August at Wormwood Scrubs Local Nature Reserve

August 2105 –Wormwood Scrubs Sightings

The Scrubs - looking east

 This month was a bit of a weird one this year. During some of the previous Augusts, we have been spoilt by larger numbers of a bigger diversity of migrant species. For example, we recorded no Northern Wheatears or Yellow Wagtails this month whilst Willow Warbler and Hobby sightings were thin on the ground. That said, September has always been the month that sees the floodgates breached with a slew of common migrants making appearances sometimes with a speckling of scarcer of even rare visitors.

This year we were blessed with the chance sighting of a Wryneck, a bird whose appearance although not wholly unexpected, is still enough to set even an experienced birder’s heart racing. Let’s hope that seeing this beautiful bird will be a precursor of what is to come in September.

Cormorant

Uncommon

A few were noted during the month and they were certainly not recorded on every visit. Indeed, they seemed to be more numerous in the past with a minimum of two birds seen per visit. The peak count was three on the 8^th.

Little Egret

Scarce
A singleton winged its way north over the embankment on the 8^th constituting our 10^th record and the first outside of May and June, their usual window for occurring over The Scrubs.

Grey Heron

Uncommon

A couple of birds were reported this month involving an individual seen flying west along the embankment on the 3^rd and another north of the embankment on the 7^th.

Greylag

Uncommon
Seven headed west over Central Copse on the 11^th.

Common Buzzard

Uncommon

Incredibly, one was discovered sitting partially obscured in a tiny patch of woodland near the bund on the 11^th. It was being scolded by a pair of Magpies causing it to frequently shift position from branch to branch and to mew occasionally. This was the first official record of a Buzzard in a tree on The Scrubs although anecdotal evidence suggests that this is a far more common occurrence than what it appears. Over the years various dog walkers have been describing raptors sitting in trees that sounded like good Buzzards. 

Sparrowhawk

Common

Singletons, usually female-types, were seen on a near daily basis hunting the grassland or along the embankment in search of small passerines. A male was seen land on a tree in Braybrook Wood opposite the prison briefly on the 8^th before being hotly pursued by Carrion Crows. Meanwhile, on the 25^th an immature male briefly alighted on a willow in the northwest corner whilst being chased by Magpies.

Kestrel

 Kestrel

Common

This iconic falcon is a bit local scarcity these days so it was pleasing to record two individuals that were seen on a near daily basis equally hunting the grassland or being furiously mobbed by the corvids.

Hobby

Uncommon migrant

Our first record for the year involved an adult patrolling the edge of Braybrook Woods opposite the prison on the 8^th. It was last seen diving at an impossible rate south of the prison. A second bird was watched spectacularly hunting along the embankment on the 19^th.

Black-headed Gull

Common

Small numbers were encountered throughout the month. Over 200 were hawking flying ants over the grassland on the 2^nd. This gathering increased to c300 on the 7^th this time hunting the ants over the playing fields.

Herring Gull

Common

The peak count of 40 was made on the 7^th.

Lesser Black-back

Common

This larid was seen on daily basis with the maximum counts of 10 birds made on the 7^th and the 16^th.

Stock Dove

 Stock Dove

Uncommon

A few, usually no more than three, were seen either within the grassland or heading over during the month.

Wood Pigeon

Common

Up to 60 birds were encountered on most visits.

Swift

Common summer visitor

Our peak count was an astounding 200+ hawking flying ants over the mown grass north of the prison on the afternoon of the 2^nd. This flock was feeding separately 200 metres to the north of a bunch of  adjacent gulls that were feeding over the grassland. This collection of Swifts was our largest August flock ever with the next biggest count occurring in 2007 on the 15^th when c100 swooped low over the grassland at 6.30am before promptly disappearing.

Ordinarily, we only record daily maximum totals of no more than 40 of these supreme flyers, a number that was not equaled this year. On the 5^th 20 were counted swilling overhead.

Kingfisher

Very rare

Incredibly, on the 15^th one flew at rooftop level over Braybrook Wood and over the rooftops of Braybrook Street. It was our 5^th record for the site.

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Common

No real counts were made of this invasive species this month. Over 300 were casually noted on the 16^th.

Green Woodpecker

Common

This species obviously nested within the area as a juvenile was continually seen throughout the month. We can’t rule it out as one of the offspring that emanated from nearby Kensal Green Cemetery, to the east of The Scrubs. To date, we have never found a Green Woodpecker nest on site.

Other records included a female found in the playpen adjacent to Martin Bell’s Wood on the 16^th.

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Common

This ‘pecker was not as frequently seen or even heard this year as they normally. There were sporadic records of single birds throughout the month.

