Reservoir Logs - November 2024 round-up

 

                                                 Whooper Swans made a brief stop on No 5 ivorh.bsky.social                                                        

       A family party of three Whooper Swans - the first to land at the Wetlands for 14 years - was the stand-out record of November. In an excellent first few days, Pintail, Golden Plover and Brambling were also added to the year list as well as additional records of Great Egret, Knot and Rook in the 88 species seen.                                        

      It means the year list - with a month to go - now stands at a record 147, four more than this time last year and one more than the previous highest annual total in 2020. With Common Scoter, Mediterranean Gull and Black Redstart, all recorded most years, still not seen there is time to stretch the record further.   

       Barnacle Geese are now a regular sight at the Wetlands.with the flock of 15 plus the additional lone bird around all month.  Last year's return of a Shelduck on the 12th was the earliest date in recent years but this was beaten with a male from the 4th. 

        The discovery of the month was the family of Whooper Swans - two adults and a young bird - by TR late morning on the 21st. They seemed settled on No 5 but, with anglers fishing the reservoir, got increasingly jumpy and departed a couple of hours later. They are the first Whoopers seen at the reservoirs since a single bird flew over Lockwood in 2017 and the first to land since a one on No 4 and Lockwood in 2009.  

                                  A mixed flock included the first Pintail of the year samodonell25.bsky.social                            

     Pintail were added to the year list when SD not only spotted but photographed a small flock of duck heading south on the 3rd. Examination of the photographs confirmed his suspicions that the flock contained three Pintail as well as Wigeon and Shoveler. Six more Wigeon were seen next day with a single on the 8th. A female Red-crested Pochard was found on the 9th and, unusually, hung around until the 13th.  

                                This Goldeneye spent the month on West Warwick chris-farthing.bsky.social     

         A female Goldeneye returned to the Wetlands on the 3rd, exactly the same date as last year's first autumn bird. It remained on West Warwick all month with the only other records single drakes on 15th & 29th. This compares to last year when five Goldeneye were regularly being seen by the end of November. Goosander were no commoner with the first two over West Warwick on 23rd and two more over Lockwood five days later. 

                         The Black-necked Grebes continued to show superbly samodonnell25.bsky.social                                   

     The three Black-necked Grebes continued to show superbly with one bird moving from Lockwood to East Warwick. But despite being on different reservoirs, they somehow synchronised departure with none being found on the 22nd. The fourth Great White Egret of the year flew over on the 9th. A Red Kite was seen on the 14th with Buzzards on the 10th and 23rd before another apparently roosted at the reservoirs or in the Paddock as it was seen early morning on both the 29th & 30th. 

                                   The Great Egret got the traditional welcome pic samodonnell25.bsky.social

         Seven species of wader were seen across the month including the first Golden Plover of the year watched by DW and ICE to go south from High Maynard on the 2nd. It is only the fourth year in the last ten that the species has been recorded. Lapwing are much more regular visitors with eight on the 3rd, two on the 9th and 29th and singles on the 12th and 23rd. The 3rd also saw a Curlew going south while two separate Knot, including a bird which landed on East Warwick, were seen on the 9th. Knot is also far from annual at the reservoirs so three in a year is greedy.  

                              Knot is not even annual so three in a year is unusual samodonnell25.bsky.social                                       

      November saw two records of Dunlin with a single on Lockwood on the 2nd and another on East Warwick on the 4th. What looked to be last year's wintering Common Sandpiper remained faithful to High Maynard until mid-month before moving to the south side where it became much more elusive.  Three Green Sandpipers appeared on Lockwood on the 24th, presumably driven off the flood relief channel by the heavy rain associated with Storm Bert. 

                                         Two Dunlin dropped in early in the month chris-farthing.bsky.social                                                      

       Three separate Yellow-legged Gulls were seen this month with a 1W on the 9th, an adult on 16th and a near-adult on the 24th. A Black-headed Gull rung in Oslo fifteen years ago was seen at the reservoirs this month for the first time since it visited in 2021.  The second Rook of the year - a species which is as rare as Osprey at the Wetlands - was seen by MD on the 10th.

