Some recent sightings in and around the Lea Valley and North London January 2001

Some recent sightings in and around the Lea Valley and North London January to March 2001

Fri 30-3-01 WALTHAMSTOW THIS PM . 1 DUNLIN, 2 WHEATEAR, 1 SWALLOW, 3 SAND MARTIN ON LOCKWOOD + 2 GREY WAGS - TONY CLANCY
Fairlop this evening, 2 swallows at 5.50, willow warbler, 4 wheatears, 2 green sands & pair of ruddy ducks - Alan Bell
Trent Park 1 comma, and a peacock on Vicarage Farm, 1 woodcock flew from Rough Lot, 8 chiffchaffs, pair of grey wagtails by the cowsheds male displaying / parachuting - R White and R Callf
Walthamstow Res 10.30 - 1.45. Male Scaup on No 3, displaying to female Pochard. Female Wheatear and Green Sandpiper on E Warwick . 2 Male Wheatears on the banks of Lockwood, just past hide. 50+ Sandmartins over W Warwick, and smaller nos around generally. One Peacock butterfly on edge of No 3. Ann & Terry Smith
Epping Forest Fairmead yesterday, a male lesser-spot drumming, calling and seen, also a nuthatch here a week ago, 1 nuthatch Warren Pond, a willow warbler in song on Chingford GC this am, Walthamstow Res yesterday 50 sand martins L Maynard, 15 goldeneye West Warwick, 2 male wheatear Lockwood Wed 28th, and 1 last week - Tony Baumber (1 LRP East Warwick 29th John Fitzpatrick)
Epping Forest Chingford Plain, male stonechat this pm - Ken Murray
Hawkwood -Yardley Hill am, 2 blackcaps in song, 15 chiffchaffs, 1 mobile and vocal marsh tit Yardley Hill, zero nuthatch, 8 bullfinch, 2 commas pm Ponders End- Andrew Middleton
Ware - 2 commas and a tatty peacock near my house this afternoon - all within the space of a few seconds - the new Maff Foot and Mouth guidelines for Local Authorities - Liz Goodyear
Notice outside LVP info centre saying the park would be open from 1st. April but only on the west side Windmill Lane to Wharf Road, across to the Navigation. Also Clayton Hill green lane Nazeing.& Paynes Lane Marsh, also North Met. .fishery - Dave Messenger

Thu 29-3-01 Swallow over Paddington Green - Des Mckenzie
Enfield Lock/Brimsdown canal towpath, 8.30 to 9.30am, 15 sand martins at north end of King George. Two singing chiffchaffs. Pair of black redstarts near the usual pylon. Four wheatears viewed on reservoir bank from Mossops Creek Bridge. Also meadow pipit, kestrel and reed bunting in this area. Amwell, 3.00pm, pool to left of footpath from road to railway...100+ sand martins, little ringed plover, redshank, plus several chiffchaffs singing in surrounding woodland. Martin Shepherd
River Lee by KGV 2 Swallows, 2 Black Redstarts 1 Male 1 Female, 20+ Sand Martins - Phil Vines, Tony Gray
Trent Park a male firecrest in Shaws Wood for 5 minutes at 11.40am, a pair of sparrowhawks displaying over Williams Wood, male lesser spot S/W edge of Rough Lot, pair of bullfinch and singing chiffchaff Nature Trail, probable distant swallow - R Callf and R White
Walthamstow Res am, 1 redshank Lockwood, also 100+ sand martins, 2 reed bunts - John Picton
Also a definite humming-bird hawkmoth briefly visitng red dead-nettle flowers within the lip of the Lockwood at 1.10pm flew north - A Middleton, L Goodyear, a comma in my Ponders End garden pm
East London Bird Forum (ELBF) members have located and watched the Peregrine nest on Battersea Power Station. A female and two males are present and apparently they are mating every day. It is felt by the Greater London Authority (Ecology), English Nature etc. that the site is very secure so there is little danger of a nest being disturbed or robbed, and that publicity will only help encourage the developers and Wandsworth's planners to ensure that the nest is not disturbed during development works - news thanks to various ELBF members (I believe the site is viewable from adjacent public areas)
Nigel Blake's excellent bluethroat photos at Shoeburyness - (Dave Messenger alerted me to these)

Wed 28-3-01 Enfield Lock; Canal towpath S from Swan & Pike Pool - 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Sand Martins, Goldcrest, Kingfisher. KGV Reservoir west bank, viewed from canal towpath at Brimsdown / Ponders End - 4 Wheatears, 1 White Wagtail among 25 Pied Wags and a few Meadow Pipits, 5 Stock Doves, 2 Jackdaws. Rammey Marsh on Monday 26th; 2 Chiffchaffs & 2 Grey Wags. - Steve Connor
Vicarage Farm, Enfield 4 chiffchaffs am, 2 wheatear, lapwing, 50+ fieldfare and 14 redwing pm - R Callf and R White
On Saturday, 24 March I saw 2 Eurasian Jays sitting on my garden fence which is next to the River Lea and Walthamstow Reservoirs in Tottenham. They were then mobbed by a gang of the local magpies.Charlotte Billington, (also lots of sand martins over Walthamstow Res seen from the train mid-day today 28th)

Tues 27-03-01, AM, 2 LRPs and 1 Redshank on Cornmill viewed from the road. Question....Why are the authorities letting people into the Powdermills where the deer are, but the adjacent Cornmill Meadows is closed to the public? Tony Gray
I was interested to read Tony's comments re Powdermills. According to the website and information centre notice, it is not going to open to the public on 6th April as planned because of F&M. Jeff Butcher
Enfield Lock. Singing chiffchaffs, one just after first light this morning and the other at same time yesterday, moving north up the Lea through about the only vegetation that Fairview New Homes plc has deigned to leave on the Enfield Island Village site - Martin Shepherd
A good day - this is out of our area Gunners Park, Shoeburyness, a bluethroat has been around for the last week, plus a serin. Usually around the far end of the park before you come to the fenced beach area - thought this might be of interest to rare visitors~spotters - Dave Messenger

Hainault Golf Course adjacent to livestock open, Hainault Forest closed, Broxbourne Woods closed apart from the large area used for essential 'paintball' operations, KGV Res Sailing Club operational adjacent to grazing sheep, Sewardstone Marsh closed.
See 'Independent' articles on F + M, esp countryside walking, and 'Telegraph' Please stop the cull' - passed on by John Stevens

Mon 26-3-01 Vicarage Farm 2 displaying male lapwings, and a pair of grey wagtails around the 'cow-sheds' - R Callf, R White
Epping Forest. Bury Wood - 1 pair of mandarin flew out of the wood, 2 bullfinch nearby, and a chiffchaff in my Ponders End garden this am - A Middleton
Fairlop 1 willow warbler calling not singing this evening, 4 LRPs, yesterday redshank on golf course - Alan Bell

Sun 25-3-01 Walthamstow, 1 Wheatear, 1 Oystercatcher, 50+ Sand Martin, 60+ Pied Wagtail, 4 White Wagtail (around No. 5), 7 Grey Wagtail, 1 Scaup, 2 Ruddy Duck, 4 Little Grebe, 5 Shoveler, John Fitzpatrick tells me he counted 92 Grey Heron nests.My first count of Cormorant nests reached 262 (a further increase) but this may be an over-count and I'll have another go next time.- Stephen Harris 26.3.01 (news passed on by D Darrell -Lambert
Fairlop, mid-morning. Two ringed plovers, two little ringed plovers, snipe, chiffchaff.- Martin Shepherd
Brent Res - Avocet, 1 flew over at 9.25, Woodcock, Scaup immature drake, Wheatear, Sand Martin 2, Pheasant - Andrew Self
8 Waxwings showing well again today from 10.30am in the Osborne Way/longcroft Gardens area of Welwyn Garden City. Also 1 male Bullfinch. Waxwings probably best seen at end of long stay car park in Osborne Way in trees behind new houses in Longcroft Gardens, or flying down to feed on berries in Osborne Way itself. - Anthony Dorman
Firecrest Bedfont CP, London Essex, + willow warbler - Birdguides

Sat 24-3-01 Brimsdown Male Black Redstart along canal towpath (male + female on Thursday). Waltham Way, Chingford - 13+ Waxwings flew NW, across the W. Girling Reservoir towards Ponders End, from the top of a poplar tree near the golf driving range at just after 14.30. I couldn't get an exact number because they flew off as soon as I'd seen them, there were a few Starlings (c5) with them, and I had no bins! I only noticed them in the first place because they were calling as I cycled past! - Roy Woodward.
Fairlop today, singing willow warbler just west of lagoon, male wheatear on back field, 2 LRPS, 2ringed plovers, c.20 sand martins through today & Mike Dennis had 1-2 swallows c.8.30am. Also another rook through today (good bird for site).- Alan Bell
Trent Park area 1 woodcock flushed from Vicarage Farm area, also reed bunting, chiffchaff, thrush flock of mainly fieldfares down to 200 from 500 on Friday, 20 m pipits north and 18 linnets over, a 2nd woodcock flew from hedgerow north of William's Wood - R Callf and R White
Walthamstow Res Male Scaup and 15 sand martins on No 3 - Phil Vines, and
Bar-tailed godwit and oystercatcher, 2 wheatear on the Lockwood, 70 sand martins Lower Maynard, also 50+ cormorant nests and 17+ heron nests, lots of chiffchaffs - Helen Bantock
Walthamstow Reservoirs, 10.15-12.30. Lockwood - Three wheatears, two singing chiffchaffs, eleven fieldfares over, grey wagtail, ten meadow pipits, oystercatcher. Low Maynard - I reckon the sand martin passage was 80+ by 11.30. West Warwick - five female goldeneyes. East Warwick - fox, reed bunting. - Martin Shepherd
Walthamstow Complex 12:00 hrs to 13:30 hrs, Banbury Res 3 Common Sands, 5 Goldeneye, Lockwood 1 Oystercatcher, 3 Wheatears, 1 Swallow! High Maynard 4 Gadwall, 4 Ruddy Duck, Low Maynard 50+ Sand Martins, 1 Swallow, No3 male Scaup, No1 2 Little Grebes calling, at least 10+ Sand Martins south of the road. David Darrell-Lambert
Brimsdown 5.30-6.30am, 2 singing song thrush, a sand martin entering its drainage/nesting hole along the canal, 2 calling reed bunts and a linnet in song, Mossops Creek, 50 goldfinch roosting, 1 kingfisher, 2 chiffchaffs - A Middleton

