The perils of patch working; it can get dull, very dull. Not so much the fault of the patch itself - it's (virtually) always is good to be out there - it's more the thought of the mile slog there and back in the sure and certain knowledge that you are going to see bugger all. But hope springs eternal. Of course if we'd nailed a certain pigeon at the beginning of the month it would be a different story.
It was so-oo dull that my camera decided a better course of action would be to ingest a large amount of lime-scale remover (serves me right for even considering cleaning my bath) and while it turns out the move wasn't fatal I still had to purchase a back-up (50D) just in case. I would have gone for the 5d mkII but luckily, or not, my credit card baulked at the idea. A few weeks on the radiator and the 7d is alive, but I should really send it off for a thorough clean just in case the next time it rains it doesn't start frothing up all over the place.
As it transpired the weather was so gloomy that the back-up hardly ever made it out of the bag. I spoil you.
So that was November.
Oh hang on there's something I usually do around here....
... the highlights (steady now!)
Strap yourselves in
- Firecrest(s) at Snaresbrook Crown Court become regular for Stu, while Bob finally clinches the birds in Bush Wood
- Short-eared Owl on the 20th, probably/possibly the same bird as before
- 1st winter Mediterranean Gull on Jub
- Yellowhammer calling over the Alex
- 2 Stonechats early on in the month, one the long-stayer and a new adult male for the day
- A couple of Brambling records
- And of course the maybe-mega that got away
So it's basically about ducks and the rise of Gadwall numbers across the patch. Still along way to go before reaching the heady highs of the beginning of the year, but added interest comes in the form of a few associated Wigeon. Still not cold enough for any of the ducks we need, though with Dan taking his lunches at the basin this is our best hope.
Redwing numbers dropped to a trickle, but slightly more Fieldfare recorded. Song and Mistle Thrushes may have started singing again but numbers of the former bird have dropped as the migrants have moved on.
Chiffchaff were the only warbler remaining and after being absent for most of the month one appeared in the sedges by Angel and another in the old sewage works. Goldcrest numbers have dropped off on the flats with the birds probably preferring the pickings in the park.
No sign of Water Rail at any of their preferred haunts, but as with everything its not cold enough, even the Snipe haven't really bothered in coming back.
The Corporation did more mowing, this time in the SSSI, and while initially they provide a bonanza for the likes of wagtail, pipits and Green Woodpecker, the bonanza is short-lived and really doesn't make up for all the cover and potential food sources removed. The Skylark are more likely to be found on the police scrape or the footy pitches at this time of the year anyway. Worryingly there are only 7-8 birds left.
So thanks November I am off for my medication
2nd
Wanstead Flats: 15 Fieldfare, 10 Redwing, Reed Bunting, 2 Goldcrest, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 3 Teal, Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, 5 Meadow Pipit, Skylark (Nick Croft/BobVaughan)
Wanstead Park: Little Egret, 6 + Little Grebe, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Sparrowhawk, 60 + Gadwall, 31 Tufted Duck, 16 + Pochard, 6 Shoveler, m Wigeon, 6 + Goldcrest and a blue budgie (Nick Croft)
4th
Wanstead Flats: m Stonechat, 10 Fieldfare, 7 Mistle Thrush, Redpoll sp, 2-3 Bullfinch, 2 Linnet, 2 Reed Bunting, 8 Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 3 Skylark, 3 Goldcrest, 19 Gadwall, 12 Shoveler, 11 Tufted Duck, m Pochard, 3 + Little Grebe, 2 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan)
5th
Wanstead Flats: Brambling, Linnet, 2 Reed Bunting, 36 Fieldfare, 8 Redwing, 10 + Song Thrush, 300 + Common Gull, 200 + Black-headed Gull, 2 Kestrel, 8 Skylark, 6 Meadow Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail, Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 15 Gadwall, 8 Shoveler, 3m Teal, 2 f Pochard, 5 Little Grebe, 600 + Wood Pigeon south (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park/Bush Wood: Firecrest, 6 + Goldcrest (Bob Vaughan)
Leyton Flats: Kingfisher, Shoveler, Great Crested Grebe x 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay x 2 (RO) Brambling over Gilberts Slade at dawn, 4 Redwing, Linnet, Grey Wagtail, 6+ Goldcrest, 17 Gadwall (Hollow and Eagle Ponds), drake Shoveler, Green Woodpecker, 2 Egyptian Geese (Stuart Fisher)
6th
Wanstead Flats: 2 Fieldfare, Redwing, 5 Song Thrush, Reed Bunting, 2 Linnet, Skylark, 6 Meadow Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, 3 Teal, 3 Shoveler, Gadwall, 4 Little Grebe (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan) Currently Bob and Rich are trying to track down what could be an exciting bird, Bob and I have poor views of a dove sized (and looking) bird with a longish pin-tail, flushed from beneath trees in the SSSI, dark above with a hint of white on the flank, so if your in the vicinity....
