As anyone lost a canary?

Dave sent in this pic of a cracking bird spotted in a garden in Herne Hill recently, is it yours?:

Bird of the week (photo via DC)

More:

Burgess Park: small flock Redwing, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Pochard, 1 Grey Wagtail (WW)

Crystal Palace Park: 4 x male Shoveler on the lake. 2 swimming with its cousin the Shovlard on a small pond by the dinosaurs and 2 on the main lake. Hundreds of Black Headed Gulls. Small flock of Redwing by Jubilee Stand. + Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Crow, Magpie, Jay, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Wren, Blackbird, Goldcrest, Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet, Song Thrush, Starling, Goldfinch (26th) (DB)

 

Dansons Park (Bexleyheath): Ferruginous Duck present (31st) (PB)

Dulwich Upper Wood: 3 Green Woodpecker (26th) (DB)

East Dulwich:  f Blackcap coming to garden feeder (MS)

Forest Hill (Cranston Road): Peregrine reported over (1st) (WW)

New Cross Gate: 2 Jackdaw over (30th) (PB)

Peckham Rye: BH Gull, c20 Common Gull, Carrion Crow, 3 Jay, 5 Magpie, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Canada Goose, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, 2 Coal Tit, 5 Chaffinch, 1 Greenfinch, 4 Goldfinch, 5 Goldcrest, c30 Fieldfare, 1 Song Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Nuthatch, 1m Sparrowhawk (25th) (MS) + 20 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush (25th) (DC)

Sydenham Hill Wood: Firecrest still (to 30th)

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F is for...

...Finally!

Firecrest (Regus ignicapillus) at SHW, just like this one...courtesy T.Voekler/WikiCommons

It's been some time coming but last Thursday (17th) a visiting birder to Sydenham Hill Wood spotted a superb FIRECREST up in the vicinity of the Crescent Wood Road entrance. This is an elusive bird in the area, recorded sporadically most winters, but not so far in 2012/13 so we were all chuffed at the news. Not only that, just to rub it in, TWO birds were reported. By a quirk of fate, I was working at home on Thursday afternoon, so when Dan texted me all thoughts of a productive afternoon largely went out the window, down the road and over to the wood. Arriving at the top entrance, I checked the big Yew where it was reported but there was nothing. A bit further along the path, I found Dan loitering by a holly bush, doing a passable firecrest impression...but another pair of eyes and 5 minutes later we caught up with a small flock of goldcrests nearby where, amongst the busy flutterings, was a single Firecrest. It was always on the move, favouring the dense ivy-clad trees by the path but it gave a couple of great views on and off for half an hour. Lovely. Happily a few others have spotted it over the last few days too with it last being seen on the 20th - here's hoping it sticks around. Bird of the Week done and dusted.

The cold snap last Friday has kept things interesting in the area over the last few days. Two drake Shovelers are back on Dulwich lake, redpolls are in the area and Julian had a Siskin on his backgarden feeder. A single Linnet was a great find this morning in Long Meadow/Dulwich Wood Ave by Doug - a very notable local record. There was a male Kestrel over Dulwich Park today and a regular male Sparrowhawk has been causing the usual bother in SHW. This morning the wood was filled with the sound of three Nuthatches calling loudly from the area near the Folly, a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker was conspicuous on Cox's Walk too. Over the weekend there was lots of movement of thrushes, continuing today with Redwing over DP and several flocks of Fieldfare moving north/north west mid-morning. Several of the latter, alighted briefly in trees around London Wildlife Trust's Centre for Wildlife Gardening: 

Winter warmer: Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) East Dulwich, today

In other exciting news, you can now follow our south London bird wanderings on Twitter. Yep, a big week, truly our downy fledgling is taking on the shades of ooh, first-winter finery. Thanks for reading, cheers all.

PB

Passer erroneous

Christmas is out of the way so it's back to work for South London's finest...

