June
25/6/99 Firecrests Warren Wood, Epping Forest and
Broxbourne Woods but neither singing
Insects - 4 white admirals and 20+ ringlets Broxbourne Woods,
also white-letter hairstreaks out above elms in various places, 1
southern hawker, brown hawkers and emperors, all south
Herts/Middx - A.Mids
24/6/99 Royal Forest Hotel, Epping Forest, Chingford, a
pair of spotted flycatchers nesting across the road - Tony
Baumber
Adult kittiwake over the WG Reservoir at 9.15am, moving north -
Phil Vines
Brimsdown by canal, a pair of black redstarts with 3 juveniles,
small skippers out - A.Mids
23/6/99 Trueloves Fields, south-west of Mott Street-Lippitts Hill junction, Sewardstone, the barn owl hunting mid-morning and again in the afternoon, also seen Saturday, 2 singing tree pipits - various people
19/6/99 Rye Meads, 1 spotted flycatcher, 1 brown hawker - Richard Cope
18/6/99 Insects - Yardley Hill and Lippitts Hill, Chingford - large skippers, 1 common blue, meadow browns, 3 small heaths, 1 fresh small tortoiseshell, 1 probably hutchinsoni comma Gilwell Lane, narrow-bordered 5 spot burnet moths emerging - A.Mids
17/6/99 Firecrest Warren Wood - Tony Gray
(16-17/6/99 A few insects - Emperor, black tailed skimmer, broad bodied chaser, common and blue tailed damselfly Coppetts Wood area Pond, North London - Tony Clancy, these species plus common darters emerging from dykes at Tollesbury Forsters tern site, Essex.)
15/6/99 Warren Wood, Copped Hall entrance, Epping
Forest, the firecrest still in song at 6am 100m north of
gatehouse in pine wood at TL432006
Tree pipits - 2 Long Running, 1 Sunshine Plain - both Epping
Forest, 1 s/w of Mott Street/Lippitts Hill junction-Sewardstone,
also a barn owl hunting over the set aside fields here at 9am -
Andrew Middleton
Large skippers out in various places and firecrests still present
in Broxbourne Woods
Rammey Marsh area including business park - 2 pairs of little
ringed plovers raised 6 young, 2 pairs of yellow wagtails, c10
pairs of meadow pipits - Steve Connor
14/6/99 Cornmill am, 1 little ringed plover, 1 redshank, singing yellowhammer, 2 hobbies, hairy dragonfly, white legged damselfly, azure, common and blue-tailed damselfly, banded agrion, black tailed skimmer - various people
9-10/6/99 Insects - meadow browns out at Yardley Hill, also common blues, burnet companion moths, emperor dragonflies and black tailed skimmers - Cope and Middleton
( 3/6/99 Brent Reservoir - purple heron with missing secondaries flew north over Woolmead Avenue at 8.50pm and appeared to drop onto the north marsh - Clancy, Cope, Cutts and Middleton)
early June 99 Grasshopper warbler reeling Rye Marsh,
view from RSPB reserve north hide
Fisher's Green pm, Sailing Club Road, Syke's or beema wagtail
singing from trees to the east - from Richard Cope
2/6/99 KGV south basin pm, a 1st summer black tern, and
from 3.30pm an adult arctic tern, several hundred swifts - Phil
Vines
Cornmill pm, 1 green sandpiper, 6 redshank, a pair of little
ringed plovers, several lapwing - A.Mids
1/6/99 KGV 2 LRPs - RM Callf
May
31/5/99 KGV/Brimsdown 2 singing male black redstarts in factories heard from reservoir - A.Mids
29/5/99 Ponders End Lake, Picketts Lock, black-tailed
skimmers emerging, azure, common and blue-tailed damselflies,
little and great crested grebes breeding, 5 pairs of common terns
Wake Valley Pond, Epping Forest, downy emeralds, four-spotted
chasers, 1 hairy dragonfly
Warren Wood, Copped Hall entrance, Epping Forest, a singing
firecrest 3-4pm 100m north of gatehouse in pine wood at TL432006
- Cope and Middleton
26-27/5/99 Cornmill, mandarin with 8 young, up to 13
hobbies over trees to the north - Phil Vines
Hoopoe reported in the Claverhambury area east of the valley for
3 days last week