Fri 23-3-01 Fairlop today - single sand martin flew through just before 4pm, 2 ringed plovers still present & mating this afternoon, not much else today - Alan Bell

Thu 22-3-01 Fairlop 2 wheatears, male stonechat, dunlin & 2 little plovers, 2 ringed plovers, 1 green samdpiper, 1 curlew flew through am, 40+ fieldfares, 5 green woods, c4 chiffchaffs - various 'lop' regulars

Wed 21-3-01 Phil Vines left a message for me that there was a Male Scaup today on No 3 at Walthamstow Res - news from Dave Lambert
Brimsdown/KGV Res pair of black redstarts, 4 chiffchaffs - Andrew Middleton
Some news from Fairlop today. 3 wheatears, male stonechat, dunlin & little ringed plover - Alan Bell.
Had the Isle of Dogs Ring-billed Gull at 9.30 this morning. - Howard Vaughan

Tues March 20 Nazeing GP the little gull in the roost - Adam Wilson
Walthamstow Res 1 wheatear beside the Lockwood Res, 30+ sand martins, recently a leucistic pied wagtail here - pale with a shadow of the dark adult plumage pattern - John Fitzpatrick
Isle of Dogs: A first-winter Iceland gull alighted on the Thames opposite the Cutty Sark briefly before flying downstream at 3.15pm. Also the adult ring-billed gull again opposite the tarmac plant till 3.45 at least. Sean Huggins.
Wanstead Park am, 4 chiffchaffs, 1 calling little grebe, 4 great spots - A Middleton
Walked over River Lea in Ware this morning by Saracans Head - counted at least 75 mute swans, could easily have been 100 there. adult and immature - Liz Goodyear
I HAD A SINGING MALE BLACK REDSTART ON THE ROOF OF NO2 LAWRENCE CLOSE, SELE FARM, HERTFORD FOR 20 MINS MONDAY MORNING (19th March) - NO SIGN TODAY THOUGH, BUT PROBABLY STILL THERE, HOPE THIS AIN'T TOO FAR OUT OF THE AREA NICK SAMPFORD

19th March 2001. Alongside KGV Res. (from towpath). 1 Sand Martin over the north end of the reservoir, 2 Chiffchaffs, 4 Linnets. I didn't see the Black Redstart today. - Roy Woodward.
Epping Forest 1 calling nuthatch today at Pole Hill (lesser spot and nuthatch here pre Christmas), 14th March one nuthatch seen by Warren Pond, and a pair of mandarin here, singing reed bunting Chingford Plain + female, + female on Chingford GC, 8th March Hawk Wood 100 chaffinch and 30 redwing nearby - Tony Baumber
North Enfield 1 male wheatear at 10.20 by the Barracks, Vicarage Farm, also 2 red-legged partridge and 18 meadow pipits, c10 pairs of nuthatch in Trent Park, a lesser spot heard, 4 great spots Icehouse Wood, 12 redpoll - R Callf and R White
Ring-billed gull Isle of Dogs, opposite Tarmac plant mid-pm - Birdguides

Sun 18-3-01 Amwell 3.50pm. Six sand martins over pool to left of path as you approach railway line- Martin Shepherd
Enfield Lock area Chiffchaff Chestnut Road & wildlife garden Ordnance Road am and 1 Small River Lee & 1 Rammey Marsh pm, 3 snipe Rammey Marsh.Brian Dawton
Fairlop 3 wheatears, redshank, 50 fieldfares, 4 redwings, several chiffchaffs, & 2 hares. Peter Hopkins had a rock pipit at Fairlop this morning, but I could'nt find it later. I had 4 sand martins at Dagenham Chase today & 6 yesterday - Alan Bell
Brimsdown One black redstart seen about 12.00 noon on fence near two pylons about 300yds before blue bridge (also reported by Helen Bantock). 8 pied wagtails seen just after about 100 yards past blue bridge. Kestrel seen about 1.30pm perched on fence near to where black redstart was seen earlier. - Carol Walton
08:00 No sign of Welwyn Garden City Waxwings in area reported yesterday. Rod Standing
Again 8 Waxwings in Osborne Way/Longcroft Gardens area, Welwyn Garden City from noon onwards. Probably best viewed from long stay car park off Osborne Way. - Anthony Dorman

Sat 17-3-01 Brimsdown canal towpath 4.00-4.30pm. Male and female black redstart. Chiffchaff calling and moving north through bankside vegetation. Two linnets with goldfinches and chaffinches - Martin Shepherd
Fairlop 2 wheatears, little ringed plover, 2+chiffchaffs, 800 golden plover + 2 rooks (good bird for site) - Alan Bell
Ware garden with black sunflowers, peanuts,+ teasel, highlight was a moorhen, also gold finch 2, sparrow 4, long-tailed tit 2, coal tit 1, blue tit 11+, great tit 5+, blackbird 2, dunnock 1, starling 3, wood pigeon 3, chaffinch 25, greenfinch 16, robin 2 - Liz Goodyear
Female blackcap seen again yesterday, present since last November in a Loughton garden - N. Wilson
8 Waxwings around Osborne Way/Longcroft Gardens, Welwyn Garden City. Flushed at 12.20 by Sparowhawk. Anthony Dorman
Ponders End Lake 1 kingfisher, 2 chiffchaffs in old keepers garden, Brimsdown 2 shelduck on the flooded marsh, 1 chiffchaff - A Middleton
The Countryside Agency - foot and mouth restrictions in your area of England

Fri 16-3-01 Male wheatear Fairlop on back field behind stables this evening & chiffchaff on the lagoon - Alan Bell
North Enfield a redshank on Parkside Res was a site tick for Robert, Vicarage Farm area one singing chiffchaff, little owl, redwings heard overhead last night, 90 in the area this morning, 2 green woods Williams Wood, 1 tawny owl, Grovelands Park a male lesser spot in alders by the lake, 8 mandarin, 2 nuthatch, 20 redwing, male sparrowhawk through Oakwood Park- Robert Callf

Thu 15-3-01 I have just had 2 Ring Necked Parakeets flying around Epping, they sat in a tree over the road at 13.35 for about 5 minutes and have just flown off west but are still flying around Epping church making a lot of noise at 13.50 - Tony Gray
Whitehall Plain am, one kestrel, a pair of bullfinch, a singing chiffchaff - Ken Murray
Chingford Plain am, c4 singing meadow pipits and 6 skylarks 2+ singing, 2 single siskin flew north, 3 reed buntings, pair of bullfinch north side, 1 kestrel - K.Murray, A.Middleton
Bury Wood (circle via Bury Road, Almshouse Plain, Cuckoo Pits 7-9am - abundance) 1 woodcock, 2 calling nuthatch, 3 bullfinch, 18 great spots, 8 green woods, 0 lesser spots, tits 75 blue, 35 great, 8 coal, 5 long-tailed, 0 marsh, 19 treecreepers, 12 song thrush, 3 calling stock doves, 125+ robins, 16 wrens, 1 tawny owl, 1 singing dunnock - Andrew Middleton
Trent Park 2 tawny owls called - Robin White

Wed 14-3-01 chiffchaff singing Coppetts Wood nrth Finchley today. Frogs spawning since early last week, many bumble bees+ small tortoiseshell - Tony Clancy
Little seen :- Towpath from Enfield Lock to Brimsdown (blue bridge); Goldcrest singing by Rifles , Redwing, 4 Mistles & 3 Song Thrushes in field between Swan & Pike Pool and KGV , Chiffchaff 200 yds N of blue bridge & Black Redstart reported thereabouts. Soham Fields; No sign of the Adult Med Gull since the afternoon of Sunday March 4th, presumed now gone. Steve Connor
Ponders End a chiffchaff foraging low down in the garden around 9am - Andrew Middleton
Trent Park is reported closed, also lecturers, students, birdwatchers, dogwalkers, public etc walking the park daily
Single lesser-spots Williams Wood and Moat Wood, 12 stock doves on Vicarage Farm, 30+ meadow pipits north last two days - R Callf and R White
(If you are concerned about any area please do not contact me, but rather the relevant authorities)

Tue 13-3-01 Trent Park whilst looking through a flock of c50 chaffinch in Rough Lot, Robert and Robin had a site tick in the form of a hawfinch landing briefly in the tree-tops at 13.05hrs - rather dull and possibly a female. Robert can't believe it has taken him 21 years to find one on his local patch. One male lesser spot, 3 mandarin, 12 great-spots in all - R Callf and R White
East London Birders' Forum meeting - Tue 13th Mar at 8pm. Upstairs in the County Arms, Hale End Road, Highams Park, E4

Mon 12-3-01 Trent Park pair mandarin Moat Wood, male lesser spot Rough Lot, 3rd weasel of year down from the obelisk - R.Callf and R.White
Shepherds Bush Green, 8.50am. Singing chiffchaff seen - just audible above rush hour traffic in extremely frugal habitat. A good Monday morning tonic!
11-03-01 - Rifles Car park Enfield Lock, 5.20pm. Pair of grey wagtails along the River Lea.
10-03-01 Area around Copped Hall Gatehouse, 10.30am. Treecreeper and goldcrest, plus calling nuthatch and calling marsh tit. (Out of the area but of interest...ringtail hen harrier and seven marsh harriers at Harty Marsh, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, 3.00-4.30pm) - Martin Shepherd
Ponders End Lake 35 wigeon, 2 calling little grebes on territory, Walthamstow Res 3 sand martins just ahead of a thundery downpour at 2.30pm - Andrew Middleton

