26 October 2015

Am I rough enough?

Been here before!  Distracted from my plod around the park and flats, I was just trying to see where a Rock Pipit had, if it had, pitched down on Alex, when I saw a corvid confluence centred on what appeared to be a very pale Buzzard with a broad white tail band. Nice dark leading edges, dark carpals, palish looking head... but there was that very pale buzzard at Rainham a few years back, which I saw later on my way to Cambridge from the train.

Crap pictures because it was distant, but you were expecting that...

Any comments welcome








Update: The consensus (apart from the awfulness of the pictures) is of a young Common Buzzard, the lack of a dark belly the clincher.  Thanks to those that commented, interesting bird none the less.

20 October 2015

September: plenty of pudding, but no custard


Belatedly: a great month only missing just the one thing–namely any new birds. Which means we have a bit of catching up to do in the next few months, and it had started so promisingly with the Wryneck found at the end of August.  That didn't last as it had hoofed it by the 3rd, so becoming the shortest staying bird out of the four that have now graced our ant hills. Migration of summer visitors ground to a halt two thirds of the way through the month with the occasional Spotted Flycatcher promising more, but not delivering. The figures show that when it happened it was still wonderful and on some days awe-inspiring–as when thousands of hirundine partied round our heads on one of the grimmest days of the month. Birds associated with winter soon took up the slack with Stonechats popping up towards the month's end. We thought it a poor month for Wheatear, but looking back over the years we have fooled ourselves into thinking times past were better.


Scores on the doors:

                                             Sept '15         Aug '15        Sept '14        Aug '14          Sept '13
Whinchat:                                79                   79                 60                 22                 80
Common Redstart:                  34                   52                   7                 22                   7
Northern Wheatear:                17                    24                 15                 25                   9

Spotted Flycatcher:                 94                   60                 30                 49                  33
Pied Flycatcher:                        5                    11                   1                  2                    5

Yellow Wagtail:                      55                    56                 77                37                   33
Tree Pipit:                                 8                    29                   8                16                   11


Siskin:                                   344                    10+

Swallow:                         3–4000

Wryneck:                                   1                     1

Stonechat:                                5                                        18 

The first Redwing was seen over Leyton by Stu on the 27th, just a day after Bob notched up the first Water Rail on the Roding, quickly followed by a second.  The numbers of Siskin were astounding and you could imagine winter was here already, added to by small numbers of Redpoll late in the month.

The Hobby had us fooled yet again by producing one offspring somewhere and keeping very hush hush, which was about as good as it got on the raptor front though a few Peregrines and Buzzard were recorded.  The Little Owl gave up calling in the day time by the 3rd and has returned to anonymity.

Duck numbers were on the up, but with water levels so low in the park it doesn't look like records will be broken any time soon.  Where would they all fit? No Red Crested Pochards this year, but there is still time, what we need for ducks is a good cold snap on the continent, which would probably supply us with a few interesting waders too.

The summer warblers had all but departed by the end of the month, with just a few stop-off Chiffchaff and Blackcap to try and find, of course there was some unidentified individuals which became this year's what ifs!

Alarmingly Skylark numbers were as low as three individuals, one a stubborn short-tailed bird that refused to call as it was flushed repeatedly in the effort to make it a whole lot more exciting.  Then it did and became a whole lot less exciting.  Things are not looking good for the ground-nesting birds here and it's not so much the day walking dog owners, but the continual disturbance in the evenings and after sunset that could be finishing them off.  It looks like the Corporation won't have to feign concern for too much longer the way things are going.





1st

Wanstead Flats:
Wryneck (south of Long Wood in brooms); 11 Whinchat, 5 Common Redstart, 5 Wheatear, 2 Pied Flycatcher, 8 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Tree Pipit, 6 Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, 10 + Swallow, House Martin, 8 Lesser Whitethroat, 20 + Common Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, 4 Willow Warbler, 25 Gadwall, Sparrowhawk, 4 Kestrel, Little Owl, 1st winter Yellow-legged Gull (Wanstead Birders et al) Wryneck still present in brooms at 6.45pm ,4 Spotted Flycatcher, Kestrel, Song Thrush (G. Gram)

Leyton Flats: 5 Siskin (Pete Betts)



2nd

Wanstead Flats:
Wryneck still present (via Twitter). Wryneck showing very well twice, 10.18 to 10.28, in n/e corner of brooms, viewed from beyond the n/e side. Also Kestrel, 2 Green Woodpeckers (Alan Hobson). 3 Common Redstart, 8 Whinchat, 3 Wheatear, Pied Flycatcher, 13 + Spotted Flycatcher, 5 Yellow Wagtail, Tree Pipit, Hobby, 2 Peregrine, 4 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 5 + Willow Warbler, 8 + Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Gadwall, 30 + Swallow, 10 + House Martin (Wanstead Birders et al)








