Some recent sightings in the Lea Valley - North London - Jul - Dec 1999

December 1999

31/12/99 Single chiffchaffs at Fishers Green and Sewardstone Marsh - Tony Clancy
Brimsdown west of the KGV Res south basin, 3 adult male black redstarts and a pair of stonechats by reservoir fence - A.Mids
09:37 *LONDON WHITE-HEADED DUCK WALTHAMSTOW No5 RESV 9:20AM, *LONDON R.N.GREBE WALTHAMSTOW ON WEST WARWICK RESV-BIRDNET

30/12/99 Hatch Grove area, Epping Forest, male firecrest in the garden - Ken Murray
13:14 *LONDON WHITE-HEADED DUCK (PROB AD/FEM) WITH RUDDY DUCKS ON WALTHAMSTOW No5 RESV & 2 RH SMEW THERE. 13:04 *LONDON R.N.GREBE WALTHAMSTOW ON WEST WARWICK RESV - BIRDGUIDES?BIRDNET

29/12/99 3:25*ESSEX R.N.GREBE IN LEA VALLEY ON NETHERALL GPs NORTH PIT AT TQ.394.094, LONDON 2 RH SMEW LOWER MAYNARD RESV LATE A'NOON *ESSEX 3 SMEW LEA VALLEY CTRY PK ON NETHERALL NORTH PIT (+R.N.GREBE). 2 SMEW & 30 GOOSANDER AT NAZEING GPs TQ.386.074, 17:43 *LONDON WHITE-HEADED DUCK WALTHAMSTOW ON EAST WARWICK RESV TQ.347.886. IT HAS A METAL RING ON ITS RIGHT LEG. PERMITS AVAILABLE FROM GATEHOUSE, 17:50 *HERTS 3 SMEW (2DRKS) AMWELL GPs ALSO AD MED & 3 AD Y.L.GULLS -BIRDGUIDES/BIRDNET

28/12/99 Enfield Lock 2nd winter Mediterranean gull again present, Broxbourne pits west of the Lee Navigation, 6 smew - Steve Connor
KGV Res roost, 3 adult yellow-legged gulls - Connor, Clancy, Middleton

27/12/99 late morning/early pm. West side of KGV, two male and one female black redstart on reservoir bank, pylon and fenceposts.  Also male and female stonechat in overgrown field behind Tradeteam depot - Martin Shepherd
Hatch Grove area, Epping Forest, male firecrest and male blackcap in observers garden - Ken Murray
KGV Res pm, 1 black redstart adult male west side, 15 goosanders, 4 ruddy ducks, large gull roost - A.Middleton

26/12/99 10:29 *HERTS 2 DRK SMEW AMWELL GP'S MID AM - Birdguides/Birdnet
KGV Res pm, 1 fem/imm red-breasted merganser, 1 imm male black redstart, 3 ruddy ducks - Andrew Middleton
General , 11 Smew on Bowyers Water. Inc 3 Males. 1 Bittern from the watch point. 100 Fieldfares Hayes Hill Farm. 10+ Skylarks Hayes Hill Farm. 60 Canada & 14 Grey Lag Geese Goose Field opp Hayes Hill. Grand Weir 10+ Siskins in Alders, + few Goldcrests. No sign of Fudge Duck or tristris type Chiffchaff, both looked for between 11am and 1pm - Paul Roper. 
KGV Res roost, 1 yellow-legged gull, Enfield Lock 2nd winter Mediterranean gull again present - Steve Connor

23/12/99 WG Res am, 5 bn grebes, 1 female merganser with ~10 goosander probably flew off south, 2nd winter Mediterranean gull - Phil Vines

22/12/99 Cornmill Stream, 3 red-breasted mergansers which soon flew off, including 2 drakes - Steve Connor

21/12/99 Nazeing GP roost, 1 adult Mediterranean gull - Andrew Middleton

20/12/99 WG Res south end, 1 adult Mediterranean gull (Phil Vines)
Near car park west of Grand Weir, on the way to Grebe Hide, tristis type chiff chaff, brown/grey above, lacking olive/yellows, buff and white below, different quality to call (similar bird seen nearby earlier in the week), and just 10 bramblings arriving for the Copped Hall roost on 19th, flock of 40 nearby on farmland - Tony Gray
Fisher's Green - 1 chiff-chaff, 5 smew on Friday Lake, Ferruginous duck 70 Acres - Bill Craig/Bill Cutts
Grovelands Park, record site count of 103 mandarin including 60 drakes, also firecrest seen a few times last week - Robert Callf
Enfield Lock, 2nd winter Mediterranean gull on playing field between Salisbury Road and Soham Road, Nazeing GP roost, 1 adult Mediterranean gull - Steve Connor
11:28 ESSEX FEM FERRUGINOUS DUCK LEA VALLEY CP FROM BITTERN WATCHPOINT - BIRDGUIDES/BIRDNET

19/12/99 KGV Res pm, 1 stonechat and 1 bn grebe - Colin Wills, 1 adult Mediterranean gull in roost - Steve Connor
Bury Wood/Connaught Water, Epping Forest, a common buzzard flew west then north being mobbed by corvids and seemed to drop down into the forest - Ken Murray
17th and 18th, Enfield Lock, 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull on playing field between Salisbury Road and Soham Road - Steve Connor
Sewardstone area, pasture to north east of KGV, pm, 100+ mixed flock of redwings and fieldfares.   Two bramblings on Sewardstone farmland in centre of first belt of bushes when approaching from Chingford direction.  30 teal on the pool here, plus male sparrowhawk hunting along hedgerow - Martin Shepherd
King's Head Hill/Sewardstone Road junction, 50+ pied wagtails in roost, also grey eastern song thrush at Rye Meads - Richard Cope
12:24 *ESSEX FEM FUDGE DUCK LEA VALLEY C/PK 70 ACRES LK,BITTERN FROM WATCHPOINT+5 SMEW FRIDAY LAKE, HERTS 4 SMEW AMWELL GP 1ML SE/OF WARE - BIRDGUIDES/BIRDNET. Also reported 4 buzzards yesterday (19th) over Amwell.

