Reservoir Logs - September 2025 round-up

 

                                    A juvenile Honey Buzzard battling strong winds pic @eugenedh.bsky.social 

          The first Honey Buzzard since 2022 and the first Grasshopper Warbler for four years were the month's highlights. September also saw a smart summer-plumaged Grey Plover make a brief rest stop and a pair of Ravens make two long-awaited visits. Add in late second records of both Osprey and Great White Egret and September finished more strongly than it started.

                         The Grasshopper Warbler resting after release pic @samodonnell25.bskyb.social 

           Across the month, 98 species were seen which compares favourably to 91 last year. The annual total at 141 is also four ahead of 2024.  Among the species still unrecorded but nearly annual are Mandarin, Scaup, Common Scoter, Woodcock, Short-eared Owl and Ring Ouzel so there is plenty of scope for additions before the year ends. 

                                   The Garganey stayed on No 4 for 10 days pic @chris-farthing.bskyb.social                  

                                                  

         August's Garganey remained until the 4th. Shoveler numbers, as expected, built up during the month but the peak count of around 50 is half the number seen in some years. The first two Wigeon of the Autumn arrived on the 23rd - over two weeks later than last year - with four next day and different single birds on the 29th and 30th. The post-breeding flock of Tufted Duck which still numbered 1385 on the 1st steadily dispersed across the month while it was a struggle to see more than a handful of  Pochard. 

 

                                                                Wigeon were late arriving pic @ivorh.skysb.social

          It was an excellent month for birds of prey. As well as frequent sightings of Peregrine, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel, RE found the second Osprey of the year going north over West Warwick on the 24th. This was beaten in the rarity stakes by the juvenile Honey Buzzard found and photographed (below) by @eugenedh.bsky.social going low in the gale-force southerlies on the 15th. This is the first since September 2022 with the previous record ten years before. 

                 

            Red Kites were seen on four days with Common Buzzards slightly commoner than recently with records on the 7th, two on the 25th and singles again on the 26th and 30th. Hobby continued to make typically brief appearances with sightings on seven days with the last record on the 17th.  

                 This fine summer-plumaged Grey Plover make a brief stop pic @chris-farthing.bsky.social

            Wader of a month in which nine species were recorded was a stunning summer-plumaged Grey Plover on the 3rd which flew past CF and DB on Lockwood before resting at the north end for a few minutes. Grey Plover are just about annual but are usually not in their breeding finery. Three Lapwing also made a brief stop on the 29th on East Warwick. 

                         Three juvenile Ringed Plover turned up on Lockwood @samodonnell25.bsky.social

           Two Common Ringed Plover were seen on the 5th with a single on the 28th, a pair of fly-over Curlew on the 7th with another reported on the 19th. Two very tame Dunlin spent the 3rd & 4th on Lockwood ignoring the passers-by just yards away with another making a much briefer appearance on the 27th. Common Snipe were more infrequent than some years with sightings only on the 19th & 20th and perhaps two on the 27th.

                The pair of Dunlin spent two days right next to the public path @chris-farthing.bsky.social  

           The good Autumn for Common Sandpiper continued with a second pulse of passage mid-month with a peak count of 16 on the 13th and still at least two on the 30th. Green Sandpipers were seen on the 20th, 27th & 28th while what is presumed were the same two Greenshank from August fed in the flood relief channel until the 13th. A single bird remained until the 21st when the sudden drop in temperature presumably persuaded it to end its month-long stay.  

                         Green Sand @samodonnell25bsky.social and Greenshank & Common Sand @YLD          

              The young Caspian Gull was seen again on the 1st and 7th but August's adult Yellow-legged Gull stayed throughout the month rarely leaving the warehouse roof overlooking High Maynard. Terns also found it hard to leave the Wetlands with August's Black Tern remaining until the 4th - a stay of over a week. The juvenile and adult Common Terns continued touring the reservoirs until the 17th when they were joined by a dozen more passage birds. It was again the arrival of colder weather during the 21st which encouraged the young bird finally to leave. This was 18 days later than the last tern left in 2024 which itself was a late date. 