3rd

Wanstead Flats:
No sign of Wryneck by11:30. Pied Flycatcher (Tony Brown/Daniel Whitelegg), 8 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Whinchat, 2-3 Common Redstart, Wheatear, Tree Pipit, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 4 Pied Wagtail, Skylark, 3 Little Egret, 14 Gadwall, 5 Pochard, 3 Egyptian Goose, Hobby, 4 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, Peregrine Falcon, 10+ Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Linnet, Little Owl, 23 + Swallow, 10 + House Martin (Wanstead Birders)






4th

Wanstead Flats: Female Common Redstart, Whinchat, f Wheatear, 6 Spotted Flycatcher, Yellow Wagtail,
10+ Pied Wagtail, 3 Grey Wagtail, 14 Siskin, 40+ Swallow, 10+ House Martin, 20+ Gadwall, 3 f Pochard, 2 Egyptian Goose, 5+ Lesser Whitethroat, 10 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 6+ Common Whitethroat, Goldcrest, m Sparrowhawk, 4 Kestrel (Nick Croft/Tony Brown)

Wanstead Park: 3 Hobby, mixed flock of tits and warblers (30+ birds) in old sewage works (Tim Harris/Jordan Thomas)

5th

Wanstead Flats: 3 Common Redstart, 3 Whinchat, 5-6 Spotted Flycatcher, 14 Siskin
, 2 Linnet, 2 Willow Warbler, 20 + Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 10 Common Whitethroat, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Grey Wagtail, 4 Pied Wagtail, Little Egret, 10 + Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 3 Egyptian Goose, Swallow (Wanstead Birders) 15 + Swallow through, House Martin, Common Buzzard, 4 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, 10 Siskin, 2 Linnet (Jono Lethbridge/Nick Croft./Dan Hennessy)





6th

Wanstead Flats:
Whinchat, Common Redstart, 7 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Yellow Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, 14 Siskin, 15 + Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Common Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, Goldcrest, 4 Swallow, 10 + House Martin, Sparrowhawk, 4 Kestrel, 6 Gadwall (Wanstead Birders)

Wanstead Park: 3-4 Hobby (one juvenile) 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, 6 Blackcap, 10 + Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler on Shoulder of Mutton with 2nd brood fledged, 3 Goldcrest, 17 Siskin, 2 Kingfisher, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Little Grebe, 6 Gadwall, 10 + House Martin, 2 Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft)







7th

Wanstead Flats:
3-4 Whinchat, 6 Spotted Flycatcher, Reed Warbler, 20 + Chiffchaff, 7 Lesser Whitethroat, no Common Whitethroat, 6 Blackcap, Tree Pipit, 6 Meadow Pipit through, 3 Grey Wagtail, 5 Pied Wagtail, 25 + Swallow, 5 Sand Martin, 10 + House Martin, 13 Siskin, 2 Linnet, 6 Gadwall, Shoveler, Pochard, 8 Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk, 4 Kestrel (Nick Croft)

Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: Whinchat, 8 Siskin, Yellow Wagtail S, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 18 Swallow N, Sand Martin, 2+ Buzzard (4 sightings of at least 2 birds, one high N, the other one disturbed from roost N of Gilberts Slade at dawn and presumably the same bird seen soaring low over court during the day), Peregrine, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Gadwall, 2 Pochard (Stuart Fisher)

8th

Wanstead Flats:
Common Redstart, Whinchat, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, Tree Pipit, 4 Yellow Wagtail, 40 + Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, 3 Common Whitethroat, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap. Siskin, 10 + Swallow, House Martin, 2 Pochard, 16 Gadwall (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan)





9th

Wanstead Flats:
4 Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, 20 + Chiffchaff, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, 10 + Blackcap, 10 + House Martin, 2-4 Skylark, Kesstrel, Sparrowhawk, 40 + Goldfinch, 2 Linnet, 3 Pochard (Nick Croft)









10th

Wanstead Flats:
5 Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher, Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler, 15-20 Blackcap, 5 Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, 20 + Chiffchaff, 40 + Swallow, 20 + House Martin, 20 + Siskin, 10 Gadwall, f Pochard, Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 5 Meadow Pipit, 2 Skylark, Nuthatch, Sparrowhawk, 4 Kestrel (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan)

Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: Hobby over SW, Yellow Wagtail S, 45 Siskin, Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, 7 Pochard, Gadwall, 6 Egyptian Goose, Sparrowhawk, 2 Nuthatch (Stuart Fisher)






