London Birdwatching - Birdwatching in London & Redbridge Birdwatching - Birdwatching in Redbridge

WE HAVE MOVED

please note that Redbridge Birdwatching is now located at:

http://www.redbridgebirdwatching.webs.com

and London Birdwatching, our London Wide sister site is located at

http://www.londonbirdwatching.webs.com

MOVING HOME

Redbridge Birdwatching is moving home....

please check: www.redbridgebirdwatching.webs.com

From 1st April 2011 this site is now closed.

But dont worry....Following the 'scare' of me shutting down the Redbridge Birdwatching project when I started up 'London Birdwatching'... many of you requested that the site remained running due to the local community feeling of the site and the ease of checking the daily sightings, I was joyfully convinced to keep it going...

However to grow this community resource further, (keeping it local and informative), and encouraging more interaction and participation, I am moving all the information over to the new site: http://www.redbridgebirdwatching.webs.com/

the new site allows more interaction.... and the formatting does not get corrupted! This site has become increasingly hard to manage and update as it frequently gets corrunpted.

The new site is farily empty at the moment, but the daily sightings pages will be updated THERE from today (March 31st 2011). Please go to the homepage, then click 'sightings'... and over the coming days and months ALL the information on the Bird Pages will also be moved accross.

Im certain you will like the changes, but please let me know what you think...

Grey Heron family, Valentines Park - 31st March (Alex Blackman)

2 remaining chicks

mum, or dad...

March 31st 2011

please share your sightings with us:

by email: redbridgebirdwatching@hotmail.co.uk

by phone/text: 07862 140777

by posting them directly on www.londonbirdwatching.webs.com

thanks

next guided birding walk: This Sat (2nd April), 8am, Hainault Forest (email or phone to book on)

Claybury Park:

• pr Greenfinch, plus the usual commoner birds (EBarnes)

Hainault:

• a Clattering of 4 Jackdaws over this morning, and a Greenfinch in my garden (Eddie Barnes)

Roding Valley Park:

• Redbridge Birdwatching guided walk from Woodford Bridge to the northern borough boundary (and back), starting with a Latte in the lovely new cafe at Redbridge Lakes:


• pr Mute Swan on Redbridge Lakes, looking cosy but nest building is unconfirmed as yet


• at least 2 pairs of Coot and Mallard there however, and a Moorhen, also c40 Starling (8Waxwing reported there last week by the owner


• total of 16 Mallard, 3 Moorhen seen along the River


• Grey Wagtail flew upriver, and 2 Kingfisher were flushed from a probable breeding ground near Ray Park. 1 was seen again on the wa back.


• 3 Little Egret all appeared to be 1st year birds, with dull pinkish yellow feet.


• a Female Sparrowhawk was soaring above the scrubland


• 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker showed, and 2 Green Woodpecker were heard only.


• 4 Pheasant showed extremely well, one male within a yard of John Painter! (2male, 2 femal


• 8 Chiffchaff were singing, and 1 Blackcap was heard but not located


• about 25 Woodpigeon,


• c20 Black Headed Gulls over and 2 Cormorant (1 taking off from Redbridge Lakes)


• 3 Song Thrush, 1 Fieldfare (over), 4 Blackbird, 5 Wren, 6 Dunnock, 8 Robin, 4 Long Tailed Tit, 4 Great Tit, 6 Blue Tit, 2 Jackdaw, 6 Magpie, 4 Carrion Cro


• 6 Greenfinch, pr Chaffinch and 3 Goldfinch, pr Linnet near the Water Treatment centre and a male Reed Bunting there too. (Daniel Erickson-Hull et al)

Seven Kings Park:

• House Sparrow Census:


• Beddington Road entrance c15 pairs (30 birds)


• Wallington Road entrance c6 pairs (12 birds)


• 3 male Chaffinch, 3 Mistle Thrush, dunnocks singing all month (Martin Plumb)

Valentines Park:

• 1 Grey Heron chick has sadly died after falling out of the nest and getting caught in the tree, 2 chicks remain. (Simon Litt)

Wanstead Flats:

• Willow Warbler calling at SSSI (first in the borough this year), 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap


• Swallow over Alexandra Pond, 2 Sand Martin at Angel Pond


• Goldcrest, 10 Meadow Pipit, 15 Skylark, 2 Linnet, 4 Reed Bunting, 5 Ring Necked Parakeet


• 3 Little Grebe, 2 Grey Heron, Snipe


• 100s of Starling moving north (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park:

• Water Rail on Perch pond (Natalia Benajeh)


• 2 Fieldfare (OSW)


• Kingfisher


• 2 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Little Grebe


• 10+ Singing Blackcap, 10+ singing Chiffchaff


• 3 Coal Tit, 2 Linnet, Stock Dove, Sparrowhawk


• Lesser Black Backed Gull (NC/JL)

Redbridge Birdwatching Guided Walks

Here is the current list of upcoming guided birding walks in the borough.