18/12/99 Hatch Forest area, Chingford, 2 firecrests including a male in the observers garden, and a water rail in Chingford Plain east-west ditch on Tuesday last - Ken Murray
Rye Meads Ringing Group,1 Garganey (male), 1 Dunlin, 4 Green Sandpiper, 2 Jack Snipe + 22 Snipe on the Herts & Middx meadow, also 1 Stonechat (male) there. 8 Chiffchaff on site including 1 Tristis, 5 Water Rail. Fly overs included 200+ Golden Plover and ~400 Lapwing - Gary Gardiner. 

Lee Valley Regional Park Authority Bird Report for November 1999

17/12/99 HERTS GLAUCOUS GULL (PROB 2W) AMWELL GPs ROOST LATE A'NOON. BIRDGUIDES/BIRDNET

16/12/99 KGV Res pm, 1 yellow-legged gull - Steve Connor
WG Res pm, 1 black-necked grebe - Andrew Middleton
Bittern Watchpoint, 1 bittern - Birdguides/birdnet

15/12/99 Rye Meads, Adult Dunlin - Trapped and Ringed on the NRA Small Lagoons scrape.   This is the 80th species ringed by the RMRG this year, an all time record. Highest number of species ringed in a year previously was 79 - Paul Roper
KGV Res, 3 black redstarts (2males, 1 female), 2 green sandpipers, 31 goldeneye, 6 pochard, 2 male goosander, 1 shelduck, 15 gadwal, no sign of the snow bunting - Paul French
17:12 *HERTS IMM GLAUCOUS GULL (PROB 2W) AMWELL GPs ROOST THIS EVNG ALSO PROB AD CASPIAN & 3 Y.L.GULLS BUT NO SIGN OF DRK SMEW - BIRDGUIDES/BIRDNET

14/12/99 KGV Res, 11.00am, north basin, west side, close to where canal towpath bends in to meet reservoir...two male black redstarts feeding on pasture and flying up to bushes and towpath fence.  One sang briefly from fence.   Another male, possibly a third bird, flew up from reservoir edge and perched on post half down south basin west side - Martin Shepherd
Sewardstone farmland, 100 linnets, 75 meadow pipits, 50 chaffinch, 35 skylarks, 20 yellowhammers, 10 reed buntings, 5 bramblings, 1 redpoll, 1 snipe, 25 lapwings flew over - Andrew Middleton
A chiff-chaff in the copse west of the Grand Weir hide appeared rather brown and lacking in yellow/olive colurs, may be of the eastern 'tristis' race - Mike Cotton
HERTS IMM GLAUCOUS GULL AMWLL GPs THIS EVNG ALSO DRK SMEW+6 Y.L.GULLS. - BIRDGUIDES/BIRDNET

13/12/99 WG Res am, 2nd winter Mediterranean gull - Phil Vines
KGV Res am, west side of south basin, adult male black redstart and snow bunting inside the 'lip' - Cutts, Craig, Cotton, Middleton

12/12/99 WG Res am, 2nd winter Mediterranean gull, 1 bn grebe - Phil Vines
Bury Green 1ml north of M25/A10 junction, c500 lapwing, c200 golden plover
KGV Res pm, west side of south basin, adult male black redstart and snow bunting inside the 'lip' - Ken Murray/Jack Delaby
Walthamstow Reservoirs, female Goosander on Banbury, Common Sandpiper on Lockwood, 15 Ruddy Duck on East Warwick, 13 adult Kittiwakes south west over No.4 at 1541 hrs, the last was a site tick for me! - David Lambert

10/12/99 KGV Res am, snow bunting 100m south of causeway, west side, and 3 black redstarts, 1 woodcock Trueloves, Mott Street - A.Mids
KGV Res pm, snow bunting - Alex McKechnie
The Ching near Hatch Forest, Chingford, a peregrine flew over - Ken Murray
Enfield Lock, 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull on playing field between Salisbury Road and Soham Road, KGV roost, one adult yellow-legged gull - Steve Connor

9/12/99 KGV Res am, snow bunting in weeds 3/4 of the way north along the west side of south basin - Phil Vines

7/12/99 KGV Res pm, 1 snow bunting c100m south of causeway in weeds by water's edge on south basin, 3 black redstarts (2 ad males, one 1st winter male) west of north basin - Robert Callf

6/12/99 Copped Hall entrance roost (just south of M25/by Warren Wood) min 50 bramblings and 200+ mainly chaffinch going to roost in bushes, also drake smew on Bowyers Lake, Cheshunt, owl probably long-eared recently seen leaving island infront of Bittern Watchpoint - finch sightings and other news from Tony Gray
KGV Res 1pm, Saturday's snow bunting half way along west side of south basin in weeds by water's edge, 4 black redstarts west of north basin (2 adult males, 2 fem/imm), 15 goldeneye, 75 mallard - A.Mids
Enfield Lock, 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull on playing field between Salisbury Road and Soham Road from 12th November to 2nd December, however no sign 4th-5th - Steve Connor