Wryneck

Very rare

Incredibly, one was seen well but very briefly in a blackthorn bush in the grassland on the 30^th whilst the observer was counting the gathering Common Whitethroats. It flew into vision in loose association with the Whitethroats, posed for a couple of seconds before melting away. It could not be found thereafter despite being searched for.

It’s our third record of this gorgeous woodpecker easily making it the bird of the month and one of the highlights of the year.

Swallow

Common passage migrant

Our first passing autumn migrants were recorded on the 17^th when two headed north separately. Another lingered over the grassland on the 30^th before drifting north.

House Martin

Uncommon passage migrant

Four drifted south over Braybrook Woods on the 15^th and were our first for the year. This hirundine is a scarcity at The Scrubs.

Meadow Pipit

Common

Our paltry breeding population of some three or four pairs usually largely vacates The Scrubs during August whilst the far more numerous winter visiting transients start to arrive in force during September. So, as a consequence records of the odd bird were far and few between. Three were noted from the grassland on the 15^th and 16^th.

Bad record shot of a Tree Pipit!

 Tree Pipit

Regular passage migrant

Four birds including one obliging individual were seen and heard on the 25^th. A lone bird remained on the 27^th.

Pied Wagtail

Uncommon

This familiar bird was barely reported this month. Two were seen on the 1^st

Wren

Common

This diminutive bird with a loud voice was a fairly commonly encountered resident during August with at least six seen per visit.

Juvenile Dunnock

 Dunnock

Common

Frequently encountered, a maximum of eight on the 25^th was almost certainly a conservative guess.

Robin

Common

The National Bird was commonly seen with plenty of fledglings noted early on in the month. At least seven were counted on the 16^th.

Common Redstart

Uncommon passage migrant

A female was glimpsed very briefly as it dived into cover in Central Copse on the 30^th. It was seen well in the same area the following day.

Whinchat

 Whinchat

Regular passage migrant

The first bird of the autumn, and indeed of the year, was found in the grassland on the 15^th. An immature bird was then found the following day. By the 19^th there were two birds present and they were seen intermittently until the 27^th when six were discovered. The sextet were still haunting the grassland on the 30^th

Immature Song Thrush

 Song Thrush

Common resident and migrant

This common thrush is mostly seen along the embankment with lesser numbers noted in Scrubs Lane Wood on the eastern border of the site. During August sightings are thin on the ground so a peak count of three on the 16^th was a treat.

Blackbird

Common resident and migrant

Although a common bird, like the Song Thrush the Blackbird tends to put on a bit of a disappearing act during late summer as birds keep their heads down whilst they moult. The birds that are seen tend to be immature ones. The usual count was usually no more that five birds, however at least 22 were seen on the 16^th.

Garden Warbler

Uncommon passage migrant

Our first record for the year was discovered along the embankment on the 5^th. Solitary Garden Warblers are occasionally discovered singing in the spring but they have never bred. August is typically the month that this inconspicuous warbler is discovered at The Scrubs.

Female Blackcap

 Blackcap

Common summer breeding migrant

One of our most common warblers and August is the month that they start to proliferate as their numbers are buoyed up by the plentiful presence of juveniles. Their chosen area to fattened up on berries is the embankment although they can be encountered in lower densities almost anywhere on the patch. Up to 22 were counted during the month although at least 25 were counted on the 18^th.

Lesser Whitethroat

Uncommon summer breeding migrant

Fewer numbers were seen this year than in previous ones with lone birds occasionally encountered predominantly along the embankment. Two were found along the embankment on the 18^th.

Common Whitethroat

Common summer breeding migrant

Most of our Whitethroats nest in the grassland and along the embankment. A couple pairs persist along the southern edge of the site around Martin Bells Wood where in previous years they were more prevalent. Most of the youngsters converge on the grassland with the adults, excitedly chasing each other around between bouts of gorging on the blackberries as a precursor to migration. There was a consistent group sometimes in excess of 30 in the relatively small area of scrub within the grassland from the 8^th through until the end of the month.

Grasshopper Warbler

Rare passage migrant

A probable was briefly flushed twice on the 18^th from tall vegetation near the northwest corner. It’s slight build, rounded tail and weak fluttery flight were noted but the bird was not seen clearly enough nor for long enough to clinch its identity. Interestingly, it was flushed from the same area the following day by a birder who was unaware of its presence the previous day.

These sightings preceded the two individuals found in the London on the 20^th. Grasshopper Warblers are usually very skulking birds that would rather creep in the grass like a mouse than to expose themselves in flight. They are probably regular migrants to The Scrubs but to date have only been reliably identified on three separate occasions and all until now have been found during September.