Please BOOK by emailing redbridgebirdwatching@hotmail.co.uk, or by phone 07862 140777

You will receive confirmation of the meeting place upon booking

£1 fee (split between london birdwatching running costs/rspb)

Some walks are proving very popular, and spaces will be limited to 15 on each walk, so please book on as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

THIS WEEK:

• Saturday 2nd April, 8am-10am: Hainault Forest CP: (target birds - Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Goldcrest, Sparrowhawk, Blackcap, Swallows, Buzzard) - phone 07862 140777 or email redbridgebirdwatching@hotmail.co.uk to book your place

REST OF APRIL:

• Thursday 7th April, 8am-10am: Five Oaks Lane: (target birds - Yellowhammer, Little Owl, Reed Bunting, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Wheatear, maybe an early Whitethroat)


• Saturday 16th April, 8am-10am: Claybury Park: (target birds - Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Stock Dove, Reed Bunting)


• Thursday 21st April, 8am-10am: Fairlop Waters: (target birds - Wheatear, Whinchat, Whitethroat, Yellow Wagtail, Little Owl, Common Sandpiper, Common Tern)


• Saturday 30th April, 8am-10am: Five Oaks Lane: (target birds - Hobby, Cuckoo, Lesser Whitethroat, Yellowhammer etc)

March 30th 2011

Valentines Park:

• pr Grey Herons on nest in fir tree overhanging the Ornamental Fish Pond. (Simon Litt)


• with 3 chicks.... (Ian Cranston)... (how did we miss that?)


• 2 Little Grebe and 1 Great Crested Grebe on the boating lake


• Cormorant


• 4 Mute Swan, (2 pairs, both in the nesting process)


• Greylag Goose, 45 Canada Goose, 5 Egyptian Geese (parents now leaving chicks alone while they go flying about...), Mallard, 20 Moorhen, 130 Coot


• 120 Black Headed Gull, 4 COmmon Gull


• 2 Stock Dove, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon,


• 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker


• 2 Grey Wagtail


• 2 Dunnock, 3 Mistle Thrush, 4 Redwing, 5 Blackbird, 2 Robin


• Chiffchaff


• 4 Great Tit, 4 Blue Tit, 5 Long Tailed Tit


• 3 Magpie, 73 Carrion Crow, 50 Starling, 13 House Sparrow


• 3 Chaffinch, 3 Greenfinch (Mike Condon/U3A)

Wanstead Flats:

• Ring Ouzel and 3 Wheatear on Wanstead Flats (Jonathan Lethbridge)


• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker


• 2 Sand Martin


• Snipe


• 20 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail,


• 13 Ring Necked Parakeet


• 5 Chiffchaff, Blackcap


• 2 Redwing, Stock Dove, Sparrowhawk


• 4 Linnet, 4 Reed Bunting


• 20 Cormorant (over) (NCroft)

Wanstead Park::

• 5 Sand Martin over the Basin (JLethbridge)

Woodford Green:

• Mistle Thrush in Broadmead Estate again today (DEH)

House Sparrow Census

2011 Redbridge Birdwatching - House Sparrow Census

This post will be updated as you send in your records, please count that maximum number of House Sparrows seen/heard at any one time in your garden, park or street. Or the maximum count of stationary, perched or chirrping birds as you walk along a street.

Results already in: TOTAL - 386

E11:

• 
  
  Gordon Road: 30 (in 1 garden)


• Wanstead Park: 2

E12:

• 
  
  Wanstead Park Avenue: 20 (in 1 garden)

E18:

• Albert Road: 11


• Chigwell Road: 3 (2m, 1f at Nos. 188/190)


• Daisy Road: 2 males


• Maybrook Road: 3 males


• Mulberry Avenue: 7 (6m, 1f)


• Rose Avenue: 4 males


• Thornwood Close: 5 males


• Woodville Road: 2+ males

IG1:

• 
  
  Brisbane Road: 17 (hedge along Valentines Park)


• St. Francis Way: 10 (local colony)


• Windsor Road: 15 (using a garden to feed regularly)

IG2:

• 
  
  Aldborough Hall Equestrian Centre: present, number unknown, but local breeding colony


• Aldborough Hatch Farm: 20 (resident colony)


• 
  
  Aldborough Road North: 30 at St. Peters Church


• Horns Road: 4 (in the bushes by JD sports)


• Linton Gardens: 3


• 
  
  Roll Gardens: 19 (in 1 garden)


• Spearpoint Gardens: 30 (20 in 1 garden, 10 in another)


• St. Peters Close: 12 (regular colony)

IG3:

• 
  
  Barrington Road: 30


• 
  
  Douglas Road: 14 (using feeders in 1 garden)


• 
  
  Wallington Road: 12

IG5:

• 
  
  Ravensbourne Gardens: 12 (near Claybury Park)


• Rushden Gardens: 1 male (outisde 120)


• Wedmore Avenue: 4 (2 pairs at number 2)

IG6:

• 
  
  Beattyville Gardens: 1 male (front garden, No. 49)


• 
  
  Fairlop Waters: present around the carpark (number unknown as yet)


• 
  
  Lamerton Road: 10 (in 1 garden, with 1 Dunnock)


• 
  
  Mossford Lane: 3


• 
  
  Sunnymede Drive: 2 males (in a front garden No. 6)


• Sunnymede Drive: 14 (regular colony in rear garden, No 43)


• 
  
  Wannock Gardens: 2 (in a small garden)

IG8:

• Belgrave Terrace: none present


• Broadmead Road: 10 (east of Chartaris Road)


• Claremont Grove: 4 (2m, 2f)


• Courtland Close: 3 (2m)


• Finchingfield Avenue: 2+


• Firs Walk: none


• Links Road: none


• Mill Lane: none


• Monkhams Drive: none


• Monkhams Lane: none


• St. Albans Avenue: 9 present


• The Square: none


• Whitehall Road: none present

RM6:

• Billet Road: 4 (local colony)

Ornamental Wood Duck - Valentines Park, (Alex Blackman)

March 29th 2011

Fairlop Waters:

• 2 Little Owl in the usual place


• 60 Sand Martin, 1 House Martin (first of the year) and 1 Swallow


• 2 Lesser Black Backed Gull eating an egg that looked big enough to be a goose egg


