Sightings

During an average year c.80 birds will be observed on Sparrowfeld. We post interesting sightings on the London Bird Club Wiki, the Surrey Bird Club website, BirdTrack and Twitter. We publish monthly newsletters and annual reports, which can be requested via our contact details. The latest reports can be found below along with recent monthly summaries.

Yearly Reports

Birds of Sparrowfeld 2025 Download

Birds of Sparrowfeld 2024 Download

Monthly Reviews

GHW = Gas Holder Wood; HF = Horse Fields; MC = Morden Cemetery; MP = Mayflower Park; PFA = Pig Farm Alley; MSJC = Merton & Sutton Joint Cemetery; DF = Derwent Floodwash; PB = Pyl Brook.

January to March 2026

There was maintenance on the Mayflower Park reed bed in March. The reeds were cut on the east bank of the long water and some cutting along edges of pools by the board walk. This was a minimal cut and should not affect the reed warbler numbers. There was some maintenance of the Millenium Wood in late March. A large Black Poplar was felled in MC for safety reasons.

59 Species were seen during the period

Canada Goose: one or two on MP but 8 on HF and 5 on 31/03. Greylag Goose: 3 circled pools on 9^th March. Mute Swan: 3 on pools 6^th Feb. Egyptian Goose: 2 in MC and late March on HF. Stock Dove: maximum of 35 HF on 10 Jan. Green Sandpiper: one 12 Jan on PB and 4 on pools 14 Jan. Woodcock: 14^th March one flushed in GHW(CA) – second patch record*. Black-headed Gull: 2 Feb 400 on patch, last 8 on 15^th March. Mediterranean Gull: adult on JH on 27^th Jan. Common Gull: maximum of 20 on patch 23 Jan. Cormorant: regular on pools, also on BB and one obs on mobile phone mast. Little Egret: present regularly on DF and Pyl with maximum of four. Grey Heron: in February two birds prospected the nest site in GHW but nothing came of it. Red Kite: on six dates fly overs max three on 26^th March. Common Buzzard: six observations in period, two on 10^th March. Peregrine: one on four dates on GH or pylons. Jackdaw: max 60 on HF 12^th Jan. Carrion Crow: max 140 on HF. Raven: 2 to 4 on four dates on GH or pylons. Cole Tit in MC on four dates. Cetti’s Warbler: regular on pools. One singing on DF on two days in late March. Chiffchaff: GHW on one date in Jan and Feb then up to six on patch end of March. Blackcap: January a male on lane N/S then two singing by end of March. Firecrest: 14/17^th Jan one or two GHW. Goldcrest: four dates GHW and lane E/W. Starling: 13^th Jan 100 HF, 27^th Jan 200 HF were maxima. Redwing: maximum 17Jan 70MC, 26^TH Jan 70 patch last 16^th March 3 MP. Wheatear: a male on HF 29^th March. Grey Wagtail: two present on PB or BB. Pied Wagtail: maximum 25 on 4^th February then numbers falling off. No indication of spring passage. Chaffinch: scarce on HF with max 15 on 2^nd Jan. Goldfinch: Variable numbers but 25 MC on 13 Jan. Siskin: 12 Jan, 3 on DF. Of interest, 4 in alders by Motspur Park Station.

December 2025

52 Species were observed

Little Egret: one on two dates on DF. Cormorant: Two dates on pools. Egyptian Goose: two more or less permanent on HF with forays to the pools. Moorhen: Up to 14 on pools. Coot: max of 3 on pools late month. Peregrine: Not very obvious on gasholders or pylons. One or two dates. Red Kite: one on 15^th and 25^th. Common Buzzard: one on 15^th. Black-headed Gull: up to 40 on pools. Herring Gull: 6 on HF on 31^st. Lesser Black-backed Gull: one on HF on 31st. Green Sandpiper: two flew across pools on 3^rd. Lapwing: one flew away from pools on 25^th-first for many years. Stock Dove: decline in numbers on horse fields from 100 on 2^nd to 20 at months end. Blackcap: one in lane N/S and MP. Chiffchaff: Up to two on three dates MP. Cetti’s Warbler: Heard singing on one date MP. Goldcrest: on three dates dates in GHW , MC, lane E/W. Firecrest: one on two dates in GHW. Redwing: Very poor month with just four in MC 31s. Cole Tit: two dates GHW. Goldfinch: Up to 20 on HF and lesser numbers in MP. Chaffinch: Up to 18 regularly on HF. Jackdaw: Regular on HF and stables with up to 70 birds but 100 on 10th. Raven: one on pylon MP flew south on 12th/ Starling: up to 100 but generally only 40 on HF

November 2025

53 Species were seen

Little Egret: two dates on DF. Cormorant: two dates on pools. Up to 14 Moorhen on the pools. Peregrine were less frequent with one or two dates. Sparrow Hawk: occasionally soaring over area, also GasHolder Wood. Red Kite: two observations of fly-over birds. Black-headed Gull: up to 40 on pools. Common Gull: 2 on Rugby mid month. Stock Dove: still good numbers on HF with between 150 and 200 birds. Collared Dove: Up to 16 around feeders by stable. Kingfisher: on two dates on pools. Grey Wagtail: On Pyl and Beverley Brooks on two dates, also HF on one date. Pied Wagtail: daily on HF with up to 20 birds. Meadow Pipit: 7^th November one on HF. Blackcap: 2 different birds: GHW and MP on 13^th. Chiffchaff: two dates on MP. Cetti’s Warbler: Heard singing on two dates on MP. Goldcrest: on two dates in GHW and MP. Firecrest: one on two dates in GHW. Redwing: Very poor month with just two observations on HF. Mistle Thrush: 8^th heard back of JH, 18^th two in MC flew off. Cole Tit: one on DF. Goldfinch: Up to 20 on HF and lesser numbers in MP. Chaffinch: Up to 40 regularly on HF. Brambling: one with Chaffinches on HF 7^th/8^th. Jackdaw: Regular on HF and stables with up to 60 birds. Raven: 13^th one flew away south. Starling: up to 500 but generally only 150 birds.

August to October 2025

Due to the absence of a number of regulars, we have combined three months.

60 species were observed during the period

A Little Egret was observed on DF on 22^nd October. Two Egyptian Geese frequented the HF in October. Peregrine present on Gasholders and pylons during the period. Sparrow Hawk and Kestrel seen regularly. Hobbies over pools on two dates in August. Red Kites on 11^thAugust and 15^th September. Common Buzzard on five days during the period. Black-headed Gull especially on pools in small numbers. 10 Lesser Black-backed Gull west on 1^st August. Moorhen with 2 chicks on 3^rd September. Tawny Owl feather found in GHW on 1^st August. Kingfisher occasionally seen on pools during the period. Last Swift on 7^th August. Huge numbers of Stock Dove on HF with 240 towards end of October was a record count. Collared Dove count of 11 by stables. Willow Warblers in GHW on 8^th August and MP on 16^th. Last Reed Warbler seen on 25^th August. Lesser Whitethroat in GHW on 14^th August. Cetti’s Warbler heard singing in MP on 23^rd October, Nuthatch in GHW on 13^th Sept. Grey Wagtail in MP on 22^nd September. Good numbers of Pied Wagtail in September and November on HF with 40 on 29^th September, 32 on 20^th October. A Meadow Pipit there on 22^nd September. 100 Jackdaw at roost on 15^th August. TwoRaven on gasholders on 12^th and 14^th August. Chaffinch numbers built up on HF towards end of October with maximum of 15. Also female Brambling on 27^th October. Goldfinch up to 20 in period. Up to 50 House Sparrows on HF during month.