Monthly ornithological summary for: October 2008

Short-eared Owl - one east over Stamford Hill, 9th;

Stonechat - one at Stoke Newington Reservoirs, 9th;

Firecrests - one in Abney Park Cemetery, 1st; at least five, 8th & 9th; at least four, 10th; three, 12th; two, 29th; three, 30th; two, 31st;

Ring Ouzel - one at Clissold Park, 30th;

Coal Tit (showing characteristics of nominate race P. a. ater), Abney, 9th;

Peregrines - SNR, 1st, Hackney Marshes, 4th & 31st;

Egyptian Goose - 12 at SNR, 8th;

Red-crested Pochard - pair at SNR, 10th onwards;

Lapwing - two over Clissold Park, 30th.

Another productive October in the borough, despite most of the area's dedicated observers being away on birding trips from mid-month; hence, most records were concentrated within the first fortnight and at the very end of the month.

Wildfowl records were unremarkable, but for a few notable exceptions - it's been a relatively poor year so far for less common waterbirds at the borough's key wetland site, Stoke Newington Reservoirs (SNR). However, no less than 12 Egyptian Geese were briefly on the East Reservoir on the 8th, an unprecedented record; a pair of Red-crested Pochards arrived at SNR on the 10th, and remained for about ten days; six Wigeon were on the East Res on the 10th; and high counts of 51 Shovelers and 30 Gadwall were returned on the 1st.

No large raptors were recorded for the first time since February, but one particular bird of prey stole the show - shortly after first light on the 9th, a Short-eared Owl ambled lazily over the A10 on Stamford Hill, flying east over Morrisons supermarket (!); presumably, the bird followed the railway sidings into London, and then - faced with the sidings halting at high-rise buildings and with Walthamstow Marsh and Reservoirs in sight to the east - sensibly chose the latter.

Peregrines continue to be recorded with more frequency, with three sightings this month - on the first at SNR, and the 4th and 31st at Hackney Marshes. Waders were, as is the norm over the last couple of years, poorly represented; two Lapwings north over Clissold Park (CP) on the morning of the 30th were as good as it got.

The same morning produced high counts of several classic late autumn passage species, as visible migration counting resumed at the end of the month. Starlings numbered 410, Woodpigeons peaked at 779 in two hours (from dawn), and Redwings - ominpresent throughout the month, especially early in the mornings overhead - peaked at an impressive 530. Most days produced numbers of the latter species, with other counts over 30 coming on the 6th (32), 13th (34), 18th (156), 29th (52), and 31st (208).

Fieldfares were far less numerous, with only a couple of counts over 20 after the first of the autumn on the 14th. Jackdaws, however, were very prevalent throughout, with more birds recorded this month than during any other in recent memory. Most days registered counts, with those over 20 as follows: 99 on 9th, 56 on 10th, 33 on 11th, 88 on 18th, and 20 on 30th. Meadow Pipits were likewise regular overhead, although the only counts over 30 were 47 on the 4th (at Hackney Marshes) and 37 on the 6th (at SNR).

Counts of Hirundines were on the whole unremarkable, but for the large counts of House Martins during the first ten days at SNR - with 60+ on 1st, 100 on 2nd, 110 on 3rd, 30 on 4th, and finally five on 10th. Swallows were last recorded on the 2nd (five, SNR) and a single Sand Martin was at the same site on the 1st.

Chiffchaffs were present in small numbers at several sites throughout the first half of the month, with a peak of 10 on the 1st at SNR; smaller numbers were recorded to the month's end. Otherwise, warblers were practically absent, with the last Reed Warbler at SNR just scraping into October, on the 1st. A single Yellow Wagtail flew over Hackney Marshes (HM) on the 4th.

The month's star birds in the borough were undoubtedly Firecrests. Just about annual in Hackney, October proved to be a memorable month for these beautiful sprites. Abney Park Cemetery (APC) was very much the place to look, with a single on the 1st followed by a spate of sightings from the 8th, when no less than five were found. All five were still present the following day, with four on the 10th and three on the 12th.

Lack of observer coverage clouds the picture in the interim, but two were rediscovered (assuming the same birds were involved) on the 29th, with three on the 30th, and two on the 31st. The final day of the month also yielded a single bird in the south-east of the borough at Middlesex Filter Beds (MFB). Such an impressive presence is comparable only with the autumn and winter of 1999, when a pair stayed to breed in the cemetery the following spring.

Other scarce passerines included a Stonechat at SNR on the morning of the 9th, a welcome first for the site; a Coal Tit showing characteristics of the continental race of October in APC on the 9th; and on the 30th, a Ring Ouzel was recorded at CP - a first for the year, and the first since November 2006.

As is expected at this time of year, movements of finches were at an annual high, and all the common species were moving through in variable numbers. Redpolls were regular in small numbers, with peaks of three on the 3rd and five on the 30th; single Bramblings were recorded on four occasions, with a bird feeding with Chaffinches in CP on the 30th; Linnet numbers peaked at six, over HM, on the 3rd; while Siskins peaked at six, on both the 9th and 11th, at SNR.

The early morning of the 30th at CP provided the month's peaks of the commoner species, with visible migration of 42 Greenfinches, 79 Chaffinches, and 38 Goldfinches.

Mark Pearson