Martin and Pete are kicking off the year by Footin' It around the area, stay tuned for more on that as they get desperate and end up walking 3 miles to see a Pied Wagtail...otherwise, business as usual:

Belair Park: Siskins in Alders (3rd) (MS/DC)

Brookmill Park: Blackbird (9), Wren (5), Robin (6), Blue Tit (6), Moorhen (8), Coot (1), Mallard (33), Little Grebe (1), Carrion Crow, Great Tit (3), Dunnock (1), Grey Wagtail (1), Goldcrest (5), Starling (2), Jay (1), Chaffinch (5), Kingfisher (1), Mandarin duck (1) (all 5th) (PB/LA)

REALLY GREAT PHOTO of a Kingfisher, Brookmill Park, Lewisham 5/1/13

Crystal Palace Park (inc. Lake): Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Wren, Dunnock (two males following a female by one of the Sphinxes), Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Redwing (flock of 20), Pied Wagtail, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Crow, Magpie, Jay, Goldfinch, Greenfinch (female), Chaffinch (female), Woodpigeon, Starling, Cormorant (3 1w), Grey Heron, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Canada Goose, Moorhen, Coot, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Black Headed Gull, Herring Gull, Ring Necked Parakeet (5th) (DB)

Dulwich Park: m/f Teal on lake, 12 Redwing, 32 Goldfinch (5th) (MS) 

Nunhead Cemetery: Blackbird (17), Song Thrush (8 w/7 singing), Dunnock (4), Blue tit (15), Magpie, Carrion Crow, Robin (15), Ring-necked bastard (11), Long-tailed Tit (1), Wren (10), Goldcrest (4), Treecreeper (1), Greenfinch (6), Chaffinch (8), Great Tit (9), Goldfinch (16), Coal Tit (1), Jay (1) (PB/LA)

South Norwood Lake: Little Grebe, Mute Swan, Goldcrest (6th) (DB)

Sydenham Hill Wood: Blackbird, Great tit, Blue tit, Coal tit (vocal), Long-tailed tit, Ring necked paracoot, Stock Dove (notable), Woodpigeon, Mistle Thrush (pair), Song Thrush, Nuthatch (lots of trilling, 3 birds min.), Treecreeper, Wren, Robin, Carrion crow, Magpie, Jay (7th) (DG)

It's a tough call for Bird of the Week, but the pair of Teal that spent a day on Dulwich Park lake are narrowly pipped by the 'sparrow that never was'. A minor local twitch was on the cards for ooh, about 23 minutes, as we pondered a potential Tree Sparrow in our midst. Turned out to be a typo and its townie cousin instead, but that's ok - we love ALL sparrows.

A notable shift in bird behaviour has been apparent this week with many birds now beginning to sing and establish territories. It's interesting to see the sudden appearance of Song Thrush and Coal Tit particularly in the sightings - both regularly heard (if not seen) over the weekend. The change in two weeks is remarkable but birds are finely tuned to the minor changes taking place around us as spring approaches. That's a nice thought isn't it...

Happy New Year all - here's to a great year, good 'migging and maybe a South London special or two - a Pied Fly maybe? Or even another Cuckoo for Sydenham Hill Wood? Who knows...what's on your wish list for 2013?

Thank You: Lisa A, Doug B, Pete B, Dave C, Dan G, Martin S et al.

This blog is done by a friendly bunch of birders from South London who get out and about whenever they can. We really love our parks and green spaces and all those weeds coming through the cracks. We always love to hear about new sightings...or old ones...or wildly speculative ones, so feel free to drop us a line below. Or get in touch at southlondonbirds@gmail.com if you want to gossip, bitch or help us find a sodding Firecrest...Thanks!

Sheppey Magic 15/12/12

Last Saturday saw the first annual South London birders Christmas bash, in the form of a jaunt down to the Isle of Sheppey. It was an excellent day out and a chance to put some names to faces finally...

Meeting just south of Leysdown around 10ish, we parked up next to the beach where a small flock of Sanderling were skittering back and forth on the rising tide. In amongst them were a good few Turnstones, Oycs and a single Dunlin, while Redshanks and Curlews shrieked nearby. Offshore, large numbers of birds alternately bobbed and shifted on the water - Teal, Mallard, Wigeon and Brent Goose making up the bulk along with a distant flock of Common Scoters and a few grebes and Pintails in the mix. In the adjacent fields, the crop had recently been cut leaving vast tracts of muddy pools and stubble. Four Marsh Harriers patrolled in the distance, flushing bucket loads of Woodpigeons and what looked like Snipe. From the scruffy clumps of hedgerow we passed, Reed Buntings called and Linnets squeaked by over head. Save the fact that I fell on my arse twice, I love the walk along this stretch of the coast.

Sanderlings on the shore...somewhere

Miggers (L-R): Ernie, Steve, Martin, Dave (socks)

"That says 'naturist' guys, not 'naturalist'..."

