December 2019

Tuesday 31st

Capel: Hawfinch (W Attridge).

Godalming: Jack Snipe flushed on Lammas Lands at Catteshall Meadow (P Osborn).

London Wetland Centre: 2 Bitterns, Water Pipit, Goldeneye, 7 Pintail and Shelduck (R Folkening/WWT).

Walton-on-Thames: adult Caspian Gull again (A Wilkes).

Monday 30th

Hawfinch, Effingham Forest (J Snell).
Hawfinch, Effingham Forest (J Snell).

Effingham Forest: Hawfinch still at Honeysuckle Bottom mid-afternoon (J Snell/M Waite).

London Wetland Centre: 2 Bitterns, 2 Water Pipits and Shelduck (M Honey/WWT).

Richmond Park: Red-crested Pochard (E & R Hunter).

Stave Hill: Yellow-browed Warbler still at Russia Dock Woodland by bridge early afternoon (R Page-Jones).

Witley: 3+ Firecrests in garden (G Hinchon).

Sunday 29th

Mediterranean Gull, Wandsworth Common (N Rutter).
Mediterranean Gull, Wandsworth Common (N Rutter).

Beddington Farmlands: 4 Green Sandpipers (N & N Baldwin/BFBG/G Jones).

Capel: 2 Woodcock (W Attridge).

Cutt Mill Ponds: 7 Goosander (R Brown).

Effingham Forest: 2 Hawfinches at Honeysuckle Bottom mid-afternoon (M Waite).

Godalming: Water Pipit still on Lammas Lands in Overgone Meadow at east end early morning though mobile (E Stubbs).

Holmethorpe SPs: Brambling (BirdTrack).

Island Barn Reservoir (no access): juvenile Shag found dead (D Harris).

London Wetland Centre: 3 Bitterns, 2 Water Pipits, Pintail, 2 Shelduck and Goldeneye (O Dewhurst/WWT).

Stave Hill: Yellow-browed Warbler still at Russia Dock Woodland by bridge early afternoon (A Self).

Thursley Common: ringtail Hen Harrier again, flew west over Shrike Hill (possibly to roost) at 15:35 (J Hobden).

Wandsworth Common: adult Mediterranean Gull on lake mid-morning – first for site (N Rutter).

Saturday 28th

Yellow-browed Warbler, Stave Hill (R Page-Jones).
Yellow-browed Warbler, Stave Hill (R Page-Jones).

Cutt Mill Ponds: 7 Goosander (BirdTrack).

London Wetland Centre: Bittern, Goldeneye, Shelduck and Pintail (WWT).

Morden Hall Park: Water Pipit left roost with Meadow Pipits early morning; also Woodcock (S Patmore).

Stave Hill: Yellow-browed Warbler still at Russia Dock Woodland by bridge (R Page-Jones).

The Nower: Firecrest (M Davis).

Tice’s Meadow: 3rd-winter Caspian Gull in The Workings; also 3 Pintail (R Horton).

Friday 27th

Great Northern Divers, Island Barn Reservoir (D Harris).
Great Northern Divers, Island Barn Reservoir (D Harris).

Bookham Common: Firecrest in holly behind Bookham railway station late morning (H Wright).

Cutt Mill Ponds: 15 Goosander (4 drakes) on Cuttmill House Pond mid-afternoon (J Clark).

Holmethorpe SPs: Yellow-legged Gull (J Camp).

Island Barn Reservoir (no access): 2 Great Northern Divers still; also juvenile Shag still – viewable from Molesey Heath (D Harris).

Leatherhead: 3 drake Goosander on River Mole below The Mansion House early afternoon (J Snell).

London Wetland Centre: 3 Bitterns, Water Pipit, Goldeneye and 3 Pintail (S Patel/WWT).

Stave Hill: Yellow-browed Warbler still at Russia Dock Woodland by bridge (BirdGuides).

Tice’s Meadow: adult Caspian Gull late morning (D Smith).

Walton-on-Thames: adult Caspian Gull again by The Weir pub mid-morning (I Jones).

Wrecclesham Water Meadows: 17 Little Egrets (J Clark).

Thursday 26th

Holmethorpe SPs: 3 Jack Snipe on The Moors (G Hay).

