September to remember

Was it that good?  Seemed like all the usual migrants had gone by the middle of the month and early

September's scores (August in itals, last September bold)

Whinchat: 60,   22 (80)
Northern Wheatear: 15,  25  (9)
Common Redstart: 7,  22  (7)

Pied Flycatcher:  1,  2  (5)
Spotted Flycatcher:  30,  49 (33)

Tree Pipit: 8,   16  (11)
Yellow Wagtail: 77, 37  (33)
Stonechat: 18, -

Whinchat down, Wheatear up on last year, Redstart so-so, Pied Fly and Spotted also down on last year and gone by the end of the month, Tree Pipit, would appear to be down, but then we had early birds in August.  Best of all in the context of a national crash in numbers,virtually double the number of Yellow Wagtail, While Stonechat haven't featured in previous years and indeed the long running juvenile male and his chums have now notched up more days that all the Stonechats from the last four, and you would have to go back a few years to when they were over wintering to find such consistency.

Birds were seemingly coming through earlier, but a great majority would have probably just gone straight through so kind has the weather been. So what makes it a month to live long in the memory...

• Possibly the biggest bird since the Blythe's... Olive-Backed Pipit (yes, I will be submitting this though hopefully I will pick up a few OBPs in Shetland to confirm my reasoning) (26th)
• Juv Red-crested Pochard: didn't come to bread, disappeared pretty sharpish (3rd)
• Cuckoo over the pub scrub (1st)
• Wigeon returns to Heronry and later the Alex (now dividing their time loyally between the two bits of water) (4th)
• Common Buzzard (and 2 Honey's): A record twenty four birds over Heronry on the 6th a sight I will not forget
• Probable Osprey: Stu warns me of an approaching bird too late from Leyton Flats (9th)
• Record count of Common Pochard: 74 on the 12th (Heronry)
• Sedge Warbler (16th)
• Short-eared Owl; 2 birds, one on the 22nd and probably the same bird back for a prolonged show on the 30th
• Jack Snipe: getting regular is this little bird (23rd)
• The mass Hirundine movement of previous years didn't really live up to its billing with only 150 + Swallow, 70 + House Martin, and the only Sand Martin of the month (5) on the 24th
• Firecrest in Long Wood on OBP day (26th)
• Also an early returning Water Rail on Perch on the 26th
• The years first Woodlark, a cracker, on the 27th
• And to wind up a month of Common Sandpiper, a few Snipe, the first Greenshank for two years

Throw in a good few:  Willow Warbler, some Reed Ws, Hobby, and a mass arrival of Meadow Pipit and the return of Linnet and Reed Bunting, plus a respectable number of Goldcrest and you have a pretty good month.  Now if only October can be a goodie, but that I will have to leave up to the capable eyes of Bob, Dan, Jono, Tim and Josh as I am taking the Cowboy (Tony B) to add to my Monkey and a Hawky to Shetland and as I write this the White's Thrush may have gone, but news just in of a Siberian Rubythroat is hitting my phone (and it's a male...). OMG!

here's the other stuff...

1st
Wanstead Flats: (big clearance) Cuckoo, 2-3 Whinchat, Common Redstart, Wheatear, 4 Spotted Flycatcher, 1-2 Tree Pipit, 5 Meadow Pipit, 3 Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, 15 Mistle Thrush, Hobby, 3 Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel, 2 Skylark, 3 Pochard, 2 Teal, Gadwall, 5 Swallow, Sand Martin, 22 House Martin, 3 Willow Warbler, 20+ Chiffchaff, 10+ Common Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 10+ Blackcap, Goldcrest (Richard Rae/Dan Hennessy/John Weil/Nick Croft)

Leyton Flats: 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 6 Cormorant flying over, 6 Mistle Thrush, 2 Jay (Roger Orwin)

2nd
Wanstead Flats: 3 Whinchat, 2-3 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, 40 + Swallow, Sand Martin, 10+ House Martin, 10+ Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, 15+ Blackcap, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Common Whitethroat, 6 Shoveler, f Pochard, f Teal, 3 Gadwall, plenty of Dunnock though! (Nick Croft). Nuthatch over Bush Wood Road (Richard Rae)

Leyton Flats: 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Jay, 5 ChiffChaff (Roger Orwin)

3rd
Wanstead Flats: 3 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Willow Warbler, 15+ Chiffchaff, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Common Whitethroat, 10+ Blackcap, 5+ Swallow, House Martin, 6 Shoveler, 9 Gadwall, 6+ Little Grebe, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft).