                     This adult Yellow-legged Gull was one of three this month samodonnell25.bky.social

    With passage migration coming to a close, it was a slower month for small birds but, as usual for November, there were interesting records. Single Skylarks were seen on the 2nd and 5th. Blackcaps are not common winterers at the reservoirs but two were caught on the 30th by the ringing team. Winter thrushes were scarce but 60 Redwing passed over on the 2nd and twelve Fieldfare on the 11th. 

                                    The year's first Bramblings appeared on the 1st samodonnell25.bsky.social 

       DC picked up another Firecrest by the Ferry Boat Inn on the 9th while a Siberian Chiffchaff was found by SD on the 3rd. It was part of a movement which saw 27 Chiffchaffs caught on the 2nd. Two separate Brambling, the first of the year, were also seen and photographed by SD on the 1st with the first over Lockwood and the second around No 4. It may have been the same bird seen on the 2nd and, less likely, on the 16th in the same area. 

DB @davidbradshaw52@bsky.social

Reservoir Logs - October 24 round-up

          

                       This distant male Hen Harrier is likely to be bird of the year pic @FinchleyBirder 

       What seems to have been the first Hen Harrier for at least 25 years and first Hawfinches for seven were the highlights of an exceptional October. The month also saw a Yellow-browed Warbler caught by the ringing team as well as multiple records of Great White Egret, Osprey and Black-necked Grebe. Many of the gaps, too, in the year list were filled with Rook, Rock Pipit, Pheasant and Redpoll all added to the annual total. 

                         The ringing team struck gold with this Yellow-browed Warbler pic @whiteleggdan                                                        

         In all, 90 species were recorded across the month with the six additions taking the year list to 143, one ahead of last year and equal to the record total in 2020. It is probably too late to add Garganey and, certainly, Common Redstart to the annual total but Pintail, Common Scoter, Mediterranean Gull, Black Redstart and Brambling could push it up by the year end close to 150.  

                         The first of six Hawfinches over the reservoirs this month pic @Elliott81756617

       The flock of 15 Barnacle Geese regularly commuted between the reservoirs and Cheshunt with one additional bird refusing to move from its favourite feeding areas around No 5. Two Wigeon were seen on the 2nd with another on the 5th. But in general it was a poor month for wildfowl - with low numbers of Pochard and no early Goldeneye or Goosanders - although a pair of Cape Shelduck caused a ripple of excitement on the 22nd. What was the most embarrassing and inexplicable gap in the year list was closed when a Pheasant was found on the 19th. Both male and female were then - as is normal - seen regularly until the end of the month. 

                              Lockwood proved attractive to Black-necked Grebes pic @Elliott81758817.... 

               

                                    .............and could be amazingly confiding pic @HarringayBirder
                                                           

       September's Black-necked Grebe remained on Lockwood and was joined by two more on the 6th with all three remaining for the month. They could be very mobile and were often separate which made counting challenging but suspicions that the total could be higher, at least on some days, were confirmed when four were found on the 29th. It is the biggest group and longest stay by the species in recent years. 

                         This Great White Egret spent 10 minutes at the Wetlands pic @Chris_Farthing

         After last month's first fly-over Great White Egrets. another was seen on the 3rd. It wasn't until the 27th that one actually put down at the Wetlands with a brief stay on 'Cormorant Island' on No 5 before the combined attentions of Magpies and gulls drove it south again. What was likely to be the same bird was seen briefly on High Maynard next day. 

   

                                         Two late Ospreys were seen this month  pic @LolBodini

         It was an exceptional month for birds of prey,. LB, who has the advantage of having a loft window overlooking Lockwood, picked out Ospreys going south on the 14th and 25th, the third and fourth sightings of the year. Red Kites were seen on the 4th, 5th and 13th with Common Buzzards on the 6th and 12th.  But the pride of place goes to the stunning, if sadly distant, male Hen Harrier seen  and photographed by SL on the 2nd. It seems likely to be the rarest bird seen this year at the Wetlands with no one remembering any record this century.  

