31 December 2015

Time for a new year

This year's bird of the year: Tony B's singing Wood Warbler (25th April), on a wet morning in the SSSI

I am bored of this year; the constant south westerlies, the mild weather, the lack of warblers, the lack of cold, the lack of holidays left so I can avoid work. So I declare tomorrow will be a new year–it should have been on the day of the solar new year, but that would have meant I was bored of it already.  Luckily quite a few people agree with me, so that's settled, tomorrow the show kicks off again!

Tomorrow Wanstead's finest will be out early, using all their skill and finesse, to tick of Robin at just after midnight and the usual fare that doesn't get a mention at any other time of the year, some 60 species (perhaps!).  Last year was brilliant, I lasted half an hour before being called upon to go and twitch a Little Bustard and a Blyth's Pipit somewhere else. This year I see no impediment to a joyful day birding with my buddies...

Talking of whom, what did they make of last year? Well we all got new birds for the patch, some of us UK lifers.  The patch continued to surprise and disappoint, but all in all none of us can grumble too much.

Allen (pic J Lethbridge)


Jono liked the Red-legged Partridge very much and voted it his bird of the year (see his travel blog for the reasons why).  He predicts Cetti's Warbler (last and only record from 2008), so not really going out on too much of a limb there–they are now at Redbridge Lakes, Walthamstow and even Hyde Park had a singing bird and if the winter continues to be mild we'll be knee deep in them–so got to be on the cards, soon! His best occasion was finding Firecrest and then Bob soon afterwards in some kind of teleportation event thing!

Caspo Bob's Caspian contribution (21st November–)

Talking of "Caspo" Bob, his best bird was "that" gull, which is hard to disagree with since it gave soooo much pleasure to us all! Worthy of a mention was the Grasshopper Warbler, reeling in the Old Sewage Works one April morning, which wasn't doing much in the way of singing when Bob got there and had to refind it with Mr Fisher. His best occasion was the relief that one of his blockers, namely a Black-necked Grebe wasn't but was a Slavonian instead (not as the finder had mischievously put it out as to get them all running!). Bob's prediction is for a shrike, which I think he went for last year–it's getting closer Bob!

Tony B went for his find of a singing Wood Warbler in the SSSI on an entirely miserable morning in April. A great find and a great bird, which drew an appreciative audience (including the old bill) during it's two day stay. His occasion was a sky full of hirundines on another bleak morning on the flats, thousands of swirling Swallow, House and Sand Martin–a truly awe inspiring spectacle. He would like a Dartford Warbler in the brooms having missed the last one, though on his blog he's gone for Sub-Alpine (Moltoni's if we must!).


 Tim's excellent singing Grasshopper Warbler (25th April) in the Old Sewage Works

Marco J, who wisely only was to be seen at the right times of the year, agreed with Bob on the Gropper and went for chasing Golden Plover, in the fog on his bike, as his event.  Like Bob he's gone for a shrike, namely a Red-backed one–he'll need his bike for that one, unless he finds it!

 Golden Plover, fog grounded on the 9th of April

Tim H, found the Grasshopper Warbler and rightly has it as his best bird, a truly stonking find. Got to love the song. Another singing warbler claims his best occasion spot: the singing Wood Warbler in the cold rain in the SSSI. Tim would like an Autumn Long-eared Owl, if he could be slightly more specific I will make sure I am there too!

The Wood Warbler twitch sited by many as "The Event" (Left to right: Tony Brown the finder, Caspo Bob, Jonathan-how the fuck did you see so many birds-Lethbridge, Dan Hennessy, Tim Harris, Stuart Fisher)
Dan H, now exiled to the Devon coast (poor bastard), asked if he could still play? Of course. He went with the Partridge and agreed with Tim on the Wood Warbler twitch, while predicting a Black-necked Grebe, but only if he can be there to see Bob's face when it happens.

Richard R went with the Wood Warbler as best bird, while his occasion was the occasion of the 30th August when the enclosure was stacked full of migrants (a Wood Warbler there too!).  Optimistically he goes for Black Tern, then completely ruins his chances of that ever happening by stating it will be on Jubilee!