5/12/99 Rye Meads Ringing Group, Saturday 4th, 1 Water Pipit, 8 Chiffchaff, 13 Snipe, 2 Water Rail, 30 Golden Plover over.   Sunday 5th (Paul Roper) 14 Goosander-Nazeing GP, 20 Wigeon-Netherhall GP, 50 Wigeon-Cornmill Meadow - news from Gary Gardiner, KGV Res 1 redshank, 2 water rail in channel to north of KGV- Ken Murray
KGV Res 4th and 5th, 3 black redstarts (male and 2 fem/imm) west of north basin, Sewardstone 5th, at TQ385986 100 Linnets, 30 Skylarks. 20 Meadow pipits,50 Chaffinch, 2Yellowhammers, 3 Reed bunting, One female Sparrowhawk flying along the hedge fast, to the consternation of the birds there, but not seen to catch anything, Across the road, in the field at the bottom of Mott Street, there were 150 Lapwings - Helen Bantock (12 bramblings and 1 snipe for Tony Clancy here on 4th)
General LV sightings, Water Rails at Bittern Watchpoint, Approx 30 Fieldfares behind Fishers Green car park in Holyfield Farm and 1 Green Woodpecker in same field. Also approx 4 song thrushes with Fieldfares. Wren Hide - Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Titmice etc very active. Jays regular - Alun and Chrissie
White Webbs Park Enfield, 1 perhaps 2 marsh tits - RM Callf
LVP car-park near Cheshunt Station am, two firecrests, but couldn't be relocated later on- Alan Dearing and Harry

4/12/99 KGV Res, a snow bunting at noon on the causeway eventually flew low and north and may still be beside the north basin, a 2nd winter Mediterranean gull drifted south at 12.15, 1 water rail north of KGV in channel - Andrew Middleton
KGV Res 3 black redstarts and Sewardstone Marsh, 1 jack snipe, 30 fieldfare - Helen Bantock
20:42 *HERTS 3 WAXWINGS RPTD LEA VALLEY 200YDS N.OF WINDMILL LANE, BTWN RLY STN & R.LEA NAVIGATION EARLY PM - BIRDGUIDES/BIRDNET

3/12/99 KGV Res pm, one 2nd winter kittiwake, which was later seen on the WG Res, and WG Res an adult Mediterranean gull in the roost - Robert Callf

2/12/99 Grovelands Park Lake, 89 mandarin (59 males and 30 females, also still 1 firecrest Sat last - Robert Callf and Barry Weston, and at Vicarage Farm 30 chaffinch and 1 brambling, and a wigeon in Trent Park - Robert Callf

1/12/99 Sewardstone Marsh, 3 common snipe, 3 jack snipe, Sewardstone LVP farmland, est 100 chaffinch, 80 linnet, 60 skylarks, 15 yellowhammers, 25 meadow pipits, 10 goldfinch, 4 reed buntings, 3 bramblings, 3 red-legged partridge - A.Mids
Here Friday/Sunday, est 200 chaffinch, 25 bramblings, 25 meadow pipits, 20 skylarks, 4 snipe, 2 herons, 1 tawny owl - Tony Clancy

November

30/11/99 KGV Res, 1 bn grebe south basin, 2nd winter Mediterranean gull north basin 12.15-2.45, 30 goldfinch - RM Callf, also 3 goosander and 50 goldeneye here recently

28/11/99 in the last few days - 3 smew including 1 drake on Friday Lake, 2 bitterns Bittern Watchpoint, 8 bn grebes WG Res - news via Tony Gray
Recent sightings of single barn owls by Ponders End Lock, and at Innova Park, Enfield Lock - seen by Enfield Lock Conservation Group members, news from Brian Dawton
1 Male Smew - Friday Lake, 1 Bittern - Bittern Watchpoint, 2 Mandarin - Whithern Park Pond, Cheshunt, behind Bishops College- Paul Roper RMRG
Rye Meads Ringing Group, 1 Tristis Chiffchaff has been around for a while and was caught and ringed today, 1 Garganey, Ad male which has been around all year on and off, 1 Stonechat, male on the Herts & Middx meadow. Only 2 Green Sandpipers. 1 Goldeneye, Female on the RSPB reserve. Snipe numbers well down only 8. Winter thrush numbers poor with only 15 Fieldfare and 6 Redwing. A Woodcock was flushed on Wed. Also of interest 150 Golden Plover by the Amwell roundabout - Gary Gardiner

24/11/99 a little owl just to the northwest of the KGV Res and in the canal towpath hedgerow as in previous winters, 25/11/99 - 2 goosander Connaught Water - A.Mids

23/11/99 KGV Res, 1 bn grebe, a 2nd winter Mediterranean gull in roost, 1 rock pipit - Robert Callf and John Stevens
Copped Hall area 424024, 500 chaffinch, 3+ bramblings, a few greenfinch, goldfinch and bullfinch, 10 skylarks, 3 little owls
Ponders End Lake, c100 mallard, 15 wigeon, 1 little grebe - A.Mids and Bill Cutts

Lee Valley Regional Park Authority Bird Report for October 1999

21/11/99 14:03 *HERTS BITTERN LEA VALLEY PARK FROM FISHER'S GREEN BITTERN WATCHPOINT - BIRDGUIDES/BIRDNET

20/11/99 Rye Meads Ringing Group, 1 Curlew North - AM, 6 Green Sandpipers around the site, 38 Snipe on the Herts & Middx meadow, 9 Water rail (seen) around the site,maybe more, clear influx - from Gary Gardiner
KGV Res - no sighting of the great northern diver as far as know today
Vicarage Farm, Enfield/Oakwood, a 1st winter Mediterranean gull - Robert Callf and Robin White
14:59 *HERTS FEM FERRUGINOUS DUCK LEA VALLEY PARK ON SEVENTY ACRES LAKE BUT ELUSIVE
HERTS BITTERN LEA VALLEY PARK FROM FISHER'S GREEN BITTERN WATCHPOINT 4PM-DUSK - BIRDGUIDES/BIRDNET

