What a month, and er, a bit of July thrown in for good measure. Dan was back which gave us all impetus to go out and see things before, with and after he'd been on his circuit. Hooray for the school hols. Sadly he's got to put his bins away, pull on his shorts, polish his satchel and get his books ready for the new term. I hated school.
First July. Well it's June, spelt differently and so utterly crap for birds I went and spent July where there were some birds, Stu went to the outer isles, Jono the inner isles, Steve nursed his toe, and Tim went around mugging moths in his back garden. You do what you gotta do, but that still left a couple of days towards the end of the month, which were quite un-July like and, thanks to Dan, rather tip-top.
- Nuthatch discovered by Bob Vaughan hiding in Reservoir Wood, later re-located by the end of the month by me in the Dell.
- Sedge Warbler (first record for the flats and first of the year for the patch), Dan's first contribution of the season
- Black-tailed Godwit another Hennessy moment
- First returning Spotted Flycatcher in the old sewage works
August then. Weep all you other London patch workers the Wanstead is back!
Start with easy stuff
3-4 Sedge Warbler (including one we were tempted to string into an Aquatic)
10 + Garden Warbler, better late than never
Crossbill on 4 occasions
Marsh Harrier (a Barry Bishop understatement)
5-6 Pied Flycatcher. We might have got this one sorted now, stare at trees long enough and you will find them
5-6 Pied Flycatcher. We might have got this one sorted now, stare at trees long enough and you will find them
Spotted Flycatcher, hardly a day went by without them, and while we haven't reached the peaks of last year, they were a week or so early and so there is time and plenty of flies.
Wheatear, again not as many as we think we remember, but early days.
Whinchat, peaked at 8 by the end of the month, but OMG phwoar!
Common Redstart, living up to their name. Could tally them up, but I am not sure I can count that high. A high of 4 on one day, magic!
Tufted Duck, surprise entry here perhaps, broods everywhere
Green Sandpiper, back on the Roding,back on Jono's to get list
Common Sandpiper, at last a friendly one and picture happy
10 + Yellow Wagtail over calling and about 1 seen
Stonking Yellow-legged Gull in the rising number of roosting birds
Lee GR Evans, a second record of this highly prized birder
and er Tony Brown's contribution of a little Wryneck, which did a 6 day run showing rarely but an amazing find. Nice work! Could it be still here...?
Last year we were on 123, this year only 117, terrible. No positive ID of a Tree Pipit as yet, though it is highly likely that my bird in the Alex scrub was one, but I managed to balls it up big-time, yay!
What with ouzels to come and probably another month of good stuff, there will be no rest for us until November.
1st July
Wanstead Flats: Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Chiffchaff with young, 6 singing Skylark, 8 + Meadow Pipit, 10 House Martin (Tim Harris/Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Nuthatch - Reservoir Wood 06-50 (Bob Vaughan), 2 Lesser Whitethroat, Common Tern, 5 Black-headed Gull, 2 Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, m Sparrowhawk ( juv heard), Kingfisher, Little Egret (Nick Croft/Jonathan Lethbridge)
9th July
Wanstead Flats: Lesser Whitethroat (J Lethbridge), Willow Warbler, 11 Mistle Thrush, 2 Stock Dove, 5 House Martin (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Lesser Whitehroat, Great-crested Grebe (back up to 3 chicks), Little Grebe + chick, Common Tern, Weasel (Nick Croft)
28th July
Wanstead Flats: 4 Sand Martin, 6 House Martin, 20 + Swift, 6 Chiffchaff, 7 Common Whitethroat, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 6 Meadow Pipit (1 carrying food), 2 Skylark, 20 + Black-headed Gull, 6 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Herring Gull, 2 Stock Dove (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: 2 Great-crested Grebe, 2 Little Grebe, Reed Warbler and the sound of young, 2 Stock Dove (Nick Croft)
30th July
Wanstead Flats: Sedge Warbler at 08:30, west end of Alex, first this year (Dan Hennessy), not present at 09:30, 2 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 3 pr of Little Grebe with 6 young on the Alex (Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe).
31st July
Wanstead Flats: 2 Black-tailed Godwit over east (Dan Hennessy), 5 House Martin, 30+ Swift, Lesser Whitethroat, returning female Shoveler (Alex), 2 fully fledged Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk (m) (Nick Croft/Dan Hennessy).