Sedge Warbler

Uncommon passage migrant

A migrant was found on the 15^th amongst the scrub on the grassland with the Common Whitethroats.

Reed Warbler

Scarce passage migrant

A bird was discovered quietly foraging in an apple tree on the embankment on the 25^th. It or another was seen again in the same general area on the 30^th.

Willow Warbler

Regular passage migrant

August is the month that this migrant tends to pass through our patch. Singles were occasionally noted from the 16^th until the 25^th.

Chiffchaff

Common summer breeding migrant

No amazing counts were made during the month indicating that they may not have had a good breeding season. We could not muster more than single figure counts for the month.

Spotted Flycatcher

 Spotted Flycatcher

Uncommon passage migrant

An obliging bird was discovered in the northwest corner of the grassland on the 17^th. It or others were present until the 30^th along the embankment.

Great Tit

Common resident

The count of five birds on the 16^th was probably a gross underestimate of the true numbers present.

Blue Tit

Common resident

A peak count of 30 was made on the 8^th.

Long-tailed Tit

Common resident

Troops of these endearing birds were a little thin on the ground this month with flocks containing six being the average.

Magpie

Common resident

An average count of 20 birds was made for the month.

Carrion Crow

Common resident

Numbers were fairly consistent during the month with around 100 noted. At least 120 were counted on the 16^th.

Starling

Common resident

Worryingly, low numbers were seen during the month. When we should have been counting garrulous groups in excess of 100 first-winter birds, instead we were lucky to find 10 birds and often it was fewer than that. The peak count was of around 40 birds that frequented the hospital area on the 30^th.

Our biggest August murmuration involved over 500 immature birds in 2006 that attracted daily attacks from the local Sparrowhawk population. On August 18^th 2005, over 300 birds were hawking ants high in the clear blue sky in 2005. Some of them were so high in the sky that they were initially mistaken for Swifts!

There has been a gradual decline since 2007. Where have all our Starlings gone?

House Sparrow

Uncommon resident

This is yet another scarce species whose stronghold are around the gardens backing onto the western wing of the prison and the streets of Acton directly adjacent to the western edge of The Scrubs. Very few birds were actually seen with most records simply referring to birds heard chirping.

During August 2006 upwards of 100 birds were roosting in the trees of Braybrook Wood. Those heady numbers do not seem to exist anymore.

Linnet

Uncommon summer breeding migrant

Although our small breeding colony tends to move off site during August there are usually up to 10 birds to be found during the month. This year the peak count was of three birds seen on the 16^th

Goldfinch

Common resident

A reasonable sized flock of around 120 gathered on the grassland to feed on the seeding thistles and other plants. Goldfinches were more numerous in the past. For example, during August 2004 we had upwards of 400 birds in the grassland.

Greenfinch

Common resident

Very few were noticed during the month apart from the 16^th when at least 40 were present, mostly in and around the embankment.

Common Buzzard being mobbed by two Magpies

 Year list as at September 12^th 2015

1. Cormorant

2. Mute Swan

3. Greylag

4. Canada Goose

5. Egyptian Goose

6. Mallard

7. Pintail

8. Red Kite

9. Common Buzzard

10. Sparrowhawk

11. Kestrel

12. Hobby

13. Peregrine

14. Woodcock

15. Snipe

16. Black-headed Gull

17. Common Gull

18. Mediterranean Gull

19. Herring Gull

20. Lesser Black-back

21. Great Black-back

22. Feral Pigeon

23. Stock Dove

24. Wood Pigeon

25. Collared Dove

26. Swift

27. Kingfisher

28. Rose-ringed Parakeet

29. Green Woodpecker

30. Great Spotted Woodpecker

31. Wryneck

32. Skylark

33. Swallow

34. House Martin

35. Meadow Pipit

36. Tree Pipit

37. Pied Wagtail

38. Yellow Wagtail

39. Wren

40. Dunnock

41. Robin

42. Nightingale

43. Common Redstart

44. Northern Wheatear

45. Whinchat

46. Stonechat

47. Song Thrush

48. Redwing

49. Mistle Thrush

50. Fieldfare

51. Blackbird

52. Ring Ouzel

53. Garden Warbler

54. Blackcap

55. Lesser Whitethroat

56. Common Whitethroat

57. Sedge Warbler

58. Reed Warbler

59. Willow Warbler

60. Chiffchaff

61. Spotted Flycatcher

62. Great Tit

63. Blue Tit

64. Long-tailed Tit

65. Magpie

66. Jay

67. Jackdaw

68. Carrion Crow

69. Starling

70. House Sparrow

71. Chaffinch

72. Linnet

73. Goldfinch

74. Greenfinch

75. Siskin

76. Reed Bunting

77. Yellowhammer