Wormwood Scrubs
Great Crested Grebe
After the surprise discovery of a bird flying overhead in July 2005, this strictly aquatic bird was become something of an irregular occurrence. The 4th bird to grace our skies (and the 3rd this year) flew over incongruously from the south on the 15th.
Cormorant
The current pattern of sightings prevailed during October with anything more than a couple birds being highly unusual.
Grey Heron
A singleton was seen flying over the Grand Union Canal on the 15th.Mute Swan
The western edge of the Scrubs seems to be the best place to be to observe the occasional sightings of this huge but graceful water bird. Indeed, 2 flew over the area on the 1st. An immature bird flew over from the embankment on the 9th followed by an adult pair on the 11th.
Canada Goose
Only a few were seen this month with no reported counts above 10 birds.
Mallard
A pair noticed in flight over the Grand Union on the 9th was the only record this month.
Sparrowhawk
Up to 3 birds continued to roam the area during the month.
Peregrine
Incredibly, a distant bird was watched flying past the gas works heading south parallel to Scrubs Lane. Its majestic profile comprised of a streamline body with a 'pigeon' chest, long pointed wings slowly flicked below the horizon in a strong, leisurely manner despite travelling quite quickly.
When it reached Shepherds Bush it was suddenly joined by another Peregrine. The two briefly twisted and stooped together until the 2nd bird was lost and the original bird headed east.
This was the 3rd record for the Scrubs and the 2nd this year although it has always been suspected that this great falcon occurs here more often than records suggests. Part of the reason why they are not picked up is because they rarely linger.
Kestrel
As with September, birds were seen sporadically and were usually vigorously mobbed by the resident crows.
Snipe
A bird was flushed from the grassland on the 9th and another on the 16th.
Black-headed Gull
Numbers continued to slowly build during the month though not in massive groups apart from on the 15th when around 200 passed overhead in straggling flocks that emanated from the south east. This was part of a general movement of gulls that day.
Mediterranean Gull
On the 15th a gorgeous 2nd winter bird was initially found amongst 8 Black-headed Gulls on the playing fields. It was largely white with a few small black spots on its primaries. After around 20 minutes the flock was flushed by a jogger and headed north low over the Channel Tunnel complex.
Around an hour later it reappeared on the pitches with a slightly larger group of gulls that included around 5 Common Gulls.
This was our 2nd record this year and our 4th record ever.
Common Gull
Our wintering birds began to arrive with at least 3 present on the 9th, though around 20 were in the vicinity on the 15th.
Herring Gull
The usual low numbers drifted over during October, however, on the 15th at least 25 birds passed over as part of the general movement of gulls that day.
Lesser Black-back
On the gull movement day on the 15th over 30 birds were observed invariably flying over. Other than that, the usual daily count rarely exceeded 10 birds.
Collared Dove
The bird watched flying along Scrubs Lane on the 1st was the first record since August. Thereafter, 3 were noted on the 8th.
Woodpigeon
Numbers of this familiar pigeon grew from around 250 on the 1st to a mammoth 10,000 flying over on the 29th and around 2000 the following day that was part of the annual passage that occurs at this time of year.
Stock Dove
This is a scarce species these days with an individual landing on the pitches on the 9th being the only record this month.
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Apparently, the vast flocks of over 7000 birds that populated Esher, this introduced parrot's adopted ancestral home, had been mysteriously vacated. Where had they all gone?
Of course, we were all watching the skies with dread, awaiting our share of the displaced flock. Our fears were largely unfounded, though there has been a discernable increase in the numbers of birds passing overhead during the last few months. The peak count this month was over 80 on the 8th.
Of interest though, was a party of around 50 birds that landed in Central Copse on the 15th and despite the protestations from the crows, they insisted on hanging around.
Green Woodpecker
These birds continued to seen and heard during the month.
Great Spotted Woodpecker
As with last month, birds were seen on most visits.
Swallow
The last of the autumns flocks swept through early on in the month with 21 on the 1st. Thereafter it was drips and drabs with a singleton on the 3rd, 4 on the 4th, 3 on the 8th. The last birds were a couple on the 11th.
House Martin
The only record this month was of the 3 birds that heading south over Central Copse on the 8th.
Skylark
Individuals were located in or over the grassland on the 9th, 12th with 2 present on the 15th and possibly the same birds on the 17th.
Tree Pipit
An overflying calling bird on the 9th ended our amazing run of at least 8 birds this autumn.
Meadow Pipit
Quite a movement of birds occurred during the month with small flocks noticed passing over from the north. Peak counts were of around 45 on the 1st.
Pied Wagtail
A couple birds were either seen or heard on most visits. Up to 8 were in the hospital car park on the 8th.
On reflection, October was quite an eventful month. The avian delights included our first ever autumn Ring Ouzel, a beautiful Mediterranean Gull, a possible male Pheasant reported for a few days in Martin Bell's Wood, a Great Crested Grebe and 2 fine Peregrines.
