Highgate-Waterlow Park (1 Viewer)

A pair of Sparrowhawks in what I think was courtship flight took up most of my time this morning.

Also a Nuthatch on the Swains lane, Cemetery gates side of the park.

Other than a Kestrel over Highgate wood,and the usual suspects today was more of a pleasant walk than anything.

Another glorious morning. Migration has started visibly here at last with a pristine male Wheatear on the slopes. He wasn't getting much rest as a pair of dogs were also full of the joys of spring, chasing each other in circles. Must try and get in earlierfor the next few weeks.

A Redwing in the reedbed was an unusual sight. Also a build up of Tufted ducks, 14 on the Lower pond 4 on the Middle.

I should mention a Swallow over the Kings Cross canal basin on Sunday.

Sad to say though, my trusty Bushnell seem to have taken a mortal blow. I've spent the last hour cross-eyed. Have to hunt out one of my old pair of stunt bins, scratched and sand encrusted though they may be.

I'm not sure yet if this is part of a bigger movement, but in the last 45 minutes I've watched 1 (lightish) C.Buzzard heading south, 2 darker birds circling probably over the Heath, then 1 Red Kite heading purposefully eastish and another Buzzard South East. I'm taking a guess they are using the hospital for a bit of uplift. I always did enjoy a bit of skywatching though it wasn't easy to eat my butties.
This was around 1.15 onwards close to Archway/Highgate. Also had a Grey Wagtail over, 1 Kestrel and a Peacock butterfly.

Tried to post on London Birders with the usual grindingly slow freeze of my p.c. So no complaints of suppression please!

Just read LB site, 1 Buzzard and 1 Kite past Ally Pally and 1 Buzzard over Houses of Parliament.

Oddly quiet in the park this morning. Only bird of note was a Chiffchaff calling from the cemetery.

Yesterdays Buzzards and Kite sightings did seem to be part of a fair bit of movement over the London area. Great to see and had me looking up at all opportunities. I didn't see any other BOP's but did have an early evening Swallow over the beer garden I was sat in. Also a bat close to Muswell Hill.

Another possible male Lesser spotted Woodpecker towards the cemetery this morning. Just caught enough of it in flight but not 100% certain without a better look or call. I'll have a longer look for it tomorrow morning.

2 singing Blackcaps, a pair of Lesser Redpoll, 21 Tufted duck, Green & G.S Woodpecker, 4 Stock doves, and a Sparrowhawk.

Work beckons.

I had a walk around on Saturday morning and was pleased to hear at least 2 Chiffchaff singing. Also 2 Blackcap, both male singing at either ends of the park. A pair of Lesser Redpoll and 5 Siskins, 1 Goldcrest and lots of tits meant the park was still lively despite the change in weather. No sign of LS Woodpecker, possible or not. Actually, not much sign of any Woodpeckers, just a flyover GS.

The Tufted duck are up to around 21 and the mallard numbers have increased, with birds flying in and out.

I've noticed a hell of a lot of rats this year. I'm guessing the mild winter has helped them.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone else cover the park regularly? And is anybody watching the cemetery? The cemetery looks fascinating, I have seen or heard good birds on the edge where it joins the park, but haven't really time of a morning to spend watching there as well.

Common buzzard thermalling over Highgate (Jackson's Lane) at 5.15pm today.

Spent just over 2 hours on Parliament Hill from 6.30am seeing if there was migration going on. Didn't see the Redstart that has been reported there and very little viz mig - 5 meadow pipits was a disappointing return! A fair few blackcaps and chiffchaffs are now in song on the Heath, including one of each by the viewpoint on Parliament Hill.

Matt Evans

Another sunlit stroll through the park this morning, certainly eases me into Monday morning in relaxing style.

Nothing of huge interest to the birding masses. One singing Chiffchaff, 1 singing male Blackcap and a female close by. Lots of paired up Tufted duck and randy Mallards, Canada geese, RN Parakeets , Woodpeckers, 2 Stock doves, a pair of Mistle Thrush and a heard Goldcrest.
Lots of vegetation growth in the last week or two. The reedbed and bankside waterplants are coming on a treat. Last year they were much later than this. The parks looking the picture of Spring, though as a life long Rhodedendron hater I wish the local contractors would get to work with the chainsaw and get some native bushes planted. I was also headbutted by what I think was a friendly Staffordshire bull terrier but as he had an industrial strength muzzle on he may have been trying to disembowel me.