Wanstead Park: juv male Red-crested Pochard (Dan Hennessy), 53 Common Pochard, 7 Gadwall, 2 Egyptian Goose, 2 Little Egret, Kingfisher, 2 Common Whitethroat, 5+ Chiffchaff, Sparrowhawk (Dan Hennessy/Jonathan Lethbridge/Nick Croft). 

Leyton Flats: 3 Green Woodpecker, 4 Jay, 2 Mistle Thrush, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Great Crested Grebe (Roger Orwin).

 
4th
Wanstead Flats: 5 Whinchat, Common Redstart (1st winter m), Tree Pipit, Meadow Pipit, 3 Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 7 Swallow, Sand Martin, 10 + House Martin, 15+ Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Common Whitethroat, 6 + Blackcap, Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel, 5 Common Pochard, 6 Gadwall (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: Wigeon, 63 Common Pochard (Dan Hennessy), 2 Teal, 7 Gadwall, 2 Swallow, House Martin, 5 Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Kingfisher, 2 Meadow Pipit (Nick Croft)

Leyton Flats: 8 Chiffchaff, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Jay, 7 Pochard, Great Crested Grebe (Roger Orwin)

 
5th
Wanstead Flats: Pied Flycatcher (enclosure), 2 Common Redstart (pub scrub), 3 Whinchat, Northern Wheatear, 7 Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 7 Meadow Pipit, Skylark, 13+ Swallow, 8 House Martin, 3 Willow Warbler, 15+ Chiffchaff, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Common Whitethroat, 8 Blackcap, 2 Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel, 4 Teal, 5 Pochard, 4 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall (Nick Croft).

Wanstead Park: 60 Pochard (Tim Harris/DanHennessy)

6th
Wanstead Flats: 5 Whinchat, 2 f Common Redstart, m 1st winter Northern Wheatear, 2 Tree Pipit, 36 + Meadow Pipit, 16 + Yellow Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtail, 5-6 Spotted Flycatcher, 6 + Willow Warbler, 20 + Chiffchaff, 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Common Whitethroat, 20 + Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Goldcrest, 18 + House Martin, Swallow, 3 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Shoveler, Teal, 4 Pochard, 3 Gadwall, 2 Egytian Goose, 200 + Ring-necked Parakeet going west to roost (Wanstead Birding)

Wanstead Park: An amazing spectacle of 24 buzzard moving through north-west en masse over Heronry c.16:35 2, at least, looking good for Honey Buzzard (didn't anyone else in London see this?) (NC/Kathy Hartnett/Jonathan Lethbridge/TimHarris). Hobby, Kestrel, 3 Spotted Flycatcher, Goldcrest, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, 6+ Willow Warbler, 10+ Chiffchaff, 50+ Pochard, f Teal, 23 Gadwall, Little Egret, 6+ Little Egret, Bullfinch (Nick Croft)

7th
Wanstead Flats: 6 Whinchat, 2 Northern Wheatear, 10 + Yellow Wagtail, 3 Pied Wagtail, 24 Meadow Pipit,  42 Swallow, 18 House Martin, 4 Willow Warbler, 20 + Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Goldcrest, 7 Linnet, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel (Wanstead Birders)

Wanstead Park: Buzzard sp (Bob Vaughan), Tawny Owl, 16 Mute Swan, 6 Egyptian Goose, 28 Gadwall, 58 Mallard, 7 Shoveler, 47 Common Pochard, 28 Tufted Duck, 10 Little Grebe, 1 ad 3 juv Great Crested Grebe on Basin, 99 Coot, 22 Moorhen, 2 Grey Wagtail (Tim Harris)



Leyton Flats: male Redstart (P Betts).

