SOUTH EAST
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
HIGHLIGHTS: The Great Northern Diver remained at Caldecotte Lake. A very early Cuckoo was at Amersham (23rd). Two Common Scoters were at Calvert Lake (7th) and another flew over Tattenhoe at night (22nd). Two Ring Ouzels were at Ivinghoe Beacon (29th-31st). A Rock Pipit was at Foxcote Reservoir (21st). The Yellow-browed Warbler remained at Watermead Lake.
Ospreys flew over Woolstones (25th) and the Jubilee River (27th). A Marsh Harrier was at Calvert Sailing Lake (8th).
Black Redstarts were at Tattenhoe Park, Milton Keynes (7th-8th) and Whitehouse, MK (7th). An Iceland Gull was at Tattenhoe Park (8th). A White-fronted Goose was at Marlow (17th). According to satellite data, an unseen White-tailed Eagle roosted near Butlers Cross (1st). Another roosted at Linford (3rd).
DORNEY COMMON: There was a Black-tailed Godwit (1st), Mediterranean Gull (3rd & 5th), 12 Shelducks, a Dunlin (6th & 20th) and Barnacle Goose (8th).
GALLOWS BRIDGE: There were Cranes (9th & 29th), Marsh Harriers (7th & 14th) and a Jack Snipe (7th).
LITTLE MARLOW GP: A Great White Egret was seen regularly. There were seven Shelducks, a Black-tailed Godwit (2nd), two Mediterranean Gulls, an Iceland Gull (17th), Sedge Warbler (31st), four Sandwich Terns (26th) and a Common Tern (25th).
ROWSHAM: There were three Great White Egrets, a Merlin (8th), White Wagtails (20th & 25th) and a Yellow Wagtail (29th).
WILLEN LAKES: There was a Black-tailed Godwit (28th), Pintail (to 17th), 24 Goldeneyes, a Mediterranean Gull, six Shelducks (20th) and a Mandarin (12th & 29th).
OTHER SITES: Linford had a Red-crested Pochard, Hobby (20th), Brent Goose (21st) and Greenshank (22nd). Merlins were at Ledburn (17th) and Pitstone Hill (27th). A Ringed Plover was at Eythrope (28th). Foxcote Reservoir had two Pintails (7th) and a Dunlin (23rd-24th). Jack Snipe were at Ickford (5th) and Stoke Common (9th & 22nd). Mediterranean Gulls were at Leckhampstead Wharf (7th), Manor Farm Quarry (18th), Newton Leys (8th) and Caldecotte Lake (10th).
A Whitethroat was at Lodge Hill (23rd). A ‘Channel’ Wagtail was at Dorney Lake (30th) and a Yellow Wagtail at Manor Farm Quarry (31st). A Redstart was at Ivinghoe and Steps Hill (30th). A Yellow-legged Gull was at Leckhampstead Wharf (9th). Great White Egrets
HAMPSHIRE
HIGHLIGHTS: The major rarity was a Baikal Teal seen a couple of times at Ripley Farm Reservoir (14th & 16th). The only notable scarcities reported were a Serin flying over Hook (27th) and a Crane over Ibsley (17th). Up to six Cattle Egrets were at Northney on Hayling Island, while singles were in the Avon valley at Avon Causeway (8th & 17th) and Ibsley (22nd). Great White Egrets were reported widely, with the usual focus on the Test and Avon valleys, but there were also a couple in the north-east. There were 13 Spoonbills in the Beaulieu Estuary (13th), plus up to six in the Lymington-Keyhaven area and two at Lepe (20th) and Titchfield Haven (23rd). A pair of Red-crested Pochards were at Fleet Pond (5th).
The unseasonable Grey Phalarope was still at Pennington Marshes early in the month (1st-2nd). A Great Grey Shrike was seen a few times at Woolmer Forest, with another still at Wherwell on the 1st. Lingering winter visitors included a White-fronted Goose at Farlington Marshes, Scaup at Fishlake Meadows (1st), Ibsley Water (3rd) and Hill Head (30th), up to three Velvet Scoters off Hill Head and the Long-tailed Duck off Weston Shore. Two Slavonian Grebes were in the Pennington Marshes area, with another off Hamble Shore (7th), while the first Red-necked Grebe off the year was off Sandy Point (10th).