London Wetland Centre: Bittern, 2 Water Pipits, 2 Goldeneye, 2 Pintail and 2 Shelduck (WWT).

Wednesday 25th

Ashtead Common: Woodcock (F Dummigan).

Godalming: 3 Water Pipits still on Lammas Lands in Overgone Meadow at east end early morning though mobile (E Stubbs).

Island Barn Reservoir (no access): 2 Great Northern Divers still; also juvenile Shag still (possibly moribund) – viewable from Molesey Heath (D Harris).

Nutfield Ridge: 1,300 Jackdaws left roost (G Hay).

Unstead Water Meadows: Cetti’s Warbler by Firs Bridge (S Jones).

Walton-on-Thames: adult Caspian Gull by The Weir pub early afternoon then flew downriver (D Harris).

Tuesday 24th

Godalming: 2 Water Pipits on Lammas Lands in Overgone Meadow south of Hell Ditch mid-afternoon though mobile (S Jones).

London Wetland Centre: 2 Bitterns, Water Pipit, adult Yellow-legged Gull, 3 Pintail and Goldeneye (WWT).

Stave Hill: Yellow-browed Warbler still at Russia Dock Woodland by bridge (J & J Cadera/R Page-Jones).

Unstead SF: no sign of Siberian Chiffchaff mid-afternoon (K Britten).

Unstead Water Meadows: 2,500 Jackdaws flew north-east to roost (S Jones).

Winkworth Arboretum: Woodcock flushed from Rowe’s Flashe Meadow at dawn (E Stubbs).

Monday 23rd

Mediterranean Gull, Morden Hall Park (A Dutta).
Mediterranean Gull, Morden Hall Park (A Dutta).

Frensham Common: no sign of Great Grey Shrike on King’s Ridge early morning (BirdGuides).

London Wetland Centre: 2 Bitterns, Water Pipit, 3 Pintail and Shelduck (WWT).

Mickleham: 16 Little Egrets (S Gale).

Morden Hall Park: adult Mediterranean Gull flew west c.10:05 (A Dutta/S Levy).

Papercourt Water Meadows: Short-eared Owl again at dusk (BirdGuides).

Stave Hill: Yellow-browed Warbler still at Russia Dock Woodland by pond at end of stream near Salter Road (C Ellam/R Page-Jones).

Unstead SF: Siberian Chiffchaff still east of works early afternoon (A Barker/E Stubbs).

Sunday 22nd

Effingham Forest: 2 Hawfinches roosted (BirdGuides).

Frensham Common: Great Grey Shrike still at north end of King’s Ridge on east side mid-morning (S Peters).

Island Barn Reservoir (no access): 2 Great Northern Divers still; also juvenile Shag still – viewable from Molesey Heath (F Clark/R McCaffrey/S Musievski/J Snell).

London Wetland Centre: Water Pipit, 2 Pintail and Shelduck (WWT).

Stave Hill: Yellow-browed Warbler still at Russia Dock Woodland by ‘Peter Hills’ wooden bridge (BirdGuides).

Saturday 21st

Shag, Island Barn Reservoir (C Turner).
Shag, Island Barn Reservoir (C Turner).

Frensham Common: Great Grey Shrike (likely same as Thursley Common) between King’s Ridge and A287 in morning (S Peters).

Island Barn Reservoir (no access): female Greater Scaup briefly then flew off; also 2 Great Northern Divers still, juvenile Shag still and 46 Barnacle Geese in fields to south – viewable from Molesey Heath (D Harris/C Turner).

London Wetland Centre: Bittern, Jack Snipe, Goldeneye, 2 Pintail and Shelduck (WWT).

Pennymead Lake: 5 drake Goosander late afternoon (G Lewis).

Richmond Park: Dartford Warbler (H Bradshaw).

Stave Hill: Yellow-browed Warbler still at Russia Dock Woodland by ‘Peter Hills’ wooden bridge (J Cadera/D Darrell-Lambert/R Page-Jones/A Wilkinson).

Thursley Common: Green Sandpiper and 8 Goosander (C Jones).

Westhumble: 20 Little Egrets in flooded fields by River Mole (S Gale).