11th

Wanstead Flats:
4 Whinchat, 100+ Swallow south, 14 + House Martin, Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 3 Skylark, 20 + Siskin, Linnet, 10 + Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, 3 Common Whitehtroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 4 Gadwall (Nick Croft)







12th

Wanstead Flats:
5 Whinchat, 1st winter m Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher, 1st winter Yellow-legged Gull, Common Gull, 20 + Siskin, Yellow Wagtail, 4 Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, 50 Swallow, 30 + House Martin, Sand Martin, 10 + Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, 5+ Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Teal, 17 Gadwall, 4 Kestrel (Wanstead Birders)

Wanstead Park: 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Kingfisher, 27 Gadwall, Pochard, 3 Shoveler, 5 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, 20 + Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, 6 + Siskin, 4 Goldcrest, Hobby, 3 Swallow, House Martin, Grey Wagtail (Nick Croft)

13th

Wanstead Flats:
6 Common Redstart, 8 Whinchat, Wheatear, 7+ Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 6 Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, 4 Pied Wagtail, Skylark, 1st winter Yellow-legged Gull, c. 200 Swallow south then north in the afternoon, Sand Martin, 20 + House Martin, 2 Willow Warbler, 20 + Chiffchaff, 10 + Blackcap, 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Common Whitethroat, 4 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 37 Gadwall, 4 Shoveler, 3 Teal, 10 Little Grebe, 50 + Siskin (Wanstead Birders)

Wanstead Park: 3 Spotted Flycatcher, Goldcrest, Nuthatch, Little Egret, Kingfisher, 33 Gadwall (Tim Harris/James Heal)

14th

Wanstead Flats:
ad m Common Redstart (possibly 1-2 other), 6 Whinchat, Wheatear, 5 + Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 4 Grey Wagtail, 10 + Meadow Pipit through, Skylark, 15 + Chffchaff, 5 + Blackcap, 3 Common Whitethroat, 7 Sand Martin, 20 + House Martin, 20 + Swallow, 10 + Siskin, 1st w Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Herring Gull, Kestrel (Nick Croft/James Heal/Barry Chandler)












15th

Wanstead Flats:
m adult Common Redstart, 4 Whinchat, 3 Spotted Flycatcher. 20 + Swallow, Reed Warbler, 2 Willow Warbler, 10 + Chiffchaff, 10 + Blackcap, 3 Common Whitethroat, 3 Siskin, 4 Meadow Pipit, Skylark, 4 Common Gull, 1st w Yellow-legged Gull, 1st w Herring Gull, 5 Shoveler, 3 Pochard, 2 Teal, 17 Gadwall, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan/James Heal)

16th

Wanstead Flats:
2 Common Redstart (m&f), 2 Whinchat, 4 Spotted Flycatcher, Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 5 Pied Wagtail, c. 50 Meadow Pipit, Sand Martin, 17 House Martin (+ 15 heading north), + Swallow, 5 Common Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 10 + Blackcap, 3 Goldcrest, 15 + Chiffchaff, Linnet, Reed Bunting, 22 Gadwall, 400 + Starling (Nick Croft/John Whele)



17th

Wanstead Flats:
m Common Redstart, 4 Whinchat, 4 Wheatear, 4 Spotted Flycatcher, Yellow Wagtail, 50 + Meadow Pipit, 300 + Swallow, 5 Sand Martin, 30 + House Martin, Willow Warbler, 20 + Chiffchaff, 5 Common Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, Linnet, 2 Skylark, 1st winter Yellow-legged Gull, Common Gull, 2 Sparrowhawk, 4 Kestrel, 2 Egyptian Goose, Gadwall, Pochard (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan/James Heal)



18th

Wanstead Flats: m Common Redstart still enclosure, 3 Whinchat, 3 Spotted Flycatcher, 6 Yellow Wagtail,
2 Grey Wagtail, 50+ Meadow Pipit, c. 1000 Swallow, 100+ House Martin and handful of Sand Martin through (east first thing and then north-west later), 16 Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Linnet, Reed Bunting, 10+ Chiffchaff, 2 Common Whitethroat, 5+ Blackcap, 3 Goldcrest, Common Buzzard, 3 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, Skylark, Yellow-legged Gull (1w), 4 Pochard (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan

Wanstead Park: 150+ Swallow, House Martin, Kingfisher, Little Egret, Hobby, 10 Siskin (Bob Vaughan/Tim Harris)

Leyton: 100+ House Martins/Swallows on passage 09.00-10.00 (JW Davies)

















19th

Wanstead Flats:
several thousand hirundine through between 07:00–10:00 mainly Swallow, but 100s of House Martin and a handful of Sand Martin (an amazing spectacle), Tree Pipit, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 40 + Meadow Pipit, 3 Grey Wagtail, 4 Spotted Flycatcher, 4 Common Redstart (3 f and 1w), Redpoll sp, 21 Siskin, 2 Linnet, Reed Bunting, Nuthatch, Coal Tit, Reed Warbler, 20 + Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat, 10 + Blackcap, 2 Teal, 4 Gadwall, Common Buzzard, 3 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk (Wanstead Birders)