Wanstead Park: Spotted Flycatcher, Nuthatch, Little Egret, Reed Warbler (Nick Croft)
2nd August
Wanstead Flats: Singing Willow Warbler (+2 others), 3 Lesser Whitethroat, Tufted Duck with 7 chicks (Alex), f Shoveler, 2 Egyptian Goose, 10+ Swift, 4 House Martin, Kestrel (Nick Croft/Dan Hennessy)
Wanstead Park: Spotted Flycatcher, Nuthatch, Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Sparrowhawk with 2 juv birds, Kestrel, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Common Tern, 5 Sand Martin, 3 Great-crested Grebe (Nick Croft) Common Sandpiper, Heronry (Dan Hennessy) Friday: 2 Crossbill over garden (J Lethbridge)
3rd August
Wanstead Flats: 14+ House Martin, 30 + Swift, 20 + Chiffchaff, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 10 + Common Whitethroat, 3 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk (male + juv), Grey Heron, Little Grebe, 8 Meadow Pipit, 1 Skylark (NickCroft/Steve Thorpe).
6th August
Wanstead Flats: Common Sandpiper, Little Egret, Grey Heron, 9 Mistle Thrush, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Sparrowhawk, House Martin, 6 Swift (Nick Croft/Jonathan Lethbridge)
Wanstead Park: 3 + Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler, Grey Wagtail, 5 Great-crested Grebe, 4 Sand Martin, House Martin, 20 + Swift, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel (Nick Croft)
7th August
Wanstead Flats: Wheatear (first returning bird of the autumn and 2 days later than last year) with 12 Mistle Thrush on playing fields, also singing Willow Warbler (Jonathan Lethbridge)
8th August
Wanstead Flats: 2 Spotted Flycatcher - Long Wood (Dan Hennessy/Tony Brown), Sedge Warbler (TB), 2 Garden Warbler, 20 + Chiffchaff, 20 + Common Whitethroat, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 3+ Willow Warbler, 3 Swallow, 10 + House Martin, 20 + Swift, 14 Mistle Thrush, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, 6 Meadow Pipit, Kestrel (Dan Hennessy/Tony Brown/Jonathan Lethbridge/Steve Thorpe/Nick Croft).
9th August
Wanstead Flats: 3 Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler and recently fledged Chiffchaff (Jonathan Lethbridge
Wanstead Flats: 3 Garden Warbler, 3 Swallow, 14 House Martin, Sand Martin, family of Goldfinch, fledged young still being fed by parents (Nick Croft/Dan Hennessy/Jonathan Lethbridge)
Wanstead Park: Garden Warbler (OSW), Goldcrest, Sand Martin (Nick Croft)
11th August
Wanstead Flats: f Common Redstart (east of Alex), 5 Garden Warbler, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, 4 Swallow, 10 + House Martin, 7 Gadwall (first returning birds to the Alex), Tufted Duck with brood of 8 ducklings still, 2 Egyptian Goose, Snipe, Common Gull, 4 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft/Dan Hennessy)
12th August
Wanstead Flats: 110 Ring Necked Parakeet south this evening, 7 Gadwall still Alex, 8 Swift (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Green Sandpiper, Kingfisher (Nick Croft)
13th August
Wanstead Flats: possible Tree Pipit (in oak tree in scrub east of Alex), 2 Crossbill west over SSSI, Common Sandpiper (TH), 2 Garden Warbler, 2 singing Willow Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, House Martin, Swallow, 4 Swift, Coal Tit, 12 Mistle Thrush, Gadwall still Alex, Tufted Duck with broods of 5 Jubilee and 8 still on Alex, Common Gull, 2 Kesttrel, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft/Tim Harris/Steve Thorpe)
14th August
Wanstead Flats: 2 Spotted Flycatcher (east end Long Wood), 3+ Garden Warbler, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 30+ Common Whitethroat, 2 singing Willow Warbler + others, 20 + Chiffchaff, 15 Blackcap, 2 Skylark, 8 Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, 2 Stock Dove, 3 Kestrel, 14 Mistle Thrush, 22 House Martin, 2f Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, Common Gull (Nick Croft/Jonathan Lethbridge/Tim Harris/Dan Hennessy)
15th August
Wanstead Flats: 2 Spotted Flycatcher still Long Wood, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 14 Mistle Thrush, Common Gull, Common Buzzard (Nick Croft/Tim Harris)
16th August
Wanstead Flats: Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher still east end of Long Wood, Hobby over Alex, 2 Garden Warbler, 20 + Common Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, 5 Swallow, 12 House Martin, 3 Swift, 5 Skylark, 6 Meadow Pipit, 2 Stock Dove (Nick Croft).