3 or 4 singing nightingales Sewardstone Marsh - one along south
side
26/5/99 2 tree pipits Trueloves field, Mott
Street-Lippitts Hill junction,Sewardstone, also 4 broad-bodied
chasers and an emperor - Richard Cope
Small heath, brown argus and common blue also seen locally, hairy
dragonfly exuvium found RSA/Rammey Marsh, also nightingale here
20/5/99 Nightingales am, 3 Sewardstone Marsh, 1 Yardley
Hill, 1 Connaught Water, 1 tree pipit Chingford Plain
Cornmill Meads - 2 hobbies over wood, 2 redshank, 2 lapwing, 2
little ringed plovers, 2 shelduck, pm 10 hobbies over the woods
to the N/E - Phil Vines
19/5/99 Cornmill Meads am, one drake garganey on north
meadow, osprey north low over woods - Phil Vines
Butterflies - common blue out at Turnford Marsh, small heath and
small copper out at Cheshunt Park
13/5/99 KGV Reservoir am, 1 greenshank, 1 common sandpiper, 100 swifts.
Lee Valley Regional Park Bird Report for April
April welcomed most of the expected summer migrants (and a few surprises!) back to the Lee Valley as well as seeing the departure of most of our wintering species.
The opening salvo of Common Terns was witnessed at the Chingford Reservoirs on the first and a Garganey joined four Redshanks, six Little Ringed Plovers and two Ringed Plovers at the Amwell Quarry Nature Reserve. Willow Warblers were singing at Fishers Green from the 2nd and Sedge Warblers at the Cornmill Meadows from the 3rd. On the same day there were the first reports of Reed and Grasshopper Warbler, at Walthamstow Marsh and Common Terns were inspecting nesting rafts provided by the Park Authority at Friday Lake. The Chingford Reservoirs were the place to be over the easter weekend where there were three Black-necked Grebes, a Red-necked Grebe and the first Yellow Wagtail of the year. At Hall Marsh a single Jack Snipe was bobbing and weaving through the marginal vegetation. By the 4th there were four Little Ringed Plovers on the Cornmill Meadows and 60 Golden Plovers flew north over Amwell. The first report of Whitethroat came from Cheshunt Marsh.
The first Hobby was hawking over Cornmill Meadows on the 5th, no doubt making the newly returned House and Sand Martins feel ill at ease. Sewardstone was the centre of attention on the 7th with a Redstart on the Marsh and Kittiwake and Common Sandpiper on King George V Reservoir. A Tree Pipit was an unusual record from Fishers Green goosefield on the same day, staying in the area until the 8th.
As Buzzards continue to spread east it is not surprising that there are more records from the Lee Valley. Two were seen over Amwell on the 11th and another over Chingford Reservoirs on the 17th, where there was also an Avocet. The Cornmill Meadows attracted a White Wagtail on the same day and on the 18th two Greenshanks arrived and were still present at the end of the month, feeding on the central wet meadow. Also on the 18th an observer was extremely surprised to hear a singing Firecrest at Enfield Lock. It remained throughout the day allowing many people to appreciate one of our most beautiful birds. Almost as surprised, was the person who found three Black-necked Grebes at Amwell on the 21st. The birds stayed until the 24th with one lingering to the 25th. A Kittiwake and five Common Scoters graced King George V Reservoir on the 21st.
Amazingly on the 23rd another singing Firecrest was found, this time at Holyfield, but despite intensive searching could not be found the next day. An Oystercatcher flying high over the lake provided some consolation and up to five Nightingales were rejoicing spring in full song. A variety of waders included two Green Sandpipers and two Dunlin at Amwell on the 23rd and 24th respectively and a Greenshank on the old Rammey Marsh sewage works site on the 25th.
