September round-up

Another top month: from the year's first Cuckoo on the first of the month (nearly decapitating Stu) to a final flourish of Tree Pipit on the 30th. 

Highlights

• Juv Cuckoo
• Common Redstart to the 8th of the month
• Whinchats right till the end
• Stonechat, the 2nd and 3rd bird of the year
• Sedge Warbler
• Tree Pipit(s) in SSSI and Alex scrub
• Wigeon a starter for 9
• Greenshank: the first since 1985

1^st September

Wanstead Flats: Cuckoo, 9 Wigeon over Alex, 3 Teal (south), 4 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, 5 Egyptian Goose, 3 (2f 1m type) Common Redstart, c5 Whinchat (broom fields), Wheatear, 3 Spotted Flycatcher, Garden Warbler, 20+ Common Whitethroat, 3-4 Lesser Whitethroat, several Chiffchaff, several Blackcap, 5+ Willow Warbler, Snipe, 2 Skylark, 20+ House Martin, 3 Swallow, 3 Yellow Wagtail. Pied Wagtail, 2 Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, 2 Reed Bunting, Linnet, Great Black-backed Gull, 20 + Herring  Gull, 20 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Common Gull, 200+ Black-headed Gull, (Nick Croft, Stuart Fisher, Dan Hennessy, Tim Harris, Keith Marchant): 66 species

Wanstead Park: Kingfisher, 3 Wigeon, 3 Great crested Grebe on the Basin, Coal Tit, (Stuart Fisher) 6 Pochard (Bob Vaughan).

2^nd September

Wanstead Flats: 4 Whinchat, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, Sedge Warbler, 4 Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler c. 10 Lesser Whitethroat, 20 + Chiffchaff, 17 Meadow Pipit (Angel Pond), 3 YellowWagtail, 3 Pied Wagtail, 10 Swallow, 10 House Martin, Swift (over Alex east), LittleEgret, Shoveler, 5 Gadwall, Hobby, Kestrel (The Seven Dwarfs).

Wanstead Park: Nuthatch, Goldcrest, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Kingfisher, Little Egret, 14 Pochard, 9 Gadwall, Coal Tit (Nick Croft/Tim Harris/Jonathan & Henry Lethbridge/Paul Davis).

3^rd September

Wanstead Flats: f Common Redstart, 5 Whinchat, 3 Wheatear, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, Reed Warbler, 6 Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Hobby, 7 Sparrowhawk, 1 Swallow, Teal, 4 Gadwall, 7 Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, 10 Meadow Pipit, 8 Herring Gull (Nick Croft/Dan Hennessy/jono Lethbridge/Sally Hammond) 5 swifts over Alex this evening (Joe Dickens)

4^th September

 

Wanstead Flats: f Common Redstart, Whinchat, Tree Pipit, 13 Meadow Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Spotted Flycatcher, Kingfisher over Angel pond, Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, 9 Swallow south, House Martin, 7 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler (Nick Croft/Jonathan Lethbridge/Dan Hennessy/Doug)

5^th September

Wanstead Flats: 2 m Common Redstart, 3 Whinchat, 2 (m&f) Wheatear, 4 Spotted Flycatcher, Tree Pipit (Alex scrub still), 7 Meadow Pipit, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtail, 10 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Willow Warbler, 3 Shoveler, f Teal, 5 Gadwall, 7 Swallow (north), 3 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel (Nick Croft/Jono Lethbridge/TimHarris/Dan Hennessy).

Wanstead Park: 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 4 Swallow (north) and a Red Underwing (Nick Croft/Natalia Benajeh)

6^th September

Wanstead Flats: 2 Common Redstart (m&f), Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 7 Meadow Pipit, 3 Garden Warbler, 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Shoveler, 8 Gadwall, f Teal (Nick Croft/Jonathan Lethbridge/Bob Vaughan/Barry Bishop/TimHarris).

7^th September

Wanstead Flats: m Common Redstart still Alex scrub, Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher, Greenshank (NC/SH) calling over Alex at 08:15 heading west (first record since 1985), Tree Pipit, 10+ Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail (no sign or sound of Stu's Leyton Richard's Pipit), c. 10 Lesser Whitethroat, c. 30+ Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler, 20+ Blackcap, 20+ Common Whitethroat, 3 Swallow, 10+ House Martin, 6 Gadwall, f Teal still, Kestrel (Nick Croft/Sally Hammond/Dan Hennessy/Tim Harris/Doug).

