Fraser's Birding Website > Sunny Hill Park, Hendon, London

Sunny Hill Park

Hendon, London, (TQ 227900)

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LOCATION & ACCESS
Sunny Hill Park, located in the suburbs of north London and 13km from the city centre, lies at the junction of the Great North Way and the Watford Way, near the start of the M1 motorway. This small area is not really a place to come birding considering the nearby attractions of better sites such as Brent Reservoir (2.5 km to the southwest) or Hampstead Heath (5 km to the southeast). However, it is a site that I pass through regularly to and from work. Watching this patch of green is more an experiment to see what might turn up in an unlikely location. The situation affords good views over the Wembley, Harrow and Edgeware areas of the metropolis and offers a possible vantage point for observing visible migration of birds. Nearest tube station is Hendon Central, about 10 minutes walk to the south.

HABITAT
At around 900 metres long and 400 metres at its widest, the park is largely composed of grassland roughly divided in two in terms of management. One half is regularly mown recreational grassland, the other half being left to nature for most of the year. Best area for butterflies is the scrubby grassland by the Great North Way. With no woodland to speak of, trees are mainly restricted to lining the paths in avenues with a small cluster around St. Mary's Churchyard and Church Farm House Museum. The lack of water further reduces this sites attractiveness for birds although there is tiny, shaded and muddy pond.

SPECIES CALENDAR
Breeding: Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackcap, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit and Jay among the commoner species.
Passage: Hobby, common warblers, thrushes, hirundines, Meadow Pipits, Swifts and Wood Pigeons.

Winter: Coal Tit, Siskin, Nuthatch, Common Gull.

BUTTERFLIES
Small Skipper, Essex Skipper, Large Skipper, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Purple Hairstreak, Small Copper, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, and Meadow Brown.

DRAGONFLIES
Migrant Hawker & Southern Hawker.

Parkland by the churchyard View to the north

Avenue of Horse Chestnuts Oaks on the Hill

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Sunny Hill Park Bird News

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Wood Pigeons in Sunny Hill Park, London

September • Year List 2006

23rd

0730-0900h Meadow Pipit (14), Yellow Wagtail (1), Skylark (1), Wood Pigeon (110) & Grey Wagtail (2) south. Magpie (23) on the hill. Migrant Hawker and Speckled Wood.

21st

Swallow south at 1855h.

20th

0730-0830h Meadow Pipit (9), Grey Wagtail (1), Greenfinch (6) & Kestrel (imm) south. Migrant Hawker at 1907h.

19th

0830-0900h Meadow Pipit (2), House Martin (5) south. Flock of 10 Goldfinches feeding.

16th

Meadow Pipit (1) south at 1845h.

14th

Little Owl in the huge oak in the long grassland. Also a Hummingbird Hawk-Moth.

11th

Nuthatch in the churchyard this morning.

June

28th

Southern Hawker (1) & good numbers of Small & Essex Skippers flying. Also several Five-spot Burnets.

16th

Dawn Chorus Chronology
Song Thrush	0324h
Blackbird	0327h
Robin	0335h
Carrion Crow	0345h
Wren	0346h
Wood Pigeon	0420h
Chaffinch	0424h
Great Tit	0428h

May

25th

Swift (20+) feeding overhead during strong westerly winds. Whitethroat singing at the north end by the A1.

11th

Common Tern north-east at 1855h. Whitethroat singing at the north end by the A1.

10th

Swift nest found in Sunningfields Road.

4th

Swift (5) feeding overhead at 2000h.

3rd

Mallard over at 1955h.

2nd

Swift (2) feeding overhead at 2015h.

April

29th

Chiffchaff (singing m) in Sunningfields Road this morning only.

25th

Garden Warbler (singing m), Blackcap (3 singing mm), Coal Tit (pr) & Ring-necked Parakeet.

8th

Male Robin feeding female courtship offering. Sweet Violet in flower.

February

12th

Siskins present in the park now.

January 2006

28th

Grey Heron west, Redwing (7) & Long-tailed Tit (11).

21st

Jackdaw south, single Lesser Black-backed Gull and several Great Tits in full song.

19th

Robins singing at 0300h.