Friday 20th

Yellow-browed Warbler, Russia Dock Woodland (R Bonser).
Yellow-browed Warbler, Russia Dock Woodland (R Bonser).

Clapham Common: Egyptian Goose pair with a brood of 6 goslings! (P Dunwiddie).

London Wetland Centre: Bittern, Water Pipit, Shelduck and 4 Pintail (C Albanese/BirdGuides/WWT).

Northbrook Park: 6 Woodcocks (G Murphy).

Russia Dock Woodland: Yellow-browed Warbler still at Stave Hill early afternoon (R Bonser).

Thursday 19th

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Richmond Park (P Redmond).
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Richmond Park (P Redmond).

Island Barn Reservoir (no access): 2 Great Northern Divers still (viewable from Molesey Heath); also juvenile Shag still (A Goddard/D Harris/J Hasse).

London Wetland Centre: Water Pipit, Bittern, 2 Goldeneye, Shelduck and 2 Pintail (WWT).

Redhill Common: 2 Firecrests (G Hay).

Richmond Park: female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (P Redmond).

Thursley Common: Great Grey Shrike still on high ground south of Shrike Hill late morning (BirdGuides).

Wednesday 18th

Yellow-browed Warbler, Russia Dock Woodland (R Page-Jones).
Yellow-browed Warbler, Russia Dock Woodland (R Page-Jones).

Beddington Farmlands: 8 Water Pipits, 3 Green Sandpipers and 335 Teal (P Alfrey).

Burgh Heath: 200 Linnets at Canons Farm (Birdtrack).

Coldharbour: Hawfinch flew over in morning (BirdGuides).

Island Barn Reservoir (no access): 2 Great Northern Divers still showing well at west end (viewable from Molesey Heath); also juvenile Shag late afternoon then roosted on water tower (J Gale/D Harris).

Kew Gardens: Common Sandpiper on River Thames then flew north-east downriver from south shore at 16:00 (Twitter).

London Wetland Centre: Water Pipit, Bittern, Jack Snipe, 2 Goldeneye, 2 Shelduck and 4 Pintail (M Honey/D Panchaud/N Simon/WWT).

Papercourt Water Meadows: Short-eared Owl again at dusk (J Hoben).

Russia Dock Woodland: Yellow-browed Warbler at Stave Hill (R Page-Jones).

Thursley Common: Great Grey Shrike still on Shrike Hill and high ground to the south but highly mobile and elusive (BirdGuides).

Worplesdon: 2 Goosander flew west over Hollow Farm (J Gates).

Tuesday 17th

Beddington Farmlands: 5 Water Pipits and 7 Green Sandpipers (BFBG).

Island Barn Reservoir (no access): 2 Great Northern Divers still – viewable from Molesey Heath (D Harris).

London Wetland Centre: Water Pipit, Bittern, 14 Water Rails, 2 Goldeneye, 2 Shelduck and 3 Pintail (WWT).

Papercourt Water Meadows: Water Pipit in puddles in stubble fields off Tannery Lane (J Hobden).

Redhill Common: 6 Firecrests (G Hay).

Thursley Common: no sign of Great Grey Shrike (BirdGuides).

Monday 16th

Beddington Farmlands: Shelduck (M Netherwood).

Island Barn Reservoir (no access): now 2 Great Northern Divers – viewable from Molesey Heath (D Harris).

London Wetland Centre: Water Pipit, 2 Bitterns, Jack Snipe, 2 Goldeneye and 5 Pintail (BirdGuides/M Honey/WWT).

Papercourt Water Meadows: Short-eared Owl again at dusk over water meadows between Old Woking SF and Newark Road (BirdGuides).

Richmond Park : Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Birdtrack).

Thursley Common: Great Grey Shrike on high ground by Parish Field in afternoon (G Osbourne).

Wallington: 60+ Golden Plovers flew north-west (Twitter).

Sunday 15th

Great Northern Diver, Island Barn Reservoir (C Turner).
Great Northern Diver, Island Barn Reservoir (C Turner).

Cutt Mill Ponds: 23 Goosander (16 on Cuttmill House Pond; 7 on The Tarn) late morning (T Cummins).

