31st October 2007

Stoke Newington Reservoirs 0700-0850 MJP
o/c. light W.

visible migration

Woodpigeon - 533
Starling - 295
Goldfinch - 65+
Chaffinch - 38
Siskin - 12
redpoll - 1
Brambling - 1
Redwing - 49
Fieldfare - 18
Jackdaw - 3
Skylark - 3
Meadow Pipit - 2

also:

Water Rail - 1
Sparrowhawk - 2
Goldcrest - c12
Common Gull - 4


Walthamstow Marshes 0930-1100 MJP
sunny, mild. light W.

Skylark - 14
Meadow Pipit - 10
Linnet - 4
Fieldfare - 3
Redwing - c20
Woodpigeon - c80

An entertaining morning's skywatching at the Reservoirs, with good numbers of late autumn migrants moving; Woodpigeons, Starlings, Chaffinches and Goldfinches were especially numerous, with a noticeably strong movement of the latter species. Siskins made it into double figures, a rare event on patch, and three Skylarks were, at last, the first of the autumn.

Goldcrests were liberally scattered, and the Water Rail remains faithful to the southern fringe of the East Res.

26th October 2007

SN Reservoirs 0730-0930 MJP
Dull, mild, o/c. light NE.

Water Rail - 1
Kingfisher - 1 (new river west)
Redwing - 22 (mainly NW)
Fieldfare - 5 (E)
redpoll - 2 (E)
Chaffinch - 7 (NW)
Song Thrush - 8
Long-tailed Tit - 20
Common Gull - 5

Clissold Park

RR Parakeet - 7 (highest count yet... )
Coal Tit - 1
Goldcrest - 3
Redwing - 31
Mistle Thrush - 9
Jackdaw - 1
Common Gull - 3
Goldfinch - 10

Waterworks NR

Water Rail - 1
Fieldfare - c10
Redwing - c25
Teal - 1 female
Chiffchaff - 3

24th October 2007

SN Reservoirs 0730-0930 MJP, PR
o/c, dull, mild, light NE.

Siskin - 2
Common Snipe - 1
Redwing - 33
Woodpigeon - 64
Meadow Pipit - 1
Jackdaw - 1
Common Gull - 2
Chaffinch - 11
Goldfinch - 7
Song Thrush - 8
Fieldfare - 2
Gadwall - 51

A quiet morning's skywatching, despite conditions being pretty much perfect. Today's highlight was a Common Snipe, flushed from the New River path, which is the first of the autumn.

22nd October 2007

Clissold Park 1200-1300 MJP

Siskin - 2 (with Goldfinches, deer enclosure)
RR Parakeet - 1
Shoveler - 10

haven't been out very often this week due to lingering illness, but according to the other dedicated locals, there hasn't been much to miss..... although Tony and Laurence had a productive morning's visible migration on the 19th, with:

5 Siskin (NW), 40 Jackdaw (W), c60 Chaffinch (NW), c60 Redwing (NW), 44 Fieldfare (NW), c200 Woodpigeon (W), 7 RN Parakeet, 3 Reed Bunting.

18th October 2007

Walthamstow Marshes 1100-1245 MJP
sunny, little cloud. light NW.

Bullfinch - 1 male (brit-type, northern scrub)
Skylark - 9 (5 down, 4 N)
Rook - 1W, with
Jackdaw - 3
Stonechat - 2
Fieldfare - 52
Redwing - 4
Meadow Pipit - 16
Brambling - 1 (with finch flock n horse field)
Alba Wagtails - 46 (horse field)
Linnet - 17
Goldfinch - 12
Chaffinch - 15

A good day on the marshes, although due to illness, I probably missed most of the birds present..... the male Bullfinch was particularly good, as was the first Rook in the area this autumn, and good numbers of Fieldfares, finches, pipits and wagtails.

17th October 2007

two sites today:

SN Reservoirs 0730-0930 MJP, LP, PR
cold, cloud clearing (then clear and sunny) after heavy rain previously. mod N.

visible mgration:

House Martin - 1 (W)
Siskin - 2+ (W)
Lesser Redpoll - 1 (E)
(probable Mealy) Redpoll - 1 (E)
Chaffinch - 13 (mainly W)
Redwing - 2
Mistle Thrush - 10
Reed Bunting - 2 (in from E)
Greenfinch - 7
Common Gull - 1

also 1 Chiffchaff

Harder work and noticeably colder than of late, but still a respectable array of species moving (if in very small numbers).

Walthamstow Marshes 1100-1250 MJP

Meadow Pipit - 7
Linnet - 3

16th October 2007

Walthamstow Marshes 1050-1250
dull, mild, o/c. light/mod NW.

Fieldfare - 3 (first of year)
Swallow - 2 (south)
Meadow Pipit - 5
Redwing - 10
Jackdaw - 2

Clissold Park 1315-1450 MJP

Shoveler - 7
Pochard - 5
Little Grebe - 4

first day out in the field after a few days illness, and all the better for it; a mild, pungent autumnal day at both localities.