Wanstead Park: 50 Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, 15 Pochard, 40 + Tufted Duck, 4 Little Grebe, 2 Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Sparrowhawk, Goldcrest (Nick Croft)
7th
Wanstead Flats: No sign of "possible" Mourning Dove from yesterday in SSSI (based on our pooled sightings it was the best fit bird after some research), Peregrine Falcon, Kestrel, Stonechat male first winter (possibly 2 birds), Redwing, 10 + Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, 4 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 4 + Goldcrest (Nick Croft)
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: 2 Firecrest in the Court grounds, 2 Tawny Owl (Gilberts Slade) (Stuart Fisher)
9th
Wanstead Flats: Stonechat, 40 Fieldfare, 17 Redwing, 7+ Skylark, 3 Meadow Pipits, 4 Pied Wagtail, Linnet, Bulfinch, 5+ Goldcrest, 28 Gadwall, Teal, 5 Pochard, 5 Shoveler, 11 Tufted Duck, 4 Little Grebe, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel (Dan Hennessy/Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: 27 Mute Swans, 41 Canada Geese, 12 Egyptian Geese, 4 Eurasian Wigeon, 193 Gadwall, 9 Common Teal, 92 Mallard, 11 Shoveler, 17 Pochard, 40 Tufted Duck, 9 Little Grebe, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Kingfisher, 2 Grey Wagtail (Wren Wildlife Group).
10th
Wanstead Flats: 15 Fieldfare, 6 Song Thrush, Bullfinch, Lesser Redpoll, 2 Linnet, 11 Skylark, Meadow Pipit, 8 Pied Wagtail, 2 Goldcrest, 4 m Teal, 18 Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, 8 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft/John Weil)
Snaresbrook Crown Court: 2 Firecrest, Treecreeper, Gilberts Slade: Tawny Owl (Stuart Fisher)
11th
Wanstead Flats: 1st winter Mediterranean Gull, 300 + Common Gull, 200 + Black-headed Gull, 2 Peregrine Falcon (males judging by their size), Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 6 Meadow Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail, 6 Skylark, 2 Lesser Redpoll, Bullfinch, 2 Linnet, 2 Pochard, 12 Gadwall, 4 Shoveler, 10 + Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe, 5 + Goldcrest (Nick Croft)
12th
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: Firecrest, 4 Lesser Redpoll, 20+ Redwing, 7 Song Thrush, 9 Gadwall, drake Shoveler, 6-7 Goldcrest, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers (Stuart Fisher)
13th
Wanstead Flats: 10 Fieldfare, Redwing,15+ Song Thrush, 13 Mistle Thrush, 20 + Blackbird, 20 Linnet, 5 Skylark, 15 Meadow Pipit, 5 Pied Wagtail, 3 Goldcrest, Kestrel, 15 + Gadwall, 6 Pochard, 7 Shoveler, m Teal (Nick Croft/Richard Rae/Bob Vaughan)
15th
Wanstead Flats: 21 Fieldfare, 15 + Song Thrush, 4-6 Skylark, 7 Linnet, 5 Goldcrest, 25 Gadwall, 11 Shoveler, 9 Pochard, m Teal, 2 Little Grebe, 5 Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Kestrel (Wanstead Birding)
Wanstead Park: 10 Teal, 4 Wigeon, 14 Shoveler, 187 Gadwall, 60 + Tufted Duck, 40 Pochard, 5 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, 2-3 Kingfisher, 10 + Goldcrest, Grey Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit (Nick Croft)
16th
Leyton Flats: 10+ Redpoll, 3 Bullfinch, Sparrowhawk, 5 + Goldcrest, pr Shoveler, 6 Pochard, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Greater Black-backed Gull. (Joe Dickens and Martha Birungi)
17th
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: Firecrest, Grey Wagtail, 4 Goldcrest, Fieldfare, 6 Gadwall, 3 Egyptian Geese, 39 Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard, 2 Great crested Grebe (Stuart Fisher). There are 2 areas at Snaresbrook Crown Court, first the copse east of Eagle Pond in the ivy covered trees not far from pedestrian entrance, secondly one roosts in the giant Laurel hedge near the lower visitor car park towards the NW side of the Court grounds, this can often be detected (its often very vocal) from over the fence in Leyton Flats as it sometimes heads off in that direction early in the morning (SF).