 Common Redstart from the 30th August in the enclosure

Stuart F also went with Wood Warbler (I sense a trend here!) and goes for a Great Grey Shrike.  You may have to come and find that for us while you are at it!

James H, in his first full year of Wanstead Birding, chose the Slavonian Grebe (at last one of mine!), but was most pleased with the Wryneck and Ring Ouzel. His best occasion finding Jono's Firecrest in Bush Wood, just hours of seeing the two in Long Wood. He predicts a spring Osprey, which would be a shame as he'll be at work!

 The biggest draw this year, the Slavonian Grebe

Which just leaves me as no one else has responded.  I can't fault any of the above and would largely agree that a singing bird is better than one that doesn't, so Gropper and Wood W are up there for me, but to hear a singing Whinchat was something special and something you are not likely to hear in London that often, stunning bird and beautiful song even if it was quite subdued! Special too was the SEO perched up in the brooms, the Wryneck, the numerous Redstart, always Pied and Spotted Flycatcher, the Slav, the calling Woodlark, the Ringed Plover flying across the Fairground and of course Barry's Partridge. Better still having a Black Kite circling over the Old Sewage Works for about 10 minutes without the intelligence to get my camera out the bag, but my bird of the year has to be Bob's Caspo (just let's forget the cock-ups afterwards–I am allowed one a year!). Having said that I am minded that too many of our birds we just take for granted.  Today I watched a pair of Peregrine calling as they flew over Bush Wood, how lucky are we to have them! I saw three Skylark and was happy, but how long will they last here? My best occasion–there were many but never enough and those were ones shared with my patch co-workers and others.  Here's to many more of them.

And there's the little matter of the birding scores on the doors.

Ooh I won!
A certain Jonathan Lethbridge, somehow, came second on 115, pipping Bob by one (there is no justice), Dan H came fourth while only being here for eight months (105), Tony B came an admirable fifth on 104, while newbie James H did a very promising 98 in his first full year. Tim can claim moths as a distraction, while Rich R can blame the products of reproduction for his slide down the table.

Let's do it all over, again!

8 December 2015

Dark

It was so dark this morning I thought that my alarm clock had lied to me and I should still be in bed.  Then it rained.  It trickled down my neck and I thought I should still be in bed.

I squelched around a bit looking at the gulls and realised I had not improved one iota since the weekend. There were too many and really I couldn't muster too much enthusiasm for close scrutiny of any of them. The Caspian showed briefly on the south side of Alex but then quickly joined the insatiable mass fighting over another delivery of stale bread being dumped by the car park.

I splogged back to Long Wood on my way to what's left of the SSSI, when I realised I was looking at a Firecrest not six feet away from me and showing ridiculously well.  After all the countless hours wandering round past siting locations in the park they turn up here.  Cue fumblings for the camera. I've imagined this scenario before: how quickly and smoothly I retrieve the camera and smash killer shots of the monster rarity as it flies over–except it never happens that way. The camera snags on my rucksack–the tie chord at the bottom or the other useless bits of fabric that are found within.

The bird still bobs around in the small leafless oak in front of me.

Now the zoom wont extend.

FFS!

Zoom extended, camera on, AV set, the strap finds its way over the end of lens.

FFFF!.

It's now found its way over my eyes.  Freed and ready I am alone.  The Firecrest tired of waiting has buggered off.

I catch up with it later on the other side of the wood, but its now in deeper cover, further off the path and it's dark as stink. I can't see what exactly I am shooting, or have shot on reviewing the frames.

There are now two of them, which doesn't help, flitting through the trees.  As quickly as you find one it's gone.  Dozens of blurred and empty shots and quality posterior shots later I give up, but we needed some illustrations for the annual report.

We still do.







6 December 2015

There are lots of Gulls

In a worrying development I have even been looking at them for more than a nanosecond. So far I can safely say they are all Gulls, and whilst there have been some interesting candidates I have yet to strike 100% gold. Here however is a GBB. They do not visit that often, but there have been a couple of adults hanging around recently as the fields are very wet. Along with a variety of other Gulls they are doing that paddling thing they do to try and get worms. Naturally they are flushed to oblivion every five seconds, today by a nutcase dragging a suitcase right through the middle of them after which he "conducted" the swirling flock in the manner of Sir Simon Rattle - not bad for pre 9am.






