Its been poop on the patch as well with just the one new bird Common Tern added on the 1st, however things might have panned out differently with a report of a Bee-eater over the park on the 2nd immediately panned by all of us–annoying if not true and even more annoying if genuine. The report by a non birder came in the form of a short description and the request of ID help. Ring-necked Parakeet? Turaco? These were known to the observer and so reluctantly I suggested he look at Bee-eater: "That's the fella!" was his reply.
The second might have been was the report of Grasshopper Warbler reeling by the tea-hut on the 16th. I know I passed by the tea-hut that day and I know Mike M was also in the park so hopefully he will know the truth of the matter–I may have to wait to next year for him to remember to tell me. I've seen him on a few occasions this year and it was only on the last meeting that he told me of Bullfinch he'd seen in the OSW in January.
Marco J thought he may have had a Great White Egret over Alex on the 7th but couldn't nail it.
Finally a report of a Honey Buzzard over Romford on the 12th coming our way had me waiting down by the Roding, just in case. I did see something, coming from the right direction and in the right timeframe, which could easily have been it as it glided, low, but unfortunately well to the north of me.
So basically a crappy month!
Migrant wise: Wheatear's stuck around till the 16th, Willow Warbler singers dropped to just the usual two and even by the end of the month the one in the SSSI was singing less frequently and adding chiffy flourishes to the end of his song. A Sedge Warbler reported by the chuckle brothers on Alex on the 17th turned into a Reed Warbler when I got there, talking of which just the one bird is on the Shoulder of Mutton. It's favoured reed bed is in a terrible state and we should have pulled all the dead stuff out in the spring. A further bird was singing by the Roding on the 16th where the Cetti's was heard being a bit more enthusiastic until it probably gave up by the end of the month.
Just the one Garden Warbler report, again Long Wood, so another to add to the lost breeding birds list under the care of the City of London Corporation. Preliminary reports suggest: Lesser Whitethroat down, Whitethroat down, Chiffchaff down–all thanks to this year's destruction and continuing removal of scrub over the last few years.
In the park the breeding season is a calamity on Heronry, Perch and the Ornamentals: Heronry dried up as plans to pump water suffered a pump failure–we pointed out this was an opportunity to do some creative management of the pond to create islands and reed beds. The Corp. ummmed-and aahed and then said great idea, just as the water start lapping at the pond's apron. Perch on the other hand has now been hit with a blue-green algae problem and is virtually stagnant. Lucky they didn't put the fish from Heronry in there then! Oh, wait they did!
Meanwhile the ornamentals wait for any water to come from Perch–suspended to stop the spread of invasive pond weed. All-on-all not good for birds: I've only seen 1 duckling, no Great-crested Grebe (a pair on the basin, but fuck all else since they cleared the weed out–again why??) and Little Grebe confined to the Basin, Shoulder of Mutton and Alex. On the plus side Tawny Owl chicks have been vocal in reservoir wood, but you wouldn't know that as my chums have now created a Whatsapp chat group with very little making it to Twitter.
Back to migrants: A few Swallow noted, but with very reports coming in at all (see below) this is an incomplete picture, the House Martin finally came back, with a high of 10+ birds on the 16th, subsequently down to around 6 seen collecting mud–we will know more about their numbers when we check the nest site.
On the flats there's been very little action with the pipits and larks with no food carrying happening and birds still singing and chasing each other. Whether Linnet (could be 2 pairs) are breeding is another open question, while Reed Bunting are also letting on whether they are at it or over it!
Hobby sightings peaked at the beginning of the month and none at the end, though a couple of Red Kite over Jono's garden were a plus.
I don't think June or July will do much to shift the air of despondency, roll on August.
1st
Wanstead Flats: 4 Wheatear, 3 Common Tern, Rook, 2 Willow Warbler, House Martin, Sand Martin, 4+ Swift, Hobby, pair of Reed Bunting (Wanstead Birding)
2nd
Wanstead Flats: f Wheatear, 6 Swallow, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 pair of Linnet, 5 Skylark, 4 m Meadow Pipit (Wanstead Birders)
Wanstead Park: Bee-eater reported by one of the locals (Nick Croft)
7th
Wanstead Flats: Wheatear f, 100+ Swift, 14 Swallow, 3 Sand Martin, Willow Warbler, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 10 Whitethroat, Yellow Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, 3 Skylark, pr of Hobby, 3 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Coal Tit, Linnet (Nick Croft); possible Great Egret at 8:25 (Marco Johnson)
Wanstead Park: 2 Little Egret, Kingfisher, 4 Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, Nuthatch, 2 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel (Nick Croft/James Heal)
9th
Wanstead Flats: Garden Warbler 2 Yellow Wagtail (Jono Lethbridge), 9 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 7 + Swift, 11 singing Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Meadow Pipit, 6 Tufted Duck (Nick Croft) Tawny Owl young calling in Reservoir Wood (James Heal) yesterday one or more Little Owl in East Copse (Jon Lethbridge)
12th
Wanstead Flats: Yellow Wagtail, 6 Meadow Pipit (1 still singing), 4 Skylark, 10 + Swallow, 9 House Martin, 30 + Swift, Willow Warbler, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Hobby, Kestrel, m Sparrowhawk (Wanstead Birders)
Wanstead Park: Cetti's Warbler still by Roding and singing more than I've heard him before, Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Whitethroat, singing Goldcrest, 2 Little Egret, Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Common Buzzard in from north seen off by crows, and possibly the Romford Honey Buzzard over the Roding (right direction and timeframe), 40 +Swift, 6 Swallow, 2 House Martin (Nick Croft)
16th
Wanstead Flats: f Wheatear still, 10+ House Martin, 3 Swallow, 20+ Swift, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, 2 singing Meadow Pipit, 3 singing Skylark, Common Buzzard, f Sparrowhawk with prey, Kestrel, 3 Pochard, 4 Tufted Duck, over 240+ Herring Gull of various ages loafing, 20 + Lesser Black-backed Gull (Nick Croft/James Palmer)
Wanstead Park: 2 singing Reed Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, pr of Peregrine Falcon, Kestrel, same C Buzzard as above, Little Egret, Stock Dove, 50+ Swift (mostly over Ilford), 2 Little Grebe (Nick Croft/Mike Messenger) Grasshopper Warbler reported singing by tea hut
17th
Wanstead Flats: Sedge Warbler (Bob Vaughan/Jono Lethbridge) No sign of Sedge Warbler, but Reed Warbler singing on Alex, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, 7 House Martin, 20 + Swift, Peregrine Falcon, 2 singing Meadow Pipit, 3 singing Skylark (Nick Croft)
22nd
28th
Wanstead Flats: 4 Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, 4 Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, 2 singing Skylark, 60 + Swift, Sand Martin, 6 House Martin, 2 Kestrel, pr of Pochard, pr of Gadwall (Nick Croft)
Wanstead Park: 3 Red Kite, Buzzard (Jono Lethbridge)
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