The Pitches in November
Cormorant
A total of around 11 (a large flock by our standards) were noted on the 2nd, otherwise it was the usual paltry single figure daily counts.
Grey Heron
There were sporadic sightings of this familiar heron species through the month.
Mute Swan
A flight of 3 birds headed over on the 3rd and another couple headed over on the 29th.
Canada Goose
Often distantly heard but scarcely seen these days probably due to increased disturbance on their grazing pitches.
Mallard
This universal dabbler was only seen twice during the month when 2 fleetingly flew over on the 2nd and on the 3rd when 4 flew over.
Sparrowhawk
This hawk is a scarcity here at this time of year - the last November record was in 2004. A couple birds were seen during the month, invariably being vigorously escorted by the local crows.
Kestrel
This falcon is obviously finding other places to hunt because their occurrences at the Scrubs were far and few between in November.
Pheasant
A large gamebird stalking the woodlands of the Scrubs is one of the last things that you would expect in an urban park less than 2 miles from central London. First reported in mid October as a Pheasant in and around Martin Bell's Wood, then as a phantom turkey-peacock thing that has been knocking around for a while, was finally re-identified by a 'Friends Of The Scrubs' committee member in mid November. It then duly disappeared!
You don't really think of these birds as migrants and quite how it got here is anyone's guess. Perhaps more surprisingly, it was our second record. The first was a reported female in the northern portion of Scrubs Lane Woods in January 2004.
Black-headed Gull
This common gull was a regular sight especially on the football pitches. Over 100 were in the vicinity on the 17th.
Common Gull
This was another regular Larid at the Scrubs with individuals peppered in the Black-headeds. At least 15 were present on the 1st and over 20 on the 17th.
Herring Gull
Bigger numbers began to filter through during the month, particularly overhead. Over 25 were reported on the 5th
Lesser Black-back
As with their paler backed cousins (Herring Gull), numbers rose during the month to the giddy heights of around 15 birds!
Woodpigeon
The autumn passage continued into November though in lesser numbers. Over 3,500 flew over from the north east on the 1st and around 1,500 the following morning. By the 3rd numbers had tailed right off with only around 350 or so seen flying over. A couple hundred birds a morning were observed until mid month.
Stock Dove
This species has definitely re-assumed its 'scarce resident' tag. A couple birds were noticed in separate passage Woodpigeon flocks on the 1st. A local bird was seen flying around the western edge of the site on the 2nd.
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Unfortunately, the eagle (or in this case the parakeet) has landed. During the month over 150 birds were counted coming out of a newly founded roost in the Central Copse. This news has not been greeted with glee by the resident birders.
Green Woodpecker
Singletons were seen occasionally during the month.
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Occasional birds were watched winging their way from point A-B.
Skylark
A couple of these scarce songsters were present on the 3rd.
Meadow Pipit
Numbers fell away this month to settle at around the 15 birds, apart from on the 2nd when over 30 were located.
Grey Wagtail
Following on from last month's multiple records a couple more birds were watched and heard flying over during November.
Pied Wagtail
Birds were frequently heard on visits during the month.
Wren
Some were seen, though not counted during the month.
Dunnock
As with last month, no counts were made of this rather common if unobtrusive bird.
As winter draws in a lot of our birds disappear or at least, go missing for a while. The same can be said for our resident birders. Most of us drifted off to catch up on the species that even the most optimistic soul would never dream of seeing at the Scrubs.
Collectively we were observing such delights as Cranes, Bewick's Swans, Little Auks, Black-eared Kites, Firecrests and Long-billed Murrelets!
Back at base, the bird of the month was the fine male Yellowhammer that made brief landfall. Although expected and possibly glimpsed in the past, it was a pleasure to add to the site's ever increasing list. It was the 7th such new bird this year.
December is historically the snooze month. Having said that, Santa came early on December 12th 2004 when he delivered Rudolph - Britain's first ever over wintering Common Redstart.
Our eyes are peeled!
Contributors: David Jefferies, 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
Robin
This cheeky chappie was commonly encountered.
Stonechat
When it came to this attractive winter visitor, it was certainly a game of two halves. There were either 3 birds present or no birds - with the emphasis being on no birds. Our wintering birds were scarcely seen this month.
Song Thrush
Very small numbers were counted over the month with counts going a low as 2 on the 5th.
Redwing
A strong passage with attendant Fieldfares occurred during the early part of the month with over 350 streaming over on the 2nd. Thereafter, much smaller numbers either passed through or were in the wooded areas.
Fieldfare
Quite a large movement was noted over a few days during early November, an occurrence normally noted during mid winter onwards and normally being indicative of hard weather. Over 550 birds were counted on the 2nd heading west and an estimated 150 on the 10th.
Blackbird
The month started with very few to be seen, indeed on the 1st only 2 birds were located. Interestingly, a migrant was watched flying over high from the east on the 2nd.
The peak count was around 30 on the 5th that included a roving flock of 8 mostly immature birds on the south western edge of Martin Bell's Wood.
Goldcrest
The 2nd bird of the year was glimpsed along the embankment on the 5th.
Long-tailed Tit
This bird was commonly noted through the month.
Blue Tit
Commonly encountered though not counted.
Great Tit
These bold birds were regularly to be found.
Jay
A couple birds may be wintering in the area.
Magpie
This ultra familiar corvid was a commonly seen and heard resident.
Jackdaw
A small movement occurred on the 2nd when 18 headed south over the Central Copse, followed later by a pair that paused to mob a Sparrowhawk over Chats Paddock. A further 11 flew past on the 5th.
Carrion Crow
Not much change in the populations to last month.
Starling
Fairly reasonable flocks frequented the pitches during the month with over 200 present on the 17th. There was also a noticeable passage of birds heading overhead earlier in the month.
House Sparrow
Away from their diminishing winter roost in Central Copse no birds were seen this month.
Chaffinch
Our meagre winter population settled in last month and were a regular sight throughout this month. At least 10 birds were usually present in the area though over 30 were counted on the 5th.
Greenfinch
Healthy numbers remained from last month with over 30 counted on the 2nd.
Linnet
Small numbers persisted often noticed bounding overhead uttering their Greenfinch-like flight calls.
Goldfinch
A regular bunch of these pretty finches inhabited various patches of the Scrubs with 30 being counted on the 2nd.
Bullfinch
A bird was glimpsed as it flew into Chats Paddock on the 10th. This was the first sighting of this secretive resident since August.
Reed Bunting
The 2nd record for the autumn concerned a pair that flew low over the grassland and landed near the north west corner of the embankment on the 2nd.
Yellowhammer
This distinctive bunting was definitely the bird of the month. A male was watched flying low over the grassland, circuiting the observer then heading of to the west on the 17th.
Despite this species being suspected of flying over last November, this sighting will go down as the first official record for Wormwood Scrubs.