                          Common Sandpipers were seen throughout October pic @Elliott81756617 

         Six species of wader were seen in October - halfway between last year's eight and 2022's four. There was a solid passage of Lapwing with records on at least six days including a flock of 20 on the 27th. A Ringed Plover was heard on the 15th, a Black-tailed Godwit seen on 28th and the sole Redshank was on on High Maynard on the 10th. Common Snipe put in regular appearances particularly on the East Warwick island . Common Sandpipers were recorded throughout the month with a peak count of three on 4th and 9th with one staying at the north end of High Maynard - just like last year's winterer - until the end of the month.  

                     October is the best month to see Jackdaw at the Wetlands pic @Elliott81756617

         As usual, there was an October passage of Jackdaw, mostly in small numbers but including a flock of 60 on the 11th. The only two Rooks of the year were seen by EDH on the 4th. They remain very scarce at the Wetlands with none seen in 2023. A Coal Tit, again a scarce visitor although they seem to be getting slightly more frequent, was seen by PL on the 5th. Skylarks also passed over towards the end of the month with six on both the 26th & 27th and 11 on the 31st.

       

A superb Firecrest showing off its new ring pic @Elliott81756617

         The ringing team hit gold this month, picking both Yellow-browed Warbler and Firecrest out of their nets around the No 1 reedbed. The Yellow-browed, caught on the 12th, is only the second or third record for the reservoirs. It came during an exceptional influx of these beautiful Siberian visitors into London and across the UK which also saw another unrung bird appear two days later just over the reservoirs' boundary fence on Walthamstow Marsh. To add to the excitement, the team caught a stunning Firecrest - the second record of the year - on the 18th. Unlike the Yellow-browed which disappeared after being released, it was seen with a tit flock on the 1/2/3 path next day. 

                         This exceptionally tame Wheatear was on Lockwood pic @Chris_Farthing               

      The final summer visitors departed with three Swallows on the 1st with a late bird feeding over No 5 on the 20th. The last House Martins were 30 counted on the 7th.  Single  Wheatears were recorded on the 1st, 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th with the last of the month on the 27th. A late Yellow Wagtail was sound recorded over the reservoirs on the 21st. 

        As the summer visitors leave, they are usually replaced by winter thrushes. But it looked as if October was unusally going to pass without a single Fieldfare being recorded before five dropped in to the berry bushes near the Engine House on the 31st.  Redwing passage was stronger with several hundred seen and heard going over on the 12th and a few using the reservoirs to feed. Wintering Stonechats have taken up residence around the Warwicks with up to four birds seen. 

                    Redwing (pic @MLP) and Fieldfare (below) pic @IvorHewstone) 

     With no Spring records of Rock Pipit this year, the bird found over East Warwick by SD on the 5th was the first of the year. It was followed by other records on the 7th, 11th, 20th, 21st and a bird with an injured leg on the 26th & 27th. 

                                                 Rock Pipits were regular during October pic @Elliott81756617

       The last Hawfinches seen over the reservoirs were five over Lockwood during the last big influx year in 2017. SD went one better this month when he photographed one over East Warwick on the 20th followed by five more again over Lockwood on the 26th. The same day and reservoir saw DDL pick up the first Redpoll of the year, 18 days later than the first record last year. Siskin were much more regular with records on or over the reservoirs on at least ten days with 13 on the 31st. 

DB davidbradshaw52@bsky.social @porthkillier

   

  

    

Reservoir Logs - September 2024 round-up

 

                           A Cattle Egret made another brief appearance on No 3 island pic @MK 

           The second ever Yellow-browed Warbler -  four years after the first - was the highlight of September which also saw the long overdue appearance of Great Egrets this year. Cattle Egret, Tree Pipit and Black-necked Grebe were recorded as well for the second time in 2024 while a remarkable flock of 12 Sandwich Terns flew through the reservoirs. In all, 91 species were seen across the month with the year list now standing at 137,  one behind last year and eight ahead of 2022.