The most stunning wader in April was the summer plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit which arrived at the Cornmill Meadows on the 27th and stayed until the 29th. Other waders at this premier site were two Dunlin, six Redshank, two Greenshank, three Snipe, five Little Ringed Plovers, one Ringed Plover, six Green Sandpipers and six Lapwing. A new hide overlooking the Meadows was constructed by the Park Authority in April with funding assistance from Herts. Environmental Landfill Partnership and English Nature. A Grasshopper Warbler was reeling just outside the hide on the 27th and south at King George V Reservoir there was a Little Gull.
A Curlew flew low over Rye Meads on the 28th and elsewhere there was a Turtle Dove at Amwell and Grasshopper Warbler at Fishers Green. Excellent records on the 29th included a Pied Flycatcher at Windmill Lane, Cheshunt, a Marsh Harrier at Rye Meads and Little Tern at Amwell. On the last day of the month there was a "Blue-headed" Wagtail at King George V Reservoir and 20 Common Terns were in residence at Rye Meads.
Note that this report is in no way a complete account of all the notable bird sightings in the Lee Valley Regional Park over the month, but is a selection of some of the more interesting records. Please phone any bird sightings into the Information Centre on 01992 702200, available 24 hours a day, as this helps us greatly in compiling this report.
12/5/99 Fisher's Green am, Sailing Club Road, Syke's or
M.f.beema type wagtail on fence posts leading up to the farm in
fields to the east (seems to be on territory). Also redshank,
lapwing, shelduck, the pink-footed goose, 2 bar-tailed geese and
2 barnacle geese here. 3 juvenile tawny owls in copse north of
northern public car-park. Recent reports of 1 grasshopper
warbler, 5 nightingales and several hairy dragonflies in the
Fisher's Green area.
Wake Valley Pond, Epping Forest, noon, several downy emeralds
emerging - Cotton, Craig, Gray, Middleton
Please send me
dated dragonfly species lists for all sites in the valley for
inclusion in a potential valley distribution summary for 1999.
11/5/99 Fisher's Green pm, Sailing Club Road, Syke's or beema wagtail in fields to the east, drake garganey on pools to the west, also a dunlin on the KGV - Tony Clancy, 2+ woodcock roding at Long Running, Epping Forest.
11/5/99 Cornmill early am, 1 dunlin, 2 little ringed
plovers, 1 redshank
RSA/Ecology Area east of Rammey Marsh over canal - a singing
nightingale, also banded agrion, large red, blue tailed, common
blue, azure and red eyed damselflies present
Mott Street/Lippitts Hill-Sewardstone area, a singing tree pipit
- A.Mids
Chingford Plain, recently one tree pipit and a nightingale - Tony
Baumber
7/5/99 KGV Reservoir pm, 3 yellow wagtails, 1 singing black redstart, 80+ swifts, 6/5/99 2 wheatears, 5/5/99 3 black terns north, 500+ swifts, 100+ swallows - various people
6/5/99 Sewardstone Marsh pm, 1 reeling grasshopper warbler, 3 nightingales, Connaught Water, 1 nightingale - A.Mids
5/5/99 At Cornmill lunchtime today Broad-bodied was
emerging in small numbers from the "new" pond and
Blue-tailed and Azure damsels were there a-plenty. I saw no Hairy
dragons but it was overcast and quite cool - John C Stevens
Just north of the 'Fox and Hounds' along the Sewardstone Road, a
red-backed shrike seen briefly on roadside wires but not checked
for since - Paul Roper (not seen early am 6-5-99)
