October 2020

* 31st - Riddlesdown: 2 sightings of Raven. (Brian Thomas by email)
* 31st - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Few birds around the garden today, but heard Chiffchaff calling. (JB)
* 31st - South Norwood Country Park: 1 Great Black-back Gull, 1 Kingfisher. (Nigel G Harris by email)
* 30th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Little Owl calling nearby at 19:35. (JB)
* 30th - Wandle Park: Redwing (first of the season), Goldcrest, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, and a Blackbird (first in 6 weeks: numbers dramatically reduced this year). (Sue Henning)
* 30th - Waddon Ponds (9.30am): 40 Black-headed Gull, 25 Coot, 2 Magpie, 2 Carrion Crow, 100 Feral Pigeon, 20 Canada Goose, 2 Egyptian Goose, 20 Mallard Duck, 2 House Sparrow, 7 Moorhen, Little Grebe, Goldfinch, 2 Woodpigeon, 4 Tufted Duck, 3 Mute Swan (Andrew Moncrieff)
* 30th - South Norwood Lake: (07:45:09:00) 26 Canada Goose, pair Egyptian Goose with 5 goslings, 12 Mallard, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Cormorant, 13 Moorhen, 18 Coot, 26 Black-headed Gull, 1imm Herring Gull, 3 Collared Dove, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Pied Wagtail (on bowling green), 1 Song Thrush, 1 Chiffchaff, 6 Long-tailed Tit, c50 Starling N/NE, 3 House Sparrow, 20+ Goldfinch (JW)
* 30th - Norbury (Pollards Hill South): 2 chaffinch over W, 12+Goldfinch on feeders (MJN)
* 29th - Norbury (Pollards Hill South): 4 Jay together, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 GS woodpecker.(MJN)
* 28th - South Norwood Lake: (07:45:09:15) 23 Canada Goose, pair Egyptian Goose with 5 goslings, 3 Tufted Duck, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Cormorant, 11 Moorhen, 22 Coot, 15 Black-headed Gull, 2imm Herring Gull, 2 Stock Dove, 4 Collared Dove, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Chiffchaff, 4 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 3 House Sparrow, c20 Goldfinch (JW)
* 27th - Norbury (Pollards Hill South): 4 Redwing alighted on garden tree in pouring rain-moved off SE, 1 Blackbird m. (MJN)
* 26th - Selsdon Wood: Red Kite and Buzzard. (Ruth Budd)
* 26th - Coulsdon (St Andrews Rd): 05.00. Male Tawny Owl calling. Later a group of 6 Long Tailed Tit through (DH)
* 26th - Purley: Dead Sparrowhawk on tracks at Purley Station. (Purley Birds Twitter)
* 26th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Sparrowhawk over garden. (JB)
* 26th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (12.30pm): female Kestrel (+ possibly a second) briefly hunting over rlwy land, plus small group of Long-tailed Tits through & a pair of Jays taking acorns from gdn evergreen oak (GH)
* 26th - South Norwood Country Park: Skylark over (DMac and Sarah Woodcock)
* 26th - South Norwood Lake: (07:45:09:00) pair Egyptian Goose with 5 goslings, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Cormorant, 8 Moorhen, 18 Coot, 5 Black-headed Gull, 1 imm Herring Gull, 1 Stock Dove, 2 Collared Dove, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Song Thrush, 12 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Coal Tit, 6 House Sparrow, 15 Goldfinch (JW)
* 26th - Norbury (Pollards Hill South): 1 m. Blackbird in garden-first  for 3 months, 2 Chaffinch under feeder(MJN)
* 25th - Riddlesdown 'Dobbin': 2 Stonechat (1m, 1f), 1 Kestrel, 1 Red Kite, 20 Linnet, 1 Pheasant (f), 2 Skylark in song-flight, several flocks of Redwing, 12 Meadow Pipit. (Derek Kelly)
* 24th - Norbury (Pollards Hill South): 1 Sparrowhawk (with attendant crows), 1 Grey wagtail. (MJN)
* 24th - South Norwood Lake: Egyptian Geese have only five goslings now. Pheasant (female) on playing field c1400. Visible from path to Sylvan Road (Alan Simpkins)
* 22nd - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Buzzard circling around for several minutes at 13:45. (JB)
* 22nd - Addington Hills Top Car Park 09:30 Redpoll heard flying over (Jo East & Martin Tickner)
* 22nd - Norbury (Pollards Hill South): 2 Goldcrest in garden calling noisily, 12 + R.N.Parakeet, 12 + Goldfinch on feeders. (MJN)
* 21st - Fryston Ave: 02:30 Tawny Owl. (PP)
* 20th - South Croydon (Melville Avenue): (11.00) At least one Siskin flying around calling (Alan Pearson).
