Wednesday, January 31, 2007

31st January 2007

Stoke Newington Reservoirs 0735-0915 MJP,PR
cold, clear, sunny. light NW.



Green Sandpiper - 1 (West Res)
Gadwall - 47
Shoveler - 9
Little Grebe - 4
Great Crested Grebe - 4
Greylag - 3 (over)
Song Thrush - 4
Goldfinch - 7
Green Woodpecker - 1
GS Woodpecker - 3



Tuesday, January 30, 2007

30th January 2007 (add.)

Walthamstow Marshes 1200-1315 MJP
mild, o/c. light W.

Meadow Pipit - 14
Jackdaw - 1
Reed Bunting - 1
Green Woodpecker - 2
Great sp. Woodpecker - 2
Goldfinch - 25
Chaffinch - 15
Greylag - 5 (over)
Kestrel - 1m
Song Thrush - 3
Mistle Thrush - 4
Long-tailed Tit - 9



An increase in the number of Meadow Pipits today, most of which were preening and resting in the trees at the SW corner of Bombcrater Field.



Many passerine species were in song, including Song Thrushes, Chaffinches, Dunnocks, Robins and tits.




above and below: Bombcrater Field, looking north up the valley. This roughly-grazed, marshy, fenced area is popular with feeding birds including finches, pipits, corvids, gulls and Stonechats. In spring the habitat will hopefully attract migrants such as Yellow Wagtails, Whinchats, pipits, larks and Wheatears.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

23rd January 2007

two local patch watches today:

Stoke Newington Reservoirs 0750-0910 MJP,PR
v cold, o/c, some sun. mod NE.

Teal - 1 male
Shoveler - 3
Gadwall - c50
Pochard - c30
Greylag - 5 (over)
Little Grebe - 1
Great Crested Grebe - 3
Grey Heron - 2
Song Thrush - 5 (2 singing)

the first time back on patch for a couple of weeks, and predictably quiet. Duck numbers, esp. Gadwall, are higher than of late, and the (perhaps temporary) resurgence of the West Reservoir continues, with a significant proportion of wildfowl feeding. Water levels are still too high to attract waders (although a Green Sandpiper visited briefly ten days ago - GJ). The wind has created shallow, marshy phragmites 'platforms' on the ER, which at least offer hope of seeing Snipe or rails in the coming days.

Walthamstow Marshes 1200-1315 MJP
cold, mainly sunny. mod NE

Little Owl - 1
Lapwing - 9 (north)
Gadwall - 104 (north, in small parties)
Teal - 5 (north)
Greylag - 6 (north)
Mallard - c30 (north)
Goldfinch - 25
Meadow Pipit - 2

The large number of Gadwall heading due north over the marshes (and several other species) is unprecedented since I've been covering the site since Sep 2006, and the Lapwings and Little Owl made for a relatively entertaining mid-winter session.

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

6th & 9th January 2007 (add.)

6th January, Bow (Sounding Alley): a female Peregrine harried pigeons several times outside the window of the studio where we've just completed our debut album..... (www.morningbride.co.uk)

9th January, Walthamstow Marshes (1145-1300) o/c, strong WNW
Peregrine - immature male
Meadow Pipit - 6

Thursday, January 04, 2007

4th January 2007

Stoke Newington Reservoirs 0730-0930 MJP, LP
sunny, mainly clear. mod SW.



Chiffchaff - 1
Redwing - 5
Jay - 3
Goldcrest - 3 (2 in song)

Arrived on patch before dawn, with a full moon in the west as the sun rose in the east. A quiet, but sunny, early session; Black-headed Gulls again streamed over at first light, with at least 1200 (and 70 Common Gulls). wildfowl unremarkable, with numbers slightly lower than a few days ago. The conifers on Lordship Road, a hundred metres or so south of the reservoirs, again held singing Goldcrests.



Wednesday, January 03, 2007

3rd January 2007 (add.)

Walthamstow Marshes 1145-1345 MJP
dull, o/c, blustery SW.

Stonechat - 1 female
Meadow Pipit - 7
Sparrowhawk - 1 female
Carrion Crow - 45

on the canal:
Mute Swan - 23
Coot - 32
Little Grebe - 1

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

2nd January 2007

Stoke Newington Reservoirs 1415-1600 MJP
o/c, blustery SW.

Shoveler - 5
Pochard - 23
Gadwall - 31
Tufted Duck - c60
Kingfisher - 1
Water Rail - 2
Coot - 210
Great Crested Grebe - 3
Little Grebe - 3
Goldcrest - 1, in song
Jay - 2
Greenfinch - 16
Goldfinch - 4


A predictably quiet beginning to the year on patch. c1200 Black-headed Gulls & 60 Common Gulls headed to roost in the 45 minutes before dusk, in the direction of Walthamstow Reservoirs.

Additional records: Redwings were heard overhead on the evenings of both the 31st and 1st (a nice first species for 2007). The chiffy was in its favoured area in the NW corner of the ER on 31st (PR). The House Sparrow flock in the gardens behind Geldeston Road numbers at least 25, up on the last few months.