Reported from Rye Meads during the week - a grasshopper warbler,
and a Cetti's warbler 'rung and flung'- Richard Cope
4/5/99 Pole Hill area, Chingford, hobby over - Richard Cope
3/5/99 TQ390968, Carrolls Farm, Daws Hill, Chingford, singing wood warbler am 200m north of pond - Tony Baumber, also singing nightingale and tree pipit further north along Green Lane. Cornmill - 2 hairy dragonflies,1 banded agrion, several large red damselflies - Andrew Middleton. KGV, calling whimbrel over, 2/5/99 'beema' type yellow wagtail KGV - Ken Murray
2/5/99 Cornmill, a summer plumaged spotted redshank - Alan Dearing
1/5/99 Sewardstone Marsh am, grasshopper warbler - Tony Baumber, pm 2 whimbrel, single whinchat and wheatear, also dunlin N/W corner KGV - Ken Murray, KGV pm adult little gull south - Richard Cope, Cornmill, 2 greenshank, 2 redshank, 3 little ringed plovers ( 30/4/99 pm, short-toed lark on private ground near Trent Park, not seen 1/5/99 - Robert Callf )
April
30/4/99 Sewardstone Marsh, 2 singing nightingales, 3 garden warblers, 2 lesser whitethroats, 2 green sandpipers and 6 yellow wagtails over, also 4 nightingales Fisher's Green, 1 reported Northaw Great Wood and Connaught Water - red path - Cutts, Craig, Clancy, Cotton and Middleton
29/4/99 KGV Reservoir am, 4 swifts, several swallows and housemartins, 1 common sandpiper, 1 little ringed plover, 2 common terns, 2 yellow wagtails - other recent KGV sightings, 28th 1 arctic tern, 27th 1 little gull, 24th 18 yellow wagtails, 1 red-necked grebe, 2 white wagtails, 2 black redstarts - various people
28/4/99 Holyfield, between the carpark bridge and weir, a grasshopper warbler
28/4/99 Cornmill Meadows, a summer plumaged bar-tailed godwit, 2 greenshank, 2 little ringed plovers, 4 redshank, 3 common snipe, 2 shelduck, large red damselflies, 2 brimstones, orange tips, also 5 nightingales reported from Holyfield/Fisher's Green area - various people
28/4/99 Pole Hill, Chingford, one small copper - Richard Cope
27/4/99 Cornmill Meadows, a summer plumaged bar-tailed godwit - various people, Chingford am, Nevin Drive, fire station end, a singing firecrest - Richard Cope, KGV, little gull - Steve Connor
26/4/99 Cornmill Meadows, 2 greenshank, 2 dunlin, 2 ringed plovers, 2 little ringed plovers, 4 redshank, 3 shelduck
25/4/99 KGV Reservoir am, one oystercatcher - Phil Vines
24/4/99 KGV Reservoir, 1 common sandpiper, 1 male black redstart, Sewardstone Marsh, one singing nightingale - Andrew Middleton
24/4/99 Rye Meads, a common buzzard south at 5pm, one turtle dove - Richard Cope
22/4/99 KGV Reservoir am, 4 common scoters and a kittiwake south basin,dunlin, green sandpiper - Phil Vines, Sewardstone Marsh, a cuckoo and nightingale - A.Mids
21/4/99 KGV Reservoir, 4 common scoters south basin, 2+1 swifts, 1 yellow wagtail, 4 wheatear, 4 little ringed plovers, 75 sand martins, 1 swallow and 1 house martin - various people
20/4/99 KGV Reservoir, 4 common scoters - Vines/Cope
19/4/99 KGV Reservoir am, 4 common scoters including three drakes on south basin, singing nightingale Copped Hall and singing lesser whitethroat Waltham Abbey - A.Mids
18/4/99 KGV Reservoir am - 3 green sandpipers, 1 red-necked grebe, whitethroat, 2 singing black redstarts, Cornmill - 2 greenshanks, Swan and Pike Pool, Enfield Lock - a singing firecrest from 11am, also nightingales reported from Holyfield and Sewardstone Marsh - various people .