7th

Blackcap (m) in churchyard, Goldfinch (31), Redwing (32), Starling (60), Jay (5), & Green Woodpecker (2).

December 2005

20th

Ring-necked Parakeet over this morning.

19th

Blackcaps (2 ff) in the churchyard this morning.

11th

Fieldfare (3), Song Thrush singing (subsong) at dusk & 16 Magpies at roost.

November

23rd

Long-tailed Tit (12), Blue Tit & Goldcrest (2) in a mixed flock at the north end. Goldfinch (2) on thistles.

22nd

Long-tailed Tit (10+) in oaks along the east footpath.

18th

Song Thrush sub-song heard this morning. Ring-necked Parakeet over again.

17th

Brambling over at 0840h. Also single Ring-necked Parakeet & Grey Wagtail.

16th

Black-headed Gull (41), Common Gull (9) & Lesser Black-backed Gull (1) on the football pitch.

14th

Bullfinch (2 mm) in scrub at the north end at 0815h.

12th

Collared Dove (pr) overhead.

9th

Sparrowhawk (f) & Ring-necked Parakeet (2) over this morning.

8th

Ring-necked Parakeet over at 0815h.

7th

Wood Pigeon (827) flew south between 0655h > 0755h along with Redwing (14), Meadow Pipit (8) & Grey Wagtail (2). Canada Goose (3) over at 0712h. On the football pitch: Black-headed Gull (86), Common Gull (12) & Lesser Black-backed Gull (2). Also Green Woodpecker, GS Woodpecker, Jay, Coal Tit, Goldfinch, Goldcrest and House Sparrow (6). A flock of c200 Starlings out to the west.

5th

Fieldfare (114), Siskin & Grey Wagtail over at 0845h.

October

31st

Grey Wagtail over this morning.

24th

Several Grey Wagtails over this morning.

24th

Large passage of Wood Pigeons apparent.

23rd

Collared Dove over & Red Admiral (2) in the churchyard.

22nd

Blackcap (f) feeding in yews in churchyard. Single Meadow Pipit, Linnet & Grey Wagtail south. Redwing (9) south and two birds feeding on the deck. Very pale, yellow plumaged Ring-necked Parakeet overhead.

21st

Grey Wagtail flew over the park this morning.

18th

House Martin (2) south this morning. Movement of Wood Pigeons apparent.

17th

Redwings heard overhead again this evening.

14th

Redwings heard migrating overhead this evening.

12th

Coal Tit (3-4) with mixed flock of Blue Tits, Great Tits & Goldcrests in churchyard.

10th

Jackdaw (31) - scarce bird locally, Skylark & Linnet (2) south at 0815h. Stock Dove (2) & Wood Pigeon (32).

9th

Long-tailed Tit (15+) in the churchyard. Speckled Wood & Red Admiral.

July

17th

Butterflies on the wing: Purple Hairstreak, Large Skipper, Essex Skipper, Small Skipper, Common Blue, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Comma, Peacock, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Holly Blue, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown & Small Tortoiseshell. Also a single Migrant Hawker.

May

28th

Great Spotted Woodpeckers feeding noisy chicks in the nest in a Cedar in the churchyard.

27th

Blackbird, Blue Tit & Greenfinch broods fledged. Jay carrying food for young.

26th

Possibly three pairs of Swift nesting in Sunningfields Road and feeding over the park.

25th

Long-tailed Tits nesting in the churchyard.

April

30th

Several Swift flocks moving through. Holly Blue, Speckled Wood, Brimstone, Large White & Orange Tip on the wing.

17th

Three Blackcaps singing.

March

23rd

Nearby at Hendon Central tube station, a Blackcap singing this morning.

22nd

Redwings heard migrating overhead this evening.

21st

Swallow flew north this morning. A few Meadow Pipits on the hill. Also a pair of Mute Swans overhead.

20th

Sand Martin, Linnet & Meadow Pipit (2) flew north. Kestrel (f), Green Woodpecker, Goldfinch (pr), Long-tailed Tit (pr) & Jay at the churchyard. Goldcrest (4 singing mm).

