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. 

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                                               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

Reservoir Logs - February 25 round-up

               The Red-necked Grebe drew a steady stream of admirers pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

 

         The first Red-necked Grebe for 25 years brightened what had been up to then a dismal month. It was followed, of course, immediately by the first Black Redstart for over a year which flew over birders enjoying the grebe and two days later by a Mediterranean Gull, another species which for some reason was not seen last year. With a returning Caspian Gull and fly over Siskins also seen at the end of the month, February finished a lot stronger than it began. The six additions take the annual list to 86, just two behind last year but well ahead of the 81 in 2023.  

          Barnacle Geese continued to roost and feed at the reservoirs most days. Shelduck slowly built up with nine being counted on the 19th.  The regular waterbird surveys confirmed that Tufted Duck numbers are lower than usual with just 242 counted across the reservoirs at the beginning of the month compared to 356 last year and 339 in 2023. Goldeneye numbers remained low as well with no more than three seen in a day while the only Goosanders were a single bird on the 2nd and two on 16th.

         As expected, waders were also scarce. The frost early in the month saw two Lapwing on the 7th & 8th with a single on the 16th. Common Snipe were seen occasionally - again usually when frost had forced them off the marsh -  in the East Warwick island with three on the 17th and 28th the peak count while the Common Sandpiper continued to winter, usually on High Maynard. 

                                 A long overdue Mediterranean Gull pic @birdbrainuk.bsky.social

          Black-headed Gulls returned in force to the Lockwood rafts by the middle of the month. The gathering probably attracted a 1W Mediterranean Gull found by DDL, a bird not recorded at all last year, on the 16th while SD picked out December’s rung Caspian Gull on the same reservoir on the 22nd.

          This 1W Caspian Gull was also re-found on Lockwood pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social 

       The highlight of the month was the Red-necked Grebe found at the south end of Lockwood on the 14th. It is the first record since one wintered on West Warwick from late December 1999 into the Spring of 2000. But there was to be no repeat of this long stay as, after circuiting the reservoirs high several times during its three day visit,  it was watched flying off north at lunchtime on the 16th.

The Red-necked Grebe practising for departure pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social 

         The Buzzard continued to winter at the reservoirs, roosting on No 1 island, while two Red Kites were seen on the 24th. More unusual was the Barn Owl which was watched hunting over the flower farm again on the 9th and 17th although sadly missing on other mornings. 

               The Barn Owl continues to appear occasionally pic @chris-farthing.bsky.social 

         It has been a remarkably bad year for winter thrushes with only one record of Fieldfare on the 23rd and seemingly no Redwing at all this month although there are a few on Walthamstow Marsh. The first sign of Spring passage at the reservoirs is often a movement of Stonechats with two bang on schedule on the 18th, two days later than last year, with two more obvious migrants on the 25th. Small numbers of Meadow Pipits also began to appear. 

       The first Skylark, another early migrant, flew over on the 21st with two on the 23rd.  But the most striking sign of migration was the female type Black Redstart, picked up by RB as it flew over the group enjoying the Red-necked Grebe on the 14th. It perched on a nearby tree for a few seconds before continuing on its way north. The first two Siskins of the year were picked up by LB going SW on the last day of the month.

DB @davidbradshaw1952.bsky.social

Reservoir Logs - January 2025 round-up

      

                   The Golden Plover gave amazing views during its stay pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social
  

      A remarkably tame and long-staying Golden Plover was the highlight of an otherwise dull January. The month did also see an elusive Redpoll and a brief re-appearance of a Barn Owl but only 80 species were recorded - three less than last year - with no additions to the year list after the 20th. Even the usual New Year's Day blitz had to be postponed as the Wetlands was shut because of high winds until the afternoon. Which just about sums the month up....   

                   A stunning photograph of the showy drake Goldeneye pic @samodonnell25. bsky.social                                                   

       The Barnacle Goose flock remained at the Wetlands with occasional forays further up the valley although, by the end of the month, it had reduced in size from 15 to 13. Goldeneye numbers also fell from the modest four to just two with the drake and female which had paired up disappearing. Wigeon were seen on three days with a cold weather influx of ten on the 11th. Goosander were also recorded on three days although the five seen over Lockwood on the 7th were three more than the peak count last January. 

The cold weather brought an influx of Wigeon pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social
      

       Seven species of waders were recorded which is a healthy total for January. The highlight was a Golden Plover found on the 12th by JM at the north end of East Warwick. Appearances by the species are usually very brief so it was a major surprise when it was re-found next day on the 4/5 causeway. By the 14th, it had moved to the public side of High Maynard, sleeping and occasionally feeding all day despite a procession of cyclists and joggers just metres away. 

                      This Oystercatcher spent the day on East Warwick pic  @chris-farthing.bsky.social

       An Oystercatcher, which also ignored passers-by, was around East Warwick on the 20th. The only Redshank of the month was on the 10th which also saw the first two Lapwing with a cold weather movement of 15 next day. 

                      Freezing conditions saw Lapwing fly into London pic @samodonnell25.bsky.social

       Common Snipe occasionally appeared on the East Warwick island but, with few on Walthamstow Marsh, numbers never got above three even when there was a heavy frost.  The Common Sandpiper continued its winter stay, largely at the north end of High Maynard. Heavy rain forced Green Sandpipers out of the flooded channels onto Lockwood with two on the 5th and five next day. 

                                   The Buzzard continued to roost on No 1 island pic @chris-farthing.bsky.social                                                         

       January is usually a slow month for raptors at the Wetlands but this month Red Kites were seen on the 7th, 18th and 29th while our first ever wintering Buzzard continued to roost on No 1 island throughout the month. Peregrines were regularly seen on the pylons and neighbouring tower blocks with a food pass between the pair suggesting nesting may take place again in the area.  

       A Barn Owl made an early appearance on the year list when it was watched on the 13th crossing Forest Road to the south side by PG as he waited to go fly-fishing. Unlike last year when the first record of Pheasant was not until October, a female was seen on New Year's Day and regularly across the month. Coal Tit, although still a real scarcity at the Wetlands, is definitely becoming more regular with JN finding one on West Warwick on the 10th. Kingfishers continued to delight visitors with a particularly obliging bird often perching by the Coppermill Tower. 

                            Stonechat numbers fell during the month  pic  @samodonnell25.bsky.social                                                                

        Stonechats continued to be seen on West Warwick but numbers again seemed to fall from four on the 3rd to a maximum of two by the end of the month. Winter thrushes remained exceptionally scarce with just a handful of Redwing and Fieldfare records across the month. Last year a flock of 20 Redwing fed around the Engine House but there are suggestions that a bumper berry crop in Scandinavia this winter has kept birds closer to home. One winter visitor which was unusual was what seems likely to be a single Redpoll - never common at the Wetlands - first seen by MM on the 17th and then intermittently until the 25th. 

DB @davidbradshaw52.bsky.social