The star bird was an unidentified one!
It was a small lark flushed from grassland with 2 Meadow Pipits at 07.50am on the dark, dank morning of the 10th. Its small size was immediately apparent as it flew high away. After it had circuited the general area 3 times before heading east flying fairly high and doubled back, it was lost in the cloud. Although having white outer tail feathers there wasn't a white trailing edge on the secondaries (the trailing edge of the inner wing) indicative of the far commoner Skylark.
For the experts amongst us this bird sounded like a Short-toed Lark a rare visitor to these shores from southern Europe. A bird that has only been recorded in the London area a couple of times since records began and certainly, one has never been found this close to central London before. Had it called, its identity would have been clinched.
That's the beauty of birding: you never know what to expect. Furthermore, you are not certain to recognize it when it does come!
Contributors: Frank Clarke, David Jefferies, David Lindo, Roy Nuttall et al.
Grey Wagtail
More birds were noticed during the month. No doubt the majority were of the same individuals that were probably hanging around near the Grand Union Canal to the north of us.
Wren
Commonly seen but rarely counted.
Dunnock
This species was particularly prevalent along the embankment.
Robin
Birds were heard in song along the southern edge leading to Martin Bell's Woods and along the embankment.
Stonechat
A definite passage occurred during the month augmenting our wintering party of 2-3 birds. On the 3rd, 4 birds were found and fascinatingly, 9 were encountered in a drifting flock on the grassland on the 4th.
Whinchat
A bird was found on the 9th in loose association with our wintering Stonechats. The following day 2 birds were found and on the 14th yet another. These were possibly the first recorded October records ever.
Redwing
The first bird of the winter was seen flying over Braybrook Street on the 9th. Tiny numbers were noted from the 16th onwards.
Song Thrush
The occasional bird was briefly observed along the embankment during the period. A passage bird was watched heading south over the Central Copse on the 9th at fairly high altitude.
Mistle Thrush
A pair was on the grass at the Lynford Christie Stadium on the 29th.
Blackbird
No counts were made were made this month.
Ring Ouzel
Our 1st autumn record ever involved a male briefly watched being closely pursued by a small passerine over the grassland before heading off south.
Blackcap
A lingering female was reported on the 4th, 8th and 12th in the north west corner beyond the western end of the embankment. There were no records in October 2005.
Chiffchaff
Small numbers continued to be seen during the beginning of the month with at least 15 on the 4th in the north west corner being the largest count.
By the 8th there were still 10 foraging through the trees in the north west corner including an odd individual in their number. It appeared to be slightly larger, bulkier with a strong supercilium (eyestripe) and slightly darker brown plumage. The legs appeared to be fairly dark and unfortunately, it did not call. It possibly could have been an example of 'abietinus' race from northern Europe.
The last birds were a couple noted on the 11th. There were no records last October.
Long-tailed Tit
Fairly good numbers continued to roam the area with their distinctive thin high-pitched calls giving away their presence as they filed through the foliage. This species is not particularly shy and often allows quite close approach.
Blue Tit
There seemingly was not much change in the population status since last month.
Great Tit
Some of the young birds were attaining their pristine adult plumage.
Jay
The odd bird was noticed on most visits and were certainly often heard shrieking from Martin Bell's Wood.
Magpie
So used we are to seeing this species that it was accidentally omitted from last month's report!
So to put the record straight, Magpies were a very commonly observed bird at the Scrubs during September and October. There, how's that?
Jackdaw
Several of this small corvid appeared during the month with the biggest flock being the 'several' heard calling near Central Copse and more tangibly, 6 on the 17th.
Carrion Crow
The usual marauding mobs frequented the area.
Starling
At least 200 congregated on the pitches in shifting flocks on the 1st.
House Sparrow
Away from their roost in Central Copse 2 females were seen chirping on the embankment on the 8th.
Chaffinch
This winter finch continued to be seen throughout the month. At least 7 were noted on the 9th.
Goldfinch
A small flock of around 40 birds prevailed on the grassland, although over 100 were counted on the 8th with quite a few by the car park entrance of Martin Bell's Wood.
Greenfinch
This robust finch began to make a bit of a comeback at the Scrubs with numbers steadily building during the month. Over 40 birds were encountered on the 8th mostly in Martin Bells Wood.
Siskin
A flock of around 12 of these small finches flew over the embankment on the 16th constituting the first record for the year. This bird has never been seen to step foot on the Scrubs (or to be more correct - on a branch) as they have always been noted as a flyover. This is probably due to the fact that we have a distinct lack of Spruce, Alder and to a lesser extent Birch.
On the 17th, 6 more birds flew over Chats Paddock.
Linnet
Our resident flocks remained throughout the period with a peak count of 25 on the 8th.
Reed Bunting
At least 1 male was flushed from the grassland on the 10th near the bramble patch onto the embankment. This was the first record this year of this riparian bunting.