12th October 2007

Clissold Park

Rose-ringed Parakeet - 1
Pochard - 5

11th October 2007

SN Reservoirs 0710-0950 MJP, TB
mild, bright (after cloudy night).

visible migration:

Lapwing - 1
Redwing - 69
Chaffinch - 59
Meadow Pipit - 17
Lesser Redpoll - 5
Siskin - 4
Linnet - 2
Brambling - 1 (S)
Jackdaw - 2 (E)
Reed Bunting - 4 (2E, 2 down)
Alba Wag - 15
Grey Wag - 3
Goldfinch - 8
Song Thrush - 16

also 3 Chiffchaffs (two singing), & 3 Goldcrests

a relatively entertaining morning of overhead passage, and despite no particularly large numbers, a varied selection of species involved. The Lapwing, which hung around for 15 mins or so, was the first for a while, and the variety (and nice views) of finches dropping in and going over was again pleasing.

Walthamstow Marshes: 1100-1250

Stonechat - 5
Skylark - 2
Meadow Pipit - 17
Reed Bunting - 5
Linnet - 7

10th October 2007

Walthamstow Marshes 1100-1300 MJP
misty, o/c, sunny breaks. light/mod NE.

Little Owl - 1
White Wagtail - 1
Stonechat - 2(m & f)
Skylark - 2
Meadow Pipit - 21
Grey Wagtail - 3
Linnet - 7


Clissold Park 1350-1500 MJP

Jackdaw - 3 east
Little Grebe - 5
Goldcrest - 5
Pochard - 7


Abney Park Cemetery

Chiffchaff - 1
Coal Tit - 2

Back out after a long weekend with my band up north, which included a stopover (and a 'homecoming' show!) at my old manor, Flamborough; sadly not timed to coincide with the recent Brown Flycatcher (found by an still justifiably ecstatic friend of mine, who celebrated in style at the show - stand up RB), but managed to steal a couple of hours in the field and relocate a Blyth's Reed Warbler in the bay, and a cracking male Red Backed Shrike at Thornwick.

Still minus internet after moving house this week, but recent photos will appear on this page within the next few days.

4th October 2007

two sites:

SN Reservoirs 0645-0915 MJP, LP
mild, mainly bright; patchy cloud early, then sunny. light W.

visible migration:

Rock Pipit - 1
Meadow Pipit - 35
Brambling - 8
Siskin - 13
Redpoll - 2
Chaffinch - 92
Greenfinch - 20
Goldfinch - 22
Grey Wagtail - 13
Yellow Wagtail - 1
alba Wagtail - 39
Song Thrush - 17
Mistle Thrush - 24
Redwing - 12
House Martin - 2
Swallow - 1
Reed Bunting - 5 (3 over, two down)

also:
Peregrine - 1 female
Reed Warbler - 1
Wigeon - 1
Kingfisher - 1
Chiffchaff - c6 (inc. a dull, greyish bird with wing bars).


Walthamstow Marshes 1000-1200 MJP
sunny, warm. light W.

Skylark - 2
Meadow Pipit - 16
Willow Warbler - 1 singing
House Martin - 2
Siskin - 3
Linnet - 5

An enjoyable and varied morning at the Reservoirs, where arriving in time for dawn (as is often the case at this particular time of year) brought rewarding results overhead. After a dull and cloudy start, the sun gradually broke through, and by 0730 the skies were mainly sunny; much of the flyover activity, again as is usually the case, was early on, the majority of birds moving between 0700 and 0800.

Particularly impressive were finches and wagtails, with record site counts this morning for Chaffinch, Siskin, alba and Grey Wagtail - the latter including two small groups, a surprising occurence. Flyover Bramblings, Siskins and redpolls were also all the first of the autumn. Pipits were also on the move, with the autumn's first Rockit and Mipits moving in small numbers. Thrushes were out in force, with many Blackbirds down in the scrub, and Redwings, Song & (especially) Mistle Thrushes moving and often dropping into cover.

Otherwise, late migrants included another Yellow Wagtail and a Reed Warbler, and single Peregrine, Kingfisher and Wigeon were all present.

3rd October 2007

Walthamstow Marshes 1100-1230 MJP
mild, humid, o/c, bright. no wind.

Stonechat - 4
Siskin - 2
Linnet - 1
Swallow - 12
Meadow Pipit - 31
Grey Wagtail - 6
Chiffchaff - 6

also, 7 Red Admirals, 3 Meadow Browns, 1 Green-veined White

A surprisingly warm, bright and pleasant session on the marshes, with reasonable signs of migration and a nice array of butterflies so late in the season.

2nd October 2007

Clissold Park 1300-1450 MJP
dull, drizzly.

Chiffchaff - 2
RR Parakeet - 1
Meadow Pipit - 3
Swallow - 2

28th September 2007

SN Reservoirs 0630-0830 MJP, LP
o/c, cool, bright spells. mod NE.

Redwing - 68
Chaffinch - 72
Song Thrush - 23
Mistle Thrush - 12
Meadow Pipit - 3
Starling - c70
Swallow - 1
Sand Martin - 2
House Martin - 2
Chiffchaff - 4
Blackcap - 1
Wigeon - 5

A productive morning's skywatching (at last!), with conditions ideal and the classic common autumn migrants on the move, to varying degrees. Thrushes moved over in force, with Redwings dominating (after yesterday's first record of the autumn at the marshes), and Chaffinches were also numerous; almost all flyovers headed west and north west.