The C conundrum

Looked good enough today to even tempt Mr Lethbridge out for a few hours, but he was already home when I ventured out with only 2 Great Black-backs and a cardboard box his contribution to the day list. When I arrived there was only one of the world's largest gull still on the brickpit fields in with a gaggle of variously aged Herring Gull. The numbers of large larids has been picking up over the last month and Saturday always looks good for gulls–maybe because the tips close early, maybe because they get the footballers to churn over the field so they have less paddling to do.

For some reason I decided to head to Alex and the two groups of gull on the way. A mass of swirling white over the lake meant someone was dumping bread already and the smaller birds were going ape shit over it. The first group contained the larger birds: Herring and a few Lesser backs, with fewer Common and a sprinkling of Black-headed gull.  I scanned quickly as a tardy footballer wandered straight through the middle of them putting them up. As they rose from their slumbers I picked out an adult Yellow-leg which promptly hoofed it west, shearing in to the wind to make any head way.  First adult I've seen for a couple of years.

The Alex was a mass of white, easily out-numbering all the other birds combined.  Of course I was looking for the Med, who hasn't been seen for a week or so, but found this, which I tried to convince myself was something out of the ordinary even to the point of just about to ring up Jono.  I held back on that not quite convinced about the bill structure. I tweeted some pics from the back of the camera and waited for the reaction.  There was none, bar @probableroller saying interesting bill structure and Bob asking about it's legs.

Having convinced myself otherwise I put it out as a young Yellow-legged and it was only while crashed out in front of the telly and saw Mr Hawkin's caspo from his ringing session (http://hawkysbirdingblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/1w-caspian-gull-pitsea-tip-51215.html) did I have cause for re-thinking my original ID. Still not thoroughly convinced–and as they say if you only think it might be a particular bird it probably isn't! My track record with these birds aint good either, I've only seen less than five birds and all with the help of better gull getters.







1 December 2015

November (or why it's premature to talk of euthanasing Bob!)

November was without doubt Bob's month. He was in the thick of it from start to finish, and if it hadn't been for us pesky upstarts he could have easily claimed everything good that was seen during the period–I pipped him to the Goldeneye on Alex, while Jono was the right side of the bush to snatch our long awaited Firecrest from him.  He was on hand to give expertise on the ID of my mystery Teal, scored with the original Goldeneye(s) over Bush Wood, and pulled the biggest rabbit out of the hat with his Caspian Gull on Jubilee. Well played sir!

I predicted that given a change in the weather to a more frigid direction would make things happen and so it was with the duck and the gull. We could do with a bit more of that me thinks.

However it's not what was seen that makes the news this month, but what wasn't–namely Skylark!  With only 4 birds recorded (to my knowledge), this has been the worst month for records since I have been birding here. I hope this is not the end game we have warned about, but it looks that way. I want to be very wrong on this. Usually, at this time of the year, the birds move out of the grassland and on to the playing fields and on to the fairground and if they are there I can't find them, even when they are moulting and flightless we are likely to hear a burbling occasionally.  Clearly not enough is being done to protect them from the ever increasing pressures of human interference and certainly nothing has been done to encourage them to prosper.

November has been mainly about ducks and gulls: an autumn high of 324 Gadwall in the park on 27th with Shoveler peaking at 43 the same day,  Wigeon moved around, came and went, but reached a maximum for the month of 34 in the park on the 3rd with one on Alex, though that might have been eclipsed later in the month. Of course there was the Silver Teal on the 10th which was mildly interesting, and plenty of normal Teal on the Ornamentals and Alex.  Diving ducks are very much down as we are lacking any deep water.

As for Gulls, maximums for Black-headed and Common during the month, but not the really big numbers we can probably expect later this year or early next. Herring Gulls are starting to grow in strength, favouring the brickpit pitches and down by the Alex. Apart from Bob's Caspo, I had a leggy long-billed individual on the 2nd which could prove interesting if anybody would like to comment. A few Great Black-backs passed through, while the Med stayed until the 16th, but with gulls scattered widely is not always possible to find the lazy bugger. The 1st winter Yellow-legged Gull, or another of that ilk, is still hanging about, but stands out less with the arrival of so many young Herring Gull.

