The Urban Birder

Sightings

Cormorant

The normal low counts were had this month unlike in May 2007 when slightly higher numbers that usual were encountered with 13 being the maximum. We could only scrape 5 together on the 6th.

Grey Heron

A few singletons were seen flying over during the month. The best numbers were 2 on the 14th and 3 together on the 21st.

Canada Goose

The usual small flocks we noticed going from A to B. Over 27 birds flew by the prison on the 30th.

Mallard

Up to 3 birds were seen occasionally throughout the month.

Sparrowhawk

The occasional marauding individual was occasionally seen sweeping over.

Kestrel

The usual pair was seen all through the month. They ranged throughout the site and not just along Lester's Embankment and the grassland. One was watched making a half-hearted swoop at a Greenfinch on Lester's Embankment on the 7th. On the 30th 3 birds were noted.

Hobby

One of these glorious summer visiting migrants circled Chats Paddock on the 7th. On the 25th we were delighted to see one chasing a parakeet along the north-east corner of Scrubs Lane Wood before heading over to the cemetery. It is thought that there may be a pair breeding somewhere locally as sightings have been pretty frequent this spring, including records from the cemetery itself.

Peregrine

These magnificent predators are becoming more of a regular occurrence at The Scrubs in parallel with their increase in London. One flew over Chats Paddock on the 6th, much to the annoyance of the local Starlings. A probable male flew swiftly over Chats Paddock again from the south east on the 25th.

Pheasant

A male was reported mid month along the edge of Scrubs Lane car park and Martin Bell's Wood by a dog walker.

Black-headed Gull

An early returning bird was watched in pouring rain flying past Central Copse on the 25th. This abundant gull is usually absent between the close of April til mid-June.

Common Gull

Our first ever May record occurred on the 6th when an adult was seen near the prison. Normally, this gull departs our playing fields by late April for their breeding grounds returning in October.

Herring Gull

As per usual for this time of year, numbers climbed dramatically with most birds being immatures. On the 29th at least 45 flew over from the north-west in dribs and drabs but on the 30th over 90 birds were seen, which was the most in our airspace for some time.

Lesser Black-back

Small numbers were noticed on most days as they commuted from east to west and vice versa.

Common Tern

A couple birds were seen as they transported themselves overhead. This attractive seabird is probably traverses our site far more regularly than what records suggests.

Stock Dove

At least 6 birds were present on the playing fields near Chats Paddock on the 25th and 4 were with the Wood Pigeons on the 30th.

Wood Pigeon

Young birds abounded during the month and at least 60 adults were noticed on the 25th.

Collared Dove

We are well into Collared Dove season when sightings become more frequent, although remaining sporadic at the best of times. Singletons were reported on the 2nd, 29th and 30th with 2 on the 11th.

Turtle Dove

Our first bird of the season and the first since 2006 was briefly seen darting off to the east on the 25th. Its small size (smaller and more compact than a Collared Dove), dark plumage and speedy direct flight with ‘flicky’ wingbeats were diagnostic.

Cuckoo

For the third year in a row we added this enigmatic bird to our year list. A lone bird suddenly flew out of some trees in the pelting rain on the southern edge of Martin Bell's Wood on the 25th. It was a totally unexpected and quite late by our standards because our recent records have been in late April/early May.

Interestingly, there have been quite a few May records of Cuckoo in the London area that leads us to two questions: was there a late passage of Cuckoos across London this spring and has The Scrubs been the regular recipient of this spring migrant for many years before we finally noticed them two years ago?

Swift

Numbers of this supreme aerial master began to build from the 2nd peaking at over 100 birds swooping over the grassland on the 25th.

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Alarmingly, on the 25th over 40 birds were counted along Scrubs Lane Wood in broad daylight with over 50% being youngsters.

Great Spotted Woodpecker

There was no change from last month with perhaps a couple of pairs ‘knocking’ around.

Sand Martin

One headed north with a Swallow on the 7th.

Swallow

We continued to receive passage birds on a daily basis that involved at least 30 birds including around 4 birds that stayed to hawk insects over the grassland on the 25th. It is so rare for these birds to stop at The Scrubs to enjoy the insect delicacies that we can offer.

House Martin

A single bird hawking high over Lester's Embankment on the 30th in company of some Swifts was our only spring record.

Meadow Pipit

Now that the breeding season is in full swing we estimate that there are probably 3 pairs in residence in the grassland. These birds are notoriously hard to count this time of year — a situation confounded by the fact that they often land yards away from their nest and then walk the rest of the way, so it's hard to suss where the nest is.

Birds were still noticed displaying which is something that they usually do up until the end of the month. On the 25th at least 2 birds were seen with food destined for their growing nestlings.

Pied Wagtail

A male flew across the Hammersmith Hospital car park on the 29th fuelling thoughts that they may well still be breeding in the vicinity.