Down at Shellness a much larger flock of Dunlin spooked at our presence and bolted off round the other side of the Hamlet, twisting like sea starlings. With the tide now high, endless flocks of Oystercatchers followed, along with more Turnstones and several hundred Grey Plover. With the weather rolling in a bit the saltings were pretty quiet; several Skylarks chirruped and drifted by, with Meadow Pipits pinging up here and there like little streaky flares. A contentious pipit held up proceedings a bit as it scuttled about on some weedy shingle nearby and I tried in vain to convince the others it wasn’t a meadow. It just looked a bit too ‘sturdy’ I felt, with broader streaking...they weren’t having it though. It probably was a meadow but with a trip to Berkshire in mind, I no doubt had pipits in the brain. ‘Mock Pipit’ indeed.

After a bit of lunch by the old pillbox, which served as a useful windbreak, we skirted round the marsh before heading back as showers licked our feet. The next stop was Capel Fleet to watch the harriers coming in and try for a Short-eared Owl. We didn’t get the latter but the harriers were magnificent as ever. A slow procession over an hour and a half saw around 16-18 birds by my reckoning. Best of all was a ringtail Hen Harrier which cruised by, jinking low over the fields in the late-afternoon light. Real class, you don't get them in Dulwich. To top it off we stopped in at the Ferry for a nice pint and warm up before home. All in all a really enjoyable day out, here’s to next one. Happy Christmas you lot!

Ernie goes commando

Oystercatchers on the High Tide roost, Shellness, Sheppey, 15/12/12

Full list:

Sanderling, Dunlin, Turnstone, Oystercatcher, Brent Goose (Dark-bellied), Curlew, Redshank, Teal, Mallard, Wigeon, Great-crested Grebe, Common Scoter (offshore), Pintail, Grey Plover, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Gull, Black-headed Gull, Linnet, Meadow Pipit, Woodpigeon, Reed Bunting, House Sparrow, Mistle Thrush, Goldfinch, Blue Tit, Shelduck, Marsh Harrier, Carrion Crow, Rook, Lapwing, Skylark, Redwing, Snipe, Mute Swan, Fieldfare, Chaffinch, Grey Heron, Kestrel, Hen Harrier, Red-legged Partridge, Little Egret, Starling, Blackbird.


This blog is done by a friendly bunch of birders from South London who get out and about whenever they can. We really love our parks and green spaces and all those weeds coming through the cracks. We always love to hear about new sightings...or old ones...or wildly speculative ones, so feel free to drop us a line below. Or get in touch at southlondonbirds@gmail.com if you want to gossip, bitch or help us find a sodding Firecrest...Thanks!

A golden Goose...

First things first, some sightings from last week and a real South London MEGA sitting pretty in South Norwood for a few days at least:

Brookmill Park (Lewisham): 1 Little Grebe, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Grey Wagtail, Goldcrest, Greenfinch, 2 Cormorant (over) Sparrowhawk (Deptford) (16th) (LA)

Camberwell Old Cemetery: 1 Waxwing over (12^th) (MS) Green Woodpecker (New Cem) (WW)

Horniman Gardens: Sparrowhawk (13^th) (DG)

Nunhead Cemetery: 7 Goldcrest, several Redwing over W (12^th) (MS)

Peckham Rye: 20 Lapwing over W (12^th), 5 more SW (13^th) + Coal Tit, fem Sparrowhawk (all MS) Grey Wagtail by lake (WW)

South Norwood Lake: adult female GOOSANDER (13^th-16^th at least?) (GH)

Sydenham Hill Wood: Jackdaw (notable) flying E (16th) (DG)

Congrats to Gavin for turning up a fine female Goosander on South Norwood Lake last Thursday, your Bird of the Week prize has been wrested free from Martin's Lapwings. With no sizeable water-bodies in the area (perhaps with the exception of Burgess Park) a top-notch migrant sawbill is a great score and a first ever record for the lake apparently. Let's face it, last month we threw a party when a Shoveler turned up in Dulwich, so Goosander is an all-night rave:

Mergus merganser 
(not the Norwood bird by the way, but any excuse to admire a redhead...)

South London - it gives you 'Wings (Pt 2)...:Lapwings. Vanellus vanellus. Always nice to see these, but only seen on seasonal passage round these parts especially in periods of freezing weather. The little movement last week coincided with birds elsewhere in London.

Little Grebe a nice find in Brookmill Park too (thanks Lisa). I think this bird popped up on London Birders recently, it's always interesting what that tiny thread of green space turns up.

Thanks all...stay tuned for a write up of the first annual SoLomig Christmas bash to Sheppey. A top day out, and yes, Dave kept his clothes on...