19/11/99 KGV Res, a juvenile great northern diver on the north then south basin, 3 brent geese flew low and north, WG Res 2 black necked grebes - Robert Callf
Sewardstone, c150 linnets, 50+ skylarks, 50 chaffinch, 25 meadow pipits, 15 yellowhammers, 10 goldfinch, 3 bramblings, 2 reed buntings, 1 red-legged partridge, 1 house sparrow - A.Mids, Brian Dawton

16/11/99 WG Res am, 1 slavonian grebe - Phil Vines
Farmland birds on the rough Lee Valley Park farmland just north of Sewardstone Marsh opposite Avey Lane am, est 100 linnets, 30+ skylarks, 30+ chaffinch, 25 meadow pipits, 15 yellowhammers, 15 goldfinch, 5 reed buntings, 3 bramblings, 1 greenfinch and 2 sparrowhawks in attendance, Sewardstone Marsh 5 little grebes in the relief channel, 3 redpoll - A.Mids
An owl species reported leaving the islands in front of the Bittern Watchpoint, Fisher's Green, at dusk, and the barn owl reported again at Sewardstone east of Godwin Close/Sewardstone Road - recent news from Tony Gray (not his sightings)

15/11/99 KGV Res am, one definite snow bunting flew over the causeway at quite a height and distance giving alternate whistles and trills or churrs, and eventually flew north, also 1 immature peregrine circled and flew off northwest, 1 bn grebe, 2 little grebes, 3 male black redstarts on the west or Brimsdown fence (2 adults/1 immature male, one in song), 10 goosander, 20+ goldeneye, 1 green sandpiper, 100+ mallard, 5 green woodpeckers, one rock or water pipit flew past calling - Andrew Middleton

13/11/99 13:05 *HERTS/ESSEX GREAT GREY SHRIKE LEE VALLEY SEWARDSTONE MARSH, N.OF CHINGFORD TIL 12.35 AT LST - BIRDGUIDES/BIRDNET.
Great grey shrike not relocated at Sewardstone Marsh by 3pm - several observers, and shrike not seen 14-11-99 am
Brimsdown by canal towpath - an immature male black redstart and chiffchaff, north end of KGV Res 8 little grebes, 1 ruddy shelduck, 6 goosander

12/11/99 Bittern Watchpoint, Fisher's Green, am,1 bittern, 1 ferruginous duck - various people
Amwell GP am, 1 bittern flew into reedbed, 1 adult Bewick's swan - Bill Craig/Bill Cutts
Copped Hall - 1 common buzzard - A.Mids
A 2nd winter Mediterranean gull on playing field behind Salisbury Road, Enfield Lock - Steve Connor
The Ching near Hatch Forest, Chingford, 3 woodpecker day for Ken Murray, and on 10-11-99 also.

11/11/99 Bittern Watchpoint, Fisher's Green, am,1 bittern, 1 ferruginous duck, 1 chiffchaff, 1 common buzzard - various people

10/11/99 12:17 *HERTS FEM FERRUGINOUS DUCK 2MLS NW.OF WALTHAM ABBEY AT LEA VALLEY CTRY PK ON 70-ACRES LAKE NEAR FISHER'S GREEN C/PK - BIRDGUIDES/BIRDNET
KGV Res 12-3pm, 2 or 3 bn grebes, 1 slavonian grebe, 3 Bewick's swans (2 adults and a juvenile) flew along the reservoir then strong and high to the northwest, 6 goosander, 13 goldeneye - Paul French, also 60 mallard and 3 little grebes

9/11/99 Trueloves, Lippitts Hill, 1 woodcock flew from low vegetation in 'set-aside' fields - A.Mids
Connaught Water, Epping Forest, Blue-winged teal seen today at Connaught Water, 2.15 pm., near mandarin duck roost - . Joy Park

8/11/99 10:38 *HERTS BITTERN LEA VALLEY CP FROM BITTERN HIDE TIL 10AM AT LEAST - BIRDGUIDES/BIRDNET
HERTS FEM FERRUGINOUS DUCK LEA VALLEY CTRY PK - BIRDGUIDES/BIRDNET
KGV Res pm, 1 bn grebe, 2 little grebes, 5 goosander, 5+ goldeneye, a pair of stonechats - RM Callf, also 2 bn grebes here at dusk and 5 little grebes on Ponders End Lake

7/11/99 KGV Res am, 2 stonechats and 2 black redstarts along the fence west of causeway, 9 goosander, c10 goldeneye, 1 black-necked grebe, 1 green woodpecker, 2 skylarks, 40 lapwing, 100 cormorants, 2 little grebes, 40 goldfinch
Sewardstone Marsh, 4 common snipe, 2 jack snipe, 1 chiffchaff - H.Bantock, A.Mids

4/11/99 Bittern Watchpoint, Ferruginous Duck still present -Alex McKechnie.

3/11/99 13:39 *HERTS/ESSEX FEM FERRUGINOUS DUCK FROM LEA VALLEY BITTERN WATCHPOINT - BIRDGUIDES/BIRDNET
KGV Res, 2 black necked grebes, 2 black redstarts, 2 green sandpipers, 4 goosander - I.Woodward

1/11/99 Fisher's Green, Seventy Acres Lake, a pair of mandarin, 1 migrant hawker dragonfly - Mike Cotton
KGV Res - from south end, 2 b.n. grebes. 2 little grebes

October

30-10-99 Fisher's Green, Seventy Acres Lake, female ferruginous duck - Birdguides/Birdnet
KGV Res west side, 1 stonechat - Bill Craig and Neil

29/10/99 Bittern Watchpoint, ferruginous duck on Seventy Acres Lake infront of hide, around islands and in reedbed, (female/1st winter male - the Cheshunt bird of previous 1990s winters was an adult male), 1 chiffchaff, 1 oystercatcher flew south calling, no sign of paddyfield warbler
Pochard Hide, Cheshunt, a bittern was seen to take a 20" pike which took 10 minutes to swallow (captured on video) - various people
The Ching near Hatch Forest, Chingford, 1 hawfinch - Ken Murray

