NCroft) (seen a few times, lastly going off east)
• 2 Spotted Flycatchers in the Old Sewage Works (THarris)