17/4/99 Rye Meads, 12.30, a male goshawk circled off south/west - from Richard Cope (several observers)
17/4/99 KGV Reservoir, 1 avocet on causeway pm, 1 buzzard north around 4pm, 6 arctic terns briefly around 3pm,1 red-necked grebe north basin, 3 yellow wagtails, 1 wheatear - Clancy/Massey/Hart/Middleton
16/4/99 KGV Reservoir am, 1 red-necked grebe, 1 green sandpiper, 4 yellow wagtails, several house martins, swallows and sand martins, 2 black redstarts singing from factories west of south and north basin, 3 common terns - A.Mids
12/4/99 KGV Reservoir, 5 green sandpipers, 3 yellow wagtails, 2 wheatear, several house martins, swallows and sand martins - various people
11/04/99 Cornmill Meadows - 4 LRP, 2 RP and 5+ Redshank
Fishers Green - 2 Yellow Wag in goose field (also Pink-foot still
there) and 5+ House Martins over - Andy Massey
8/4/99 Broxbourne Woods, Herts TL 343-078 pm, 2 firecrests including a singing male just west of wooden pole barrier by track - Andrew Middleton/Steve Connor (A pair plus 1 singing male firecrest mid April, female seen carrying nesting material in April, a pair including a singing male into early May, the pair including singing male still present 6-6-99.)
7/4/99 Sewardstone Marsh, pm, a male common redstart east of Cattlegate Bridge - Ken Murray
7/4/99 KGV Reservoir, an adult kittiwake resting on the south basin - Phil Vines
5/4/99 KGV Reservoir, 1 red-necked grebe, 20 meadow pipits, 2 swallows amd 50+ sand martins - Tony Clancy, 2 swallows and 2 wheatear on 6th
4/4/99 KGV Reservoir, 1 red-necked grebe and 1 black-necked grebe, wheatear, 2 common terns
3/4/99 Walthamstow Marsh, a reeling grasshopper warbler - S.Harris
3/4/99 KGV Reservoir, 1 red-necked grebe and 1 black-necked grebe, 1 yellow wagtail - Steve Connor
2/4/99 Rye Meads 7.15am a pair of goshawks flew low and south/west - several observers, also 5 sedge warblers, several willow warblers, a swallow and sand martins here - from Richard Cope, also 5 willow warblers, blackcaps and 20 sand martins at Sewardstone Marsh.
2/4/99 KGV Reservoir am, 2 common terns - Phil Vines, also a swallow and 6 blackcaps 1/4/99 Lippitts Hill area, Chingford - Mids/Cope
March
30/3/99 KGV Reservoir am, 1 immature red-necked grebe and 1 black-necked grebe north basin, 1 green sandpiper, 25 goldeneye, 6 sand martins at nest holes in N/E corner - Cutts/Mids
28/03/99 King George V Res - 4 Sand Martin, winter pl Red-necked Grebe, 1m, 2rh Goosander - Andy Massey
27/03/99 King George V Res - Swallow through north at
10:30am, 2 Sand Martin, summ pl Black-necked Grebe, summ pl
Red-necked Grebe, 2 Wheatear, 1 pr Goosander
Sewardstone Marsh - singing male Blackcap
Cornmill Meadows - 8+ Redshank, 2 LRP, 3+ singing Chiffchaff
Amwell GP summ pl m Garganey - Andy Massey
26/3/99 Amwell GP am, 1 dunlin, 2 ringed plovers, 1
LRP, 2 redshank
Cornmill Meads, 1 curlew flew off east at 1.45pm, 5 little ringed
plover, 2 ringed plovers, 25 snipe, 6 redshank, 1 dunlin, 1 white
wagtail, 2 grey wagtails - various people
25/3/99 Cornmill Meads, 1 little ringed plover, 25 snipe, water pipit south meadow, jogger on north meadow refuge, thought to be human being, but threatened to get baseball bat - Tony Gray/Terry Smith
25/3/99 KGV Reservoir am, 2 red-necked grebes SB, 1 black necked grebe NB, 1 sand martin briefly N/W corner, 3 wheatear briefly west side - Phil Vines/A.Mids (24/3/99 Cornmill, 8 redshank, 20 snipe, 1 dunlin), and 24/3/99 KGV as above plus 1 wheatear west side - MP Sumorland
Lee Valley Park Bird Report for February - compiled by Central Rangers
Gulls were very much a feature of the first week of the month particularly at the well watched roost sites. The Chingford Reservoirs produced a total of four Mediterranean Gulls (three adults and a first-winter), whilst Nazeing Meads attracted three Yellow-legged Gulls on the 2nd and an adult Mediterranean Gull on the 5th. Also a first-winter Mediterranean Gull frequented the River Lee Country Park for around a week from the 5th.