• 2 Snipe


• Meadow Pipit, Reed Bunting, Kestrel, Linnet (Neil Twyford)

Fairlop Gravel Works:

• 2 Mute Swan (northside), no sign of nest building yet


• c30 Canada Goose and 1 Greylag Goose


• 1 Black Headed Gull


• 2 Shelduck, 40 Tufted Duck, 37 Shoveler, 2 Teal, 1 female Pochard, c10 Mallard, 8 Gadwall


• 1 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Little Grebe (including 3 trilling males)


• pr Moorhen, c15 Coot


• 3 Lapwing, 5 Green Sandpiper (south side), 5 Snipe (north side)


• Woodpigeon everywhere


• 2 Pheasant calling


• Green Woodpecker


• c40 Carrion Crow, Magpie


• 38 Fieldfare, Song Thrush singing, Blackbird, singing Dunnock, 2 Wren singing


• Greenfinch, Reed Bunting calling, Chiffchaff singing (DEH)

Roding Valley Park:

• Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff


• Great Spotted Woodpeckr


• 
  
  Redwing, 3 Song Thrush, Jay


• 
  
  2 Greenfinch (Alan Hobson)

Valentines Park:

• 
  
  1 Little Grebe and 1 Great Crested Grebe on the boating lake


• 
  
  4 Grey Heron, (2 pairs, both 'bonding' on the fish pond island... maybe breeding will occur again?)


• 
  
  4 Mute Swans, (both females now sitting on eggs!) - males chasing away Canada Geese


• 
  
  c40 Canada Geese, 5 Egyptian Geese (yes, the pr still have all 3 ducklings, now 26 days old, and the parents are both actively guarding the young


• 
  
  2 Pochard, c50 Tufted Duck, Mallard, c20 Moorhen, c150 Coot,


• 
  
  c150 Black Headed Gull,


• 
  
  Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, 3 Collared Dove, 1 Stock Dove in the big Cedar Tree


• 
  
  Pied Wagtail


• 
  
  5 Wren, 2 Dunnock, 3 Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, 7 Redwing, 3 Blackbird, 3 Robin,


• 
  
  Goldcrest nr Jacobs Well, 2 Chiffchaff


• 
  
  5 Long Tailed Tit, 5 Blue Tit, 4 Great Tit


• 
  
  Jay, 3 Magpie, c40 Carrion Crow, c60 Starling, 12 House Sparrow on Brisbane Road


• 
  
  5 Chaffinch, 3 Goldfinch, 3 Greenfinch (Mike Condon/U3A)


• 
  
  4 Stock Dove, 2 Pied Wagtail (Brandon Anderson)

Wanstead Flats:

• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker


• Buzzard (over, west)


• 
  
  Gadwall, Shoveler, Pochard on Alexandra Lake (Nick Croft)


• 
  
  probable Tree Sparrow at SSSI (SThorpe)

Wanstead Park:

• 
  
  Water Rail still on Perch Pond (Steve Thorpe)

Redbridge Birdwatching Walk to Five Oaks Lane (Sat 26th March)

Nine of us had a wonderful 2 and a half hour guided walk around Forest Farm on Five Oaks Lane, Chigwell. The hope was that we would have some good sightings of Yellowhammers.

at least 10 Meadow Pipit showed off nicely for us, doing their fancy flight displays.

There were also 4 singing skylarks on site. The surrounding farmland gave us a Pheasant and a few fly over Stock Dove. A Sparrowhawk displayed for us too.

4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers showed well, and a couple of Green Woodpeckers for good measure too. 7 singing Chiffchaffs, and at least 6 singing Song Thrush were great to hear.

Our target bird Yellowhammer did not disappoint, with excellent views, some birds flying to bushes very near where we were standing, and with at least 8 singing males, and 3 females we were all impressed with this colony.

While watching the Yellowhammers (and a lovely male Reed Bunting winging among them), a Red Kite appeared and circled our heads for a good few mins being mobbed by a Carrion Crow

He did not appear to fly off distantly, but probably remained local (2 were seen the previous day at Dagnam Park, nearby). When leaving the Red Kite, we were blessed by a very obliging Little Owl, and a flock of 10 Fieldfare and 5 Redwing were still on site.

On top of the other commoner birds and a few flyovers a great morning was had by all.. and even the text that came in about the Avocet up the road at Fairlop did not tempt us to flee the site as we were haveing such a productive morning... Next month we will be visiting the site again, and hope to be able to ADD: Whinchat, Wheatear, Swallow, House Martin, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Cuckoo and Hobby to that number... make sure you book on!

(pics by Mahinder Bhakar)

Hirundines @ Fairlop, 29th March (Neil Twyford)

Fresh in today from Afrique...

1 Swallow...

60 Sand Martins... and 1 House Martin

March 28th 2011

Claybury Park:

• Blackcap


• Mistle Thrush (while passing the corner of the park - Alan Hobson)

Fairlop Waters:

• pr of Grey Hrons nesting on the wooded island on the main lake (Alan Bell)


• 4 singing Chiffchaff, male Reed Bunting in Breeding plumage, Kestrel, Skylark, Long Tailed Tit (Eddie Barnes)

Roding Valley Park:

• 3 Chiffchaff


• 2 Long Tailed Tit (pr), Siskin (Alan Hobson)

South Woodford:

• Grey Heron oer at 9am this morning (usually over daily at 8am) so obviously hadnt heard that the clocks went forward


• Blue Tits are half way through next construction in the web cam nest box... so pics and video coming soon! (Peter Gordon)

Valentines Park:

• Chiffchaff calling (DEH)

Wanstead Flats:

• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker seen at 7am in Centre Copse (Tony Brown)


