Last week on the Marshes

Pete Lambert wrote today:

 Thursday 3 February 2011
Goldcrests seen at WM East and Stonebridge Wood, reed bunting seen at WM East, pair of kestrels displaying around Gasometer at WM West and green sandpiper in channel north of Gas Bridge. Counted 16 singing song thrushes and then at 9.49am two skylarks came low SW over WM East, calling.

Sunday 6 February
Terry saw 12 fieldfare, the green sandpiper at the Gas Bridge and 2 chiffchaff in Stonebridge Wood.

Monday 7 February
I saw 4 gadwall in the channel north of the East Bridge, had a jackdaw fly SW calling and saw 3 fieldfare at Stonebridge Wood.

Friday 11 February
When I got to the Green Bridge, there were 2 female pheasants high in the trees, from roost?  Then a male pheasant (all dark neck) called from west bank of Lee opposite.  Chiffchaffs singing, perhaps five different birds scattered throughout marsh.  Three stock doves flew North over WM West and 3 greylag geese flew South over WM East.  Seventeen song thrush singing today.

Saturday 12 February
Terry saw a small flock of redwing in Stonebridge Wood as well as 2 chiffchaffs.

Sunday 13 February
Terry saw a water rail from the Green Bridge and a reed bunting at WM East.

Monday 14 February
Terry had a Valentine's Day present of a female red-breasted merganser in the channel north of Sandpiper Bridge with a pair of goosander!  This is only the second record of a merganser on the Marsh, the previous was on 31 January 2009.  Also a little egret in the channel and 3 reed bunting on WM East.

Tuesday 15 February
I saw a lapwing fly SE over WM West and the water rail between the Green and Sandpiper Bridges.  Heard bullfinch calling at Stonebridge Wood and then saw a female bullfinch fly a little way.  This may well be the same bird that was seen before Christmas, as it's unusual to get more than one record a year at the marsh.  Green sandpiper again from the Gas Bridge and pair of gadwall in channel east of Chalk Bridge.  Finally a shelduck flew south over WM East.  This is my first record on the marsh in 2011, although they've been at Walthamstow Reservoir since the end of November.