* 20th - Shirley (Devonshire Way): Chiffchaff (only second sighting in this specific location in 40 years). (KW)
* 20th - South Norwood Lake: (07:45:09:15) 6 Canada Goose, pair Egyptian Goose with 7 goslings, 5 Tufted Duck, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Cormorant, 1m Kestrel, 10 Moorhen, 20 Coot, 6 Black-headed Gull, 1 Stock Dove, 4 Collared Dove, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Chiffchaff, 10 Long-tailed Tit, 5 House Sparrow, c20 Goldfinch (JW)
* 19th - Sanderstead (Orchard Road): Red Kite over at 13:00. (Tara Allitt by email)
* 19th - Waddon Ponds: Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Chiffchaff. (Sue Henning)
* 19th - Wandle Park: Chiffchaff, Grey Wagtail. (Sue Henning)
* 18th - Hutchinsons Bank: Red Kite. (Lucinda by Twitter)
* 18th - Farthing Downs: 1 Chiffchaff, 5 Skylark over, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 6 Goldfinch, 2 Linnet over, 2 Siskin over, 1 Redwing, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, up to 5 Goldcrest, a loose flock of 6 Long Tailed Tit, 2 Bullfinch, 2 Greenfinch over, 1 Song Thrush, at least 15 Jackdaw, 3 Jay, 21 Starling over, steady stream of Herring Gull over, 2 Little Owl heard in vocal standoff, 3 Meadow Pipit. (DH)
* 18th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): 07:35-08:10 Grey Wagtail N at 07:54, 1 Blackbird NW, 2 Song Thrush NW, 3 Starling NW, Siskin heard over, Redwing 7 W 1 NE 1 E, steady flow of Chaffinch and Goldfinch, steady flow of Feral Pigeon SE, steady flow of Ring-necked Parakeet flocks SE (presumably having come from Mitcham Comm roost). (JB)
* 18th - South Norwood Lake: (07:45:09:15) 8 Canada Goose, pair Egyptian Goose with 7 goslings, 12 Mallard, 8 Tufted Duck, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Cormorant, 12 Moorhen, 24 Coot, 4 Black-headed Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull (over), 2 Herring Gull (c20 over), 2 Stock Dove, 5 Collared Dove, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 pied Wagtail (over), 2 Song Thrush, 2 Chiffchaff, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Jackdaw (over), c30 Carrion Crow, 10 Starling, 6 House Sparrow, c30 Goldfinch, 5 Siskin (JW)
* 17th - South Norwood Country Park: Chiffchaff; 2 Shoveler; large numbers of Great, Blue and Long Tailed Tits. (KW)
* 17th - South Norwood Lake: (07:45:09:15) 10 Canada Goose, pair Egyptian Goose with 8 goslings, 9 Mallard, 5 Tufted Duck, 2 ad Great Crested Grebe, 2 Cormorant, 1m Kestrel, 10 Moorhen, 20 Coot, 4 Black-headed Gull, 1 Stock Dove, 2 Collared Dove, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Song Thrush, 5 Redwing, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 8 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Jay, 2 Jackdaw (over), 5 House Sparrow, c20 Goldfinch, 5 Siskin (JW)
* 16th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): More migration over the garden today. Best was a Snipe heard at 12:26, Meadow Pipit at 12:23, Siskins, several Redwing flocks, at least 3 'alba' wagtails. (JB)
* 16th-Norbury (PHS)-5 Siskin over SW. 1 Redwing over W. 1  Grey Wagtail (MJN)
* 15th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (7.15pm): Tawny Owl calling in Avenue Rd (GH)
* 15th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Siskin over at 07:15, Meadow Pipit over at 08:14, several small flocks of Redwing, Red Kite north at 11:44. (JB)
* 15th - Norbury (Pollards Hill South): 2 Lesser Redpoll over W, 2 Chiffchaff calling, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Grey Wagtail. (MJN)
