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,