27th September 2007

Walthamstow Marshes 1030-1200 MJP
mainly bright, o/c. blustery NE. cold.

Stonechat - 3 (ad male & 2 imm males, cow field)
Redwing - 8 west
White Wagtail - 1
Yellow Wagtail - 1
Grey Wagtail - 2
Pied Wagtail - 10
Stock Dove - 5
Meadow Pipit - 20
House Martin - 6
African Grey Parrot - 1
Sparrowhawk -3 (2 high and south-west)
Chaffinch - c15

A cold, autumnal and blustery day on the marshes, with the winds from the north-east and the temperature low. The weather system lends itself perfectly to continental drift migration, and the east coast is surely the place to be, with the winds veering easterly off the lower edge of a high pressure over Scandinavia - perfect conditions for finding quality birds on the coast. However, being trapped in London, you make the best of it, and today's haul showed more interesting movements than of late.

Three Stonechats in the cow field were fresh in, a fine selection of wagtails in the horse field included both White and Yellow, Meadow Pipits were dropping in while watching and at least 20 were present, both grounded and over, and the first Redwings of the year - eight west, calling - were a pleasure to hear again.

26th September 2007

three sites covered today:

Walthamstow Marshes 1030-1200hrs MJP
blustery W, o/c, cold, mainly bright.

African Grey Parrot - 1 (perilously associating with the Kestrel family)
Meadow Pipit - 16
House Martin - c40
Clissold Park 1300-1450 MJP
Yellow Wagtail - 1 over
Meadow Pipit - 1 over
Shoveler - 1
Little Grebe - 5
plus new broods of Mallard & Moorhen.

Abney Park Cemetery
15 Long-tailed Tits & 2 Stock Doves

Geldeston Road
Tawny Owl calling from back gardens, early hours

24th September 2007

SN Reservoirs 0630-0840 MJP, LP
initially windy (SW), dull & overcast. see below...

Peregrine - 1 adult male, caught pigeon, then flew SE
Water Rail -1
Reed Warbler - 1
Sedge Warbler - 1
House Martin - c40, tight flock south
Wigeon - 1
Chiffchaff - 2
Shoveler - 43
Pochard - 17
Tufted Duck - 46
Gadwall - 20
Little Grebe - 6
GC Grebe - pair with three young chicks

What began as a dull, grey, windy morning on patch turned into something of an unexpected adventure at around 0740, when out of the blue, the SW wind intensified to gale force, the sky blackened, the torrential rain was horizontal and Laurence and I clung onto an Oak tree for the longest minute I've experienced for years....

Birds were (predictably, given the conditions) limited to say the least, and visible migration was non-existent but for a tight, fast-moving and evidently very sensible flock of House Martins, which flew clean through just prior to the storm. The male Peregrine gave great views, and the Water Rail showed in the same corner.

20th September 2007

First day out and about in the neighbourhood in over a week (on account of a trip to Corfu - see last post), and three sites covered:

Stoke Newington Reservoirs 0630-0845 MJP, LP
mild, o/c. mod WSW.

Water Rail - 1
Jackdaw - 1
Reed Warbler - 1
Blackcap - 1
Chiffchaff - 8
Meadow Pipit - 1 south
Reed Bunting - 2
Mistle Thrush - 10


Walthamstow Marshes 1200-1330 MJP
o/c, odd showers and sunny ints. mild. mod SW.

Greenland-type Wheatear - 1(horse field)
Yellow Wagtail - 2
Meadow Pipit - 3

Clissold Park 1400-1550 MJP

Firecrest - 1 (with mixed flock in NE corner of park)
Chiffchaff - 3
Little Grebe - 4

A good day all round, with quality (if not quantity) at all three sites. The reservoirs were hard work, and visible migration remains practically non-existent, but the first Jackdaw of the autumn and a single Meadow Pipit at least served to of things to come. Chiffchaffs were more numerous than of late, and a Water Rail feeding along the NW corner of the ER was the first of the autumn and the highlight of the morning.

The marshes were also fairly quiet, but for a Greenland Wheatear in the horse field - on size, stance and colouration, the bird has evidently made a transatlantic crossing as the first part phase of its migration, which is always a real marvel.

A walk in the park also yielded an unexpected gem in the form of a Firecrest, which moved through (and gave views down to a couple of metres) with a mixed flock of tits, finches and warblers; the third individual in the park this autumn, which is a great strike rate.

north-west Corfu, 10th - 18th September 2007

A last minute, cheap package trip with my partner Amity to the north-western coast of Corfu. more details to follow, but for now, a few photos from the trip.

10th September 2007

Stoke Newington Reservoirs 0640-0930 MJP, LP

1m Wigeon, c35 Shoveler, c45 Gadwall, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, c6 Chiffchaff, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 1 Swallow, 1 Kingfisher.

Also, on Rectory Road: 2 almost-fledged House Martin young still being fed in the nest by parents, on corner of Evering Road.