Beddington Farm Life List

Beddington Farmlands nowadays is a busy landfill site which is populated by thousands of gulls on days that the tip is in operation. The seasoned regular here will tell you the landscape has changed considerably but it still attracts rarities and is considered one of the best birdwatching sites in London. The Farmlands has witnessed a serious decline in its Tree Sparrow population leaving only a few birds on site.

My list stands at 191 species. This is the place I have learn't my birdwatching fieldcraft. This includes Common Redpoll which will remain on the IOC list as a species on 1st Jan 2018.

22/03/2020

191 Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis)

29/10/2018

190 Richards Pipit (Anthus richardi)

15/04/2018

189 Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops)

(E)  Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)

22/11/2017

188 Twite (Carduelis flavirostris)

14/08/2017

187 Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)

09/08/2017

186 Sabine's Gull (Larus sabini)

03/05/2017

185 Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)

30/04/2017

184 Temminck's Stint (Calidris temminckii)

183 Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)

02/04/2017

182 Northern Goshawk (Accipter gentilis)

(picture by Roger Browne)

18/03/2016

181 Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)

10/01/2016

(-) Siberian Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita tristis)

21/11/2015

180 Serin (Serinus serinus)

08/02/2015

179 Coal Tit (Periparus atus)

08/11/2014

178 Grey Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius)

(taken 09/11/2014)

19/10/2014

177 Bearded Reedling (Panurus biarmicus)

07/08/2014

176 Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)

21/07/2013

(-)   Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)

24/05/2013
175  Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis daurica)

19/01/2013
174 Merlin (Falco columbarius)

Seen by ten regulars flying S and hunting near Mile Rd. Re-located in tree by Hackbridge BR.

28/03/2012
173 Great Bittern (Botaurus stellaris)

Members of the group have always talked about mature reedbeds and a Bittern turning up one day but I don't think anyone expected a bird to pop up on Elands Island in front of the hide.

13/03/2012

172 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos minor)

14/11/2011
171 Dark Bellied Brent Goose (Branta bernicla bernicla)

(16/01/2012)

06/09/2011

170 Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)

04/02/2011
169 Tawny Owl (Strix aluco)

08/12/2010
168 Mealy Redpoll (Carduelis flammea)

03/12/2010
167 Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)

A find by Peter Alfrey in quite hazardous conditions but worth the effort to go and see it.

27/09/2010
166 Eurasian Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris)

John had waited almost a lifetime to see a Treecreeper on the Farm and I was thrilled to be able to find one for him.

25/09/2010
165 Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)

A day where there were a number of Gannets in and around the Thames. I had left the Farm but decided to return picking Dodge up on the way. Pete Alfrey had the same idea and within a few minutes Dodge declared that three birds were coming our way. This was my 200th Surrey Vice County species and having managed to stayed calm to take some pictures I celebrated in woo hoo style!

24/09/2010
164 Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis/acuflavidus)

16/09/2010
163 Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)

10/08/2010
162 Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)

01/05/2010
161 Common Crane (Grus grus)

A discovery from the Observatory window. Pete Alfrey's eyes struck gold on bird race day. He received a rapturous applause when he joined the faithful in the hide.

23/03/2010
160 Common Firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla)

17/01/2010
159 Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus)

A early start paid off having dipped this species on previous ocassions.

16/01/2010
158 Eurasian Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola)

09/01/2010
157 Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)

30/12/2009
156 European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria)

08/10/2009
155 Cetti's Warbler (Cettia cetti)

12/09/2009
154 Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis)

02/09/2009
153 Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)

152 European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)

02/05/2009
151 Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra)

21/04/2009
(?) Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens)

There has been considerable debate over this bird and a paper submitted on the subject. The BORC have rejected this record. 

08/01/2009
150 Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla)

14/12/2008
149 Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)

07/12/2008
148 Goosander (Mergus merganser merganser)

27/11/2008
147 Northern Long-eared Owl (Asio otus)

I don't find many rarities at the Farm but an evening walk with John had me paying particular attention a bush that was covered in excrement and tucked away above this was an Owl. Up to 7 birds were recorded in this area over a four month period.

25/11/2008
146 Common Raven (Corvus corax)

Myself and the two Prater brothers were in the hide and Grant and I were talking Wigeon. This conversation continued despite Frank's efforts to get us to look at the pylons at the N end of the lake. Our attention became focused after a short outburst from Frank and low and behold there were two Raven on the pylons. Why didn't he say so!!

21/10/2008
145 Rock Pipit (Anthus petrosus)

21/09/2008
144 Great White Egret (Ardea alba)

20/09/2008
143 European Honey-Buzzard (Pernis apivorus)

23/08/2008
142 Red Knot (Calidris canutus)

11/06/2008
141 Little Stint (Calidris minuta)

25/05/2008
140 Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis)

My first major find at the Farm but sadly before the day of owning an SLR camera so the moment was not recorded. Over a three day period several birds had been recorded inland following inclement weather.

17/05/2008
139 Little Tern (Sternula albifrons)

03/05/2008
138 Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

23/04/2008
137 Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus)

21/04/2008
136 Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus cyaneus)

John, Dodge and I were outside the hide when this MEGA passed above our heads. Did anyone have a camera to capture this fantastic looking Male! You guessed it!

19/04/2008
135 Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)

There was a good passage of migrants and this was dubbed the longest day having spent 17hrs on the Farm! A believe its a record or just madness!! The wait paid dividends late on with a tick. Not that I found it but had the energy to leg it over to the Lagoons where Nick had located the late arrival resting.

