Wormwood Scrubs > June 2011 Scrubs Report
June 2011 Sightings at Wormwood Scrubs
June Slowdown
After last month's intensive birding, June was positively quiet with fewer of The Scrubs' faithful scouring the hallowed terrain. To be honest, this is the natural way things pan out at this time of year as Junes are historically poorly covered.
Nonetheless, we registered yet another new bird for the burgeoning Scrubs list in the shape of a Ringed Plover that was luckily noticed as it passed over early in the month. We also recorded goodies like a solitary Little Egret, more Hobbies and most remarkably, a Quail singing on the first day of the month.
We are already on 87 species and well on course for a record-breaking year when you consider that we finished 2010 on 98. However, we will have to achieve this with one man down. Refugee from across the sea and Scrubber Supreme will be leaving the fold next month to follow his wife back to their native USA.
Is there anyone out there that can fill his shoes?
Little Egret (D. Eades)
Contributors: Rob Ayers, Mathew Bournat, Charlie Farrell, David Jeffreys, David Lindo, Roy Nuttall, Anders Price, Neville Smith, Bob Stills, Paul Thomas et al.
Sightings
Cormorant
The usual tiny numbers commuted over The Scrubs during June. Our biggest count was six heading south on the 24th.
Little Egret
One flying through on the 26th was our first since 9th June 2009.
Canada Goose
The largest flock was around 14th on the 5th. A long wavering line of nine was also watched heading from south to north on the 2nd.
Sparrowhawk
Our regular sightings of a hunting female continued.
Kestrel
Single birds were seen more regularly during June and were invariably noted as a female.
Hobby
A bird was watched hunting along Braybrook Street on the 5th. Another chased a Stock Dove over the grassland on the 21st before heading east. The following day it or another was again found hunting over the grassland and then again on the 23rd heading high northwards.
Quail
Unbelievably, a male was heard singing by several Scrubbers for the final time from the grassland opposite Chats Paddock on the 1st. A decision was made to flush it and on cue it flew and almost instantly landed 30 metres away in the main grassland.
Ringed Plover
On the 5th at 07:00 one headed east fairly low over Scrubs Lane Wood. At first it was thought to be a Sand Martin due to its flicky flight into the wind. However, within seconds of that thought, the wader-like jizz and white wingbar gave it away. It was an unexpected addition to the Wormwood Scrubs Bird List.
Lapwing
A lone bird headed high over the grassland on the 5th stalling amongst a party of Swifts.
Black-headed Gull
Numbers of this common gull were beginning to filter through in bigger numbers than last month's paltry numbers. It started with a lone adult on the 21st heading high to the north.
Herring Gull
The maximum count was around 20 on the 5th.
Lesser Black-back
Small numbers were noted during June.
Stock Dove
A few were seen on most days with a maximum count of 17 on the 21st and the 22nd.
Woodpigeon
Around 60 on the 2nd were the most noted during the month.
Collared Dove
Our only record during June was of a singleton on the 24th.
Swift
At least 37 were using The Scrubs evening airspace on the 1st increasing to at least 50 the following day. Numbers for the month peaked at over 60 on the 5th.
Rose-ringed Parakeet
The usual large numbers were seen and duly ignored coming out of their Central Copse roost.
Green Woodpecker
One lingered around Scrubs Lane Wood most of the month.
Great Spotted Woodpecker
The occasional bird was seen.
Swallow
The last dribble of passage occurred on the 1st when three headed west in the evening and a single bird on the 3rd. This brought our spring total to 98 birds.
Meadow Pipit
There seemed to be at least seven birds in the grassland during the early part of the June including four singers. It appears that one of the males had a less developed song compared to the other males. Perhaps this indicated that it was a younger bird.
Wren
At least five were recorded on the 5th.
Dunnock
At least nine including two juveniles were seen on the 5th.
Robin
A count on the 5th around the southern edge of The Scrubs and the western edge of Martin Bell's Wood resulted in at least 12 birds.
Song Thrush
Around 12 were noticed on the 5th.
Blackbird
A minimum of 25 were seen on the 5th.
Blackcap
Around 10 were counted on the 2nd and the 5th.
Lesser Whitethroat
A male was singing in Martin Bell's Wood on the 1st and other singletons were glimpsed during the first few days of June. At least four birds including a singer were found on Lester's Embankment on the 24th.