8th
Wanstead Flats: 2-4 Whinchat, Northern Wheatear, 2 Swallow, 10 + House Martin, 2 Willow Warbler, 10 + Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 5-6 Common Whitethroat, 6 Blackcap, Goldcrest,  Reed Bunting, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail, 40 + Meadow Pipit, 2 Skylark, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 6 Gadwall, Teal, 3 Pochard (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: Common Sandpiper, 27 Pochard, 5 Egyptian Goose, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 4 Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail (Dan Hennessy)

9th
Wanstead Flats: 2 Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, 30 + Meadow Pipit, Skylark, 10 + Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, 10 + Blackcap, Goldcrest, 3 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Shoveler, 3 + Gadwall (Nick Croft/Tim Harris/Richard Rae)

Wanstead Park: 44 Pochard (Dan Hennessy)

Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: fem Tawny Owl calling in Gilberts Slade 06:10, 26 Meadow Pipit, 1 Yellow Wagtail over, 11 Jay, 3 Goldcrest, Coal Tit, 10 Swallow 2 fem/imm Shoveler, Pochard, Little Grebe on Hollow Pond, probable Osprey S at 13:05 but rather distant (Stuart Fisher)

10th
Wanstead Flats: 20 + Meadow Pipit, 20 + Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 4 Swallow, Coal Tit, Common Snipe, 4 Shoveler, f Teal, 4 + Gadwall, 2 probable first winter Yellow-legged Gull flew northover SSSI (Nick Croft/Richard Rae)

Wanstead Park: 67 Common Pochard (Dan Hennessy)

11th
Wanstead Flats: Yellow Wagtail, 5 Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, 6+ Meadow Pipit, Skylark, 15 + Chiffchaff, Common Whitethroat, 2 f Blackcap, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft/Richard Rae)

Wanstead Park: 56 Pochard, 4 Teal, Coal Tit (Dan Hennessy)

12th
Wanstead Flats: 1-2 Stonechat (year's first here), 4-5 Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail, 20 + Meadow Pipit, 20 + Swallow, 2 Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, 15 + Chiffchaff, 3 Sparrowhawk,Kestrel, 9 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, 2 Pochard (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan/Richard Rae)

Wanstead Park: 74 Pochard (site record), 5 Teal (Heronry) (Dan Hennessy).

Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: 2 Whinchat and Spotted Flycatcher on dead oaks at 10:15 - 10:20 then flew off, 4 Yellow Wagtail 3 SE 1 E, 22+ Meadow Pipit (mostly south), Little Egret NE, Coal Tit, 50+ Blue Tit, Common Buzzard over mid afternoon, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 8+ Jay, 1 Blackcap and no other sylvia warblers detected, 6+ Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrest, 3 Swallow and 4 House Martin thru, Kingfisher, 2-3 Grey Wagtail (Stuart Fisher)

13th
Wanstead Flats.: 5-6 Whinchat, 1st winter m Stonechat, Willow Warbler, 10 + Chiffchaff, 10 + Meadow Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtail, 4 Skylark, 2 Sparrowhawk, Peregrine Falcon, 2 Kestrel, 15 Swallow, House Martin, 10 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, Great Black-backed Gull (Josh Selfe/Wanstead Birding)

Wanstead Park: Common Buzzard (Kathy Hartnett)

14th
Wanstead Flats: 4 Whinchat, 1 Stonechat, c50 Meadow Pipit, 4 Skylark, 2 Common Whitethroat, 2 Yellow Wagtail (Tony Brown)

15th
Wanstead Flats: Tree Pipit, 15+ Meadow Pipit, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, 2 Skylark, Whinchat, Stonechat, Wheatear, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 20 + Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, 3 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, Common Gull, 12 + Gadwall, 11 Shoveler, 7 Pochard, 2 Teal, Coal Tit, Reed Bunting (Nick Croft)

