By Lyndsay Jones for the Friends of West Ham Park
In 2020 we recorded a total of 37 species, a full list is included with this report, which shows which months each species was present. The numbers given are the maximum number seen each month. 16 species were recorded every month. Since we started keeping records in 2008, we have recorded a total of 46 species, which includes some “once only” recordings.
New arrivals this year are a pair of Egyptian Geese, first seen in January and again in April and December. Geese need grazing space more than they need water, and they seemed very relaxed in the park.
We were delighted to record Green Woodpeckers again, after no sightings in 2019. Great Spotted Woodpeckers were seen every month, with one confirmed nest.
The Nuthatches first recorded in 2019 were seen every month, again on a garden bird feeder adjacent to the park, but also seen within the park and the garden.
Goldcrests were recorded in 7 months, again there seems to be no pattern as to the months in which they are present. Goldfinches continue to do well, recorded in 12 months, with a maximum flock of 32. House Sparrows continue to be seen all year, and the groups at Margery and Linden Lodges seem to doing well. Blue Tits and Great Tits are recorded all over the park and garden and are clearly doing very well, as are Robins.
Wood Pigeon numbers increase every year, large flocks are often seen on the sports pitches. Feral Pigeons have been seen in increasingly large numbers since the Covid Pandemic, as more people are bringing their children to the park to feed them. Ring-necked Parakeets continue to increase, with an evening roost of 70 birds recorded in December. Much smaller numbers are seen during the day.
Visitors
We recorded Redwings in January and February, but only a maximum of 8 birds this year. No Fieldfares were recorded.
The usual large flocks of Common Gulls were present over the winter months, but Black Headed, Herring and Lesser Black Backed gulls were very occasional visitors.
This year we recorded Blackcaps for four out of twelve months. Willow Warblers were seen in April and again in September and October. These birds move north and south at these times of year and we assume that the park provide as “stop-over” location. We also recorded a Garden Warbler in July.
Once again, many thanks to the bird survey team for their continuing enthusiasm and reliability, especially to those who have covered extra areas, filling in for pandemic related absences.
PS Thanks to Jonathan for the fantastic Parakeet picture!
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackbird | 15 | 6 | 11 | 12 | 20 | 20 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Blackcap | – | – | – | 5 | 6 | 4 | – | 2 | – | – | – | – |
| Blue Tit | 32 | 21 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 28 | 21 | 21 | 17 |
| Chaffinch | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | 2 |
| Chiffchaff (NONE) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Coal Tit | 1 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – |
| Collared Dove | 2 | – | – | 5 | – | – | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | 1 |
| Crow | 22 | 10 | 23 | 13 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 35 | 14 | 21 | 28 | 14 |
| Dunnock | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Egyptian Goose | 2 | – | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 |
| Feral Pigeon | 48 | 23 | 28 | 72 | 37 | 57 | 50 | 43 | 35 | 88 | 76 | 100 |
| Fieldfare (NONE) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Garden Warbler | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Goldcrest | 2 | – | – | – | 2 | 6 | – | – | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| Goldfinch | 25 | 27 | 21 | 14 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 32 | 6 | 23 | 32 | 30 |
| Great Tit | 29 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 32 | 14 | 9 | 25 | 17 | 15 | 23 | 20 |
| Greenfinch (NONE) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Green Woodpecker | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | – | 1 |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Grey Wagtail | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – |
| Gull – Black Headed | 6 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 4 | 12 |
| Gull – Common | 60 | 40 | 40 | – | – | – | – | 7 | 6 | – | 35 | 75 |
| Gull – Herring | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | 3 | 1 |
| Gull – Lesser Blackback | 1 | 4 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 5 | – | – | – | – |
| Heron | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| House Sparrow | 6 | 15 | 10 | 16 | 22 | 19 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 34 | 46 |
| Jay | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | – | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | – | 1 |
| Long Tailed Tit | 10 | 3 | 2 | 2 | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | 9 |
| Magpie | 12 | 13 | 17 | 11 | 16 | 17 | 21 | 23 | 26 | 31 | 31 | 20 |
| Mallard | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Meadow Pipit (NONE) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Mistle Thrush | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Nuthatch | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Pheasant (NONE) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Pied Wagtail | – | 5 | – | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | – | 6 | – | 4 |
| Redwing | 8 | 6 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ring Necked Parakeet | 7 | 14 | 18 | 8 | 15 | 12 | 17 | 14 | 20 | 17 | 20 | 70 |
| Robin | 14 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 16 | 14 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 11 |
| Song Thrush (NONE) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Sparrowhawk | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | 1 |
| Starling | 18 | 14 | 22 | 32 | 43 | 9 | 50 | 66 | 3 | 30 | 56 | 100 |
| Swift (NONE) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Waxwing (NONE) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Willow Warbler | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | – | – | 4 | 1 | – | – |
| Wood Pigeon | 68 | 35 | 41 | 30 | 28 | 31 | 24 | 18 | 37 | 47 | 29 | 45 |
| Wren | – | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | – | – | 1 | 3 | 2 |