update, 21st – 23rd January

22nd January – Stoke Newington Reservoirs: first-winter Yellow-legged Gull, partially leucistic Lesser Black-backed Gull, Kingfisher, two Water Rails, two Cetti’s Warblers, 45 Shovelers; 2,600+ Black-headed Gulls, 400+ Common Gulls, c250 Herring Gulls and c170 LBB Gulls in pre-roost flightline and gathering (MJP)

21st January – Stoke Newington Reservoirs: two Yellow-legged Gulls (adult and 1st winter), adult Great Black-backed Gull, Water Rail, 27 Shovelers (MJP)

… and thanks to Deidre O’Brady for sending us this – the first! – photo of Waxwings in her garden on Winston Road on 16th January.

update, 14th – 20th January

Having been otherwise engaged for a few days, it’s been great to recieve numerous reports of Waxwings in the borough of late. Trying to corrolate numbers, allow for duplication, and generally keep track isn’t easy, but the short version is that there are several flocks of between 15 and 45 roaming the borough, mainly along the western and south-western fringes, and also in the Stoke Newington, Green Lanes / Newington Green and Dalston areas.

none have remained in situ for very long (hence, no photographs still, as yet), but it seems the chances of happening upon a substantial flock are at an all-time high. Thanks to all the observers for reports, do keep them coming – I’ll put together a summary of all the sightings in due course.

Otherwise, little to report from the main sites, although a third-winter Yellow-legged Gull, two Cetti’s Warblers, 23 Shovelers and a colour-ringed Black-headed Gull – first seen here in November and ringed in Copenhagen, spring 2008 – were at the reservoirs. (MJP, LF-H)

update, 11th – 13th January

The mild, wet and breezy conditions continue, and with them, little of note to report. However, Waxwings figured once again, and in bigger numbers than ever before (and actually down again) – about 50 were in a back garden just north of Newington Green for 15 minutes this morning (PW).

A Peregrine flew NW over SN station this lunchtime (MJP), Blackcaps are in two Stoke Newington gardens (AW, MR), but otherwise, the main sites are as you were.

update, 6th – 10th January

a quiet period locally, with average mid-winter conditions and few signs of movement or new arrivals; several further sightings of Waxwings have been the undoubted highlight, with c15 low north-east over Upper Clapton Road (JP) on the 9th, and four – finally a ‘grounded’ record – near the cafe in Clissold Park on the same day (JM).

A check of the park yesterday revealed none, but nine Common Pochards and c200 Starlings – one of which had bold double white wing-bars and was presumably partially leucistic – were recorded (MJP). Regular checks of berry-bearing bushes have also drawn a blank so far.

Abney has small flocks of Redwings and the two Tawny Owls together at the regular roost site (MJP), and Stoke Newington Reservoirs attracted a Woodcock on the 10th and three Great Black-backed Gulls on the 7th (with two on the 9th) amongst the usual species (MJP).

recent photos and monthly summaries to follow shortly.

Stoke Newington Reservoirs: sunshine in the morning turned to cloud and then drizzle later, with a brisk westerly wind. Today’s highlight came from the platform, where c25 Waxwings flew low and north in a loose flock at 1149 (and naturally went clean through…). Otherwise, as you were. (MJP)

Other reports lately include Tawny Owls heard calling from tthe streets around Bethune Road (SH et al); with birds heard in the last month from opposite Stamford Hill Library and from the perimeter of the East Res, it seems at least one is currently roaming the area, and also likely that it originated from nearby Abney Park Cemetery.

A male Blackcap was in a garden on Northchurch Rd on New Year’s Day (MR), the first record of this species in many weeks locally.

Stoke Newington Reservoirs: another grey and average winter day, but with several highlights: three Yellow-legged Gulls (1st-w and 2nd-w most of day, adult in the pre-roost) was a record site count, and a 2nd-w Great Black-backed Gull, a Cetti’s Warbler, the female hybrid Aythya still and Brambling at the feeders briefly were also recorded. (MJP)

Stoke Newington Reservoirs: the cold but slightly milder, generally grey, light-winded conditions continue, and little of note to report but for a showy Cetti’s Warbler, a small movement of Redwings and Fieldfares, an adult Great Black-backed Gull, two Water Rails and a group of 33 Magpies (probably a record site count).

As has been the case over the last week, several species are in song (including Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Dunnock, Great Tit, Robin, and Blackbird), and the pre-roost gull stream numbers thousands; again nothing out of the ordinary, but the sheer volume of birds holds promise. (MJP)

Stoke Newington Reservoirs: as you were again today, with similar conditions and birds, and a distinctly ‘normal’ winter scene (with the cold-weather gems of December seeming very distant). Plenty of effort for few returns, although the comparatively huge numbers of gulls (especially before and during sundown) continue to hold promise. Nothing today, but for the expected strong presence of argentatus Herring Gulls. (MJP)

Happy New Year from Hackney

Stoke Newington Reservoirs: conditions remain a little milder, grey and often drizzly with a light to moderate northerly wind, and the East res is finally ice-free. A full day at the reservoirs produced c15 Waxwings, heading north (and once again failing to hang around) – the fourth local record in three months and a reflection of the exceptional influx presently.

Other records included a Common Snipe, a showy Cetti’s Warbler, a minimum of 100 Redwings, 30 Fieldfares and a Skylark over. (MJP)