* 14th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): 12:00 - 12:30. Brambling and Siskin south, 'alba' wagtails NW, mixed Redwing & Fieldfare flock NW, 2 Buzzards (one mobbed by Mistle Thrush), 2 Sparrowhawks (m & f), 15 Black-headed Gulls west. Shortly afterwards another 4 Brambling flew in from the west and appeared to settle briefly in a tree out of sight then continued NW. Earlier I had heard a Skylark going over. (JB)
* 14th - Addiscombe Court Road, East Croydon: (07:30 - 08:30) visible migration: 3 Cormorant (west), 23 Redwing, 1 Fieldfare, 40 thrush sp. (likely mainly Redwing). Plus 1 male Sparrowhawk, 2 Coal Tit. (Graeme Spinks)
* 14th - Lower Addiscombe: 20 Redwing SW at 07:45. (Rob Wyllie by Twitter)
* 14th - Norbury (Pollards Hill South): 3 Jay together, 8 Goldfinch on feeders, 1 Grey wagtail over.(MJN)
* 13th - Norbury (Pollards Hill South): 2 f. Chaffinch under garden feeder, 1 Green Woodpecker calling.(MJN)
* 13th - Purley (Selcroft Road): Flocks of 10 & 7 Redwing over. (Marion & Phil Hodgson by email)
* 13th - Lloyd Park: (09:00-11:30) impressive movement of thrushes west: 710 Redwing (conservative count in tens), 29 Fieldfare, 12 Song Thrush, 25 Chaffinch, 12+ Greenfinch, 6 Meadow Pipit. (Graeme Spinks)
* 13th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Migration over the garden - Fieldfare c30 W at 08:54, c30 S at 08:55, heard only at 09:25, 14 W at 09:33, 1 Redwing W at 09:26, c40 W at 11:20, 16 Starling NW at 11:28, several Chaffinch SW and W. Also Sparrowhawk circling overhead at 11:29. (JB)
* 12th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Buzzard at 13:05. (JB)
* 12th - South Norwood Country Park: Remaining 2 cygnets (1 normal, 1 'Polish') undergoing flight trials. (DMac)
* 12th - Croham Hurst: Red Kite mobbed by crows.
* 11th - Lloyd Park: (16:00-18:30) sudden burst of visible migration west, between 17:00 and 17:30: 20 Fieldfare (in a mixed flock with Redwing), 100+ Redwing (in four flocks), 12+ Siskin (single flock), 8 Chaffinch. (Graeme Spinks and Alan Pearson)
* 11th - Sanderstead Pond: 1 Black-headed Gull. 1 Common Gull, 1 Herring Gull. (JB)
* 11th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (11am): c20 Redwings low NW (towards SNL) & Nuthatch calling in Gdns (GH)
* 11th - South Norwood Country Park: 9:45-12:00. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, first one seen in 19 years, footpath by the cemetery, in large Lime tree, just past the fallen tree towards Harrington Road, a pair of Stonechats, middle meadow two thirds along towards the pond, 18 Goldfinches, Kestrel, Little Grebe, 5 Collared Doves,2 Egyptian Geese,4 Canadian Geese, Jay, Pheasant,3 Cormorants.(Rob Wyllie). Approx. 8:50am all 5 Mute Swans flew across lake with 1 grey cygnet carrying on heading NW then veering NE and lost to view. (DMac and Sarah Woodcock)
* 11th - Lloyd Park: Buzzard, Sparrowhawk (PP)
* 11th - Norbury (Pollards Hill South): 1 ad. Herring Gull came down to Chicken carcass - a garden first! 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers together on seed feeder, 6 Goldfinch, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Greenfinch. (MJN)
* 11th - Briton Hill Road: 08:30-09:20. 2 Skylark over, also Siskin, Fieldfare and Redwing heard flying over. (JB)
* 10th - Selsdon (Farley Road): Buzzard over and a bright yellow Ring-necked Parakeet in the garden. (Shirley Shephard by email)
* 10th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Single Redwing heard. (JB)
* 10th - Lloyd Park: (07:15-09:45) visible migration: 15 Cormorant (west), 7 Meadow Pipit (south), 10 Redwing (south), 5 Song Thrush (west), 20 Linnet (west), 20+ Siskin (west), 8 Lesser Redpoll (west), 21 Chaffinch (west), 40+ Goldfinch, 5 Greenfinch, 50+ finch sp. (silhouetted, silent small finches heading west). Plus 300+ Woodpigeon early morning on playing fields, 12 Pied Wagtail on Addiscombe Cricket Club pitch. (Graeme Spinks)
