Have a look at what Johnny found in the woods while doing his Surrey Year List.
http://surreybirding.blogspot.com/2010/05/wood-with-no-warbler.html
Thursday, 6 May 2010
T42 and Beddington Farmlands in the Local News
Click on to read.
Earlier related post here: http://peteralfreybirdingnotebook.blogspot.com/2010/04/tower-42-migration-watch.html
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER- BEDDINGTON FARMLANDS
Well we seem to have come to a conclusion that the mystery plover is London's second ever Pacific Golden Plover and the first one since 1870!
That's another first for Beddington. A blinding Bank Holiday Weekend.
Monday, 3 May 2010
Kittiwake- Beddington Farmlands
The purple patch continues. With strong north winds we were hoping for a displaced seabird and this adult Kittiwake appeared in the afternoon. Also a Black-tailed Godwit this morning and one Arctic Tern.Two Yellow Wagtails, 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 LRP were feeding on the lake edge. Shelduck numbers are now up to 14.
3 male and 1 female Gadwall were displaying and flying round and looks like they are thinking about breeding.
We have been keeping a bank holiday list and added three gulls today- Great Black-backed, Yellow-legged and the Kittiwake.
Sunday, 2 May 2010
Pacific or American?
Photos by Roger Browne (1-2 taken at Beddington), Andrew Moon (3-4 at Barnes) and I lifted the last one off the Barnes website (sorry don't know who took it but link here: http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit-us/london/wildlife-sightings/bird-sightings-for-2nd-may-2010 
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Hopefully will get to the bottom of this i.d but at the moment conflicting stories and information.
More of Rogers photos here: http://dodge007.blogspot.com/
and discussion thread here: http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/londonbirders/
PURPLE LOCAL PATCH- BEDDINGTON FARMLANDS
This morning was chicken oriental. We had this full summer Golden Plover sp. (pic 1) flying around with a grey underwing and
very extensive dark underparts which looked like an American Golden Plover. We texted out to other London birders that a Golden Plover sp. was on the loose. About an hour later Franko found it at the London Wetland Center where it was confirmed as an American Golden Plover. I think there may be some debate/ questions about ruling out Pacific but either way it's a mega- hope to see the photos soon from the Wetland Center. Now here: http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit-us/london/wildlife-sightings/bird-sightings-for-2nd-may-2010
very extensive dark underparts which looked like an American Golden Plover. We texted out to other London birders that a Golden Plover sp. was on the loose. About an hour later Franko found it at the London Wetland Center where it was confirmed as an American Golden Plover. I think there may be some debate/ questions about ruling out Pacific but either way it's a mega- hope to see the photos soon from the Wetland Center. Now here: http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit-us/london/wildlife-sightings/bird-sightings-for-2nd-may-2010When it rains it pours!! in more ways than one. The frontal conditions and northeast winds today enduced a major shorebird arrival- we had 9 Knot, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit (bottom pic), 4 Whimbrel, 20 Ringed Plover, 13 Dunlin, 1 Greenshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Arctic Tern and 1 Common Tern.
Saturday, 1 May 2010
BIG DAY! BEDDINGTON FARMLANDS
What a rather interesting day that was. It started at 0430 (that's am) with Roger, Paul and I leading 45 people on a dawn chorus walk. 
There was a Nightingale singing on Hangman's Bridge yesterday but unfortunately it cleared off in the night. However plenty of other songsters including 4 Lesser Whitethroats along the track. Then after breakfast it was back to our stations for the Beddington Big Day- a dusk till dawn vigil aimed at seeing as many species as possible within a day.
There was a Nightingale singing on Hangman's Bridge yesterday but unfortunately it cleared off in the night. However plenty of other songsters including 4 Lesser Whitethroats along the track. Then after breakfast it was back to our stations for the Beddington Big Day- a dusk till dawn vigil aimed at seeing as many species as possible within a day. Despite the southwest winds there were a few migrants including female Whinchat, 1-2 Wheatear, 3 Yellow Wagtail over, 1 Common Buzzard and an influx of hirundines including 100+ Swift. At around 1500 I went back to the obs for a coffee. I thought I would keep an eye on the sky for any fly over migrants so went to the window for an obs watch. I looked to the north and saw a giant bird approaching and immediately ran for my camera. From the splayed out fingers and flat wings I knew it was either a stork or crane so took a couple of shots, binned it- saw it was a bloody Common Crane and quickly phone Johnny who was with the others on the dawn to dusk vigil at the hide. From the obs window I then started hearing Johnny shouting followed by a silence and then a huge roaring cheer- so I assumed they were on to it. I quickly went back to hide and was met with this reception:
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