In which we all get cracking (ahem!) views of the Ring Ouzel and I go to the park to see ducks...

Quite a visi-mig morning.  Redwing west before I'd got the Co-Op, Redwing west as I came out of the Co-Op!  Dozens of them, which had become hundreds by the time I met up with quite a crowd at the south-side of Long Wood.

Bob had made contact with the Ring Ouzel already, and was a happy chappy (a new bird for him for the area, long sought after and finally got.  Tick #125). I had picked it up in a lone hawthorn between me and Marco, who had come specially for this bird, but then she flew around and disappeared for about an hour or so.

Dan, Tony and Barry still hadn't caught up with the bird, now on its 5th day, so we waited counting finches and other thrushes.  Next Sally and Helen turned up expecting ouzel action too, and counting Redwing was not going to cut it. We circled round long wood, where we suspected it might be hold up and that accomplished we stood around a bit more.  Nothing.

To do something different from standing around doing nothing, I wandered off to the visi-mig point and promptly flushed it from the hawthorn. Luckily everybody saw it give me a wide berth and fly south further into the brooms and the last hawthorn there.  We approached as one, hoping to get there before a guy in a (very) high visibility jacket came trundling the other way.  The ouzel obviously didn't like the look of his jacket anymore than we did and flew high east over centre copse and round back towards long wood. 

Cracking views.  Everybody happy.  Job done.

Finally got some shots of the bird I have been chasing for the best part of the week.  Shouldn't have bothered.  The good news is I've kept some in reserve for the monthly round up and will have to use them if she fails to become more obliging!

Then I went to the park and looked at ducks.

Post Shetland

Not a bad start to October

Last year when I came back from Shetland, I trudged round the patch with nothing much to show for the effort.  In the end I scarpered down to the Scillies to gain some much needed bird tonic.

This year, it's been rather good. OK missed the Short-eared Owl that Stevey T found on Saturday, but subsequently we've notched up Brambling (2-4, but probably only 1 bird!), Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, and best of all Woodlark, following Stu's bird up the road on Thursday (probably the same bird making an appearance at Crossness later in the week).

Tony chipped in with a rather shy male Stonechat, which stayed for 3 days giving us all the run around, plus another couple of Tree Pipits–thing's ain't so bad.  Now of course we got ouzels!

Dan also got in the act, after a quiet weekend, finding 2 Goldeneye on Heronry this morning.  He texted "(is this) normal?" No it bloody isn't.  The last record was of a female in 2009 after a pretty monstrous gale.  It was "not" normal enough for Jono and I to scuttle (no running, please!) down to the park, where we chased the birds up and down the lake for abut half an hour in the company of Mr Harris (who drove–that's how normal!).

Always something strange and odd likely to happen in Wanstead. Dunno what's going on here. First I thought it was the changing rooms being torched, then I noticed not much effort being used to put the fire out. Then I noticed the cameras!

Another day and a guy on a bike stops and asks if my camera can take pictures of planes. I say probably if they are close enough.  He then goes on to expound how the military, and civil aircraft have been seeding the stratosphere over Stratford with lithium and aluminum for some climate control experiments. 

My eyes rolled!

Really?

Must be going!

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)