                                           Good numbers of Wigeon dropped in this month pic @MLP

        Mid-month saw a flock of 13 Barnacle Geese arrive back after their late summer break to join the single bird that never left. The first Wigeon of the Autumn was found on the 7th - four days later than in 2023 - with singles also on the 14th and 19th, three on the 20th and a dozen including a flock of seven on the 23rd. Good numbers of Shoveler continued to use the Wetlands for their post-breeding moult with 96 counted on the 27th. A very tame Black-necked Grebe, the second record after the pair in April, was found on No 4 on the 22nd. It stayed into October and kindly moved to Lockwood for the last days of September to allow non-permit holders the chance to enjoy it. 

                                   The Black-necked Grebe allowed a close approach pic @Chris_Farthing

        While Great Egret had been seen  at plenty of nearby sites already this year, for some reason the reservoirs had been a no-fly zone until SD picked up the first of the year heading west on the 22nd.  As so often happens after such an inexplicable absence, a second bird flew through two days later. Following last month’s record and an influx into London, another Cattle Egret was photographed on the 3rd.  

       A Red Kite was seen on the 10th and two Buzzards on the 15th with another on the 21st. Hobby made regular, if again usually brief, appearances with records on seven days - one less than last year - with the last sighting on the 21st while Peregrines were semi-resident on the pylons on the south side. An evening visit on the 28th revealed that at least one,and probably two, Little Owls had re-appeared - just as they did last year - which raises questions again of where they spend the rest of their time.

                                                Snipe arrived back on schedule pic @Elliott81758817 

                  Eight species of wader - the same as last year - were seen in September although unlike last year, there was nothing out-of-the-ordinary. An Oystercatcher spent two days at the Wetlands on the 3rd &4th with two Lapwing on Lockwood on the 6th and another on the 20th.  The first Common Snipe of the autumn was seen on the 1st - seven days earlier than last year - with others on the 2nd, 4th, 21st, 26th and 28th.

         Common Sandpiper passage was strong with a peak count for the Autumn of 19 on the 2nd and still six scattered around the site on the 26th, dwindling to two by the 30th., Green Sandpiper were seen on the 9th & 10th with two on the 17th while Greenshank were recorded on the 1st and 6th. The only Redshank of the month was seen on the 21st.

          The first Common Gull since the Spring was an early bird on the 1st. We count ourselves lucky if we see a couple of Sandwich Terns a year with 2024 already boasting two records. So the flock of 12 first seen going over High Maynard early on the 4th before gaining height over West Warwick was unprecedented. 

          Their appearance came the day after the last family of three Common Terns - whose colour rings showed the two juveniles had been raised on West Warwick - finally left, five days earlier than the the last young birds and accompanying adult departed last year. A flock of around 20 terns briefly over Lockwood on the 2nd where either Common or Arctic as was a single distant tern over West Warwick on the 6th.

         Swifts seem to be leaving earlier with the last definite record on the last day of August, one day earlier than last year. Swallow passage was light with the peak count of 20 on both the 5th & 6th until heavy rain on the 25th saw 65 passing through.The same day saw the final Sand Martins but House Martins remained into October with over 500 still around the Wetlands and filter beds on the 26th. 

       A Yellow-browed Warbler was recorded at the bottom of No 3 reservoir on the 22nd by an experienced observer taking part in the BTO bird race. It is only the second record for the Wetlands following the first in the Autumn of 2020 which stayed for several weeks after going missing after it was first found. It is possible the pattern is repeating itself as there was a second sighting of a Yellow-browed Warbler on the 29th near the Engine House by the Bird Enthusiasts of Colour walk. 

        Reed Warblers, as they did last year, lingered until the end of the month. A ringing session on the 21st showed Sedge Warblers were still moving through with two caught (18th last date last year) while the final record for Willow Warbler were the 16th (18th)  Common Whitethroat 14th (18th) and Lesser Whitethroat on the 22nd (19th). Spotted Flycatchers were only seen on the 1st and 2nd with a late record on the 22nd. 

                                                 Spotted flycatchers were scarce pic @Elliott81758817

                 It was a much better month for Whinchats compared both to August and last September when there was only one record. Birds were seen on 10 days with two on the 2nd and 13th. The first Stonechat of the Autumn arrived on the 18th - two days later than last year - with three together on West Warwick by the 25th.