                 The Yellow-legged Gull making a rare foray off its roof  pic @chris-farthing.bsky.social

         Two Great White Egrets passed high west over Lockwood early on the 24th - only the second record of the year. Raven has been a genuine rarity at the Wetlands despite a pair nesting successfully for several years only a few miles up the valley. So the pair, first found by RE, on the pylon just outside the southern boundary of the reserve on 7th and then tracked north across the site, delighted those lucky enough to see them. Even better, they put on exactly the same performance two days later to fill a gap in (almost) all the most regular patch birders' Walthamstow life lists.  

                          Ravens made a long-awaited visit to the Wetlands pics@samodonnell25.bsky.social

           It was while watching the Ravens flying north on the 7th that the last Swift of the year was seen going in the other direction - a week later than the last bird in 2024. The final Sand Martin of September was on the 27th and two House Martins were still present on the 30th. The strongest passage of Swallows this year, which have been scarce in both Spring and Autumn, was in the final few days of September with over 20 on both the 17th and 28th. 

        It often takes the regular ringing sessions to confirm how many birds move through the Wetlands. The morning session around the No 1 reedbed on the 6th saw 55 Blackcaps caught along with 12 Willow, six Sedge and nine Reed Warblers but the stand-out bird was the first Grasshopper Warbler since the team trapped one back in August 2021. 

              Only the third Grasshopper Warbler in the last decade  pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

         There were still two Willow Warblers on the 21st with Sedge Warblers present until at least the 14th. This was the same date as the final Common Whitethroat with a late Lesser Whitethroat on the 20th. Reed Warblers lingered in the West Warwick reed bed into October.  

                                                Spotted Flycatchers passed through in small numbers pic @YLD

        Spotted Flycatchers continued in small numbers with  a peak count of four early on the 6th, and singles on the 2nd, 12th and 19th. Wheatears, again usually singles, were seen across the month with records on nine days with a peak count of four on the 27th. The disappointing year for Whinchat continued with no records at all in September compared to ten bird days last year. Stonechats were late arriving with the first returning bird not seen until two on the 22nd - a week behind than last year. Numbers built quickly to seven with still at least five on the 30th. 

                                 
                      This Yellow Wagtail was both late and approachable pic @chris-farthing.bsky.social

           Late Yellow Wagtails included three on the 27th of which two very approachable birds stayed around on No 5 until the 29th. SD found the first two Rock Pipits of the autumn on the same reservoir on the 27th with another heard next day. Meadow Pipits passed over in good numbers with a peak count of 97 on the 20th, the same day that the first Siskins were recorded. CF had the first two Redpoll of the autumn on the 26th.           

                     Meadow Pipit passage included a few which dropped down to feed pic @ivorh.bsky.social                     

DB @davidbradshaw1952.bsky.social

Reservoir Logs - August 25 round-up

   

         This Ruff - a reservoirs' rarity - arrived in a downpour pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

        Ruff, Little Stint and Sandwich Tern - none of which are annual - were among the highlights of an excellent August. The month also saw Pintail, Whinchat and Spotted Flycatcher added to the year list along with second records of Garganey, Marsh Harrier and Caspian Gull. Visitors were perhaps most delighted by the fledging of three showy young Kingfishers.   

      

                    A smart Little Stint spent a couple of hours on Lockwood pic @eugenedh.bsky.social
           

        Across the month, 100 species were recorded which compares with last August's poor 87. The six additions also means the year total has now reached 137, four ahead of last year and just one behind 2021's high total. The strong performance was despite major preparatory work for updating the pylon cables which has sadly seen trees and bushes cut down, considerable disturbance and the closing of paths. 

                      The year's second Garganey stayed into September pic @chris-farthing.bsky.social

         The flock of 14 Barnacle Geese, including this year's youngster, continued to be seen but spent more time away from the Wetlands hunting for fresh grazing. The work around its No 3 home seems to have encouraged the young Shelduck to depart mid-month which was earlier than would be expected. A second Garganey of the year was found by CF on the 25th on No 4 which remained into September.. He also found the year's first two Pintail which sadly only put down for a brief stop on East Warwick on the 20th. 

       The disruption from the pylon work is also likely to be a factor in the sharp reduction in the post-breeding Tufted Duck flock which was down from 2467 last year to 1585. In contrast, breeding numbers continued to bounce back from last year's dismal figures with 40 Tufted broods compared to 23 last year although still behind the 50 counted in 2022.

