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

Reservoir Logs - April 2025 round-up

                                                   Bar-tailed Godwit and Whimbrel heading north pic @samodonell25.bsky.social

      An unprecedented passage of Bar-tailed Godwits, a fly-by Hoopoe - the first for seven years - and a pair of  far more obliging Black Terns were April's birding highlights. A strong showing from waders, terns and gulls compensated for a lack of smaller migrants as the largely fine weather enabled birds to carry on northwards rather than put down at the Wetlands. 

               Two showy Black Terns spent the day on Lockwood pic @philjames_naturephotography 
            

       In all, 97 species were recorded in April but there is a long list of missing species including Garganey, Black-necked Grebe, Osprey, Ring Ouzel, Common Redstart and Whinchat which are often seen in in April. Despite these absences, the running annual total of 122 remains four ahead of 2024, ten above 2022 and only behind 2018's rarity-rich total. 

.    

                                               Wheatear and Yellow Wagtails on East Warwick pic @rom_birder

        A rare morning of heavy rain saw HW pick up four late Brent Geese going north on the 23rd once it stopped. Barnacle Geese continue to suggest they may breed again on No 5 with fingers crossed that any young survive the gulls and foxes this year. Shelduck, with perhaps four pairs now resident, are also preparing to nest. Small numbers of Shoveler remained until mid-month with the last record on the 24th, the same as the final record last year. The only Wigeon was a drake on the 8th. 

    Disappointing breeding news is the big decrease in nesting Grey Herons and Little Egrets. Grey Heron nests are down from 28 pairs last year to just 13 active nests. The fall has largely been caused by the birds deserting entirely the colony on No 1 island where 13 pairs bred last year. One possible explanation is disturbance from the Common Buzzard which wintered on No 1 for the first time. The number of Little Egrets has also halved from a record high of 30 to just 14 pairs although late breeding is still possible. To the delight no doubt of Walthamstow's anglers, there has, however, been a reversal in the long decline in Cormorant nests which have jumped from 105 last year to around 130. 

     Large raptors were remarkably consistent. Across the month, Red Kites were seen on six days and Buzzards on three days - exactly the same number as last year. Peregrines and Sparrowhawks continued to be seen regularly. An early Hobby was seen by LB on the 23rd, a fortnight before the first sighting in 2024.  

                             A remarkable flock of Bar-tails over the Wetlands pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

          Ten species of wader - the same as last April - were recorded but what was exceptional is  the number of bird involved. Bar-tailed Godwit remains far from annual at the Wetlands with no records, for example, in 2021, 2022 and 2023. When it does turn up, it tends to be just one or two birds a year. So the 55 - including a single flock of 35 going east - on the 21st in gloomy, damp conditions was unprecedented and is probably as many as have been seen at the Wetlands in the last 25 years. The number was so striking that it was singled out in a round-up of the national bird news of the week. 

                                          Two of the 22 Whimbrel seen this month @samodonnell25bsky.social 

       The same day - and in fact the same big flock - also saw 12 Whimbrel go east. Even leaving aside this exceptional flock, it was a good month for the species with records on the 15th, 22nd, 23rd (3), 26th (3) and two more next day. An unusually large gathering of Green Sandpipers were also seen with rain on the 15th bringing down seven on Lockwood where they spent the day. There was also a single bird on the 9th. Oystercatcher, too, had a good showing with up to three being seen and heard regularly around the reservoirs from the 13th.              

                                                  Little Ringed Plover were scarce pic @rom_birder                     

         In contrast, the only records of  Little Ringed Plover were a single on the 8th and two on the 19th and 23rd. The sole sighting of Black-tailed Godwits were four resting briefly on Lockwood on the 5th. Two Dunlin were seen on the 15th following one on the 5th. 

                        Black-tailed Godwits in the gloom  pic @davidbradshaw1952.bsky.social

                Dunlin @ivorh.bsky.social & Redshank @samodonnell25. bsky.social

      The first migrant Common Sandpiper joined the wintering bird at the Wetlands on the 13th with the highest count of five on the 21st and 24th. Three Redshank were seen on 2nd with one next day while the first Greenshank of the year was on East Warwick on the 19th with another on the same reservoir on the 23rd.     

