27th & 28th June 2007

Walthamstow Marshes MJP
both days: sunny spells, o/c, light to mod W.





Common Tern - 2 (28th)
Meadow Pipit - 1 (28th)
Linnet - 8 (28th), 3 (27th)
Lesser Whitethroat - 1 (both)
Common Whitethroat - 16 (28th)
House Martin - c20 (28th), 5 (27th)
Sand Martin - c8 (both)
Reed Bunting - 5 (28th), 3 (27th)

25th June 2007

Clissold Park 1300-1430 MJP
mild, o/c. mod nw.

Goldcrest - 3 (ad & 2 juvs)
Blackcap - 1
House Martin - 3
Pochard - 7

21st June 2007

Stoke Newington Reservoirs 0650-0850 MJP
warm, bright, mod E.

Common Tern - 3
Black-headed Gull - 12
House Martin - 3
Sand Martin - 2
Reed Warbler - c25
Sedge Warbler - 7
Grey Wagtail - 1
Gadwall - 4
Pochard - 11, pair with 2 young

Walthamstow Marshes 1100-1250 MJP

Linnet - 3
Reed Bunting - 3 pairs breeding
Sand Martin - 15 inc. breeders
Swallow - 1
House Martin - c20
Swift - 100
Lesser Whitethroat - 1

19th June 2007

Walthamstow Marshes 1030-1200 MJP

Common Tern - 2
Sand Martin - 3/4 pairs breeding in drainage pipes



Clissold Park

Common Tern - 1
Blackcap - 2
House Martin - 3

15th June 2007

Clissold Park 1300-1450 MJP

Common Tern - 1
House Martin - 2
Sparrowhawk - 1

14th June 2007

Walthamstow Marshes 1130-1310 MJP
v humid, o/c, some bright spells. no wind.

Common Tern - 1
Swift - c300
House Martin - 40
Sand Martin - 10



also today: A Rose-ringed Parakeet flew over the house, the fifth or sixth record for the homestead.....

13th June 2007

Walthamstow Marshes 1115-1315 MJP
humid, o/c, bright spells. light variable wind.

Turtle Dove - 1
Swift - 300+
House Martin - c20
Sand Martin - c15
Linnet - 16 (mostly juveniles)

Despite not posting for a while, as mentioned below I've covered Clissold Park, Abney Park Cemetery, and Walthamstow Marshes regularly over the last few weeks; but, despite best efforts, unfortunately there's been essentially nothing to report. The breeding season is of course in full swing, however, and changes in pressure have encouraged huge numbers of Swifts to feed over the area of late. But that's been about it.....



However, at last, today provided a fine and unexpected record. A Turtle Dove, flushed from a path in the northern third of the marshes, spent a while in the north copse before flying over the fence into the Reservoirs compound. Breeding species and numbers provide entertainment at these quietest of times, and Linnets, as well as various warbler species (especially Common Whitethroats) appear to have done especially well so far this year.

early june update

Apologies to regular visitors for the lack of activity over the last few weeks, and indeed during the spring as a whole; other, more pressing (and important) priorities have taken over most of my time of late. Somewhat ironically, completing an Ornithology HND over these last few weeks has involved very limited time out with the birds, but with the end in sight, normal service should be resumed within a week or two.

Thankfully (for me anyway) it's been a very quiet spring in the area, and so I haven't missed too much as I glance disconsolately out of the study window......

The only notable reports from the last couple of weeks, in the Stoke Newington area anyway, was of a Lapwing at the East Reservoir, and a Peregrine over, on the 6th June. Both species are recorded on average a few times each year.

Otherwise, regular visits to Clissold Park and the Cemetery have produced little of note, with most records relating to the expected breeding species.