16th
Wanstead Flats: Whinchat, Stonechat, 1-2 Wheatear,  3 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Tree Pipit, 40 + Meadow Pipit, 4 Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 1-2 Sedge Warbler (3rd record thisyear), 2 Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, 6 Blackcap, Willow Warbler, 10 + Chiffchaff, 20 + Swallow, House Martin, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Kestrel, 4 Egyptian Goose, 7 Shoveler, 2 Skylark, Snipe (Nick Croft/Richard Rae/Bob Vaughan/John Weil)



Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: Spotted Flycatcher in court grounds, 45+ Meadow Pipit over, 10-12 Song Thrush, 4 Blackcap, 30+ Goldfinch, Grey Wagtail, 3 Goldcrest, 8+ Chiffchaff, 22 Pochard, 3+ House Martin, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher (Stuart Fisher)

17th
Wanstead Flats: 2 Whinchat, Wheatear, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, Yellow Wagtail, grey Wagtail, 70+ Meadow Pipit (could have been twice that number), 20+ Swallow, House Martin, Common Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 25 Gadwall, 16+ Shoveler, 2 Wigeon, Pochard, 2 Tufted Duck, 4 Egyptian Goose, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, 20+ Chiffchaff, Common Gull, 1st winter Great Black-backed Gull (Nick Croft/Richard Rae)


Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: 16 Meadow Pipit, c35 Goldfinch, 9 Mistle Thrush, Grey Wagtail, Coal Tit, 6+ Goldcrest, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 House Martin, 28 Tufted Duck, 2 Great-crested Grebe (Stuart Fisher)

18th
Wanstead Flats: 3 Whinchat, Stonechat still, Wheatear, Spotted Flycatcher, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, 7 Blackcap, Willow Warbler, 15 + Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 13 Swallow through, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Grey Wagtail, 20 + Meadow Pipit, 3 Skylark, 2 Kestrel, 12 Shoveler, 11 Gadwall, f Teal, singing Coal Tit (Nick Croft)
 

19th
Wanstead Flats: 2 Whinchat, 3-4 Wheatear, Stonechat, Spotted Flycatcher, 10 + Song Thrush, 20 + Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Common Whitethroat, 20 + Chiffchaff, 2 Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, 10 + Meadow Pipit, 3 Skylark, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Common Gull, 11 Gadwall, 2 Teal, 6 + Shoveler, 7 Little Grebe (Nick Croft)

20th
Wanstead Flats: 3 Whinchat, Stonechat (8th day), Wheatear, Spotted Flycatcher, 40+ Meadow Pipit, 3 Grey Wagtail, 8 House Martin, 15+ Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, 18 Gadwall, 11 Shoveler, 3 Teal, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Reed Bunting, 9 Mistle Thrush, Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull (Wanstead Birding)

Wanstead Park: 12+ Goldcrest, 2 Wigeon, 40+ Pochard, 30+ Gadwall, 30+ Tufted Duck, Teal, 7 Little Grebe, 2 Kingfisher, Nuthatch, Sparrowhawk, 4 Chiffchaff, Blackcap, House Martin (Nick Croft)

21st
Wanstead Flats: 3-4 Whinchat, 2 Stonechat, 2 Wheatear, 1-2 Spotted Flycatcher, Willow Warbler, 15+ Chiffchaff, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, 60 + Meadow Pipit, 4 Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 20 + Swallow, 3 House Martin, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Skylark, Common Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2-3 Kestrel, 4 Gadwall, 1 Shoveler, Goldcrest, Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull (Wanstead Birding)

22nd
Wanstead Flats: Short-eared Owl west (patch year first), Common Redstart f, Whinchat, Stonechat (11th day), 40 + Meadow Pipit, 5 Grey Wagtail, Swallow, !0 + Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, Goldcrest, 4 Skylark, 20 + Gadwall, 2 Teal, 2 Pochard, 16 Shoveler (Richard Rae/Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: 28 Pochard, Kingfisher, Little Egret, 3 Goldcrest (Dan Hennessy)

