Some recent sightings in the Lea Valley - North London Jul-Dec 1998

December

27/12/98 KGV Reservoir, 2 red necked grebes south basin - Tony Clancy

21/12/98 KGV Reservoir, 3 scaup, 2 north basin and one south basin - Phil Vines

19/12/98 1 bittern Rye Meads Reserve(also 6 water pipits and a stonechat on Rye Meads Sewage Farm), 2 shags and a smew on Nazeing Gravel Pit (also 12 smew on Friday Lake near Hall Marsh during the week) - Richard Cope

18/12/98 KGV Reservoir - 2 red necked grebes south basin, 2 female type scaup south basin/relief channel, also 19/12/98 1 grey plover north and 1 black necked grebe WG Res - Phil Vines

15/12/98 KGV Reservoir - 2 red necked grebes south basin, 1 male black redstart along west side, 4 green sandpipers, 5 ruddy ducks, goosander adn goldeneye also present

11/12/98 Fisher's Green, 1 firecrest in the copse just west of the Grand Weir, one 1st winter Mediterranean Gull by weir - Bill Craig/Mike Cotton

2/12/98 Fishers Green Bittern Observation Hide, a bittern (this species also reported from Amwell and Rye Meads), Nazeing gull roost, one adult Mediterranean gull - Bill Rutherford/Richard Cope

2/12/98 KGV Reservoir - 2 red necked grebes and 1 black necked grebe south basin, 10 goosander, 3 black redstarts along west side - Ken Barrett

1/12/98 KGV Reservoir am - one little auk mid-am on north basin was not relocated by 1pm, 2 red necked grebes and 1 black necked grebe south basin, 1 smew - Phil Vines etc

November

29/11/98 Fisher's Green, the copse just west of the Grand Weir am, 2 firecrests, also 750+ golden plover at Bury Green, 1 mile north of A10-M25 junction - A.Mids

27/11/98 KGV Reservoir am - 2 red necked grebes and 1 black necked grebe south basin, 5 green sandpipers, 1 redshank, 1 rock pipit, several goosander and goldeneye, Sewardstone Marsh - 2 chiff chaffs - various people

25/11/98 Grand Weir area, Fisher's Green, a shag, a firecrest - Stuart Hamilton /Mike Cotton (also a bird notebook found at Titchwell probably belonging to a regular visitor to the valley)

22/11/98 KGV Reservoir - 1 red necked grebe, 1 yellow legged gull, WG Res (no public access) 4 pintail, 5+ black necked grebes, 1 red necked grebe, 1 adult Mediterranean gull, 1 yellow legged gull - various people

21/11/98 Grand Weir, Fisher's Green, a shag, 1st winter Mediterranean gull and firecrest

21/11/98 KGV Reservoir mid-day, 2 black redstarts, 1 redshank, 1 black necked grebe south basin, 2 greenshank, 1 adult glaucous gull flew south early pm, 1 water pipit - Peter Langsdon (1 BTD WG - PJV, no public access), peregrine still reported from Fisher's Green area in the last week

19/11/98 Fisher's Green pm. a shag by the Grand Weir - A.Mids

17/11/98 KGV Reservoir am - one female common scoter south basin, one red necked grebe, one black necked grebe, one black redstart, one little owl north west corner/pumphouse - various people

16/11/98 KGV Reservoir am - one common scoter, one red necked grebe, one black necked grebe - Phil Vines

14/11/98 KGV Reservoir - a female common scoter, Fisher's Green car park picnic area - a firecrest - various people, from Steve Connor

13/11/98 KGV Reservoir am, 2 black redstarts west of causeway, a ruff in N/W corner of north basin since 9th, 4 green sandpipers, 1 red necked grebe south basin, 50+ greenfinch on causeway - A.Mids

12/11/98 Pole Hill, Chingford - a woodcock flushed from crown of hill am - Richard Cope, also a peregrine reported from near the Grebe Hide, Fisher's Green, last weekend.

10/11/98 Fisher's Green, 1 firecrest near picnic area by car-park, and on 9/11/98 a water pipit on Cornmill Meadows,Waltham Abbey - from Tony Gray

9/11/98 Fisher's Green am, 1 firecrest 100m south of great weir, large rosehip bush on riverbank, and a buzzard N/W - Stuart Hamilton, also 3 bramblings S/W over Pole Hill area - Richard Cope

7/11/98 Rye Meads area, 1 firecrest briefly, one shag released on RSPB Reserve, resident drake garganey - various people/from Richard Cope

6/11/98 Chingford Plain am, a firecrest in the central bushes south of ditch - Mike Cotton/Bill Craig

