Hoverfly in Chats Paddock
Cormorant
On the 17th at least 4 flew distantly over Acton and another 4 flew over Central Copse on the 27th.
Grey Heron
There were a few reports of this large fish-eater including a low flying individual on the 17th that was escorted off the premises by a flotilla of parakeets and crows.
Mute Swan
A pair circled the area on the 3rd and a singleton was observed overhead the previous day.
Canada Goose
A few were noted.
Mallard
Arguably, our largest flock flew over on the 11th when 8 birds were noted in 2 successive flocks. A singleton flew over the Channel Tunnel Depot on the 17th.
Kestrel
The odd bird was watched hunting over the grassland.
Hobby
An adult flew leisurely over Braybrook Street Woods before heading off over Braybrook Street itself towards the wilderness that is Acton.
This is the first time ever that we have recorded this scarce migrant here during the summer months. With reports also coming from neighbouring Kensal Green Cemetery it is now clear that this superb falcon must be breeding nearby. Perhaps they will introduce their young to The Scrubs during August.
Sparrowhawk
Birds were seen fleetingly during the month.
Black-headed Gull
This familiar gull is now beginning to return with small numbers passing over on a daily basis. Oddly, there was a report from a dog walker mid month of over 200 birds flying low over the fields in all directions one evening ‘like the birds in Hitchcock’s ‘The Birds’’.
Herring Gull
Small numbers were noted with around 8 on the 21st being the most.
Lesser Black-back
There was nothing weird or wonderful to report about this common Scrubs flyover with 10 on the 13th being the maximum count.
Woodpigeon
At least 40 were waddling around the area on the 13th.
Stock Dove
The only bird of the period was a loner on the 21st that headed south.
Collared Dove
We received a rare visitation from this locally common immigrant on the 13th when a pair headed north.
Swift
Good numbers of this glorious birds were still swirling around in the sky above The Scrubs and beyond over Acton certainly until mid month. At least 100 were visible on the 13th and over 200 on the 17th. Numbers dropped dramatically by the 21st when only 10 were seen, at least 100 were reported on the 27th.
All in all, we have had more birds present in our skies than in 2007 though it’s always sad to see these graceful birds slip away back to Africa. They literally stay with us for under 4 months and then they’re gone again.
Rose-ringed Parakeet
The daytime numbers of this vocal alien invader remained constant with around 30-40 around. Some birds have taken to clinging to the side of the prison in the mornings pecking at the brickwork, perhaps seeking out calcium. Given time, will they break into the prison?
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Our resident birds were rarely seen this month.
Meadow Pipit
Around 4 birds were seen on the 1st including a male still displaying over the grassland and at least 6 birds were noted on the 13th. A pair was observed feeding young during the month but unfortunately, the observer didn’t record the date or the number of fledglings. The final bird of the month was a displaying male on the 15th.
Our guess is that the birds summering at The Scrubs have now gone into their post breeding moult and are literally hiding in the grass, which may explain the dearth of records after mid-month. The worrying thing is that last year there seemed to be an abundance of youngsters that were seen all during July with 18 counted on the 17th. The lack of birds this year may equate to a lack of breeding success. Perhaps the ‘desire path’ that has cut through the heart of their nesting area has had a detrimental effect.
Pied Wagtail
A family party consisting of around 3 juveniles were in the hospital car park and a further 5 juveniles were found on the Lynford Christie Stadium grass on 13th. The 3 juveniles were seen again on the 21st dropping to 2 on the 27th that were also observed play fighting over the grassland later on.
Wren
Several birds were heard in full song plus family parties were fairly commonplace.
Dunnock
Young birds were dotted around the park whilst adults were a little harder to come by.
Robin
The slightly melancholic toned song uttered by birds in the autumn began to ring out around the Scrubs this month with at least 5 singers heard on most visits. Juveniles were fairly commonly seen with most of them sporting nearly wholly orangey-red breasts.
Song Thrush
At least 6 birds were noted on the 13th.
Blackbird
There were plenty of juveniles around during the month with at least 30 birds at large in the park, which is probably a gross miscount.
Blackcap
At least 4 males continued to sing during the month with plenty of youngsters seen.
July was a month of mixed fortunes with some of the species that nest here, like several of the warblers and Linnets appearing to have had a good season. Hobby’s may be nesting in the vicinity for the first time however, other species like the Bullfinch are just clinging on with perhaps just a single pair nesting. Our Meadow Pipits seem to have fared very badly this year with perhaps only one of the initial 4-5 pairs actually raising young.