On the 6th a Pink-footed Goose arrived on the Holyfield Goosefield and remained into March, this last fact raising questions over its origins. The companionship of 3-400 Canada's, up to 20 Greylags, one or two Barnacles and an Emperor type hybrid, of course, did little to satisfy these questions!
No questions over a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at Hooks Marsh on the 6th and Fishers Green on the 14th (other than where is it? Of course).
A Black-necked Grebe remained on Walthamstow Reservoirs from the 8th and Bitterns continued to be seen at Rye Meads and the River Lee Country Park, the latter site still attracting four birds. More unusual was a Kittiwake at King George V on the 10th and scarcer still a 'Green-winged Teal' was at Hooks Marsh Lake on the 11th, moving to the Cornmill Meadows next day, remaining until the 24th. This North American subspecies of Common Teal has only rarely been recorded in the Valley before.
Mid month continued with plenty of interest. A large roost of mostly Greenfinches at Hooks Marsh attracted up to six Bramblings, whilst at Amwell a Jack Snipe continued to be seen as did a Bittern and up to nine Smews.
Further south, Sewardstone Marsh held three Jack Snipe, increasing to five by the end of the month, a good total for this localised species. On the 13th a Buzzard flew north through the Valley being seen at Fishers Green and then at Rye Meads, and on the 21st a Water Pipit was briefly seen on the Cornmill Meadows. Small numbers of this latter species were also seen in the now regular wintering site of Rye Meads.
In the south of the Valley reasonable numbers of wildfowl were present on the Walthamstow complex, despite the generally mild weather, most significally being the 14 Goosander on Banbury Reservoir, a species which has remained in low numbers this winter. On the same reservoir three Common Sandpiper were present on the 20th.
To conclude this month a Dunlin briefly enjoyed the mud (or probably the food in it) on the Cornmill Meadows on the 26th.
Note that this report is in no way a complete account of all the notable bird sightings in the Lee Valley Park over the month, but is a selection of some of the more interesting records. Please phone any bird sightings into the Information Centre on 01992 702200, available 24 hours a day, as this helps us greatly compiling this report.
Lee Valley Park Information Centre, Abbey Gardens, Waltham Abbey, Essex EN9 1XQ, 01992 702200
24/3/99 KGV Reservoir 10.30 am, one kittiwake south basin, 2 red-necked grebes, 1 black necked grebe - Phil Vines (3 sand martins Rye Meads 23rd from R.Cope, also a report of red kite over Brimsdown)
21/3/99 Ken Murray/Tim Wilson, same as below for KGV plus c4 white wagtails, also a water pipit and 2 jack snipe on Sewardstone Marsh, 2 ringed plovers, 4+ redshank and 20 common snipe on Cornmill Meadows
21/3/99 KGV Reservoir 8-10am Sunday, 2 red-necked grebes south basin, 1 black necked grebe partial summer plumage west side of north basin, 2 redshank, 2 green sandpipers, 2 goosander, 2 shelduck, ~40 goldeneye, three black redstarts west of north basin, 2 rock pipits east of causeway, one with peach and slate of Scandinavian race - A.Mids (also a sand martin at Cornmill on Thursday, a wheatear at Holyfield Friday before last, tawny owl in box near Fisher's Green north car park, 3 b.n.grebes WG Res - from Phil Vines)
20/3/99 King George V Res - black-necked grebe north
basin, 4 goosander, summ pl red-necked grebe south basin
Cornmill Meadows - 2 ringed plover, 2 redshank, 11 snipe
Amwell GP - red kite over at 3pm, 2 ringed plover, 1 dunlin, 2
