Appendix - Wildlife 2007 - Birds

(Click for a review of the wildlife during, 2000 2001 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008)

Birds

Great Crested Grebe : a pair mating on Ornamental Waters in Wanstead Park on 12 March (PF & PS) (photo); two(?) young on parent's back on Ornamental Waters, 29 May (PS) 1 June, the pair on Ornamental Waters have got 4 chicks. (PS)

Little Grebe : adults feeding a single chick on Heronry Pond, 9 September (PF); much more in evidence on the Ornamental Water in December, after the lake was re-filled. Now, presumably, they can fish. (PS)

Common Sandpiper : a flock of six flying up and down the Perch Pond for some time from about 16.00 after heavy storms, on 20 July (PS) (Val Saunders) (PF)

Mute Swan : sitting on nest on Ornamental Waters on 22 March. They have moved a few yards east this year from their usual nest on Swan Island; they are now on the margin of Castle Island. (PS) 7 Cygnets with parents on Ornamental Waters on 8 May (PF) (photo); 6 cygnets on Perch Pond, 30 May (PS)

Canada Geese with three goslings on Ornamental Waters on 9 May (PS)

Gadwall : just a few on Ornamental Waters in Wanstead Park on 12 March (PF & PS); 2 on Ornamental Water, 31 August (PS); Many on Ornamental Waters in late September. (PF)

Shoveller : 5 on Perch Pond, 31 August (PS); About 5 pair on Hollow Ponds on 17 December (PF)

Mallard : with 13 ducklings on jubilee pond on 18 March. They are at least 3 weeks old, which means the first egg must have been laid in mid January. (PS)

Pochard : 3 pairs on 24 January (PS)

Tufted Duck : with 4 young near the grotto on 12 July (PS); only 3 ducklings on 19 July (PF) (photo)

Teal : a pair north of Rook Island, 29 October (PS); seen most days during early December on O.W. (PS); 7 on 27 December - 4m 3f near Lincoln Island (PS)

Hobby : Bush Wood Flats at 20.10 on 27 April (PS); A pair over the Grove apparently jointly trying to catch a Swift on 4 May (PS); a hobby over the redbridge roundabout heading south towards Wanstead Park on 17 July (PS)

Water Rail : at west end of Perch Pond, Wanstead Park, on 3rd January (PF)

Coot : one sitting on nest on Ornamental Waters on 22 March. (PS)

Skylark : Singing over Wanstead Flats on 11 March (PF)

Great Spotted Woodpeckers : heard drumming in various parts of Wanstead Park on 8th January (PS); a number seen in Gilbert's Slade on 17 December (PF)

Redwing  : one near Lincoln Island, three more flying n/w over the Plain in Wanstead Park on 4 January (PS)  2+ near Florries Hill, Wanstead Park on13 December (PS)

Collared Dove : 20+ on north side of Perch Pond on 8th January (PS)

Grey Wagtail : One on the bank of Lincoln Island, north side, on 5 June (PS);  Near Pump House on Ornamental Water (carrying food - a good indication of young in the nest) on 7 June (PS); On the bank of the Ornamental Water near the daffodil site on 26 June (PS); an immature bird by Roding near the Pump House on 6 July (PS); by Fortifications on 8 August (PS); one pair at the southern arm of the OW and the other near the pump house on 8 September (PF); two adults on the roding near pump house 10 September (PS)

Song Thrush : Singing in Wanstead Park on 12 March (PF & PS)

Mistle Thrush : Singing in Wanstead Park on 12 March (PF & PS)

Blackcap : in Capel Road garden on 27 January (PF); singing in Capel Road garden/Manor Park Cemetery at 8am on 13 March (PF), a male in Capel Road garden on 30 November (PF)

Chiffchaff : At least four heard in Wanstead Park on 12 March (PF & PS), 1 by Perch Pond 9 December (PF)

Willow Warbler : Wanstead Flats on 14 April. (PF); One in Sewage Works on 2 May (PS)

Common Whitethroat : on Wanstead Flats fairground area on 4 May. (Kathy Hartnett)

Goldfinch : 8 in Dell on 24 January (PS)

Chaffinch : 10+ in the dell 24 January (PS), 2 in Capel Road garden on 7 March (PF)

Linnet : 1 by Perch Pond 9 December (PF)

Reed Bunting : by Cat and Dog Pond on Wanstead Flats, 3 March (PS)

House Martin : two over the Plain in Wanstead Park on 1 April (PS); two over Heronry Pond on 25 June (PS)

Sand Martin :  At least a dozen over heronry pond on 25 June (PS); 40 plus over Heronry Pond on 26 June (PS)