The Lymington-Keyhaven area had six Ruffs, two Spotted Redshanks and six Greenshanks, while the regular Spotted Redshank remained at Emsworth. Winter raptors included Hen Harriers at Northington (2nd), Picket Post (18th), Frame Wood (21st), Longslade Bottom (28th) and White Moor (31st) and Merlins at Bransbury Common (1st), Itchen Abbas (9th), Longparish (18th), Timsbury (24th), Lee-on-the-Solent (26th) and Moorcourt (29th), while a Short-eared Owl was at Gilkicker Point (31st). First arrivals of commoner migrants included Little Ringed Plover at Edenbrook CP (3rd), Cuckoo at Turf Hill Inclosure (31st), Sand Martin at Dibden Bay (3rd), Barn Swallow at Sinah Common (23rd), House Martin at Fishlake Meadows (26th), Willow Warbler at Breamore (20th), Sedge Warbler at Farlington Marshes (22nd), Whitethroat at Browndown (30th), Redstart at Sandy Point (29th) and Wheatear at
Pennington Common (5th). The first Garganey of the year was in the Pennington Marshes area (from 20th), followed by a pair at Farlington Marshes (30th) and one past Sandy Point (30th). Little Gulls were at Lee-on-the-Solent (three, 10th), Lepe (three, 25th), Pennington Marsh (29th-31st) and Ibsley Water (two, 31st). The first Osprey was over Hiltingbury (1st). The next was not until the 17th, at Fishlake Meadows, after which there were reports most days. Ring Ouzels were at Old Winchester Hill (29th), Bilcombes Pond (29th) and Vereley Hill (30th). Sandwich Terns over Winchester (21st) and at Fleet Pond (28th) were both notable inland records, with Fleet also getting a Kittiwake on the same date.
KENT
HIGHLIGHTS: A Rough-legged Buzzard was at Elmley (5th). A Black Kite was at Worth Marsh (6th), with a Siberian Chiffchaff there (19th-29th), and two Great Northern Divers past (20th). White-tailed Eagles were at Stodmarsh (21st and 28th), Dungeness NNR and Lade Sands (27th), and Grove Ferry (28th). Dungeness RSPB had a Glossy Ibis (8th-31st), 110 White-fronted Geese and a Wheatear (9th), and a Garganey plus two Sedge Warblers (30th).
A Black Brant was with dark-bellied Brents at Reculver (14th-15th), with 32 Russian Whitefronts and a Scandinavian Rock Pipit there (15th). A Black Brant was at Lower Halstow (19th). Cranes were at Minster (14th) and Seasalter (22nd). A Glossy Ibis was at Haysden CP (22nd). A White Stork flew over Horsmonden (30th), Stodmarsh, Shuart and North Foreland.
LONDON
CENTRAL: There was a Peregrine at Kings Cross (1st), a White-Tailed Eagle over the City (6th) and a Willow Warbler at Hyde Park (29th).
EAST: Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers were at Barking ( 2nd) and Upminster, where there was also a Black Redstart (9th) and Cuckoo (30th). Ring Ouzels were at Upminster and Dagenham (29th). An Osprey flew over Dagenham (29th).
NORTH: There was a Jack Snipe at Stoke Newington (3rd). Tottenham had an Avocet (24th) and Ring Ouzel (31st). A Black Redstart was at Alexandra Palace (24th and 27th). Walthamstow had a Scaup and Velvet Scoter (1st), a Red-breasted Merganser and Jack Snipe (2nd), a Spoonbill and Rock Pipit (4th), a Brent
Goose (7th), Scaup (14th), Black-necked Grebe (28th) and Short-eared Owl (29th). The first Sand Martin was seen (3rd).