Yesterday I had a good long walk around Alexandra Park. Lots of Chiffchaffs, singing Blackcap, 1 splendid male Reed Bunting, a Common Buzzard drifting over the deer enclosure, 1 Lesser Redpoll with another poorly seen probable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyOzcx7Xblo

Now then, just found my patch celebrated in song.

This morning started with a singing Blackcap in the small wood at the top of Jacksons lane.
The park was fairly deserted at 8am, which helped give good views of the birds in the park.

First off 4 male Blackcaps in one bush. One singing lustily and the other 3 chasing each other around. I heard up to 3 Chiffchaffs and saw 3 non singers.
There was a fair few birds flitting about high in the tree canopy, which could be of interest for those with a bit more time than me.

Also 2 Grey herons, 1 Green Woodpecker and 1 Jackdaw as well as the usual regulars.

A good fresh morning after yesterdays rain,. The springs are flowing well which has cleared the pond water nicely.

My first Willow warbler of the year,singing, in a tree between the Middle and Lower pond. Good to hear as I've noticed their numbers dropping off over the years. Also a couple of Chiffchaffs calling around the park, and plenty of Blackcaps.

Around 25 Tufted duck on Lower pond, and with pairs flying in and out, it made it look like a bone fide nature reserve. There were even a couple in the reed bed prospecting for nest sites. Hopefully a better year than last year for them. Having seen a couple of sizeable Terrapins in this pond I wonder if they do have an effect on the breeding success of birds. Has anyone seen a Terrapin pull a duckling under? Actually I remember a newly hatched Mallard duckling disappearing underwater on a Hampstead pond a while back, never to return, so it may happen on occasion.

Great thread, really enjoyed it all. Waterlow Park was a favourite childhood haunt and the Heath was very much my patch in later youth. The couple of times I actually got up and went out early were always when the good birds were seen. In those days (early nineties) LSW was still relatively common on the Heath, even had one in the garden a couple of times. Disappearing ducklings I would certainly put down to Pike, precisely no Mallards used ever to fledge from the Boating Pond, pike would have the lot. You'd just see a swirl and the last duckling in line would disappear. Terrapins however are voracious sods and if hungry could I am sure chomp a small bird if so inclined. As for rats the Park, I recall them as being easily the biggest and boldest that I have ever seen, anywhere. Like small dogs indeed. I remember my sister filming something Absurdist once in Waterlow for her film course, for which the one prop was a banana. They had a bunch and one plastic one 'in case of emergency'. Each time they placed a banana on a bench and retreated a few yards to the camera, this great big rat jumped out from the shrubbery, grabbed the nana and beat it. This happened one by one to the whole bunch until just the plastic one remained. Naturally it was stolen by the rat before they could get their shot.

Shame I missed that Bittern, I do love a London twitch as it takes me back to my bird-saturated teens. The Alpine Swift on the Heath a few years back was utterly glorious, well work the schlep up from Brighton. Maybe you will chance upon something equally pulse-quickening in your pre-work forays. Keep up the good work! Cheers, Tim

I haven't been around the area much recently, hence my profound silence.

It was another glorious morning in the park, more than making up for that familiar Monday morning gloom I often start the week with. The birdsong was pretty impressive, at least 4 Chiffchaffs making themselves heard, a few Blackcaps, 2 Willow Warblers, Greenfinches, a Coal tit, 1 Nuthatch. There were a fair few Thrushes and Blackbirds around the slopes, to which I gave close scrutiny in light of the Ring Ouzel glut around London, but no joy.

The high point of the morning was a male Lesser Whitethroat singing in scrub in the cemetery. Gorgeous bird and one I've not seen locally for a few years.

There are around 16 or so Tufted duck on the Lower pond at the moment, hopefully we'll have the patter of tiny feet later in the year as they seem to have taken a shine to the reedbed.