Common Whitethroat
At least 18 were at large on the 2nd and upwards of 20 on the 5th including adults feeding two fledglings in the grassland.
Sedge Warbler
A male was singing from the northwestern edge of Martin Bell's Wood on the 5th.
Reed Warbler
Following on from last month's early record another male was heard quietly singing near the eastern end of Lester's Embankment on the 2nd.
Willow Warbler
The resident male with the hybrid voice (mixture of Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler notes) was still singing from Scrubs Lane Wood on the 4th and 5th.
Chiffchaff
This perky warbler seems to have had a good breeding season thus far. A pair was seen feeding young in Martin Bell's Wood on the 1st and at least 10 were counted the following day.
Great Tit
At least 10 with juveniles were seen in the grassland Blackthorn on the 2nd. However, the overall peak was at least 20 on the 5th.
Blue Tit
No less that 28 were counted on the 5th, including a high proportion of juveniles.
Long-tailed Tit
Uncharacteristically for such a gregarious species, a lone bird was located in Central Copse on the 2nd. Most of the time we saw around of eight however, the best count was 20 on the 24th — a flock that consisted mostly of juveniles.
Magpie
Around 20 were seen on the 5th.
Jackdaw
A few were seen during the month with a peak of 6 over Lester's Embankment on the 4th.
Carrion Crow
Typically, around 100 were milling around the fields on the 2nd.
Starling
Around 200 birds were circuiting the grassland and Lester's Embankment early in the month. The majority of the birds were juveniles and they constituted some of the biggest June flocks we have ever seen at The Scrubs.
House Sparrow
At least 20 were in and around the Braybrook Street area although a few did stray in the grassland with the Starlings.
Chaffinch
Around five were noted on the 2nd. It is not clear whether they bred at The Scrubs or not. The chances are that they did. Indeed, were suspected that as many as four pairs may have had broods.
Linnet
There was a flock of around 20 including juveniles being fed in the grassland on the 5th. Louie, the leucistic male, put in an appearance on that day too.
Goldfinch
A pair was noticed along Lester's Embankment on the 2nd and four adults were in Scrubs Lane Wood.
Greenfinch
At least 14 were counted on the 2nd.
Reed Bunting
A singleton was in the grassland on the 4th and a male was seen the following day and on subsequent days thereafter. A female-type was seen commuting between the grassland outside Chats Paddock and the main grassland on the 18th.
Intriguingly, a juvenile was seen in the grassland on the 22nd in the company of a male. Where did they breed?
2011 Year List
- Cormorant
- Little Egret
- Grey Heron
- Mute Swan
- Greylag
- Canada Goose
- Egyptian Goose
- Shelduck
- Mallard
- Shoveler
- Teal
- Red Kite
- Common Buzzard
- Sparrowhawk
- Kestrel
- Hobby
- Peregrine
- Quail
- Ringed Plover
- Lapwing
- Bar-tailed Godwit
- Woodcock
- Snipe
- Black-headed Gull
- Common Gull
- Mediterranean Gull
- Herring Gull
- Lesser Black-back
- Great Black-back
- Common Tern
- Feral Pigeon
- Stock Dove
- Woodpigeon
- Collared Dove
- Turtle Dove
- Swift
- Rose-ringed Parakeet
- Green Woodpecker
- Great Spotted Woodpecker
- Skylark
- Sand Martin
- Swallow
- House Martin
- Meadow Pipit
- Pied Wagtail
- Yellow Wagtail
- Grey Wagtail
- Wren
- Dunnock
- Robin
- Nightingale
- Common Redstart
- Northern Wheatear
- Whinchat
- Stonechat
- Song Thrush
- Redwing
- Mistle Thrush
- Fieldfare
- Blackbird
- Ring Ouzel
- Garden Warbler
- Blackcap
- Lesser Whitethroat
- Common Whitethroat
- Sedge Warbler
- Reed Warbler
- Willow Warbler
- Chiffchaff
- Spotted Flycatcher
- Great Tit
- Blue Tit
- Long-tailed Tit
- Magpie
- Jay
- Jackdaw
- Carrion Crow
- Starling
- House Sparrow
- Chaffinch
- Brambling
- Linnet
- Lesser Redpoll
- Goldfinch
- Greenfinch
- Reed Bunting
- Yellowhammer
87 species thus far (76 species in June 2010 & 76 in June 2009)