A few Chiffchaff were seen during the period, but never in the same place, and a pair of Blackcap are still loitering in the bushes by the Roding. Goldcrest numbers recorded are lower than the number of birds that are actually present, and with the amount of records of Firecrest in London it's not surprising that we finally got our birds back in Bush Wood.  Stuart of course has had them for longer down at Snaresbrook.

The only wader movement was of one Snipe and a heard only Green Sandpiper, though Woodcock on the 22nd and 29th means our wintering birds are back.

Just the one Brambling, a handful of Redpoll and the occasional large party of Siskin in the park in addition to the small flock of Linnet around Jubilee, reported for the month, while with the thrushes you can have a good day or none at all.  Redwing can be found in Bush Wood feasting on the holly berries if you need a thrush fix and now both Song and Mistle Thrush have started singing again.

It's got to be said, even now, there is always something of interest out there–just not the biggy we're hoping for.







1st

Wanstead Flats:
67 Gadwall, 18 Shoveler, 7 Teal, 2 calling Little Grebe, Chiffchaff, 10 + Goldcrest, 3 Meadow Pipit, 5 Linnet (Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: 29 Wigeon, 207 Gadwall, 13 Shoveler, 18 Teal, 8 Egyptian Goose, 5 Little Egret, 9 Grey Heron, 3 Little Grebe, Grey Wagtail, Siskin, Sparrowhawk, Chiffchaff, 16 + Goldcrest, Fieldfare, Kingfisher (Nick Croft)











2nd

Wanstead Flats:
31 Linnet, 4 Chaffinch, Reed Bunting, 9 Meadow Pipit, 6 Pied Wagtail, 1-2 Chiffchaff, 8 + Goldcrest, Redwing, 6 Song Thrush, 12 Shoveler, 10 Teal, 2 Pochard, 53 Gadwall, Little Grebe, 30 + Herring Gull, Kestrel (Nick Croft)

3rd

Wanstead Flats: pr of Goldeneye north
(first record for 2 years), Mediterranean Gull, Brambling, 4 Linnet, 2 Siskin (BV), 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Reed Bunting, 12 Lesser Redpoll, 200 + Wood Pigeon south, 4 Fieldfare, 6 + Goldcrest (Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: 34 Wigeon (Ornamentals–site record), 230 + Gadwall, 23 Shoveler, 4 Pochard, 7 Teal, 30 + Tufted Duck, 11 Egyptian Goose, 10 Grey Heron, 7 Little Egret, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Little Grebe, 3 Skylark south, Meadow Pipit, Chiffchaff, 10 + Goldcrest, 3 Nuthatch, Coal Tit, Kingfisher, Redpoll, 4 + Siskin, 4 Greater Black-backed Gull, 5 + Redwing (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan)

Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: 1-2 Firecrest (Court grounds), 12+ Goldcrest, 18 Lesser Redpoll, 4 Siskin N, 2 Grey Wagtail, 3 Redwing, 2 Meadow Pipit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper (Stuart Fisher)

4th

Wanstead Flats:
15 Teal, f Wigeon, 18 Shoveler, 27 Gadwall, 6 Pochard, 12 Tufted Duck, 2 Egyptian Goose, 4 Little Grebe, Fieldfare, 4 Redwing, 10 + Song Thrush, 10 Linnet, 2 Redpoll, 2 Reed Bunting, 4 Meadow Pipit, 15 + Pied Wagtail, 2 Kestrel (Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: 28 Wigeon still on Ornamentals (Tim Harris)

5th

Wanstead Flats: Mediterranean Gull
in roost nr Alex, 41 Gadwall, 9 Teal, 27 Shoveler, 8 Tufted Duck, 3 Little Grebe, 9 Redpoll, Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, 5 Song Thrush, Meadow Pipit, Coal Tit, 6 + Goldcrest (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: 33-36 Wigeon, 243-343 Gadwall, 33 Shoveler, Pochard, 10 + Tufted Duck, 3 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, 6 Little Egret, Kingfisher, Redoll, Siskin, Blackcap, 14 + Goldcrest, Redwing, 6 Song Thrush (Nick Croft)