18th

Territorial calls from Green Woodpecker & Kestrel around the churchyard.

15th

Redwings heard migrating overhead again this evening.

14th

Redwings heard migrating overhead this evening.

8th

Very little around.

February

5th

Green Woodpecker uttering territorial calls. Mistle Thrush singing. Long-tailed Tit (8). Single Redwing in churchyard.

4th

Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming. Goldfinch singing. Blue Tits inspecting nest holes. Single Redwing in churchyard.

2nd

Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Blackbird, Greenfinch and Chaffinch singing.

1st

First Blackbird song of the year in the park.

January 2005

26th

First Chaffinch song of the year - two singing males around the churchyard. Long-tailed Tit (4).

24th

Kestrel, Goldfinch (5) & Great Spotted Woodpecker.

21st

Nuthatch in mature trees around the churchyard. First drumming of the year heard from a Great Spotted Woodpecker on a Cedar in the churchyard. Magpies (21) gathering on the hill.

16th

Blackcap (m) in churchyard. Greenfinch, Great Tit, Goldcrest & Song Thrush in song. Magpie collecting nesting material. Goldcrest (6), Redwing (6), Fieldfare (2), Blackbird (18), Robin (25), Greenfinch (7), Blue Tit (32), Great Tit (17), Coal Tit (2), Wren (4), Dunnock (4), Jay (2), Green Woodpecker (2), Great Spotted Woodpecker (1) & Magpie (20).

14th

Great Tit singing.

13th

Song Thrush (3) singing, Great Spotted Woodpecker (3), Green Woodpecker (2) & Magpie (14) on the hill.

12th

Goldcrest singing.

11th

Song Thrushes singing. Redwing (32), Fieldfare (2), Common Gull (143) & Black-headed Gull (64).

8th

Very little about. Coal Tit (3), Green Woodpecker (1) & Great Spotted Woodpecker (1).

November 2004

1st

Redwings heard migrating overhead in the evening.

October

31st

0755-1000h Ring-necked Parakeet (2) north. Fieldfare (8) & Redwing (26) overhead. Collared Dove west. Skylark south. Canada Goose (3) south. Blackbird (28). Jay (4). Green Woodpecker (1). Great Spotted Woodpecker (1).

30th

0925-1330h (38 spp.) Firecrest in oaks along the east path. Nuthatch in mature trees around the churchyard. Ring-necked Parakeet flew east. Coal Tit (4). Jackdaw (7, locally rare). Redpoll (1), Skylark (7), Meadow Pipit (2) & Linnet (3) south. Robin (28), Blackbird (16), Song Thrush (4), Wren (11) & Dunnock (7). Green Woodpecker (3). Great Spotted Woodpecker (f). Jay (4). Kestrel (1). Grey Wagtail (o/h). Red Admiral.

29th

Feeding flock of Goldfinches (18) in a birch in Church Terrace this morning. Redwing passage at night.

26th

Redwings heard migrating overhead in the evening.

24th

1655-1750h Grey Wagtail (o/h). Sparrowhawk (f) hunting. Pied Wagtail (5) south at 1738h.

Common Gull (3) feeding with Black-headed Gulls.

23rd

1000-1215h Skylark (2) south. Goldfinch flock (16), Grey Wagtail (o/h), Goldcrest (6), Jay (3),

Green Woodpecker (1) and Robin (23).

18th

0830h Meadow Pipit (3 o/h). Chiffchaff in churchyard. Nocturnal passage of Redwings.

17th

0740h Siberian Chiffchaff (1). Redpoll (1), Redwing (27), Meadow Pipit (3) & Linnet (5) overhead. Blackcap (m).

Sparrowhawk (f). Goldfinch (11). Mistle Thrush (3). Goldcrest (4). Grey Heron attempted to land near the pond.

16th

Chiffchaff (1). Goldcrest (8). Long-tailed Tit (12). Green Woodpecker (pr). Jay (5). Goldfinch (10).

Great Spotted Woodpecker (2).

13th

Flock of Long-tailed Tit (14) in Church Terrace this morning.