Island Barn Reservoir (no access): juvenile Great Northern Diver still – viewable from Molesey Heath (D Harris/C Turner).

London Wetland Centre: Water Pipit, Bittern, 2 Goldeneye and Pintail (WWT).

Thorpe Park: 6 Goldeneye (3 drakes) and 223 Pochard (K Duncan).

Saturday 14th

Great Northern Diver, Island Barn Reservoir (D Harris).
Great Northern Diver, Island Barn Reservoir (D Harris).

Banstead: still no sign of any Waxwings on Lyme Regis Road (S Gale).

Cutt Mill Ponds: 16 Goosander early afternoon (A Barker).

Island Barn Reservoir (no access): juvenile Great Northern Diver mid-morning – bird probably viewable from Molesey Heath (D Harris).

London Wetland Centre: Water Pipit, Bittern and 3 Shelduck (R Dewhurst/WWT).

Lonsdale Road Reservoir: drake and female Shelduck (N Anderson).

Putney Heath: Woodcock flushed at Ladies Mile late afternoon (L Evans-Hill).

Friday 13th

Banstead: 2 Waxwings in garden on Lyme Regis Road c.09:25 though no sign early afternoon (S Gale/C Hills/J Snell).

London Wetland Centre: Water Pipit, Pintail and Goldeneye (WWT).

Papercourt Water Meadows: Short-eared Owl again at dusk (BirdGuides).

Pebble Coombe: male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at Dawcombe Wood in deciduous copse c.250 m east of Knowles Field Shaw late morning (T Sztypuljak).

Thursday 12th

London Wetland Centre: 2nd-winter Caspian Gull on Main Lake with Herring Gulls; also Bittern, Jack Snipe, Water Pipit, 2 Pintail and Goldeneye (WWT).

Wednesday 11th

Gatwick Airport: male Bearded Tit in reedbed along River Mole north of airport in morning; also male Black Redstart singing at airport by hangar (R Bicker/T Forward).

London Wetland Centre: Water Pipit, 5 Pintail and Goldeneye (WWT).

Tuesday 10th

London Wetland Centre: Water Pipit, Bittern, 3 Pintail and 2 Goldeneye (WWT).

Pennymead Lake: two drake and one redhead Goosander (K Duncan)

Tice’s Meadow: Green Sandpiper (J Hunt).

Monday 9th

Island Barn Reservoir (no access): Mediterranean Gull (C Turner).

London Wetland Centre: Water Pipit, Bittern, 5 Pintail and female Goldeneye (WWT).

Papercourt Water Meadows: Short-eared Owl late afternoon (BirdGuides).

Sunday 8th

Beddington Farmlands: 5 Water Pipits, 5 Green Sandpipers and Shelduck (BFBG).

Capel: 2 Woodcock (W Attridge).

Cutt Mill Ponds: 17 Goosander (10 drakes and 4 redheads on Cuttmill House Pond; 3 redheads on The Tarn) late morning (S Jones/E Stubbs).

London Wetland Centre: 2 Water Pipits, 2 Bitterns, Jack Snipe, Pintail and female Goldeneye (J Quinn/WWT).

Papercourt Water Meadows: 31 Brambling in stubble field off Tannery Lane at Prews Farm (J Hobden).

Shackleford: juvenile male Hen Harrier still at Cross Farm and Lydling Farm early afternoon though no sign mid-morning or at dusk (S Jones/R Love/E Soden/E Stubbs et al).

Thursley Common: juvenile male Hen Harrier (same as Shackleford) over South Bog c.09:30-09:50 then flew west towards Hankley Common (D Brassington).

Unstead SF: no sign of Siberian Chiffchaff (BirdGuides).

Saturday 7th

Caspian Gull, Beddington Farmlands (P Alfrey).
Caspian Gull, Beddington Farmlands (P Alfrey).

Beddington Farmlands: 1st-winter Caspian Gull (P Alfrey).

Cutt Mill Ponds: 17 Goosander (C Jones).

Effingham Forest: Hawfinch in trees west of Crocknorth Road at midday (J Sloane)

Frensham Great Pond: Firecrest at outlet pond (T Cummins).

London Wetland Centre: 2 Water Pipits, Jack Snipe, 3 Pintail and female Goldeneye (S Musievski/A Self/WWT).