Sun 11-3-01 Brent Res Sat 10th Peregrine, Firecrest, Siskin, LS Woodpecker, 24 Fieldfare Sun 11th Firecrest, Woodcock, 2 Jackdaw (Brent Birders) No F&M! - news from Andrew Self
11 March WeBS count at Walthamstow Res: Little Grebe 16, Gt Crested Grebe 21, Cormorant 379, Grey Heron 81, Mute Swan 63, Greylag 24, Canada Goose 291, Swan Goose 2, Feral Goose 4, Gadwall 16, Teal 44, Mallard 120, Shoveler 4, Pochard 91, Tufted Duck 341, Goldeneye 6, Goosander 3, Ruddy Duck 10, Water Rail 1, Moorhen 56, Coot 197, Lapwing 1, Common Sandpiper 1, Med Gull 1, Black-headed Gull 704, Common Gull 299, L Black-b Gull 21, Herring Gull 48, G Black-b Gull 4, Kingfisher 2 - Stephen Harris
Woodford area, a pipistrelle bat was flying around at 10am this morning - Ken Murray
Chiffchaff 1 Enfield Island am along relief channel, & old record 3 weeks ago of a peregrine seen by Brian Sperring at Sewardstone Marsh - Brian Dawton
Friday 9th, pair of black redstarts at Brimsdown around the KGV fence and pylons viewed from the canal, didn't see Med gull Soham Fields around 10am - Bill Cutts and Bill Craig
Ware - frogs very active late afternoon in garden plus newt in pond this am. 18 chaffinch still on lawn about 4.15pm - Liz Goodyear, Robert Callf also reports single live and squashed frogs on the way to his local patch recently. I'm also restricted to garden watching in Ponders End - highlight is a rather bald fox which comes out late afternoon.
Amwell, pager report of 3 house martin and 1 sand martin

Sat 10-3-01 Cornmill to 11am at least, from the Abbey bypass, Phil Vines saw a sand martin over the meadows
Rainham Marsh: 'barges' car park closed and footpaths in area closed - therefore foreshore inaccessible; marshes and tip scannable from public road but cattle grazing at far end; only responsible thing is to scan marshes and tip from raised banks at start of lagoons, but not much around - 12 Shelduck, 1 Teal, 1 Golden Plover flying over. Large puddles on cleared industrial site next to Tilda rice factory look good for when the waders start.- Juliet Rix
Today at Rye Meads was quiet. We caught a Jack Snipe and two Little Grebes. Sightings were: 35 Snipe, 2 Jack Snipe, 2 Lapwing, 160 Golden Plover, 1 Goldeneye, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrest - Paul Roper Become a Friend of Rye Meads
Kestrel dive bombing peregrine Tate Modern - Ken Murray (mobile message 1.55pm)
Later, when the female had finished preening, it took off from its ledge and was joined by the male, a little interaction took place, and they flew upriver, the female higher up, the male down below amongst the pigeons - Ken
Trent Park a tawny owl gave its full wavering hoot from Williams Wood at 11.10am, 1 lesser spot flew over the Upper Lake, 10 lesser redpoll Water Garden (mealy may still be present), 2 siskin, 7 skylark over the fields and in song at Vicarage Farm, 43 species - R.Callf and R.White
Wintry Wood Epping am, 1 singing chiffchaff, 2 bullfinch, one nuthatch, zero lesser spots or marsh tits located

Fri 9-3-01 7th March: Barking, ad win Med Gull, Andrea Vaughan 9th March: ad Ring-billed Gull still on Isle of Dogs opposite Cutty Sark at 10am - Howard Vaughan
Rye Meads Ringing Group Bulletin Nov-Dec 2000 ~ 'sightings' by Paul Collins, year 2000 ringing summary by Derek Baggot, and 'other items' - item passed by Paul Roper
Trent Park Shaws Wood a male lesser-spot calling, c10 redpoll by the lake, est 9 pairs of nuthatch, Vicarage Farm 1 reed bunting arrived, Edmonton yesterday a pair of grey wagtails by Salmons Brook, Edmonton - R.Callf and R.White

Thu 8-3-01 Epping Forest 6-9am, Pole Hill 4 bullfinch, Yardley Hill 4 bullfinch, approx total 9 great spots and 7 green woods including Gilwell and Hawk Wood, didn't come across any marsh tits, lesser spots or nuthatch - Andrew Middleton

Wed 7-3-01 Trent Park chiffhaff, 7 redpoll (one mealy with 4 lesser redpoll by the Water Garden), total of 7 nuthatch (3 Shaws Wood), 7 mandarin Lime Avenue Pond, Vicarage Farm chiffchaff by the firing range, 15 stock doves - R.Callf and R.White
Waltham Abbey Gardens (east side) 8.20am, a calling waxwing flew west (from the old people's home) across the road, and into the east side of the walled garden, just south-west of the roundabout by the LVP Countryside Centre TL383007 - Steve Connor
Brimsdown 'Leggetts', a male black redstart very briefly in song at 6am, Chingford Plain chiffchaff-Andrew Middleton

Tue 6-3-01 Nrth Enfield Whitewebbs Wood 1 lonesome singing/calling marsh tit, 1 peacock over fields just to north of here, Forty Hall 'Archers Wood' 4 great spots, plus 3 elsewhere, also 3 green woodpeckers, 2 pairs of jay, 4 coal tits - Robert Callf

Mon 5-2-01 13:45 Isle of Dogs: Ring-Billed Gull on tideline at usual spot opposite Tarmac factory, now in summer plumage (unlike the Common Gulls). Also a Common Gull with a similar ring on its bill but a black eye. Rod Standing
Woodford, a blackcap in strident song on the sunny side of a pyracanthus tree by Snakes Lane this morning - Ken Murray
Soham Fields; The adult Med Gull has been on the field every day this month up to yesterday, including some lengthy afternoon visits. I haven't seen it today but only looked briefly. It has a virtually full hood now. March 7th was the last date of it's stay last year, so I don't suppose it will be here much longer. Rammey Marsh; Water Rail calling from the spot where the Long- eared Owls were roosting six years ago, also Jack Snipe and Green Woodpecker there. Also, I went round the old sewage works site, it's quite distressing to see how little of it there is left now. Just a few bits of wasteland holding just a few odd Goldfinches, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Skylarks (including one singing though), and one Snipe - Steve Connor
Brimsdown 1 stonechat, 2 chiffchaff, singing reed bunting, 3 kestrels, a linnet in song, Chingford Plain 7 skylark - Andrew Middleton
Have just come back from Gt.Amwell and access via the railway level crossing is now closed, I would assume all access is now denied D.Messenger

Sun 4-3-01 Soham Rd. Enfield Lock, Med gull in almost full summer plumage. Very good views before football started 10am - Helen Bantock
Coppetts Wood this weekend, 1 water rail on the small pond - Tony Clancy

Sat 3-3-01 Brent Res, 1 female Scaup, adult Yellow-legged Gull, adult 'intermedius' LBB Gull, 2 Stock Doves -Andrew Self
From the Lee Navigation Brimsdown 1 female stonechat (5 today), Ponders End Lake 48 wigeon, Picketts Lock 4 goosander fishing the canal, Tottenham Marsh a pair of stonechat, 1 chiffchaff, 2 linnets (anyone seen anymore?), Clendish Marsh 1 female stonechat, just south of Tottenham Lock 1 water rail by the canal, Walthamstow Marsh 1 male stonechat, 2 water rail calling - Andrew Middleton
Ware garden, seed and lard cake put out, black sunflowers, peanuts, 25+ chaffinch on lawn at once - coal tit today as well Liz Goodyear
Last Sunday 25th Feb, Sewardstone Marsh, one probably two jack snipe flew from wet areas - Ken Murray

Fri 2/3/01 Most of Lee Valley Park is now closed. Go to "News" in www.leevalleypark.org.uk for details. Joy Park
The LVP representative on the south-east telly news indicated that the park is closed north of the M25, and open within the M25, although the golf course and parkland at Picketts Lock within the M25 was closed on Saturday 3rd.
I visited Amwell this pm and found no signs to indicate that the site was closed - just a note saying that the paths were currently open but may be closed at short notice due to F&M. ~ 4 Smew (2drakes) present, plus 2 Water Rail and 2 Shelduck, and 7+Goldeneye. 30+ reed bunting coming in to roost in the reed bed. - Anthony Dorman
Nazeing area, small patch of wheat 12 reed bunting, 4 yellowhammers, also a kestrel plucking a reed bunting, pair of smew and 8 goosander - Bill Cutts and Bill Craig

Here are some more pics taken by Gareth Jones with his digital camera. The Great Spot is just about to take out my hand. Sometimes people ask if ringing hurts the birds, this I can assure you is the opposite. Paul Roper (Rye Meads) Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus Two photos of a rock pipit beside the KGV Res on 8th Oct 1998. With reference to 'ID of Euro Passerines' by Lars Svensson, the brownish rather than olive upperparts, and especially the small pure-white areas in the outer tail feather tips indicate the subspecies littoralis (Fenno-scandia, N.Russia). Photos by A.Middleton

Wed 28-2-01 Ware there could be as many as 25 greenfinches visiting the garden - counted 18 actually feeding - also probably 15 chaffinch but no goldfinch - 5/6 sparrows and 2 or so long tails plus the usual blue and great tits but no coal tit at the moment - 3 robin, etc - Liz Goodyear
Ponders End 5 goldfinch again visiting the burdock in my garden, and the 3 apartment sparrow box is now up, under the eaves - Andrew Middleton

Tue 27-2-01 Vicarage Farm, a female stonechat near the barracks perhaps a bit of early movement, RC's 3rd Feb record - Robert Callf and Robin White
Just in case it isn't know already, Dagenham Chase NR is closed due to the foot and mouth crisis, although the country park there is still open. Perhaps local birders could report here any sites which they find closed due to the scare - Steve Connor (also KGV Res and Copped Hall, and cattle fields at Fernhill, Lippitts Hill area- see below)
All Essex Wildlife Trust reserves and visitors centres are closed because of foot & mouth precautions, also Rye Meads and parts of Epping Forest where the the deer are. I've just been into the RSPB website. They have also closed all their reserves & visitor centres. To be reviewed on 3rd March. Joy Park

Mon 26-2-01 Soham fields; adult Med Gull here again this morning, 9.45-10.30 at least, now with 80% hood (60% 2 weeks ago).- Steve Connor
Trent Park 2 lesser-spots, 1 calling from a dead beech in Icehouse Wood, a calling female low down in an alder by the Water Garden, 3 bullfinch by the Lower Lake- R.Callf and R.White
Bury Wood, Epping Forest 3 tawny owls hooting around mid-day, 3 bullfinch Green Lane, Sewardstonebury - A.Mids
Amwell Jack Snipe from viewing point, Isle of Dogs ring-billed gull - Birdguides

