March past

As the ice of February gave way to the topical balm of March the birders of Wanstead's thoughts turn to the spring rush, in hindsight a case of hope springs eternal. By the end of the month last year the total stood at 98, this year we struggled in reaching 90.

Highlights

Steve finds Mandarin, and like orange peel they appear to be hanging around
Stuart gets the first Rook for some years
The first Wheatear rush in, then disappear, found by Harry Lacey with some help from Barry Bishop and myself - much to Jono's chagrin
One Willow Warbler on passage
Kite flying and other big hawks
Wood Duck one day wonder
Stonechat another one day wonder
Green Sandpiper again on the Roding
Great Crested Grebe pairs on the basin and Heronry
Yellowhammer fly overs

... oh and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker!

Due to an attack of maliciousness or stupidity many of our records on the London Wiki site were deleted, not just once either, and I got a bit pissed with having to re-type the things back in, so there's nothing for it but some verbiage from me on the how went the month.

Our winter visitors by and large stayed on through the month but with numbers on the way down.  Redwings never again hit the dizzy heights of February, by the end of March singles were even hard to come by.  Fieldfare too became scarcer, but a group of 10 birds took a liking to the football pitches between Coronation Copse and Long Wood, but again at the end of the month these were down to single figures. Goldcrest have all but left the park leaving just a few singing residents and increasingly elusive.

Our wintering duck have mainly stayed faithful, with Shoveler numbers on Alex holding up around the 20 mark all month, Teal became confined to 2 on Alex, and a pair on the Roding by the old allotments and some in the deeper recesses of the ornamental waters. 5 Wigeon were recorded on the basin early in the month, just for the one day, while Gadwall have slowly been drifting away from the park and flats with numbers down below 20, though obviously some of these might stay as the bird increases its breeding range on the South East.  Duck highlights of course were the Mandarin which showed up one morning, found by Stevey T, the fortifications obviously to their liking as they could hide away for hours (days) without being noticed. Sightings became more regular as we all made the trip to encompass the ornamental waters (much neglected for being a tad boring), and Tim finally caught up with them having some personal time on a path.  The one day Wood Duck (another Epping Forest bird) awaits inclusion on the proper British list sometime in the future.

Everybody's favourite, the gull population slowly dwindled over the month, with CommonGull being the only constant bird on the flats and soon they will be gone too.  A few fly over Greater-black Backed were seen on a few occasions, and the pair of Lesser Black-back await events in the Coot camp on the Alex.

Siskin and Lesser Redpoll became scarce with just singles being noted on rare occasions by the end of the month.  On the up were sightings of Linnet across the brooms, and the first flyover calling Yellowhammer.  More worryingly is the absence of Reed Bunting from the SSSI which has dried out so much as to be little of use to these birds, which in the past have nested there.

No owls yet, though mention has been made to me by local residents near the park, we'll wait for our own contact with the birds.  A Tree Sparrow might have visited the same garden as last year, but the observer can't be 100% sure.

The Water Rail(s) were still present at the beginning of the month, but sightings have now dried up, the pleasant weather probably encouraging them to return to breeding sites early.  Of the few waders recorded most were Woodcock and Green Sandpiper, Snipe being, like the Reed Bunting, badly effected by the dry conditions on the flats.

Of the migrants, Meadow Pipit have been the most prominent with a number of days when northerly movement was clearly in evidence and a few singing males holding territory on the flats. Wheatear came early in the form of 4 stunning males on the 15th, lingered till the 20th and then disappeared with only a lone female later in the month for wheatearophiles.  A solitary Stonechat was picked by Stu by the car park in the brooms, needless to say that didn't stay long. Skylark numbers rose and now its quite hard to tell how many there are, however the corporation has still to put up any signage and disturbance of these birds can only increase as the spring continues.

Stuart also had a patch mega in the form of a Rook flying around his head by the Alex, a good two years since the last one, though a local said he had one in his garden in 2010.

Chiffchaff started singing and all was well with the world, and later in the month the resident and incoming Blackcap found their voice, so that by the end of the month 5-6 each of the warbler could be heard on the flats with around twice that number singing their hearts out in the park. 

Now the bit for Jonathan to look away from.  Goshawk.  Yup them.  I'd picked up a strange calling bird just east of the Shoulder of Mutton to be followed by a brief glimpse of a large bird flapping idly over the woods northwards, two hours later Paul Davis had a female fly over his head on the flats noting the white under tail coverts, he was happy, I was happy; we are probably alone!

You can look back now.

Red Kite put in appearance over the park, but the month was mainly about Buzzards, lots of them.  More than probably the whole of last year.  Peregrine too put in a few appearances, while both Kestrel and Sparrowhawk have paired up for the year and can be seen most days somewhere.

So come on April, make up for last year and gives us a boost...