28/10/99 Bittern Watchpoint, paddyfield warbler from around 9am to 6pm, also there at Fisher's Green Seventy Acres Lake a female/1st winter male ferruginous duck, 1 common tern, several bramblings overhead - from Tony Gray
Grovelands Park, Enfield 2 firecrests (ranger Barry and Robert), Abney Park Cemetery, Stoke Newington 1 firecrest, Vicarage Farm 26-10 single brambling and tree sparrow overhead, 1 stonechat - Robert Callf
LVPark farmland north of Sewardstone Marsh, 9 yellowhammers, 5 skylarks, 3 reed buntings, 100 linnets, 20 meadow pipits
Grebe Hide, Fisher's Green - an adult peregrine on the pylon as in previous winters, also recent sightings nearby - from Mike Cotton

27/10/99 Bittern Watchpoint, paddyfield warbler from soon after 8am to 11am at least, feeding in the reedbed and also high in the willows and sallows alongside the hide, occasionally calling softly, seen until dusk

26/10/99 Bittern Watchpoint, Fisher's Green, Lea Valley - paddyfield warbler in the reedbed and sallows during the day, last sighting around 5.15pm - found by Tim Hill, id help from Ian Kendal, Mike Cotton, Phil Vines, Tony Gray etc

25/10/99 KGV Res am, 3 b.n. grebes, 6 little grebes, c50 great crested grebes, c100 tufted duck, 2 green sandpipers, 1 ruddy duck, 1 goosander, 1 goldeneye, 1 green \par woodpecker, 125 cormorants, 25 linnets, 20 goldfinch, 10 greenfinch - Andrew Middleton
WG Res am, 6 b.n.grebes - Phil Vines

19/10/99 KGV Res pm, one 1st winter little gull, 2 bn grebes, 2 rock pipits, 2 goosander, 3 dunlin - Robert Callf
Nazeing, a late common tern - Tim Hill (hopefully am has correctly entered this info)

18/10/99 Grand Weir, Fisher's Green late am, a 2nd winter Mediterranean gull resting on the weir, KGV Res 1 goosander, 1 ruddy duck, 3 b.n.grebes - Phil Vines
Grovelands Park, Enfield, pm, a firecrest east of the lake, 60 \par mandarin, 4 teal and good numbers of other duck - Robert Callf

17/10/99 KGV Res 3pm, two 1st winter little gulls feeding over the south basin, 1 dunlin causeway, several rock pipits, Sewardstone 1 chiffchaff - A.Mids
A storm petrel was found recently on a boat somewhere in the Lee Valley and was handed in to the RSPB (no more details - approx 13 previous storm petrel records in London), and 1 water pipit at Rye Meads - from Richard Cope

16/10/99 KGV Res, 10.30 - 12.15. Chiffchaff in bushes to west side of North Basin by Tradeteam depot, 3 common sandpiper and 1 green sandpiper on north of south basin, female goosander and two female goldeneye at north end of north basin - Martin Shepherd

15/10/99 KGV Res pm, 2.30pm south basin 4 little gulls (2 adult winters and 2 2nd winters) and 2 still present at 6pm, 10 rock pipits, 5 black necked grebes, 5 little grebes, 1 green sandpiper, 1 common sandpiper, 1 redshank, 175 cormorants, 4 moorhen - Andrew Middleton

14/10/99 KGV Res north end pm, 9 rock pipits, 1 green \par sandpiper, 8th house martins in good numbers, 2 bn grebes, 10th 3 bn grebes, 2 goosander, 1 ruddy duck - various people
WG Res, 16 bn grebes - Phil Vines, and garganey on Cornmill 13/10/99

6/10/99 Sewardsone Marsh am, 1 jack snipe, 5 common snipe, 20 redwings and 2 fieldfares over
WG Res pm, 9 black necked grebes - A.Mids
KGV Res pm, Black necked grebe, south end of south basin. Two stonechats in bushes on west side of south basin near pub.  Wigeon, north end of north basin.  25 lapwings flying north east.  Common sandpiper, east side of north basin - Martin Shepherd

5/10/99 Chingford Plain, two waves of thrushes high and west, 1 stonechat - Ken Murray
Sewardstone, 1wheatear - Tim Hill

4/10/99 KGV Res pm, 1 male black redstart evading a sparrowhawk west of south basin, male stonechat east of north basin, 1 black necked grebe, 2 grey/black waders accidentally \par flushed flew off north, perhaps a knot and a smaller sanderling, 2 little grebes - Andrew Middleton, also 3 red headed goosander - John Fitzpatrick
Sewardstone Marsh - 2 snipe, Chingford Plain - a stonechat - Ken Murray

2/10/99 Enfield, Vicarage Farm area (private), quail again, 3 whinchat, 2 spotted flycatchers - Robert Callf and Robin White
Amwell, a swift at 10.40, one common sandpiper - from Tim Hill

1/10/99 Chingford Plain pm, 1 male ring ouzel along \par east-west ditch(again on 2nd), 1 short eared owl, 1 hobby over Bury Wood, many housemartins, some swallows (30/9/99 1 buzzard over) - Ken Murray and others.
Enfield, Vicarage Farm area pm, a quail flushed - Robert Callf and Robin White
Cornmill lunchtime, one Stonechat in the hedge south of the Wake Hide, one Garganey in the wet grassland next to the road and at Amwell, last sighting of osprey today - Tim Hill