• also seen again in East Copse at 8.30am, and Centre Copse at 11am


• Green Woodpecker, great Spotted Woodpecker


• 7 Chiffchaff, 3 singing Blackcap


• 3 Linnet, 6 Reed Bunting (4m, 2f), 10 Meadow Pipit, 2 Fieldfare, Gadwall, Shoveler, Grey Heron, 2 Stock Dove, Snipe


• 16 Cormorant and Greater Black Backed Gull over (Nick Croft)

Valentines Park, Sunday 27th March - Helen McKean

Egyptian Goose

Great Spotted Woodpecker Greylag Goose

March 27th 2011

Fairlop Waters:

• 2 Little Ringed Plover


• 2 Green Sandpiper (Alan Bell)


• Also: Blue Tit, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, heard Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Feral Pigeon, 2 Great Crested grebe, Greenfinch, Green Woodpecke, Greylag Goose, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Pied Wagtail, Pochard, Robin, Starlking, Tuifted Duck, Wood Pigeon, Wren (Tony LEaderman)

Goodmayes Park:

• male Pheasant - unusual (seen yesterday in Seven Kings park) (Martin Plumb)

South Woodford:

• Kestrel seen over South Woodford on 4 occasions during the day (Peter Gordon)

Wanstead Flats:

• Red Kite and 2 Buzzard over


• 3 Sparrowhawk


• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker


• 3 Sand Martin over


• Linnet, Stock Dove, Goldcrest (Jonathan Lethbridge, Nick Croft, Stuart Fisher)

Wanstead Park:

• Little Egret on the roding


• 3 Teal on Shoulder of Mutton


• Gadwall


• Sparrowhawk


• lots of Chiffchiff and Blackcap (Carol Browne/Peter Jenkins)

Fairlop Waters - Collared Dove (Mahinder Bhakhar)

March 26th 2011

Claybury Park:

• 3 Canada Goose plus the feral Goose


• Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotte Woodpecker (including 2 mating)


• 3 Stock Dove


• 3 Chiffchaff


• pr Reed Bunting


• Nuthatch (Alan Hobson)

Fairlop Waters:

• Avocet on the boating lake Island for a few hours


• 6 Sand Martin, 1 Swallow (Alan Bell).


• Avocet seen flying off in the afternoon (Emma Charles)


• small flock of Starlings


• numerous Canada Goose, 8 Greylag Goose, 4 Mute Swan


• 8 Common Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull


• Pheasant, Kestrel


• 4 great Crested Grebe, (2 on the boating lake, 2 nesting on the fish lake)


• Moorhens, Coots, 4 Shoveler (2m, 2f), Tufted Ducks


• Wood Pigeons, Carrion Crows,


• 2 Green Woodpecker


• 1 Chiffchaff (others heard)


• Great Tit, Blue Tit, 7 Long Tailed Tit, 4 Robin, few Chaffinch, (Emma Charles)

Five Oaks Lane Scrubland, Chigwell:

• Red Kite (being mobbed by a Carrion Crow), male Sparrowhawk, Little Owl


• 3 Stock Dove, c20 Woodpigeon, 1 Feral Pigeon


• Pheasant in nearby field


• 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker


• 7 singing Chiffchaff


• 4 singing Skylark, c10 Meadow Pipit


• 3 Blackbird, 5 Redwing, 10 Fieldfare, 7 singing Song Thrush, 2 Robin, 3 Dunnock, 2 Wren,


• Long Tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch


• Carrion Crows, Jackdaw, Magpies


• 11 Yellowhammer including 8 singing males (and 3 female), male Reed Bunting singing

Roding Valley Park:

• 1 Swallow flew up river from Charlie Browns Roundabout at midday (Daniel Erickson-Hull)

Seven Kings Park:

• cock Pheasant - turned up for saturday football (Martin Plumb)

South Woodford:

• Sparrowhawk displaying high up over South Woodford, flying upward, then suddenly dropping, then repeating this again (Peter Gordon)

Wanstead Flats:

• another Lesser Spotted Woodpecker drumming in the copse by Esso (that is 3 drumming males in the area now)


• 2 Sand Martin over


• Greater Black Backed Gull over calling


• 3 singing Chiffchaff


• Snipe


• Linnet


• several Meadow Pipit and Skylark

Wanstead Park:

• 2 male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker


• 1 Blackcap (Richard Jones)


• singing Treecreeper (Dell)


• 2 singing Blackcap


• 13 singing Chiffchaff


• Siskin


• Little Egret, Kingfisher


• 7 Stock Dove, Jay (Nick Croft)

Woodford Green:

• 2 Pied Wagtail on the Green (Emma Charles)

March 25th 2011

Barkingside:

• Pied Wagtail on Fullwell Avenuve (E Barnes)

Fairlop Waters:

• Jack Snipe


• male Wheatear


• Swallow (Alan Bell)


• Little Owl


• Shoveler,


• 3+ Chiffchaff singing


• 2 Kestrel


• 4 Pheasant


• Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Green Woodpecker


• Snipe, Lapwing


• Meadow Pipit, 3 Skylark, 13 Pied Wagtail


• 3 Stock Dove


• 18 Linnet, 4 Reed Bunting (Alan Thomas/Neil Twyford)

Hainault:

• female Blackcap in a Hannover Gardens garden (Eddie Barnes)

Hainault Forest CP:

• 32 Mallard, 10 Tfted Duck, 2 Shoveler, Pochard, 2 Great Crested Grebe


• 4 Mute Swan (including 2 of las years young still...)