3^rd

Wanstead Flats: singing Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, c.10 Skylark, 10 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, singing Mistle Thrush, 20 Shoveler, 2 Teal, 10+ Tufted Duck, 2 Grey Heron (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: 2-3 Little Egret, Grey Heron, Kingisher, 3 Egyptian Goose, Teal, 2 Pochard, Gadwall, Stock Dove, Redwing, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe/Tim Harris)

4^th

Wanstead Flats: singing Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, c.10 Skylark, 10 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, singing Mistle Thrush, 20 Shoveler, 2 Teal, 10+ Tufted Duck, 2 Grey Heron (Nick Croft).

Wanstead Park: 2-3 Little Egret, Grey Heron, Kingisher, 3 Egyptian Goose, Teal, 2 Pochard, Gadwall, Stock Dove, Redwing, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe/Tim Harris).

Wanstead, private garden: Lesser Redpoll, Siskin (Chris Legge)

5^th

Wanstead Flats: singing Meadow Pipit, 5 singing Skylark, Sparrowhawk, 2 Fieldfare, c.20 Goldfinch, c. 100 Jackdaw (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: Common Buzzard mobbed by crows over the ornamental waters, 3 Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, 2 Egyptian Goose, 3 Greylag Goose, 5 Teal, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Siskin, 2 Goldcrest (1 singing), 3 Stock Dove (Nick Croft), Little Egret (on Roding) (Chris Legge)

6^th

Wanstead Park (The Basin): 4 Wigeon (J Lethbridge)

Wanstead Flats: 3 singing Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 5+ Skylark, Kestrel, 10 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, 15 Shoveler, 3 Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Great Black-backed Gull (Nick Croft)

7^th

Wanstead Flats: c.50 Goldfinch (Capel Point), singing Meadow Pipit (+ 3 others), Skylark, 2 Fieldfare, 2 Grey Heron west, 6 Teal, c. 20 Shoveler, 14 Tufted Duck, 3 Little Grebe (Nick Croft).

Wanstead Park: Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, Coal Tit, 47 Tufted Duck, 1f Pochard, 13 Gadwall, 3 Teal, 2 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Wagtail, Stock Dove, Redwing (Nick Croft).

9^th

Wanstead Flats: 5 Meadow Pipit, Skylark, 5 Fieldfare, 2 Grey Heron west, 2 Teal, c. 13 Shoveler, 10 Tufted Duck, Gadwall, 2 Egyptian Goose, 2 Little Grebe, Linnet, Reed Bunting, 3 Stock Dove (Nick Croft).

Wanstead Park: Singing Blackcap (Park Road), 32 Tufted Duck, 1f Pochard, 4 Gadwall, 7 Teal, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Wagtail, Stock Dove, 3 Fieldfare, Redwing, Goldcrest, Siskin, Bullfinch, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker drumming, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft).

11^th

Wanstead: c.25 Pied Wagtail flew into roost in garden of The George public house at dusk, singing Mistle Thrush, c.40 Jackdaw flew S (Nick Tanner).

Wanstead Flats: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Common Buzzard (Paul Whiteman), 4 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, Skylark, 1 Fieldfare, Grey Heron, 10+ Shoveler, 10 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe, 3 Stock Dove, 2 Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft/J Lethbridge).

Wanstead Park: pr Mandarin Duck in the fortifications, ornamental waters (ST) 2 singing Blackcap, 1f Pochard, 30 + Gadwall, 9 Teal, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Little Egret, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Stock Dove, Redwing, Goldcrest, 2 Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard (Nick Croft/Jonathan Lethbridge/Steve Thorpe).

12^th

Wanstead Flats: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Skylark, 14+ Shoveler, 10 Tufted Duck, Teal, 2 Egyptian Goose, 2 Little Grebe, Reed Bunting, 2 Linnet (Nick Croft/J Lethbridge).

Wanstead Park: No sign of Mandarin, Little Egret, Grey Heron, 3 Egyptian Goose, 7 Teal, 3 Shoveler, Kingfisher, singing Chiffchaff, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 30 Redwing, 2 Linnet (Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe).

13^th

Wanstead Flats: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Woodcock (09:22) east, Chiffchaff, 4 Meadow Pipit, 7 Skylark, 19 Shoveler, 10 Tufted Duck, Teal, 3 Little Grebe, 2 Reed Bunting, 12 Fieldfare, 6 Mistle Thrush, 4 Stock Dove, (Nick Croft/J Lethbridge/T Harris).

14^th

Wanstead Flats: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (If you wish to view the birds on the flats, please keep to the paths and don't use lures), Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 15 Skylark, 8 Meadow Pipit, 4 Redwing, 7 Fieldfare, 7 Egyptian Goose, 4 Teal, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (a second male drumming and calling by the Tea Shop), Siskin, Bullfinch (ST), 2 singing Blackcap, singing Chiffchaff, Litle Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Shoveler, Teal, Gadwall, 2 Egyptian Goose, Tufted Duck, Indian Running Duck (Duckzilla), Little Egret, Grey Heron, Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 4 Redwing, Stock Dove (Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe).