6th

Wanstead Flats: Mediterranean Gull,
200 + Common Gull (probably twice that over the whole flats with slightly fewer Black-headed Gull), Great Black-backed Gull, 3 Meadow Pipit, 10 + Pied Wagtail, 2 Chiffchaff, 6 Goldcrest, 17 Linnet, 6 Redpoll, 20 + Goldfinch, 5 Fieldfare, 21 Gadwall, 11 Shoveler, 6 Teal, 20 + Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard, 11 Egyptian Goose, 3 Little Grebe, 2 Kestrel (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan)

Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: 2 Firecrest, 6 Goldcrest, 3 Lesser Redpoll, 10 Pochard, Treecreeper, 2 Coal Tit, 47 Tufted Duck, 6 Redwing, 2 Great crested Grebe (Stuart Fisher)

8th

Wanstead Flats: Mediterranean Gull
, 10 Siskin, Reed Bunting, 3 Linnet, 3 Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipit, 150+ Common Gull, 14 Egyptian Geese (Bob Vaughan).

Wanstead Park: 15 Wigeon and Water Rail, Ornamental Water (Tim Harris)

9th

Wanstead Flats:
9 Redpoll, 2+ Siskin, 10 Linnet, 2 Reed Bunting, 9 Fieldfare, 5 Meadow Pipit, 31 Gadwall, 21 Shoveler, 12 Teal, 2 Pochard, 20+ Tufted Duck, 18 Egyptian Goose, 200+ Common Gull, 4 Goldcrest, Kestrel (Nick Croft)

10th

Wanstead Flats:
Mediterranean Gull still asleep, Green Sandpiper (h) 29 Gadwall, 15 Shoveler, 7 Teal, Little Grebe, Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipit, 4 Goldcrest, Kestrel (Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft).

Wanstead Park: 2 Silver Teal (one unringed), 215 Gadwall, c. 30 Wigeon, 21 Shoveler, 2 Teal, Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Grebe, 3 Little Egret, Kingfisher, 6+ Siskin, 20 + Goldfinch, 2 Blackcap, 10 + Goldcrest, 8 Redwing (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan)

11th

Wanstead Flats:
22 Gadwall, 18 Shoveler, 4 Teal, 12 Fieldfare, 15+ Redpoll, 2 Linnet, 2 Reed Bunting, 5 Meadow Pipit, Kestrel, 3 Goldcrest (Bob Vaughan/Peter Brinton/Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: 213 Gadwall, 23 Wigeon, 22 Shoveler, m Teal, m Pochard, 2 Egyptian Goose, 3 Little Egret, 6 Grey Heron, Great Crested Grebe, 7 Siskin, 8 Redpoll, singing Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Stock Dove, 10 + Goldcrest (Nick Croft)



13th

Wanstead Flats:
31 Gadwall, 11 Shoveler, 9 Teal, f Pochard, 3 Little Grebe, 3 Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Reed Bunting, 4+ Goldcrest (Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: 21 Wigeon, 170+ Gadwall, 8 Shoveler (all Ornamental Waters), Chiffchaff (Bob Vaughan)

14th

Wanstead Flats:
Common Snipe, 7 Teal, Redpoll, Chiffchaff, 150+ Fieldfare (Tony Brown); 2 Shoveler, 9 Tufted Duck, 2 Egyptian Goose, Goldcrest, 2 Meadow Pipit (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: 260 Gadwall, 25 Wigeon, 42 Shoveler, 16 Teal, Pochard, 20 Tufted Duck, 2 Egyptian Goose, Great Crested Grebe, 4 Little Grebe, 5 Little Egret, Grey Wagtail, 100+ Jackdaw in pre roost gathering, 6+ Goldcrest (Nick Croft)






