The Urban Birder

Sightings

Cormorant

Miniscule numbers were noted throughout the month. Of note was the individual soaring on the thermals very high over the grassland on the 15th.

Grey Heron

A couple single birds flew over on the 20th.

Mute Swan

A singleton went over on the 9th.

Canada Goose

With birds now attending to their goslings, sightings of this naturalised ornamental goose were down with 15 on the 1st being the most notable count.

Kestrel

A hunting pair was seen separately most days coasting and hovering over the western end of The Scrubs.

Hobby

A fine adult coasted over Chats Paddock on the 27th being mobbed by Swifts against the backdrop of a gorgeous blue sky. It was low enough for its red ‘thighs’ to be clearly seen.

This constituted our first ever June record. Surely they must be breeding somewhere closeby?

Lapwing

The first of our two records this month concerned a rather sad looking individual that was flushed by a dog from the football pitches on the 9th. It was probably a moulting failed breeder passing through. Another was again flushed from the playing fields on the 25th.

Black-headed Gull

A heavily moulting bird flew over on the 20th and a pair went over Central Copse on the 25th.

Herring Gull

Conversely, fairly large numbers, well by our standards, were still seen during the month with up to 20 birds seen daily. The 15th was a good day for thermals as a couple were riding them at great height over Martin Bell's Wood.

Lesser Black-back

The usual small numbers drifted over daily during the month.

Stock Dove

This compact pigeon is a discreet visitor to The Scrubs that is more often overlooked than seen. The only records were 3 over on the 20th, and singletons over on the 23rd and on the evening of the 25th.

Wood Pigeon

Around 60 birds were seen daily, though there were probably far more. Juveniles were seen with the adults feeding on the football pitches.

Collared Dove

Our sparse records continued through June and commenced with a pair over Central Copse on the 1st.

It has taken us several years to realise that the birds that we see probably emanate from the suburban streets of Acton to the west of us where there seems to be a fairly healthy population.

Swift

This year seemed to herald the return to form for this amazing bird with upwards of 60 being seen daily. Over 100 were counted on the 15th and 150 were milling in the evening skies on the 25th.

These counts contrasted quite strongly with last June when we were struggling to see more than 40 birds per visit.

Rose-ringed Parakeet

This month during the day there seemed to be a resident screaming crowd of 30 birds including juveniles. By early evening things changed dramatically. Quite literally, swarms of birds would sweep in from all points of the compass — though especially from the south and west. The birds would make landfall on the trees that line the northern edge of the prison and along Braybrook Street before making a low squawking dash for Central Copse.

On the 25th an incredible 2,000 plus birds came to roost along with a lone Amazona species (a member of a South American parrot family) and as much as we are not keen on them, it was an arresting site. Dog walkers and the local kids messing around on stolen motorbikes stopped to watch the spectacle.

These parakeets appear to have no natural enemies in the UK and with those formidable beaks they seem to be perfectly able to look after themselves. However, late in the month there was a report of a large gull flying amongst a small flock of parakeets and actively trying to capture unwary individuals. This kind of behaviour has never been witnessed here at The Scrubs before.

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Singletons were occasionally seen all during the month.

Swallow

Around 6 birds passed through on the 1st.

House Martin

One flew over Braybrook Street in the afternoon of the 15th. Our second record this spring; this once common bird is now an extreme rarity.