• Chiffchaff, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Jay, Blackbird, few Robins and Wren


• 10 Black Headed Gulls


• Jackdaws (Ian Shaw)


• Buzzard, Sparrowhawk


• Pheasant calling


• Long Tailed Tit pr nest building (Alan Thomas)

Roding Valley Park:

• Chiffchaff, Blackcap


• Great Spotted Woodpeker


• Wren (carrying nest material)


• Song Thrush


• Long Tailed Tit, 2 Greenfinch (Alan Hobson)

South Woodford:

• 2 Skylark over the garden (Samuel Bird)

Wanstead Flats:

• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker


• Snipe (Jonathan Lethbridge)

March 24th 2011

Barkingside:

• Blackcap singing in the churchyard at Trinity Church (Jan Martin-Ellis)

Claybury Park:

• 8 singing Chiffchaff
• 7 Green Woodpecker
• female Reed Bunting (Eddie Barnes)

Knighton Woods:

• 9 of us met at 8am and conducted a 2 hour walk and census around Knighton Woods:
• Grey Heron (flew over)
• 8 Mallard, 4 Moorhen (including a pr displaying) and a male Shoveler on the pond
• 9 Wood Pigeon
• 1 male Sparrowhawk on enjoying the warm weather, seen on 3 occasions
• 1 Redwing, 3 Blackbird, 5 Song Thrush including 4 singing males, one of which was with his mate, and the pr showed well for a long time), 11 Wren, Dunnock, 10 Robin,
• 1 singing Goldcrest near the car park
• 6 Long Tailed Tit, 26 Blue Tit, 11 Great Tit mostly in pairs, 5 Chaffinch
• 2 Nuthatch calling and seen briefly
• 1 singing Chiffchaff (possibly 2)
• 1 Ring Necked Parakeet (unusual for this site)
• 6 Carrion Crows, 2 Jackdaw (over), 9 Magpies and c7 Jays (4 seen together) possibly a lot more than 7 as well... Jays were definately the bird of the day making a huge amount of noise, and even 'singing'.
• 26 species in all (DEH)

Roding Valley Park:

• pr Mute Swan
• Great Spotted Woodpecker
• Chiffchaff
• 2 Greenfinch

Wanstead Flats:

• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in the copse by Esso, then back to West Copse
• singing Blackcap and Chiffchaff
• Linnet (over)
• 2 Siskin
• 4 Reed Bunting (2m, 2f)
• 4 Redwing
• 10 Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail
• 2 Stock Dove
• 2 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, 1 Gadwall, 3 Little grebe (Nick Croft)
• Buzzard over (Jonathan Lethbridge)

Wanstead Park:

• 8 Chiffchaff, 2 singing Blackcap
• Grey Wagtail
• 2 Siskin
• 5 Pochard, 5 Little grebe,
• 3 Stock Dove
• Terrapin sunning itself (Nick Croft)

Woodford Green:

• 2 Mistle Thrush on Broadmead Estate early am (DEH)
• 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming (and seen well) and a Green Woodpecker heard

March 23rd 2011

Claybury Park:

• 4 Nuthatch (2 pairs, both nest building)
• 12 Stock Dove (most i have ever seen here)
• Reed Bunting
• Chiffchaff
• 3 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
• 3 Jay, 3 Long Tailed Tit, Goldfinch, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Greenfinch
• the Feral 'snow' Goose, 2 Canada Goose, Coot (on nest, 2nd year running), (Alan Hobson)

Hainault:

• Sparrowhawk over Hannover Gnds (Eddie Barnes)

Hainault Forest CP:

• Buzzard over (Steve Bacon)

Ilford:

• 3 Jays squabbling in the trees by the Kenneth Moore Theatre in central Ilford - It was lovely to see the jays right in the town centre like that, years ago such a sighting wouldn't have been thought possible, when i first started birdwatching back in the 80s it was hard enough to see a jay in woodland, if anybody had told us we would regularly see them in urban settings like this we wouldnt have beleived it!. Made my day - (Jan Martin-Ellis)

Wanstead Flats:

• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker calling and forraging in West Copse
• 8 singing Skylark, 7 sinsing Meadow Pipit (Tim Harris)
• 6 Redwing, 4 Song Thrush,
• Lesser Redpoll, 3 Linnet, 4 Reed Bunting
• 7 Ring Necked Parakeet
• singing Chiffchaff
• 25 Mute Swan, 2 Shoveler, 3 Grey Heron, 9 Cormorant over, 2 Little Grebe
• Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft)

Guided Birding Walk - Thurs 24th, Knighton Woods, Woodford

TOMORROW MORNING!!!!!

REDBRIDGE BIRDWATCHING, GUIDED BIRDING WALK & CENSUS

KNIGHTON WOODS, WOODFORD:

8AM-10AM, THURSDAY 24TH MARCH

Come along for an early morning birding walk through this lovely remnant of Epping Forest in Woodford .

Meeting at 8am, and we will finish by 10am.

We will be doing a census of the birds in the woods, these woods are very under-reported.

Target Birds: Mandarin Duck, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Sparrowhawk, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Chiffchaffs singing now, Woodpeckers plus all the regular woodland birds.

Limited to a max of 15 people: so please BOOK today

To book your place: please email redbridgebirdwatching@hotmail.co.uk

or phone/text me on 07862 140777

(I will confirm the meeting place to you when you phone or email)

£1 fee to help raising money for local RSPB group and support the work of Redbridge Birwatching.