SOUTH: A Green Sandpiper was in Tooting (11th). A Little Owl was at Peckham Rye (14th). A Yellow-browed Warbler was in Brixton (18th). Two Garganeys flew over Streatham (20th). Mitcham had a Siberian Chiffchaff and Firecrest (17th). Hackbridge logged a Water Pipit (7th), Caspian Gull (10th), Little Ringed Plover and White Stork (13th), Iceland Gull (17th), Crane (23rd) and Sedge Warbler (30th). A Short-eared Owl was in Croydon (18th). A Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was at Addington (30th).
SOUTH-WEST: Barnes had a Bittern (8th, 15th & 17th) and Water Pipit. Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers were at Richmond Park (5th) and Hampton Wick (6th). There was a Swallow at Richmond Park (25th). Matthew Rowell
SURREY
HIGHLIGHTS: The first-winter Rustic Bunting remained at Thursley Common (1st-29th at least), plus two Little Buntings. A first-winter female Two-barred Crossbill was trapped and ringed at Crooksbury Common (17th). A female Ring-necked Duck was at Holmethorpe Sand Pits throughout. Tice’s Meadow had a Siberian Chiffchaff (2nd-8th). An adult Great Grey Shrike was at Ash Ranges (6th). A White Stork flew over Gatwick Airport and Holmethorpe Sand Pits (20th), with two over the latter (23rd), and three over Ockley (31st) and two over Merrow the same day. A Crane went over Papercourt Meadows (28th).
SUSSEX
EAST SUSSEX: A White-tailed Eagle went over Lewes (7th), with other sightings from Beachy Head (14th), Cuckmere Haven (14th), Plumpton (14th), Hollingbury (14th), Folkington (14th) and Seaford (20th). Two Siberian Chiffchaffs were at West Rise Marsh (21st), with at least one still there to the end of the month, a Little Ringed Plover (22nd), a Spoonbill (18th), two White Wagtails (25th) and four Water Pipits (27th). A Black Redstart was at Brighton and Preston Cemetery (1st), with others at Splash Point (6th), Peacehaven (16th-20th), Telscombe Cliffs (19th), Pett (27th) and Beachy Head (30th). Cuckmere Haven had a Spotted Redshank (3rd-23rd), five Garganey, four of them drakes (21st), three
Water Pipits (23rd) and Black Redstart (25th). Three Spoonbills were at Rye Harbour NR (4th), with one (5th-29th), a Black Redstart (7th), three Water Pipits (10th), 23 Russian White-fronted Geese (14th), a Black-necked Grebe (16th-21st) and Shore Lark (20th-21st). A Scandinavian Rock Pipit was at Arlington Reservoir (9th-21st). A Hen Harrier was on Pevensey Levels (9th), with a male at Duddeswell (28th), and a ringtail at Iford (28th). Newhaven had six Purple Sandpipers (11th). Weir Wood Reservoir had an Osprey (18th-31st at least), plus Little Ringed Plover and Little Gull (30th). Five Russian White-fronted Geese were at Pett Level (19th). A Blue-headed Wagtail was at Southease (29th). A Ring Ouzel was at High and Over (29th), plus a Black Redstart and three Wheatears.
WEST SUSSEX: A Siberian Chiffchaff was at Patching (9th-27th), with one at Burpham (17th-23rd). Warnham LNR had a Little Bunting (11th-31st at least), with four White Storks over (18th). An immature White-tailed Eagle went over The Burgh (12th & 27th), and East Lavant (12th), with two immatures at Burpham (14th, 17th, 19th & 29th), Offham (15th), The Burgh (16th), North Stoke (18th), and singles at Findon (18th), Littlehampton (19th), Amberley Wild Brooks SWT (19th & 30th), Climping (19th) and Dell Quay (27th). Pulborough Brooks RSPB had a White Stork (28th). A Richard’s Pipit was at Sidelsham Ferry (31st).
A mid-month mini-invasion of Long-tailed Skuas (particularly to inland sites) benefitted the region, with adults seen at Hoton, Leicestershire (this bird photographed in flight) and at Severn Beach, Gloucestershire. Gloucestershire also saw a Bonaparte’s Gull at Slimbridge WWT and Frampton on Severn.