Swift : Over Bush Wood on 24 April (PF); One over the Grove in Wanstead Park on 30 April (PS); Swifts everywhere on 2 May (PS)

Cuckoo : one heard on Wanstead Flats near Leytonstone on 13 May (PS)

Kingfisher : on the Southern Arm of the Ornamental Waters on 12 June (PS); near the Grotto on 2 July and 6 July (PS); on the Roding near pump house 7 August (PS); Perch Pond, 10 September (PS)

Moorhen : 2 chicks by the fortification, 8 August (PS)

Spotted Flycatcher : 4 on Wanstead Flats, 11 August (PF)

Pied Flycatcher : Rook Island Wanstead Park, 31 August (PS)

Fieldfair : 8 flying south over the plain, 19 October (PS)

Siskin : 25+ in the Dell and west of Perch Pond, 26 November (PS), 1 by Perch Pond 9 December (PF)

Stonechat : 2 on the Plain, Wanstead Park on 10 December (PS)

Goldcrest : one by Northumberland Road entrance to Wanstead Park on 21 December (PS).

Bird Report by Jonathan Lethbridge

Up until mid December 2007 I have seen 67 species in Wanstead Park and in Bush Wood, though I only started proper record keeping in March. List is as follows, with some of perhaps the more interesting ones below.

Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Ruddy Duck, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Hobby, Moorhen, Coot, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Black Headed Gull, Common Tern, Rock Dove, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Swift, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Sky Lark, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Robin, Dunnock, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Redpoll, House Sparrow, Starling, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow.

There was an excellent concentration of tits and migrant warblers in the bushes at the north-eastern corner of the Heronry Pond, 45 minutes after sunriseon the morning of August 26th, . Half an hour watching one bush just next to the gravel path that leads to the Cafe from the Gate produced a male Blackcap, a Chiffchaff, 3 Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Greenfinch, Robin, 2 Dunnock, 10+ Long Tailed Tits, 2 Great Tit and 15+ Blue Tit.

Little Grebe : these are present in some numbers on both the Heronry and Shoulder of Mutton Ponds. There are at least 10 birds, including recent juveniles, across both of these locations.

Cormorant : swimming in Jubilee Pond on Wanstead Flats, on 11th December. Usually I only see fly-overs to and from Walthamstow.

White-fronted Goose : juvenile, unringed, flying freely, probable vagrant rather than escaped bird, as it appeared after bad storms, plus not many females in captivity in the UK. On the Jubilee Pond, December 3rd and December 11th.

Wigeon : 3 on Heronry Pond, Wanstead Park, 29th September and 13th October.

Gadwall : First of the Autumn seen on 14th September on the Shoulder of Mutton Pond, 3m & 2f. Also 1m & 1f on the Heronry Pond on 16th September.

Ruddy Duck : a solitary male in summer breeding plumage on the Heronry Pond on 16th September.. A male on Heronry Pond, Wanstead Park, September 16th & 28th.

Hobby : seen over Bush Wood; tended to perch briefly in dead trees at the northern end of the wood, more often seen circling above the large clearing with the biggest pond. Recorded July 19th, August 2nd and August 25th.

Common Tern : seen overhead on August 25th, flying towards north west towards Walthamstow.

Pair of Tawny Owl : A pair in Bush Wood, 14th November

Green Woodpecker : At least 6 individuals heard in Wanstead Park and 4 in Bush Wood during August. Long Wood, Wanstead Flats, 26th August. Ever-present in Bush Wood and the Park, but rare here in my experience.

Great Spotted Woodpecker : 2 individuals seen on August 26th at the western end of the Park. Wanstead Flats on 12th December, in trees alongside Lake House Road. I always see these in the Park, but rarely on the Flats.

Skylark : 6 on Wanstead Flats, near Lake House Road car park, December 11th.

Meadow Pipit : 2 on Wanstead Flats, near Lake House Road, December 3rd.

Stonechat : 2 on Wanstead Flats, near Lake House Road car park, December 12th.

Mistle Thrush : One flew from Northumberland Avenue over the Plain into the woods adjoining the Golf Course on August 26th.

Lesser Whitethroat : Wanstead Flats, 26th August

Long Tailed Tit : a party was observed feeding in the bushes on the southern side of the Shoulder of Mutton Pond on September 14th. Plenty of these in Bush Wood also, usually in parties of 8+.

Linnet : adjacent to River Roding in the wild area, Ocober 13th, November 18th and December 9th

by 12 December, Shoveler, Pochard and particularly Gadwall are now to be found in some numbers on all the waters in Wanstead Park.

Jonathan Lethbridge.

Records for 2007 courtesy of Paul Ferris (PF) Pete Saunders (PS) Jonathan Lethbridge and others (named)