         

                                The second Marsh Harrier of the year drifted north pic @Callahanbirder

       

       DC picked up a Marsh Harrier drifting north over High Maynard early on the 16th, the second after a bird in March. Red Kites were recorded on at least three days and seem to have replaced Buzzard, with no sightings this month,  as the most regular large raptor. Hobby was seen on at least seven dates, one more than last year, although their appearances were typically very brief. Little Owls continued to be seen occasionally with most sightings early in the month. 

                                     A tame Ringed Plover on East Warwick pic @samodonnell25@bsky.social                                              

        

            Thirteen species of wader appeared in August which is an impressive monthly total for an urban site well within Zone Three of the London underground map, The only Oystercatcher was seen on the 1st and the sole record of Lapwing were two on the 11th. Surprisingly, no Little Ringed Plovers were recorded but two Ringed Plover - usually the rarer of the two - appeared on the 16th with an incredibly tame bird on a busy East Warwick and a flightier individual on Lockwood. 

        

          Two Black-tailed Godwits fed happily on East Warwick pic @londonkingfishers.bsky.social

        Single Curlew, one much tattier than the other, flew over on the 19th and 20th. Two Black-tailed Godwits fed on the East Warwick island, unperturbed by the Saturday crowds, on the 2nd with three more over on the 10th and another fly-over on the 27th. Heavy rain with little wind during passage periods often means good waders at the Wetlands which was the case when SD found a Ruff on the east side of East Warwick on the 29th. It rested just long enough to attract a small if very wet group of admirers before deciding to fly north. Before last July's remarkable flock of five - also co-found by SD - Ruff had only been recorded in just two of the last 15 years.   

                Ruff setting off after waiting for the downpour to ease pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social 

            Single Dunlin were seen on the 3rd, 4th and 25th with three in an unusual mixed flock with three Redshank resting on Lockwood on the 23rd. But the highlight on Lockwood was a tame Little Stint found by EDH which stayed for a couple of hours. There have only been two other records in the last 15 years with a single on East Warwick in 2019 and two again on Lockwood in 2021. The first - and only - Common Snipe flew around Lockwood on the early date of the 11th, 

                                       Little Stint and Greenshank pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

             

                    Common Sandpiper passage did not reach the heights of July but birds were seen throughout the month with 11 on the 3rd and 25th the highest counts. A single Green Sandpiper was recorded on the 13th with two on the 26th. As well as the three Redshank on the 23rd, another was seen on the 21st. The lack of water in the flood relief channel proved very attractive to Greenshank with up to two seen regularly from the 18th to the end of the month with occasional sightings also on Lockwood and No 4. 

                                    The adult Yellow-legged Gull on its favourite roof pic @Callahanbirder

             It was also a good month for gulls and terns. SD photographed the second Caspian Gull of the year on the 27th which was also seen on the 30th. DC found two Yellow-legged Gulls on the 16th with the adult staying faithful to the same warehouse roof overlooking High Maynard into September. It looked as if the year might slip by without a Sandwich Tern until FT saw one passing through on the 31st. Common Terns may have had a disastrous breeding season but at least three remained into September. They were often accompanied on Lockwood by a Black Tern at the end of the month which had first arrived with two others on the 29th.   

                    

   Caspian Gull and one of three Black Terns seen this month pics @samodonnell25.bsky.social

         Around 100 Swifts were seen on the 16th but numbers fell sharply, as expected, towards the end of the month. What was not expected was the almost complete lack of Swallows passing through with, for some reason, hardly a record although numbers were seen further up the valley. The Kingfisher pair on No 5 island, after false starts, finally fledged three young on the 10th. To the delight of visitors, they stayed around along the Coppermill stream and at the bottom of No 3 for most of the month. 

                                                Adult and demanding young Kingfisher pic @MLP

         There was a solid passage of Willow Warblers throughout August with ten seen or heard, for example on the 17th. Sedge Warblers also quietly passed through with the ringing team catching four on the 23rd, with another Garden Warbler also trapped on the 25th. 