Mr & Mrs Al Fayed with their 3 growing ducklings (Emma Charles)

photos taken in Valentines Park, Ilford

March 22nd 2011

Aldersbrook:

• Siskin have joined the regular Lesser Redpoll on my Nijer Seed feeder (Sally Hammond)

Barkingside, Dukes Road:

• 30 Jackdaw over (Tony leaderman)

Wanstead:

• 10 Waxwing on Addison Road (Birdguides)

Wanstead Flats:

• 2 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 10 Great Spotted Woodpecker
• 2 Snipe
• 4 Redwing
• 10 Meadow Pipit, 15 Skylark
• 2 Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, 10 Goldfinch
• 4 Reed Bunting
• singing Chiffchaff in Long Wood
• 6 Ring Necked Parakeet, 2 Stock Dove
• 3 Little Grebe, 19 Mute Swan, Gadwall (Jonathan Lethbridge)
• Shoveler, Sparrowhawk, Grey Heron (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park:

• 2 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
• up to 12 singing Chiffchaff, 2 singing blackcap
• 2 Meadow Pipit,
• 7 Stock Dove
• 2 Siskin
• 2 Egyptian Goose, Shoveler, 3 Pochard, 8 Gadwall, 6 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron (Nick Croft)

Woodford Green:

• 2 Little Egret over at 6.45 am (perhaps towards the River Roding) (Tony Brown)

March 21st 2011

Claybury Park:

• quick visit this morning
• activity around the Nuthatch hole again... 2 birds present there, with a 3rd calling distantly
• Also: Wren, Stock Dove, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Eddie Barnes)

Ray Park:

• Charlie the Chaffinch has returned... attacking the wing mirrors of the cars in the car park, he was doing the same thing during breeding season last year too!
• singing Song Thrush too (Tajinder Lachhar)

Valentines Park:

• quick vist while passing through: pr Mute Swan on Long Water
• Coot sitting on eggs on Horse Pond
• Song Thrush in full song near long water, with at least 4 singing Blue Tits there too
• Pied Wagtail along Long Water
• over 50 Carrion Crows (DEH)

Wanstead Flats:

• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (East copse, JL),
• Shelduck (east), Lapwing (west),
• 2 Siskin, 3 Lesser Redpoll, 5 Reed Bunting,
• 36 Redwing, 20+ Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, c.20 Skylark, 8 Ring Necked Parakeet,
• 23 Mute Swan, 2 Pochard, 2 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 6 Greylag Goose,
• singing Chiffchaff,
• Little Grebe,
• singing Blackcap (Bush Wood - Tim Harris)

Charlie The Chaffinch - The Ray Park Vandal

Charlie The Chaffinch

Ray Park, Woodford Green.

This Chaffinch was doing the same thing last year during the breeding season... attacking the wing mirrors (thinking it is a rival male)

ps. I dont think the damage to the side of the car was caused by the Chaffinch!

pic - Tajinder Lachhar

Mute Swans at Valentines Park - Emma Charles

March 20th 2011

Barkingside, Dukes Road:

• Gooldcrest, Robin, 2 Dunnock in the garden (Tony Leaderman)

Claybury Park:

• female Reed Bunting by the lake (Jan Martin Ellis)

Fairlop Waters:

• Green Woodpecker (JMakengo)

Gants Hill, Roll Gardens:

• Sparrowhawk (Alan Thomas)

Hainault, Kesteven Close:

• Mistle Thrush and Pied Wagtail on the small communal green area (DEH)

Valentines Park:

• 2 Little Grebes both diving in the fenced off section of Cranbrook Cut
• 4 Mute Swans (2 pairs, both nest building)
• 1 hyrbid Goose, c50 Canada Goose, family of 5 Egyptian Geese
• Mallard, 3 Pochard, c50 Tufted Duck, c20 Moorhen, c150 Coot
• 150 Black Headed Gull,
• 2 Stock Dove (fish pond island), Feral Pigeons, Wood Pigeons, 2 Collared Dove
• 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker
• Grey Wagtail,
• Wren, Dunnock, 3 Mistle Thrush, 2 Song Thrush, 50 Redwing, 3 Blackbird, 2 Robin,
• 2 Goldcrest, 3 Great Tit, 4 Blue Tit, 5 Long Tailed Tit,
• Jay, 4 Magpie, Carrion Crows, Starlings, 9 House Sparrows,
• 5 Chaffinch, 3 Greenfinch, 3 Siskin, 5 Goldfinch (Mike Condon)
• In addition: Jackdaw, Mistle Thrush nest building, 7 Egyptian Goose (family of 5, plus 2 on the fish pond), 2 Herring Gull (Emma Charles)

Wanstead Flats:

• 3 Lesser-spotted Woodpecker (2 w copse, 1 n Alex),6 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Green Woodpecker, c.40 Jackdaw (flocking round Alex), 8 Redwing, Fieldfare, 5 Mistle Thrush, 2 Stock Dove, 20+ Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 5 Lesser Redpoll, 8 Chaffinch, 3 Reed Bunting, 20+ Tufted Duck, Gadwall, 24 Mute Swan, 7 Greylag Goose, 3 Little Grebe, 2 Sparrowhawk, Snipe (over north) (NC/JL): Wheatear tomorrow!

Wanstead Park:

• Lesser-spotted Woodpecker (The Dell), 5 singing Chiffchaff, Stock Dove, 5 Ring Necked Parakeet, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, 2 Gadwall, 2 Pochard, Shoveler, Water Rail (SoM), Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk, 2 Coal Tit, Goldcrest (56 sp in total - NC/JL)

Ornamental Mandarin Duck at Valentines Park (Emma Charles)

bad hair day...

