Highgate-Waterlow Park (4 Viewers)

[angusmcoatup]

Short on birds this park may be but it's stunning in autumn, had a good invigorating tramp round this morning, nodding at the joggers and dog walkers. Must be nearly weekend. Anyway, back to business.

4 Siskin in alder, 7 Redwings, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Fieldfare over, a pair of House Sparrow (noteworthy) by the tennis courts and a Sparrowhawk over Highgate village. There's been a couple Stock doves on the slope recently, a Common gull with the Black heads and a Kestrel over Highgate wood. Still have a calling Tawny Owl in Muswell hill.

 

[angusmcoatup]

I got into the park as it got light but managed to pick up a Kingfisher as it flew across the lower pond. It was still there as I left at 07.50 and I imagine it's one of the Heath birds.

Also a Sparrowhawk hunting around the hospital.

There has been a Grey Wagtail around the hospital on and off as usual, the odd Siskin flock and regular Nuthatch. I still see the occasional Tawny Owl in Muswell Hill, usually on the way home from the pub or very early morning. There's been 5 - 7 Fieldfares outside my home with a couple of Redwings on occasion too.

 

[angusmcoatup]

I'm having trouble editing in the London birder site still. So this will have to do.

1 Firecrest in the park around 07.45 this morning. Located on call to begin with I got good views in the trees and bushes around the kitchen gardens. It was alone, no tit flock or Goldcrests nearby, and feeding vigorously though I was able to get within a couple of metres so a good photo available for those with the no-how.

Otherwise not too much of note apart from good numbers of Fieldfares and Redwings around Muswell Hill this week. By my home I've had over 50 Fieldfares on berries at one time and 25 + Redwings scattered around the area. Plenty of berries remain, pity it's not a Waxwing year.

 

[angusmcoatup]

I passed through the park in the murk this morning so not easy to see much. This did however provide a view of 3 wary Gadwall and a Grey Heron on the middle pond. There are a few Tufties around also.

Yesterday there was a Sparrowhawk around the park, Green Woodpecker, 2 Goldcrest and a G.S Woodpecker but I couldn't find the Firecrest.

 

[angusmcoatup]

Yesterday there was a male Bullfinch in the trees close to the old aviaries. Also a couple of sizeable flocks of Fieldfares and Redwings passing through. I've seen the odd Siskin in the park over the last few days and heard a morning Tawny Owl in the small wood by Jacksons Lane.

 

[angusmcoatup]

A female Mandarin partly up a tree on the middle pond this morning. One of the Heath birds I'll guess.

 

[angusmcoatup]

Two Lesser Redpoll by the tennis courts and a part Chiffchaff song from the Kitchen garden area this morning. A bit of drumming coming from both ends of the park from the G.S Woodpeckers & a distant yaffle from the cemetery.

Locally I had a Buzzard being mobbed on Sunday by a couple of crows over the North Circular /Colney Hatch lane plus went to see the redhead Smew at Alexandra Park, along with the male Teal that's coming to bread and closely following a duck Mallard.

 

[angusmcoatup]

An early Sand Martin was over the Colney Hatch lane/N.Circular wasteground this morning. Perhaps Wood Green res or Alexandra Park next though it was still there when I left around 07.10.

Nothing spectacular in the park, though it's nice to see Spring getting under way. This week there has been a singing Blackcap, a pair of Nuthatch, plenty of Woodpecker activity, a Sparrowhawk most days and 1 Treecreeper which I've rarely seen in this area. Also plenty of finches and a Grey Wagtail on the hospital ledges.

 

[angusmcoatup]

Ring necked Parakeets were out in force this morning with birds over Muswell Hill (5), Highgate tube (2) and in the park (4-5 though very mobile). Also 1 over the hospital so a fair spread over this area.

In the park the usual residents plus a singing male Blackcap again and a tatty looking brown Chiffchaff.

I also had a Hedgehog on the lawn in Muswell Hill last night.

 

[angusmcoatup]

This morning I had 2 singing Chiffchaff in the park and a couple in the cemetery. Also a Green Woodpecker, Cormorant over, a Blackcap pair and 2 House Sparrows in Highgate village (near The Flask).

 

[Meropes]

and 2 House Sparrows in Highgate village (near The Flask).

That's excellent re the House Sparrows (what a sad sign of the times that that does not sound as ridiculous as it would have done 25 years ago) - the closest I have seen them to the village is way down North Hill, by Gaskell and Yeatman roads, where there is a decent sized colony.

Matt

 

[angusmcoatup]

The colonies I know of around Muswell Hill are small and aren't always easy to see. Usually deep in a hedge or under eaves. Nothing like the large flocks I used to see in Lancashire, dust bathing, on the bird table, drinking from the garden pond and so on. One local colony to me is only 150 yards away from my back window yet I have never seen them in the garden.