8^th September

Wanstead Flats: 2 Northern Wheatear, 2 Garden Warbler (Dan Hennessy/Bob Vaughan)

  

9^th September

Wanstead Flats: 2-3 Wheatear, Spotted Flycatcher, Nuthatch calling Esso copse then a second of same moments later east end of Long wood, 4 Willow Warbler singing, 20 + Chiffchaff, 5 Lesser Whitethroat, Goldcrest, 5 Mistle Thrush, Skylark, 10 Meadow Pipit (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan)

Wanstead Park: 2 Little Egret, Kingfisher, c. 14 Pochard, 27 Tufted Duck, Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Sparrowhawk, juv Hobby, Kestrel (Nick Croft/Paul Davis)

10^th September

Wanstead Flats: single figures of Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Common Whitethroat indicating a bit of a clear out, Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 10 Meadow Pipit, small movement of Chaffinch, 2 Shoveler (east), 6 Gadwall (Nick Croft/Jono Lethbridge/Tim Harris)

11^th September

Wanstead Flats: Spotted Flycatcher, Nuthatch, Kingfisher, c. 30 Chiffchaff, single figures of Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, 3 Mistle Thrush, 7 Gadwall, f Shoveler, Yellow Wagtail, 3 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel (Team Wanstead).

12^th September

Wanstead Flats: 3 Wheatear (Alex) (Tim Harris)

13^th September

Wanstead Flats: 3 Whinchat, 2 Wheatear, 3 Yellow Wagtail over, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 15+ Meadow Pipit, 20-30 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler, 6 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 f Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, Teal (south), Kestrel, Sparrowhawk (Team Wanstead)

14^th September

Wanstead Flats: c.10 Chiffchaff, 5+ Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 10 Meadow Pipit, 5 Swallow, House Martin, 2 Shoveler, 5 Gadwall, 2 Egyptian Goose (Nick Croft).

Wanstead Park: 43 Tufted Duck, 27 Pochard, Great Crested Grebe (juv), 6 Little Grebe, 2 Little Egret, 4 Grey Heron, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, 5 + Sand Martin, 6+ House Martin, 3 Swallow, Stock Dove, c.10 Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, 3 Goldcrest, Kestrel (Nick Croft).

15^th September

Wanstead Flats: 3 Whinchat, 1-2 Wheatear, Spotted Flycatcher, Reed Warbler, c. 30 Chiffchaff, 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Common Whitethroat, Goldcrest, 10 Blackcap, 40 + Meadow Pipit south, 5 Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, 2 Siskin, c. 40 Goldfinch, Coal Tit, Nuthatch, 2 Shoveler, 3 Gadwall, 2 Egyptian Goose, 2 Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel, 16 House Martin (Tony Brown/Nick Croft/Tim Harris)

Wanstead Park: f Wigeon, m Teal, 33 Pochard, 40 Tufted Duck, 10 Gadwall, Sand Martin, Swallow, Great Crested Grebe juv, 4 Nuthatch (Bush Wood), Coal Tit, 6 Grey Heron, Little Egret, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail (Nick Croft/Tim Harris/Kathy Hartnett)

  

17^th September

Wanstead Flats: 4 Whinchat, 3 Wheatear, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Siskin, 30 Swallow, 10 House Martin, Willow Warbler, 3 Common Whitethroat, 20+ Chiffchaff, 10+ Blackcap, f Teal, 3 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Stock Dove (Nick Croft/Jonathan Lethbridge).

Wanstead Park: 53 Tufted Duck, 30 + Pochard (one female with green nasal saddle BF), 3 Swallow, House Martin, 2 Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap (Nick Croft).

18^th September

Wanstead Flats: 2 Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher, c. 20+ Chiffchaff, 10+ Blackcap, 4 Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, 25 Swallow, House Martin, 30+ Meadow Pipit, 4 Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Hobby, 2 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel (Nick Croft/Jono Lethbridge/Dan Hennessy)

  

19^th September

Wanstead Flats: 4 Whinchat, 3 Wheatear, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 juv Song Thrush, increasing numbers of Robin, Spotted Flycatcher, 42 + Meadow Pipit, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 17 House Martin, 11 Swallow, 40 + Chiffchaff, 10-20 Blackcap, 3 Common Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 f Shoveler, 1 Gadwall, c. Little Grebe, Stock Dove, 2 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft/Tim Harris/Jonathan Lethbridge/Dan Hennessy).

