T dancing round the redpoll

Miserable weather for photography, crap photographer.

On the Alex (8 November), I thought I got a view of our Teal/Wigeon mash up, by the time the camera was out she'd gone. But then there were a couple of Teal, then three, four, five, six. The 4 drakes displaying like frenzy. Pure ballet.

So imagination required here...














Lesser Redpoll numbers are hitting new highs. Tim counted over 150 on Sunday between the Flats and the Park, and this week there has been a flock of over 60 feeding in the birch and broom of the SSSI. One in particular has caught the eye. Grey rump, greyer plumage and of a slightly larger size. I am not saying anything for the moment, until I can pin it down and get some good photos.


These birds are reasonably approachable and given some sunlight I might even get a passable snap, even if its just of the Chiffchaff.

A bad omen?

Last time a Snow Bunting was recorded on the flats was November 19th 1938, a year later the world descends into chaos. November 6th 2011,Snow Bunting reported on the flats...


... it's not my fault, OK?

Halcyon days (again!)

I wasn't expecting too much to happen today as I got up late.

Yesterday's rain held some promise and even the Bandstand pond had some water in it but nothing else. A small flock of Fieldfare flew west down Capel Road and a smaller flock (2) of Lesser Redpoll flew north over the broom, nothing unusual there.

At the vismig point some Song Thrush were flying around and a few Blackbird set off high and south. All a bit quiet really. Jono turned up nursing a slight hangover and in need of a special coffee from the Little Tea Shop of Happiness, so we tracked off to the Alex on route.

A group of Greylag flew towards us then banked and went back the way they came. Then I picked up the bronchial-chain-smokers call of Egyptian Goose turning over the Alex, 5 of them (we later found two more on the lake setting a new record for the flats).

At the lake I spotted a Med Gull (which from the photographs looks a different bird than Monday's, however it could be just the different profile that was offered this time. Monday's bird appears to have more of a mask in front of the eyes) floating around with the Common and Black-headed Gull.

Monday's bird, half asleep

Four teal were feeding in and out of the willow roots at the east end and there we also picked up the female Wigeon again.

Not a wigeon or female either, nor mentioned in the text. We saw some of these. There you go: context!

The coffee cure beckoned.

After taking his medicine Jono had to leave for parental duties. I went to check out the Perch swamp on the off chance the Water Rail might have returned. That the swamp was actually wet was encouraging, but nothing. In the drowned wood though I caught glimpse of the of the long red bill and the flicky tail.

Like the other migrants who pitch up here on passage or for longer, you wonder how and why they choose this place, and return to it for years. Or it could be a completely new bird that has stumbled on the stinky swamp patch and found it to its liking... hmm!

Thinking I would get a shot of the bird if I returned to the reedy bit which separated the stinky bit from the drowned bit, I squelched into the tall stuff and waited.

The rail had other plans and was not for showing. But I waited on, sinking slightly more by the minute. Then a Kingfisher popped up on a branch just through the undergrowth...



Too many branches and stuff, which is a shame because it was probably the nearest I've been to this elusive bird. After while it flew off and I was able to prise my boots out of the mud and get back to the path.

On the main body of the lake a female Wigeon stood out from the Tufties and Gadwall. A second bird or a change of scene for the Alex bird?



To the old sewage works, where I fancy one day a flyover Hawfinch will be seen. One flew over a house in Woodford Green, again, not too far to the north, and one flew over the Greenwich Ecopark earlier that morning (just to the south). The odds are getting better.



No Hawfinch, but another run around Bullfinch, a leucistic Goldfinch (!), Goldcrests and large numbers of thrush as well as the roving tit flocks and a chancing Sparrowhawk or two. Looking back towards the west a small woodpecker flew in exaggerated dips from the cemetery and over the stables - the first Lesser Spotted Woodpecker I'd seen since May. We should have had plenty of sightings in the late summer, especially in the OSW.



The day's tally was looking good so I tried the east bank of the Roding up by the old allotments, specifically for Little Egret who move to the quieter reaches of the river when the golfers are thudding balls into the water. No egrets but a Grey Wagtail meant that the detour wasn't a complete waste of time.