Sun 25-2-01 Cornmill: Female Pintail on main lagoon, Pochard hide: 2 Smew flew north at 16:00, Tawny Owl in usual nestbox. - Dave Rimes
Amwell GP 2 Jack Snipe in front of viewing point on near bank, Water Rail from hide - Pat Hart
Banbury Res 14 Goosander, 3 Goldeneye, 1 Lapwing, 5 Shoveler, rare on this res.- David Darrell-Lambert
Nazeing GP Three Smew, one drake, two redheads. Fairly restless and couldn't find them on the way back. Also, 8 Goosander, several Goldeneye, usual Tufted Duck, GCGrebes. Small patch of wheat had 20 Reed Buntings, 10 Chaffinch, 4 Yellowhammer, a male and female Kestrel. Two Linnets flew over. The reed buntings roost in some brambles, just outside the patch. Also Greenfinches, Dunnock, Blackbird, Gt. Tit - Helen Bantock
Childerditch Common 10-12 waxwings flew over 16:25 - Birdguides
No sign of the Oakwood waxwings, 28 mandarin and 1 red-head goosander in Grovelands Park - Robert Callf

Sat 24-2-01 5 waxwings at Childerditch Common around carpark off Childerditch Lane.from 1645-1655 when flew off north presumably to roost - Colin Jupp and Alan Bell
Trent Park 2 lesser-spots, 1 calling male in hornbeam in Shaws Wood, and a male feeeding in alders and oak by the Upper Lake, total of 6 grt spots inc 3 drumming along the Nature Trail, 1 green wood heard, pair of bullfinch taking hawthorn buds - R.Callf and R.White
KGV and WG Res, Copped Hall farmland - no access, hooded merganser 'coming to birders' on the pond near Copped Hall

Fri 23-2-01 KGV Res Common Scoter (1 female south end north basin), Green Sandpiper (1 flew south from the canal flood relief channel), Stonechat (I male just north of west reedbed), Black Redstart (1 male on fence west of north basin), Goosander (2 male 1 female), Shoveler (4), Gadwall (15), Great Crested Grebe (20), Ruddy Duck (33 all north end north basin), Goldeneye (35), Coot (40), Teal ( all 100 north end north basin), Tufted Duck (150) - Pat Hart
12.45am, min of 40 waxwings viewed distantly from a point 100m from the Greyhound Pub near Childerditch Common, please stay on the road and do not approach the pig farm at all because of the obvious need for safety precautions re. the foot-and-mouth situation elsewhere, please respect the farmer - Tony Gray
Yardley Hill Epping Forest 4 bullfinch, Hawkwood 100+ chaffinch, WG Res pm 1 chiffchaff, 9 bn grebes - A.Mids

Thu 22-2-01 KGV Res Common Scoter first winter drake, Red Breasted Merganser female and 2 Black Redstarts, WG Res 8 Black necked grebes!, 2 Goosander and 1 Green sandpiper - John Murray.
COLIN JUPP had 46 waxwings this afternoon by the Greyhound Pub near Childerditch Common viewed from Magpie Road - news from Alan Bell

Wed 21-2-01 LVP The Female pintail is still on the centre meadow at Cornmill along with 200+ wigeon, 4 grey wagtails (3 Males 1Female ) and a Muskovy Duck - it can fly so it must be wild, The bittern is still showing from the Pochard hide, also there was a roe deer with a very young fawn, I think this about 6 week earlier than normal (is this down to global warming? )- it was standing under the trees in cover to the right of the Pochard hide, There was a flock of about 150 fieldfare flying high north over 70 Acres at 10.40 - Tony Gray
Oakwood area, Robert again located the four waxwings today along Oakwood Park Road as reported before, possible pre-roost gathering for quite a while from 3.30pm in a silver birch. Grovelands Park 26 mandarin, 15 pochard, one fem/imm goosander, 1 sparrowhawk and a singing treecreeper - Rober Callf
Went on the Herts and Middx Butterfly Conservation trip to the Natural History Museum today (very good) and saw a small bat species hawking for insects around 1pm in their quadrangle - HMBC persons
any good?

Tue 20-2-01 15.00 Cornmill Meadows female pintail on middle pool near Wake Hide - Jeff Butcher
Trent Park, a woodcock flew from Oakwood, the second snipe of the year was flushed from the 'insect field' by Williams Wood, and 7 mandarin were on the lakes - R.Callf and R.White
Warlies Park, Essex one little owl in an large old oak - Bill Cutts and Bill Craig

Mon 19-2-01 Vicarage Farm area north Enfield, a peregrine over Merryhills Brook from 10.40-45 was a site tick, thought to have been an adult female, a pair of red-legged partridge, 45 stock doves (35 Fernyhill Wood and 10 Vic. Farm), a pair of gadwall again on Parkside Res - R. Callf and R.White

Sun 18-2-01 Whitewebbs Area One calling Marsh tit, 4 Mandarin (all drakes) and Lesser spotted woodpecker Nr Car-park- John Murray.
Nazeing GP the little gull flew in at 5.15pm, Brox Woods one firecrest - Helen Bantock
LVP Seen today 2 L.E.Owls 2 Smew 70 Acres, and the Bittern showed well from the Pochard hide - Tony Gray
KGV Res am, the common scoter on the south basin, and on the north basin a pair of pintail, 4 bn grebes, 53 ruddy ducks, merganser flew off around 10am, pair of black redstarts by Brimsdown - Phil Vines, Helen Bantock

Sat 17-2-01 KGV Res am a curlew flew north calling at 10.35 and was later seen on Sewardstone Marsh at 11.30. Phil Vines saw the bird here at 1pm, but it was soon flushed off by walkers etc. One red-head merganser on the north basin, 51 ruddy duck, c50 teal, male black redstart on the fence at Brimsdown, the common scoter was by the sailing club mid-day, shows signs of being a first summer male ie dark areas developing on its flanks and cheeks etc, 12 goldfinch, 10 m pips - Steve Harris, H.Bantock, A.Middleton
WG Res am c7 bn grebes, 5 green sandpipers - Phil Vines
Trent Park lakes, a pair of goosander for R.White prob am, then a male lesser-spotted woodpecker in willow and alder for 5 mins pm, 4 lssr redpoll, 1 mandarin, 2 teal Parkside Res, pair of r.l.partridge Parkside Farm - Robert Callf

Fri 16-2-01 Soham fields, Enfield Lock. The adult Med was here again this morning during the daily loaf lobbing session. This morning it was at 9.30. It's likely that it is here every morning, but I'm not often here to look. Steve Connor
Trent Park area, strong presence of nuthatch (min 5), muntjac, pair teal, 4 mandarin, Vicarage Farm 7 skylarks, 12 goldfinch, total 3 bullfinch, 4 siskin, yellowhammer flock seems now to have dispersed - R.Callf and R.White
Fishers Green 2 long-eared owls - news from Tony Gray

Thu 15-2-01 north Enfield, Whitewebbs just one marsh tit calling and singing, 1 lesser-spotted woodpecker calling, total of 7 mandarin at Wildwoods (5, also 4 teal and a little grebe here) and Turkey Brook, Forty Hall (2), 3 bullfinch in the area, 2 yellowhammers on farmland north of Whitewebbs - Robert Callf

Wed 14-2-01 Amwell GP a bittern showed very well 'sunbathing' for an hour around 1.30pm in front of the hide, excellent views due to the carefully cut alleys, thanks - Bill Cutts/Bill Craig
Nrth Enfield, one comma flying over a bramble bank - Robin White, news from R Callf.
Enfield, four waxwings again briefly in a garden tree at 4.30pm, Oakwood Park Road TQ301950 near junction with Lane. Gd, flew off over Oakwood Park, 6 + 1 stock doves flew over Oakwood Park towards known roost in Grovelands Park, 1 sparrowhawk, 50+ magpies Dalrymple Close - Robert Callf
Isle of Dogs, opposite Tarmac plant, 2:00 p.m. - Yellow-Legged Gull with other gulls, 1 LBB Gull, assorted Common and Black-Headed Gulls. No sign of RB Gull - Juliet Rix
Ring-billed gull Isle of Dogs, opposite Tarmac Plant, briefly 1pm, 2 smew Amwell, female hooded merganser on Copped Hall pond said to be pinioned - BirdCall
Copped Hall area, 2 common buzzards - Tony Gray
Walthamstow Res one common sandpiper, 1 goosander, 6 goldeneye, and a butterfly sp. in flight 50m away, lots of activity around the cormorant nests and heronry, Fishers Green Lane CP sad news of the remains of a long-eared owl near here several days old, another observer reported 2 waxwings seen at Turnford today, John saw the common scoter on the KGV Res last Fri 9th, and Phil V has seen it again this week - John Fitzpatrick

Tue 13-2-01 LVP Seen today am ~ Bittern showed well from the pochard hide ( probably 2 birds there), a few Redpoll sp with a flock of c30 Siskins at the north end of 70 acre ( past the bittern hide ), also Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in the tree's between the sub station and the bailey bridge on the sub station side of the river ( earlier seen near the bittern hide by someone else ). The Tawny Owl is showing it's head in the owl box near the goose field ~ c400 Lapwing and c150/200 Golden Plover on Cornmill untill 11.45 when they were flushed of by some selfish dog owners. There were a few drifting back mid afternoon. - Tony Gray
LVP: 70 Acre two L.e.owls showing very well at midday. Cornmill Meadows: following earlier reports of golden plover, none present at 2 p.m. but about a dozen with 300 lapwings came in about 3 p.m. Jeff Butcher
Brimsdown a pair of black redstarts and a male stonechat, and a linnet in song - A.Mids
Soham Fields, Enfield Lock The adult Med was behind my house this morning between 9-10am during the daily bread throwing ritual. It is my first sighting of it this month, and it now has c60% hood - Steve Connor

Mon 12-2-01 north Enfield, Vicarage Farm area, 1 woodcock flew from Leeging Beech Gutter by Williams Wood, 1 pair red-legged partridge, 15 stock doves, 100 winter thrushes - R White, news from R Callf
David James called me yesterday (Sun 11th) with news of a Firecrest at Post Wood ,Ware ( unfortunately I was out when he called!!) - Anthony Dorman

Sun 11-2-01 am, 5 waxwings at Turnford beyond the railway bridge flying into some tall trees. By the A10 near Theobalds Park there were 300+ lapwing and 300+ golden plover. Nazeing gull roost, about 2000 birds there, and the Little Gull (first winter) appeared at 4.45pm, nearby earlier on 12 Reed Buntings, 10 Chaffinch and at least 1 Yellowhammer- Helen Bantock
Rye Meads 10/02/01 1 Jack Snipe, 2 Stonechat, 4 Shelduck, 2 Green Sanpipers, 1 Goldeneye. 09/02/01 1 Firecrest.
It would appear that there are two White B H Gulls in the valley at present. The normal one that is at Rye Meads and has a ring (of scandinavian origin) is pure white but has a gingery wash on the primarys. Another bird seen further down the valley is pure white and has black wing tips, is this the bird seen last week? This bird was seen swimming only so we do not know if it has a ring. When looking at white B H Gulls would people please note the wing tips (black or ginger) and note if the bird is ringed (if possible). If both birds have rings the one with the black tips has not been read in the field and would be worth attempting. It would be interesting if both birds were from the same area or even the same brood!! Paul Roper