6/11/98 KGV Reservoir am, 4 black redstarts including 2 males, one singing, west of causeway and on adjacent factories - A.Mids

4/11/98 KGV Reservoir am, 3 black redstarts including a male west of causeway, 2 black-necked grebes south basin - A.Mids, and 2 housemartins Whitehall Plain, Epping Forest - Ken Murray

2/11/98 WG Reservoir am, no sign of little auk but KGV Reservoir not looked at - A.Mids

1/11/98 KGV Reservoir pm, a black-throated diver on the north basin flew off high N/W after circling at 16.15hrs - Pat Hart

1/11/98 WG Reservoir pm, one little auk at dusk, 11 black-necked grebes, also the Richard's pipit still on Chingford Plain - various people

1/11/98 KGV Reservoir am, one dunlin, one black redstart west of causeway - A.Mids

31/10-1/11/98 KGV Reservoir, two black redstarts generally west of causeway - Sean Huggins and Helen Bantock

October

30/10/98 Chingford Plain, Richard's Pipit - various people

27-29/10/98 Chingford Plain, Richard's Pipit

28/10/98 KGV Reservoir, one red-necked grebe south basin - Tony Gray

26/10/98 Chingford Plain, Richard's Pipit and one short-eared owl

25/10/98 Chingford Plain, Richard's Pipit and one short-eared owl

24/10/98 Chingford Plain am and pm, Richard's Pipit and one short-eared owl, two owls seen during the week - various people

23/10/98 Chingford Plain pm, a Richard's Pipit and one short-eared owl - Ken Murray etc

23/10/98 KGV Reservoir am, snow bunting still on the eastern bank of the north basin 100m north of causeway, also 2 common sandpipers, 1 black redstart - various people

22/10/98 KGV Reservoir pm, a snow bunting on the eastern bank of north basin 100m north of causeway - Adam Wilson etc, also 1 common sandpiper

18/10/98 Higher Maynard, Walthamstow Reservoirs, one slavonian grebe - from Pete Langsdon

17/10/98 KGV Reservoir pm, adult red-necked grebe, a black redstart on the western fence of north basin - various people

9/10/98 Chingford Plain pm, one short-eared owl hunting from 6pm, a pair of stonechats - various people

9/10/98 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey am and pm, a spotted crake along the northern ditch, if access is allowed to the northern meadow, enter field by gate and stay to the edge of field, also a hobby over the woods - Tony Gray etc

8/10/98 Sewardstone Marsh 2.30 pm, 1 immature common redstart in cattle field bushes, 80 housemartins in the area - A.Mids

7/10/98 KGV Reservoir pm, adult red-necked grebe north basin, 5 housemartins and 2 swallows, 2 wheatear, 1 common sandpiper - A.Mids ( Owl showed well pm Chingford Plain)

7/10/98 Chingford Plain early am, one short-eared owl for second day (Ken Murray), also two ring ouzels in the central bushes, a male firecrest at the eastern end of the plain early am, 1 lesser whitethroat, five swallows south - various people

3/10/98 KGV Reservoir am, adult red-necked grebe south basin, 1 rock pipit S/E corner, 6+ swallows, 1 common sandpiper, pm single wheatear, hobby and curlew - various people

2/10/98 KGV Reservoir pm, adult red-necked grebe south basin, 2 dunlin, 4 housemartins and 2 swallows S/E, 1 wigeon - Tony Clancy, also 13 black necked grebes WG

September

29/9/98 KGV Reservoir mid-day, a wryneck west of north basin - Stuart Hamilton

28/9/98 Amwell GP mid-day, a juvenile/1st winter mediterranean gull - various people

24/9/98 KGV Reservoir am, adult red-necked grebe south basin

22/9/98 KGV Reservoir am, adult red-necked grebe south basin, 190 cormorants, 2 wheatears, 3 common sandpipers, 2 spotted flycatchers east of south basin by 'Pitch and Putt' - A.Mids

21/9/98 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey am, 1 ruff, 5 little stints, 1 ringed plover, 9 snipe, Rammey Marsh 2 whinchats - various people

20/9/98 KGV Reservoir am, adult red-necked grebe south basin, 1 whinchat west of causeway - various people

19/9/98 KGV Reservoir am, 3 whinchats west of causeway, 1 greenshank, 3 common sandpipers, 3 hobbies over Sewardstone - A.Mids

18/9/98 Essex Filter Beds, Lea Bridge Road, red backed shrike pm - (probably Ian Kendall)

18/9/98 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey am, 1 ruff, 5 little stints, 1 dunlin, 3 snipe - various people

17/9/98 Sewardstone Marsh, Paddy Field, am, 3 whinchats.

15/9/98 KGV Reservoir pm, 2 little stints east side of north basin, 1 whinchat, 1 red necked grebe.