Wanstead Park: Lesser Whitethroat, Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 5 Stock Dove, 12 Goldfinch (Nick Croft).
17th August
Wanstead Flats: Crossbill east along line of City of London cem (NC), Yellow-legged Gull (DH), Wheatear, 12 Mistle Thrush, 2 Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, c. 20 Common Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, 10 + Chiffchaff, 17 House Martin, 3 Swift, 5 Kestrel, m & f Sparrowhawk, Hobby, Tufted Duck (a new brood of 5 on Alex), 5 Gadwall, 7 Meadow Pipit (Dan Hennessy/Nick Croft)
18th August
Wanstead Flats: Whinchat, 2 Wheatear, Spotted Flycatcher, Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, 10 Meadow Pipit, 6 SKylark, 10 + House Martin, Swallow, 6 Swift, 3 singing Willow Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 30 + Common Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, 20 + Chiffchaff, Blackcap, 16 Goldfinch, Reed Bunting, 5 Gadwall, new brood of Tufties on Jubilee, 4 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher on Alex (Dan Hennessy/Jonathan Lethbridge/NickCroft)
Wanstead Park: Pied Flycatcher north island ornamental waters, Reed Warbler, 2 Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Hobby, 2 Sparrowhawk, 200 + Black-headed Gull hawking for insects (Nick Croft/Stuart Fisher) Common Sandpiper (Dan Hennessy)
19th August
Wanstead Flats: Pied Flycatcher (probably an imm male) occasionally showing well in Long Wood, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Wheatear, c3 Lesser Whitethroat, 22+ Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler, 4 Swallow, 1 Common Sandpiper so far (Dan Hennessy, Tony Brown, Nick Croft, Stuart Fisher, J Lethbridge, Steve Thorpe, Harry and Barry, James Palmer). 2 Tree Pipit (James Palmer)
Wanstead Park: Common Sandpiper on Heronry (Kathy Hartnett), Kingfisher, juv Sparrowhawk calling (Wren Group guided nature walk)
20th August
Wanstead Flats: m Common Redstart (DH), Common Sandpiper (ST) Spotted Flycatcher (Dan Hennessy/Steve Thorpe).
21st August
Wanstead Flats: Whinchat, Sedge Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, 3 Common Whitethroat, Pied Wagtail (Cat & Dog), 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 broods Tufted Duck, Grey Heron, Yellow Wagtail (Jubilee), Reed Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, House Martin (East end of Long Wood) (Dan Hennessy/Steve Thorpe/Tim Harris/Jonathan Lethbridge/Nick Croft/Stuart Fisher)
22nd August
Wanstead Flats: Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher, Common Sandpiper, 27 + House Martin, 5 Swallow, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Yellow Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, 20 + Goldfinch (Nick Croft/Dan Hennessy/Jonathan Lethbridge/Steve Thorpe/Tim Harris)
Wanstead Park: 5 Little Egret on Roding, 2 Grey Heron, Kingfisher, Sand Martin, 2 Swallow, House Martin, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel (Nick Croft)
23rd August
Wanstead Flats: 2 Common Redstart (male flycatching in Lime trees) SSSI, 5 Spotted Flycatcher (2 SSSI, 2 Alex, 1 Long Wood), Common Crossbill (h over SSSI), 1-2 Sedge Warbler, up to 100 Chiffchaff across the flats (majority in 2 large mixed tit flocks), 2 Garden Warbler, 30 + Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, 10 + Blackcap, c. 10 Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, 2 Yellow Wagtail over, 6 Meadow Pipit, 2 Linnet, c. 20 Goldfinch, Common Buzzard (over NW SSSI - ST), Kestrel, 10 + House Martin (Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe/Jonathan Lethbridge); 3-4 Spotted Flycatcher SSSI, no sign C. Redstart (Dan Hennessy)
24th August
Wanstead Flats: Pied Flycatcher (DH) possibly second bird (JL), 4 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Whinchat, 4 Wheatear, 50 + Chiffchaff, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, 30 + Common Whitethroat, 4 + Willow Warbler, 20 Mistle Thrush, 2 Yellow Wagtail, Linnet, Sparrowhawk, Budgerigar (Dan Hennessy, Jonathan Lethbridge, Nick Croft, Tim Harris, Steve Thorpe, Keith Marchant), Common Redstart (m) fly catching in SSSI at 14:40 (Steven Robinson).