Sat 10-2-01 Hookes Marsh. 2 redhead Smew. 70 Acres. - only one Long-eared Owl visible. Nazeing GP's - the 1st winter Little Gull came into roost (from the west) at 16.50hrs - Roy Woodward
King George Reservoir - 09:00 - Green Sandpiper, 2 Shelducks, 35 Ruddy Duck, 25 Goldeneye. Rod Standing
KGV Res- north basin north end, male and female Pintail, 08.30-11.30, also male Black Redstart, female Stonechat and 54 Ruddy duck. T.Wells.
Rainham Marshes 3 ad Med Gulls, 1 Water, 2 Rock Pipits, pair Pintail. Howard Vaughan
Nazeing GP Four Smew (2 drakes) on Nursery pit, 18 Goosander (10 to 12 males), 104 Tufted Duck, 1 Grey heron, 1 Muscovey Duck, 2 Goldeneye, green woodpecker, and Gt Spot Woodpecker drumming, On the A10, immense numbers of Lapwing and G. Plover flying up - couldnt stop to count -.Helen Bantock.
At Amwell Gp's - first-winter Med Gull briefly at 11:00am then flew off with black-headed gulls, also 1 female Mandarin Duck, 1 drake Ruddy Duck, 21 Goldeneye, 3 Ringed Plovers, 10 Lapwings, 10 Teal, 20 Wigeon, 15 Shoveler, 45 Gadwall, 30 Mallard, 30 Canada Geese, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Cormorants, 5 Grey Herons, 65 Coot, 2 Moorhens, 15 Pochard, 70 Tufted Ducks, 15 Mute Swans, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 30 Black-headed Gulls, 10 Common Gulls, 2 Treecreepers, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Nuthatch, 2 Stock Doves, 3 Mistle Thrushes, 2 Song Thrushes, 4 Coal Tits, 1 Sparrowhawk and 2 Goldfinches - Stephen Patmore
10:15am - 11:30am Connaught Water and surrounding woodland. Male & female Goosander, 1 Mandarin, 2 Coal Tit, 6 Treecreeper, 7 Goldcrest and 1 Gt. Sp. Woodpecker. 24 species seen. Extremely boggy in woods! M.Braun

Fri 9-2-01 LVP today, 1 bittern seen from the Pochard Hide. 5 waxwings still at Turnford car park. Also saw 4 g.s.woodpeckers, at least 6 goldcrest, 1 male smew, goosander, .a sparrowhawk in tree opposite Grebe Hide. From the Bittern Hide I saw 3 water rail chasing each other across the reed channels. 39 species in all - Dave Messenger
Turnford Brook. 5 Waxwings still present in car-park at least from 2.30pm to 3.30 pm. (Although not there between 11 and 12 am) Joy Park
Trent Park, a male blackcap briefly by the water garden - Robin White ~ news from R Callf

Thu 8-2-01 Amwell GP today: 2 Bitterns, both calling (not booming), 2 Smew, 2 Goosander, 35 Snipe - Graham White

Wed 7-2-01 King George Res: Female Common Scoter still present around boats on southern basin. Also 1 black redstart on west side nr causeway, 3 Goosander ( 2 drakes ) and 52 Ruddy duck. - J.Murray
Fishers Green partial albino black-headed gull on the Goosefields area, tawny owl in box - Phil Vines
Roy Woodward's white B H Gull. Spends most of its time at Rye Meads. We have read the ring in the field and the bird was ringed in Scandinavia as a pullus. It only seems to spend the winter here and we have never seen it in the summer. We have the full details of this bird and I will find them out for you to post on the web site. We have also seen the bird at the Amwell roundabout. Any sightings of this bird will be welcome. as we are building a good history of it - Paul Roper
Sun 31-12-00 Nazeing GP roost, 2 adult yl gulls, white black-headed gull, 20 grt crested grebes, 2 little grbs, 1 chiffchaff - R.Cope and A.Mids
Also several sightings over the past few years of various white and pale black-heads on the KGV/WG res
200+ lapwing & 27 golden plover overflying Sewardstone Marsh 330pm - Brian Dawton
4 Waxwings in Turnford Brook opposite school at 1030 and later over railway bridge...male Blackcap in Cheshunt garden - Herts Bird Club
Nrth Enf - 2 bumble bees, 1 little grebe Parkside Res, Trent Park 5 mandarin, 10 lesser redpoll, one common snipe, 2 bullfinch, 8 yellowhammer - 50 species - R Callf and R White

Tue 6-2-01 about noon. King George V Reservoir, west side below bank: in pools in field 1 green sandpiper, on concrete fence (near central causeway) male stonechat flying from field across causeway 1 green woodpecker - Jeff Butcher
Trent Park 1 male lesser-spot on the edge of Rough Lot, 3 treecreepers, 3 nuthatch, 8 mandarin, 5 pochard, Vicarage Farm 5 red-l partridge- Robin White
Pymmes Park, Edmonton 1 sparrowhawk, green woodpecker calling, nuthatch - Robert Callf

Mon 5-2-01 Turnford Brook Car Park. 5 waxwings from 1.50 -at least 3pm. Flew in from a north-westerly direction, and then moved around the area between the car park and the stream to the east. Usually in the treetops, but fed briefly on both Guelder Rose berries & rose hips. Also 8 siskins. North Met. Pit (Pochard Hide). Bittern showed well at about 3.30. Turnford & Cheshunt Pits. 3 male + 3 female Goosanders, a large flock of about 120 siskins, Chiffchaff & Treecreeper. Holyfield Hall Farm. A white Black-headed Gull with a flock of over 1000 BHG's, and perhaps 100 Common Gulls feeding on the farmland. Not a true albino, as the bare part colours were normal and there was a small black spot behind the eyes, but otherwise the plumage (including the primaries and underwings) appeared all white. Size and structure were typical of BHG (if anything this bird was slightly smaller than most), seen at a distance, especially in flight this bird could easily be mistaken for a Med. Gull - which is what I first thought it was. One other thing....there was a metal ring on the right leg! 70 Acres. 2 Long-eared Owls. Hookes Marsh. 4 Smew (1 1st winter male, 3 female 'type'). Friday Lake. 4 Smew (1 adult male, 3 female), 6 Goldeneye (2 males). -Roy Woodward.
Enfield, Grovelands 20 mandarin, 8 pochard, Oakwood Park 8 siskin, couldn't find the Winchmore Hill waxwings yesterday or today- Robert Callf
Bayford Wood, Herts, 2 woodcock, 5 bullfinch nearby - A.Mids
East Tilbury Out of range? Anyway - here's some things I saw - Chiffchaff 1 @ 683794, Avocet c.450 @ 695775, Water Rail @ end of Tip adjacent to Thames, Mistle Thrush in song near Fort, Little Egret 1 in fields opposite Fort - Patrick Baglee

Sun 4-2-01 Nazeing Gravel pits 4-5pm, 4.02.01 Two drake Smew and two redheads on the nursery pit. 16 Goosander on the weir pool. First winter Little Gull in gull roost on boating pool to the right of the road. Appeared at 4.40! Helen Bantock
The song thrush was in full song this morning at 4am in the pouring rain! Talk about dedication! The A10 lapwing and golden plover flock were in the air when I drove past. I'm not good at counting birds, especially when I'm supposed to be watching the road, but there must have been several hundred birds - a magnificent sight! - Joy Park
2 Med Gulls (ad + 1st-w) just outside Herts in goose fields at Holyfield Farm, Lea Valley - Herts Bird Club

Sat. 3rd Feb. 2001. KGV Res (from canal towpath) - 1 male Black Redstart, male & female Stonechat. Connaught Waters + area - Only 12 Mandarins (7 male), 34 Tufted Duck, female Sparrowhawk, 1 Marsh Tit. -Roy Woodward.
I saw the little gull at the Nazeing roost yesterday evening - it came in at 4.45pm. It always sits to the left of the b h gull flock, mainly on it's own. Also saw the 5 waxwings yesterday at 10.45 Turnford Brook C/park - Tony Gray
Brimsdown and King George Res.9am-11.30 A Chaffinch was singing from the vegetation near the bridge. Up on the Reservoir near the causeway there was a Mistle Thrush. (The first I've seen for a year). A female Green Woodpecker was feeding on the flooded field with 10 Meadow Pipits and a pair of Grey Wagtails. On the water, I counted 56 Ruddy Duck and at least 12 Goldeneye. The males were throwing back their heads in display and chasing rivals. The females were making token head bobs in return. A female Kestrel on a telegraph post. A pair of Goosander at the far end of the north basin. Helen Bantock
Walthamstow and Tottenham area Banbury Res 2 Goosander, 1 Comm Sandpiper, 1 Redshank, c30 Lapwing, Tottenham Marsh female Stonechat, Lockwood 3 Goldeneye, 50 Teal, High Maynard 15 Ruddy Duck, Low Maynard 3 Shoveler, No 3 Water Rail, 2 Greater Spotted Woodpeckers drumming, No 5 36 Ruddy Duck, 8 Shoveler, 2 Goldeneye, male Gadwall, No 4 2 Goldeneye, Coppermill Filter Beds - nothing much!!! David Darrell-Lambert
Cheshunt 4 waxwings in Turnford Brook car-park, 1pm report - Birdguides

Fri 2-2-2001 Four waxwings Byland Close off The Glade, Winchmore Hill Road N21, TQ306 949, watched for 10 minutes around 1.30pm, male bullfinch Oakwood Park - Robert Callf, 11 yellowhammers Vicarage Farm - Robin White
Cheshunt 5 waxwings in Turnford Brook car-park, 1pm report - Birdguides
KGV Res common scoter and 58 ruddy ducks - Phil Vines