redshank - Andy Massey
19/3/99 KGV Reservoir am, 1 red-necked grebe not in summer plumage, 2 redshank, 1 dunlin north end, 2 goosander, 2 shelduck, ~40 goldeneye, a pair of black redstarts west of north basin - Bill Cutts/A.Mids (also a lesser spotted woodpecker calling and drumming in Hawkwood/Pole Hill during the week, 3 chiffchaffs - R.Cope)
14/3/99 Cornmill Meads - 2 redshank, one little ringed plover, an injured tawny owl rescued from a barbed wire fence, KGV Res - 2 red-necked grebes, 3 green sandpipers, 1 rock pipit, 5 goosander, 20 goldeneye - various people
13/3/99 Reports of 3 sand martins and 3 Mediterranean gulls at Walthamstow, 1 buzzard over Rye Meads, and 3 common scoters on WG Res, an avocet and 2 dunlin on Cornmill Meads, a common scoter on Holyfield Lake - various people
9/3/99 Rammey Marsh, 1 stonechat
8/3/99 WG Res pm, 2 black necked grebes, 1 adult summer plumage Mediterranean gull - A.Mids/R.Cope
8/3/99 KGV Reservoir am, 2 red-necked grebes south basin (one in summer plumage), 4 goosander, 3 green sandpipers, 1 redshank, a singing black redstart west of causeway, 2 singing chiffchaffs, 2 green woodpeckers, 40 meadow pipits - A.Mids (2 adult sum plum Med Gulls WG pm 6th Connor/Clancy)
6/3/99 1 Bittern showing well from 2.00 - 3.00pm at Pochard Hide - Leanne Woolhouse
5/3/99 Holyfield, Fisher's Green, a pink-footed goose with the flock of Canadas etc - Phil Vines (also 3 scaup and a red necked grebe still on the KGV during the week)
February
28/2/99 KGV Reservoir, 1 red-necked grebe, 15 goosander, 25/2/99 3 scaup, red-necked grebe - various people (green-winged teal reported from Cornmill Meadows 25/2/99)
20/2/99 Rye House Marsh, Kingfishers active in front of North Hide beside sandbanks, Stonechat late afternoon to right of Trust Hide returning constantly to perches on small fence - Alun and Chrissie (Also one pink-footed goose at Fisher's Green up to the 21st - various people)
Lee Valley Park Bird Report for January - compiled by Central Rangers - posted 19/2/99
1999 began with the inevitable left-overs from '98 with the Firecrest still at the south end of Holyfield Lake, present until at least the 3rd, the first winter Shag at Nazeing Meads, finally departing on the 10th, a Drake Scaup at Amwell and up to three on the Chingford Reservoirs. Also on the 1st though a possible 'cachinans' Yellow-legged Gull, colloquially known as Caspian Gull was seen at Amwell.
The next few days produced a number of other familiar birds from '98 including the adult Mediterranean Gull at Coppermill Filter Beds, a Common Sandpiper at Banbury Reservoir, Bitterns at Amwell, Rye Meads and in the River Lee Country Park and good numbers of Smew, with fifteen at Amwell alone. A little more surprising though was a Rock Pipit at Banbury and an adult Mediterranean Gull at Nazeing Meads both on the 2nd and more unexpected still was a Short-eared Owl at Rammey Marsh on the 3rd and Brent Goose amongst Canada's and Greylags on the Goosefield at Holyfield, on the 4th. The latter moved to Hall Marsh Scrape on the 5th but was unfortunately found moribund there next day.
On the 10th , the annual Lee Valley Park Winter Bird Race brought in excess of 1500 birdwatchers into the Park and as a consequence 94 species of bird were recorded during the day. Highlights included a Black necked Grebe on the William Girling, Black Redstarts on King George V (where there were up to three throughout the month). Two Red-necked Grebes at the same site, four Bitterns in the River Lee Country Park, including three together from the Pochard Hide, and a Barn Owl at Amwell.