This is a very disappointing state of affairs that has probably not been helped by a path forged over time by dog walkers that drives straight through the middle of the pipit breeding area. Unfortunately, we cannot stop people from using this path nor stop their dogs from foraging, so ultimately without specific protection our breeding Meadow Pipits may be forced out.
With August just around the corner, the general atmosphere will change to a more autumnal and migratory one. We will be expecting our first returning migrants and by the end of the month – well who knows.
Contributors: Kim Dixon, David Jeffreys, David Lindo, Roy Nuttall et al.
If you have details of any sightings or observations of unusual behaviour please sent them on no matter how trivial they may seem to: david@theurbanbirder.com
Lesser Whitethroat
Successful breeding occurred in Martin Bell’s Wood and almost certainly in the Southern Copse (the most southerly copse adjacent to Scrubs Lane Wood), Chats Paddock and Lester’s Embankment. A bird sang briefly on the 13th from Southern Copse.
Common Whitethroat
At least 10 birds were noticed on the 1st and over 20 birds (including youngsters) were counted on the 13th.
Chiffchaff
Up to 4 singing birds were noted during the month.
Blue Tit
At least 10 juveniles were in just Chats Paddock alone on the 1st.
Great Tit
This species always seems to the most difficult of our resident tits to count. There’s no fathomable reason for this because they are not unobtrusive, not particularly quiet and are quite colourful!
Only 3 juveniles were counted in Chat Paddock on the 13th for example.
Long-tailed Tit
Several were heard in the north west corner and near Southern Copse on the 13th.
Jay
The only example of this colourful crow seen this month was on the 27th when one was noticed deep within a tree in Chats Paddock.
Magpie
Over 25 birds were counted on the 13th. This count also included juveniles.
Jackdaw
Three birds flew over on the 3rd and 2 birds were spied distantly flying over Acton on the 17th.
It’s quite interesting that literally 2 miles away, as a crow flies, is a healthy population at the London Wetland Centre. It just proves how localised this small crow is.
Carrion Crow
Ever present, over 150 were counted on the 13th. Chocco, our chocolate hued crow, was rediscovered on the 15th feeding on the grass opposite Braybrook Street with its more usual black-plumaged brethren. This bird always seems a lot more wary than its colleagues and is often the first to take flight. He was seen again on the 21st.
Starling
The gatherings of dispersing juveniles continued to grow in the grassland with the sight of over 70 swooping in from the relative sanctuary of Lester’s Embankment being a common occurrence by the month’s end. At least 100 were noted on the 13th.
House Sparrow
Very few were noted this month and even fewer were seen away from their spiritual home in Braybrook Street and surrounding back streets. The peak count was of around 15 including at least 1 male on Lester’s Embankment on the 27th. There were roughly 10 present on the 13th and 17th.
Linnet
This attractive finch seems to have had a good breeding season with plenty of youngsters seen on Lester’s Embankment and in the grassland. We guess that at maybe 8 pairs of this nationally amber-listed bird bred on the embankment. At least 20 birds were seen on the 13th.
Goldfinch
The annual summer madness started slowly with just 6 birds noticed on the 1st increasing to around 10 juveniles on the 13th. By the month’s end, well over 100 birds were present.
Greenfinch
Around 20 were counted on the 1st. Our breeding birds seem to be dispersing now.
Bullfinch
The pair that frequent Scrubs Lane Wood were seen briefly again on the 3rd and one of the pair was seen again on the 13th.
Compartments within Wormwood Scrubs
Martin Bell’s Wood – formally known as the Southern Paddock is situated on the south eastern corner close to Scrubs Lane. Scrubs Lane Wood – the strip of woodland on the eastern edge of the site running the length of Scrubs Lane to the east and along the northern edge to Chats Paddock in the west. Chats Paddock - will also be known as the main lizard habitat. Lester’s Embankment – marks the north western border of the Scrubs and is also referred to as ‘the embankment’. Now named after Lester Holloway who in the 80’s unsuccessfully campaigned to stop British Rail developing on the Scrubs. North West Corner – the western edge of the Scrubs. Braybrook Woods – the woodland strip running along the southern edge from Braybrook Street up to and including outside the prison along the southern parameter.
2008 Year List
Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Greylag, Shelduck, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Hobby, Kestrel, Pheasant, Moorhen, Lapwing, Whimbrel, Curlew, Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-back, Great Black-back, Common Tern, Woodpigeon, Stock Dove, Turtle Dove, Collared Dove, Cuckoo, Short-eared Owl, Swift, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Swallow, Sand Martin, House Martin, Tree Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Nightingale, Northern Wheatear, Stonechat, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Fieldfare, Blackbird, Ring Ouzel, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Firecrest, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Reed Bunting, Little Bunting
82 species thus far (78 species in July 2007 & 80 in July 2006)