Then a quick tour of the ornamentals to count the ducks and again to see if any egrets were roosting up on the islands. Five Herons but no white ones.



On the west side of the Ornamentals and in particular the grotto there's the off-chance of a Firecrest and in the wooded walk leading up to the Dell, Treecreeper. More Goldcrest, a Stock Dove and hundreds of pigeons crashing out of the trees.

By this time it was getting gloomier and I hurried down the side of the stream to reach the east end of Perch: I fancied a hot tea (and cake). Half way along this rarely used path a large shape flew from the floor to my right and zigg-zagged through the trees and out into the open. My first Woodcock of the year for either of the patches. Sweet! I had been thinking more of a Snipe flushed by the stream and dream of a Jack Snipe just sitting there waiting for its picture to be taken, but I'll more than settle for a Woodcock. [Just doesn't sound right!]

The tea was a perfection, just right, and the chocolate cake - not too bad either. I sat happily getting outside the tea shop's offerings and watched a falcon circling high to the south. Through the bins it got bigger and bigger as if it was coming toward me. It was: cue the camera, cue malfunction. The bird stooped fast over the tea shop to somewhere over the plain. It's quarry eluded it, and I its digital capture. Arse!

Just time now to get the Teal that Mike Messenger had said were on Shoulder of Mutton when we'd met earlier. Done, giving a record 55 species for the Park. Blimey! 50 is hard enough in here and I was missing Kestrel, Coal Tit, Little Egret so a bloody good day. Wow!

That was it then, back home for tea and see how bad the Kingfisher turned out.

So I thought. As I reached the south end of the flats a wader's call came to me as it flew over. I know that. What the hell was it? I would spell it out, but virtually all waders have a teu teu call of some kind. It was ploverish, but not the haunting call of the Golden Plover, too late for LRP and not right for LRP, which to me meant only one thing. A thing I confirmed by going straight to Ringed Plover on the Birds of the Western Palearctic CD on my return home. I knew I knew I knew it.

Kerching, as they say!

October review

While not a patch on last year, the month threw up some good birds, in some good numbers. Dominant southerlies and good weather, indeed balmy weather on occasions meant that as in the Spring many of our expected visitors just carried on. Or maybe some have just yet to arrive...

Highlights of the month

Ring Ouzel blink and you'd have missed them
Wood Lark thinks about being a long stayer then decides against it
Wigeon on the Alex for most of the month
Crossbill over the Alex and chez Lethbridge
Jono gets his Stonechat for a record year list
Goshawk(s) tempted by the huge increase in Wood Pigeon!
Medeterranean Gull on the Alex, but I am still crap at gulls



On the furry front
Possible Otter sp on the Roding
Weasel in the Sewage Works
Wood Mouse uses local bus stop

In a slight change to previous months, we will be just hacking the materials uploaded to the London Bird Club sight (saves me a few hours of having to try and collate and illustrate and to tie all together with a bit of whimsy. So we are all winners!).

1 October

Wanstead Flats: Woodlark in grass east of Long wood then flew West and not relocated, Lesser Redpoll, 2 Reed Bunting, male Blackcap, Grey Wagtail over, 7 Skylark, 28 Meadow Pipit, 4 Song Thrush (S Fisher/Tim Harris)

Wanstead Park: Garden Warbler male in subsong OSW, 3 Goldcrest (Stuart Fisher, Tim Harris)

2 October

Wanstead Flats: 28 + Meadow Pipit, 6 Pied Wagtail, 5 Siskin, 7 Lesser Redpoll, 7 Chaffinch, Linnet, c. 10 Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, Goldcrest, 3 Teal, 3 Gadwall (east), Tufted Duck, Sparrohawk, Kestrel (Nick Croft/Tony Brown)

Wanstead Park: 2 Little Egret (Paul Davis), 6 Gadwall, 6 f Pochard, 14 Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Chiffchaff (singing), 2 Goldcrest (Nick Croft/Paul Davis)
3 October