20^th September

Wanstead Flats: 3 Whinchat, 1 juv Stonechat (Jubilee, only 2nd record this year), 40 + House Martin SE, 16 Swallow, 66 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 30 + Chiffchaff still, 5 Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, 10 + Blackcap, 2 Little Egret over west, 2 Grey Heron, Hobby, 2 Sparrowhawk, Skylark (Nick Croft/Jonathan Lethbridge)

  

21^st September

Wanstead Flats: 2 Tree Pipit (SSSI - TH), c. 40 Meadow Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 4
Pied Wagtail, juv Stonechat still though mobile, 3 Whinchat, f Wheatear, Willow Warbler, 30 + Chiffchaff, 6+ Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Common Whitethroat, 200+ Starling in feeding flock, Lesser Redpoll, 8 Chaffinch over, 50+ House Martin feeding over flats before moving south, 2 Swallow, 2 Skylark, 8 Mistle Thrush, 2 Shoveler, 2 Egyptian Goose, 2 Kestrel (one with rat at Alex) (Nick Croft/Tim Harris/Jonathan Lethbridge).

22^nd September

Wanstead Flats: 2 Stonechat, 3 Whinchat, f Wheatear, 30 + Meadow Pipit, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail, 30 Chiffchaff still, Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler singing, 10 + Blackcap, Little Egret, 8 Swallow, 5 House Martin, Skylark, Goldcrest, 3 Kestrel, Siskin (Tony Brown/Dan Hennessy/Tim Harris/Stuart Fisher/Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: 50 + Pochard, 50 + Tufted Duck (one with pink breast band), Wigeon still on ornamental waters, 10 Gadwall, Nuthatch, 4 Goldcrest, 5 Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, 5 Grey Heron, Little Egret, 2 Kingfisher, 13 Meadow Pipit (north!), 2 Grey Wagtail, 10 Little Grebe, 3 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Hobby (Nick Croft).

23^rd September

Wanstead Flats: 2 Stonechat still, Wheatear, 131 Swallow, 14 House Martin, 70 + Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Lesser Redpoll, 4 Siskin, 20+ Chiffchaff, 10+ Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, 5 Little Egret east, 3 Grey Heron, 4 Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, Common Snipe, Goldcrest (Team Wanstead)

24^th September

Wanstead Flats: 40+ Lesser Black-backed Gull, 5 Great Black-backed Gull, 10+ Herring Gull, 3 Common Gull, 30+ Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 14 House Martin east, 5 Swallow, 20+ Chiffchaff still, Blackcap, 5 Song Thrush, 6 Shoveler, 7 Gadwall, f Teal (Nick Croft/Dan Hennessy/Jono Lethbridge).

25^th September

Wanstead Flats: 2 Stonechat still, Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Shoveler, 20+ Chiffchaff, 4 Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, 4 Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, 20+ Greenfinch, 15 Goldfinch, Reed Bunting, 80+ Swallow, 14 House Martin, 30+ Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail (Jonathan Lethbridge/Dan Hennessy/Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft).

28^th September

Wanstead Flats: (0630-0830) 15 Herring Gull and 20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls in Alex roost, 9 Skylarks, 53 Swallows SW between 0700-0800, c30 Meadow Pipits, 8 Chiffchaffs, 1 Goldcrest (Tim Harris, Dan Hennessy, Josh Selfe)

29^th September

Wanstead Flats: late Lesser Whitethroat Long Wood (Bob Vaughan)

West Ham Park: Wood Warbler 9.30 (Birdguides).

30^th September

Wanstead Flats: 1 Teal (Alex), 531 House Martins and 10 Sand Martins NW (mostly 10:00 to 10:45), 41 Swallows NW (starting earlier), singing Skylark (1), 10 Meadow Pipits, 2 Tree Pipits (Alex scrub; 1 at least still there at 10:45), 4 Grey Wagtails over, several Blackcaps, 5 Chiffchaff, c10 Goldcrest, 4 Redpolls over. (Tony Brown, Tim Harris, Dan Hennessy, Bob Vaughan, Joe)