Also a male Sparrowhawk over the hospital as I left the park.

hover said:

Great thread, really enjoyed it all. Waterlow Park was a favourite childhood haunt and the Heath was very much my patch in later youth. The couple of times I actually got up and went out early were always when the good birds were seen. In those days (early nineties) LSW was still relatively common on the Heath, even had one in the garden a couple of times. Disappearing ducklings I would certainly put down to Pike, precisely no Mallards used ever to fledge from the Boating Pond, pike would have the lot. You'd just see a swirl and the last duckling in line would disappear. Terrapins however are voracious sods and if hungry could I am sure chomp a small bird if so inclined. As for rats the Park, I recall them as being easily the biggest and boldest that I have ever seen, anywhere. Like small dogs indeed. I remember my sister filming something Absurdist once in Waterlow for her film course, for which the one prop was a banana. They had a bunch and one plastic one 'in case of emergency'. Each time they placed a banana on a bench and retreated a few yards to the camera, this great big rat jumped out from the shrubbery, grabbed the nana and beat it. This happened one by one to the whole bunch until just the plastic one remained. Naturally it was stolen by the rat before they could get their shot.

Shame I missed that Bittern, I do love a London twitch as it takes me back to my bird-saturated teens. The Alpine Swift on the Heath a few years back was utterly glorious, well work the schlep up from Brighton. Maybe you will chance upon something equally pulse-quickening in your pre-work forays. Keep up the good work! Cheers, Tim

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Cheers Tim,

I used to live in Hampstead and managed to pick up the odd good bird over the years. Firecrest in Kenwood, a few Wheatears, Goosanders and a high overflying Egret which somebody else Id'd as GW when it went over Archway. I remember the Swift well, bombing around over the mens pool.

Whoever's managing the park seem fairly conservation minded as there's lots of areas suitable for wildlife. Its a little tidy for my liking but it is a park after all. I really need to get in earlier as once the dog walkers get in I can't see some of the migrants hanging around.

Best of luck in Sussex, nice part of the world.

Paul

A lovely sunny morning after a night of rain seems to have brought all the singers out in force. Most of the usuals, though getting harder to see as the trees fill out.

Two Meadow pipits on the slope were a welcome sight. Also the half submerged Heron is back on the Middle pond. I'm not sure what the fish population is like in there as I've never seen it catch anything and have never seen Cormorant here other than flyovers. Usually plenty of fry in the Lower pond though, probably helped by the reedbed.

Talking of Lower pond, all the Tufted duck ( 17 or so) were coming to bread. Often wonder how long it takes, and what conditions are needed to get a wild duck to become this "tame". Often a bone of contention in fence jumper vs vagrant wildfowl discussions.

Just an aside, but I was surprised to realise that a noted Birdforum contributor engaging in a particularly curmudgeonly discussion on here frequents the same pubs as myself. It all makes sense now!

After a week of rain and toothache, this morning was like the first day of spring all over again. There hasn't been much to report hence my stony silence, just the marginally fluctuating numbers of Tufted duck and a Swallow over my flat on Tuesday.

Today however was a bumper. A half remembered song alerted me to what turned out to be a male Redstart in the tall trees in front of the bandstand shaped rain shelter. It had that fresh lively look of the newly landed migrant, which is probably due to the 10 minute downpour that had just cleared up. Lots of tail quivering and a bit of fly catching. Anyway it was still there when I left around 08.20 ish.

Next up was a singing Garden Warbler deep in one of the trees in the small playground. Always liked these birds for some reason, probably because I never expect them.Again I'll take a guess it had been grounded by the rain. Also in this tree was a flock of 5 +
Greenfinches and close by a lustily singing Blackcap. At least 2 Chiffchaffs were belting away and a distant Willow warbler heard over towards the cemetery.

I'll spare you the Tufted duck count and the toothaches gone.

This'll have to be a bit of a round-up as its not been the most ground breaking of weeks in the park. I was thinking of getting one of the local Chiffchaffs DNA tested when I noticed its got a slight lisp but in the end I couldn't be bothered with the unwanted crowds that may result.

So then , here we go. Parkwise, just a few locally noteworthy sightings, a pair of Coal tits with food, a pair of Stock doves, 3 Shoveler (2 Drakes) circling but I don't think landing, Sparrowhawk, a few Goldcrests and today a warbler in the reedbed which from the fleeting glimpse I had is probably Reed. The Tufted duck flock was up to 31 , though its looking a bit congested on the Lower pond so I'll reckon there'll be a few departures during the day.


In the local area I had a Lesser Whitethroat singing in scrub by the pitch and putt at Alexandra Park. There were a fair few Swallows over as well.This was during a failed attempt at Ring Ouzel. I did meet a couple of birders which is always good as I'm generally alone on my travels.

Also today a Hobby over Highgate woods / Queens wood heading roughly towards Alexandra park.