23rd
Wanstead Flats: Jack Snipe (flushed from s shore of Alex), 3 Stonechat, 1 Whinchat, 15+ Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, 15 + Song Thrush, 6 Swallow, 30 + Meadow Pipit, 2 Grey Wagtail, 3 Skylark, Sparrowhawk, 10 Shoveler, 3 Teal, 16+ Gadwall, Common Gull, 2 Reed Bunting, Nuthatch, Goldcrest (Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft/Richard Rae)

24th
Wanstead Flats: 150 + Swallow, 70 + House Martin, 5 Sand Martin, 2 Stonechat, 50 + Meadow Pipit, 3 Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, 2 Blackcap, 13 Chiffchaff, 7 Teal, 10 Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, 3 Kestrel, 2 Common Gull, 5 Skylark, Linnet, 20 + Goldfinch (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan)

 25th
Wanstead Flats: Stonechat (13th day), 50 + Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Reed Bunting, 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Chaffinch (Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: Wigeon, 28 Gadwall, 19 Pochard, 6 Goldcrest Reservoir Wood (Dan Hennessy)

26th
Wanstead Flats: Probable Olive-backed Pipit low west from Coronation Copse towards Long Wood, called twice and distinctly from Tree Pipit, at 09:10. Not able to relocate with five of us looking. Firecrest, Goldcrest, Stonechat (14th day), 5 + Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, 30 + Meadow Pipit, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtail, 2 Swallow south, 2 Egyptian Goose, 5 Teal, 2 Skylark, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel (Wanstead Birders)

Wanstead Park: Water Rail reported on Perch (Jennifer Charter).

Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: 2 Tawny Owl (m & f calling in Gilberts Slade 06:20), c65 House Martin (most E), f Wigeon (Hollow Pond), 2 Grey Wagtail, Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, Sparrowhawk, 4 Goldcrest, 2 Coal Tit (Stuart Fisher)

27th
Wanstead Flats: Woodlark, 5 Skylark, Garden Warbler, 8 Blackcap, 6+ Chiffchaff, 4 Goldcrest, 6 Swallow, Wheatear, 2 Wigeon, 4 Teal, 5 Pochard, Yellow Wagtail, 3 Grey Wagtail, 40 + Meadow Pipit, 3 Linnet, Reed Bunting, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel (Wanstead Birders)

28th
Wanstead Flats: Male Stonechat, 7 Skylark (Dan Hennessy)

Wanstead Park: 2 Wigeon, 4 Common Buzzard (Dan Hennessy)

29th
Wanstead Flats: Greenshank (north, calling), Common Snipe, Whinchat, 10 + Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 30 + Meadow Pipit, 4 Grey Wagtail, 5 Pied Wagtail, 3 Goldcrest, 5 Linnet, 20 + Goldfinch, 15 Greenfinch, 3 Reed Bunting, 5 Pochard, 5 Teal, 25 Gadwall, 10 Shoveler, 2-6 Egyptian Goose, Coal Tit, 6 Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan/Richard Rae).

Wanstead Park: Kingfisher (Bob Vaughan)

30th
Wanstead Flats: Short-eared Owl for about 40 minutes over the SSSI and brooms, being mobbed by crows, magpies, parakeets and Starling in turn, then flew high north. At one point looked to land in the brooms, but seemingly not bothered by the attention it was receiving. 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, 5 Swallow, 5 + Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 5-6 Goldcrest, 20 + Meadow Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail, 3 Grey Wagtail, 2 Pochard, 10 + Shoveler, 3 Teal, 12 Gadwall, 7 Common Gull, 2 Linnet, 4 Skylark (Nick Croft/Richard Rae)

Wanstead Park: Tawny Owl calling in Bush Wood c 6:20 (Dan Hennessy)

Snaresbrook/Leyton Flats: m Stonechat, drake Gadwall, 9 Swallow S, c10 Meadow Pipit, 2 Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher, 6+ Pied Wagtail, 8 Chiffchaff, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Coal Tit, 3+ Goldcrest (Stuart Fisher/P Betts)