 

[angusmcoatup]

Two Willow Warblers this morning, not a bird I see in great numbers in North London these days. At least 4 singing Chiffchaffs, 1 singing Blackcap and the usual Green Woodpecker, Tufties, 1 Kestrel over the village and fledged Pied Wagtails and parents on the hospital.

Recently a female Mandarin, 3 Redwings and a pair of Grey Wagtail that may be the Heath birds, but which were also around the hospital.

 

[angusmcoatup]

Yesterday afternoon there were 2 sizeable Terrapins basking on one of the fallen trees in the middle pond. Around 6pm a Common Buzzard passed over Highgate wood.

This morning 3 Chiffchaff and a singing Blackcap were in the park.

 

[angusmcoatup]

A good bright crisp morning brought a Snipe flushed from the boggy area where one of the springs reappears by the middle pond. Reward for being in the park just after the gates are unlocked. There was also a Grey Wagtail on the island on the lower pond. Possibly one of a pair seen here a couple of times or from the Heath. Only 1 Chiffchaff calling this morning and a couple of singing Greenfinches down on recent numbers.

The Parakeets seem more regular in the park this year rather than as noisy flyovers and there are definitely greater numbers.

On Sunday I had a Rook over Colney Hatch Lane, Muswell Hill which is a scarce bird in this area. There have been the odd Jackdaw around this year too, over Muswell Hill and Highgate on occasion.

 

[angusmcoatup]

This morning (07.30 ish)there was a singing male Whitethroat in the cemetery, 2 Willow warblers and 2-3 Chiffchaffs around the park, 1 treetop skulker may have been a Garden warbler though a bit obscured to be certain.

Yesterday there were also 2 Willow Warblers and a regular Grey Wagtail. The wagtail is often hunting around the nesting Canada goose on the lower pond island.

 

[angusmcoatup]

A pair of Blackcaps this morning, 2 Chiffchaff, the regular Grey Wagtail, 3 Cormorants over and a Grey Heron over the village. 12 Parakeets in one tree yesterday was a bit ominous. Highest number so far I think.

 

[Meropes]

A pair of Blackcaps this morning, 2 Chiffchaff, the regular Grey Wagtail, 3 Cormorants over and a Grey Heron over the village. 12 Parakeets in one tree yesterday was a bit ominous. Highest number so far I think.

Hi

During the winter we regularly had over 25 parakeets in our Jackson's Lane garden, peaking at 32 one morning. Numbers are down now during breeding season, typically a dozen. Some neighbours have asked us if they are ours (!), presumably thinking that we let them out of an aviary in the morning. Others want to kill them, but most complain about their absence after we've been away for a few days and the bird feeders are empty. They cost us a small fortune in bird feed, but from what we can tell, they don't unduly deter the smaller birds. They tend to visit at certain times of the day - 30 mins to an hour after sunrise (waking everyone up this time of year....), again in mid-morning and then late on, for a top up before nightfall. Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Jays and Magpies will all take them on in a battle for a bird feeder. The rest come back when they've cleared off. The spilt seed is feeding 3 regular pairs of stock doves, one pair of collared doves and two pairs of wood pigeons. Those numbers all increase in winter, especially the wood pigeons.

Best
Matt

 

[angusmcoatup]

Hi Matt,

The only reservations I have about the Parakeets is that if their presence is detrimental to native wildlife then it is too late to do anything about it. As yet I've seen nothing concrete to suggest this though they do come across as quite domineering. Hopefully they occupy a niche that is available to them without pushing anything else out. In honesty though it's obvious that nothing could be done now to check their numbers, they aren't quite as obliging as Ruddy Ducks where Defra marksmen are concerned, and I do quite enjoy their gaudiness. Good to hear about the Stock doves, I often forget to report them but there's usually a couple in the park in the morning. Also 3 Swift over the hospital around 12 ish today. A little out of Highgate but I watched a fine Whitethroat in front of Alexandra Palace on Monday evening.

Regards

Paul

 

[Meropes]

Hi Paul

I agree with you about the parakeets. I think there was a study from Belgium which suggested that they may outcompete nuthatches for nesting sites. We get regular visits from nuthatches - mainly in the winter and early spring, although family groups visit some years in late May/June - and it would be great shame if their population suffered. We've seen sparrowhawks target the parakeets from time to time - we've not witnessed a parakeet hit, yet, but their chances must be increasing as more and more of the green peril pack the garden!

Great news about the swifts. I've been away for a week and usually see my first of the year above the garden in the first week in May, so perhaps they'll be around this evening.

The stock doves are lovely birds. They've only been regularly visiting us - presumably from Highgate and Queen's Woods - for the last 3 or 4 years, but their numbers in winter seem to be increasing.

Best
Matt