Malden Rushett: 6 probable Grey Partridges in flight low over ploughed field at Rushett Farm late afternoon (R Nunns).

Morden Hall Park: Brambling early morning (S Patmore).

Shackleford: juvenile male Hen Harrier still at Cross Farm and Lydling Farm (BirdGuides).

Unstead SF: Siberian Chiffchaff still east of works though very elusive; also Woodcock flew south at dawn (BirdGuides/K Britten/J Gates).

Friday 6th

London Wetland Centre: Bittern, Water Pipit, 3 Pintail and Goldeneye (WWT).

Thursday 5th

London Wetland Centre: 2 Bitterns, 2 Water Pipits and 2 Goldeneye (WWT).

Shackleford: juvenile male Hen Harrier still at Cross Farm and Lydling Farm (BirdGuides/J Wilczur).

Unstead SF: no sign of Siberian Chiffchaff (BirdGuides).

Wednesday 4th

Siberian Chiffchaff, Unstead SF (E Stubbs).
Siberian Chiffchaff, Unstead SF (E Stubbs).

Beddington Farmlands: Water Pipit (BFBG).

Holmethorpe SPs: unconfirmed report of Curlew Sandpiper on Spynes Mere (BirdGuides).

Leatherhead: 4 drake Goosander and Green Sandpiper on River Mole north-west of railway bridge (M Davis).

London Wetland Centre: 2 Bitterns, 2 Water Pipits, 4 Jack Snipe and 2 Goldeneye (A Wilkinson/M Honey/WWT).

Shackleford: juvenile male Hen Harrier still at Cross Farm and Lydling Farm mid-afternoon (A Barker).

Unstead SF: Siberian Chiffchaff east of works in trees on north side of footpath early afternoon (A Barker/E Stubbs).

Tuesday 3rd

London Wetland Centre: 3 Bitterns, 2 Water Pipits and 2 Shelduck (WWT).

Shackleford: juvenile male Hen Harrier still at Cross Farm and Lydling Farm in morning (I Witter).

Thorncombe Street: 2 Crossbills flew over Gatestreet Farm early morning (E Stubbs).

Monday 2nd

Whooper Swan, Richmond Park (P Redmond).
Whooper Swan, Richmond Park (P Redmond).

Effingham Forest: Hawfinch at Dick Focks Common (M Davis).

London Wetland Centre: 2 Bitterns, 3 Water Pipits, Jack Snipe, 4 Pintail, 2 Shelduck and 2 Goldeneye (D Panchaud/WWT).

Richmond Park: Whooper Swan on Pen Ponds in morning then flew north-east (S Read/P Redmond).

Shackleford: juvenile male Hen Harrier still at Cross Farm and Lydling Farm though mobile and flew high south out of view early afternoon (J Hunt/M Kettell/C Lodge/K Wilson/M Wright et al).

Sunday 1st

Black-necked Grebes, Island Barn Reservoirs (D Harris).
Black-necked Grebes, Island Barn Reservoir (D Harris).

Crooksbury Common: Crossbill flew over early morning (J Gates).

Cutt Mill Ponds: 7 Goosander (3 drakes) on Cuttmill House Pond (J Hasse).

Island Barn Reservoir (no access): female Scaup, 4 Black-necked Grebes and 46 Barnacles Geese in fields to south (D Harris).

Knight and Bessborough Reservoirs (no access): 2 female Goldeneye (T Quinn).

London Wetland Centre: Bittern, Water Pipit and 2 Goldeneye (WWT).

Puttenham: 3 Ring Ouzels flew over (F Clark).

Selhurst Common: Firecrest (E Stubbs).

Hen Harrier, Shackleford (C Taz).
Hen Harrier, Shackleford (C Taz).

Shackleford: juvenile male Hen Harrier still at Cross Farm and Lydling Farm though mobile (M Fincham/J Hobden/J Hunt/D Kenrick/R Seargent/V Soares et al).

Stoke Lake: c.4,000 Jackdaws roosted (M Kettell).

Walton-on-Thames: adult Caspian Gull flew downriver past Sunbury Lane c.12:45 (D Harris).