                                   It was a good month for passage Whinchat pic @Elliott81758817

      Wheatear passage was also much better than in August with birds seen on at least 16 days with a strong bias towards the beginning and end of the month. Six on the 4th was the highest count and there were still two on the 30th.

                                 Wheatear passage continued across the month pic @sjnewton

          The exceptional passage of Yellow Wagtail this year continued with records on at least eight days and peak counts of four on both the 7th and 25th compared to just two last year.  Meadow Pipits began flying over in small numbers from mid-month with 25 seen and heard on the 21st, They included an accompanying Tree Pipit on the 14th picked up by SD.

                                           Yellow Wagtails have been much more common pic @ADH                                                         

DB @porthkillier 

   

Reservoir Logs - August 2024 round-up

 

                          This smart Ruddy Shelduck made only a brief appearance pic @Chris_Farthing

         All-too-brief visits by Ruddy Shelduck - perhaps the first record for 20 years - and Cattle Egrets were the highlights of an otherwise disappointing month. While a good range of waders moved through, passerine migration, with the exception of fly-over Yellow Wagtails, was very slow. Spotted Flycatcher was added to year list but Wheatears, in particular, were very low in number with just five seen in total all month - half the peak day count last August. 

         In all, 87 species were seen in August with the three additions taking the annual total to 133 - three behind last year but five ahead of 2022. There is plenty of scope to catch up with a whole raft of expected birds not seen yet including, unbelievably, Pheasant as well as Mediterranean Gull and Rock Pipit (all recorded every year for the last 15). Common and Black Redstart, Brambling, Rook, Pied Flycatcher. Garganey and Great Egret are also obvious gaps in the list.  

       Up to three Barnacle Geese could be seen throughout the month. Shoveler numbers were higher than last year with 66 - largely on No 5 - on the 21st. CF found a Ruddy Shelduck on No 5 on the 25th which unfortunately was almost immediately flushed along with all the ducks by a hunting Peregrine and was not re-found. Although records for feral species may be incomplete, it seems as if it is the first sighting for over 20 years and was part of a small summer influx into London. 

             The post-breeding flock of Tufted Duck continued to build with 2,467 on the 4th, 300 more than in both the previous two years. Breeding numbers however remained well down with 23 broods  compared to 31 last year and 50 in 2022. The only good news was that survival rates were better for later families once the gull colonies had dispersed. Two Cattle Egrets were seen by CF flying south out of the No 1 roost on the 28th. They have now turned up in five of the last six years after no records in the previous nine. At least one has since been seen on Walthamstow Marsh just to the south of the reservoirs so there is a chance they could still be using the roost.

     An extraordinary capture of a ringed Peregrine with a Kingfisher pic @MLP

       The only large raptors were single Buzzards on the 17th and 30th. But Sparrowhawks clearly have bred successfully nearby with plenty of sightings of young birds learning to hunt. Peregrines have also been much more regular with signs that a new pair may be taking up residence. The astonishing photo by MLP above showed not just a surprise catch of Kingfisher but also allowed the Peregrine to be identified as a bird rung in the nest in Kent last year. Hobby dashed through on six days.  

                                   The family party of Avocets remained all day pic @ Elliott81758817

       Ten species of waders - the same as last year - were recorded. They included a family party of an adult and two young Avocets found by SD on East Warwick on the 29th which spent the day at the Wetlands. Little Ringed Plover were scarce with only a single juvenile on Lockwood on the 15th & 16th.  Four Lapwing were seen on the last day of the month.

                                  This young Little Ringed Plover was the only record pic@IvorHewstone

         A single Curlew flew over on the 23rd with just one Dunlin on the 7th but there was no shortage of Black-tailed Godwits passing through. A flock of twelve passed over on the 8th, nine more on 18th followed by seven on the 19th with a single on the 12th. It is remarkable that, for some reason, only one was seen all last year. 

                                      Black-tailed Godwits and mowers, sadly, were both common pic @LolBodini

       Common Sandpipers were seen throughout the month but numbers seemed lower with a peak day count of around 11 on the 3rd, 15th and 23rd compared to over 20 in the last two years. Green Sandpipers were seen on the 12th and 22nd with the sole Redshank on the 2nd. But there was a good passage of Greenshank with birds on the 16th, 19th, 24th, two on the 29th and another on the 31st.  