* 9th - Riddlesdown 'Dobbin': c.20 Meadow Pipit circling in alarm in response to Kestrel's unsuccessful attempt to hunt from the ground up. (Derek Kelly)
* 9th - Whyteleafe Rec: Little Owl. (Derek Kelly)
* 9th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Chiffchaff calling. (JB)
* 9th - Norbury (Pollards Hill South): 2 Chaffinch over SW, 1 Chiffchaff calling in garden, 1 Grey  Wagtail over (MJN)
* 8th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Siskin calling overhead. (JB)
* 8th - Wandle Park: 2 Chiffchaffs, Jay, Grey Heron, Moorhen (juv), Grey Wagtail (Sue Henning)
* 7th - Lloyd Park: (08:05-10:20) visible migration: 8+ Meadow Pipit (south), 3 Skylark (west), 4 Redwing (south), 12+ Siskin (SW), 20+ Goldfinch (south), 10 Greenfinch (south, although some or all of the latter two species possibly local birds), 40+ finch sp. (silhouetted, silent birds heading south). (Graeme Spinks)
* 7th - Wandle Park: Kestrel mobbed by crows, 2 Grey Wagtails (Sue Henning)
* 6th - Coulsdon: A White-tailed Eagle from the Isle of White reintroduction scheme flew over at 14:35 and roosted in the Oxted area later. (Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation website)
* 6th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (12pm): Great Spotted Woodpecker calling & pair of Jackdaws (scarce here) on Gdns roof for 5 mins (GH)
* 6th - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Mute Swans with 3 cygnets - one of the 'Polish' cygnets appears to have departed. Couldn't get decent view to see if the remaining one is the one that was ringed or not. (DMac) Information received on 8 October indicates that the ringed Polish cygnet is now at Kelsey Park having been rescued from Beckenham High Street. (admin)
* 5th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (11.15am): Redwing calling & Jay very low over Gdns, followed by female Kestrel in gdn sycamore (1pm) (GH)
* 3rd - Riddlesdown 'Dobbin': 2 Stonechat (m,f) 2 Kestrel (including one with damaged wingtip feathers), 1 Buzzard (with damaged left wingtip feathers), 1 Red Kite, 2 Skylark, 4 Meadow Pipit. Paddock grazing area: flock of c.25 Goldfinch, 1 Pheasant (m), 2 Stonechat (m, f). (Derek Kelly)
* 3rd - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Blackcap takking away at bottom of garden. (JB)
* 2nd - Beddington Farmlands: Juvenile ARCTIC SKUA flew east. (Pete Alfrey Non-stop Birding) (ie heading towards Croydon, but no proof it actually entered Croydon airspace. admin)
* 2nd - Purley (Downscourt Road): Male Sparrowhawk landed briefly on bird feeders. (Philip Hayden)
* 2nd - Dollypers Hill: Tawny Owl hooting at 2.30pm possibly disturbed by several Jays alarming, Bullfinch calling, mixed tit flock 3.30pm, Long-tailed, Great, Blue, 2 Chiffchaff. (NH)
* 1st - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (3pm): Chiffchaff calling in Gdns (GH)
* 1st - Lloyd Park: (14.10-14.20) Common Buzzard S, 2 Chiffchaff, fem Kestrel mobbed by 2 Carrion Crows. (Alan Pearson) (18:00-19:00) Tawny Owl calling, giving “keewik” contact call at 18:50, 8 Greenfinch perched together in family or pre-roost flock, 6 Jay. (Graeme Spinks)
* 1st - Addiscombe Recreation Ground: 4 Pied Wagtail. (PP)
* 1st - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Chiffchaff calling in garden. (JB)
* 1st - South Norwood Country Park: 2 Tawny Owl, Stonechat, Siskin. (JAH) Raven N @ 15:40, Firecrest, 2 Water Rail, 5+ Stonechat, 2 Common Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawk (Paul Moss per John Archer)
* 1st - Riddlesdown 'Dobbin': 2 Linnet, 2 Swallow SW, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Nuthatch, 3 Meadow Pipit, 1 Stonechat (m), 1 Buzzard. (Derek Kelly). Several House Martins and Swallows, 4 Stonechats. (Jovita Kaunang and Graham Collins by email)