   

                     Mediterranean Gulls (front two) with Black-heads pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social                                                                                                                  

                                                    Adult Little Gull pic @birdbrainuk.bsky.social

              It was an excellent month for gulls and terns. Five more Little Gulls were found on the 6th with three adults briefly on West Warwick on the 15th. The strong showing by Mediterranean Gull -  not recorded at all last year - continued with a pair of adults on the first two days of the month, on the 14th and 21st around the Black-headed colonies, with singles on the 6th and 30th. Great Black-backed Gulls again look as if they are breeding which may be the only pair in London.  

                              A party of stunning Arctic Terns graced West Warwick  pic @LolBodini

       The first Common Terns were seen on the 13th with our breeding birds beginning to return on the 15th - a day later than last year - when they immediately started noisily pair-bonding. April and early May are the most likely period for passing Arctic Terns and RE picked up the first two at lunchtime on West Warwick on the 23rd with the numbers growing to 35 by the afternoon. Another prized Spring find are Black Terns in their breeding finery with PJ finding two on Lockwood on the last day of the month which obligingly stayed around until dusk.    

            Black Terns drew many admirers pics @LolBodini & @samodonnell25.bsky.social

          In recent years, Cuckoo has become slightly more regular at the Wetlands with the first, we hope of more, heard on the 27th, the same date as last year. Another Rook was seen on the 6th with a few Jackdaws also passing over. It has been a good year for Hoopoe in the UK and in London and it was always a possibility that the Wetlands would see its first record since 2018. Unfortunately, its appearance on the 28th was all too brief as it was at the very north of the site flying towards the out-of-bounds Banbury Reservoir. Despite searching, there was no further sign. 

     After the first Sand Martins last month, numbers built up with 50 counted on the 9th and 200 in poor conditions on the 15th. The first Swallow was found on the 2nd - three days earlier than last year - and House Martin on the 9th (7th) although numbers remained low for the rest of the month. Swifts were first seen on the 20th - four days later than in 2024 - but around 100 were counted by the 26th.  

            

                          Blackcaps are the Wetlands' most musical summer visitors pic @MLP                                                              
             April saw the first Sedge Warbler arrive back early on the opening day of the month - four days ahead of last year - with Reed Warblers returning on the 6th (5th). Common Whitethroats were heard singing from the 8th (again the same day as in 2024). Lesser Whitethroats were late with no records until the 22nd (13th) but with four or five males on territory by the end of the month. There was no shortage of singing Blackcaps while Willow Warblers continued passing through in small numbers but without any large fall.   

                                         A late Redwing was a real surprise pic @jhmsparky.bsky.social

      Redwing, like Fieldfare, have been extraordinarily scarce this winter so the bird found on the 29th,  which stayed into May, at the bottom of No 1 was a real surprise. More expected were passage Wheatears but the largely cloudless skies meant birds had no reason to put down, or if they did, stay long before moving on. Four on the 15th was the highest count with at least half the days of the month seeing none recorded at all. 

                                   Wheatear passage was again light pic @londonkingfishers.bsky.social
                     

           The sunny conditions were also not right for a repeat of last year's falls of Yellow Wagtails when a remarkable 40 were recorded across the month but birds were seen either flying over or briefly on the ground on at least eight days. The first was on the 7th - the same day as last year - with three on the rainy 21st the highest count. Unlike last year, we did not have to wait until the autumn for the first Rock Pipits. Two were seen passing through, showing their variable plumage at this time of the year with the first found by EDH on Lockwood on the 4th much lighter than the one on East Warwick five days later. 

                                          

                                   Rock Pipits pic @chris-farthing.bsky.social & @eugenedh.bsky.social 
 

   DB @davidbradshaw1952@bsky.social

Reservoir Logs - March 2025 round-up

 

                                Nuthatch is a genuine Wetlands' rarity  pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

      After a lacklustre start to the year, 2025 sprang into life with an excellent March which saw Nuthatch, Firecrest, Marsh Harrier and Brent Geese among the 19 species added to the year list. The 92 species recorded across the month also included a nice array of waders including Bar-tailed Godwit as well the expected early migrants. It means the year list has now reached 104, five more than last year and three more than in 2023.  