A pair of Goldcrests in a garden on Southwood Lane seemed to be innured to the heavy traffic a couple of metres away. Perhaps nesting in the small wood opposite. I've noticed the Sparrow flock living close to my flat seems to have increased slightly, and there's a pair nesting under the eaves of a neighbours house. There's a pair of Grey wagtails around the hospital as usual.

Hopefully a trip up to Alexandra park early tomorrow morning will be a bit more fruitful ,and somewhere more ambitious over the weekend will liven up my birding year so far.

A quick trip through the park this morning gave me a brief view of a Kingfisher,presumably one of the Heath birds. Also a couple of Chiffchaff, 1 singing Willow Warbler and a pair of Blackcap.

The water levels are obviously high and the plant growth has shot up. Not sure how this will affect the wildlife as yet but there's a fair few young birds around the park.

A bit of a round up from the last few days. On Saturday I had an early morning walk (6am) around Alexandra Park and got cracking views of lots of the park avian residents that you don't really get later in the day. There were a few Swallows, 8 House Martins and a few Swift passing through. Also found a Reed Warbler in the flooded area by Wood Green Reservoir. Annoyingly I had to leave at this point as a delivery I was expecting had turned up three hours early, and how often does that happen?

Yesterday I had a study day down in town . Thankfully the window was left open, which meant I had a full on serenade from a male Black Redstart. After a bit of surreptitious chair moving and sidelong staring it appeared on a gutter. I managed a good view during the coffee break. I haven't listed the site as I've noticed a few local birders prefer not to publicise B.R singing sites. If anyone with reasonable credentials wants to know I'm happy to pass on, though its pretty inaccessible as its all private property from what I could see.

Anyway, after this I walked back up to Archway. Regents park was lively, though I didn't have time to linger or visit the lakes. A pair of Blackcap feeding by the path was notable, a couple of Willow Warblers, a Whitethroat in the rose gardens, and a Peregrine high over Camden were all good to see. There was a superb Grey Wagtail on one of the Camden locks feeding on the drug crazed midges swarming around there.

The walk up through Kentish Town brought lots of Swifts, including around 30 in one place, 12 or so House Martins heading west and dribs and drabs of Swallows at various points. Later a Chiffchaff singing in a Highgate garden and a pair of Goldcrest around the back of the hospital made up a pretty good day.

Just out of interest, does anybody watch Muswell hill Golf club regularly? I live a couple of streets away and it definitely looks promising. Had a Spotted Flycatcher on its borders last year and I seem to recall one report of a R.L Partridge. The only problem with not being 12 years old anymore is I'd presumably have to get permission to have an early morning wander around, and not sure that would be forthcoming. Ah, the long lost happy days of climbing over, under, wading through,and leaping barriers expressly put out to prevent me finding good birds.

Quick report for this morning.

Whilst trying to get a better look at a silent Chiffchaff/ Willow warbler I flushed a Snipe from the banks of the middle pond. It shot off Heath wards.

Also a good record was a Sedge warbler giving a brief blast of song from the reedbed on the lower pond, it made a short agitated appearence much to the displeasure of one of the local Robins.

Other than that, a few of the local regulars (Chiffchaff, Blackcap) ,and the Tufted duck flock is around 26 birds. Still hoping these act as decoy for something rarer.

Yesterday evening I had a pale Common Buzzard over my home in Muswell Hill. Even managed to get the scope on it from the back window as it idled by. Also been spending the evenings watching 4 Fox cubs who are at home in a log pile and bushes at the back of our flat. Not much in the way of Bats this year locally, just a couple of Pipistrelle on the detector.

This mornings welcome respite from the rain and murk brought a brightly lit pair of Yellow Wagtails. Also a Reed Warbler in the lower pond reed bed. There was a single bird hanging around last year too.

Plenty of the resident birds in good numbers this year. One result of the wet weather is the number of times I've seen birds actively feeding on insects has increased. So the Thrushes and Blackbirds have been pulling up worms left, right and centre. Also watched tits with sizeable bugs on numerous occasions. Oddly there haven't been so many R.N Parakeets around this year. Just the odd flyover. Fine with me as I'm convinced their proliferation is at the expense of wildlife, just not quite sure what yet.

Hopefully the Melodious warbler will still be hanging around Leyton tomorrow so I can pay a visit. Whoever found it must have been sweating on it staying around as its as unlikely a spot to be reporting a rare migrant warbler from as any.