15th

Wanstead Flats: Mediterranean Gull, 1st winter Yellow-legged Gull, 14 Herring Gull, 15 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Greater Black-blacked Gull, 300 + Common Gull, 300 + Black-headed Gull, 83 Mallard, 36 Gadwall, 13 Shoveler, 3 Teal, 2 Pochard, 18 Tufted Duck, 7 Egpytian Goose, 6 Little Grebe (WEBS), 17 Linnet,, Redpoll, 5 + Goldcrest, 4 Fieldfare, Meadow Pipit, Sparrowhawk, 80 + Jackdaw (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: 5 + Lesser Redpoll, 6 Siskin, 2 Redwing, 68 Gadwall, 11, Shoveler, 7 Egyptian Goose, 6 Little Egret, 4 Little Grebe, 8 Goldcrest (Nick Croft) WEBS: 235 Gadwall, 14 Wigeon, 3 Teal, 31 Shoveler, 17 Tufted Duck, 7 Egyptian Goose, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Little Grebe, 6 Little Egret, Water Rail (Wren Group)










16th

Wanstead Flats: Mediterranean Gull, 1st w Yellow-legged Gull, 500 + Common Gull, 400 + Black-headed Gull, 40 + Herring Gull, 20 + Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, 29 + Fieldfare. 10 + Linnet, 11 Meadow Pipit, 6 Pied Wagtail, 6 Teal, 3 Pochard, 54 Gadwall, 13 Shoveler, 10 + Tufted Duck, 5 Egyptian Goose, 3 Little Grebe, Kestrel (Nick Croft)

Snaresbrook: Firecrest, early morning (Stuart Fisher)

17th

Wanstead Flats:
170+ Fieldfare, 23 Redwing, 4 Song Thrush, Mediterranean Gull, 1w Yellow-legged Gull, 20 Herring Gull, 20+ Lesser Black-backed Gull, 24 Gadwall, 4 Teal, 8Shoveler, 4 Egyptian Goose, 4 Meadow Pipit, 5 Goldcrest, Reed Bunting, Kestrel (Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: 253 Gadwall, 29 Shoveler, 18 Wigeon, 10+ Tufted Duck, 4 Teal, 2 Egyptian Goose, Great Crested Grebe, 3 Little Grebe, 8 Little Egret, 5 Grey Heron, Kingfisher, 2 Grey Wagtail, 13+ Goldcrest, 3 Siskin, Redwing (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan)





18th

Wanstead Flats: 35 Fieldfare west, singing Mistle Thrush, 3 Meadow Pipit, 23 Gadwall, 11 Shoveler, 6 Teal, 8 Tufted Duck, 3 f Pochard, Egyptian Goose, 5 Little Grebe, 2 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 2 Linnet, 4 + Goldcrest (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: 170 + Gadwall (ex Ornamentals and Basin), 37 Shoveler, 21 Wigeon, Teal, 10 + Tufted Duck, 2 Egyptian Goose, 7 Little Egret, 5 Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Siskin, 2 Redpoll, Fieldfare, 3 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, 2 Kingfisher (Nick Croft)

19th

Wanstead Flats:
30 + Fieldfare west, 4 Redwing, 5 Goldcrest, 15 Gadwall, 7 Teal, 5 Pochard, 20 + Tufted Duck, Shoveler, 4 Egyptian Goose, 2 Little Grebe, Kestrel (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan)

Wanstead Park: 26 Shoveler, f Wigeon, 15 Gadwall, 2 Egyptian Goose, Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Grebe, 6 Little Egret, Meadow Pipit, 15 + Goldcrest, Redpoll, Redwing (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan)

Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: 18 Fieldfare in from SE, 5 Redwing, 6 Goldcrest, 14 Gadwall, Great Crested Grebe, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Redpoll sp, Treecreeper, Nuthatch (Stuart Fisher)

20th

Wanstead Flats:
71 Fieldfare, 10 + Redwing, 6 Redpoll, 4 Siskin, Reed Bunting, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Kestrel, 20 Gadwall, 8 Shoveler, 4 Pochard, Teal, 4 Little Grebe (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: 268 Gadwall, 29 Shoveler, 20 Wigeon, 20 + Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, 3 Little Grebe, Water Rail sharming, 4 Little Egret, 5 Grey Heron, 2 Kingfisher, 30 + Siskin, Redpoll, 4 Redwing, Coal Tit, 15 + Goldcrest, Nuthatch (Nick Croft)








21st

Wanstead Flats: 1w Caspian Gull
, Goldeneye on Alex (first record on this pond) before flying to park, 22 Gadwall, 8 Shoveler, 5 Teal, 4 Pochard, 10 Tufted Duck, 4 Little Grebe, 10 Fieldfare, 2 Kestrel, Meadow Pipit (Wanstead Birders)