Thu 1-2-2001 The waxwings seen at Turnford Brook car park are still there. I saw five this morning 10am.Feeding on berries - Doug Innes.
KGV Res pm, 1 green sandpiper, 20+ ruddy ducks, 15+ goldeneye - A.Mids, another observer saw a peregrine harassing the gulls mid pm, and 1 male black redstart at Brimsdown
North Enfield, a drake mandarin flew from Vicarage Farm (3rd site record), 7 yellowhammers, Trent Park 2 nuthatch, 3 treecreepers, 1 female bullfinch - Robert Callf and Robin White

Wed 31st Jan and our feathered friends are getting optimistic. Today from my home in Leytonstone I heard my first 2 song thrushes of the year; there's a single long tailed tit hanging around the garden - hopefully looking for a nest site; 2 robins are tolerating each other at the bird table; and something I have never seen before - a crow gently grooming another. Nothing rare or new, but cheering on a wet, miserable day! Joy Park

Tue 30th January 2001. 'River Lee Country Park. 12-5pm;- Waltham Marsh -36 Greylags, 59 Fieldfares, 41 Redwings. Hall Marsh -46 Snipe, 12 Lapwing, 36 Wigeon, 39 Teal, 16 Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, 4 Mallard, 1 Stock Dove. Friday Lake -2 male & 1 female Smew, 1 Kingfisher, male Goldeneye. Hookes Marsh - 2 male & 2 female Goldeneye, female Smew. 70 Acres - 2 Long-eared Owls, 4 Water Rail (3 at the Bittern Watchpoint, 1 feeding on the path along the east side of the lake towards dusk). Nightingale Woods - 44 Magpies gathering to roost (c15.30), 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Holyfield GP. -female Ruddy Duck, 2 Little Grebes, 20 Fieldfares, a pair of Grey Herons displaying and mating on nest from path to Grebe Hide, 16000+ corvids roosting on island in GP (about 60% Jackdaws, 40% Rooks, with just a few Carrion Crows - with the Jackdaws making all the noise!), Also male Scaup x Tufted Duck Hybrid on the flood Relief Channel behind the Bittern Watchpoint. -Roy Woodward.
LVRP Turnford Brook car-park area - 5 waxwings feeding on rose-hips etc this am - Alan Dearing

Mon 29-1-01 Trent Park weasel, fox and muntjac all within 20 minutes, Vicarage Farm 10 skylarks - R.Callf R.White
Recently a pair of stonechats on Netherhouse Farm (Sew) by Fernhill - Tony Baumber

Sun 28-1-01 Holyfield GP - 6 Goosander inc 4 ad males, 70 Acres Lake - 3 Smew in flight only - 1 male and 2 redheads. Also 1 water rail seen from Bittern Watchpoint, 30+ Fiedfare nr electricity substation nr Fishers Green - Anthony Dorman
Oakwood Park area, 3 waxwings seen just early am in an apple tree in a private back garden - news passed on via Bill Cutts
Fairlop CP - male shelduck on fishing pit, 2 reed bunts, 9 skylarks + report from other birders of 2 stonechats on the rough stuff - Alan Bell
North Enfield, high species count today of 51, 8 mandarin Trent Park Upper Lake, 5 redpoll here, 10 siskin water garden, 2 woodcock flew from cover in Oak Wood, 3 cormorants over the cafe, male lesser-spot wood Triangular Wood, 20+ linnets Parkside Fm, 4 yellowhammers Fernyhill Fm and 8 Vicarage Fm, 6 skylarks on stubble here - Robert Callf
Epping Forest area, 1 marsh tit Bury Wood, 2 bullfinch Almshouse Plain, single woodcock Fernhill and Yardley Hill - A. Mids
Turnford LVP car-park area - 5 waxwings were feeding on a berry bush sometime around mid-day but flew off, A10, just North of M25, at least 1000 Lapwing and Golden Plover 9am. Amwell: Shoveler, Snipe, Gadwell,Pochard, Teal, Wigeon, Mallard, Tufted duck, Lapwing. Also a Brent Goose with 7 Greylags. Post Wood: Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Marsh Tit, Goldcrest (2 pairs), greenfinch and chaffinch.- Helen and Tristan Bantock
Nazeing Meads 8 female and 3 male Goosander plus two others in flight, a female (redhead) smew. Assorted ducks
and grebes in front of caravan park on same lake. Two red legged partridge got up from fields behind and a third partridge from a bush later. Navigation nr Nazeing excellent views of a kestrel perching on trees. Fields between Roydon and Nazeing - Large flock of 40+ redwing and fieldfares as well as lapwings in numbers - Alun and Chrissie
Nazeing Mead area - 4 smew including 1 drake, 20 reed buntings on the wheat field mentioned previously - Bill Cutts
Fishers Green area, 70 Acres Lake, 2 long-eared owls on island roost - BirdCall

Sat 27-1-01 Nazeing Gravel Pits 12noon. 16 Goosander. Small area of wheat had 18 (at least) Reed Buntings, 2 Yellowhammers, 10 Chaffinches, Kestrel, Jay, Dunnock - Helen Bantock.
Hawkwood, Epping Forest, after four visits this year, I eventually found a male lesser-spotted woodpecker, by listening for the sound of feeding 'taps' on bark, no sightings this year of marsh tit though, was a key area for this species into the late 90s - Barry Bishop
Brimsdown/KGV Res one male black redstart, 1 stonechat - Martin Shepherd, Joy Park
Ware I have just helped my mum do R.S.B.P garden bird survey on the 27th January from 10:30-11:30am. Here are the results: Great tit:- 6, Blue tit :- 6, Long tailed tit:-6, Coal tit:- 2, Chaffinch:-16, Greenfinch:-14, House Sparrow:-5, Dunnock:-1, Black bird:-5, Wood Pigeon:-1, Robin:-2, Starling:-4 - Thank you From Rachel Goodyear aged 11
KGV Res 51 ruddy ducks, common scoter, 10 bn grebes recently on the WG Res, recent reports passed on by Phil of 10 waxwings at Fishers Green on Thursday - Phil Vines
WG Res pm, 1 adult Mediterranean gull with a 50% speckly black hood, 10 black necked grebes - A.Mids

Fri 26-1-01 Boundary Brook by Ponders End Allotments - I cycled along here for the first time in a long while this morning and - seven chiffchaffs in a loose flock, 1 grey wagtail, 1 kingfisher, and a great spotted wood flew from the trees - A.Mids
Nice sighting of a green woodpecker in my North Finchley garden today - Tony Clancy
Ware garden, a record 11 blackbirds, foraging in the flower beds and cleaning up below the sunflower feeders-Liz Goodyear

24th Jan '01. Nrth Enfield, Fernyhill Farm 30 stock doves, 100 fieldfares + some redwing, a total of 19 yellowhammers (10 here and 9 Vicarage Farm), 3 mandarin Lower Lake Trent P, Grovelands plummet from 53 mandarin in cold spell on Sat to 22 today, Dalrymple Road 46 magpies gathered by 4.50pm in bushes by Oakwood Park-tube line, Sun 21st no greenfinches seen at the roost site mentioned recently, Town Park 125 mallard, 17 moorhen, 1 nuthatch - Robert Callf, also Robin White
Cornmill Meadows. 158 Wigeon, 72 Teal, 9 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 30+ Snipe. Friday Lake. 3male + 7 female Smew. Nazing Pits. 13 Goosander. Rye Meads (RSPB). 3 Water Rail, Kingfisher, Green Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail, 3 Bullfinch. Holyfield GP. 2male + 1female Goosander, 121 Cormorants at roost, and an estimated 800 Jackdaws, 600 Rooks + probably less than 30 Carrion Crows gathering to roost on the trees on the islands. Seventy Acres Lake. 2 Long Eared Owls. One left roost at 17.10, the second left a few minutes later. Both headed SW across the gravel pit. Roy Woodward.
Fishers Green area, 70 Acres Lake, 2 long-eared owls on island roost - BirdCall

Mon 22-1-01 LVRP Turnford Brook CP - 5 Waxwings feeding on Gelder Rose Berries in first car park area -v confiding Ann & Terry Smith

Sun 21-1-2001 A REDHEAD SMEW AT DAGENHAM CHASE TODAY + YESTERDAY - Alan Bell
Five song thrushes feeding on ivy berries in his Woodford garden, 3 c buzzards Copped Hall Christmas time - Ken Murray
Brent Res Saturday 20th: Golden Plover & 14 Lapwing, Sunday 21st: drake Mandarin in North Marsh Andrew Self
Isle of Dogs, SE side opp Tarmac factory, adult ring-billed gull and ad little gull 3pm at least. Sean Huggins
Nazeing Gr Pits 9.30 -11 am. Three Smew (Drake and two redheads) on the large pit on the left. Best viewed from the other side of the pool ( in the corridor of trees and shrubs between this pool and the weir pool). Small area at the entrance full of life. At least 50 to 60 mixed flock of Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Yellowhammer. Song thrush, Blackbirds and a very bedraggled Kestrel sitting on the wires - Helen Bantock
Brimsdown a pair of stonechats on the marsh, KGV Res 2 chiffchaffs foraging in weeds along the causeway, 7 goosander - Andrew Middleton

Sat 20-1-01 Ramney Marsh West, 10.15-11.00am. In south west corner, group of 20 meadow pipits, plus single chiffchaff calling, and fox. Sewardstone Marsh, 4-5.00pm. No sign of woodcock, but water rail squealing, and two snipe, lapwing, redwing and fieldfare on Pattypool Mead. Also a fox on the water-logged area (frozen) near the central woodland - Martin Shepherd
10:40am - 11.00am. Turnford, between Canon's Gate and Lea Valley Park, 5 Waxwings, mobile. M.Braun
Isle of Dogs, opposite Tarmac factory, one adult little gull mid afternoon - Sean Huggins
SE side of Isle of Dogs, ad ring-billed gull, TQ386783, flew up river @12.40 - BirdCall
I did not see it myself, but Ian Kendall told me that the Fishers Green bittern was seen roosting in a tree near the long-eared owls today - Jeff Butcher
100 wigeon 1 snipe Ponders End Lake today - Tony Clancy
We saw the Waxwings at Cannons gate-lovely! They then moved just across to the railway line, by Helen's Gate!-then we went to Nazeing. Most of the water frozen. But in the plot with wheat by the entrance there was a lot of activity. At least 7 Reed Buntings, 2 Yellowhammers, 8 Chaffinch and at least one Brambling. This wont represent all the birds there, as we didnt walk through the ground, as I didnt want to disturb them - Helen and Tristan Bantock
KGV Res am, at c9.30 six 'grey' geese flew west at pylon height - dark forewings, and all dark heads and necks left Phil thinking they may well have been 6 Bean Geese, and probably of the larger fabilis race, female common scoter back on south basin, 24 ruddy ducks - Phil Vines
We went to Turnford today in search of those Waxwings. Didnt find them, I'm afraid but we did have an enjoyable scout along the rather cold trails :) in the LVP. Saw a Blackcap and some corn buntings, plenty of mixed finches and so on - Alun and Chrissie
Enfield, Grovelands 53 mandarin, 1 little grb, Oakwood Park 11 fieldfares, 2 grn woods - Robert Callf