                                One of only two Greenshank seen on the ground pic @porthkillier

       Common Tern numbers dwindled from mid-month as they started their long migration but one parent and two young from the West Warwick colony remained into September. Swifts also left with a count of 70 on the 22nd falling to just one on the 31st. Swallow migration was almost non-existent with just a handful of birds passing through late in the month.

  

          A juvenile Cuckoo was photographed by the Coppermill Tower on the 16th. A Skylark was found on Lockwood on the 4th while the good year for Coal Tits - usually barely annual - continued with a third record on the 19th. Firecrest is as uncommon but AS got good views of a juvenile in a mixed flock on the 123 path on the 31st for the second sighting of the year. 

                  Willow Warbler passage is a feature of August each year pic @Elliott81758817

       Willow Warbler passage was not as obvious as in some years but the fact that five were caught in the ringing session on the 11th showed birds were moving through in reasonable numbers. Peak count was on the 29th when at least 15 were recorded. They were joined by small numbers of Common and Lesser Whitethroats which remained into September but the only Garden Warbler, which were unusually common last year with up to five seen in a day, was on the 4th.                  

                              Small numbers of Lesser Whitethroat passed through pic @ Elliott81758817 

                                      

     Wheatear passage, usually a feature of the Wetlands, was sharply down. After the first autumn bird on the 7th - eight days earlier than last year -which stayed on Lockwood for two more days the only other records were singles on the 16th and 31st with a peak count of just two on the 30th. This compares with a  count of five on the 16th and 10 on the 31st last August. It was the same story with Whinchat with SD finding the first of the Autumn - and only the second of the year - on the 31st while last year saw records on six days. 

                            

                                          Whinchats were scarce this month pic @Elliott81758817

        The first  Spotted Flycatcher of the year was found by CF on the 21st - the same date as the first Autumn migrant last year - with records also from the 25th & 26th and 29th. Yellow Wagtails were the exception to the poor passage with birds on at least six dates compared to just two days last year although all just flew over without landing.  . 

                             Spotted Flycatchers turned up right on schedule pic  @Chris_Farthing  

DB @davidbradshaw52.bsky.social   @porthkillier

Reservoir Logs - July 2024 round-up

 

                                                    This young Little Owl was one of two this month pic @MLP

     The return appearance of Little Owls, the first Ruff for seven years and a one night visit by a probable Night Heron were the highlights of another good month. July also saw Garden Warbler belatedly added to the annual list along with a second Nuthatch of the year. In all, 82 species were seen with the three additions taking the year list to 131 - just one behind both last year and 2021 and eight ahead of 2022. 

                               A remarkable flock of male Ruff circled East Warwick pic @Elliott81758817

        With the exception of good numbers of Common Terns, it has not been a great breeding season. Last year's successful pair of Barnacle Geese, after losing their entire brood earlier in the summer, had a second attempt but their five young again soon disappeared. Shelduck fared no better with the last remaining young bird, despite being well grown, also vanishing early in the month. The parents departed for the coast  as usual, almost immediately. 

                           Despite this gathering, it is a disappointing breeding season pic @IvorHewstone

       Tufted Duck and Pochard breeding numbers continue to be disappointing. By the end of July, only five Pochard broods had been seen compared with 15 last year. While the Pochard breeding season will be pretty much at an end, August will likely see more Tufted Duck broods appear. But here too - despite the picture above showing a female marshalling two broods - the story is worrying. By the end of the month, just 15 broods had been recorded compared to 46 at the same time in 2022 with only a handful of individuals surviving to maturity.    

        Whether it is the result of a poor breeding season nationally, the impression that more Tufted Ducks had already arrived to carry out their moult was confirmed when 2320 were counted across the reservoirs on the 31st. It is the highest total for years and very likely to be the largest gathering in London. A few Shoveler and a couple of Teal had also arrived back by the end of the month. 