            Spotted Flycatchers finally arrived pics @samodonnell25.bsky.social @ivorh.bsky.social 

     

            

         The first Spotted Flycatcher of the year was found by SD on the 27th - six days later than last year  - with others on the 29th and 31st. After a blank Spring, Whinchat was finally added to the year list when CF pinned down an elusive bird on West Warwick on the 15th with the only other record a smart juvenile from the 29th to the 31st at the north end of Lockwood. 

       The first Wheatear of the Autumn turned up on East Warwick on the 8th, and while not as scarce as last August when there were just five records all month, they were only seen on 10 days with two on the 30th the maximum count. Yellow Wagtails were seen - or often just heard - passing south also in small numbers from the middle of the month onwards. 

                   Whinchat (above) and Wheatear were both scarce pics @davidbradshaw1952.bsky.social  

DB @davidbradshaw1952.bsky.social

Reservoir Logs - Summer 2025 round-up

                             An adult Little Owl keeping watch over its young  @samodonnell25.bsky.social                                               
             

          Successful breeding by Little Owls was the highlight of the summer at the Wetlands with three newly fledged youngsters seen. June also saw the first Red-crested Pochard of the year with Garganey, Turnstone, Black-necked Grebe and Curlew all added to the year list in a strong finish to July. In all, 86 species were recorded in June and 87 in July with early return migration by all the expected waders. The five additions to the year list take the total so far to 131, the same as last year.

                                Shelduck raised one young after a blank year in 2024 @ivorh.bsky.social                                           

            Summer is also, of course, about breeding with better news on wildfowl than last year but a disastrous season for Common Terns. Both Barnacle Geese and Shelduck managed to raise one young to fledging after none escaped the big gulls, herons and foxes last year. The young Barnacle Goose could fly by July 23 which was around the same time that the Shelduck parents clearly thought their youngster, which they had wisely kept hidden on No 3, was independent enough to be abandoned. 

                    Breeding ducks rebounded after 2024's dismal season pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

          The number of Tufted Duck broods had already reached around 30 by the end of July, nearly twice as many as last year's very low number, with more appearing every day. Pochard, too, bounced back with 13 broods compared to just five in 2024. While the survival rate remains dismal - particularly when the breeding gulls have their own families to feed - it doesn't seem as bad as last year.  

          But that is sadly not the case with the Common Terns on West Warwick which had a truly disastrous season. The dozen or so pairs  failed to raise a single young compared to 23 fledging last year. The culprits were a pair of Lesser Black-backed Gulls nesting on a neighbouring raft who used the colony as a running buffet.  

                       A Red-crested Pochard made a typically short visit @chris-farthing.bsky.social                                                   

          Two species of duck were also added to the year list. Red-crested Pochard, as has been said before, are inexplicably infrequent visitors to the Wetlands given that they are regular on nearby park lakes. The drake picked out by CF on June 3rd in a typically brief stay may be 2025's only record. Garganey was not seen at all last year but the eclipse drake found by SD on July 16th at least remained until the 21st on No 5 and No 4 reservoirs.  

                                 The eclipse drake Garganey gave excellent views @samodonnell25.bsky.social                                                     

            Red Kites were regularly seen with records on at least four dates in June and seven in July compared to just one sighting each month last year but there was again just one record of Buzzard on June 24th. Hobbies were also pretty scarce with sightings on June 14th and July 2nd and 29th. 

                    Little Owls showed occasionally during the day pics (above) @sjnewton & MLP

      

          The good news story of the summer has been confirmation that Little Owls are breeding. Until very recently, they were a very rare bird at the Wetlands but sightings have become more frequent particularly in the summer. Last year when a well-grown youngster was seen with an adult on a couple of occasions. it was clear breeding was taking place somewhere close by. But confirmation that they were nesting on site came in mid-June when ADH saw a pair with youngsters clearly just out of the nest hole. News was kept quiet to allow the youngsters the chance to learn to fly and feed in peace which worked well as there have been regular sightings of both adults and youngsters into August.   

          The Wetlands missed out on Black-necked Grebes in the Spring so the presumed family party of three - an adult in full breeding plumage and two juveniles - on Lockwood on July 29th were the first of the year. .A Water Rail was heard calling in the No 1 reed bed on July 26th. 