15^th

Wanstead Flats: 5 Teal, 12 Shoveler, Little Grebe on Alex (Tim Harris).

Wanstead Park: Woodcock north over Heronry first light (Steve Thorpe).

16^th

Wanstead Flats: 4 male Wheatear, 17 Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 3 Linnet, 3 Lesser Redpoll, Peregrine Falcon, 10+ Skylark (see Iconic birds of Wanstead by Tim Harris), 12 Fieldfare, 15 Tufted Duck, 17 Shoveler, Little Grebe, 2 Heron, Chiffchaff (Nick Croft/TimHarris and with thanks to Harry and Barry - you can come again)

17^th

Wanstead Park: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Red Kite, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 2 Egyptian Geese, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tit, 2 Gadwall (Steve Thorpe, Tim Harris, Jonathan Lethbridge and Alan Hobson)

18^th

Wanstead Flats: 3 male Wheatear, female Stonechat, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Chiffchaff (S Fisher, Jonathan Lethbridge and others)

19^th

Wanstead Flats: 2-3 Wheatear (1m), no sign of Stonechat, 10 Fieldfare, 1 Redwing, 12 Meadow Pipit (2 singing), 3 Pied Wagtail, 10 + Skylark, Linnet, 2 Chiffchaff (1 singer), 9 Egyptian Goose, 15 Tufted Duck, 17 Shoveler, Little Grebe, 3 Heron, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel (Nick Croft/Jonathan Lethbridge/Tim Harris)

20^th

Wanstead Flats: m Wheatear, 8 Fieldfare, 15 Meadow Pipit + c.40 north in under an hour c.11:00, 20 Shoveler, 15 + Tufted Duck, 3 Egyptian Goose, 3 Little Grebe, Peregrine Falcon, 3 Sparrowhawk, 2 singing Chiffchaff, Stock Dove (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: m Mandarin (the fort, ornamental waters - Steve Thorpe), 5 singing Chiffchaff, 4 singing Blackcap + 1 female, 2 Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, 3 Meadow Pipit north, 2 drumming Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Stock Dove, Kestrel (Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe)

Wanstead, private garden: Lesser Redpoll (Chris Legge)

21^st

Wanstead Flats: m Wheatear, 8 Fieldfare, 15 Meadow Pipit + c.40 north in under an hour c.11:00, 20 Shoveler, 15 + Tufted Duck, 3 Egyptian Goose, 3 Little Grebe, Peregrine Falcon, 3 Sparrowhawk, 2 singing Chiffchaff, Stock Dove (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: m Mandarin (the fort, ornamental waters - Steve Thorpe), 5 singing Chiffchaff, 4 singing Blackcap + 1 female, 2 Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, 3 Meadow Pipit north, 2 drumming Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Stock Dove, Kestrel (Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe)

Wanstead, private garden: Lesser Redpoll (Chris Legge)

24^th

Wanstead Flats: Yellowhammer north 06:30, 3 Linnet, c.10 Skylark, 12 Meadow Pipit (+8 north), 6 singing Chiffchaff, Blackcap, 3 Fieldfare,18 Shoveler, 19 Tufted Duck, 2 Gadwall, 2 Teal, 7+ Egyptian Goose, 3 Stock Dove (Nick Croft), 3 Common Buzzard (J Lethbridge)

25^th

Wanstead Flats: Rook east, at least 2 Common Buzzard (S Fisher, Tim Harris, J Lethbridge)

26^th

Wanstead Park: pr Mandarin (Steve Thorpe) 3 Kingfisher (Nick Croft)

27^th

Wanstead Flats: 2 Chiffchaff singing, 3 Ring-necked Parakeets, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Shoveler (Jon Agar 10am)

Wanstead Park: Green Sandpiper on the Roding (Nick Croft)

28^th

Wanstead Park: pr Mandarin in the ornamental waters (Steve Thorpe)

30^th

Wanstead Flats: No sign f Wheatear, 2 Fieldfare, 6+ Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, 3 Linnet, 10 + Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 10 + Skylark, Yellowhammer over north (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: Quite magical, Willow Warbler S of M 08-15, plenty of Blackcap and Chiiffchaff, , pair of Mandarin on Ornamental and later flew in to Perch, however cheeky Mink on the Roding (Bob Vaughan). 2 Linnet, all 3 woodpecker, 3 Little Egret, displaying Great-crested Grebe on Heronry, 2 Teal, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft)

Finally to Wayne H who asked where might he find the LSWs.  We're not reporting them from the flats anymore, but in the Park, they can be found around Heronry west end, the Temple and in the Dell/Grotto woodland, check out the map site for the locations of these.

And finally a song:

Our woodpeckers bring all the boys to the yard,
Damn right they're better than yours
Damn right they're better than yours
I could show you but you'd have to pay.... etc


And if Kelis is reading this, sorry, I'll make it up to you with a cuppa from the Little Tea Shop of Happiness.