                              Two flocks of Brents passed over the Wetlands pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

      The size of the Barnacle Goose flock dwindled across the month but at least two pairs remained into April around the 4/5 causeway with one or two more birds showing signs of nesting again.on the No 5 islands. SD picked up 21 Brent Geese going north on the 22nd, eleven days later than the first record last year, with four more seen on the 29th. Small numbers of Shoveler and Teal continued into April while two Wigeon were seen on the 11th and a single on the 16th. The only Goosander was on the 21st while the last Goldeneye of the month, and probably the winter, was on the 24th. As recently as 2021, five Goldeneye were still at the Wetlands at the end of March which illustrates how wintering numbers are falling.   

                 Bar-tailed Godwit again turned up before its commoner cousin pic @chris-farthing.bsky.social

           Nine species of wader - three more than last year -  were seen this month including the wintering Common Sandpiper which shows no sign of leaving.  A Lapwing on the 29th was the only record with single Oystercatchers on both the 21st and 26th. As recently as a decade ago, Avocets were very irregular visitors to the reservoirs with records in only two years between 2009 and 2015. But they have now been seen every year but one in the last decade with two separate pairs appearing on the 18th. The first were spotted by LB from his loft window overlooking Lockwood but he had to leave the house to find the only Little Ringed Plover of the month, and the first of the year, later that day. 

                      Avocet and Little Ringed Plover are regular Spring visitors pics @samodonnell25.bsky.social

      

      For the second year running, Bar-tailed Godwit turned up before the usually more regular Black-tailed with CF finding one - as he did last February - on Lockwood on the 17th.  Single Dunlin passed through on the 12th and 20th with the only Redshank on the 11th. Common Snipe continued to be seen occasionally on the East Warwick island until the 23rd at least. 

                             Three Mediterranean Gulls were seen this month pic@samodonnell25.bsky.social

       Mediterranean Gulls are making up for 2024's unusual blank year with singles on the 9th, 17th and 19th to add to the first record last month. Little Gull is also a regular Spring bird with a 2cy spending the afternoon among the feeding Black-heads on West Warwick on the 26th. Grey Herons and Little Egrets are busy nesting while MM picked out the year's first Great Egret going south over High Maynard on the 25th.    

                  The Black-heads on West Warwick attracted an immature Little Gull  pic @ivorh.bsky.social 

  

        The wintering Buzzard continued to be seen until mid-month with two passage birds over on the 29th, the same day two Red Kites were seen. Single Kites were also recorded on the 6th, 9th and 12th. But the best raptor record of the month was the Marsh Harrier picked up going over high by SD on the 8th. March is also traditionally a good month for scarcer covid passage with small numbers of Jackdaw seen while the real reward for checking every crow overhead is the much rarer Rook with two on the 9th and another on the 21st.

                     Distant Rook and much closer - and brighter - Firecrest pics @samodonell25.bsky.social

 

        Nuthatch remain very scarce birds at the Wetlands with records far from annual. But it has now been seen in the middle of March for the last two years. Even more unusually, the bird found by DDL on the 22nd was also seen briefly - and photographed - next day.  While looking for the Nuthatch, CF found the first Firecrest  of the year as a consolation prize. He also had at least one Coal Tit on the 3rd. 

         There was a mixed picture in arrival dates of summer migrants. The first Sand Martin was on the 10th, seven days earlier than last year but passage remained light with with no repeat of the flock of 50 seen last March. Yellow Wagtail was also early with the first on the 28th, again a week before last year's record. In contrast, the first Willow Warbler was not recorded until the 25th, six days later than in 2024 with the first two Wheatears on the 21st, again five days behind last year's earliest arrival. A female Blackcap was seen on the 3rd with the first singing male twelve days later.  

                 The first Wheatear was found by DC and photographed by samodonnell25.bsky.social 

       After the first Siskins at the end of last month, three more were recorded on the 2nd with single Redpoll on the 8th and 23rd. March is a good month for Brambling with EDH finding an cracking male on the 13th. There has been no record of Bullfinch for at a decade - and perhaps far longer - at the Wetlands so it is a shame there are no more details for the pair recorded on an eBird list for the Wetlands on the 20th.    

          This Brambling briefly joined the Chaffinches at south end of No 3 pic @eugenedh.bsky.social  

DB @davidbradshaw1952.bsky.social