                                         A Black-necked Grebe family made a one-day visit pic@davidbradshaw52.bsky.social

     

        Twelve species of waders were seen across the two months as failed or early breeders made their way south. Two Oystercatchers were seen on July 4th with singles on the 17th and June 29th. June also saw the only Lapwings with one on the 1st, 11th and four on the 30th. Little Ringed Plover, for the second year running, were very scarce with the only records on July 4 and 7th.

                                      Whimbrel passed over in mid-July pic @samodonnell25. bsky.social                                                                            

          Whimbrel put in a better showing in the middle of July with one on the 17th and two on the 18th and 20th. The first Curlew of the year flew north over Lockwood on July 13th while two Black-tailed Godwits also went north on July 16th with another on the 30th. GJ found the only Turnstone of the year so far on July 24th at the north end of Lockwood in the company of two Redshank. Single Redshank were also seen on June 5th, July 1st and 24th while the only Greenshank went over on July 9th.

                               Green and Common Sandpiper on West Warwick pic @chris-farthing.bsky,social       

          It is hard to know whether the Common Sandpiper seen on June 8th was the last Spring migrant or first Autumn bird but once return passage got going on the 19th - two days earlier than the last two years - it was very strong. By July 14th numbers had built to 19 before a peak count across the reservoirs of 29, compared to 19 last year, on July 20th. This was the same day as the only Green Sandpiper of the Autumn so far on West Warwick. Single Dunlin were seen on July 16th and 28th.

                       Two typically tame Dunlin were seen in July pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

          For the third consecutive year, Great Black-backed Gulls bred successfully with two young raised on the No 5 'Cormorant island'. Yet again, they may be be the only breeding pair in London. An adult Mediterranean Gull flew around the successful Black-headed Gull colony on Lockwood on June 22nd. A returning adult Common Gull, which largely disappear over the summer, was seen from July 13th with an early juvenile on the 27th. 

          Sand Martins minutes before taking their first flight pic @eastlondonkingfishers.bsky.social

           The good year for Cuckoos continued with birds seen on June 14th and 23rd and a late adult on July 27th. Young Skylarks, as is often the case, were seen on Lockwood on June 23rd and July 2nd while a juvenile Nuthatch, a rare bird here, stayed around in the sensory garden on June 17th long enough to fill a gap in several regulars Wetlands life lists.  Sand Martins nested successfully on the reserve in the drainage pipes by the Coppermill Tower.  

                                  Garden Warblers enjoyed the Wetlands berry harvest pic @SR

           Garden Warblers are more regular in the autumn than Spring as they stop on their migration south to feed on the rich harvest of blackberries and elderberries. The bird photographed by SR, visiting from Australia, on the north side on July 23rd was only the second of the year but was quickly followed by another caught by the ringing team on the 26th with a third un-rung bird next day. The first juvenile Willow Warbler was seen on the 16th although passage remained light while an early Yellow Wagtail flew over on July 20th.  

DB @davidbradshaw52.bsky.social                                                  

       

Reservoir Logs - May 2025 round-up

 

                    Osprey getting the usual warm Wetlands welcome pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

          Osprey, Little Owl and, perhaps best of  all, the frequent sound and sightings of Cuckoos were the May highlights at Walthamstow Wetlands. The month also saw the first Ringed Plover and Yellow-legged Gulls among the 89 species recorded, two more than last year while the annual total  at 126 also remains two ahead of 2024.  

   
                Calling Cuckoos delighted visitors to the Wetlands photo @samodonnell25.bsky.social  
  

       Three Barnacle Geese pairs produced young this month -  again likely to be the only breeding in London - with the first family seen swimming across from the No 5 breeding island on the 8th. But as in the breeding efforts of the previous two years, survival rates as very low with only one young having escaped the crows, gulls and foxes by the end of the month. 

                 The first Barnacle Goose brood leaving their nesting island pic @davidbradshaw52.bsky.social  

              Despite all the predators, the Wetlands still had plenty of young geese and ducks around. They included the first Pochard brood spotted on the 22nd, one day later than last year, with the first Tufted Duck young appearing on the 30th. Two Shoveler  had returned by the 9th, earlier than last year, with at least one seen regularly across the month. 