Wanstead Flats: 10 Song Thrush, 20 + Blackbird (representing a small fall during the night), 5 Mistle Thrush, 10 + Meadow Pipit, 5 Pied Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2-3 Chiffchaff, Linnet (Nick Croft) Buzzard reported last week



Wanstead Park: 50+ Jackdaw, 9 Siskin, 4 Mistle Thrush, 3 Chiffchaff, 9 Pochard, 15 Tufted Duck, 2 Goldcrest (Nick Croft)




4 October

Wanstead Flats: 1m + 1 f/juv type Ring Ouzel, 3 Wheatear, 2 Whinchat, 6 Song Thrush, 6 Mistle Thrush, 50 + Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, 3 Pied Wagtail, Hobby feeding on the wing headed south, Kestrel, 9 Swallow (south), 12 Chaffinch, 13 Siskin (south), 2 Lesser Redpoll (north), 2 Linnet, 4 Goldfinch, 6 Skylark, 4 m Blackcap, 7 Chiffchaff (Nick Croft/Tim Harris), Goldcrest (Bush Wood), 2 Gadwall (jubilee pond), Little Egret (east) (Tim Harris), Monk Parakeet (Bush Wood - Jonathan Lethbridge). Male Ring Ouzel still present in Long Wood at approx 2:45, 1 Wheatear still (Stuart Fisher).



5 October

Wanstead Flats: 2 Wheatear (juv + fem), 5 Mistle Thrush, 60 + Meadow Pipit, 5 Pied Wagtail, 7 House Martin, 5 Swallow, 1,225 Wood Pigeon feeding on football pitches, 600 Starling (likewise), 5 Linnet, 10 Chaffinch (south), Kestrel, 2 Gadwall, 6 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap (Nick Croft/Tim Harris/Paul Ferris/ Steve Thorpe).

6 October

Wanstead Flats: 2 juv/f type Wheatear (+ 1 SSSI), 30+ Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, Reed Bunting (east), 2 Linnet, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, 7 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, f Pochard, 3 Teal, Kestrel, 10 + Skylark (Nick Croft/Tim Harris).

7 October

Wanstead Flats: Ring Ouzel alarm call heard but not located, 1 Wheatear, 12 + Song Thrush, 20 + Blackbird, 12 Mistle Thrush, 16 + Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap, 2 Goldcrest, 20 + Linnet, 10 + Chaffinch, Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, 3 Swallow, 20 Meadow Pipit, 3 Grey Wagtail, 4 Pied Wagtail, 10 + Skylark, Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, Pochard (f), 2 Gadwall (Nick Croft/Tim Harris/Paul Ferris)

8 October

Wanstead Flats am: Woodlark North over Broom fields calling 8am (ish), drake Wigeon on Alex, 52 Siskin south, 5 Chaffinch NW, Linnet North, 22 Meadow Pipit, Kestrel, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Bunting (Stuart Fisher) Wigeon still at 18:00, 3 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 1 f Pochard, Kestrel. Sparrowhawk, 6 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 1 Reed Bunting, flock of 30 + Ring-necked Parakeet + many others (south), 2 House Martin, 6 Skylark (Nick Croft)



Wanstead Park pm: Woodlark (west over Heronry, probably Stuart's bird 15:30), juv Goshawk (briefly chasing pigeons low to the south of Heronry), Sparrowhawk, 6 + Goldcrest, 8 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 3 Linnet, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, 3 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 16 Tufted Duck, 12 Pochard (Nick Croft).