...better

Grey Wagtail on the River Roding - Kevin Greives

March 19th 2011

Claybury Park:

• I took a short walk in Claybury Park... no Waxwings but i did see:


• Treecreeper


• male Blackcap, possible Chiffchaff


• singing Dunnock, 2 singing Robin


• Great Tits, Blue Tits, House Sparrows


• 2 Canada Goose on the lake accompanied by a crossbreed (white) Goose


• Mallards, 2 Coot, 2 Moorhen


• several Black Headed Gulls some with full summer plumage now (Jan Martin-Ellis)

Fairlop Waters:

• Cormorant, 9+ Common gull, 40+ Black-headed gull, 4 Mute swan, 12 + Greylag geese, Moorhen, 2 Pied wagtail, 10+ Canada geese, 2 Green woodpecker, Long-tailed tit (Brandon Anderson)

Hainault Forest:

• singing Chiffchaff


• c20 Jackdaw


• male Shoveler on the lake


• Kestrel hovering nr Romford Road (DEH)

Happy Valley:

• first singing Chiffchaff of the season here (Martin Plumb)

Ilford, Ingleby Road:

• Siskin with the usual Goldfinch flock


• Song Thrush trying to feed on the ivy berries, but having real difficulty as it only had 1 leg... no prizes for guessing what was responsible for that! (John Crick)

Penrith Park, Hainault:

• singing Goldcrest, singing Dunnock, 2 Robin, Blackbird, Chaffinch


• 20 Black Headed Gull, 5 Common Gull (DEH)

Roding Valley Park:

• pr Grey Wagtail (Kevin Grieves)

Wanstead Flats:

• Lesser-spotted Woodpecker (w copse),


• Lapwing (south east),


• 5 Stock Dove, 15 Meadow Pipit, 3 Pied Wagtail, Linnet, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 6 Reed Bunting, 3 Redwing, Goldcrest, 2-3 Sparrowhawk (50 sp - NC/TH/JL)


• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker also seen drumming in East Copse (Phillip Cliffe)

Wanstead Park:

• Greater Black Backed Gull on Heronry Lake (Natalie Benajeh)


• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Roy Woodward)


• Goshawk South East 09:20 (probable female, huge!),


• singing male Treecreeper (The Dell area),


• pair Sparrowhawk,


• male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker drumming on the plain,


• probable Water/Rock Pipit over (heard only),


• 3 Chiffchaff, 11 Stock Dove,


• 6 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, Coal Tit, 8 Song Thrush, 2+ Siskin over, 3 Goldcrest, pr Egyptian Goose,


• 4 Great-crested Grebe on The Basin,


• Pheasant (OSW/cemetry) (Stuart Fisher)

Todays Ilford Recorder

March 18th 2011

Clayhall, Ravensbourne Gardens:

• 14 Waxwing still present nr park entrance on Ravensbourne Gardens, in the rain (Eddie Barnes)
• 11 Waxwing still present at 2.30pm (Tony Leaderman)

Wanstead Flats:

• some Waxwings trilling overhead (unsure of direction, or number)
• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker drumming in West Copse at 6.40am, then flew to the small copse nr Capel Rd changing rooms
• 15 Skylark, 35 Meadow Pipit, 12 Lesser Redpoll, Linnet, Siskin, 3 Reed Bunting
• Water Pipit on the shore of Alexandra Lake for 10 mins or so, then flew into scrubland
• 4 Redwing, 8 Fieledfare, 3 Song Thrush, 4 Mistle Thrush, 5 Stock Dove, Collared Dove
• 14 Lesser Black Backed Gull,
• Sparrowhawk
• Chiffchaff singing on Alex island
• Long Tailed Tits nestbuilding
• Goldcrest (NCroft)

Wanstead Park:

• Great Spotted Woodpecker and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker drumming in the same tree (Natalie Benajeh)

March 17th 2011

Claybury Park:

• 25 Waxwing this morning by the pond near Ravensbourne gardens until 12.30 (there are still berries around, so check tomorrow morning)
• 2 Nuthatch still present, also 2 squirrels nr the Nuthatch hole (not a good sign)
• Several Green Woodpeckers (including a pair together), Great Spotted Woodpecker
• 3 Treecreeper, Goldcrest, Goldfinch
• pair of Stock Dove

Wanstead Flats:

• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (drumming and calling from the cemetry behind Alex), Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker,
• 25+ Goldfinch, 20+ Greenfinch, 5 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Siskin, 5 Reed Bunting,
• 32 Redwing, 5 Mistle Thrush, 3 Song Thrush,
• 5 Stock Dove, 1 Collared Dove, 3 Ring-necked Parakeet, 8 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 27 Tufted Duck, 2 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, 4 Gadwall, 22 Mute Swan (Alex), 8 Greylag Goose, Snipe (over west), 3 Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk (53 sp - NC/JL).

Roding Valley Park - 16th March (Peter Gordon)

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Grey Wagtail

Green Woodpecker

Little Egret

March 16th 2011

Claybury Park:

• Again much Nuthatch activity around the tree hole, one bird chasing off a blue tit. I didn't expect to find one of the pair in the bushes by the pond beside Ravensbourne Gardens, calling and collecting, and where I also saw both of the Reed Bunting pair (separately).


• No waxwings when I first went by at 10:00, but flock of 13 Waxwing back in same tree at 11:00. I'm surprised at the fluctuating number and wonder how much longer they will be around. (Eddie Barnes)

Fairlop Waters:

• 7 Waxwing 16:45, 2 Chiffchaff (ELBF).

Newbury Park:

• Woodcock over the A12 at Horns Road (Mahinder Bhakar)

Roding Valley Park:

• 3 Little Egrets still there - two perching in the same tree...