                                 Ringed Plover on Lockwood pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social  

         Eight wader species - one less than last year - were recorded this month. Oystercatchers continued to be seen regularly until the 21st with three on the 1st. Single Lapwing appeared on the 10th and 16th. Unlike last year, neither Turnstone or Sanderling turned up this month but Ringed Plover, the third of the high Arctic breeders, did. CF found the first on East Warwick early in the morning on the 15th and another - or perhaps the same - was on Lockwood in the afternoon. The only Little Ringed Plover, in what has been a poor Spring, was on the 11th. 

         Common Sandpiper (pic samodonnell25.bsky.social) passage was stronger but shorter than last year with a peak count of nine on the 9th, four more than the highest count last May. There were still six moving through on the 20th but none were recorded after the 22nd while last year late migrants were seen into June.  

                           This Greenshank spent seven days on Lockwood pic @HarringayBirder

          The only Whimbrel was heard flying over in the early hours of the  2nd and the sole Dunlin was seen on Lockwood on the 12th. Waders in Spring are supposed to be in a hurry to reach their breeding grounds but no one had told the tame Greenshank which was found on the 11th. It stayed, usually in the north-west corner of Lockwood for seven days. 

                      Little Gull and Yellow-legged Gull over Lockwood pics @samodonnell25.bsky.social                           

         It continued to be a good Spring for terns and gulls. A 2cy Little Gull was found by SD on Lockwood on the 15th and four days later he photographed a similar aged Yellow-legged Gull over the same reservoir which was seen irregularly until the 24th.  The Lockwood rafts continue to be attractive to Black-headed Gulls with the first young spotted on the 24th - a week later than last year - with young Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls also appearing on the islands on the south side. The small island on No 5 played host again to what again may be London's  only nesting Great Black-backed Gulls who had two young by the end of the month. 

                                  Arctic and Black Terns arrived in numbers @samodonnell25.bsky.social                                                     

                  

             The  strong passage of Arctic Terns continued with two on the 2nd,  nine on the 4th, as many as 35 next day, two on the 12th and six on the 15th. More Black Terns also passed through with two on the 12th and three on the 16th. Breeding numbers of Common Terns have remained high, which sadly has not been the case throughout the Lea Valley with around ten pairs on both the rafts on West Warwick and on Banbury. 

   

              With no Osprey sightings in April, it looked as if it might be a blank Spring for the species at the Wetlands until SD picked up a very late bird high over Lockwood on the 24th. Red Kites were seen on five days with two on the 4th while single Buzzards were seen on the 3rd and 15th. Hobby were recorded on five days. 

                                               Little Owl playing hide and seek pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

            Little Owl seems to be becoming a regular visitor at the Wetlands with records now for the third consecutive year although its arrival this time is a couple of months earlier than in 2024. LB saw the first on the 17th in flight around No 5 with all-too-brief sightings also next day and on the 19th in the same area. A young Coal Tit, another species less rare than it was, was caught by the ringing team on the  26th. 

                                     Cuckoos showed exceptionally well pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

           But perhaps the star bird of the month was Cuckoo whose evocative sound could be heard across the site for a fortnight. They have also become welcome annual visitors to the Wetlands after a decade when they were very infrequent. But this month is the first in recent years there has been more than one calling bird at the same time. Two different calling males were seen on the 7th and it is suspected for a couple of days longer with one showy male staying in the area and neighbouring marshes until the 17th. 

      Swift numbers continued to build with an estimate of over a 1000 birds feeding over the reservoirs on the 15th. Swallows continued to trickle through until the 24th with 70 on the 6th the highest count.  April's late Redwing stayed well into  May until at least the 24th. It seemed to have a drooping wing and, although it could fly, may not have fancied the journey across the North Sea.                     

         

           While it was a reasonable Spring for larger migrants, it remained very poor for smaller birds. No Whinchats or Common Redstarts were seen and only two Wheatears with single birds on the 1st and 3rd. This compares to records on six days last year when the the last bird on the 28th. Yellow Wagtails were also scarcer - although 2024 was an exceptional passage - with one on the 1st and 5th and the last on the 18th. 

DB @ davidbradshaw52.bsky.social