9 October

Wanstead Flats: Woodlark (again in broom fields associating with Skylark), 12+ Skylark, juv Hobby (east), Kestrel, m Wigeon still (eclipse drake on Alex), 2 Gadwall (jubilee), 19 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Siskin, 9 UFOs (unidentified finches over), 4 Chaffinch, 10 + Greenfinch, 3 Linnet, 2 Reed Bunting, Wheatear, 8 Redwing, 9 Mistle Thrush, 8 + Song Thrush, 20 + Blackbird, 23 + Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, (Stuart Fisher/Tim Harris/Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: 5 House Martin, 30 + Cormorant (east), Little Egret, 4 Grey Heron, 27 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 20 + Tufted Duck, 10 Pochard, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe,Grey Wagtail, 40 + Jackdaw (south), 8 + Goldcrest, Coal Tit (h), 3 Mistle Thrush, Linnet, Chiffchaff, Blackcap (Tim Harris/Nick Croft) - yesterday C Redstart (Mike Messenger)







10 October

Wanstead Flats: Wigeon still Alex, 2 Shoveler, 20+ Meadow Pipit, 2 Grey Wagtail, 5 Pied Wagtail, 14 Linnet, 10 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Redwing, Greater Black-backed Gull (Nick Croft)

11 October

Wanstead Flats: Wigeon still Alex, 2 pr Shoveler, 5 Gadwall, 2 Wheatear, 6 Redwing, 20 + Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 10 Skylark, 16 Linnet, 5 Greenfinch, 13 Lesser Redpoll, 5 Siskin, 7 Chaffinch, 5 Reed Bunting, 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, 4 House Martin, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft/Tim Harris/Steve Thorpe)

13 October

Wanstead Flats: Wheatear, 16 Redwing, 4 Song Thrush, 7 Fieldfare (north), 20 + Blackbird, 2 Mistle Thrush, 3 Reed Bunting, 4 Chaffinch, 22 Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, Linnet, c. 10 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, Goldcrest (Nick Croft)

15 October

Sand Martin (Heronry), Common Buzzard (Paul Davis)

19 October

Wanstead Flats: 2 Common Crossbill (west over Alex), 26 Lesser Redpoll, 10 Siskin, 16 Greenfinch, 18 Goldfinch, 10 Chaffinch, 10 Linnet, 5 Reed Bunting, m Stonechat (only 3rd-4th record this year), 6 Mistle Thrush, 2 Redwing, 4 Fieldfare, 3 Song Thrush, 6 Skylark, 13 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 14 Shoveler, Wigeon still, 2 Teal, Tufted Duck, 19 Greylag Goose, only 1 Little Grebe, flock of 60+ Jackdaw, 17 Common Gull (Nick Croft)











20 October

Wanstead: 8-9 Common Crossbill north over my garden at 07:50, calling loudly (J Lethbridge)

21 October

Wanstead Flats: Goshawk (west low over Longwood, then presumably the same bird south over Alex, then possibly returning north shortly after), Sparrowhawk, 114 + Fieldfare, 15 Redwing, 15 + Blackbird, 4 Song Thrush, 3 Mistle Thrush, 8 Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer (h), 88 Chaffinch, 29 Lesser Redpoll, 8 Siskin, 23 Greenfinch, 8 Goldfinch, 2 Linnet, 10 Meadow Pipit, 7 Pied Wagtail, 3 Grey Wagtail, 30+ Long-tailed Tit, 74 Jackdaw (flocks of 34 and 40), 20+ Common Gull, 2 Wigeon (m and f), 12 Shoveler, Grey Heron (51 sp - Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe)


22 October

Wanstead Flats: 12 Lesser Redpoll, 7 Chaffinch, Reed Bunting, 11 Fieldfare, 4 Redwing, 5 Skylark, 7 Meadow Pipit, Goldcrest, 2 Song Thrush (1 singing) (Nick Croft), 2 Teal, Gadwall, Shoveler (Steve Thorpe)



Wanstead Park: 2 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 5 Goldcrest, 26 Tufted Duck, 20 Pochard, 8 Egyptian Goose, 6 Little Grebe, Pipistrelle and 1 larger bat (Shoulder of Mutton) (Nick Croft)

23 October

Wanstead Flats: 21 Redwing, 3 Fieldfare, 9 Song Thrush, 10 Mistle Thrush, 45 Lesser Redpoll, 25 Chaffinch, 7 Siskin, Linnet, 2 Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, 14 Meadow Pipit, 7 Pied Wagtail, Skylark, pr Wigeon (still), 9 Shoveler, Goldcrest, Grey Heron, 5 unidentified waders north (Nick Croft)



