Blimey February without freezing temperatures is like July. The weather was the same as January and for the most part so were the birds. Early blossom and the first leaves have now appeared so we don't want any cold days anymore, perhaps some air masses coming up from Africa and Europe to bring in the migrants and some early morning rain to dump them on the patch. Don't really mind if we have more rain as it will keep the police scrape and the flooded jubilee pond just right for the waves of waders we're hoping for (and perhaps it will stop the fair/circus from happening). Some warmer weather might encourage the newly destroyed habitat (courtesy of the Corporation) to grow back a little.
Before I get to that, it's time for another apology.
This time to Geoff Harding over a certain Lesser Spotted Woodpecker report that we didn't include in the Annual Report. In a comment on a house keeping and travel blog optimistically called The Wanstead Birder, Mr Harding revealed his disappointment (my word) for his "sighting" being looked on as unsubstantiated. I checked the London Wiki for the report on the 24th which was a of a "male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker calling 50yds from Warren Rd entrance (Geoff Harding)." So there's the problem, a few of us heard calls we thought could be down to LSW but couldn't follow them up with sightings (it's happened already this year!). Around that time we spent rather a lot of effort trying to find Lesser spots in any of their favoured areas, and thereafter widened our search to include the Warren Road entrance with no luck. We presumed that it would be just a matter of time before we found a male drumming or calling, but as it turns out the only other report was mine from the flats.
With the demise of this former breeding bird it is important for all reports to be looked into with an open mind, and that is what transpired, but calling and a sighting are two different things and if the latter had been used on the LBC page then we would have probably accepted it, even after our attempts to substantiate it. I would have been happy to, though whether the powers that be would have let me is another question. I had a similar experience myself with a LSW I saw at Radipole the first time I went there.
So back to February was a trifle dull, and it's only thanks to Mr Fisher's Leyton reports that we have enough to pad this round up out with. The month has apparently got better, like a good wine, with age, as Shelduck and Red Kite have been added subsequent to February's demise. Yay!
The highlights
- Linnet numbers peak at 54 on the police scrape
- 2 adult Med Gulls make it 5 for the winter period
- A Pheasant is spotted down by the stables, the first record for 2 years and not a game bird!
- Yellowhammer over Heronry
- Firecrest no show in Bush Wood, but Stu's birds more confiding
- Rook south over Leyton Flats
- Buzzard over Leyton Flats
- Red Kite over the cemetery
- 2 Shelduck on the Police Scrape
Otherwise:
All the Gadwall have just about left, Shoveler numbers down, Pochards all gone and only a few reports of Teal. Only the Tufties have been braving the dullness that was February. Gull numbers fluctuated depending on how horrible the weather was (the worse the better) and as their temporary pools recede so the dominance of the Common Gull is now being usurped by the Black-heads.
On the raptor front; has anyone seen a male Kestrel? There only appears to be the one female hanging around north of Long Wood, which is quite worrying. No signs of Sparrowhawk displays and only singles when they are seen. On the other hand Tawny Owl reports have increased, while no one bothered the Little Owl too much.
Fieldfare and Redwing numbers fell, with just a few of the stripey-eyed thrush left on the flats, but still good numbers in Bush Wood and moving around the old sewage works and stables area. A few Blackbirds have joined in the thrush medley, but even their numbers appear down from last month. It's been a rubbish winter for finches, with a few Siskin hanging on in the park, but numbers of Redpoll of any type are down to a trickle.
Still just the one Snipe holding out in the SSSI, and no sightings of Woodcock since the first day of the year so it appears many of our winter visitors have just gone back from whence they came leaving a bit of a void while we wait for the Spring migrants.
In other news:
Tim has been putting in a huge effort to help our Skylarks. He's been talking to dog owners, and even took a few of them on a Skylark safari, whilst cajoling the Corporation to do more. Signs are promised (again!) but whether the breeding areas will be afforded any more protection that remains to be seen. Meanwhile myself and Mr Harris (again) did a little showcase on the Birds of Wanstead Flats, at Coffee7 during the month. Since no one asked for their money back I will take it as a success!
