Monthly ornithological summary for: January 2010

GREATER SCAUP - one at Stoke Newington Reservoirs, 19th;

BITTERN - one at Stoke Newington Reservoirs, 7th;

Cetti's Warblers - one in Clissold Park all month (from Oct); one at Stoke Newington Reservoirs to at least 19th (from Nov); one at Middlesex Filter Beds, 9th (from Nov);

Curlew - one over Clapton, 9th;

Yellow-legged Gulls - two at SNR, 12th; one at SNR, 16th; one at SNR, 17th;

Common Buzzards - Stoke Newington Reservoirs, 7th (first January record); Clissold Park, 15th;

presumed Ring-necked Duck x Tufted Duck - drake at Stoke Newington Reservoirs, to at least 19th (from Nov);

presumed Greater Scaup x Tufted Duck - female at Stoke Newington Reservoirs to at least 17th (from Nov).

The first half of January was infamously dominated by sub-zero temperatures, further snowfalls and heavy frosts, which continued intermittently throughout the rest of the month; as a result, impressive cold-weather related movements continued and two birds in particular made it another January to remember in the borough.

The month began with continuing thrush movements and influxes throughout the first fortnight, with Redwings and Fieldfares in their hundreds across Hackney. Redwings peaked at a minimum of 1005 on the 4th, and Fieldfares peaked a little later, with several counts over 200. Both species remained at various sites in good numbers for the rest of the month.

Of other seasonal long-stayers, all three Cetti's Warblers continued their extended residencies, with the Clissold bird present all month, the reservoirs dweller present to at least the 19th, and the Middlesex Filter Beds bird seen on the 9th at least; both Tawny Owls were watched from the start of the month onwards in Abney, and hopefully they'll be as successful this year (watch this space).

Chiffchaffs were present on and off at Clissold Park, Hackney Marshes, Middlesex Filter Beds, Abney and at the East Reservoir (up to two), while a male Blackcap visited a Clapton garden on at least the 5th and 8th. 46 Teal were on the Lea at Hackney Marshes on the 4th, and a confiding group of six Lesser Redpolls spent several days in Abney from the 3rd (where up to five Coal Tits were recorded, including a copulating pair on the 4th).

Water Rails were another real highlight throughout the month at the East Res, with birds often showing remarkably well in the adverse conditions; three of four were often recorded, with a high count of seven on the 7th - raising the question, how many birds habitually winter in the reedbed that go otherwise unnoticed?

The 7th was a day to remember at the East Res, and not only for the crowds of rails..... an extended session from the observation platform was rewarded with the arrival of a superb Bittern from the east, pursued (and attacked) by a mob of Carrion Crows, circling low over the platform, and then unceremoniously landing in a tree opposite the LWT office.....

A full account (and photo journal) appears on the 'latest sightings' entry for the day, but suffice to say, this second record for the site (and fourth for Hackney) won't be forgotten in a hurry. Relegated to back-up during the same session were a Common Buzzard low and west (with a second over Clissold on the 15th) and a male Peregrine, as well as Siskin, Meadow Pipit, Skylarks and plenty of winter thrushes.

Duck numbers at the reservoirs remained high despite often extensive ice cover, and five Wigeon - the first uncommon wildfowl species of the year - appeared on the grassy banks of the West Res on the 10th. Our feeding stations at the East Reservoir and Clissold Park attracted a total of at least three male Bramblings on various dates from the 8th, sneaking in stealthily with Chaffinches.

Counts of gulls from the obs platform around dusk were impressive, with the now well-established pre-roost gatherings seeing Black-headed Gulls in their thousands and Lesser Black-backed, Herring and Common Gulls in their hundreds. Thorough searches for scarcer congeners were reasonably successful, with several Yellow-legged and Great Black-backed picked out amongst the throng.

Both hybrid Aythya ducks caused the now expected rushes of blood at the Reservoirsa throughout, Kingfishers and Chiffchaffs were regular along the New River, and the various winter-related species remained as the gradual thaw continued. With the worst of the weather over, it looked as if the chances of coming across another scarce winter wanderer were all but over.

But not quite so soon - as regular readers will know, we religiously check the flocks of commoner ducks at the reservoirs, aware that just occasionally they'll attract a rarer relative. And so at last it came to pass.... snoozing in the furthest corner of the East Res amongst Pochard and Tufted Ducks, a first-winter drake Greater Scaup was found on the 19th. A long-hoped for addition to the modern-day borough avifauna, the bird remained until dusk, but was gone by the following morning.

Mark Pearson