Wanstead Park: Peregrine Falcon (over old allotments), 2 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Snipe (flushed from River Roding), 5 Stock Dove, 8 Egyptian Goose, 8 Pochard, 33 Tufted Duck, 36 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, f Bullfinch, 3 Siskin, 10 Lesser Redpoll, Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, 4 Little Grebe, 3 Goldcrest (Nick Croft)









24 October

Wanstead Flats: 75 Fieldfare (west), 26 Redwing (west), 4 Mistle Thrush, 10 Skylark (4 north), 17 Meadow Pipit, 11 Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 67 Ring-necked Parakeet (north), 27 Lesser Redpoll, 19 Chaffinch, Siskin, 5 Linnet, 8 Goldfinch, Chiffchaff (h), 3 Goldcrest, Grey Heron, 2 Sparrowhawk (1 landed on the shoreline of Alex, and immediately aroused the duck, who as one swam toward it scaring it off - interesting behaviour), Kestrel, 2 Gadwall, f Wigeon, 14 Shoveler, Tufted Duck, 2 Teal (ST): 52 sp (Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe).

25 October

Wanstead Flats: 208+ Redwing over (mainly south and west), 11 Fieldfare, 28+ Song Thrush, 30+ Blackbird, 13 Mistle Thrush, 2 Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 4 Goldcrest, 23+ Meadow Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail, 10+ Skylark, 11 Lessser Redpoll, 22 + Chaffinch, 16 Siskin, 3 Linnet, 15 Goldfinch, 3 Reed Bunting, 3 Stock Dove (1 singing), Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, m Teal, f Wigeon, 2 Tufted Duck, 19 Shoveler, 4 Little Egret (east - TH), 30+ Common Gull (Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe/Tim Harris).



26 October

Wanstead Flats: 25 Chaffinch, 24 Goldfinch, 2 Siskin, 7 Linnet, 6 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Reed Bunting (TH), 11 Meadow Pipit, 3 Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail (TH), m Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 5 Goldcrest, 7 Mistle Thrush, 24 Redwing (south), 10 Fieldfare, 11+ Song Thrush (1 singing), 30+ Blackbird, 2m Teal, 2 Tufted Duck, 12 Shoveler (Nick Croft/Tim Harris).

28 October

Wanstead Flats: 73 Chaffinch, 14 Goldfinch, 2 Siskin, 23 Linnet, 30+ Lesser Redpoll, 8 Reed Bunting, 54 Redwing, 16 Fieldfare, 14 + Song Thrush, 13 Mistle Thrush, 40 + Blackbird, 16 + Meadow Pipit, 6 Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 2 Goldcrest, 12 Shoveler, 5 m Teal, 50 + Common Gull, Kestrel (Nick Croft/Tim Harris)


29 October

Wanstead Flats (0740-0930): 825 Woodpigeons, 4 Skylarks, 7 Meadow Pipits, 13 Mistle Thrushes, 36 Blackbirds, 86 Fieldfares, 132 Redwings, 390 Starlings, 11+ Chaffinches, 34 Linnets, with most birds flying W or SW. (Tim Harris)






31 October

Wanstead Flats: ad Mediterranean Gull (Alex), 60+ Common Gull, 100+ Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Greater Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, f Wigeon, m Teal, 15 Shoveler, Tufted Duck, 9 Redwing, 9 Fieldfare, 3 Mistle Thrush, 4 Song Thrush, 5 Linnet, 8 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 10 Meadow Pipit, 5 Skylark, Stock Dove, Collared Dove, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft/Tim Harris).





Wanstead Park: 2 Bullfinch (old sewage works), 7 Lesser Redpoll, 13 Siskin, m Blackcap, 7 Goldcrest, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail (ST), Meadow Pipit (south), 4 Little Grebe, Grey Heron, 48 Tufted Duck, 14 Pochard, 20 Gadwall, Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Stock Dove (Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe)