Pied Flycatchers, Warblers, Raptors, Whinchats, Walthamstow 2018 Year List, Rats and a dry East Warwick island scrape.

Last year on Walthamstow, the first Pied Flycatcher turned up on the 29^th of April during the 5^th Annual Walthamstow Patch Watch day (a female on the central path of the reservoirs). Then that was it for 2017. 

Fast forward to Autumn 2018 and we’ve had a definite 5 (possibly 7 but could be same birds) all in the same spot - the front paddocks of the Lee Valley Riding Centre.

On the 13^th of August, J-P Elmes, Matt Cunningham, Sue and Mark observed at least 3 separate birds on the front paddocks. 

@Suzehu

And, on the 3^rd of September Mark and Lol observed at least 2 separate birds on the front paddocks.

@Suzehu

Also on the southern side the patch were Garden Warbler and Willow Warbler in the WaterWorks Nature Reserve.

@Suzehu

@Suzehu

As was a juvenile rat.

@Suzehu

On the marshes, a 4 raptor day was fun.

Sparrowhawk

Peregrine

Hobby

Kestrel

And the Whinchats have been daily on the Bomb Crater Field.

Whinchat

With an eye on the patch year list, we’re currently on 146. Better than 2016 (143), 2015 (141) and 2014 (139). Our patch average is 146.6, so we just need to find two fifths or 40% of a FOY bird to beat the average before the year is out.

Black-necked Grebe?

Short-eared Owl?

Also, on the reservoirs, the East Warwick island was inspected and it was quite disappointingly not scrape like (thanks to DW for pics).

Walthamstow Birders

A Spot of Patching

On Lockwood reservoir:

Little Egrets and a Grey Heron

The western ‘shore’ of Lockwood

Two snoozing juvenile Spotted Redshanks

Two awake juvenile Spotted Redshanks

Looking south from the northern end of Lockwood

Two Common Sandpipers and a Dunlin

A mini murder of crows

A log

A Devil’s Coach Horse under a log

An adult male Kestrel on Walthamstow Marshes paddock

A first winter Whinchat on the bomb crater field of Walthamstow Marshes

GH

Peregrines and Kestrels on Walthamstow Marshes

With Autumn whispering its teasing breeze, I went out early onto Walthamstow Marshes in search of a Wryneck, a Shrike or something else of that ilk. But of course, as is far more likely, I came home with just a couple of local raptors. [It was very early, quiet and greatly enjoyable]

 The first raptor was a Peregrine; on the last pylon north of the paddocks.

The next raptor was another Peregrine [or as is most likely, the same one plus its significant other], which were on the most northernly pylon of the marshes, by coppermill lane. 

Significant other arrowed,

It was making an odd whining noise which alerted me to its presence.

I then walked the loop back towards the bus stop, checking out the Kestrel that I had noticed before.

@leevalleybirder