September

30/9/99 KGV Res 9am south end only, 2 black-necked grebes, 1 black tern, 2 little grebes - A.Mids
Copped Hall, Epping - a tired nightjar being pursued by a sparrowhawk eventually came to rest out of view on private ground - Tony Gray
Cornmill, am, 1 Garganey on pool nearest road + 1 Stonechat - Alex McKechnie
KGV Res am, also 2 common sandpipers, 1 yellow wagtail, 1 goldeneye - Gary James

29/9/99 Cornmill south meadow, 1 garganey - Phil Vines
Holyfield - 5 whinchat, 1 stonechat - Phil Vines

28/9/99 KGV Res am south basin, 2 or 3 black-necked grebes, 1 black tern, 3 little grebes, a total of 50 swallows, house and sand martins, also a few yellow wagtails and common sandpipers - A.Mids

26/9/99 Cornmill, 1 garganey -Phil Vines, Chingford Plain, c.redstart - Ken Murray

25/09/99 King George V Res - 4 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Black Tern, RN Phal, 1 fem Wheatear, 7 Common Sands and lots of Swallows / House Martins esp after heavy rain shower - Andy Massey

25/9/99 KGV Res am south basin, red necked phalarope out in the north west quarter, 2 black necked grebes, 1 black tern
Chingford Plain am, 1 male redstart, constant stream of swallows south 50 in an hour
Sewardstone Marsh am, 1 hobby - Andrew Middleton
Chingford Plain mid-day, 1 male redstart, 1 stonechat, still a constant stream of swallows south 50 seen, 1 hobby - Ken Murray
Also on the KGV Res, 1 red necked grebe - Helen Bantock

24/9/99 KGV Res am, red necked phalarope 'out in the middle', 1 wheatear, 1 black necked grebe (2 at dusk), 1 black tern (on bouy at dusk)- anon am, A.Mids dusk

23/9/99 Chingford Plain, 1 male redstart, 2 stonechats, 2 hobbies - Ken Murray

23/9/99 KGV Res am, red necked phalarope 'out in the middle', 2 black necked grebes, 1 black tern, 3 c.sands - Alex McKechnie, r n phal pm - RM Callf , also 28 grt crested grebes n.basin and 13 swallows south - SR Harris

22/9/99 Chingford Plain am, 1 osprey west, 1 male redstart, 2 stonechats, 1 whinchat, 2 hobbies, less + whitethroat, 4 reed warblers, and also 6 blackcaps in his garden - Ken Murray

22/9/99 KGV Res am, red necked phalarope and 3 black necked grebes - BirdNet Pager Sightings
KGV pm 1 black tern, 1 wheatear, 1 whinchat - A.Mids, also 2 little grebes + rn.phal at 7.15pm - Steve Connor, 1 rock pipit - RM Callf
Cornmill - 1 ruff, wood sand reported earlier, a hornet's nest by car park exit - Bill Cutts and Bill Craig

21/9/99 KGV Res am, the juvenile red necked phalarope on the south basin from 8-1.30pm at least, but flighty, still generally out in the middle, 3 black necked grebes, 3 yellow wagtails, also 1 tree pipit, 1 whinchat and spot fly Sewardstone - various people
WG Res (private) am, 13 black necked grebes, 3 greenshank, 3 green sandpipers, 1 ringed plover, 1 wheatear - Phil Vines
KGV Res 11am, 1 common redstart west of north basin, perhaps 250m north of causeway, in bushes along the boundary fence - Tony Gray

20/9/99 KGV Res pm, the juvenile red necked phalarope on the south basin until 6.30pm at least, but flighty, still generally out in the middle, also 1 whinchat, single whimbrel, ruff and 3 greenshank through, 2 c.terns, 1 green sandpiper - various people

20/9/99 KGV Res am, juvenile red necked phalarope on the south basin from 7.30 -10.30 am at least, but flighty, generally out in the middle, also 1 hobby, 1 swift, 2 black necked grebes, 600 house martins, also swallows, sand martins, yellow wagtails and common sandpipers - Andrew Middleton

19/9/99 Amwell gravel pits:10.45 am and 11.05am - the osprey in flight - Helen Bantock

18/9/99 WG Res pm, 17.00-19.00 - 3 black-necked Grebes in the East and North East sectors, 1 Slavonian Grebe North West sector and 1 Whinchat in the nettle field to the North West of the resevoir. Also Osprey reported at Amwell 3.00 and almost daily for the past 10 days - Pat Hart
KGV Res, 1 swift and a black necked grebe - Fitzpatrick and Clancy

17/9/99 Amwell GPs, osprey in flight around 3pm and 5pm, also a hobby, 1 c.sand and snipe at least - various people

16/9/99 Juvenile Osprey still at Amwell GPs this evening - Herts Bird Club
KGV Res, 6 c.sands, 200 house martins, 1 yellow wagtail ( report of a red rumped swallow from Walthamstow Res on Wed 15th from a knowledgeable warden )

14/9/99 Herts, Amwell GPs, osprey in flight am - Phil Vines
KGV Res am, 30 meadow pipits, 2 c.sands, 2 c.terns, 1 male black redstart along west side, 10 swallows, 50 housemartins, no yellow wagtails, Sewardstone Marsh 25 meadow pipits

13/9/99 Cornmill 1 ruff - Tony Gray, KGV Res am, 6 c.terns, 4 c.sandpipers, 20 yellow wagtails, 100 housemartins, 1 meadow pipit, 1 swallow

11/9/99 WG Res, 18 redshank flew south, 13 greenshank present - Phil Vines

10/9/99 Herts, Amwell GPs, osprey for 3rd day - birdnet/birdguides

9/9/99 WG Res am, 9 black terns, 2 red crested pochards, 3 greenshank, 3 ringed plover, 3 common sandpipers, 10 black necked grebes - Phil Vines, and a probable 'Russian' common gull Larus canus heinei (larger and darker than nominate race) here 8-9-99
KGV Res am, 25 yellow wagtails, 50 housemartins, 2 common sandpipers - A.Mids