10th

Visible migration 0750-0850h Yellow Wagtail (2), Redwing (35), Meadow Pipit (1), Skylark (1), House Martin (2), Pied Wagtail (5). Also Wood Pigeon (76) on the grass. Nocturnal migration of Redwings over Hendon heard around 2000h.

9th

Visible migration 0820-1020h Redwing (441), Fieldfare (39), Meadow Pipit (52), Skylark (2), House Martin (3), Swallow (1) and Linnet (5). Also Jay (7). Comma (1).

8th

Redwings heard migrating overhead at 1900h. Skylark south at 0825h.

7th

Meadow Pipit (31) dropped down to roost at 1835h.

5th

Light southerly passage of Meadow Pipits again this morning around 0800h.

4th

Light southerly passage of Meadow Pipits around 0800h.

3rd

Stock Dove (4). Mixed feeding flock containing Long-tailed Tit (12), Blue Tit (10), and Great Tit (6). Grey Wagtail (o/h). Kestrel (f).

2nd

Speckled Wood (1). Black-headed Gull (56). Jay (4). Magpie (16).

1st

Mistle Thrush (5). Grey Heron (5) west at 1835h.

September

30th

Swallow (32) circling several times around an avenue of chestnuts at 1850h.

28th

Magpie (24) in several small gatherings on the hill.

27th

Wood Pigeon (45) on the football pitch.

26th

Mixed feeding flock containing Blue Tit (24), Long-tailed Tit (6), Great Tit (4) and Goldcrest (2). Meadow Pipit (1). Kestrel (f). Sparrowhawk (m). Wood Pigeon (48). Jay (5-6) burying acorns. House Martin (1) west. Linnet (1) northwest.

25th

Meadow Pipit (2) overhead. Jay (4) flew west. Swallow (5) overhead.

24th

Meadow Pipit (7) present at 0830h. Juvenile Chiffchaff uttering rarer "sweeo" call. Grey Wagtail (o/h). Kestrel (2). Long-tailed Tit flock (8).

23rd

Meadow Pipit (4) dropped down to roost at 1855h. Kestrel (f).

22nd

House Martin (14) & Swallow (2) south at 0830h. Jay (5+). Grey Wagtail at the pond. Kestrel (f).

18th

Wheatear (m). Chiffchaff (4). Grey Wagtail at the pond. Kestrel (f). Song Thrush (9). Jay (3). Starling (200+).

Species List

Year List 2006

Other Sightings from London, Ayrshire and beyond

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Sunny Hill Park
Hendon, London, (TQ 227900)	\| CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST NEWS \|


LOCATION & ACCESS Sunny Hill Park, located in the suburbs of north London and 13km from the city centre, lies at the junction of the Great North Way and the Watford Way, near the start of the M1 motorway. This small area is not really a place to come birding considering the nearby attractions of better sites such as Brent Reservoir (2.5 km to the southwest) or Hampstead Heath (5 km to the southeast). However, it is a site that I pass through regularly to and from work. Watching this patch of green is more an experiment to see what might turn up in an unlikely location. The situation affords good views over the Wembley, Harrow and Edgeware areas of the metropolis and offers a possible vantage point for observing visible migration of birds. Nearest tube station is Hendon Central, about 10 minutes walk to the south. HABITAT At around 900 metres long and 400 metres at its widest, the park is largely composed of grassland roughly divided in two in terms of management. One half is regularly mown recreational grassland, the other half being left to nature for most of the year. Best area for butterflies is the scrubby grassland by the Great North Way. With no woodland to speak of, trees are mainly restricted to lining the paths in avenues with a small cluster around St. Mary's Churchyard and Church Farm House Museum. The lack of water further reduces this sites attractiveness for birds although there is tiny, shaded and muddy pond. SPECIES CALENDAR *Breeding: Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackcap, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit and Jay among the commoner species. Passage: Hobby, common warblers, thrushes, hirundines, Meadow Pipits, Swifts and Wood Pigeons. Winter*: Coal Tit, Siskin, Nuthatch, Common Gull. BUTTERFLIES Small Skipper, Essex Skipper, Large Skipper, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Purple Hairstreak, Small Copper, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, and Meadow Brown. DRAGONFLIES Migrant Hawker & Southern Hawker.


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