1st
Wanstead Flats: 40 Linnet, 10+ Skylark (incl song-flighting bird), Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, 4 Meadow Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail, Common Snipe, Fieldfare, 6 Redwing, 10 Gadwall, 7 Shoveler - many gulls (mostly Common & Black-headed) (Nick Croft).
3rd
Wanstead Flats: 54 Linnet, 2+ Lesser Redpoll, Reed Bunting, singing Chaffinch, 20 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, 600+ Common Gull, 400+ Black-headed Gull, 13+ Skylark, 4 Meadow Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail,
Sparrowhawk, 10 Gadwall, 7 Shoveler, 3 Stock Dove (Nick Croft)
4th
Wanstead Flats: Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipit, 10+ Redwing, 7 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Kingfisher, Little Grebe, 16 Pochard, 5 Shoveler, 25 Gadwall, 26 Mute Swan, Redpoll sp, 25+ Redwing (Nick Croft)
5th
Wanstead Flats: 45 Linnet, 5 Skylark, Little Owl (Josh Selfe)
Wanstead Park: Bullfinch, Chiffchaff, 15+ Redwing chased by Sparrowhawk (Josh Selfe)
6th
Wanstead Flats: 7 Skylark 2 singing, 20+ Linnet, 5 Meadow Pipit, Kestrel, 2 Pochard, 14 Mute Swan (Jub) (Nick Croft).
Wanstead Park: Water Rail, 10 Gadwall, 6 Tufted Duck (Shoulder of Mutton), Redwing, 4 Stock Dove (Nick Croft).
8th
Wanstead Flats: 35 Linnet, 4 Skylark, 6 Redwing, 50+ Jackdaw, Great Black-backed Gull, 20+ Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1000+ Common Gull, 800+ Black-headed Gull, 20+ Herring Gull, 9 Gadwall, 8 Shoveler (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Great Crested Grebe back on Heronry, Little Grebe on flooded Roding, 100+ Gadwall, 9 Pochard, 6 Shoveler, Sparrowhawk, 250+ Jackdaw in pre-roost on Wanstead golf course, 2 Goldcrest (Nick Croft).
11th
Wanstead Flats: 10 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, Meadow Pipit, 3 Pied Wagtail, 5 Skylark, 15+ Linnet, 11 Tufted Duck (jub), 4 Shoveler on floods, Great Black-backed Gull (Nick Croft).
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: Firecrest in hollies along west boundary of Court at 10:15, Lesser Redpoll over, Grey Wagtail, 8 Shoveler, 3 Redwing (Stuart Fisher).
12th
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: 13 Shoveler, 3 Gadwall, Kingfisher, f Sparrowhawk, singing Nuthatch (Gilberts Slade), Redwing, 87 Tufted Duck, Egyptian Goose, 5+ Ring-necked Parakeet, Grey Wagtail, 7 Goldfinch (Stuart Fisher)
13th
Wanstead Flats: un-ringed ad Mediterranean Gull, 4-5 Skylark, 6 Shoveler, 2f Pochard, m Teal, 10 Tufted Duck, Meadow Pipit, 2 Redwing (Nick Croft).
Wanstead Park: 3 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, 4 Gadwall, 2 Pochard, 30+ Tufted Duck, 2 Shoveler, 7+ Siskin, 2+ Lesser Redpoll, Kingfisher, displaying Stock Dove, Redwing (Nick Croft).
14th
Wanstead Flats: ad Mediterranean Gull still (Dan Hennessy)
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: 2 Firecrest left roost in laurel hedge in court side early am, singing Goldcrest, 220+ Jackdaw in Epping Forest roost, Sparrowhawk by Snaresbrook tube stn (Stuart Fisher)
15th
Wanstead Flats: ad Mediterranean Gull still (Tony Brown)
19th
Wanstead Flats: 2 ad Mediterranean Gull (5 birds now this winter) (DH), 8+ Skylark (3 display song flights), 5 Meadow Pipit, 15+ Linnet, 6 Fieldfare, 10+ Redwing, Kestrel, 13 Shoveler, trilling Little Grebe on Alex (Dan Hennessy/Nick Croft).