25th August
Wanstead Flats: 8.30 - 9.15 Wryneck in scrub in SSSI just south of Lake House Rd (Tony Brown), still showed briefly at 11:20 frequenting Hawthorn between path near Lime trees and Lake House Road, this is on the west side north-east of Jubilee Pond and not near the Centre road side on a grid ref of approx (TQ403866). Also here 1 juv Pied Flycatcher, 1m & 1f Common Redstart (Stuart Fisher, T Harris, T Brown), Whinchat (Tim Harris), Spotted Flycatcher (Steve Thorpe), also noted several hirundines heading SW, mostly House Martins (S Fisher) Long wood: at least 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 11 Mistle Thrush, 1 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Lesser Whitethroat. 20 Greylag (Alexandra lake) and 2 Egyptian Geese (Model Yacht Lake) also (Ben Green)
Wanstead Park: 1 Common Sandpiper seen first by Ornamental lake then lake near tea hut (Donna Welch).
26th August
Wanstead Flats: Wryneck showing again on SSSI at c09:30 but not after 10:40, Marsh Harrier (thanks to Barry Bishop, Sean Harvey, Nick Croft), also 4 Common Redstart, 6 Wheatear, 3 Whinchat, 3 Spotted Flycatcher, Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, 3 Swift, 6 Sand Martin, 4 Swallow, Hobby, 3 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, (a Wanstead Wryneck collective).
27th August
Wanstead Flats: Wryneck showed well briefly at 10am, male Redstart, 2 Whinchat, Wheatear, 2 Yellow Wagtail over (Wanstead Collective). Showed well at 16:10-16:30 at least (Walthamstow 1 a.k.a. Paul Whiteman), Yellow-legged Gull, Common Gull, Greater Black-backed Gull, Green Sandpiper heard, Willow Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, 6 Swift, 20 + House Martin, Sand Martin (60 sp The Wanstead Collective + Lee GR Evans and his crew) The Wryneck's favoured Hawthorn bushes are in the northern triangle south of Lake House Road & west of Central Road. Described as being 300 yds NE of Olympic Police Stn (entrance opposite Central Road car park - Wheatear perching on horizontal tree trunks east of car park. Whinchats in nearby Broom bushes) (Bob Husband)
Wanstead Park: Lesser Whitethroat, Kingfisher, Stock Dove (Nick Croft)
28th August
Wanstead Flats: Wryneck 08:30 and 09:30, also doing a bit of sub-calling last night and today, Common Redstart, Whinchat, Wheatear, 3 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler, plenty of Chiffchaff, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, 2 Yellow-legged Gull, 4 Common Gull, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Mistle Thrush, 8 Meadow Pipit, Stock Dove. Wryneck still showing at 11:30 but very elusive! (Nigel Sluman). Not much seen in area 17 this evening 18:30 - 20:10. No Wryneck and only a couple of Common Whitethroat and some goldfinches (Tony Wileman)
29th August
Wanstead Flats: Wryneck at c. 09:00 for about 15 minutes then flew north into scrub (NC/Birdguides), 4-6 Whinchat, 3 Wheatear, Yellow-legged Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Reed Warbler, far fewer Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, 7 Swallow south, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 35 Goldfinch flushed from burnt gorse area by male Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, Stock Dove (Nick Croft/Jonathan Lethbridge/Dan Hennessy/Steve Thorpe)
30th August
Wanstead Flats: Wryneck still, 5 Whinchat, Wheatear, Yellow-legged Gull, 8 Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, 3 Grey Heron, Lesser Whitethroat, Peregrine Falcon, 3 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, Coal Tit (Nick Croft/Jonathan Lethbridge/Dan hennessy/Keith Marchant)
31st August
Wanstead Flats: Pied Flycatcher south-east of Long Wood at 11:30, Common Redstart in Alex Scrub, 8+ Whinchat, Wheatear, singing Willow Warbler + others, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, Kingfisher. No sign of Wryneck. (Nick Croft/ Dan Hennessy/Jonathan Lethbridge/Steve Thorpe et al /BirdGuides)
Great account Nick, some very nice shots.
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