• 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker


• 2 Grey Wagtails together


• 1 Song thrush


• About 20 Goldfinch in a flock (PGordon)


• another Little Egret further downriver, in the Redbridge section (Simon Porter)

South Woodford:

• a Grey Heron landed in the gardens out the back (well, on a garage roof).


• Also - I have checked the camera in the nest box and there is a fair bit of moss in there now - so the blue tit is definitely nest building! (Peter Gordon)

Valentines Park:

• 2 Little Grebe, 4 Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, 60 Canada Goose, 5 Egyptian Goose, Mallard, 2 Pochard, 44 Tufted Duck, 20 Moorhen, 150 Coot, 150 Black Headed Gull, 2 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 2 Common Gull, Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, 1 Stock Dove, 3 Collared Dove, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail , Wren, 2 Dunnock, 2 Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, 43 Redwing, 3 Blackbird, 1 Robin, 5 Great Tit, 6 Blue Tit, 3 Long Tailed Tit, 6 magpie, Carrion Crow, c100 Starling, 6 House Sparrow, 6 Chaffinch, 3 Greenfinch, 6 Goldfinch (Mike Condon)

Wanstead Flats:

• Little Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper on Alexandra Lake at 7.30am


• 2 Egyptian Geese and 2 Great Crested grebe too,


• 2 Egyptian Geese (JL/NC/TH)


• 5 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, 4 Gadwall, Greylag Goose, Little Grebe, Lesser Redpoll, 6 Reed Bunting, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Kestrel, 5 Redwing (52 sp NC) (Jonathan Lethbridge)

Wanstead Park:

• Little Egret (Roding),


• Kingfisher (pump house),


• 2 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (1 the Dell, 2nd drumming on golf course),


• 2 Water Rail (1 perch, 1 SoM),


• 14 Siskin, 2 Lesser Redpoll, Meadow Pipit (west over Ilford golf course),


• Grey Wagtail,


• 6 Chiffchaff (4 singing), 3 Goldcrest, Coal Tit,


• Redwing,


• 6 Gadwall, 2 Egypian Goose, 45 Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard, Little Grebe, 13 Stock Dove, 2 Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk (49 sp [62 in total] NC)

Wanstead:

• Common Redpoll (Mealy) with 10 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Siskin, Brambling and Blackcap (Andrew Perrin)

Redbridge Birdwatching/London Birdwatching Trips

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Goldfinches in a Goodmayes Garden - Alex Blackman

Absolutely brilliant shots of Goldfinches in a goodmayes garden, by Alex Blackman

well done bro

March 15th 2011

Aldersbrook:

• 16 Waxwing in Arran Drive at 7.30am (Natalie Benajeh)
• male Reed Bunting in my garden taking seed off the ground that the other birds spill(Jennifer Charter)

Claybury Park:

• Morning walk...
• I'm pleased to report further Nuthatch activity in and around the tree hole.
• The flock of Waxwing (12) was back in a tree just behind the park boundary in Ravensbourne Gardens (behind lake). 10 Waxwing still present in the afternoon
• Also Stock Dove, Treecreeper, greenfinch, jackdaw, green woodpecker, song thrush 1 Fieldfare and a Gry Heron (Eddie Barnes)
• pair of Reed Bunting collecting nest material at the pond nr Ravensbourne Gardens (Griff Holliday)

Clayhall:

• House Sparrow Census: 12 House Sparrows at the border of Claybury Park/Ravensbourne Gardens (Griff Holliday)

Roding Valley Park:

• northern section: Chigwell Road to Luxborough Lane:
• 3 Little Egret (2+1),
• Kingfisher,
• flock of redwings (22), cormorant (flying), little grebe, song thrush (3), chiffchaff (Eddie barnes)

South Woodford:

• A Grey Heron over the house at 8.30 this morning (one seems to be flying over each morning)
• 1 Blue Tit visiting my nest box again, there are 3 present regularly in the garden, another Blue Tit is visiting a hole in the roof of the house opposite, another regular nest site (Peter Gordon)

Valentines Park:

• 4 mute Swan (both pairs nestbuilding and both maes being aggressive to the Canadians), Greylag Goose, 60 Canada Goose, 5 Egyptian Goose, 2 Pocahrd, Mallard, 50 Tufted Duck, 20 Moorhen, 150 Coot, 250 Black Headed Gull, 2 Common Gull, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, 5 Colalred Dove, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, 2 Mistle Thrush, 37 Redwing, 3 Blackbird, 3 Robin, Goldcrest, 7 Great Tit, 6 Blue Tit, 3 Long Tailed tit, 6 magpie, Carrion Crow, 35 Starling, 8 House Sparrow, 5 Chaffinch, 4 Greenfinch, 4 Goldfinch (Mike Condon)

Wanstead Flats:

• Lesser Spotted Woodpecker drumming in South Copse at 6.30am (Jonathan Lethbridge)
• still present at 10.30 flying between West Copse and East Copse
• Chiffchaff, 11 Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, 6 Reed Bunting, 3 LEsser Redpoll, 4 Pochard, 7 Shoveler, 1 Egyptian Goose, 4 Gadwall, Greylag Goose, 30 Jackdaw, Little Grebe, Goldcrest, Grey Heron, and the pr of Coots are back on Angel Pond again (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park:

• pr Great Crested Grebe displaying on Heronry Pond (Natalie Benajeh)
• 4 singign chiffchaff, 2 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 3 Teal, 7 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, 2 Gadwall, Little Grebe, Stock Dove, 5 Lesser Black Backed Gull, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft)

Woodford Green:

• Mistle Thrush singing on Broadmead Estate, also pr Goldfinch, pr Blue Tit (DEH)