7/9/99 One Greenshank at Holyfield Hall Farm this morning, next to the access road, between the farms, next to the manure heap. Single Garganey at Amwell all weekend - Tim Hill

(6/9/99 Fairlop, Essex 7-10am no sign of the wryneck seen last night by Alan Bell by the 'lagoon' but a pied flycatcher between the lagoon and the horse paddocks, Barking Marsh am, 1 common redstart 200m on left, 5 whinchat, 1 wheatear, 19 grey partridge, KGV Res pm, 1 adult hobby, 25 yellow wagtails - A.Mids)

5/9/99 KGV Res am, 9am 4 sandwich terns south - Phil Vines (4th 25 yellow wagtails Tony Clancy)

3/9/99 KGV Res am, 2 hobbies, 15 yellow wagtails, 5 common sandpipers - Ron King and A.Mids

2/9/99 Long Running, the male black darter holding territory by the unfenced pond, and the possibility of a female seen too - Alan Spicer and Tony Gray

1/9/99 Long Running, no sign of black darter in good weather conditions - John Stevens (no sign late on 30/8 or 31/8 either - A.Mids)

August

30/8/99 Long Running, n/e of Wake Arms roundabout, Epping Forest - one male black darter holding territory by the unfenced pond at the north end of the cattle enclosure - John Stevens
(The status of black darter in Essex seems to be that of a scarce breeding species in Epping Forest from the distant past, with rare forest sightings in recent decades thought to be of wandering or migrant insects. I think the pond itself has been made by the conservators in just the last few years, and the site is being managed with cattle to promote the heathland habitat which used to be widespread in the forest. This positive management with its fences etc has not been welcomed by all, but its conservation value is evident. Long Running has now attracted two typical heathland species of dragonfly in 1999 - black darter and keeled skimmer - which seem to have never been seen in Essex outside the forest - ref Benton in The Dragonflies of Essex 1988, and other information)

30/8/99 WG Res am, 1 moulting sanderling, 3 greenshank, 1 wheatear, 10 black necked grebes, 1 goldeneye, 5 green sandpipers, 1 little ringed plover - Phil Vines (Sun 29th?)

28/8/99 Potwells, Herts 216 031, a male redstart in the bottom hedge - Tony Clancy, A.Mids (Sat 28th?)

27/8/99 Fisher's Green Grand Weir, 1 little tern briefly am - Tony Gray
Holyfield pm, 3 greenshanks, green sandpipers, snipe, 4 ringed plovers, 1 wheatear - Tony Clancy
4 juv Spotted Flycatchers nr Pepper Alley-Lippitts Hill and 8 swifts Kings Head Hill - R.Cope

26/8/99 WG Res, no sign of r.n.phal by 8am - Richard Cope etc, 2 bar tailed godwits here, 6.30 am 30+lapwing, 10+common sand pipers, 6+black necked grebes, 2 green sandpipers, 2 bar tailed godwits, 1 ringed plover - Tristan and Helen Bantock
KGV Res am, 3 black terns, 6 common sandpipers, 5 yellow wagtails, 1 black redstart along the west side - Tony Gray, A.Mids

25/8/99 KGV Res am, 3 black terns, 10 common sandpipers, 10 yellow wagtails - A.Mids (also rnph WG - PJV - trying to arrange access)
Two poor shots one and two of the juvenile red-necked phalarope which Phil Vines found on the WG Res 25-8-99 - am

24/8/99 WG Res am (private), 9 black necked grebes, 7 common sandpipers - Phil Vines and Tony Gray

(23/8/99 Essex - Barking 120 common terns, 3 black terns - Rainham, Aveley, 1 little stint - A.Mids and Bill Cutts)

22/8/99 KGV Res am, LITTLE TERNS-two were flying with 3 little gulls(one juv, two first winter) on the north basin. Also six common sandpipers and two juvenile grey wagtails - Helen Bantock

21/08/99 King George V Res - Little Egret flew N low up the drainage channel at 12:00 but could not be relocated, 3 Common Sand N basin
Cornmill Meadows - 1 Green Sand - Andy Massey

21/8/99 KGV Res am north end, 1 wheatear, 1 yellow wagtail, west of causeway 2 whinchats (2 wheatears, 1 redshank on Friday) - various people
Also 7 or 8 black necked grebes WG Res - Phil Vines

19/8/99 KGV Res pm, 1 juvenile little gull, 2 black terns, 3 swifts
Hall Marsh pm, 2 greenshanks, 6 green sandpipers - A.Mids

18/8/99 KGV Res north basin pm, 1 juvenile little gull

16/8/99 Fisher's Green-the goose field am, 1 garganey, 2 common snipe (also 1 or 2 whinchat here to 20th)
Cornmill Meadows am 6 green sandpipers, 1 greenshank - Bill Cutts and Bill Craig

15/8/99 Fisher's Green-the goose field am, 1 juvenile spotted redshank, 1 black tailed godwit, 1 garganey, 3 green sandpipers, 2 common snipe, 1 greenshank, 5 swallows, also 75 common terns Holyfield lake - various people
Cornmill Meadows am 6 green sandpipers
KGV Res am, 3 little guls including 1 juvenile, c10 arctic terns, 2 common sandpipers - Helen Bantock

14/08/99 Cornmill Meadows 1 Spot Redshank, 1 Dunlin, 8+ Green Sands & 1 Whinchat - Andy Massey