Wanstead Park: 16 Siskin, Grey Wagtail, 4 Meadow Pipit, Sparrowhawk, Great Crested Grebe, 5 Little Grebe, 10 + Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap (Nick Croft)


 








 


20th

Wanstead Flats:
f Common Redstart, Whinchat, Stonechat, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 30 + Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, 4 Pied Wagtail, 30 + Swallow, 40 + House Martin, 2 Snipe, 1st w Yellow-legged Gull, Common Gull, Willow Warbler, 10 + Blackcap, 15 + Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrest, 10 + Siskin, Linnet, 11 Gadwall, 7 Egyptian Goose, Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel (Nick Croft/James Heal/Bob Vaughan/Barry Chandler)

Wanstead Park: 2 Hobby, Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 6 Meadow Pipit, 6 Gadwall, 9 Tufted Duck 5 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 10 + Swallow south, 5 Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Redpoll sp (Nick Coft/James Heal)




21st

Wanstead Flats:
2 Stonechat, 7 Swallow, 13 Chiffchaff, 10+ Blackcap, 4 Goldcrest, 6 Meadow Pipit, 8 Pied Wagtail, 3 Redpoll sp, 2 Siskin, 3 Kestrel, 30+ Gadwall, 6 Little Grebe (Nick Croft/Simon Raper/John Whele

Wanstead Park: 15 Siskin flew over east just west of Bush Wood (Tim Harris)

22nd

Wanstead Flats:
Tree Pipit, 6 Meadow Pipit, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Grey Wagtail, 100 + House Martin north, 3 Swallow, 2 Stonechat, 18 Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, 5 Goldcrest, 20 Gadwall, 2 f Teal, m Shoveler, 4 Siskin, 2 Skylark, 2 Kestrel, 2 Common Gull (Nick Croft)

Leytonstone: 2 Siskin (Bob Vaughan)

Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: Firecrest, 5 Goldcrest, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Redpoll sp W, 10+ Siskin, Nuthatch, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Grey Wagtail, m Kestrel, Blackcap, 2 Great crested Grebe (Stuart Fisher)










23rd

Wanstead Flats:
Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 8 Meadow Pipit, 2 Skylark, 17 Chiffchaff, Blackcap, 4 Goldcrest, 40 + Swallow, 6 House Martin, 2 Linnet, 4 Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, 2 Redpoll sp, 50 + Goldfinch, 18 Gadwall, 2 Common Gull, 2 Kestrel, Snipe (Nick Croft)

Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: 2 Firecrest, 5-6 Goldcrest, Grey Wagtail, m Shoveler, 6 Gadwall (Stuart Fisher)

24th

Wanstead Flats:
Northern Wheatear, Common Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap, 3 Goldcrest, 15 + Swallow, 5 House Martin, 30 + Meadow Pipit, 2 Siskin, Linnet, Reed Bunting, 41 Gadwall, 6 Teal, 10 + Shoveler, 3 Egyptian Goose, 6 Little Grebe, 2 Common Gull, Kestrel (Nick Croft/Barry Chandler)

25th

Wanstead Flats: Spotted Flycatcher
, 25 + Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, 4 Goldcrest, 10 + Meadow Pipit, 5 Pied Wagtail, 3 Skylark, 10 + Swallow, 6 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Siskin, 2 Linnet, Kestrel (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan)

26th

Wanstead Flats: Stonechat, 10 + Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Redpoll sp, Reed Bunting, Swallow, 2 Egyptian Goose, Common Gull (Jono Lethbridge/James Heal)

Wanstead Park: 2 Water Rail, 2 Kingfisher, 5 Little Grebe, singing Chiffchaff (James Heal/Bob Vaughan)





28th

Wanstead Flats: Peregrine Falcon, 2 Kestrel, 13 Gadwall, Swallow, Reed Bunting, 2 + Goldcrest, 3 Chiffchaff, Blackcap, 5 + Meadow Pipit (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: 3 Hobby, Kestrel, Reed Warbler, 7 + Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 7 + Goldcrest, 20 Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, 7 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, Kingfisher, Little Egret, 2 House Martin, 4 Siskin, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail (Nick Croft)

Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: Firecrest, Redwing E, 9 Meadow Pipit, Yellow Wagtail S, 2 Linnet, Blackcap, 5 Goldcrest, 2 Nuthatch, Treecreeper, 3 Coal Tit, 6 Gadwall (Stuart Fisher)