Fri 19-1-01 Turnford, Canons close - 5 waxwings this morning including two displaying, Nazeing Meads - 16 Goosander (12 male, 4 female), 6 Smew (5m,1f), Netherhall GP - 2 smew (1m,1f), about 100 Wigeon, Amwell GP - 2 smew (1m,1f) on pit to east of old river lee - Robin Smith
Nrth Enfield, Whitewebbs 1 marsh tit, 6 mandarin, here and Fotyhall 4 coal tits, 3 nuthatch, 8 treecreepers, mixed flock of 8 redpoll and siskin, 7 bullfinch - Robert Callf

Thu 18-1-01 Had a look at the Nazeing gull roost this evening but no sign of the little gull. There are 4 Smew on Netherhall GP - 3 Drakes and 1 redhead. - Tony Gray
You will probably already have this one but just in case everybody's thinking the the same, 5 waxwings Canons Gate Turnford late morning. Brian Dawton.
Vicarage Farm one little owl, 12 skylarks, 11 yellowhammers, 26 meadow pipits, min 1000 woodpigeon, 3 bullfinch, Lower Lake 1 pair of mandarin - R Callf and R White
Ring-billed gull, Isle of Dogs, adult still present, opposite the Tarmac factory - Birdguides
Tuesday 16th, Rainham Marshes: 1 Jack Snipe, 1 Woodcock, 4 Water and 3 Rock pipits, Cockatiel and NO white winged Gulls around the Barges Area. - Howard Vaughan

Wed 17-1-01 Turnford Now five Waxwings in Canon's Gate off Thomas Rochford Way, Cheshunt, from 11:45 to 12:15 when they flew off East towards LVP. I guess they'll return . . . Dave Rimes, Tony Gray saw five again probably around 2pm
Sewardstone Marsh copse at dusk, no woodcock seen flying from here tonight from 4.30 to 5.15pm - several observers - perhaps the feeding grounds have frozen up.
Connaught Water, 60 mandarin, 1 silver teal, and 1 red-billed teal - Phil Vines
Vicarage Farm c15 yellowhammers, Trent Park 5 mandarin - Robin White
KGV Res common scoter, 5 goosander, 18 ruddy ducks - John Fitzpatrick

Tue 16-1-01 Turnford area (just north of Cheshunt), 4 waxwings still feeding on berries mid-day - take Thomas Rochford Way east from Turnford main street, and turn left to the green at Canons Gate - Tony Gray
Monken Hadley Common, New Barnet, 13 nuthatch prob c7 territories, 5 grt spots, just 1 treecreeper, 18 goldcrests, 12 meadow pipits nearby, 3 bullfinch - Robert Callf, 3 mandarin Trent Park lower lake - Robin White
Enfield Lock area - Soham Road fields ad Med gull today and yesterday - Steve Connor
WG Res dusk, 1 adult Med gull, 1 bn grebe, KGV Res a 2nd adult Med gull - A.Mids

Mon 15-1-01 Isle of Dogs: The adult ring-billed gull flew in at c12.50 to the Thames shore opposite the Tarmac plant. Sean Huggins
Turnford area (just north of Cheshunt), 4 waxwings still this am, adult and 3 juveniles, feeding on cotoneaster berries by an open green - take Thomas Rochford Way east from Turnford main street, and turn left to the green at Canons Gate - Adam Wilson, still present 1pm

Sun 14-1-01 Rye Meads RSPB Reserve a Cettis warbler late am (towards pylon with kestrel box) - Steve Connor
LVP 3 bn grebes and 3 green sands WG Res, c scoter and black redstart KGV Res - BirdCall
General LVP news, Amwell 3 bitterns, 49 snipe, drake smew, 3 shelduck, KGV 2 stonechat, c scoter, 17 ruddy ducks, female peregrine taking a teal, WG Res 1 c sand, Nazeing 1st winter little gull, 11 reed bunts, 3 yellowhammers, Fishers Green 1 le owl, 3 smew, 4 waxwings reported on berries in gardens west of Turnford Bridge in the LVP, 1 waxwing Watham Abbey, 1 waxwing over Hooks Marsh, Friday Lake 5 redpoll with siskin flock on alders - a mix of Rob's sightings and news from other birders, all passed on by Robert Callf

Sat 13-1-01 Rainham Marshes: full adult Glaucous Gull, 2nd win Iceland Gull, ad win Med Gull, 11 Yellow legged Gulls, 2 Water Pipit, 1 turnstone, 2 green and 2 common Sands, 75 Skylark - Howard Vaughan
KGV Res pm to causeway only, 15 ruddy ducks north basin, female common scoter diving on the north basin, 10 fieldfares, several goldeneye, 1 drake goosander - Bill and Alan Cutts, Andrew Middleton
Trent Park area north Enfield, male lesser-spotted woodpecker Williams Wood, 3 grt spots, 2 green woods, Vicarage Farm area 30 linnets, 10 yellowhammers, 50 fieldfare, Parkside Farm c500 corvids - rooks and jackdaws - Robin White and Robert Callf
Sewardstone Marsh, 3-45 to 5.00pm. Cold and clear. An incredible seven Woodcock at dusk from 4.50 to 5.00pm. Most seemed to be flying from the woodland in the centre of the marsh and then dropping over into Pattypool Mead. I also heard one Water Rail. Also, a roost of 150+ Jackdaw in Osiers Marsh - Martin Shepherd
Alongside KGV Reservoir (from canal towpath). Male Black Redstart, 2 female Stonechats, Kestrel, male Goosander. Ramney Marsh Lock. Grey Wagtail. Waltham Abbey Marshes. around 100 Fieldfare, c15 Redwings, 11 Song Thrushes, 2 Mistle Thrushes, Green Woodpecker. 70 Acres. 1 Long-eared Owl, 2 male + 1 female Smew, 3 Water Rails. Hayes Hill / Holyfield Farm fields. female Merlin (flew low across the farmland, towards the goose field, at about 14.20hrs, scattering a few Skylarks and picking up a 'tail' of about 60 Jackdaws and Rooks!), c30 Skylarks, 1 Redshank (feeding among maize stubble). Holyfield area (GP and around electricity substation). male + female Sparrowhawks, at least 6 Bullfinches, c30 Goldfinch, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Green Woodpecker, female Ruddy Duck, male Goosander, several Goldeneye. Sewardstone Marsh. At least 6 Water Rail calling in the evening (all away from Knights Pits which weren't visited), 7 Woodcock, female Sparrowhawk - Roy Woodward
Nazeing area WeBS count: 20 Goosander, 26 Cormorants, 31 Great Crested Grebe, one Grey Heron, 50 Tufted Duck, 88 Coot, 10 Moorhens, 6 Canada Geese,16 Mallard, 2 Goldeneye, 4 Pochard, 8 Gadwell. Also seen: Sparrowhawk, 2 Goldcrests.7 Reed Bunting, 4 Yellowhammers, 2 Dunnock and 7 Chaffinch (in a small flock on some "waste" ground). Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Collared Dove, 4 Long tailed Tits, BT, GT - Helen Bantock
Brent Res Scaup 2, Wigeon 2 - Andrew Self
Coppetts Wood - six bullfinch over the last few days and today - Tony Clancy
Adult ring-billed gull, River Thames, Lovels Wharf, Greenwich - Birdcall

Fri 12-1-01 Fishers Green soon after 10.30am, two waxwings whizzing about until 10.45 both sides of the river by the second/north car-park - Mike Cotton, (also 4 bullfinch here), another observer saw four waxwings near here around the same time, and a third person noted a group of six in this area by the river at Holyfield also at 10.30am - the birds weren't seen later and probably moved through, Copped Hall entrance finch roost this pm - 50+ chaffinch and just one brambling- sightings and news from Tony Gray, Monkhams Hall farm north of Cornmill Arboretum 60 skylarks, 17 reed buntings - A.Mids
Mossops Creek, Brimsdown two stonechats, Connaught Water, Epping Forest, 20 mandarin - Bill Cutts and Bill Craig
Forty Hall and Whitewebbs area, 10+ bullfinch inc min 5 males, 5 Forty Hall Farm feeding on buds, Whitewebbs GC probably 6, 5 nuthatch, 45 siskin in alders by Turkey Brook, 3 green woods, 5 grt spots, 4 treecreepers, two single marsh tits Whitewebbs area, woodcock flew from 'Archers Wood', 4 mandarin Whitewebbs Lake, 1 drake shoveler and 36 tufted duck Forty Hall lake, Brayside Farm 33 redwing, 3 stock doves, 23 pied wags - Robert Callf
Barking Marsh, 2 pairs of stonechat, 29 grey partridge - A.Mids, I tried Lincoln Road area and generally around Ponders End for waxwings on Sat 13th am, but none there yet - also far fewer berries than in 1996

Thu 11--1-01, 1 WAXWING IN GARDEN IN CROFT ROAD WARE. THIS WAS MY DAD - IT FLEW OFF TOWARDS WARE TOWN AROUND 2.30 ISH - NICK SAMPFORD
Gt.Amwell 1 egyptian goose & 1 shelduck still showing, also seen 1 snipe, some fieldfare in field past bridge [Amwell walkway] the odd redpoll & song thrush. Rye Meads RSPB - 1 green sandpiper, 2 pr. of teal, 1 gt. spotted woodpecker, a bullfinch & goldfinch. At Nazeing Meads - flocks of redpoll, chaffinch & greenfinch - D.Messenger

