February Birding Hampstead Heath

 February continued to be a very exciting month for birding on Hampstead Heath with some quality birds!

The month started well with a Brambling being reported near the viaduct on the 4th, sadly it was not seen again. As expected the Beast from the East 2 brought some decent birds, although nothing compared to what was seen further outside the city. This included 50 Lapwings flying over on the 9th, 3 Teal and a flock of Waders flying over on the 10th and 2 Lapwing flying over on the 13th. There was also several fieldfare about which do not normally land even in Autumn. 2 Greater Black Backed Gulls also flew over. The middle of the month following the snow was fairly quiet although the large flock of Lesser Redpoll were seen occasionally as well as a Buzzard. Another Water Rail was found on the 23rd but was heard only and the first singing Chiffchaffs were seen on the 24th. The first Linnet of the year also flew over on the 24th. An incredible record of a Crossbill briefly landing near Whitestone pond was a surprise to everyone. Two Woodcock were seen on the 27th and 28th as well as the remains of a dead one found. And most surprisingly was a Hawfinch heard by David Darell Lambert a few hundred metres off the heath in Big Wood just past the Hampstead Heath extension on the 28th! (Doesn't go on the year list but still a cool record!)

That puts us on 71 for the year, a very impressive total with the highlight probably being either the Lapwings (first since 2018) or the Crossbill which although we had many last year, was the only one having landed I've heard of in recent times