15/9/98 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey am, 2 little stints, 1 ruff, dunlin - Tony Gray

15/9/98 Sewardstone Marsh, LVP alongside the relief channel, 12.10pm, a pied flycatcher with finches and tits - A.Mids

14/9/98 KGV Reservoir causeway mid-day, 1 little stint, 2 black necked grebes, also 1 adult red necked grebe south basin, a hobby, 20 yellow wagtails, 1 whinchat - A.Mids

14/9/98 WG Reservoir am, 8 black necked grebes, 2 immature shags south end, a flock of 13 little stints, 2 turnstones and 1 ringed plover east side, also 2 more little stints and 2 greenshanks - various people

14/9/98 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey am, 1 ruff - Tony Gray

13/9/98 Pole Hill, Chingford in 3 hours pm, 741 martins, mainly housemartins, flew south (some west), 2 hobby, and 1 swift - Richard Cope

13/9/98 WG Reservoir pm, 7 black necked grebes, 1 immature shag, 12 little stints, 2 turnstones, 2 greenshank, 2 ruff - Alan Bell

12/9/98 KGV Reservoir, 25 yellow wagtails, 1 red-necked grebe - Richard Cope

11/9/98 Chingford am, private garden 1 pied flycatcher - Richard Cope

11/9/98 KGV Reservoir causeway am, 3 black terns, 4 black necked grebes (+7WG), 3 yellow wagtails, 1 whinchat, 1 wheatear - A.Mids

10/9/98 KGV Reservoir am, 3 black terns at 9am, south basin 1 adult red-necked grebe, 1 black necked grebe, north basin 2 black necked grebes, 3 dunlin, 1 greenshank, 5 common sandpipers, also 1 swift, 5 yellow wagtails, a whinchat west of causeway, 1 hobby Sewardstone Marsh - A.Mids, Phil Vines.

9/9/98 KGV Reservoir, 2 black terns - Steve Connor

9/9/98 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey am and pm, one wood sandpiper, 5 little stints - various people

8/9/98 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey, one wood sandpiper - anon

6/9/98 KGV Reservoir am, 1 black tern, 3 black necked grebes, 2 little stints - Phil Vines

6/9/98 KGV Reservoir early am, 5 black terns, 3 black necked grebes, 2 juvenile little gulls, 1 female black redstart, 1 adult red-necked grebe - Helen + T Bantock

5/9/98 KGV Reservoir evening, 40+ black terns, 2 juvenile little gulls south basin - Tony Clancy

5/9/98 KGV Reservoir to 6.15pm at least, 41 black terns north basin, 1 juvenile hobby giving chase at one point, 1 greenshank - A.Mids

5/9/98 KGV Reservoir mid-afternoon, minimum 40 black terns north basin, 1 adult red-necked grebe south basin, 3 wheatear - Alan and Bill Cutts

5/9/98 KGV Reservoir am, 5 black necked grebes (+3WG) and 6 black terns north basin, 1 adult red-necked grebe south basin, 10 yellow wagtails, 2 wheatear, 1 whinchat, 8 swifts - A.Mids

3/9/98 KGV Reservoir am, 7 black terns, 1 red-necked grebe, 1 black-necked grebe, 10 yellow wagtails - A.Mids

2/9/98 KGV Reservoir am, 5 black terns - Phil Vines, pm 7 black terns

( 2/9/98 Barking Reach Power Station Outfall, Barking/Thamesmead am, juvenile Sabine's gull, six black terns, 2 juvenile little gull, 60 common terns, 6 arctic terns, 2 sandwich terns past - various people )

( 1/9/98 Vicarage Farm, Enfield pm, immature common redstart - Steve Connor )

1/9/98 KGV Reservoir am, 4 black-necked grebes north basin, 1 adult red-necked grebe and 3 black terns south basin, 5 whinchats west side, 15 yellow wagtails, 5 common sandpipers, 8 swifts, pm an adult arctic tern - various people

August

30/8/98 KGV am, 1 red-necked grebe, 1 black-necked grebe, 7 common sandpipers, 1 juvenile ringed plover, 20 yellow wagtails, 2 whinchats, 3 wheatears - various people

( 26/8/98 pm, Lesser Yellowlegs, probably adult, Rainham Marsh East-Purfleet Ranges, access to be arranged for 7.30am 27/8/98 from the A1090 west of Purfleet just off the A13 - Steve Connor etc )

26/8/98 KGV am, 25 swifts, 1 hobby, 8 common sandpipers, 5 common terns, 2 yellow wagtails, (1 black necked swan and a teal-like bird with white facial patches and undertail coverts, green speculum and round white patch in wing centres, probably a female ringed teal) - A.Mids