(Words/Photos by Pete)

This blog is done by a friendly bunch of birders from South London who get out and about whenever they can. We really love our parks and green spaces and all those weeds coming through the cracks. We always love to hear about new sightings...or old ones...or wildly speculative ones, so feel free to drop us a line below. Or get in touch at southlondonbirds@gmail.com if you want to gossip, bitch or help us find a sodding Firecrest...Thanks!

South London - it gives you 'Wings...

Sightings 3rd - 9th Dec:

Belair Park: c6 Siskin w/ Goldfinch in Alders (3rd) (DC)

Brockley: 2 Waxwing reported on 3rd (not sure where?) (PB)

Brookmill Park (Lewisham): 1 Dunnock, 2 Grey Heron, c20 Mallard, c10 Moorhen, 1 Mandarin duck, c30 Black headed Gull (creek), 2 Grey Wagtail  (1 first winter) c10 Goldfinch, 1 Wren, 1 Kestrel (in flight heading east) (8th) (LA)

Dulwich Park: 15 Redwing (over eastwards in three groups), 1 Redpoll flew over in the opposite direction (6th) (MS)

Nunhead Cemetery: 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Green Woodpecker (heard), 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5-6 Goldcrest, c5 Ring-necked Parakeet (9th) (PB/LA)

Nunhead area:  1 Kestrel high NE, possible flock of 8 Waxwings over Haberdasher Aske playing fields SW towards Cemetery/beyond – seen at distance (9th) (PB/LA)

Good to see Kestrels making an appearance again, hadn't seen any for a while. Otherwise a quieter week perhaps, but then many have found themselves coming down with a seasonal bout of Waxwing fever. Luckily the cure was close at hand with the area getting a double whammy of Waxwing action in the last 10 days. True they're just 'off patch' at the moment but we're not picky and a few of us have connected with the little punks in Shirley and Streatham. Needless to say we're all in agreement - absolutely fantastic birds. Just a matter of time before we hit the jackpot closer to home surely?

Enjoy:

(Waxwings, Shirley 1/12/12 - photos by this guy)

Thanks all!

Peckham Rye Gullfest + more sightings (Nov)

Peckham Rye Gullfest 27/11/12 - contact Dave for your souvenir t-shirt

Gulls - what's their game eh? Lots of regular movement in and around the area in recent weeks has caught the attention of several solomiggers. Theories have abounded as to their origin and destination but it turns out it was all a ruse as the Black-headed hordes returned this week to seize Peckham Rye Park! It made for a pretty spectacular sight last Tuesday lunchtime with hundreds of gulls probing the sodden turf for worms and such like. A couple of us logged figures around the 500 mark at lunch, until the boss turned up mid-afternoon to nail it thus: c780 Black-heads across the park and adjacent playing fields. In amongst the throng were at least 5 Commons and a handul of Lesser Blacks. Like I said, really nice to see and as a result I'm making the underrated and overlooked Black-headed Gull our controversy-free Bird of the Week. Check out some more info here on this characterful and now amber-listed Larid here and this nice article from London Wildlife Trust.

Coming a close second was Will's report of a possible Little Owl in Camberwell Old Cemetery recently. Hopefully that's one whose time will come.

On with the show:

Camberwell Old Cemetery – possible Little Owl reported (w/c 12th) (WW)

Crystal Palace Park: Peregrine on tower, 5 Redwings SW (23rd) (DC)

Dulwich Park: c5 Redwings feeding on Yew berries, m Shoveler (23rd), up to 20 Lesser Redpolls present in area (Va)

Lewisham: 2 Fieldfare on a rooftop on Lewisham Way (26th) (DG)

New Cross area: Redwing over calling in darkness (23rd), Sparrowhawk on Tanners Hill tower block (27th), 12 Greenfinch, 7 Chaffinch, Mistle Thrush, Pr Great Spotted Woodpecker in Telegraph Hill Lower (28th) (AF/PB)

Peckham Rye Park: c780 Black-headed gulls present (notable), feeding on muddy common/football pitches inc at least 5 Common, 2 Lesser Black-backed (1 ad) (27th) + c50 Starling (Va)

And of course, we knew they were coming, but it looks like Shirley (Croydon) had the first South London stick-around Waxwings of the winter – first reported via London Birders on the 27th I think and present til the 29th at least. Here's hoping...

WAXWING UPDATE (3/12/12) ---> got 'em! More details next time!

Feel free to get in touch with us below or via southlondonbirds@gmail.com.

Good weather, good winds, good birding.

Thanks all:  Dave C,  Martin S, Adam F, Will W, Dan G, Pete B,