Wanstead Park: report of Pheasant by stables (first record for 2 yrs), Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Grebe, 2-3 Pochard, 2 Shoveler, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Lesser Redpoll, flock of 10+ Goldfinch, 10+ Redwing (Dan Hennessy/Nick Croft).
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: Firecrest (Stuart Fisher)
20th
Wanstead Flats: 9 Linnet, 3 Lesser Redpoll, m Reed Bunting, 5 singing Skylark, 6 Meadow Pipit, Redwing, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Common Snipe (Nick Croft/Tim Harris).
21st
Wanstead Flats: ad Mediterranean Gull still, 1000+ Black-headed Gull, 1000+ Common Gull, 15 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 15 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe, 14+ Mute Swan, 4 Linnet, Reed Bunting, 2 Redwing (Dan Hennessy/Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: 20+ Goldfinch, Lesser Redpoll, Kingfisher, Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Gadwall pr, 5 Shoveler, f Pochard (Nick Croft/Dan Hennessy)
22nd
Wanstead Flats: 18 Linnet, 6 Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 2 Stock Dove pr, Kestrel (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Treecreeper, Redwing (Nick Croft)
23rd
Wanstead Flats: Lesser Redpoll, Reed Bunting, Kestrel, Green Woodpecker, Skylark all SSSI area (Quentin Given)
24th
Wanstead Flats: 5 Meadow Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail, 4 Skylark, 5 Linnet, 4 Lesser Redpoll, f Reed Bunting, 3 Redwing, Kestrel, 2-3 Sparrowhawk, 17 Shoveler, 26 Tufted Duck, 4 Gadwall, 4 Little Grebe (Nick Croft)
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: Rook S, 2 singing Nuthatch (one on Leyton Flats), singing Grey Wagtail, 2 Egyptian Geese, 53 Tufted Duck, 7 Shoveler, 2 Goldcrest pr, Coal Tit, Sparrowhawk, Redwing, 4 drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, Kingfisher (Stuart Fisher)
25th
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: singing m Firecrest on Court boundary, Common Buzzard, 12 Shoveler, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, 2 Goldcrest, Nuthatch, Coal Tit (Stuart Fisher)
26th
Wanstead Flats: 6 Skylark on territory, 4-6 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 6-8 Linnet (1 singing), Lesser Redpoll, 3 Reed Bunting (1 singing), Sparrowhawk, 5 Redwing, 2 Stock Dove pr, Shoveler, Little Grebe (Nick Croft/Tim Harris)
Wanstead Park: Yellowhammer N, Bullfinch, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Little Grebe, 4 Gadwall, Little Egret, Sparrowhawk, Chiffchaff singing, Goldcrest (Nick Croft/Josh Selfe)
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: singing m Firecrest on Leyton Flats, Nuthatch, Grey Wagtail, Great Crested Grebe, 16 Shoveler on Eagle Pond, 2+ Stock Dove, Kingfisher, 3 Gadwall (Stuart Fisher)
27th
Wanstead Flats: 7 Shoveler, 16 Tufted Duck, 3 Little Grebe, 6 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush pr, 10+ Linnet, f Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 6 Skylark, 2 Stock Dove pr (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, 70+ Redwing, Great Crested Grebe, 3 Little Grebe, Little Egret, Goldcrest, 2 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, f Pochard, 30+ Tufted Duck (Nick Croft)
Snaresbrook/Leyton Flats: singing Chiffchaff, 7 Shoveler, Kingfisher, Redwing (Stuart Fisher)
28th
Wanstead Flats: Red Kite (Paul Ferris), 2 Shelduck on Police Scrape (Julie Donovan)
Wanstead Park: Tawny Owl (Tim Harris)
Forest Gate Common Buzzard (Nick Croft)
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