24/8/98 KGV pm, 1 red-necked grebe, 1 greenshank, 5 common sandpipers, 1 whinchat, 1 yellow wagtail, 1 swift - A.Mids

21/8/98 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey pm, 1 garganey disturbed by party of humans on 'wildlife refuge-no access' wasn't seen later, 2 greenshanks, 2 green sandpipers. KGV pm, 1 adult summer-plumaged red-necked grebe - A.Mids

20/8/98 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey am, 1 garganey - Phil Vines

19/8/98 KGV and overhead nearby, 1 oystercatcher, 1 turnstone and 6 curlew - various people

18/8/98 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey pm, 4 greenshank, 2 green sandpipers, 7 Snipe - Andrew Middleton

16/8/98 KGV am 2 arctic terns, 1 greenshank, 6 common sandpipers - Helen Bantock

15/8/98 Sewardstone Marsh am, 2 oystercatchers over - Andrew Middleton, also a Cetti's Warbler singing presumably at Fisher's Green, and 3 greenshanks at Cornmill Meadows via Phil Vines.

14/8/98 KGV am, 1 adult and 1 juvenile red-necked grebe south end, 2 yellow wagtails over, 1 greenshank, 10 common sandpipers - Andrew Middleton

11/8/98 10.30-12.30 am at least, Rammey Marsh Lock, Enfield Lock area, an immature pied flycatcher with chaffinches 100m south of Rammey Lock feeding both sides of the canal by the 'Sealiner' boat - Andrew Middleton

10/8/98 KGV pm, 1 juvenile red-necked grebe, 1 black necked grebe - Steve Connor

10/8/98 Sewardstone Marsh am, 1 spotted flycatcher, several calling nightingales including a very brief snatch of song, warblers - garden, sedge, reed, lesser whitethroat, whitethroat, chiffchaff, willow warbler, blackcap - Andrew Middleton

9/8/98 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey, 3 dunlin - from Steve Connor

4/8/98 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey before 8am, 2 skuas thought to have been arctics on the middle meadow had gone by 8.15am - S.Hamilton

July

31/7/98 KGV am, 10 common sandpipers, 1 redshank, 1 adult arctic tern from 10-11am, 1 wheatear, 1 yellow wagtail, 2 black swans, 1 black necked swan - Andrew Middleton

30/7/98 Entrance to Gilwell Park along Bury Road - a family of spotted flycatchers - Andrew Middleton

30/7/98 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey pm, 1 redshank, 1 green sandpiper, 1 LRP.

29/7/98 KGV pm, 34 common sandpipers, 1 greenshank - Andrew Middleton.

( 29/7/98 Manx Shearwater reported at the south end of Bowyer's Water, Cheshunt, to the Lee Valley Park am. )

29/7/98 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey,1 greenshank, 2 redshank, 2 green sandpipers - Mike Cotton/Andrew Middleton.

27/7/98 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey,1 greenshank, 1 redshank, 5 LRP, 3 green sandpipers. One date up to 27th a brief visit by a black-tailed godwit reported - Tony Gray/Andrew Middleton

25/7/98 KGV 8 common sandpipers, 1 greenshank calling, 1 yellow wagtail, 1 adult male black redstart alongside the KGV at Brimsdown - Andrew Middleton.

24/7/98 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey, 1 whimbrel - Phil Vines

23/7/98 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey, 5 green sandpipers, 1 greenshank, 1 redshank, 3 LRPs, 25 lapwings and b.h.gulls - Andrew Middleton, S.Hamilton
(also dunlin and 10 LRPs up to 22nd)

20/7/98 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey, 1 greenshank - Phil Vines

20/7/98 KGV Reservoir, 1 sanderling at the north end am - Steve Connor.

16/7/98 am. Brimsdown by canal towpath - two male black redstarts, one in song.
Sewardstone Marsh - several calling nightingales, one briefly in song - Andrew Middleton

15/7/98 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey, mid-day, 3 green sandpipers, 1 hobby, 1 rufous juvenile cuckoo, 40 lapwings, 40 black-headed gulls, 2 lesser black-backed gulls - Andrew Middleton

mid-July 98 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey, 3 oystercatchers, 1 dunlin - Roy St John

mid-June 98

A grasshopper warbler reeling on Rammey Marsh

A family party of black redstarts on the KGV fence at Brimsdown

A singing black redstart along Brancroft Way Brimsdown.

A singing cetti's warbler at Fisher's Green between the Electricity Station and the Bittern Observation Hide




Andrew Middleton, London, UK acmiddleton@blueyonder.co.uk ~ site index