19th
Wanstead Flats: 10 + Meadow Pipit, 10 + Pied Wagtail on newly cut area in SSSI, 8 Skylark, 7 Linnet, 4 Redwing, 10 + Song Thrush including 4 singing birds, 2 Mistle Thrush, 44 Gadwall, 12 Shoveler, 3 Teal, 2 Pochard, 10 + Tufted Duck, Little Grebe (Nick Croft); 5 Pied Wagtail, Fieldfare, 3 Mistle Thrush, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 5 Green Woodpecker, 6 Jay (RO)
20th
Wanstead Flats: Short-eared Owl (flew in from east over Alex, then chased by crows flew high east again), Little Owl (BV), Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 9 Linnet, Siskin, 30 + Goldfinch, Reed Bunting, Redwing, 10 + Song Thrush, 5 Mistle Thrush, 4+ Goldcrest, 15 + Meadow Pipit, 15 Pied Wagtail, 5 Skylark, 54 Gadwall, 5 Teal, Pochard, 17 Shoveler, 8 Egyptian Goose, 10 + Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Stock Dove (Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft)
21st
Snaresbrook/Leyton Flats: 2 Firecrest in the big Laurel hedge and nearby scrub NW end of Court early morning, 9+ Lesser Redpoll, Fieldfare, 4 Redwing, Grey Wagtail, 7 Stock Dove, Kingfisher, 20 Gadwall, 2 Great crested Grebe, Coal Tit (Stuart Fisher)
22nd
Wanstead Flats: 47 Fieldfare, 20 Redwing, 9 Mistle Thrush (1 singing), Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, 2 Bullfinch, 9 Linnet, 10 Meadow Pipit, 8 + Pied Wagtail, 5 Skylark, 2 Goldcrest, 4 Pochard, 5 Teal, 12 Shoveler, 54 Gadwall, Egyptian Goose, 3 Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel (Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft)
24th
Wanstead Flats: 4 Fieldfare, 15 Linnet, 3 Lesser Redpoll, 10+ Meadow Pipit, 5 Pied Wagtail, c.50 Gadwall, 6 Teal, 15 Shoveler, 4 Little Grebe, 6 Skylark, Kestrel (Nick Croft)
Snaresbrook/Leyton Flats: 1-2 Firecrest in buddleias near laurel hedge in Court, 8 Fieldfare, Siskin N, Lesser Redpoll, 6 Shoveler, 34 Gadwall, Kingfisher, Meadow Pipit, Nuthatch, Great Crested Grebe, Sparrowhawk (Stuart Fisher)
25th
Wanstead Flats: m Bullfinch, Kestrel, Goldcrest Long Wood; 4 Skylark, 16 Linnet Police Scrape; Snipe, Lesser Redpoll, 2 Fieldfare SSSI (Bob Vaughan)
Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: Firecrest at roost spot, 14 Lesser Redpoll, Common Buzzard SW over Leytonstone at 12.33, Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 28 Gadwall, 2 Redwing, 5 Shoveler (Stuart Fisher)
26th
Wanstead Flats: 27 Linnet, 5 Skylark, 10 Meadow Pipit, 5 Pied Wagtail, 3 Goldcrest, 3 Fieldfare, 60 Gadwall, 12 Shoveler, 20 TuftedDuck, 2 Pochard, m Teal, Little Grebe, Kestrel (Nick Croft)
Snaresbrook Crown Court: Firecrest (Stuart Fisher)
27th
Wanstead Flats: Yellowhammer, 10 + Linnet, 4 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, Goldcrest, Fieldfare, Sparrowhawk, 71 Gadwall, 33 Shoveler, Teal, 20 + Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: 89 Gadwall, 4 Shoveler, 31 Pochard, 30 + Tufted Duck, 3 Egyptian Goose, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Goldcrest (Nick Croft)
Snaresbrook Crown Court: 1-2 Firecrest early morning (Stuart Fisher)
28th
Wanstead Flats: Chiffchaff, 20 Fieldfare, 12 Linnet, 13 + Goldfinch, 10 Chaffinch, 1-2 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Pied Wagtail, 3 Pochard, 54 Gadwall, 14 Shoveler, 200 + Starling, 600 + Common Gull, Kestrel (Nick Croft)
Snaresbrook Crown Court: Firecrest still at dawn (Stuart Fisher)
29th
Wanstead Flats: 8 Mute Swan, 381 Canada Geese, 8 Greylags, 40 Mallard, 8 Shoveler, 27 Gadwall, 2 Pochard, 19 Tufted Duck, 3 Little Grebe, 31 Moorhen, 88 Coot, 79 Black-headed Gull, 273 Common Gull, 2 Skylark, 6 Meadow Pipit, Goldcrest, 16 Linnet (Tim Harris)
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