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

The Morning After

Cue - lots of patch birds.

That's what I tweeted as I snapped the logo of the Eurostar while boarding the train. And what transpired while I was away - Black-tailed Godwits, Pied Flycatcher and Yellow-legged Gull.

B****r!

Late to the party (don't like parties anyway) due to holidaying in Paris with wife and friends (not as fancy as it sounds), I thought I'd try and see if any patch ticks had lingered.

Of course - nothing had.

No Black-tailed Godwits (need) or Yellow-legged Gulls (need) or P. Flycatcher (got).

Mrs. Tern says to Mr. Tern "He should have been here yesterday."

 The best part of the morning was watching the Brown Hawkers, Emperors, Red-eyed and blue damselflies and the Ruddy Darters make use of the Coppermill Stream by East Warwick. At one point two Emperors wrestled mid-air and one pushed the other under the water, trying to drown it. The Emperor managed to drag itself to the surface after a few minutes and flew off.

Emperor - "Yeah, yeah. I'm stuck in water. But you weren't here yesterday."

All these birds were here yesterday.

This Common Sandpiper was here yesterday.

I'm not actually bitter about missing patch birds while away, I'm happy for the patch really. It was fun watching the tweets while in Paris and imagining the patchers on the scene. I'm going to Italy later on in August - the picture below summarises what I expect will descend onto the patch while I'm away.

Grey Heron to the others - "Quick, pose for the patchers while that other guy's gone."

@leevalleybirder - GH