06/01/2008
134 Dartford Warbler (Sylvia undata)

29/12/2007
133 Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)

06/10/2007
132 Lesser Redpoll (Carduelis cabaret)

28/09/2007
131 Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)

26/08/2007
130 Garganey (Anas querquedula)

26/07/2007
129 Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)

20/07/2007
128 Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)

08/07/2007
127 Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata)

24/04/2007
126 Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)

I thought I would have to give this bird the kiss of life as it floated exhausted on to the N lake in front of the Sand Martin bank. The bird fed and departed once it had gathered its breath!

21/04/2007
125 Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin)

21/04/2007
124 Grasshopper Warbler (Locustella naevia)
123 Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos)

My phone whent crazy and I had overslept. I raced to the Farm to meet the regulars on the path near the hide. The Nightingale was vocal and relatively easy to see but then a gropper suddenly joined the chorus and based on the must see the first one basis had me sitting it out on the path most of the day before I saw the bird.

19/04/2007
122 Western Marsh-harrier (Circus aeruginosus)

17/04/2007
121 Ring Ouzel (Turdus torquatus)

A male bird that tested my resolve almost to the limit having staked out the footpath on several occasions before I finally connected with it at stupid o'clock in the morning!

16/04/2007
120 Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)

06/03/2007
119 Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans)

26/01/2007
118 Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides)

11/01/2007

117 Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) 

A really grey grotty cold wet day where Gary and I were photographing the new arrival on the now named N lake when we realised that we were photographing different birds..One having departed before the other!

16/12/2006
116 Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus)

05/12/2006
115 Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)

20/11/2006
114 Barn Owl (Tyto alba)

11/11/2006
113 Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)

06/11/2006
112 Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus/indicus)

26/10/2006
111 Jack Snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus)

14/10/2006
110 Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)

29/08/2006
109 Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)

21/08/2006
108 Ruff (Philomachus pugnax)

17/08/2006
107 Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)

12/08/2006
106 Spotted Crake (Porzana porzana)

This day had mixed emotions:- Myself John and Frank had found a guy who had sadly passed away on the railway bridge. After the formalities were completed I was completing a statement in the back of a police vehicle when my phone went crazy with news of the above bird. Some say it was a passing on of the guys spirit and a thank you for finding him!!

06/08/2006
105 Little Owl (Athene noctua)

28/07/2006
104 Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)

This sighting you would probably expect to be closer to the beginning of the list but my rule at a patch is that I have to see the first of the species. I heard a few before this day!

19/07/2006
103 Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)

29/05/2006
102 Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)

26/05/2006
101 Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)

20/05/2006
100 Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)

19/05/2006
099 Sanderling (Calidris alba)

17/05/2006
098 Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

13/05/2006
097 Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)

08/05/2006
096 Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)

07/05/2006
095 Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata)
094 Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
093 Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)

The Spoonbill flew SE over the lake early morning the three observers Garry Neil and myself were overjoyed. Garry ended a spell of four years without a Farm tick!

01/05/2006
092 Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
091 Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)

24/04/2006
(-)   Blue-headed Wagtail (Motacilla flava flava)
090 Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo)

23/04/2006
089 House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
088 Eurasian Reed-warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
087 Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava)

22/04/2006
086 Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca)
085 Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
084 Common Swift (Apus apus)

21/04/2006
(-)   White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)

16/04/2006
083 Eurasian Siskin (Carduelis spinus)
082 Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis)
081 Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
080 Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
079 Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
078 Little Plover (Charadrius dubius)
077 Greylag Goose (Anser anser)

11/04/2006
076 Common Redstart  (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)
075 Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)

08/04/2006
074 Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
073 Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)

07/04/2006
072 Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
071 House Martin (Delichon urbicum)

03/04/2006
070 European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
069 Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
068 Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
067 European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
066 Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
065 Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)
064 Red Kite (Milvus milvus)

01/04/2006
063 Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)
062 Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
061 Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)
060 Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)
059 Dunnock (Prunella modularis)
058 Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta)
057 Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
056 Sand Martin (Riparia riparia)
055 Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
054 Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)
053 Eurasian Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
052 Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
051 Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra)
050 Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

April 2006 was the beginning of my patchwatching at the Farmlands having received a key to the restricted area. I naturally had to sign my life away first before taking my first steps into the mire. Prior to this date I only recorded species I required on my yearlist hence the lack of Gulls etc and dates with new species.

06/02/2006
049 Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
048 Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
047 Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)

28/02/2005
046 Eurasian Linnet (Carduelis cannabina)
045 Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
044 Redwing (Turdus iliacus)
043 Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii)
042 Stock Dove (Columba oenas)
041 Common Gull (Larus canus canus)
040 Lesser Black-backed Gull  (Larus fuscus)
039 Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
038 Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)

24/09/2004
037 Eurasian Swallow (Hirundo rustica rustica)
036 Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)

09/01/2004
035 Eurasian Jackdaw (Corvus monedula)
034 Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus)
033 Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)
032 European Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)

01/01/2004
031 European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
030 Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
029 Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
028 Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
027 Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica)
026 Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
025 Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
024 Great Tit (Parus major)
023 European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
022 Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
021 Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)
020 Feral Pigeon (Columba livia 'feral')
019 Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
018 Common Coot (Fulica atra)
017 Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
016 Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
015 Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
014 Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
013 Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
012 Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
011 Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
010 Common Teal (Anas crecca)
009 Gadwall (Anas strepera)
008 Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)
007 Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
006 Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
005 Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
004 Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
003 Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

24/10/2001
002 Common Blackbird (Turdus merula)
001 Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)