Tue 9-1-01 Westmill Quarry One adult Yellow-legged Gull, 1121 Golden Plover and 678 Lapwing viewable from the layby on the A10 at approx. TL 352014} - Adam Wilson
KGV Res am, the female common scoter still diving out infront of the sailing club, 15 ruddy ducks - Phil Vines
Copped Hall area, one common buzzard in flight and calling, a 2nd buzzard calling in answer, 1 woodcock, 75 meadow pipits, 120 jackdaws, 10 yellowhammers, on linseed stubble 65 skylarks and 55 linnets, 2 brown hares - A.Mids
Adult ring-billed gull Isle of Dogs between Lovells Wharfe and Dome - BirdCall
Enfield Vicarage Farm area, a woodcock flew off at 9.30, 2 bullfinch, 25 linnets, Trent Park 11 lesser redpoll in alders by upper lake, 3 treecreepers - R.White and R.Callf, Grovelands Park pm 3 cormorants roosting, 30 mandarin inc 6 drakes chasing a female, 50 coot, 2 sparrowhawks - Robert Callf
Enfield Lock area - Soham Road fields Med gull on the 6th, Salisbury Road a chiffchaff on the 3rd - Steve Connor

Mon 8-1-01 Fishers Green one long-eared owl 70 acres island-another leo reported nearby, 1 drake smew, total of 4 drakes reported, 1 bittern didn't show very well at Bittern Watchpoint, but 3+ water rails did and were also very noisy, 2 kingfishers - various people
Recent reports - Saturday 6th: 2 Waxwings briefly in a garden in Hornchurch late afternoon: David Morrison
Sunday 7th: Amwell: Bittern, 3 Egyptian Geese, Siberian Chiffchaff, Common Chiffchaff, 2 Snipe, many finches moving through, 6 Bullfinch. No Smew. Ware: No sign of the Ferruginous Duck but 59 Mute Swans on the Lee. Nazing: 200+ Fieldfare, 70 Acres: 1 Long Eared Owl, 1 drake 2 redhead Smew, 1 Common Chiffchaff, Fishers Green Goose Field / Holyfield Hall Farm: 6 Skylark, 2 Kingfisher, 68 Moorhen, 2 Meadow Pipit!, 110 Carrion Crow, 26 Jackdaw, 2 Kingfisher, Waltham Point: 300 Golden Plovers, 150 Lapwing
Beckton sw / Creekmouth: Regular adult Caspian Gull ('Caspar'), 1st yr Western Yellow Legged Gull, Barking Bay: 4 Grey Partridge, Rainham Marshes: 1 Water Pipit, 2 littoralis Rock Pipits, Common Sand, 8 Grey Partridge, 235 Carrion Crow - All the above seen by Howard Vaughan, Mike Dent and John Moss
Rainham 1 rock pipit and 1 water pipit by barges - B.Craig, also B.Cutts, M.Cotton

Anyone wishing to submit their 2000 Essex records, would they please do so as soon as possible, preferably on an Excel spreadsheet (if sending via e-mail). My address is:- David Darrell-Lambert, 109 Gloucester Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 6AF - Thank you - mailto:David Darrell-Lambert

Sun 7-1-01 10.30 am Amwell viewpoint - 2 bitterns, 1 kingfisher, 1 chiffchaff. Hide - water rail. 11.30 sparrowhawk 11 am woods nearby - siskin, redpoll, treecreeper - Jeff Butcher
Banbury Res 12:09 hrs to 13:24 hrs, 6 Goosander, 2 Common Sandpiper, 123 Lapwing - a record count for the res!, 2 Sparrowhawk, 3 Stock Dove, 6 GBBG, 25 Herring Gull, 7 LBBG - David Darrell-Lambert
Post Wood: Four Hawfinches, a pair of Marsh Tits, six Goldcrests, three Mistle thrushes, several Nuthatches, Great spotted woodpecker, Blue, Gt and LTTs. At Amwell, there were at least seven Snipe and 60 Lapwings. Opposite the Little Chef on the A10, just beyond the M25, there were 80 Lapwings and 50 Golden Plover roosting (looked like c300 here late Sat-A.Mids) - Helen and Tristan Bantock
See Colin Jupp's butterfly records added to the distribution maps for white-letter hairstreak, a species 'new' to the 10km square TQ59 in north-east London, and ringlets also in TQ59 - Colin's other TQ59 tetrad records out of 25 tetrads 1999/2000- clouded yellow 22, purple hairstreak 23, small copper 17, brown argus 12, painted lady 19, one wall on 7-8-2000 Colin's first since 1994, small heath 13. one marbled white tetrad X 22 Jul 2000, 1 for Dave Sampson 6 Jul 99 Dagnam Park
A10/M25 area Just noted your count of Lapwing and Golden Plover on the web site. I did a count Friday 4/1/01 and on the two fields where the birds normally get there were 1000 Lapwing and 500 Golden Plover. The numbers here vary considerably through the winter and I think they are birds which move from the Amwell area and possibly even the St Albans area. Anyone who wants to do a count needs to look at two fields. The one opposite the Little Chef on the A10 and also the next field up (North). This can be viewed from the lay by just over the roundabout as you head north. This field has been ploughed (and is most years) so accurate counts can normally only be done when birds are in flight. I have found that birds come in or leave both ways around dawn and dusk. Paul Roper
Long-eared Owl se corner 70 acres lake, 2 drake smew sw corner - BirdCall

Sat 6-1-01 Rye Meads 30/12/00 Peregrine, Jack Snipe, Water Rail. Rye Meads 06/01/01 Male Garganey, 2 Green Sanpipers, 400 Lapwing, 11 Skylarks going SW - Paul Roper - I am also desperate for the last bit of Common Tern information to finish work on my paper, I need to have a draft completed by the end of January - it is quite urgent and important. All I need now is the pairs of Common Terns for the following sites and years Cheshunt 1999, Amwell 1999 & 2000, Walthamstow 1998, 1999 & 2000, Ponders End 1998 & 1999 - Paul Roper
Brent Res Scaup, usual 2 still present, Yellow-legged Gull, Treecreeper, Lesser Redpoll, Green Woodpecker 7, Goldcrest 16 - Andrew Self
Banbury Res 09:35 hrs to 10:44 hrs, 9 Goosander, 79 Lapwing, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Skylark WWS, 2 Kestrels, 2 Sparrowhawks - David Darrell-Lambert - David and Andrew Self's London 2001 Birdrace
Trent Park area - 6 red--legged partridge Park farm, 9 redpoll and 9 siskins nr water garden, 6 skylarks, 2 green woodpeckers - Robert Callf and Robin White
Tottenham Marsh pair of stonechats, 1 chiffchaff, 5 reed buntings, 1 grt-spot woodpecker- A.Mids
Birmsdown Marsh/KGV Res pair of stonechats, 1 male black redstart, 3 reed bunts, 1 male sparrowhawk flying low along the canal- Martin Shepherd, A.Mids
On and around N Finchley sunflowers - 2 chaffinch, 6 h sparrow (new to the area?), b&g tits, 2 robin, starlings 30 - Tony Clancy

Fri 5-1-01 Trent Park area, one woodcock flew from a ditch on Parkside Farm, 12 redpoll inc 2 probable 'mealies' by the water garden, total 6 bullfinch inc 4 by the allotments and 2 by the 'dew pond' - sightings by Robin White - report from Robert Callf
Fishers Green one Brent Goose on the goosefield at 10am - Phil Vines
Lee Valley Regional Park Bird Reports for November and December 2000 - by Ian Kendall

Wed 3-1-01 Chingford Plain adult Mediterranean gull by car-park around 3pm - Richard Cope
Ware garden birds Blackbird 3, chaffinch 13, greenfinch 11, great tit 7 (I am sure there are more), long-tailed tit 4 (some eating bread on lawn), starling 8, robin 1, pigeon 2, blue tit 15, collared dove 2, dunnock 1, sparrow 2 (very briefly at 2.15 no others seen), squirrel 2, cats 2 - Liz Goodyear, Isle of Dogs ring-billed gull 11.05am on shore at TQ386783 - Birdcall

Tue 2-1-01 Friday Lake LV 6 smew inc 4 drakes, KGV common scoter, Connaught Water 40 mandarin - Phil Vines
Walthamstow Complex From 09:00 hrs to 13:00 hrs, Highlights adult Caspian Gull, 1 Common Sandpiper, 6 Goosander, 6 Goldeneye, Banbury Res adult Caspian Gull, on the raft in the SW corner then on the posts around the res and hunting over the west channel, 6 Goosander, 1 Goldeneye, 46 Lapwing, Lockwood 3 Fieldfare south, 4 Goldeneye, 31 Teal, 6 Lapwing south, High Maynard 3 Teal, Low Maynard 21 Teal, No4 4 Shoveler, No5 22 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 3 Teal, 30 Ruddy Duck, 1 Com Sand, 2 Little Grebes, Filter Beds 1 prob Yellow-legged Gull, 3 GBBG, No3 1 Little Grebe, East Warwick 2 Gadwall - David Darrell-Lambert

Mon 1-1-01 Trent Park south of Upper Lake11 lesser redpoll below and in alders, one weasel, also 15 goldfinch and 2 siskin, 9 yellowhammers Fernyhill Farm - Robert Callf and Robin White
Fishers Green Bittern viewed from watch point along with Water Rail and Little Grebe. 2 Long-Eared Owls on the usual island south of the watch point along with two Red-Headed Smew. Kingfishers and Goldeneye on flood relief channel towards Grebe hide. Flocks of Siskin with Goldfinches in same area also small flock of Fieldfare. Two male Goosander near Grebe hide. 6 Barnacle Geese in field near the weir (feral flock?). Two splendid male Smew in lake just north of Hall Marsh. Snipe and Lapwing on Hall Marsh along with Wigeon, Teal, Gadwall and Shoveler - Pat Hart
Also here, 2 golden plover with 100 lapwing Hayes Hill Farm area, and a peregrine seen over the Goosfield/Holyfield area by S Hamilton - Bill Cutts and Bill Craig
Brimsdown canal towpath, PM. Male Black Redstart and male and female Stonechat on KGV reservoir fence. Also four male goosander and one female on canal at Enfield Lock near the Swan & Pike Pool.- Martin Shepherd
KGV Res am common scoter duck south basin - Phil Vines

				Four very nice additons to the images, all taken by rare bird photographer Mike McDonnell - 185 London Road, Stone, Dartford, Kent DA2 6BI tel. 01322 222382 click on the images to enlarge Scanned with the help of Tony Gray
Subalpine warbler at Walthamstow Marsh May 1994	Woodchat shrike at Barking Marsh Jul 1995	Richards pipit on Chingford Plain Oct/Nov 1998	Paddyfield warbler at Fishers Green Oct 1999