A rather quiet spell in mid month was punctuated by the first winter Meditteranean Gull on the Goosefield on the 16th, counts of 30 Ruddy Duck at Walthamstow and 14 Goosander at Holyfield on the 17th and a Water Pipit on Patty Pool Mead, Sewardstone, on the 20th. On the 24th a Barn Owl showed well at Amwell as did a Jack Snipe, although the latter is not exactly renowned for doing so. Further south, two Stonechats were at Walthamstow Marsh, having also been seen earlier in the month, and on the nearby Reservoir complex Smew had built up to six. Another noticeable wildfowl numbers late in the month included 200 Wigeon and up to 150 Teal on the Cornmill Meadows, both relishing in the mild wet weather.
To conclude January, a Woodcock was found at Fishers Green on the 27th, but promptly disappeared into dense woodland as might be expected.
Please phone any bird sightings in to the Information Centre on 01992 702200, available 24 hours a day, as this helps us greatly compiling this report.
Lee Valley Park Information Centre, Abbey Gardens, Waltham Abbey, Essex EN9 1XQ, 01992 702200.
18/2/99 WG Reservoir, an adult Med gull, also in the last week on the KGV - 2 red-necked grebes, 1 adult Med gull, 1 black necked grebe, 3 black redstarts - various people
14/2/99 (Great grey shrike at Sawbridgeworth, Essex 484 134, 2 red kites near Watton at Stone, Herts 323 202)
13/2/99 Rye Meads, common buzzard S/W early am - Richard Cope
12/2/99 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey am + pm, green winged teal with c70 teal - various people
11/2/99 Fisher's Green - Hook's Marsh Pit pm, a green winged teal by islands south of the large iron bridge leading from the car-park - via Tony Gray (probably found by Ian Kendal)
10/2/99 KGV Reservoir, adult kittiwake in roost at 5.15pm - Steve Connor
10/2/99 A bittern infront of Pochard Hide(2 seen here in the last few days), 2 red-head smew North Met Pit, 50 golden plovers S/W over Holyfield - various people, 25 golden plover S/W over Pole Hill am - Richard Cope
9/2/99 KGV Reservoir, 3 female scaup, 1 red-necked grebe with tufted ducks south of causeway, 2 black redstarts west of south basin - various people (2nd/3rd Feb-3 different adult Med gulls in roost and 2 yellow-legged gulls - Steve Connor, lesser spotted woodpecker calling near sailing club in the last week - Robert Callf)
7/2/99 Police Lake nr Hooks Marsh - Female Smew sighted - Alun and Chrissie
6/2/99 Rye Meads area, c15 chiffchaffs, 5+ water pipits - Richard Cope
1/2/99 KGV Reservoir, 3 female scaup, 2 or possibly 3 red-necked grebes, two green sandpipers, 5 goosander - Phil Vines
January
29/1/99 KGV Reservoir, 3 female scaup, 2 red-necked grebes, 2 black redstarts west side, one 1st winter Mediterranean gull in roost - various people
26/1/99 KGV Reservoir, 3 scaup, 1 red-necked grebe, 2 green sandpipers - Phil Vines
21/1/99 KGV Reservoir 2-4.30pm, 3 green sandpipers, 1 red-necked grebe south basin, 1 red-head smew with 12 goosander north basin, Scaup 3 Females Flood relief Channel west of reservoir just south of causeway, Black Red Start 1 Female on edge of resevoir next to wall east side south basin, Lapwing Large flocks flying quite high up and down the valley all afternoon - Pat Hart (other recent news - 2 black redstarts west of KGV last weekend, firecrest reported from Nightingale Wood, Med Gull reported from Bittern Hide area-Fisher's Green)
9-10/1/99 Bitterns reported in the valley with Pochard Hide, Cheshunt - three, Bittern Observation Hide - one, Rye Meads - three, Amwell - three - various people, also one red-necked grebe KGV Reservoir
1/1/99 KGV Reservoir am, 3 female type scaup in the eastern relief channel, 4 smew including a drake flew off south - Phil Vines
Andrew Middleton, London, UK acmiddleton@blueyonder.co.uk ~ site index