Wanstead Park: Goldeneye relocated to Shoulder of Mutton, 25 Wigeon, 184 Gadwall, 30 + Shoveler, 5Teal, 20 Tufted Duck, Egyptian Goose, 4-6 Little Egret, Kingfisher, Siskin, Nuthatch, Grey Wagtail, Goldcrest (Wanstead Birders)















22nd

Wanstead Flats:
No sign Caspian Gull or Goldeneye. 8 Lesser Redpoll, 25 Linnet, 2 Reed Bunting, 15 Fieldfare, 6 Great Black-backed Gull west, 4 Egyptian Goose, 3 Pochard, m Shoveler, 3 Meadow Pipit, 5 + Goldcrest, Kestrel (Wanstead Birders).

Wanstead Park: Woodcock (Bush Wood), 2 Water Rail, 2 Kingfisher, Little Egret, 257 Gadwall, 27 Wigeon, 34 Shoveler, 5 Teal, 20 + Tufted Duck, 9 Egyptian Goose, 3 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Nuthatch, 4 Coal Tit, 15 + Goldcrest, Blackcap, 5 Redpoll, 4 + Siskin, 6 Redwing, Stock Dove, 2 Common Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon, 2 Sparrowhawk, Great Black-backed Gull (Wanstead Birders)



23rd

Wanstead Flats:
11 Siskin, 19 Linnet, 5 Redpoll, 6 Teal, 32 Gadwall, 5 Pochard, 8 Shoveler, 10+ Tufted Duck, 16 Egyptian Goose, Skylark (first for a few weeks), 3 Meadow Pipit, 5 Pied Wagtail, Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, Kestrel, 2 Little Grebe (Nick Croft/Jono Hong Kong Lethbridge)

24th

Wanstead, Bush Wood:
3 Nuthatch, 12+ Goldcrest, much dampness (Bob Vaughan)

25th

Wanstead Park:
6 Little Egret, Kingfisher, 5 Grey Heron, 12 Shoveller Heronry; 2 mTeal, 10 Gadwall SOM; 20 Wigeon, 100 plus Gadwall Ornamentals; Siskin, 7 Redwing (Bob Vaughan)



26th

Wanstead Flats:
30+ Gadwall, 8 Teal, 10+ Shoveler, 3 Pochard, 10+ Tufted Duck, 5 Egyptian Goose, Little Grebe, 42 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, singing Mistle Thrush, 6 Redpoll, 3 Siskin, Reed Bunting, 3 Goldcrest, 30+ Herring Gull, Kestrel, 9 Meadow Pipit (Nick Croft)




27th

Wanstead Flats:
80 Fieldfare, singing Mistle Thrush, 6 Meadow Pipit, 4 Redpoll, 16 Gadwall, 7 Shoveler, 6 Teal, f Pochard, 6 Tufted Duck, Kestrel (Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: 324 Gadwall, 43 Shoveler, 30 Wigeon, 5 Teal, 13 Fieldfare, singing Song Thrushes, 5 Redpoll, Siskin, Linnet, 15+ Goldcrest, 2 m Kingfisher having a standoff and making cricket like chirruping noises, 3 Little Gret, Grey Wagtail, Sparrowhawk, Coal Tit (Nick Croft)

28th

Wanstead Park: 2 Firecrest,
redpoll (Bush Wood) (Jono Lethbridge and Bob).

29th

Wanstead Flats: Woodcock (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: 23 wigeon, 30 gadwall, 2 teal, 4 shoveller Shoulder of Mutton pond (Bob Vaughan).





30th

Wanstead Flats: 2 Goldcrest, Meadow Pipit, 2 Kestrel (Nick Croft)

Wanstead Park: 2 Firecrest, 6 + Goldcrest, 2 Coal Tit, Nuthatch (Bush Wood), 360 + Gadwall (exc. Perch), 34 Wigeon, 41 Shoveler, 2 Teal 10 + Tufted Duck, 2 Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Siskin, Redpoll, 8 Goldcrest, 20 + Redwing (Nick Croft)