14/8/99 Cornmill Meadows, Waltham Abbey am, a juvenile spotted redshank - Terry Smith, also whinchat and 2 common snipe - Mike Cotton, and 1 black tern Holyfield Lake
WG Reservoir pm, 1 sanderling, 1 dunlin, 3 ringed plovers, 1 redshank, 1 juvenile little gull, 1 juvenile Mediterranean gull, several common and green sandpipers - Ken Murray

11/8/99 WG Res, 4 oystercatchers - Phil Vines

10/8/99 Fisher's Green-the goose field, 1 juvenile little gull, WG Res 1 oystercatcher - Phil Vines
KGV Res pm, 1 red necked grebe, 15 common sandpipers, 1 dunlin, 1 juvenile little gull and 1 black tern north basin - A.Mids

9/8/99 Fisher's Green-the goose field am, 1 juvenile little gull, 1 greenshank, c5 green sandpipers, 1 garganey had gone by 10am
Cornmill am, 6 green sandpipers, 1 little ringed plover, 4 common snipe, 100 lapwing
Walthamstow Res, 3 garganey, 1 red-crested pochard - various people

8/8/99 Cornmill, c15 green sandpipers, c5 greenshank, Fisher's Green/goose field am, 6 common snipe, 3 greenshanks and green sandpipers, 1 little gull - Tony Gray
WG Res pm, 5 black necked grebes (6 on Friday inc 5 summer and 1 winter plumage), 1 adult sanderling, 1 oystercatcher, 1 redshank, c5 each common and green sandpipers - Ken Murray/A.Mids
KGV Res, Common Sandpipers (10-20 very mobile), Red-Necked Grede ( 1 summer plumage), Common Terns (10-20 feeding 10 young on raft north end north basin), Grey Wagtail (1), Kingfisher ( 1 flew over), Sparrowhawk ( 1 flew over), Sand Martins (40), Tufted Duck (80-100) - Pat Hart

7/8/99 Ponders End lake, 2 pairs of little grebes, one with young, one brood of tufted ducks, common terns still present

6/8/99 KGV Res pm south basin, 1 adult red-necked grebe, 15 common sandpipers - A.Mids

5/8/99 KGV Res am, 1 adult red-necked grebe, perhaps the bird which has returned for several winters - Phil Vines

4/8/99 Amwell GP area, 2 little egrets pm - news from Tony Gray

2/8/99 KGV Res 50+ terns at dusk including 10+ black terns in fading light - A.Mids, also black terns calling over Enfield Lock around 4pm - Steve Connor

July

31/7/99 WG Res am, 2 juvenile Mediterranean gulls on banks, 2 sanderling, 1 dunlin, 4 black necked grebes, 1 turnstone, 5 green sandpipers, also juvenile black headed, common and lesser black backed gulls, common sandpipers, hundreds of moulting tufted duck - Phil Vines

30/7/99 WG Res, 1 sanderling, 1 greenshank, 5 black necked grebes, 1 goldeneye - Phil Vines, lesser black backed gulls have bred at Walthamstow Res - Warwick Res
2 separate spotted flycatchers giving alarm calls (breeding) Broxbourne TL358 074 - A.Mids, also good populations of marsh tits in Broxbourne Woods, Wormley Wood and Northaw Great Wood, Herts
Butterflies seen in this area - ringlet, meadow brown, peacock, common blue, brown argus, purple hairstreak, gatekeeper, large and small white, comma, dragonflies - brown, southern and perhaps one common hawker in flight, ruddy and common darters, black tailed skimmer, common and blue tailed damselflies

27/7/99 WG Res am, 1 knot, 1 sanderling, 4 dunlin, 1 turnstone, 4 redshank, 1 green sandpiper, 15 common sandpipers, 2 ringed plovers, 3 black necked grebes, 1 ruddy shelduck, 1 pairt of shelduck with 3 young, 1 juvenile cuckoo, 1 greater spotted woodpecker - Phil Vines and A.Mids

25/7/99 Little Berkhamstead, Herts, 3 crossbills over - A.Mids and S.Connor

24/7/99 Rye Meads, 1 greenshank, single marbled white, ringlet and purple hairstreak in the last few days - Richard Cope

23/7/99 WG Res am, 1 turnstone - Phil Vines, 1 wood sandpiper reported briefly from Cornmill

14/7/99 KGV Res pm, 3 common sandpipers, one greenshank over, 25 tufted duck, 10 great crested grebes, a few swallows, swifts and sand martins

13/7/99 Cornmill, one ruff - Phil Vines, 12 green sandpipers also reported from here recently
2 white legged damselflies seen in a brief search of Rammey Marsh, Enfield Lock.

10/7/99 a goldeneye on WG Res - Phil Vines

8th,9th and 10th/7/99 A male keeled skimmer Long Running, n/e of Wake Arms roundabout, Epping Forest, by wet flash 10m north of fenced crater pond, probably second Essex record, and the first since 1900 - several observers, also emerald damselflies here, and downy emeralds and four spotted chasers nearby at Wake Valley Pond.

8/7/99 Up to 5 emerald damselflies out at Long Running Pond, Epping Forest and Ludgate Pond towards Chingford

7/7/99 Trent Park, Enfield, one marbled white - Robert Callf

5/7/99 KGV Res pm, 2 common sandpipers, two hobby hawking insects over the south of the reservoir/Lee Valley Road to 9.45pm, purple hairstreaks out on Pole Hill, Chingford - A.Mids and Richard Cope

3/7/99 Cornmill, 13 black-tailed godwits briefly reported

2/7/99 WG Res, 3 black-necked grebes - Phil Vines
Northaw Wood, 10 white admirals, purple hairstreak, white letter hairstreak and gatekeeper also seen - A.Mids

1/7/99 A purple hairstreak out at Northaw Great Wood
Cornmill Meadows, 10 little ringed plovers, 4 green sandpipers - Tony Gray
WG Res - oystercatcher - Phil Vines

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