       The Wetlands appears ideal habitat for Night Heron but the species remains a mega rarity here with the only recent record a one-day bird six years ago. But hard on the heels of an individual at the Waterworks earlier in the summer, PW had a probable fishing from the south island on No 3  late on the 6th. It was looked for over subsequent days with no luck but there are plenty of places for a Night Heron to remain out of sight. 

                                                              Just as last year, only one Lapwing was seen pic @Elliott81758817 

              The five male Ruff - seen by HW and SD - as they circled East Warwick before continuing south were the star waders of the month. They are the first record since a single in April 2017. July also saw, as expected, a selection of other shorebirds moving through. Single Oystercatchers were recorded on the 3rd, 8th, 9th, 22nd and 23rd with the only Lapwing on the 13th.

                               One of just three Little Ringed Plover seen this month pic @IvorHewstone       

           Little Ringed Plover were scarcer than usual, with records on the 3rd, 9th and 11th compared to six days last year, but they were the exception. There was a strong passage of Common Sandpipers across the month with a peak count of 19 - one more than last year - on the 20th. Five Curlew flew over on the 20th with two more, or perhaps Whimbrel, distantly two days later.

           Multiple Redshank (pic @Chris_Farthing) and Godwits were seen pic @Elliot81758817 

   

                      

           Three Redshank were seen on the 7th, increasing to four next day with singles on the 12th, 17th and 18th.  Black-tailed Godwits, which were remarkably rare in 2023 with only a single bird, seem to be be back to normal in their frequency. After the first of the year at the end of June, there were six over on the 21st and another on the 30th.          

       It wasn't a great month for large raptors with only one record of a Red Kite on the 2nd and no sightings of Buzzard. But Hobby was seen more regularly than some years with birds on six dates while Peregrine, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel also hunted over the reservoirs. 

                                         The adult Little Owl staring out its admirers pic @MLP

      It was Little Owls, however,  which caused the most excitement this month. MLP photographed one, almost a year after the last appearance by the species, hunting near the anglers' hut on the 19th. With luck and patience it could be seen over the next couple of days when close scrutiny of the photographs taken showed there were actually two birds present with an adult and very young juvenile. 

       It seems unlikely, although not impossible, that birds had been present unrecorded for a year so perhaps a pair had bred nearby and an adult brought the youngster to the reservoirs soon after fledging. The same may have happened last year when two birds were also seen and heard for a few days in August. This year there were occasional sightings, usually of the youngster, until the 25th when two were heard calling but there was no reports for the rest of the month.  

                                Great Black-backeds raised two young on No 5 pic @Chris_Farthing

       For the second year on the run - and perhaps the only pair in London - Great Black-backed Gulls successfully bred on No 5 with two young seen. Black-headed Gulls had a good year with 75 youngsters counted around the rafts on Lockwood on the 11th . More emerged from the vegetation in the following days so numbers could have reached over 100 across the season. 

      Common Terns also had a successful season with perhaps 11 pairs raising 23 young on the rafts on West Warwick. Their success is all the more heartening given that numbers seem to have collapsed this year elsewhere in the Lea Valley. RE's annual hunt for young Yellow-legged Gulls on Lockwood produced a good candidate on the 28th. The Kingfisher pair on No 5 raised their second brood successfully with four young fledging on the 31st. 

            Swift numbers feeding over the reservoirs began to fall sharply from the middle of the month suggesting local birds were already moving south. The appearance of two Swallows on the 7th for a few days also indicated that the seasons were changing as did the passage of small numbers of Sand Martins south. 

                          A Garden Warbler took up residence by the picnic tables pic @Elliot81758817  

          Another early migrant was an adult Willow Warbler caught on the 7th with, as expected, small numbers including bright juveniles appearing over the last days  of the month. RE found the first Garden Warbler of the year on the 18th which kindly fed around the picnic tables for a few days. The second Nuthatch of the year - and only the fifth record across the entire wider patch over the last 15 years - was recorded by SD along the side of Lockwood on the 20th. Yellow Wagtails continued their good year with early migrants over on the 22nd and 28th.  

DB @porthkillier @davidbradshaw52.bsky.social